arliament. They state that the
first object of the Congress was to unite the people of America, by
demonstrating the sincerity and earnestness with which reconciliation
had been sought with Great Britain upon terms compatible with British
liberty. After expressing their confidence in the efficacy of the
passive commercial resistance which had been adopted, they conclude
their address thus:

"Your own salvation and that of your posterity now depend upon
yourselves. You have already shown that you entertain a proper sense of
the blessings you are striving to retain. Against the temporary
inconveniences you may suffer from a stoppage of trade, you will weigh
in the opposite balance the endless miseries you and your descendants
must endure from an established arbitrary power." ...

"Motives thus cogent, arising from the emergency of your unhappy
condition, must excite your utmost diligence and zeal to give all
possible strength and energy to pacific measures calculated for your
relief. But we think ourselves bound in duty to observe to you, that the
schemes agitated against the colonies have been so conducted as to
render it prudent that you should extend your views to mournful events,
and be in all respects prepared for every contingency. Above all things,
we earnestly entreat you, with devotion of spirit, penitence of heart,
and amendment of life, to humble yourselves, and implore the favour of
Almighty God; and we fervently beseech His Divine goodness to take you
into His gracious protection."

The letters addressed to the other colonies not represented in the
Congress require no special reference or remark.

After completing the business before them, this first General Congress
in America recommended that another Congress should be held in the same
place on the tenth day of the succeeding May, 1775, "unless redress of
their grievances should be previously obtained," and recommending to all
the colonies "to choose deputies as soon as possible, to be ready to
attend at that time and place, should events make their meeting
necessary."

I have presented an embodiment of the complaints, sentiments, and wishes
of the American colonies in the words of their elected representatives
in their first General Congress. I have done so for two reasons: First,
to correct as far as I can the erroneous impression of thousands of
English and Canadian readers, that during the ten years' conflict of
words, before the conflict of arms,