Resolved unanimously, That from and after the first day of
December next, there be no importation into British America from Great Britain
or Ireland, of any goods, wares or merchandizes whatsoever, or from any other
place, of any such goods, wares or merchandizes, as shall have been exported
from Great Britain or Ireland; and that no such goods, wares or merchandizes
imported after the first day December next, be used or purchased.
THE ASSOCIATION, ETC.
We, his Majesty's most loyal subjects, the delegates of the
several colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania; the three lower counties of
New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware; Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
and South Carolina, deputed to represent them in a Continental Congress, held
in the city of Philadelphia, on the 5th day of September, 1774, avowing our
allegiance to his majesty, our affection and regard for our fellow-subjects in
Great Britain and elsewhere; affected with the deepest anxiety, and most
alarming apprehension, at those grievances and distresses, with which his
Majesty's American subjects are oppressed; and having taken under our most serious
deliberation the state of the whole continent, find, that the present unhappy
situation of our affairs is occasioned by a ruinous system of colony
administration, adopted by the British ministry about the year 1763, evidently
calculated for inslaving these colonies, and, with them, the British empire. In
prosecution of which system, various acts of parliament have been passed, for
raising a revenue in America, for depriving the American subjects, in many
instances, of the constitutional trial by jury, exposing their lives to danger,
by directing a new and illegal trial beyond the seas for crimes alleged to have
been committed in America: and in prosecution of the same system, several late,
cruel, and oppressive acts have been passed, respecting the town of Boston and
the Massachusetts Bay, and also an act for extending the province of Quebec, so
as to border on the western frontiers of these colonies, establishing an
arbitrary government therein, and discouraging the settlement of British
subjects in that wide extended country; thus, by the influence of civil
principles and ancient prejudices, to dispose the inhabitants to act with
hostility against the free Protestant colonies, whenever a wicked ministry
shall choose so to direct them.
To obtain redress of these grievances, which threaten
destruction to the lives, liberty, and property of his majesty's subjects, in
North America, we are of opinion, that a non-importation, non-consumption, and
non-exportation agreement, faithfully adhered to, will prove the most speedy,
effectual, and peaceable measure: and, therefore, we do, for ourselves, and the
inhabitants of the several colonies, whom we represent, firmly agree and
associate, under the sacred ties of virtue, honour and love of our country, as
follows:
1. That from and after the first day of December next, we
will not import, into British America, from Great Britain or Ireland, any
goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever, or from any other place, any such
goods, wares, or merchandise as shall have been exported from Great Britain or
Ireland; nor will we, after that day, import any East India tea from any part
of the world; nor any molasses, syrups, panales, coffee, or pimento, from the
British plantations or from Dominica; nor wines from Madeira, or the Western
Islands; nor foreign indigo.
2. We will neither import, nor purchase any slave imported,
after the first day of December next; after which time we will wholly
discontinue the slave trade, and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor
will we hire our vessels nor sell our commodities or manufactures to those who
are concerned in it.
3. As a non-consumption agreement, strictly adhered to, will
be an effectual security for the observation of the non-importation, we, as
above, solemnly agree and associate, that, from this day, we will not purchase
or use any tea, imported on account of the East India Company, or any on which
a duty hath been or shall be paid; and from and after the first day of March
next, we will not purchase or use any East Indian tea whatever; nor will we,
nor shall any person for or under us, purchase or use any of these goods,
wares, or merchandise we have agreed not to import, which we shall know, or
have cause to suspect, were imported after the first day of December, except such
as come under the rules and directions of the tenth article hereafter
mentioned.
4. The earnest desire we have, not to injure our
fellow-subjects in Great Britain, Ireland, or the West Indies, induces us to
suspend a non-exportation until the tenth day of September, 1775; at which
time, if the said acts and parts of acts of the British parliament hereinafter
mentioned are not repealed, we will not, directly or indirectly, export any
merchandise or commodity whatsoever to Great Britain, Ireland, or the West
Indies, except rice to Europe.
5. Such as are merchants, and use the British and Irish
trade, will give orders, as soon as possible, to their factors, agents and
correspondents, in Great Britain and Ireland, not to ship any goods to them, on
any pretense whatsoever, as they cannot be received in America; and if any
merchant, residing in Great Britain or Ireland, shall directly or indirectly
ship any goods, wares, or merchandise, for America, in order to break the said
non-importation agreement, or in any manner contravene the same, on such
unworthy conduct being well attested, it ought to be made public; and, on the
same being so done, we will not, from thenceforth, have any commercial
connection with such merchant.
6. That such as are owners of vessels will give positive
orders to their captains, or masters, not to receive on board their vessels any
goods prohibited by the said non-importation agreement, on pain of immediate
dismission from their service.
