Delaware

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August 1, 1774, A˙ M.

The Representatives of the Freemen of the Government of the Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, met at New-Castle, in pursuance of circular letters from the Speaker of the House, who was requested to forward the same to the several Members of Assembly, by the Committees of Correspondence for the several counties aforesaid, chosen and appointed for that among other purposes, by the Freeholders and Freemen of the said Counties respectively: and having chosen a Chairman, and read the Resolves of the three respective Counties, and sundry Letters from the Committees of Correspondence along the Continent, they unanimously entered into the following Resolution, viz:

We, the Representatives aforesaid, by virtue of the power delegated to us, as aforesaid, taking into our most serious consideration the several Acts of the British Parliament for restraining Manufactures in his Majesty' s Colonies and Plantations in North America, — for taking away the property of the Colonists without their participation or consent, — for the introduction of the arbitrary powers of excise unto the customs here, — for the making all revenue excises liable without jury, and under the decision of a single dependent Judge, — for the trial, in England, of persons accused of capital crimes, committed in the Colonies, — for the shutting up the Port of Boston, — for new-modelling the Government of the Massachusetts Bay, and the operation of the same on the property, liberty, and lives of the Colonists; and also considering that the most eligible mode of determining upon the premises, and of endeavouring to procure relief and redress of our grievances, would have been by us assembled in a legislative capacity, but that as the House had adjourned to the 30th day of September next, and it is not to be expected that his Honour the Governour would call us, by writs of summons, on this occasion, having refused to do the like in his other Province of Pennsylvania; the next most proper method of answering the expectations and desires of our constituents, and of contributing our aid to the general cause of America, is to appoint Commissioners or Deputies in behalf of the people of this Government, to meet and act with those appointed by the other Provinces in General Congress; and we do, therefore, unanimously nominate and appoint Caesar Rodney, Thomas M' Kean, and George Read, Esquires, or any two of them, Deputies on the part and behalf of this Government in a general Continental Congress, proposed to be held at the City of Philadelphia, on the first Monday in September next, or at any other time or place that may be generally agreed on, then and there to consult and advise with the Deputies from the other Colonies, and to determine upon all such prudent and lawful measures as may be judged most expedient for the Colonies immediately and unitedly to adopt, in order to obtain relief for an oppressed people, and the redress of our general grievances.

Signed by order of the Convention,

CAESAR RODNEY, Chairman.