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"At a General Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Sussex, on Delaware, at the Court House in Lewestown, on Saturday, the 23d of July, 1774:
"This Assembly taking into their very serious consideration
"1. That the inhabitants of this county do owe and will pay due allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third.
"2. That it is the inherent right of British subjects to be taxed by their own consent, or by Representatives chosen by themselves only; and that every Act of the British Parliament respecting the internal police of North America is unconstitutional, and an invasion of our just rights and privileges.
"3. That the late Act of Parliament, inflicting pains and penalties on the town of Boston, by blocking up their harbour, is a precedent justly alarming to the British Colonies in America, and entirely inconsistent with, and subversive of, their constitutional rights and liberties.
"4. That a Congress of Deputies from the several Colonies in North America is the most probable and proper mode of obtaining a redress of American grievances, securing our rights and liberties, and re-establishing peace and harmony between Great Britain and these Colonies on a constitutional foundation.
"5. That the Inhabitants of this county will adopt and carry into execution all and singular such peaceable and constitutional measures as shall be agreed on by a majority of the Colonies by their Deputies at the intended Congress.
"6. That the Speaker of the honourable House of Assembly of this Government be desired to write to the several Members in this county, requesting them to convene at New-Castle on or before the 1st of August next, to appoint Deputies to attend at a general Congress for the Colonies, at such time and place as shall be generally agreed on.
"7. That it is our opinion that it would conduce to the restoration of the liberties of America should the Colonies enter into a joint agreement not to import any article of British manufactory, or carry on any branch of trade, unless under such restrictions as may be agreed upon by the Congress.
"8. That the Committee, hereinafter appointed, are hereby desired to receive the subscriptions of such charitable persons in this county who shall incline to contribute towards the distressed and suffering inhabitants of the town of Boston; and that the money raised by such subscriptions be disposed of by the said Committee for the use of the said inhabitants, whom we consider as suffering in the common cause of America.
"9. That the Committee now to be chosen consist of thirteen persons, to wit: Thomas Robinson, Levin Crapper, Boaz Manlove, Benjamin Burton, and John Wiltbank, Esquires, and Stephen Townsend, Gentleman, the Representatives of this county; and David Hall, Esquire, the Reverend Matthew Wilson, Jacob Moore, Esquire, Mr˙ John Clowes, Daniel Nunez, Esquire, John Rodney, Esquire, and Mr˙ William Peery, who, or any seven of them, being duly notified, are to meet and correspond with the other Provinces and counties of this Government, and to give instructions to our Deputies for the intended Congress when chosen, in order that all may unite in promoting and endeavouring to attain the great and valuable ends mentioned in the foregoing Resolutions."
Then the Convention adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o' clock.
Resolutions adopted at a General Meeting
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the present critical situation of American affairs; of the exclusive right of the Colonists of imposing taxes upon themselves; of the invasion of that right by the statute of sixth George the Third, chapter twelve, by which statute, and sundry others, the Parliament of Great Britain have assumed the power of making laws to bind the Colonies without their consent, either by themselves or by their Representatives; a recent instance of which is exhibited in a late statute commonly called the Boston Port Bill; Therefore, in order to collect the voice and sentiments of this Assembly, the following Articles were proposed, voted, and agreed to: