The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-18 00:00:00, page 2

atica? >of Kar^c will not lend us any a'ffnltncf.
And have we then so bad an opinion of our own
Rrengih as in delpair to call in the abidance of so-
F^m :rs? Noofay they) but fure]y an alliance with
foreigners will be an advantage to us, by enabling
them" to supply us with the necessaries for carrying
on the war; chat on a declaration of independence,
and riot b tore, our fens and rivers will be crou'ded
with French and Spaniards, a ready market will be
had for our produce, and gold and River will pour
in apace. Afas ! I fear it till pfove but a goMen
dream, on' ol which we thill awake re-lets, difia
thti a . Gn depdr :ne very reverse appears
to me to be the mod probable. While Britain re
main ^ b as of the seas, ind blocks up every inlet
into our country, how arc the 'French and Spani
ards to get in amongll us? Have we not teen her
an over-match for France and Spain united? And
while the continues in alliance witli Ruflia and
Holland, is it not probable that the will beat the
rest of the united world on that element ? But 1
will suppose France and Spain able to lend effectual
abidance; yet 1 affirm that it is neither their interest
to give it, nor our intcreft to accept of it, with a
view to absolute independency. • Cut the knot which
ties old England to the new, and soon would the
northern colonies alone poffefsmore force than they
now have united with Britain. This vaR continent,
let loose from every connexion in Europe, would
enjoy the liberty, the command of ail her own
movements. It would then become a measure of
equal importance and facility for her to seize those
lands whose treasures might supply whafr the 'medi
ocrity of her own productions denies her. Her in
depca .ent position would enable her to complete
rise preparations for invaffon beforeAhe rumour of
them would reach the European climates. She
might thoo.'e her enemy, the field, and the moment
of her victories. Her thunder would always dis
charge i AT on coalls where it was lead exposed,
ton teas but feebly guarded by distant dates. Those
countries for the defence of which forces were tent
over, would be conquered before they could be fuc
coured., They could neither be recovered by treaty,
without great facritices, nor prevented from falling
again under :bit yoke from which an enfeebled hand
had delivered them. The colonies of these hates
would harin to acknowledge a matter who would
offer them n n conditions io vexatious as that of their
own government, or ebe, animated by the example
ofthe English provinces, they would break the chain
which /Tiens them so Ihamefully to Europe. Sound
policy then will prevent the rival nations of England
from precipitating, by their secret councils, by clan
d< Fine fuccours, or by open assistance, the total in
dependence of America, whicli can' only deliver
th.rn from a neighbouring rival, by giving them a
conqueror at a dißance. I will go further, and
afferi however paradoxical it may appear, that
although the other nations of Europe will not afid
in bringing about a total separation, it will be their
true iirereß to join the Americans in that conlli
tutional independence which gives them a free
trade under the allegiance of the Crown of England.
England, it is true, derives, the influence the is mis
tress of, especially m the new world, from the ex
tent and population of her northern colonics. It is
they who put it in her power to attack at all times,
with advantage, the isles and the continent of other
nations, to conquer their lands, and to ruin their
commerce. But let it be considered, that this Crown
hath, in the other quarters of the globe interests
which may run counter to her progress in America,
which may h imper or retard her enterprizes there,
which may annihilate her conquers by the neceflity
of restitutions. France and Spain have nothing
more to gain from a total separation of the colo
nies, bar what they will receive from their inde
pend • ride under the crown of England. They
have a gi.su deal more to lose. This reasoning, it
is Grid, may hold good with refped to Spain, but
the French territories in America are so insignificant
that an extensive commerce with the continent, and
the profpe& of a powerful fleet, will vastly overba
lan e the other considerations. And can we be seri
ous in our wiihes to aggrandize the power ofFrance?
Tha r naro who lately aspired at universal empire,
and only v mud a fleet to carry her scheme into
execution. .hdi we be such Ihort-fighted politici
ans as o furnifh her with that fleet? Soon would
Ihe giveiaws to the whole America continent Or
suppose rhepower of France should be only an equal
match for Britain, what shall we gain by the con
flia > A diveifion of the British forces perhaps in
our favour. But is it not more probable that the
contending powers, being wearied with their mu
tual losses, would join to divide the colonies between
them? Thus every great and powerful motive com
bines to mark the line of American politics— the
rights of a free trade under the Crown of England,
and the power of granting supplies as the free gift of
the people, until, in the fufnefs of time, the feat of
empire shall be transferred from Britain to America.
HAMPDE N.
efoefoefo^CfoC^ofoc*)cfo*6^focfocfo% cfoofo^OCfo
SOUR H-C A KOLI N A.'
In CONG RESS March 2*6.
