jefty's Colonies and Plantations in North America, &c.

DECLARATION.

any

WHEREAS by an act paffed in the last feffion of parliament, to prohibit all trade and intercourfe with the colonies of New Hamphire, Maffachufett's-bay, Rhode Illand, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and for other purposes therein mentioned, it is enacted, that it fhall and may be lawful to and for perfon or perfons appointed and authorifed by his majesty, to grant a pardon or pardons to any number or defcription of perfons, by proclamation in his majesty's name, to declare any colony or province, colonies or provinces, or any county, town, port, district, or place, in any colony or province, to be at the peace of his majefty ;" and that from and after the iffuing of any fuch proclamation in any of the aforefaid colonies or provinces, or if his majefty fhall be gracioufly pleafed to fignify the fame by his royal proclamation," then, from and after the iffuing of fuch proclamation, the faidact, with refpect to fuch colony or province, colonies or provinces, county, town, port, district, or place, fhall ceafe, determine, and be utterly void." And whereas the king, defirous to deliver all his fubjects from the calamities of war, and other oppreffions which they now undergo; and to restore the faid colonies to his protection and peace, as foon as the conftitutional authority of government therein may be replaced, hath been gracioufly pleased, by letters patent under the great feal, dated the

6th day of May, in the fixteenth year of his majesty's reign, to nominate and appoint me, Richard Viscount Howe, of the kingdom of Ireland, and William Howe, Efq; general of his forces in North America, and each of us, jointly and feverally, to be his majesty's commiffioner and commiffioners for granting his free and general pardons to all thofe, who, in the tumult and diforder of the times, may have deviated from their juft allegiance, and who are willing, by a speedy return to their duty, to reap the benefits of the royal favour: and alfo for declaring, in his majefty's name, any colony, province, county, town, port, diftrict or place, to be at the peace of his majefty; I do therefore hereby declare, That due confider

ation fhall be had to the merito

rious fervices of all perfons who fhall aid and affift in restoring the public tranquillity in the faid colonies, or in any part or parts thereof: that pardons fhall be granted, dutiful reprefentations received, and every fuitable encouragement given for promoting fuch measures as fhall be conducive to the establifhment of legal government and peace, in purfuance of his majefty's most gracious purposes aforefaid.

Given on board his majefty's fhip the Eagle, off the coafts of the province of Maffachufett's-bay, the zoth of June, 1776.

HOWE.

Refolution of the Congress upon the above Declaration.

In Congress, July 19. RESOLVED, That a copy of the circular letters, and of the de[7] 3 claration

claration they inclofed from Lord Howe to Mr. Franklin, Mr. Penn, Mr. Eden, Lord Dunmore, Mr. Martin, and Sir James Wright, late Governors, fent to Amboy by a flag, and forwarded to Congrefs by Gen. Washington, be published in the feveral Gazettes, that the good people of thefe United States may be informed of what nature are the commiffioners, and what the terms, with the expectation of which the infidious court of Great Britain has endeavoured to amufe and difarm them; and that the few who still remain fufpended by a hope, founded either in the juftice or moderation of their late king, may now at length be convinced, that the valour alone of their country is to fave its liberties.

Extract from the Journals. (Signed)

CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.

cy, the king's commiffioners think fit to declare, that they are equally defirous to confer with his majefty's well-affected fubjects upon the means of restoring the public tranquillity, and establishing a permanent union with every coTony, as a part of the British empire.

The king being most graciously pleafed to direct a revifion of fuch of his royal inftructions as may be conftrued to lay an improper reftraint upon the freedom of legiflation in any of his colonies, and to concur in the revifal of all acts by which his fubjects there may think themfelves aggrieved, it is recommended to the inhabitants at large to reflect feriously upon their prefent condition, and to judge for themselves, whether it be more confiftent with their honour and happiness to offer up their lives as a facrifice to the unjuft and precarious caufe in which they are engaged, or to return to their allegiance, accept the bleffings of peace, and be fecured in a free enjoyment of their liberty and properties, upon the true principles of the conftitution.

Given at New-York, the 19th day of September, 1776.

HOWE.

W. HOWE,

Plantations in North America, &c.

PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS by our declarations of the 20th of June and 19th of September laft, in purfuance of his majefty's most gracious intentions towards his fubjects in the colonies or provinces of New Hampfhire, Maffachufett's-bay, Rhode Iland, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three Lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, all perfons speedily returning to their juft allegiance were promifed a free and general pardon, and were invited to accept, not only the bleffings of peace, but a fecure enjoyment of their liberties and properties, upon the true principles of the conftitution: And whereas, notwithstanding the faid declarations, and the example of many who have availed themfelves of the affurances therein made, feveral bodies of armed men, in open contempt of his majefty's proffered clemency, do ftill continue their oppofition to the establishment of legal government and peace; and divers other ill-difpofed perfons, purfuing their own ambitious pur. pofes in the exercife of a lawless influence and power, are ufing fresh endeavours, by various arts and mifreprefentations, to alienate the confidence and affection of his majefty's fubjects; to defeat every plan of reconciliation, and to prolong the unnatural war between Great Britain and her colonies: Now, in order to the more effec tual accomplishment of his majefty's moft gracious intentions, and the speedy restoration of the public tranquillity; and duly confider

