The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-11-24
GRAND AMERICAN CONGRESS.


GRAND AMERICAN CONGRESS-
20 fbe IEHABIrAnTs Of TIE COLONIES g
Ngw-HAMpsHIRs,M AssAcHusErTs-bAy,
RHopE-IsLANr, and PRovIDENcE PLAN
rATroNs: CoxxBcTIcUT, NEw-YoRk,
Ngw-IERsRY, FENNsYLvANIA, f6s eoanifef
of NRw-CAsrLH,- KENT and Sussex on De-
Lzvaye: MARYLAND, VIRGINIA., NORTH
CAROLINA and SoUTH-CARoLINA.
Friend and Fei4ozv CsnHt,1men,
WYE, the Delegates, appointed by the good
Wv people of the above colonies, to meet az
PHILADELPHIA. in September lait, for the PurPoies
mentioned by our REFLECTIVE conftituents, have IN
nurasnce of the truf repoied In rs, aiiembiea,
and taken into our mott ferrous confederation the
;unortart matters rcr0mmendedto the Congress
Our refolur;ons thercuponwill be herewith CONF
municated 20 you. But asthe situation OF pup
lie affairs grows daily more and more aiarming ;
and as it may be more Satisfactory 70 YOU 20 us
Informed by US, ina collective body than an'any
other manner, of thofe fentiments thaEhase peen
approved, upon a full and free .dhculAon 10y the
REPRESENTATIVES Of 10 great part OF America we
eFesm ourielves obliged to add this addreis 20
shefereiolutions. kSss oarL5Gl
In every cafe ofoppoition bya people TO their
ruIers. or ofonea TO another, duty TO AimighT
~ God. the creator of all, requires that a true
lsAi impartial Judgment be formed ct the n'sa-
fares leading to fch oppoition ;and OF the eaaies
- ,h;cb II has hssn rrop0ked- or can ~ anlae-
ssrce be tuItSned mat ntitner ansctiun toas Inc
one hand, nor rcicnrmeut on the other, being
permitted to give awrong bias to'feaion, 1t map
teenabledtotak a.difpalionate view of all the
circumstances, fand iertle the public conduct on
the fold foundations of wiidom and juifice.
From councils thus tempered arie. the fureit
homes ofthe divine favour, the irmeR encourage
5 ment 20 the parties engaged, andthe ihoagslt re-
commendation of their cauie 10 the reit OF man I
kind. -
With minds deeply imprcled by a ienfe Of
tbefe truths. we have diligently, deliberately and
calmly. enuuired into and eonhdercd thoie exer-
lions. both Of the legislative and executive power
,of q rear. Britain, which have excited 10 much
unea6nefs in America, aad have with equal hde-
iitv and attention ceniideredthe conduct Of. the
colonies. Upon the whole, we find ounelyes,
reduced to the difagreeablc alternative, or being
6lent and -beuayingthe innocent, or OF tpsaking
our and cenfuring thufc We win to revere. In
making our choice oftheie diRreling difficulties,
we nrefer the eourie dictated by honely, and q
lreuafd for the welfare OF our connry.
Soon after the end of'the late war, there COM
,,enced a memorable change in the treatment of
thele colonies. By hztnte made in The fourth
yearofthe preient reign, time OF frsfsana Sfasf,
alIedeing ssshe expedieney efnew Proviiions ana
regulations for extending the commerce between
Great Britain and his MajeRy' sdominionsin A
merica, and the rse.Fy e ra5fsg rsvtsae u, the
laid dominions for defraying the exPences OF a<-
ff,sdsxg, protecting and,iecuTiHg the lame, tue
Ts r~.srs er Grsas- Bffnia und-rrook TO gsUs ~ano
s1ant to his Majeay many rates and duaes,to DC
raid IN theie colonies. To enforce the Observance
of this act, il preicribes agrsat number OF ieyere
penalties and forfeitures; and IN two iscuons
r,skes a remarkable diainetion between the in1-
ICES IN Britain and thoiein America. BY me one,
,he penalties and forfeitures incurred fbtrf are %
be recovered in any OF the Kings Courts OF kf-
rsrS al WkRnisfsr, or in the Court OF Exchequef
IN scotland and by the others the penalties and
S,rf.,rures incurred brs are 20 beFeeoseFed an a.
,v Court of Record. or IN. any Court OF admiralty
or A6zirai.y, ar TIE sls7iss rte isf''"sS o.
h. Inhabitants Of thele colonies confding in
,h..;vf;ee.of Grear-Britain, were lcareely allow
a go, tf,ne 70 receive and epnf,der this az,
49,. another. we'll known by the same- OF the
6ua.s-a8, and paGsa1n the fifth year of this reign
gs,.'rroed the whole Of their attention. BY this
4aSu,e the Bririih Parliament exerciied IN the
n,oa explicit manner apower Of Tzslsg US, and
.rs,endinq the iuriidiElioR OfcouTn f4azar@fysnd
D;e-- Iz;raL, in the colonies, to matters airing
uitbsn me body of aesaay, dire6ed the nuner-
-penaliies and fcrleitures, thereby iahitted,
20 be recovered in the faid Courts. =
n he fame year tax was impoied upon US,
hy A "a, sashlihipg fsvsrai aswfsss N TIE CAT