7. We will use our utmost endeavors to improve the breed of
sheep, and increase their number to the greatest extent; and to that end, we
will kill them as seldom as may be, especially those of the most profitable
kind; nor will we export any to the West Indies or elsewhere; and those of us
who are or may become overstocked with, or can conveniently spare, any sheep,
will dispose of them to our neighbors, especially to the poorer sort, on
moderate terms.
8. We will, in our several stations, encourage frugality,
economy, and industry, and promote agriculture, arts and manufactures of this
country, especially that of wool; and will discountenance and discourage every
species of extravagance and dissipation, especially all horse-racing, and all
kinds of gaming, cock-fighting, exhibitions of shows, plays, and other
expensive diversions and entertainments; and on the death of any relation or
friend, none of us, or any of our families, will go into any further
mourning-dress, than a black crape or ribbon on the arm or hat, for gentlemen,
and a black ribbon and necklace for ladies, and we will discontinue the giving
of gloves and scarfs at funerals.
9. Such as are
venders of goods or merchandise will not take advantage of the scarcity of
goods, that may be occasioned by this association, but will sell the same at the
rates we have been respectively accustomed to do, for twelve months last past.
And if any vender of goods or merchandise shall sell any such goods on higher
terms, or shall, in any manner, or by any device whatsoever violate or depart
from this agreement, no person ought, nor will any of us, deal with any such
person, or his or her factor or agent, at any time thereafter, for any
commodity whatever.
10. In case any merchant, trader, or other person, shall
import any goods or merchandise, after the first day of December, and before
the first day of February, next, the same ought forthwith, at the election of
the owner, to be either re-shipped or delivered up to the committee of the
county or town wherein they shall be imported, to be stored at the risk of the
importer, until the non-importation agreement shall cease, or be sold under the
direction of the committee aforesaid; and in the last-mentioned case, the owner
or owners of such goods shall be reimbursed out of the sales, the first cost
and charges, the profit, if any, to be applied towards relieving and employing
such poor inhabitants of the town of Boston as are immediate sufferers by the
Boston port-bill; and a particular account of all goods so returned, stored, or
sold, to be inserted in the public papers; and if any goods or merchandise
shall be imported after the said first day of February, the same ought
forthwith to be sent back again, without breaking any of the packages thereof.
11. That a committee be chosen in every county, city, and
town, by those who are qualified to vote for representatives in the
legislature, whose business it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of
all persons touching this association; and when it shall be made to appear, to
the satisfaction of a majority of any such committee, that any person within
the limits of their appointment has violated this association, that such
majority do forthwith cause the truth of the case to be published in the
gazette; to the end, that all such foes to the rights of British-America may be
publicly known, and universally condemned as the enemies of American liberty;
and thenceforth we respectively will break off all dealings with him or her.
12. That the committee of correspondence in the respective
colonies do frequently inspect the entries of their custom-houses, and inform
each other, from time to time, of the true state thereof, and of every other
material circumstance that may occur relative to this association.
13. That all manufactures of this country be sold at
reasonable prices, so that no undue advantage be taken of a future scarcity of
goods.
14. And we do further
agree and resolve, that we will have no trade, commerce, dealings or
intercourse whatsoever, with any colony or province, in North America, which
shall not accede to, or which shall hereafter violate this association, but
will hold them as unworthy of the rights of freemen, and as inimical to the
liberties of their country.
And we do solemnly bind ourselves and our constituents,
under the ties aforesaid, to adhere to this association, until such parts of
the several acts of parliament passed since the close of the last war, as
impose or continue duties on tea, wine, molasses, syrup, paneles, coffee,
sugar, pimento, indigo, foreign paper, glass, and painters' colours, imported
into America, and extend the powers of the admiralty courts beyond their
ancient limits, deprive the American subject of trial by jury, authorize the
judge's certificate to indemnify the prospector from damages, that he might
otherwise be liable to from a trial by his peers, require oppressive security
from a claimant of ships or goods seized, before he shall be allowed to defend
his property, are repealed. * * * And until that part of the Act of * * * by
which any persons charged with committing any of the offences therein
described, in America, may be tried in any shire or county within the realm, is
repealed * * * and until the four Acts, passed the last session of parliament,
viz: that for stopping the port and blocking up the harbour of Boston * * *
that for altering the charter and government of the Massachusetts Bay * * * and
that which is entitled "An act for the better administration of justice,
&c.” * * * and that “for extending the limits of Quebec, * * *" are
repealed. And we recommend it to the provincial conventions, and to the
committees in the respective colonies, to establish such farther regulations as
they may think proper, for carrying into execution this association.
The foregoing association being determined upon by the
Congress, was ordered to be subscribed by the several members thereof; and
thereupon, we have hereunto set our respective names accordingly.
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