The members of this Congress, sincerely devoted with the warmest
sentiments of affection and duty to His Majesty's person and Government,
inviolably attached to the present happy establishment of the Protestant
succession, and with minds deeply impressed by a sense of the present
and impending misfortunes of the British colonies on this continent;
having considered as maturely as time will permit the circumstances of
the said colonies, esteem it our indispensible duty to make the
following declarations of our humble opinion respecting the most
essential rights and liberties of the colonists, and of the grievances
under which they labour, by reason of several late Acts of Parliament.
I. That His Majesty's subjects in these colonies owe the same
allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain that is owing from his subjects
born within the realm, and all due subordination to that August body the
Parliament of Great Britain.
II. That His Majesty's liege subjects in these colonies are
intitled to all the inherent rights and liberties of his natural born
subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain.
III. That it is inseparably essential to the freedom of a people,
and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that of taxes be imposed on them
but with their own consent, given personally or by their
representatives.
IV. That the people of these colonies are not, and from their
local circumstances cannot be, represented in the House of Commons in
Great Britain.
V. That the only representatives of the people of these colonies
are persons chosen therein by themselves, and that no taxes ever have
been, or can be constitutionally imposed on them, but by their
respective legislatures.
VI. That all supplies to the Crown being free gifts of the people,
it is unreasonable and inconsistent with the principles and spirit of
the British Constitution, for the people of Great Britain to grant to
His Majesty the property of the colonists.
VII. That trial by jury is the inherent and invaluable right of
every British subject in these colonies.
VIII. That the late Act of Parliament, entitled An Act for
granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the
British colonies and plantations in America, etc., by imposing taxes on
the inhabitants of these colonies, and the said Act, and several other
Acts, by extending the jurisdiction of the courts of Admiralty beyond
its ancient limits, have a manifest tendency to subvert the rights and
liberties of the colonists.
IX. That the duties imposed by several late Acts of Parliament,
from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely
burthensome and grievous; and from the scarcity of specie, the payment
of them absolutely impracticable.
X. That as the profits of the trade of these colonies ultimately
center in Great Britain, to pay for the manufactures which they are
obliged to take from thence, they eventually contribute very largely to
all supplies granted there to the Crown.
XI. That the restrictions imposed by several late Acts of
Parliament on the trade of these colonies will render them unable to
purchase the manufactures of Great Britain.
XII. That the increase, prosperity, and happiness of these
colonies depend on the full and free enjoyments of their rights and
liberties, and an intercourse with Great Britain mutually affectionate
and advantageous.
XIII. That it is the right of the British subjects in these
colonies to petition the King or either House of Parliament. Lastly,
That it is the indispensible duty of these colonies to the best of
sovereigns, to the mother country, and to themselves, to endeavour by a
loyal and dutiful address to His Majesty, and humble applications to
both Houses of Parliament, to procure the repeal of the Act for granting
and applying certain stamp duties, of all clauses of any other Acts of
Parliament, whereby the jurisdiction of the Admiralty is extended as
aforesaid, and of the other late Acts for the restriction of American
commerce.
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