Opening the text

Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 6 (of 8): The United States of North America, Part I

History

Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 6 (of 8): The United States of North America, Part I

America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History

It will be observed that the instructions from these eight colonies
are moderate and pacific in terms, without menace, or a looking to any
other results than harmony. Something a little more emphatic appears
in what follows. The Maryland delegates were to use all efforts in
their power in the Congress "to effect one general plan of conduct
operating on the commercial relations of the colonies with the mother
country." Virginia bade her delegates "consider of the most proper
and effectual manner of so operating on the commercial connection of
the colonies with the mother country as to procure redress for the
much-injured province of the Massachusetts Bay; to secure British
America from the ravage and ruin of arbitrary taxes; and speedily to
procure the return of that harmony and union so beneficial to the
whole nation, and no ardently desired by all British America." The
delegates of South Carolina are instructed "to concert, agree to, and
effectually prosecute such legal measures as shall be most likely to
obtain a repeal of the said acts and a redress of those grievances."
The deputies of North Carolina were authorized "to deliberate upon the
present state of British America, and to take such measures as they may
deem prudent to effect the purpose of describing with certainty the
rights of Americans, repairing the breach made in those rights, and for
guarding them for the future from any such violations done under the
sanction of public authority."

Now it is true that one may read as between the lines of these
instructions intimations of reserved purposes, and possibly menaces
that something more will be required if what is suggested in them fail
of effect; but as they stand, their tone is not hostile or menacing.
They limit the terms and measure of what they exact. Several very
pregnant suggestions present themselves. Men of a large variety of
opinions and purposes might take part in a congress so constituted.
If the measures proposed had been restricted, so to speak, to the
programme, there might have been substantial accord among the
delegates, and no one could have been startled and offended with what
they soon regarded as rebellious manifestations in the Congress.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 6 (of 8): The United States of North America, Part I

America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History

It will be observed that the instructions from these eight colonies
are moderate and pacific in terms, without menace, or a looking to any
other results than harmony. Something a little more emphatic appears
in what follows. The Maryland delegates were to use all efforts in
their power in the Congress "to effect one general plan of conduct
operating on the commercial relations of the colonies with the mother
country." Virginia bade her delegates "consider of the most proper
and effectual manner of so operating on the commercial connection of
the colonies with the mother country as to procure redress for the
much-injured province of the Massachusetts Bay; to secure British
America from the ravage and ruin of arbitrary taxes; and speedily to
procure the return of that harmony and union so beneficial to the
whole nation, and no ardently desired by all British America." The
delegates of South Carolina are instructed "to concert, agree to, and
effectually prosecute such legal measures as shall be most likely to
obtain a repeal of the said acts and a redress of those grievances."
The deputies of North Carolina were authorized "to deliberate upon the
present state of British America, and to take such measures as they may
deem prudent to effect the purpose of describing with certainty the
rights of Americans, repairing the breach made in those rights, and for
guarding them for the future from any such violations done under the
sanction of public authority."

Now it is true that one may read as between the lines of these
instructions intimations of reserved purposes, and possibly menaces
that something more will be required if what is suggested in them fail
of effect; but as they stand, their tone is not hostile or menacing.
They limit the terms and measure of what they exact. Several very
pregnant suggestions present themselves. Men of a large variety of
opinions and purposes might take part in a congress so constituted.
If the measures proposed had been restricted, so to speak, to the
programme, there might have been substantial accord among the
delegates, and no one could have been startled and offended with what
they soon regarded as rebellious manifestations in the Congress.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 6 (of 8): The United States of North America, Part I

Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 6 (of 8): The United States of North America, Part I

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