WHEREAS the British Parliament, claiming
of late years a right to bind the North-Ame
rican Colonies by law, in all cases whaUbever, have
enabled hatutes fdr rail " . revenue in those colo
nies, and disposing of fuco revenue as they thought
proper, without the content, and against the will of
the colonies. And whereas, it appearing to them,
that (they not being represented in Parliament)
such claim was altogether unconstitutional, and, if
admitted, would at once reduce them from the rank
of Freemen to a Rate of the mod abje& Slavery;
the said colonics, therefore fverally remonstrated
against the palling, and petitioned for the repeal of
those ads—but in vain. And whereas the said claim
being persisted in, other unconstitutional and op
pressive statutes have been since enabled, by which
the powers of the Admiralty Courts in the colonies
arc extended beyond their ancient limits, and jurif
didion is given to such Courts in cases similar to
those whicli in Great-Britain are triable by jury—
Persons are liable to be sent to, and tried in Great-
Britain, for an offence created and made capital by
one of those statutes, though committed-in the co
lonies—the harbour of Boston was blocked up—
people indicted tor murder in the MafTachuffetts-
Bay, may, at the will of the Governor, be sent for
trial to any other colony, or even to Great- Britain
—the chartered constitution of government in that
colony is materially altered—the English laws and
a free government, to whicli the inhabitants of
Quebec were entitled by the King's Royal Procla
matron, are abolished; and French laws are resto
red; the Roman catholic religion (although before
tolerated and freely exercised there) and an abso
lute government are established in that province, and
its limits extended through a vast tra& of country,
so as to border on the free Protestant English Settle
ments, witli design of using a whole people, differ
ing in religious principles from the neighbouring
colonics, and fubje& to arbitrary power, as fit in
struments to overawe and subdue the colonies. And
whereas the Delegates of all the colonies on this
continent, from Nova Scotia to Georgia, assem
bled in a general Congress at Philadelphia, in a
mod dutiful manner, laid their complaints at the
foot of the throne and humbly implored their So
vereign. that his Royal authority and interposition
might be used lor their relief from the grievances
occasioned by those statutes, and assured his Majes
ty, that harmony between Great-Britain and Ame
rica, ardently desired by the latter would be there
by immediately restored, and that the eolonifts con
fided in the magnanimity and jußice of the King
and parliament for redress of the many other griev
ances under which they laboured. And whereas,
these complaints being wholly disregarded statutes
Rill more cruel than these above-mentioned, have
been enacted, prohibiting the intercourse of the co
lonics with each other, reftri&ing their trade, and
depriving many thousands of people of the means of
subsistence, by restraining them from fifhing on the
American coast. And whereas, large fleets and ar
mies have been sent to America, in order to enforce
the execution of those laws, and to compel an ab
solute and implicit submission to the will of a cor
rupt and despotic administration, and in consequence
thereof, hostilities having been commenced in the
Maffachuffets bay, by the troops under command
of Gen. Gage, whereby a number of peaceable,
helpless and unarmed people, where wontonly rob
bed and murdered, and there being just reason to
apprehend that like hoftiliries would be committed
in all the other colonies, the eolonifts were there
fore driven to the neceflity of taking up arms to repel
force by force, and to defend themielves and their
properties againd lawless invasions and depradati
ons. Nevertheless, the Delegates of the said colo
nies, assembled in another congress at Philadelphia,
anxious to procure a reconciliation with Great-Bri
tain upon just and constitutional principles, luppli
cated his Majesty to hired some mode by which
the united applications of his faithful colonies might
be improved into a happy and permanent reconcili
ation: that in the mean time measures might be
taken for preventing the further deltrudion of their
lives; and that such statutes as immediately distress
ed any of the eolonifts might be repealed. And
whereas, instead of obtaining that justice to which
the eolonifts were and are of right intitled, the un
natural civil war, into which they were just preci
pitated, and are involved, hath been proiecuted
with unremitted violence; and the Governors and
others bearing the Royal commiflion in the colonies
having broken the molt solemn promises and engage
ments, and violated every obligation of honour,
justice and humanity; have caused the perlons of
divers good people to be seized and imprisoned, and
their properties to be forceably taken and detained,
or destroyed, without any crime or forfeiture—ex
cited domestic infurre&ioas —proclaimed freedom to
servants and slaves—enticed or stolen them from,
and armed them against their matters—instigated
and encouraged the Indian nations to war against
the coloni s—difpenced with the law of the land,
and substituted law martial in its head—killed ma
ny of the eolonifts— burned leveral towns and threat
ened to burn the rest; and daily endeavour, by a
conduct which has sullied the British arms, & would
disgrace even savage nations, to effect the ruin and
deftru&ion of the colonies. And whereas a statute
hath been lately passed, whereby, under pretence
that the said colonies are in open rebellion, all trade
and commerce whatsoever with them is prohibited
—vcffcls belonging to their inhabitants trading {q
to, or from the said colonies, with the cargoes ang
effeds on board such vcffels, and made lawful prize,
and the masters and crews of such vessels, are tub
je&ed, by force, to aft on board the King's ships,
against their country and dearest friends; and all
seizures or detenfion, or deftrudion of the persons
and properties of the eolonifts, which have at any
time been made, or committed, for withstanding or
suppressing the said pretended rebellion, and which
shall be made in purluance of the said ad, or for the
service of the public, are juftified; and persons su
ing for damages in such cases are, on failing in their
suits, lubje&ed to payment of very heavy expences.
