ced by refufing to fuffer the presentation of petitions against it, (although it be the undoubted right of the fubject to present the fame) which followed the rejection of every mode of conciliation; which holds out no fubftantial offer of redrefs of grievances; and which promises support to thofe minifters who have inflamed America, and grofly misconducted the affairs of Great Britain.

Meffage of his Majefty to the House of Commons, on Friday, the 10th of February, 1775.

"George R.

"HIS Majesty being determined, in confequence of the addrefs of both houses of parliament, to take the most speedy and effectual measures for supporting the just rights of his crown, and the two houfes of parliament, thinks proper to acquaint this houfe, that fome addition to his forces by fea and land will be neceffary for that purpofe; and doubts not but his faithful Commons, on whose zeal and affection he entirely relies, will enable him to make fuch augmentation to his forces as the prefent occafion fhall be thought torequire.

"G. R."

Petition of the Lord Mayor of the city of London, &c. prefented to the Houfe of Commons, on Fri day, the 24th of February, 1775.

TQ

To the Honourable the Commons of Great Bri

tain, in parliament affembled.

The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the city of London, in Common-Council affembled,

Sheweth,

"THAT although your petitioners bear all due refpect to the policy of thofe acts of parliament, which have anciently preferved Great Britain a neceffary and beneficial commerce with our colonies, yet they are exceedingly alarmed at the confequences that must enfue, if the bill now depending in this honourable house should pass into a law, entitled, "A bill to reftrain the trade and commerce of Maffachufett's Bay and New Hampfhire, and colonies of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations in North America, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British iflands in the Weft-Indies, and to prohibit fuch provinces and colonies from carrying on any fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, or other places therein to be mentioned, under certain conditions, and for a time to be limited;" the faid bill, as your petitioners conceive, being unjustly founded, because it involves the whole in the punishment intended for the fuppofed offences of a few.

"That it muft, in its confequences, overwhelm thousands of his Majesty's loyal and useful fubjects with the utmost poverty and distress, inafmuch as they will be thereby deprived of the fisheries, which are the natural means of fupporting themselves and families.

"That the extenfive commerce between GreatBritain and her colonies will, by this bill, be greatly injured, as a capital fource of remittance will be ftopt,

which

which will not only disconnect the future commerical intercourfe between thofe colonies and this country, but will eventually render them incapable of paying the large debts already due to the merchants of this city.

"That the utmoft confufion will probably enfue from enforcing this bill, if it is paffed into a law, as it cannot be supposed that a great number of men, naturally hardy and brave, will quietly fubmit to a law which will reduce them almoft to famine, they not having within themselves provisions fufficient for their fubfiftance.

"That it will induce the French to extend their fisheries, and by that means increase the wealth and ftrength of our rivals in trade, to the great prejudice of this country.

"That your petitioners feel for the many hardfhips which their fellow-fubjects in America already labour under, from the execution of feveral late acts of parliament, evidently partial and oppreffive; and which feem to be extended and continued by this bill; inafmuch as it confirms thofe acts, which in particular cafes deprive the American fubject of trial by jury, prohibit the Americans from carrying provifions from one colony to another, invite a contraband trade under military protection, prevent any fubject of Great-Britain or Ireland from being part owner ofcertain American fhips or veffels, and vest an undue and dangerous authority in the governor and council of Maffachufett's Bay.

"Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray this honourable house, that the faid bill may not pafs into a law."

Articles

Articles of confederation and perpetual union entered into by the Delegates of the feveral colonies of New Hampshire, Maffachufett's, &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. in General Congress, met at Philadelphia, May 20th, 1775. ARTICLE

I.

The name of the confederacy fhall henceforth be, The United Colonies of North America.

II. The United Colonies hereby feverally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, binding on themselves and their posterity, for their common defence against their enemies, for the fecurity of their liberties and properties, the fafety of their perfons and families, and their mutual and general welfare.

III. That each colony fhall enjoy and retain as much as it may think fit of its own prefent laws, cuftoms, rights, privileges, and peculiar jurifdictions, within its own limits; and may amend its own conftitution, as shall seem best to its own affembly or convention.

IV. That for the more convenient management of general interests, delegates fhall be elected annually, in each colony, to meet in general congrefs, at fuch time and place as fhall be agreed on in the next preceding congrefs. Only where particular circumftances do not make a deviation neceffary, it is underftood to be a rule, that each fucceeding congrefs is to be held in a different colony, till the whole number be gone through, and fo in perpetual rotation; and that accordingly, the next congrefs after the present shall be held at Annapolis, in Maryland..

V. That the power and duty of the congrefs fhall extend to the determining on war and peace,

the entering into alliances, the reconciliation with Great Britain, the fettling all difputes between colony and colony, if any should arife, and the planting new colonies where proper. The Congress fhall alfo make fuch general ordinances thought neceffary to the general welfare, of which particular affemblies cannot be competent, viz. thofe that may relate to our general commerce or general currency, to the establishment of pofts, the regulation of our common forces; the congrefs fhall alfo have the appointment of all officers civil and military, appertaining to the general confederacy,- fuch as general treasurer, fecretary, &c. &c. &c.

VI. All charges of war, and all other general expences to be incurred for the common welfare, fhall be defrayed out of a common treasury, which is to be fupplied by each colony, in proportion to its number of male polls between 16 and 60 years of age; the taxes for paying that proportion are to be laid and levied by the laws of each colony.

VII. The number of delegates to be elected, and fent to the congrefs by each colony, fhall be regulated from time to time, by the number of fuch polls returned; fo as that one delegate be allowed for every 5000 polls. And the delegates are to bring with them to every congrefs an authenticated return of the number of polls in their refpective colonies, which is to be taken for the purposes above-mentioned.

VIII. At every meeting of the congrefs, one half of the members returned, exclufive of the proxies, fhall be neceffary to make a quorum; and each delegate at the congrefs fhall have a vote in all cafes; and if neceffarily abfent, fhall be allowed to appoint any other delegate from the fame colony to be his proxy, who may vote for him.

IX.