Connecticut Instructions, 14 June 1776

Transcription

Whereas the King and Parliament of Great Britain, by many Acts of said Parliament, have claimed and attempted to exercise powers incompatible with and subversive of the ancient, just, and constitutional rights of this and the rest of the English Colonies in America, and have refused to listen to their many and frequent, humble, decent, and dutiful Petitions for redress of grievances and restoration of such their rights and liberties; and, turning from them with neglect and contempt to support such claims, after a series of accumulated wrong and injury, have proceeded to invade said Colonies with fleets and armies, to destroy our towns, shed the blood of our countrymen, and involve us in the calamities incident to war; and are endeavouring to reduce us to an abject surrender of our natural and stipulated rights, and subject our property to the most precarious dependance on their arbitrary will and pleasure, and our persons to slavery, and have at length declared us out of the King’s protection; have engaged foreign mercenaries against us, and are evidently and strenously striving to effect our ruin and destruction: these and many other transactions, too well known to need enumeration, the painful experience and effects of which we have suffered and feel, make it evident beyond the possibility of a doubt, that we have nothing to hope from the justice, humanity, or temperate councils of the British King or his Parliament; and that all hopes of a reconciliation, upon just and equal terms, are delusory and vain;—in this state of extreme danger, when no alternative is left us but absolute and indefinite submission to such claims as must terminate in the extreme of misery and wretchedness, or a total separation from the King of Great Britain, and renunciation of all connection with that nation, and a successful resistance to that force which is intended to effect our destruction; appealing to that God who knows the secrets of all hearts for the sincerity of former declarations of our desire to preserve our ancient and constitutional relation to that, and protesting solemnly against their oppression and injustice, which have drawn us from them, and compelled us to use such means as God, in his providence, hath put in our power for our necessary defence and preservation:

Resolved unanimously by this Assembly, That the Delegates of this Colony in General Congress be, and they are hereby, instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the United American Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and to give the assent of this Colony to such Declaration, when they shall judge it expedient and best, and to whatever measures may be thought proper and necessary by the Congress for forming foreign alliances, or any plan of operations for necessary and mutual defence; and, also, that they move and promote, as fast as may be convenient, a regular and permanent plan of Union and Confederation of the Colonies, for the security and preservation of their just rights and liberties, and for mutual defence and security, saving that the administration of Government and the power of forming Governments for, and the regulation of the internal concerns and police of each Colony, ought to be left and remain to the respective Colonial Legislatures, and also that such plan of Confederation be laid before such respective Legislatures for their previous consideration and assent.

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Connecticut Instructions, 14 June 1776

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