Association of the Continental Congress, of October 20, 1774, read and approved of

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Wednesday, August 23, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The Association entered into by the General Congress at Philadelphia, on the 20th day of October, 1774, and signed by the Members thereof, was read:

Resolved, That this Congress do highly approve of the said Association, and do for themselves firmly agree and promise to adhere thereto, and do recommend it to their constituents that they likewise adhere firmly thereto.

The Committee directed to prepare and bring in a Test for the Members of the Congress to sign, reported that

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Ordered, The same be read; which was accordingly read, approved of, and ordered to be entered on the Journals and signed.

We, the subscribers, professing our allegiance to the King, and acknowledging the constitutional executive power of Government, do solemnly profess, testify and declare, that we do absolutely believe that neither the Parliament of Great Britain, nor any member or constituent branch thereof, have a right to impose Taxes upon these Colonies to regulate the internal police thereof; and that all attempts by fraud or force to establish and exercise such claims and powers are violations of the peace and security of the people, and ought to be resisted to he utmost: And that the people of this Province, singly and collectively, are bound by the Acts and Resolutions of the Continental and the Provincial Congresses; because in both they are freely represented by persons chosen by themselves; and we do solemnly and sincerely promise and engage, under the sanction of virtue, honour, and the sacred love of liberty and our country, to maintain and support all and every the Acts, Resolutions and Regulations of the said Continental and Provincial Congresses, to the utmost of our power and abilities. In testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands, this 23d of August, 1775:

Nathl˙ Richardson,
Robert Howe,
David Love,
William Gray,
Parker Quince,
William Picket,
C˙ W˙ Jaycocks,
Robert Ellis,
Thos˙ Respss, Jr˙
William Bryan,
Samuel Johnston,
John Patten,
Zedekiah Stone,
Thomas Wade,
William Salter,
John Johnston,
Samuel Spencer,
Walter Gibson,
Thomas Owen,
Thomas Person,
John Atkinson,
Thos˙ Roberson, Jr˙
John Williams,
John Williams,
Thomas Allon,
John Taylor,
Benjamin Harvey,
Roger Moore,
Memucan Hunt,
Andrew Knox,
Green Hill,
Alex˙ Martin,
Miles Harvey,
William Person,
Ransome Sutherland,
Thomas Harvey,
Henry Patillo,
James P˙ Farley,
William Skinner,
Thomas Eaton,
Thos˙ Henderson,
Thomas Boyd,
Jethro Sumner,
William Dent,
Devotion Davis,
Josiah Reddick,
George Cortner,
Edward Evorigin,
James Coor,
Nathl˙ Williams,
John Simpson,
William Bryan,
Joseph Hancock,
Robert Salter,
Richard Cogdell,
John Jordan,
William Bryan,
Jacob Blount,
Lawrence Baker,
James Gorham,
John Easton,
Matthias Brickle,
James Latham,
Brice Williams,
Day Ridley,
James Smith,
Solomon Sheppard,
Nicholas Long,
Matthew Locke,
Enoch Ward,
James Hogan,
Moses Winslow,
James White,
David Sumner,
Samuel Young,
Thomas Jones,
John Webb,
William Kennon,
Thomas Benbury,
John Geddy,
William Sharp,
James Blount,
Benj˙ Williams,
Robert Lanier,
Josiah Granbury,
William Bryan,
Joseph Williams,
Thomas Rutherford,
John Smith,
Joseph Spruill,
Alex˙ McAlister,
Thomas Polk,
Jeremiah Fraser,
Farquard Campbell,
John Pfifer,
Peter Wynne,
David Smith,
J˙ McK˙ Alexander,
John Walker,
Alex˙ McKay,
Kennith McKinzie,
William Kennon,
Elisha Cain,
Whitmill Hill,
Robert Alexander,
Richard Kennon,
William Williams,
Joseph Hardin,
Matthew Jones,
George Moore,
William Graham,
Ambrose Ramsey,
Alex˙ Lillington,
Fred˙ Hambright,
Robert Rutherford,
Samuel Ashe,
Joel Lane,
William Clark,
William Hooper,
John Hinton,
James Kenan,
James Moore,
Theophilus Hunter,
Thomas Gray,
John Ashe,
Michael Rogers,
William Dickson,
Allen Jones,
Tignal Jones,
Richard Clinton,
Howell Edmunds,
John Rand,
Thomas Hicks,
Drewry Gee,
Thomas Hines,
Richard Caswell,
Samuel Lockhart,
William Brown,
Simon Bright,
Isaac Guion,
Joseph Hewes,
James Glasgow,
Henry Rhodes,
James Davis,
Abraham Sheppard,
Edward Starkey,
William Tisdale,
Spyers Singleton,
John King,
Richard Ellis,
Robert Bignal,
Thomas Burke,
Cornelius Harnett,
Henry Irwin,
John Kinchen,
Archibald Maclaine,
John Penn,
Thomas Hart,
Maurice Moors,
Robert Rowan,
Dempsy Burgess,
John Cowper,
James Hepburn,
Samuel Martin,
Needham Bryan,
Willie Jones,
James Houston,
Gideon Lamb,
Francis Nash,
Thomas H˙ Hall,
Waighstill Avery,
William Armstrong,
William Hill,
Martin Armstrong,
Nathaniel Rochester,
Duncan Lamon,
John Birdsong,
Hugh Montgomery,
Joshua Rosser,
Joseph Winston,
John Thompson,
Jasper Charlton,
Joseph Jones,
Joseph Leech˙

Resolved, That his Honour the President, Mr˙ Harnett, Mr˙ Caswell, Mr˙ Hewes, Mr˙ Nash, Mr˙ Willie Jones, and Mr˙ Young, be a Committee of Secrecy, for the purpose of procuring Arms and Ammunition, and to report to this Congress what sums of Money will be necessary for that purpose.

Resolved, That Mr˙ Maclaine, Mr˙ McAlister, Mr˙

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Resolved, That Mr˙ Maurice Moore Mr˙ Hooper, Mr˙ Howe, Mr˙ Caswell, and Mr˙ Heives, be a Committee to prepare an Address to the Inhabitants of the Province of North-Carolina, stating the present controversy in an easy familiar style and manner, obvious to the meanest capacity; calling upon them to unite in defence of American liberty, and vindicating from a necessity to which Administration has reduced us, the taking up arms, and assuming the control of the Militia; and ascribing the silence of the legislative powers of Government to his Excellency the Governour refusing to exercise the functions of his office, by leaving the Province and retiring on board a man-of-war, without any threats or violence to compel him to such a measure.

The Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o' clock.