the continuance of this act, be shipped, carried, conveyed, or transported, from any of the said provinces or colonies respectively, to any other land, island, territory, dominion, port, or place whatsoever, except to the kingdoms of Great Britain or Ireland, or to some of the British islands in the West Indies, to be laid on shore there; any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding.

IV. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the first day of September, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, and during the continuance of this act, no sort of wines, salt, or any goods or commodities whatsoever, (except horses, victual, and linen cloth, the produce and manufacture of Ireland, imported directly from thence), shall be imported into any of the said colonies or provinces herein-before respectively mentioned, upon any pretence whatsoever, unless such goods shall be bona fide and without fraud laden and shipped in Great Britain, and carried directly from thence, upon forfeiture thereof, and of the ship or vessel on board which such goods shall be laden; and it shall be lawful for any admiral, chief commander, or commissioned officer, of his Majesty's fleet, or ships of war, or any officer of his Majesty's customs, to seize any ship or vessel arriving at any of the said provinces or colonies before-mentioned, or which shall be discovered within two leagues of any shore thereof, having such goods on board, and the goods laden thereon, (except as before excepted), for which the master, or other person taking charge of such ship or vessel, shall not produce a cocket or clearance from the collector, or proper officer of his Majesty's customs, certifying that the said goods were laden on board the said ship or vessel, in some port of Great Britain; any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding.

VI. And provided also, That nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to hinder or restrain the lawful importation into any or either of the said provinces or

colonies herein-before mentioned, from any of the British islands in the West Indies, of any such goods or commodities, being the growth or produce thereof, as may now by law be imported from thence into the said provinces or colonis, or any or either of them.

VII. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any ship or vessel, being the property of the subjects of Great Britain, not belonging to and fitted out from Great Britain or Ireland, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Sark, Alderney, or Man, shall be found, after the twentieth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, carrying on any fishery, of what nature or kind soever, upon the banks of Newfoundland, the coast of Labrador, or within the river or gulf of Saint Lawrence, or upon the coast of Cape Breton, or Nova Scotia, or any other part of the coast of North America, or having on board materials for carrying on any such fishery, every such ship or vessel, with her guns, ammunition, tackle, apparel, and furniture, together with the fish, if any shall be found on board, shall be forfeited, unless the master, or other person, having the charge of such ship or vessel, do produce to the commander of any of his Majesty's ships of war, stationed for the protection and superintendence of the British fisheries in America, a certificate, under the hand and seal of the governor or commander in chief, of any of the colonies or plantations of Quebec, Newfoundland, Saint John, Nova Scotia, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Bahamas, and Bermudas, setting forth, that such ship or vessel, expressing her name, and the name of her master, and describing her built and burthen, hath fitted and cleared out, from some one of the said colonies or plantations, in order to proceed upon the said fishery, and that she actually and bona fide belongs to, and is the whole and entire property of his Majesty's subjects, inhabitants of the said colony or plantations; which certificate such governors, or commanders in chief respectively, are hereby authorized and required to grant.

XIII. And whereas it is the intent and meaning of this act, that the several prohibitions and restraints herein imposed upon the trade and commerce, and fisheries, of the said provinces and colonies should be discontinued and cease, so soon as the trade and commerce of his Majesty's subjects may be carried on without interruption; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whenever it shall be made appear to the satisfaction of his Majesty's governor or commander in chief, and the majority of the council, in the provinces of New Hampshire and Massachuset's Bay respectively, that peace and obedience to the laws shall be so far restored within the said provinces, or either of them, that the trade and commerce of his Majesty's subjects may be carried on without interruption within the same; and that goods, wares, and merchandise, have been freely imported into the said provinces, or either of them, from Great Britain, and exposed to sale, without any let, hindrance, or molestation, from or by reason of any unlawful combinations to prevent or obstruct the same; and that goods, wares, and merchandise, have in like manner been exported from the said provinces, or either of them respectively, to Great Britain, for and during the term of one calendar month preceding; that then, and in such case, it shall and may be lawful for the governor or commander in chief, with the advice of the council of such provinces respectively, by proclamation, under the seal of such respective province, to notify the same to the several officers of the customs, and all others; and after such proclamation, this act with respect to such province, within which such proclamation or proclamations have been issued as aforesaid, shall be discontinued and cease, (except as herein-after provided); and all officers of his Majesty's customs, and all other persons having charge of the execution of this act, having received due notice of such proclamation, are hereby directed and required to yield and pay obedience to such proclamation, and to proceed in the discharge of their respective duties, in admitting to entry, clearing, and discharging, all ships and vessels, and all goods, wares, and merchandises, into and out of such respective province; and to permit and suffer any ships

or vessels to carry on the fisheries within the limits herein-before mentioned, in like manner as if this act had never been made; any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

22. A declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, now met in Congress at Philadelphia, setting forth the causes and necessity of their taking up arms1 July 6, 1775

If it was possible for men, who exercise their reason to believe, that the divine Author of our existence intended a part of the human race to hold an absolute property in, and an unbounded power over others, marked out by his infinite goodness and wisdom, as the objects of a legal domination never rightfully resistible, however severe and oppressive, the inhabitants of these colonies might at least require from the parliament of GreatBritain some evidence, that this dreadful authority over them, has been granted to that body. But a reverence for our great Creator, principles of humanity, and the dictates of common sense, must convince all those who reflect upon the subject, that government was instituted to promote the welfare of mankind, and ought to be administered for the attainment of that end. The legislature of Great-Britain, however, stimulated by an inordinate passion for a power not only unjustifiable, but which they know to be peculiarly reprobated by the very constitution of that kingdom, and desperate of success in any mode of contest, where regard should be had to truth, law, or right, have at length, deserting those, attempted to effect their cruel and impolitic purpose of enslaving these colonies by violence, and have thereby rendered it necessary for us to close with their last appeal from reason to arms.-Yet, however blinded that assembly may be, by their intemperate rage for unlimited domination,

1 Journals of Congress (ed. 1800), vol. 1, pp. 134–139.

so to slight justice and the opinion of mankind, we esteem ourselves bound by obligations of respect to the rest of the world, to make known the justice of our cause.

Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great-Britain, left their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious freedom. At the expense of their blood, at the hazard of their fortunes, without the least charge to the country from which they removed, by unceasing labour, and an unconquerable spirit, they effected settlements in the distant and inhospitable wilds of America, then filled with numerous and warlike nations of barbarians.-Societies or governments, vested with perfect legislatures, were formed under charters from the crown, and an harmonious intercourse was established between the colonies and the kingdom from which they derived their origin. The mutual benefits of this union became in a short time so extraordinary, as to excite astonishment. It is universally confessed, that the amazing increase of the wealth, strength, and navigation of the realm, arose from this source; and the minister, who so wisely and successfully directed the measures of GreatBritain in the late war, publicly declared, that these colonies enabled her to triumph over her enemies.-Towards the conclusion of that war, it pleased our sovereign to make a change in his counsels. From that fatal moment, the affairs of the British empire began to fall into confusion, and gradually sliding from the summit of glorious prosperity, to which they had been advanced by the virtues and abilities of one man, are at length distracted by the convulsions, that now shake it to its deepest foundations. The new ministry finding the brave foes of Britain, though frequently defeated, yet still contending, took up the unfortunate idea of granting them a hasty peace, and of then subduing her faithful friends.

These devoted colonies were judged to be in such a state, as to present victories without bloodshed, and all the easy emoluments of statuteable plunder.-The uninterrupted tenor of their peaceable and respectful behaviour from the beginning of colonization, their dutiful, zealous, and useful services during the