IX. An executive council fhould be appointed by the congrefs out of their own body, confifting of 12 perfons, of whom in the first appointment one-third, viz. four, shall be for one year, four for two years, and four for three years; and as the faid terms expire, the vacancies fhall be filled up by appointments for three years, whereby one-third of the members will be chofen annually; and each perfon who has ferved the fame term of three years, as counsellor, fhall have a refpite of three years, before he can be elected again. This counfel, of whom two-thirds fhall be a quorum, in the recefs of the congrefs is to execute what fhall have been enjoined thereby; to manage the general continental bufinefs and interefts, to receive applications from foreign countries, to prepare matters for the confideration of the congrefs, to fill up, pro tempore, continental offices that fall vacant, and to draw on the general treasurer for fuch monies as may be neceffary for general fervices, and appropriated by the congrefs to fuch fervices.

X. No colony fhall engage in an offenfive war with any nation of Indians, without the confent of the congrefs or great council above mentioned, who are first to confider the juftice and neceffity of fuch war.

XI. A perpetual alliance, offenfive and defenfive, is to be entered into, as foon as may be, with the fix nations; their limits afcertained and secured to them; their lands not to be encroached on, nor any private or colony purchafe to be made of them hereafter to be held good, nor any contract for lands to be made but between the great Council of the Indians at Onondega and the general Congrefs.-The boundaries and lands of all the other Indians fhall alfo be afcertained and fecured to them in the fame manner;

and

and perfons appointed to refide among them in praper diftricts, who fhall take care to prevent injuftice in the trade with them; and be enabled at our general expence, by occafional fmall fupplies, to relieve their perfonal wants and diftreffes; and all purchases from them fall be by the congrefs, for the general advan tage and benefit of the united colonies.

XII. As all new inftitutions may have imperfections, which only time and experience can difcover, it is agreed that the general congrefs, from time to time, fhall propofe fuch amendments of this conftitution, as may be found neceffary, which being approved by a majority of the colony affemblies, fhall be equally binding with the reft of the articles of this confederation.

XIII. Any and every colony from Great Britain upon the continent of North America, not at prefent engaged in our affociation, may, upon application, and joining the faid affociation, be received into the confederation, viz. Quebec, St. John's, Nova-Scotia, Bermudas and the East and West Floridas, and shall thereupon be entitled to all the advantages of our union, mutual affistance, and commerce.

Thefe articles fhall be propofed to the several provincial conventions or affemblies, to be by them confidered; and if approved, they are advised to empower their delegates to agree and ratify the fame in the enfuing congrefs; after which the union thereby established is to continue firm, till the terms of reconciliation propofed in the petition of the laft congrefs to the king are agreed to; till the acts, fince made, restraining the American commerce and fisheries, are, repealed; till reparation is made for the injuries done to Boston by fhutting up its port; for burning Charlef

town,

town, and for the expence of this unjust war; and till all the British troops are withdrawn from America. On the arrival of thefe events, the colonies are to return to their former connections and friendship with Great Britain; but on failure thereof, this confederation is to be perpetual.

WHEREAS it hath pleafed God to blefs thefe countries with a moft plentiful harvest, whereby much corn and other provifions can be fpared to foreign nations who may want the fame: Refolved, That after the expiration of fix months, from the 20th of July inft. being the day appointed by a late act of parliament of Great Britain, for reftraining the trade of the confederate colonies, all custom-houses therein (if the faid act be not first repealed) fhall be fhut up, and all the officers of the fame difcharged from the execution of their feveral functions; and all the ports of the faid colonies are hereby declared to be thenceforth open to the fhips of every ftate in Europe that will admit our commerce, and protect it, who may bring in and expofe to fale, free of all duties, their refpective produce and manufactures, and every kind of merchandize, excepting teas, and the merchandize of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Weft-India iflands,

Refolved, That we will, to the utmoft of our pow er, maintain and fupport this freedom of commerce for two years certain after its commencement, any reconciliation between us and Great Britain notwithstanding, and as much longer beyond that term as the late acts of parliament for reftraining the commerce and fisheries, and difallowing the laws and charters of any of the colonies, fhall continue unrepealed.

Addrefs,

Addrefs, &c. of the Lord Mayor of the city of London, &c. prefented to his Majefty, on Friday the 14th of July, 1775

To the King's Most Excellent Majefly.

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

"Moft gracious Sovereign,

YOUR Majefty's moft loyal and dutiful fubjects, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the ci

ty of London, in common council affembled, with all humility beg leave to lay themselves at your royal feet, humbly imploring your benign attention towards the grievous diftractions of their fellow-fubjects in Ame

rica.

The characteristic of the people, Sire, over whom you reign, has ever been equally remarked for their unparalleled loyalty to their Sovereign, whilft the prin ciples of the conftitution have been the rule of his government, as well as a firm oppofition whenever their rights have been invaded,

Your American fubjects, Royal Sire, defcended from the fame ancest ors with ourselves, appear equal. ly jealous of the prerogatives of freemen,-without which they cannot deem themselves happy.

Their chearful and unafked for contributions, as well as willing fervices to the mother-country, whilft they remained free from the clog of compulsory laws, will, we are fure, plead powerfully with the humanity of your difpofition, for gracioufly granting them every reasonable opportunity of giving, as freemen, what they feem refolutely determined to refuse under the injunction of laws made independent of their own confent.

The

The abhorrence we entertain of civil bloodshed and confufion will, we truft, Sire, if not wholly exculpate us in your royal mind, yet plead powerfully in our favour, for the warmth with which we lament those measures, whofe destructive principles have driven our American brethren to acts of defperation.

Convinced of the earnest difpofition of the colonists to remain firm in all duteous obedience to the conftitu. tional authority of this kingdom, permit us, moft gracious fovereign, to befeech you that thofe operations of force, which at prefent distract them with the most dreadful apprehenfions, may be fufpended; and that, uncontrouled by a restraint incompatible with a free government, they may poffefs an opportunity of tendering fuch terms of accomodation, as, we doubt not, will approve them worthy of a diftinguished rank among the firmeft friends of this country."

Signed by order of court,

WILLIAM Rix.

To which addrefs and petition, his Majefty was pleafed to return the following anfwer:

"I AM always ready to listen to the dutiful petitions of my fubjects, and ever happy to comply with their reasonable requests; but while the conftitutional authority of this kingdon is openly refifted by a part of my American fubjects, I owe it to the reft of my people, of whofe zeal and fidelity I have had fuch constant proofs, to continue and enforce those meafures by which alone their rights and interefts can be afferted and maintained."

His Majesty's moft gracious Speech to both Houfes of Parliament, Friday, May 26, 1775.

"My