Declaration of Lord Howe and Sir William Howe

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By RICHARD Viscount HOWE, of the Kingdom of IRELAND, and WILLIAM HOWE, Esquire, 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 Congress, whom the misguided Americans suffer to direct their opposition to a reestablishment of the Constitutional Government of these Provinces, have disavowed every purpose of reconciliation not consonant with their extravagant and inadmissible claim of Independence, 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 pleased to direct a revision of such of his royal instructions to his Governours as may be construed to lay an improper restraint on the freedom of legislation in any of his Colonies, and to concur in the revisal of all acts by which his Majesty' s subjects there may think themselves aggrieved, it is recommended to the inhabitants at targe to reflect seriously upon their present condition and expectations, and judge for themselves whether it be more inconsistent 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 return to their allegiance, accept the blessings of peace, and to be secured in a free enjoyment of their liberties and properties, upon the true principles of the Constitution.

Given at New-York, September 19, 1776.

HOWE.

W˙ HOWE.

By command of their Excellencies: STRAGHEY.