Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/127

 possessing their assemblies with the sole right of di- recting their internal polity, it is absolutely destructive of the end of their institution, that their legislatures should be suspended, or prevented, by hasty dissolu- tions, from exercising their legislative powers.

" Wanting the protection of Britain, we have long acquiesced in their acts of navigation, restrictive of our commerce, which we consider as an ample recompense for such protection; but as those acts derive their effi- cacy from that foundation alone, we have reason to ex- pect they will be restrained, so as to produce the rea- sonable purposes of Britain, and not be injurious to us.

" To obtain redress of these grievances, without which the people of America can neither be safe, free, nor happy, they are willing to undergo the great incon- venience that will be derived to them, from stopping all imports whatsoever from Great Britain, after the first day of November next, and also to cease exporting any commodity whatsoever to the same place, after the 10th day of August, 1775. The earnest desire we have to make as quick and full payment as possible of our debts to Great Britain, and to avoid the heavy injury that would arise to this country, from an earlier adoption of the non-exportation plan, after the people have already applied so much of their labour to the perfecting of the present crop, by which means they have been prevented from pursuing other methods of clothing and support- ing their families, have rendered it necessaiy to restrain you in this article of non-exportation; but it is our de- sire that you cordially co-operate with our sister colo- nies in general congress, in such other just and proper methods as they, or the majority, shall deem necessaiy for the accomplishment of these valuable ends.

" The proclamation issued by general Gage, in the

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