merchandise, from any resident of this Province or transient person that shall neglect to sign this agreement within five weeks from the date thereof, except it appear he shall be unavoidably prevented from so doing; and every person signing and not strictly adhering to the same, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and also every non-subscriber, shall be looked upon as no friend to his country. Without Signature.

On the 20th of July, 1774, the following notice appeared in the Georgia Gazette:

The critical situation to which the British Colonies in America are likely to be reduced, from the arbitrary and alarming imposition of the late acts of the British Parliament respecting the town of Boston, as well as the acts that at present exist, tending to the raising of a perpetual revenue without the consent of the people or their representatives, is considered an object extremely important at this juncture, and particularly calculated to deprive the American subjects of their constitutional rights and liberties, as a part of the British Empire. It is therefore requested that all persons within the limits of this Province do attend at Savannah, on Wednesday, the 27th of July, in order that the said matters may be taken into consideration, and such other constitutional measures pursued as may appear most eligible.

14th July, 1774.

Signed,

NOBLE W. JONES,
ARCHIBALD BULLOCH,
JOHN HOUSTOUN,

JOHN WALTON,

27th July, 1774.

The following was addressed to the different parishes:

GENTLEMEN,—At a very respectable meeting of the inhabitants of this Pro vince, held this day at Savannah, for the purpose of concerting such measures as may be proper to be pursued respecting certain late acts of the British Parliament, it was, after some business being entered upon, objected that many of the out parishes might not have a sufficient notification of the intended meeting; and therefore

Resolved, That all further business be postponed till the 10th of August next, and that in the mean time notice be given to the inhabitants of the several parishes, in order to afford them an opportunity of sending down deputies to deliver their sense upon this very important occasion.

In pursuance of this resolve, I take the liberty, as Chairman of the Committee, to request you will send gentlemen duly authorized to attend on behalf of your parish at the next meeting. The number expected to join the Committee is agreeable to the number of representatives each parish sends to the General Assembly. The Committee to meet you at Savannah are: John Glen, John Smith, Joseph Clay, John Houstoun, N. W. Jones, Lyman Hall, Wm. Young, E. Telfair, Samuel Farley, Geo. Walton, Joseph Habersham, Jonathan Bryan, Jonathan Cochran, Geo. W. McIntosh, Sutton, William Gibbons, Benj. Andrew, John Winn, John Stirk, A. Powell, James Beaven, D. Zubly, H. L. Bourquine, Elisha Butler, Wm. Baker, Parmenus Way, John Baker, John Mann, John Bennefield, John Stacy, John Morell.

I am, dear Sir,

JOHN GLEN.

Resolutions entered into at Savannah, in Georgia, on Wednesday, the 10th of August, 1774, at a General Meeting of the inhabitants of the Province, assembled to consider the State of the Colonies in America.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That his Majesty's subjects in America owe the same allegiance, and are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and immunities with their fellow subjects in Great Britain.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That as protection and allegiance are reciprocal, and under the British Constitution correlative terms, his Majesty's subjects in America have a clear and indisputable right, as well from the general laws of mankind, as from the ancient and established customs of the land so often recognized, to petition the Throne upon every emergency.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an Act of Parliament lately passed, for blockading the port and harbour of Boston, is contrary to our idea of the British Constitution: First, for that it in effect deprives good and lawful men of the use of their property without judgment of their peers; and secondly, for that it is in nature of an ex post facto law, and indiscriminately blends as objects of punishment the innocent with the guilty; neither do we conceive the same justified upon a principle of necessity, for that numerous instances evince that the laws and executive power of Boston have made sufficient provision for the punishment of all offenders against persons and property.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That the Act for abolishing the Charter of Massachusetts Bay tends to the subversion of American rights; for besides those general liberties, the original settlers brought over with them as their birthright, particular immunities granted by such charter, as an inducement and means of settling the Province: and we apprehend the said Charter cannot be dissolved but by a voluntary surrender of the people, representatively declared.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we apprehend the Parliament of Great Britain hath not, nor ever had, any right to tax his Majesty's American subjects; for it is evident beyond contradiction, the constitution admits of no taxation without representation; that they are coeval and inseparable; and every demand for the support of government should be by requisition made to the several houses of representatives.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That it is contrary to natural justice and the established law of the land, to transport any person to Great Britain or elsewhere, to be tried under indictment for a crime committed in any of the colonies, as the party prosecuted would thereby be deprived of the privilege of trial by his peers from the vicinage, the injured perhaps prevented from legal reparation, and both lose the full benefit of their witnesses.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we concur with our sister colonies in every constitutional measure to obtain redress of American grievances, and will by every lawful means in our power, maintain those inestimable blessings for which we are indebted to God and the Constitution of our country-a Constitution founded upon reason and justice, and the indelible rights of mankind.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That the Committee appointed by the meeting of the inhabitants of this Province, on Wednesday, the 27th of July last, together with the deputies who have appeared here on this day from the different parishes,

be a General Committee to act; and that any eleven or more of them shall have full power to correspond with the Committees of the several Provinces upon the continent; and that copies of these resolutions, as well as all other proceedings, be transmitted without delay to the Committees of Correspondence in the respective Provinces.

At this meeting a Committee was appointed to receive subscriptions for the suffering poor in Boston, consisting of William Ewen, William Young, Joseph Clay, John Houstoun, Noble Wymberley Jones, Edward Telfair, John Smith, Samuel Farley, and Andrew Elton Wells, Esquires.

