The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-02-27 00:00:00, page 2

es a form of government mere immediately in all its branches,
under the influence and controul of the people; and there
fore more free and happy than was enjoyed by their ancestors.
But as a government so popular can be supported only by uni
versal knowledge and virtue, in the body of the people, it is
the duty of all ranks to promote the means of education,
for the rising generation, as well as true religion, purity of
manners, and integrity of life, among all orders and degrees.
As an army has,become necessary for our defence, and in
all free states the civil mull provide for and controul the mi
litary power, the major part of the council have appointed
magiftiates and courts of justice in every county, whose hap
piness is so connected with that of the people, that it is diffi
cult to suppose they can abuse their trust. The business of it
is to fee those laws inforced, which are necessary for the pre
servation of peace, virtue and good order# And the great
and general court experts and requires that all necessary fup
poit and assistance be given, and all proper obedience yielded
to them ; and will deem every person, who Shall fail of his
duty in this reaped towards them, a disturber of the peace of
this colony, and deserving of exemplary punishment.
That piety and virtue, which alone can secure the freedom
of any people, may be encouraged, and vice and immorality
suppressed, the Great and General Court have thought fit to
issue this proclamation, commanding and enjoining it upon
the good people of this colony, that they lead sober, religi
ous and peaceable lives, avoiding all blasphemies, contempt
of the holy scriptures, and of the Lord's day, and all other
crimes and misdemeanors, all debauchery, prophanenefs,
corruption, venality, all riotous and tumultuous proceedings,
and ail immoralities whatsoever ; and that they decently and
reverently attend the public worship of God, at all times ac
knowledging with gratitude his merciful interposition in their
behalf, devoutly confiding in him, as the God of armies, by
whose favor and protection alone they may hope for success,
in their present conflict.
And all judges, juftice#, Sheriffs, grand jurors, typing
men, and all other civil officers within this colony, are here
by ftridly enjoined and commanded that they contribute all
in their power, by their advice, exertions and examples, to
wards a general reformation of manners ; and that they bring
to condign puniihment every person, who shall commit any
of the crimes or misdemeanors aforefaid, or that shall be
guilty of any immoralities whatsoever; and that they use
their utraoft endeavors, to have the resolves of the Congress,
and the good and wholesome laws of this colony duly carried
into execution.
And as the ministers of the gospel, within this colony,
have, during the late relaxation of the powers of civil go
vernment, exerted themselves for our fafety, it is hereby re
commended to them, still to continue their virtuous labours
for the good of the people, inculcating by their public mini
niftry, and private example, the necessity of religion, mo
rality, and good order.
In COUNCIL, January 19, 1776.
Ordered, That the foregoing proclamation be read at the
Opening of every superior court of judicature, &c. and infe
rior court of common pleas, ard court of general sessions
for the peace within this colony, by their refpeCtive clerks;
and at the annual town meetings in March, in each town'.
And it is hereby recommended to the several ministers of
the gospel, throughout this colony, to read the fame in their
rcfpe&ive assemblies on the, Lord's day next after their receiv
ing it, immediately after divine service.
Sent down for concurrence.
PEREZ MORTON, Deputy Secretary.
100
In the House of Representatives, Jan. 23, 1776.
Read and concurred,
WILLIAM COOPER, Speaker, pro. tern.
Consented to,
William Sever, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cufhing, John
Winthrop, Thomas Cufhing, M^fes Gill, Michael
Farley, Samuel Holten, Charles Chauncy, Joseph Pal
mer, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foftor, Eldad Taylor,
John Taylor, Benjamin White, James Prescott.
By order of the General Court,
PEREZ MORTON, Deputy Secretary.
GOD save the PEOPLE.
ANNAPOL I S, February, 22.
EXTRACT from the Proceedings of the CONVENTION
of the province of Maryland, held at the city of Anna
polis on Thursday the 7th of December, 1775.
Thursday, January 18.
The Convention took into consideration the King's speech
to Parliament on the 27th day of October last, and after some
time spent therein,
Resolved unanimously, That the following declaration be
entered on their journals :
We, the Delegates of the freemen of Maryland in Con
vention, affeCted with the deepest concern by the opinion de
clared in the King's speech to Parliament, on the 27th day of
October last, and expressed in the address of the Lords Spiri
tua Temporal to his Majesty in answer thereto, that the
necessary preparations for defence made by these colonies, are
carried on for the purpose of establishing an independant em
pire, and being desirous to remove, from the mind of the
King, an opinion which we feel to be highly injurious to the
people of this province, and to declare and manifeft to hi#
Majesty to the Parliament, the people of Great-Britain, and
to the whole world, the rectitude and purity of our inten
tions in the present opposition to the measures of the British
Ministry and Parliament, do declare,
That the people of this province, strongly attached to the
Enghfh constitution, and truly sensible of the blessings they
h ,e derived from it, warmly impressed with sentiments of
affeCtion for, and loyalty to, the House of Hanover, con
netted with the British nation by the ties of blood and inte
rest, and being thorougly convinced, that to be free fubje&s
of the King of Great-Britain, with all its consequences, is
to be the freeft members of any civil society of the known
world, never did, nor do entertain any views or desires of in
dependancy.
That as they confider their union with the mother country
upon terms, that may insure to them a permanent freedom, as
their highest felicity, so would they view the fatal neceffit'y of
separating from her, as a misfortune next to the created that
can befalthem. °
Defeended from Britons, intitled to the privileges of Eng
lishmen, and inheriting the Spirit of their ancestors, they
have seen, with the nioft extreme anxiety, the attempts of
Parliament to deprive them of those privileges, by raising a
revenue upon them, and assuming a power to alter the char
ters, constitutions, and internal polity of the colonies with
out their consent. The endeavours of the British ministry to
carry those attempts into execution by military force, have
been their only motive for taking up arms, and defending them
selves againf tthofe endeavours, is the only use they mean to
make of them. Intitled to freedom, they are determined to
nw^tain it 4t the hazard of their lives and fortunes.