On the tenth of May, 1776, the Continental Congress, after a very severe and very protracted consideration of the subject, had adopted a Resolution; 4 and on the fifteenth of the same month, it had pre-

8 See, in the Address to the King, by the same Continental Congress and signed by each of its members, individually, (Journal of the Continental Congress, "Saturday, July 8, 1775,") what, at the date of these Resolutions, contained, uualtered, all which bad been said, formally, of the disposition, toward the King, of either the Congress or of its individual members.

* Journal of the Continental Congress, " Friday, May 10, 1776."

WESTCHESTEE COUNTY.

fixed to that Resolution, a Preamble, 1 which, together, were in these words :

" Whereas his Britannic Majesty, in conjunction " with the Lords and Commons of Great Britain, has, " by a late Act of Parliament, excluded the inhabi- " tants of these United Colonies from the protection " of his Crown ;

"And whereas no answer whatever to the humble " Petition of the Colonies, for redress of grievances and "reconciliation with Great Britain, has been or is " likely to be given, but the whole force of that King- " dofn, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be exerted " for the destruction of the good people of these Col- " onies ;

" And whereas it appears absolutely irreconcilable " to reason and good conscience for the people of these " Colonies, now, to take the Oaths and Affirmations " necessary for the support of any Government under " the Crown of Great Britain, and it is necessary that " the exercise of every kind of authority under the " said Crown should be totally suppressed, and all the "powers of. Government exerted under the authority "' of the people of the Colonies, for the preservation of "internal peace, virtue, and good order, as well as for " the defence of their lives, liberties, and properties, "against the hostile invasions and cruel depredations "of their enemies, therefore