The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-06-15
HARFORD,S DECLARATION.

4th, next, at Bush, in commemoration
of the Hartford Declaration which was
signed ON March %. 1775 at that place,
| will be notable event in the history
of Maryland, and Hartford county, in
| fact, i will mark one of the bravest
acts ever done by American patriots
anywhere.
The Hartford Revolutionary Com
| miitee, which was composed of recog-
| MED patriots of the county, elected
| by thepcopie If the several Hundreds,
into which the county WAS then divi-
| ded, was organized on February %,
1Ii5, ard held their meeting 1T Her.
| fcrd Town, (now Bush, } il the Court
House, then located at that place.
This was the first Court House in
Hartford county, and was opened Oh
March 90, 1774.
| The Continental Congress had met
in Philadelphia in September 1774,
aud adopted q series of Resolves on
October 14th Of that Year, in which
they set forth the "indubitable rights
aud liberties" 10 which the inhabi-
tants Of the Colonies were entitled.
! These resolves have always been
known as the Bill of Rights. The
members of this Congress also met
and s:gned an agreement, for them
selves and their constituents, not to
import any goods whatever from
| Great Britain after December 1st,
ia, las the hest means of obtaining
a restoration of their violated rights. p"
| And this was known as the "Asso-
ciation." And, in pursuance to this
agreement under the Association, the
several Colonies met in Provincial
Conventions and adopted resolves in
regard to non Importation.
The Continental Congress sent the
Bill of Rights TO the King and Parlia-
met, accompanying it with petition,
and also memorial to the British
people. Parliament spurned their
action and refused their demands; and
the King declared the Colonies to be
in rebellion and recommended that the
army and navy should be increased in
order to subdue them. This all hap
pended before the action of the Har-
ford committee, and in time for it to be
known to them. They, therefore, at
their meeting ON March 90, 1775, form
ulated and signed their famous Decla-
ration. They said they had most ser
iously and maturely considered the
Resolves and Association Of the Con-
tinental Congress, and the Resolves
of the Provincial Convention" and
esteemed themselves, ''in a more
particular manner, entrusted by our
| (their) constituents to see them carried
into execution" They, therefore,
solemnly pledged themselves to each
other and to their country, binding
! themselves 'by every tie held sacred
among mankind to perform the same
at the risk of their elves and for
| tunes"
They thus pledge their lives and
fortunes to carry into execution the
Bill of Rights as set fer them in the
resolves CT the Continental Congress,
the first Of which reads: THAT they
| Che inhabitants of the Colonies) are
entitled to life, liberty and property
| and they have never coded to any
sovereign power whatever right to
dispose OF either without their con.
sent" But they, also, determined. tc
| perform the agreement as set forth
under the Association, formed by the
members OF the Continental Congress
and as resolved under the action of tbe
| Provincial Convention. In short, they
openly proclaimed to the world thai
they had absolutely cut loose FROM
the rule and authority which Britain
had been fastening upon them, and
which the King and Parliament haG
then determined to keep them in sub
lection to, by an increase of the British
army and navy, after having read tn,
demands of the Congress, and having
thereupon proclaimed the Colonies te