ing the expediency of limiting the time within which fuch pardon as aforefaid fhall be granted, and of fpecifying the terms upon which only the fame fhall and may be obtained; We do, in his majefty's name, and by virtue of the powers committed to us, hereby charge and command all perfons whatfoever, who are affembled together in arms against his majefty's government, to difband themfelves, and return to their dwelling, there to remain in a peaceable and quiet manner: And we alfo charge and command all fuch other perfons as are affembled together under the name of General or Provincial Congreffes, committees, conventions, or other affociations, by whatever name or names known and diftinguifhed, or who, under the colour of any authority from any fuch Congrefs, committee, convention and other affociation, take upon them to iffue or execute any orders for levying money. raifing troops, fitting out armed fhips and veffels, imprifoning, or otherwife molefting his majesty's fubjects, to defift and ceafe from all fuch treasonable actings and doings, and to relinquish all fuch ufurped power and authority, fo that peace may be restored, a fpeedy remiffion of past offences quiet the apprehenfions of the guilty, and all the inhabitants of the faid colonies be enabled to reap the benefit of his majesty's paternal good. nefs in the prefervation of their property, the restoration of their commerce, and the fecurity of their most valuable rights, under the juft and moderate authority of the crown and parliament of Great Britain: And we do hereby de clare, and make known to all

men, that every perfon, who within fixty days from the day of the

date hereof fhall before the appear governor or lieutenant-governor, or commander in chief, in any of his majefty's colonies or provinces aforefaid, or before the general or commanding officer of his majefty's forces in America, or any other officer in his majesty's fervice, hav. ing the command of any detachment or parties of his majefty's forces there, or before the admiral or commander in chief of his majefty's fleets, or any other officer commanding any of his majefty's fhips of war, or any armed veffel in his majesty's fervice, within any of the ports, havens, creeks, or upon the coafts of America, and fhall claim the benefit of this proclamation, and at the fame time teftify his obedience to the laws, by fubfcribing a declaration in the words following: " 1, A. B. do promife and declare, that I will remain in a peaceable obedience to his majefty, and will not take up arms, nor encourage others to take up arms, in oppofition to his authority," fhall and may obtain a full and free pardon of all treafons and mifprifions of treafons, by him heretofore committed or done, and of all forfeitures, attainders, and penalties for the fame; and upon producing to us, or to either of us, a certificate of fuch his appearance and declaration, fhall and may have and receive fuch pardon made and paffed to him in due form.

Given at New-York, this thirtieth day of November, 1776.

HowE. W. HOWE. By command of their excellencies, HENRY STRACHEY.

Copy of the free Pardon granted by bis Majefty's Commiffioners, to fuch Perfons as claimed the Benefit of the above Declarations.

(L. S.) HOWE.

GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, and fo forth, to all men to whom thefe prefents fhall come, greeting; know ye, that we of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere mo. tion, and out of the zeal and affection which we have and bear to our fubjects, have pardoned, remifed, and releafed, and by these prefents do pardon, remife, and release to A. B. merchant of the town of

of

in the province otherwife called or by whatsoever

other name or furname, dignity, office, or place the faid A. B. fhall be reputed, called, or named, all and fingular treasons, as well high treasons as petit treafons, rebellions, infurrections, and confpiracies, against us, our crown and dignity, and alfo all manner of mifprifions of treafon, or other mifprifions by him the faid A. B. at any time heretofore had, done, or perpetrated, whether the faid A. B. of the premifes, or any of them, fhould have been indicted, appealed, fued and adjudged, outlawed, convicted, condemned, or attainted, or not. We also pardon, remife, and release, by thefe prefents, to the aforefaid A. B. all and fingular judgments, pains of death, punishments, and iffues and profits of all domains, manors, lands, tenements, and other hereditaments, of him the faid A. B. on occafion of the pre

mifes, or any of them, by him the faid A. B. forfeited or loft, and to us, by reafon of the premifes, due, belonging, or appertaining. Given at New-York, this day of December, 1776. By command of his excellency, HENRY STRACHEY.

American Oath of Allegiance.

In CONGRESS, October 21, 1776. RESOLVED, That every officer who holds or fhall hereafter hold a commiffion, or office from Congrefs, fhall fubfcribe the following declaration, and take the following oath, viz.

"I

-, do acknowledge the thirteen united states of America, namely, New Hampshire, Maffachufett's-bay, Rhode-I and, Connecticut, New-York, New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, independent, and fovereign ftates; and declare that the people thereof have no allegiance or obedience to George the third, King of Great Britain; and I renounce, refufe, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him. And I do fwear, that I will, to the utmoft of my power, fupport, maintain, and defend the faid united ftates against the faid king George the third, and his heirs and fucceffors, and his and their abettors, affiftants and adherents; and will ferve the faid united states in the office of, which I now hold, and in any other office which I may hereafter hold by their appointment, or under their authority, with Adelity and honour, and

Proclamation by his Excellency George Washington, Efq; General and Commander in Chief of all the Forces of the United States of America.

WHEREAS feveral perfons, inhabitants of the united ftates of America, influenced by inimical motives, intimidated by the threats of the enemy, or deluded by a proclamation iffued the 30th of November last, by Lord and General Howe, filed the king's commiffioners for granting pardons, &c. (now at open war, and invading these ftates) have been fo loft to the intereft and welfare of their country, as to repair to the enemy, fign a declaration of fidelity, and in fome inftances have been compelled to take the oaths of allegiance, and engaged not to take up arms, or encourage others fo to do, against the King of Great Britain And whereas it has become neceffary to distinguish between the friends of America and thofe of Great Britain, inhabitants of thefe States; and that every man who receives protection from, and as a fubject of, any State (not being confcientiously fcrupulous againft bearing arms) fhould stand ready to defend the fame again't hoftile invafion; I do, therefore, in behalf of the United States, by virtue of the powers committed to me by Congress, hereby ftrictly command and require every perfon, having fubfcribed fuch declaration,

taken