Act to confirm and establish the Resolves of the several Provincial Congresses of this Colony

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A Bill to confirm or establish the Resolves of the several Provincial Congressess of this Colony. Read the third time, and passed to be engrossed.

Whereas this oppressed Colony has, for many months past, been deprived of the free exercise of its usual powers of Government, which has necessarily occasioned the publick business thereof to be conducted by Congresses; and as many matters of the greatest importance for the recovery and preservation of that liberty which God, nature and compact have given to this People, have been resolved, done and transacted by Provincial Congresses, some of which have not yet had their full effect; and whereas the legality of such Resolves, doings and transactions, may hereafter be called in question, and may occasion much litigation, unless confirmed and established in some known constitutional manner:

Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of this Colony in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That all and every of the Resolves, doings and transactions of the several Provincial Congresses of this Colony, from and after the fourth day of October, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four, to the twentieth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, be, and they hereby are confirmed and established as lawful and valid, to all intents, constructions and purposes whatsoever, as fully and effectually as if the same Resolves, doings and transactions had been done by any General Court or Assembly of this Colony.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whenever any person, or persons shall be sued or prosecuted before any Superiour Court of Judicature, Court of Assize and General Jail Delivery, or before any Inferiour Court of Common Pleas, or any Court of General Sessions of the Peace, or before any single Magistrate, for any thing done in obedience to, or in compliance with any of the Resolves, doings, recommendations or other proceedings of said Congresses, such person or persons shall and may give this Act and the Record of the Resolves, doings and transactions of the several Provincial Congresses aforesaid in evidence under the general issue, and the same thus given in evidence shall avail, to all intents and purposes, as if the same were specially pleaded; any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Records of the Resolves, doings and transactions of the several Provincial Congresses aforesaid be immediately lodged and forever hereafter kept in the Secretary' s Office of this Colony; and that the Secretary shall copy and authenticate all such Records of said Resolves, doings and transactions as shall be demanded of him, to be used in any of the Courts aforesaid; which copies so authenticated shall be received in full evidence in said Courts of all such Resolves, doings and transactions.

"In Council, August 23, 1775: This engrossed Bill having had two several readings, Resolved, That it pass to be enacted.

SAMUEL ADAMS, Sec' y."