Maryland."To attend a general congress,to effect one general plan of conduct operating on the commercial connection of the colonies with the mother country,for the relief of Boston,and the preservation of American liberty."
Virginia."To consider of the most proper and effectual manner of so operating on the commercial connection of the colonies with the mother country as to procure redress for the much injured province of Massachusetts Bay,to secure British America from the ravage and ruin of arbitrary taxes,and speedily to procure the return of that harmony and union,so beneficial to the whole empire,and so ardently desired by all British America."
North Carolina."To take such measures as they may deem prudent to effect the purpose of describing with certainty the rights of Americans,repairing the breach made in those rights,and for guarding them for the future against any such violations done under the sanction of public authority."For these purposes the delegates are "invested with such powers as may make any acts done by them obligatory in honor,on every inhabitant hereof,who is not an alien to his country's good,and an apostate to the liberties of America."
South Carolina."To consider the acts lately passed,and bills depending in Parliament with regard to the port of Boston,and the colony of Massachusetts Bay;which acts and bills,in the precedent and consequences,affect the whole Continent of America.Also the grievances under which America labors,by reason of the several acts of Parliament that impose taxes or duties for raising a revenue,and lay unnecessary restraints and burdens on trade;and of the statutes,parliamentary acts,and royal instructions,which make an invidious distinction between his Majesty's subjects in Great Britain and America,with full power and authority to conceit,agree to and prosecute such legal measures as in the opinion of the said deputies,so to be assembled,shall be most likely to obtain a repeal of the said acts,and a redress of those grievances.[The above extracts are made from the credentials of the deputies of the several colonies,as spread upon the Journal of Congress,according to a copy of that bound (as appears by a gilt label on the back hereof)for the President of Congress ?now in possession of B.Tucker,Esq.)
It is perfectly clear from these extracts,1.That the colonies did not consider themselves as "one people,"and that,they were therefore bound to consider the quarrel of Boston as their own;but that they made common cause with Massachusetts,only because the principles asserted in regard to her,equally affected the other colonies;2.That each colony appointed its own delegates,giving them precisely such power and authority as suited its own views;3.That no colony gave any power or authority,except for advisement only;4.That so far from designing to establish "a general or national government,"and to form,themselves into "a nation de facto,"their great purpose was to bring about a reconciliation and harmony with the mother country.This is still farther apparent from the tone of the public addresses of Congress.5.That this Congress was not "organized under the auspices and with the consent of the people,acting directly in their primary,sovereign capacity,and without the intervention of the functionaries to whom the ordinary powers of government were delegated in the colonies,"but,on the contrary,that it was organized by the colonies as such,and generally through their ordinary legislatures;and always with careful regard to their separate and independent rights and powers.
If the Congress of 1774was "a general or national government,"
neither New York nor Georgia was party to it;for neither of them was represented in that Congress.It is also worthy of remark that the Congress of 1774 had no agents of its own in foreign countries,but employed those of the several colonies.See the resolutions for delivering the address to the King passed October 25,1774,and the letter to the agents,approved on the following day.
(a)Massachusetts,the particular wrongs of which are just before recited at large.
6.The Journals of Congress afford the most abundant and conclusive proofs of this.In order to show the general character of their proceedings,it is enough for me to refer to the following:
On the 11th October,1774,it was "Resolved unanimously,That a memorial be prepared to the people of British America,stating to them the necessity of a firm,united and invariable observation of the measures recommended by the Congress,as they tender the invaluable rights and liberties derived to them from the laws and Constitution of their country."
The memorial was accordingly prepared,in conformity with the resolution.
Congress having previously had under consideration the plan of an association for establishing non-importation,&c.,finally adopted it,October 20,1774.After reciting their grievances,they say:
