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Show [7Il [70} Mat and agree with thofe, whom they pleal‘e, about a van doubt but they will as heretofore, upon the firfi favor- riety of things therein mentioned. able occafion, again difplay that luft of domination, which hath rent in twain the mighty empire of Britain. But fuch treaties and agreements are to he of no validity Without the concurrence of the faid Parliament, except f0 far as they relate to the/izfpmfiau of hol'rilities, and ofcertain of th‘cir Aas, the granting of pardons, and the appointing of Governors to thefe fovereign, free and independent States, Where- fore, the faid Parliament have rcferved to themfelves, in exprefi words, the power of fetting alide any fuch treaty, and taking the advantage of any circumitances whlch may ariti: to fuhjeét this continent to their ufurpations. " 6thly. THE {aid Bill, by holding forth a tender of l union hath been cemented by Common calamities and by mutual good offices and affeétion, fo the great caufe for which they contend, and in which all mankind are intercited, mutt derive its fuccefs from the continuance of that union. Wherefore any man or body of men, who thould pardon, implies a criminality in our juflifiable refillance, and confequently, to treat under it would be an implied acknowledgment that the inhabitants of thefe States were, what Britain hath declared them to be, Rebels. prefume to make any feparate or partial convention or agreement with Commiflioners under the crown ofGreat-Britain, or any of them, ought to be confidered and treated as open " 7thly. THE inhabitants of thefe States being claimed " AND further your Committee beg leave to report it as their opinion, That thefe United States cannot, with propriety, hold any conference or treaty with (my Commiflioners on the part of Great-Britain, unlefs they (hall,as a preliminary thereto, either withdraw their fleets and armies, or elfe, in politive and exprefs terms, acknowledge the Independence of the faid States. and avowed enemies of thefe United States. "lllllr', . ,u. H " UPON the whole matter, the Committee beg leave to report it as their opinion, that as the Americansfunited in this arduous contetl upon principles of common interelt, for the defence of common rights and privileges, which l by them as Subjeéts, they may infer, from the nature of the negociation now pretended to be fet on foot, that the faid inhabitants would of right he afterwards bound by fuch laws as they Ihould make. Wherefore any agreement: entered into on l'uch negociation might at any future time be repealed. And " 8thly. BECAUSE the faid Bill purports, that the Commillioners therein mentioned may treat with private individuals; a meafure highly derogatory to the dignity of national character. " AND inafmuch as it appears to be the defign of the enemies of thefe States to lull them into a fatal lecurityuto the end that they may a& with 21 becoming weight and importance, it is the opinion of your Committee, That the feveral States be called upon to ufe the molt {trenuous exertions to have their refpeé'tive quotas of continental troops in the field as foon as poflible, and that all the mi- " FROM all which it appears evident to your Com-1 mittee,, that the faid Bills are intended to operate upon the hopes and fears of the good people of thefe States, to as to litia of the faid States be held in readinefs, to act as oc- create divifions among them, and a defeétion from the com- cafion may require." mon (taufe, now by the blefling of Divine Providence drawing near to a favourable illiie. That they are the fequel of that infidious plan, which, from the days of the Stampaét down to the prefent time, hath involved this country in contention and bloodlhtd. And that, as in other cafes {q in this, although circumltances may force them at times t; recede from their unjull'iiiable claims, there can b1: no THIS report being read, and debated by paragraphs, was agreed to unanimoully, and publithed. ON the next day Congrefs came to the following refo‘ lution : " WHEREAS dou t |