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county, as shall be judged necessary to meet the other committees, at the time and place above mentioned, for the purpose aforesaid, and for such other purposes as may then be deemed useful and necessary. And we sincerely hope that the good people of this county will give their attendance on that day, and calmly and heartily join with [us] in doing the business proposed which we earnestly wish and desire may answer the good proposed, and the good purposes Intended by it.
"Chester, July 4, 1774."
The following is the record of the proceedings of the meeting:
"At a meeting of a very respectable number of the freeholders and others, inhabitants of the county of Chester, at the court-house, on Wednesday, the 13th of July, 1774, in consequence of public notice for that purpose given, Francis Richardson, Esq., chairman,--
"This Assembly, taking into their serious consideration the present critical and alarming situation of American affairs and the unhappy differences now subsisting between Great Britain and her colonies, do agree and resolve, as follows, viz.:
"1. That the inhabitants of this county do owe and will pay all due faith and allegiance to our lawful and rightful sovereign lord, George the Third, king of Great Britain and the dominions thereunto belonging.
"2. That it is an absolute right, inherent in every English subject, to have
free use, enjoyment, and disposal of all his property, either by himself self or representatives, and that no other power on earth can legally divest him of it.
"3. That the act of parliament lately passed for shutting up the port of Boston is unconstitutional, oppressive to the inhabitants of that town, in its consequences dangerous to the liberties of the British colonies; and that, therefore, we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering in the common cause of America.
"4. That the protection of the liberties of America is an indispensable duty, which we owe to ourselves who enjoy them to our ancestors who transmitted them down, and to our posterity who will claim them at our hands, as the best birthright and noblest Inheritance of mankind.
"5. We do agree with the Committee of the City and County of Philadelphia that a Congress of Deputies from the said colonies is the most profitable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtaining redress, preserving our rights and liberties, and establishing peace and mutual confidence between our mother country and her colonies on a constitutional foundation.
"6. The inhabitants of this county ought and will cheerfully adopt, adhere to, and assist in executing all and singular such peaceable and constitutional measures, which may hereafter be agreed upon and determined by the said general Congress.
"7. It is our opinion that it would conduce greatly to the restoration of the liberties of America, should the colonies enter into a solemn agreement not to purchase any goods, wares, or merchandise imported from Great Britain, under such restrictions as be agreed upon by the Congress. We, for our parts, sensible of the great advantages which must arise from promoting economy and manufacturing among ourselves, are determined to use as little of foreign manufactures, of what kind or quality soever, as our necessities will permit, until the several acts of the British Parliament, injurious to American liberty, be repealed.
"8. That, as our brethren at Boston are now suffering in the cause of
America, it is the duty of the inhabitants of this county, in common
with the neighboring colonies, generously to contribute towards their
support; and, therefore, the Committee hereafter appointed are
requested immediately to open and set on foot a subscription for the said
sufferers, and the money arising therefrom to be laid out and expended
as the said committee, or a majority of them, shall judge best to answer
the benevolent intention.
"9. That the following persons, to wit: Francis Richardson. Elisha Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, John Sellers, Hugh Lloyd, William Montgomery, Francis Johnston, William Parker, Richard Riley, Thomas Hockley, Robert Mendenhall, and John Fleming, or a majority of them, he and they are hereby appointed a committee for this county to meet and correspond with the committees of the several counties of this and the other colonies. and to join in such measures as to them shall appear necessary for the public good.
"Francis Johnston, Clk. Com."
The provincial meeting of deputies chosen by the several counties in Pennsylvania was held at Philadelphia July 15, 1774, and Chester County was represented thereat by Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, John Sellers, Francis Johnston, and Richard Riley. On the committee appointed to prepare and report a draught of instructions to be presented to the General Assembly asking that body to appoint delegates to the Continental Congress, then in session, Chester County was represented by Elisha Price. The Assembly unanimously concurred in the instructions and promptly appointed Joseph Galloway (their Speaker), Daniel Rhoads, Thomas Mifflin, John Morton, Charles Humphreys, George Ross, Edward Biddle, and (at a subsequent meeting) John Dickinson the delegates from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress to be held at Philadelphia on the 5th day of September following. Of these, two-- Morton and Humphreys-- were resident within the present county of Delaware.
After agreeing to the Declaration of Rights Congress remained in session nearly eight weeks, having, on October 18th, adopted articles of confederation, signed two days thereafter, which date. Oct 20, 1775, the late distinguished orator, Henry Armitt Brown, maintained should be accepted as the commencement of the American Union, based upon freedom and equality. On the 26th of October, after adopting an address to the people of Great Britain, a memorial to inhabitants of British America,-- the Canadian provinces,-- and a loyal address to the king, the body adjourned to meet at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775. Before that Congress again assembled, in less than six months after it had adjourned, the April gales, as Patrick Henry had foreseen, sweeping from the North carried to the ears of the long-suffering colonists the clash of resounding arms, the last appeal had been made, and the Revolutionary struggle had actually begun.
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