FJ prepared to the people of Quebec, and letters to the colonies of St. John's, Nova Scotia, Georgia, Eaft and Weft Florida, who have not deputies to reprefent them in this congrefs." Their addrefs to the French inhabitants in Canada, discovers the moft dexterous management, and the most able method of application to the temper and paffions of the parties, whom they endeavour to gain. They state the right they had, upon becoming English fubjects, to the ineftimable benefits of the English conftitution; and that this right was further confirmed by the royal proclamation in 1763, plighting the public faith for their full enjoyment of thofe advantages. They impute to fucceeding minifters an audacious and cruel abuse of the royal authority, in withholding from them the fruition of the irrevocable rights, to which they were thus juftly entitled. They undertake to explain to them, fome of the most important branches of that form of government from which they are debarred; and in fo doing, quote paffages from their countryman Montefquieu, whom they artfully adopt as a judge and an irrefragable authority upon this occafion. They then proceed to fpecify and explain, under feveral diftinct heads, the principal rights to which the people are entitled by the English conftitution; and thefe rights they truly fay, defend the poor from the rich, the weak from the powerful, the industrious from the rapacious, the peaceable from the violent, the tenants from the lords, and all from their fuperiors. They attempt pointing out numberlefs deformities in. the Quebec-bill, and placing them in those points of view which should render it odious to mankind. They renew their applications to the paffions and partiality of the Canadians, and at length introduce Montefquieu as addreffing them thus: "Seize the opportunity prefented to you by. providence itself. You are a fmall people compared with those who with open arms invite you into a fellowship. A moment's reflection fhould convince you, which will be most for your interest and happiness, to have all the rest of North America your unalterable friends, or your inveterate enemies. Your province is the only link wanting to complete the bright and strong chain of union. Nature has joined your country to theirs. Do you join your political interests. The value and extent of the advantages tendered to you are immenfe. Heaven grant you may not discover them to be bleffings after they have bid you an eternal adieu." They endeavour to obviate the jealoufies and prejudices which might arife from the difference of their religious principles, by inftancing the cafe of the Swifs Cantons, whofe union is compofed of Roman Catholic and Proteftant ftates, living in the utmoft concord and peace with one another, and thereby enabled to defy and defeat every tyrant that has invaded them. congrefs, upon this article, appear to have winked out of fight their complaint about establishing the Roman Catholic religion in Quebec, and to expect that it would be unknown to the Canadians, or give them no umbrage. They declare, that they do not afk them to commence hoftilities against the government of their common fovereign, but only invite them to confult their own glory and welfare, and to unite with them in one focial compact. They conclude by informing them, that the congrefs had, with univerfal pleasure, and an The unanimous future tendency, and who are not in hafte, without in quiry or information, to commit ourselves in declarations which may precipitate our country into all the calamities of a civil war.*" The addrefs was carried by a majority of 63 to 13. Notwithstanding the hoftile tone of the fpeech, and the great majority that fupported the addreffes, there appeared an irrefolution on the fide of miniftry; and previous to the Christmas recefs, they seemed evidently to fhrink from all contest upon American fubjects. The national estimates were entirely formed upon a peace establishment; and the minifter of the naval department publicly afferted in the house of lords, that he knew it would be fully fufficient for reducing the colonies to obedience. He spoke with the greatest contempt both of the power and courage of the Americans; and held that they were not difciplined, nor capable of discipline, and that formed of fuch materials, and so indisposed to action, the numbers, of which fuch boafts had been, made, would only add to the facility of their defeat. The establishment will indeed, be fully fufficient, if the ministry mean to employ the navy only, and to recall the military. Ships may effect that with little hazard and expence, which if once attempted by foldi ers, may plunge the nation into enormous difburfements, and yet not be accomplished. A few fhips of the line ftationed fingly near the capital ports of the colonies, and a number of frigates employed as cruisers to stop the Americans from fending any veffels to fea; and this measure continued, would at length weary out * Lords who figned the protest-Richmond, Portland, Rockingham, Stamford, Stanhope, Torrington, Ponsonby, Wycombe, Camden. draw up: they were briefly to ftate the rights and the grievances of America, and to propose a plan of amicable accommodation of the differences between Great Britain and the colonies, and of a perpetual union. September the twenty-eighth a plan was propofed by him, which was debated a whole day, when the queftion was carried fix colonies to five, that it fhould be re-. fumed and further confidered: but it at length fell through. The ten refolutions which the congrefs came to in their declaration, expreffing their indubitable rights and liberties, met with very confiderable oppofition. Mr. Duane and others who drew with him, perplexed the proposals made by the high fons of liberty, fo that the congrefs did not come to a fingle refolution for more than a fortnight, neither in ftating their rights nor their grievances. When fix days before that declaration, on October the eighth, the refolution was paffed, "that the congrefs approve the oppofition of the inhabitants of the Maffachusetts-bay to the execution of the late acts of parliament; and if the fame fhall be attempted, &c. (p.395.)" Galloway and Duane not only opposed, but wanted to have their protefts entered; which being refused, on their return from congrefs they gave each other a certificate, declaring their oppofition to that question, as they thought it a treasonable one. In fome stage of their proceedings, the danger of a rupture with Britain was urged as a plea for certain conceffions. Upon this Mr. S. Adams rose up, and among other things faid in fubftance," I should advife perfifting in our ftruggle for liberty, though it was revealed from heaven that 999 * Parliamentary Debates relative to general Howe. Mr. Galloway's anfwers. were were to perish, and only one of a thousand to furvive and retain his liberty. One fuch freeman must poffefs more virtue,, and enjoy more happiness than a thousand flaves; and let him propagate his like, and tranfmit to them what he hath fo nobly preserved." It was a flight of patriotism, serving to fhow the temper of the speaker: but the fentiment is fo hyperbolical, as to throw it far beyond the reach of practice. Mr. S. Adams having seen an happy iffue to the important deliberations of the general congrefs, after his return repaired to the Maffachusetts provincial congress to aid in their deliberations. General Gage, by the advice of his new council, iffued writs for the holding of a general affembly at Salem on the 5th of October. The events which afterward took place made him think it expedient to counteract the writs, by a proclamation for fufpending the meeting of the members returned. But the legality of the proclamation was called into question; and the new members, to the number of 90, met according to the precepts, on the day and at the place appointed. Hav-09. ing waited that day, without the prefence of the governor, or any fubftitute for him, to adminifter the oaths and open the feffion; on the next they appointed a committee to confider the proclamation; and on the third, refolved themselves into a provincial congrefs, to be joined by fuch others as have been or fhall be chofen, to take into confideration the dangerous and alarming fituation of public affairs. The following day they met in provincial congrefs and adjourned to Concord, about 20 miles from Charlestown, and when there chofe Mr. 11. Hancock prefident. They proceeded to appoint a committee to wait upon the governor with a remonftrance, in |