" 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

" Resolved, That it be recommended to the re- " spective Assemblies and Conventions of the United "Colonies, where no Government sufficient to the "exigencies of their affairs hath been hitherto estab- " lished, to adopt such Government as shall, in the " opinion of the representatives of the people, best " conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents, in particular, and America, in general.'

The careful reader of that Preamble and Resolution will not fail to see, in every portion of them, only Independence very thinly disguised ; 2 and he will not be surprised to learn that those, within the Continental Congress, who were most desirous of effecting a Reconciliation with the Mother Country, were most resolute in opposing the adoption of them ; s nor

1 Journal of the Continental Congress, " Wednesday, May 15, 1776."