And whereas, large reinforcements of troops and
Blips have been ordered, and are daily expeded in
America, for carrying on war against each of the
United Colonies, by the moll vigorous exertion;.
And whereas in consequence of a plan recommended
by the Governors, and which seems to have been,
concerted between them and their ministerial mas
ters, to withdraw the usual officers, and thereby
loosen the bands of government, and create anar*
chy and confufion in the colonies; Lord William
Campbell, late Governor, on the 15th day of Sep
tember last, dissolved the General Assembly of this
colony, and no other hath since been called, altho\
by law, the fitting and holding of General Assem
blies, cannot be intermitted above fix months; and
having used his utmost efforts to destroy the lives,
liberties and properties of the good people here,
whom by the duty of his Ration he was bound to
proted, withdrew himfelf from the colony, and
carried off the Great Seal and the Royal Inftrufli
ons to Governors. And whereas the judges of the
courts of law here have refufed to exercise their
refpe&ive fundions, so that it is become indilpenfa
bly necessary, that during the present fixation of
American affairs, and until an accommodation of
the unhappy differences between Great-Britain and
America can be obtained, (an event, which though
traduced and treated as rebels, we still earned!,
desire) some mode should be established by common
content and for the good of the people, the origin
and end of all government, for regulating the inter,
nal policy of this colony, The Congress, being veiled
with powers competent for the purpose, and having
fully deliberated touching the premises, Do there
fore Resolve,
1. That this congress being a full and free reprei
fentation of this colony, shall henceforth be deemed
and called the general assembly of South-Carolina,
and as such shall continue until the twenty-firft day
of October next, and no longer.
2. That the general assembly shall, out of their
own body, eled by ballot, a legislative council, to
consist of thirteen members, (seven whereof shall
be a quorum) and to continue for the lame time a#
the general assembly.
3. That the general assembly and the said legisla
tive council, shall jointly choose by ballot, from
among themlelves, or from the people at large, a
president and commander in chief, and a vice pre
sident of the colony.
4. That a member of the general assembly, being
chosen and acting as president and commander in.
chief, or vice president, or one of the legislative
council, shall vacate his feat in the general affembl,
and another perlon shall be elected in his room ; and
if one of the legislative council is chof n president,
and commander in chief, or vice-president, he shall
lose his feat, and another person shall be eleded in
his Read.
5. That there be a privy council, whereof the
vice-president of the colony shall of course be a mem
ber and president of the privy council, and that fix:
other members be chosen by ballot, three by the
general assembly, and three by the legislative coun*
cil. Provided always, That no officer of the army
or navy, in the service of the continent, or of this
colony, shall be eligible. And a member of the ge
neral assembly or of legislative council, being chosen
of the privy council shall not thereby lose his feat:
in the general assembly or legislative council, unless
he be elected vice-president of the colony, in which
case he shall, and another perlon shall be chosen in
his Read. The privy-council (of which four to be
a^quorum) to advise the president and commander
in chief when required; but he shall not be bound
to consult them, unless in cases after mentioned.
6. That the qualifications of the president and
commander in chief, and vice-president ofi the co
lony, and members of the legislative and privy
council, shall be the fame as of members of general
assembly; and on being elected, they shall take an
oath of qualification in the general assembly.
7. That the legislative authority be veiled in the
president and commander in chief, the general as
sembly, and legislative council. All money-bills
for the support of government shall originate in the
general assembly, and shall not be altered, or a,
mended by the legislative council, but may be re
jeded by them. All other bills and ordinances ma,
take rife in the general assembly or legiflative-coun,
cil, and be altered, amended, or rejected by either,
Bills, having passed the general assembly and legis
lative council, may be assented to, or rejected by
the president and .commander in chief; having re
ceived his assent, they shall have all the force and
validity of an act of general assembly of this colours