These meetings were warmly opposed by Sir JAMES WRIGHT, then Governor of Georgia. In one of his letters to the Earl of Dartmouth he says:

There are, my lord, here, as well as everywhere else, malcontents and liberty people, and I will not answer for their conduct, whether it may not be ungrateful and improper; but as soon as they have come to any resolutions or determina. tions, I shall not fail to acquaint your lordship therewith.

The following is Sir JAMES WRIGHT's proclamation in referencc to the meeting of the 27th of July.

Whereas I have received information that, on Wednesday, the 27th of July last past, a number of persons, in consequence of a printed bill or summons issued or dispersed throughout the Province, by certain persons unknown, did unlawfully assemble together at the Watch House, in the town of Savannah, under colour or pretence of consulting together for the redress of public grievances or imaginary grievances; and that the persons so assembled for the purposes aforesaid, or some of them, are from and by their own authority, by a certain handbill issued and dispersed throughout the Province, and other methods, endeavouring to prevail on his Majesty's liege subjects to have another meeting on Wednesday, the 10th inst., similar to the former, and for the purposes aforesaid; which summonses and meetings must tend to raise fears and jealousies in the minds of his Majesty's good subjects.

And whereas an opinion prevails, and has been industriously propagated, that summonses and meetings of this nature are constitutional and legal; in order, therefore, that his Majesty's liege subjects may not be misled and imposed upon by artful and designing men, I do, by and with the advice of his Majesty's honourable Council, issue this my proclamation, notifying that all such summonses and calls by private persons, and all assembling and meetings of the people which may tend to raise fears and jealousies in the minds of his Majesty's subjects, under pretence of consulting together for redress of public grievances, are unconstitutional, illegal, and punishable by law. And

I do hereby require all his Majesty's liege subjects within this province to pay due regard to this my proclamation, as they will answer the contrary at their peril.

Given under my hand, this 5th day of August, and by his Excellency's command.

God save the King.

THOMAS MOODIE, Dept. Sec.

JAMES WRIGHT.

A few days after the meeting referred to in this proclamation, through the influence of Governor Wright, another was held, at which a hundred persons signed a public dissent to the proceedings of the first meeting. McCall says, "that similar dissents were placed in the hands of the governor's influential friends, and sent in different directions over the country, to obtain subscribers; allowing a sum of money to each of those persons proportioned to the number of subscribers they obtained, and as a compensation for their services. Under these advantageous circumstances, the royal servants were successful in obtaining signatures from many timid men, who were favourably disposed to the American cause. The number of subscribers was magnified to a considerable majority of the provincial population. In some instances, the number of subscribers exceeded the population of the parishes from whence they came; and from others the signatures of men were affixed who had been dead many years. The only press in the province was under the control of Governor Wright, and the printer was charged with partiality to the royal government, in withholding facts from the public which would have given the true impression; which had a tendency to strengthen the British and weaken the American cause."

DISSENT TO THE RESOLUTIONS OF AUGUST 10, 1774.

On the tenth instant, a meeting was held at Savannah, to which several districts and parishes, particularly St. Paul's, one of the most populous in the Province, sent no deputies; and although one Lord, and another person attended as deputies from the parish of St. George, yet upwards of 80 respectable inhabitants of that parish sent down their dissent. Nor was the parish of Christ Church represented at this meeting, unless the self-appointed committee be considered as their representatives. The measure left an opening for any to appear at the meeting in the character of deputies, who brought down an appointment as such, without any inquiry whether they were constituted by the majority of the parish or not. Several artful falsehoods were thrown out to induce the parishes and districts to send deputies. In the Parish of St. George, it was said that the Stamp Act was to be enforced; and in the parish of St. Matthew, the people were told that nothing was intended but a dutiful petition to the king, as the father of his people; and to such lengths were matters carried, that when some of the inhabitants of St. Matthew's parish discovered the deception, and desired that they might scratch out their names from the instrument appointing deputies-it was refused them. Their adjournment from the 27th of July to the tenth of August was general, and therefore it was natural to suppose that the last meeting would be held at the Vendue house, the same place as the first; for whenever it is intended that a future meeting of any kind shall be held at a different place than that which is usual, notice is always given of the alteration of the place of meeting, otherwise most of those who may be desirous of attending, would not know where to go. In the present case none knew that the second meeting would be held at a different place than the first, except those few who were in the secret. But the important meeting of the 10th of August, in defence of the constitutional rights and liberties of American subjects, was held at a tavern, and it was said, twenty-six persons, with the doors shut for a considerable time, undertook to bind them by resolution; and when several gentlemen attempted to join, the tavern-keeper, who stood at the door with a list in his hand, refused them admittance, because their names were not mentioned in that list. Such was the conduct of these pretended advocates for the liberties of America. Several of the inhabitants of St. Paul's and St. George's, two of the most populous, have transmitted their written dissent to any resolutions, and there were gentlemen ready to present their dissent, had not the doors been shut for a considerable time, and admittance refused. And it is conceived that shutting the door and refusing admittance to any but resolutioners, was calculated to prevent the rest of the inhabitants from giving their dissent to measures that were intended to operate as the unanimous sense of the Province. Upon the whole, the world will judge whether the meeting of the 10th inst., held by a few persons in