The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, June 22.

At a very large and respectable Meeting of the Freeholders and Freemen of the City and County of Philadelphia, on Saturday, June 18, 1774, Thomas Willing and John Dickinson, Esquires, Chairmen,

RESOLVED,

I. That the Act of Parliament for shutting up the Port of Boston is unconstitutional, oppressive to the inhabitants of that Town, dangerous to the Liberties of the British Colonies, and that therefore we consider our Brethren at Boston as suffering in the common Cause of America.

2. That a Congress of Deputies from the several Colonies in North America is the most probable and proper Mode of procuring Relief for our suffering Brethren, obtaining Redress of American Grievances, Securing our Rights and Liberties, and re-establishing Peace and Harmony between Great Britain and these Colonies, on a constitutional Foundation.

3. That a large and respectable Committee be immediately appointed for the City and County of Philadelphia, to correspond with the Sister Colonies, and with the several Counties in this Province, in Order that all may unite in promoting and endeavouring to attain the great and valuable Ends mentioned in the foregoing Resolution.

4. That the Committee nominated by this Meeting shall consult together, and on mature Deliberation determine, what is the most proper Mode of collecting the Sense of this Province, and appointing Deputies for the same, to attend a general Congress; and, having determined thereupon, shall take such Measures as by them shall be judged most expedient for procuring this Province to be represented at the said Congress, in the best Manner that can be devised for promoting the publick Welfare.

5. That the Committee be instructed immediately to set on Foot a Subscription for the Relief of such poor Inhabitants of the Town of Boston as may be deprived of the Means of Subsistence, by the Operation of the Act of Parliament commonly called the Boston Port Bill, and the Money arising from such Subscription to be laid out as the Committee shall think will best answer the Ends proposed.

After the first Reading of the Propositions that had been prepared for the Meeting last Saturday, and before they were put up separately, the Reverend Dr. Smith made the following short Address, which is published at the Desire of many.

GENTLEMEN,

Sundry Propositions read, which are now to be separately offered for your Approbation or Disapprobation; but, before you proceed to this Business, it has been thought proper to submit a few Things to your good Judgment, with Respect to the Order and Decorum necessary to be observed in the Discussion of every Question.

It need not be repeated to you, that Matters of the highest Consequence to the Happiness of this Province, nay of all British America, depend upon your Deliberations this Day; perhaps, nothing less than whether the Breach with the Country from which we descended shall be irreparably widened, or whether Ways and Means, upon constitutional Grounds, may not yet be devised for closing that Breach, and restoring that Harmony from which, in our better Days, Great Britain and her Colonies derived mutual Strength and Glory, and were exalted into an Importance that, both in Peace and War, made them the Envy and Terror of the neighbouring Nations?

While Subjects such as these are agitated before us, every Thing that may inflame and mislead the Passions should be cast far behind us. A Cause of such Importance and Magnitude as that now under our Deliberation is not to be conducted to its true Issue by any heated or hasty Resolves, or by any Bitterness and Animosities among ourselves, nor even perhaps by too severe a Recapitulation of past Grievances; but requires the temperate and enlightened Zeal of the Patriot, the Prudence and Experience of the Aged, the Strength of Mind and Vigour of those who are in their Prime of Life, and, in short, the united Wisdom and Efforts of all, both High and Low, joining Hand in Hand, and setting Foot to Foot, upon the firm Ground of Reason and the Constitution.

Whenever Party Distinctions begin to operate, we shall give Cause of Triumph to those who may be watchful, as well as powerful, to abridge us of our native Rights. There ought to be no Party, no Contention here, but who shall be firmest and foremost in the common Cause of America. Every Man's Sentiments should be freely heard, and without Prejudice. While we contend for Liberty with others, let us not refuse Liberty to each other.

Whatever Vote is known to be now passed upon full Deliberation, and by the unanimous Voice of this great City and County, will not only be respected through all America, but will have such a Weight as the proudest Minister in England may have Reason to respect; but if it is known to be a divided Vote, or adopted hastily, on some angry Day, it will only be injurious to our own Cause.

What I have in Charge to request of you is this, that if, on any Point, we should have a Difference of Sentiments, every Person may be allowed to speak his Mind freely, and to conclude what he has to offer, without any such outward Marks of Approbation or Disapprobation as Clapping or Hissing; and that if a Division should be necessary (which it is hoped may not be the Case this Day) such Division may be made in the Manner desired by the Chairman, with all possible Order and Decorum.