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By RICHARD VISCOUNT HOWE, of the Kingdom of IRELAND, and WILLIAM HOWE, Esq˙, General of his Majesty' s Forces in AMERICA, the King' s Commissioners for restoring peace to his Majesty' s Colonies and Plantations in NORTH AMERICA, &c˙, &c˙, &c˙:
Although the Congress whom the misguided Americans suffer to direct their opposition to a reëstablishment of the constitutional Government of these Provinces, have disavowed every purpose of reconciliation not consonant with their extravagant and inadmissible claim of Independency, the King' s Commissioners think fit to declare that they are equally desirous to confer with his Majesty' s well-affected subjects, upon the means of restoring the publick tranquillity, and establishing a permanent Union with every Colony, as a part of the British Empire.
The King being most graciously disposed to direct a revision of such of his Royal instructions as may be construed to lay an improper restraint upon the freedom of legislation, in any of his Colonies, and to concur in the revisal of all acts by which his subjects there may think themselves aggrieved, it is recommended to the inhabitants at
Given at New-York, the 19th day of September, 1776.
HOWE.
By command of their Excellencies:
HEN˙ STRACHEY.
Declaration
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large to reflect seriously upon their present condition and expectations, and to judge for themselves, whether it be more consistent with their honour and happiness to offer up their lives as a sacrifice to the unjust and precarious cause in which they are engaged, or to return to their allegiance, accept the blessings of peace, and be secured in a free enjoyment of their liberty and properties, upon the true principles of the Constitution.
W˙ HOWE.