THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK, In Convention of the Reprefentatives of the State of NEW-YORK. tain, on the rights and liberties of the people of the Ame- o rican colonies, had reduced them to the neceflity of introducing a government by congreffcs and committees, as temporary expedients, and to exift no longer than the grievances of the people fhould remain without redrefs. AND WHEREAS the congrefs of the colony of NewYork, did, on the thirty-first day of May, now laft paft, refolve as follows, viz. "WHEREAS the prefent government of this colony, Its obje t by congrefs and committees, was inftituted while the for- temporary. mer government under the crown of Great-Britain, exifted in full force; and was eftablished for the fole purpofe of oppofing the ufurpation of the British parliament, and was intended to expire on a reconciliation with GreatBritain, which it was then apprehended would foon take place, but is now confidered as remote and uncertain. Its inconveni " AND WHEREAS many and great inconveniences attend the faid mode of government by congrefs and com- encic mittees, as of neceffity, in many inftances, legiflative, judicial and executive powers have been vefted therein, efpecially fince the diffolution of the former government, by the abdication of the late governor, and the exclusion of this colony from the protection of the king of GreatBritain. "AND WHEREAS the continental congrefs did refolve as followeth, to wit, WHEREAS his Britannic majefty, in conjunction with the lords and commons of Great-Britain, has, by a late act of parliament, excluded the inhabitants of thefe united colonies from the protection of his crown. And whereas no anfwers whatever, to the humble petition of the colonies for redrefs of grievances and recon B Recital, and Réfiation of the General Congrefs, reCogitzending -the inftitution of new governmei.ts. Powers of the adequate. ciliation with Great-Britain, has been, or is likely to be given; but the whole force of that kingdom, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be exerted for the deftruc tion of the good people of thefe colonies. And whereas it appears abfolutely irreconcileable to reafon and good confcience, for the people of thefe colonies, now to take the oaths and affirmations neceffary for the fup'port of any government under the crown of Great-Britain, and it is neceffary that the exercise of every kind of authority under the faid crown, fhould be totally fuppreffed, and all the powers of government exerted under the authority of the people of the colonies, for the prefervation of internal peace, virtue and good or der, as well as for the defence of our lives, liberties, and properties, against the hoftile invafions and cruel depredations of our enemies: Therefore, RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the refpective affemblies and conventions of the united colonies, where no government fufficient to the exigences of their affairs has been hitherto eftablished, to adopt fuch gov ernment as fhall, in the opinion of the reprefentatives of the people, beft conduce to the happinefs and fafety of their conflituents in particular, and America in gene 'ral.' "AND WHEREAS doubts have arifen, whether this Congrets in- congrefs are invefted with fufficient power and authority to deliberate and determine on fo important a fubject as the neceffity of erecting and conftituting a new form of government and internal police, to the exclufion of all foreign jurifdiction, dominion and controul whatever. And whereas it appertains of right folely to the people of this colony to determine the faid doubts: Therefore, Recommenda deputies with CIS: "RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the election to elect tors in the feveral counties in this colony, by election in adequat. 1ow the manner and form prefcribed for the election of the prefent congrefs, either to authorife (in addition to the powers vefted in this congrefs) their prefent deputies, or others in the flead of their prefent deputies, or either of them, to take into confideration the neceffity and propriety of inftituting fuch new government as in and by the faid refolution of the continental congrefs is defcribed and recommended: And if the majority of the counties, by their deputies in provincial congrefs, fhall be of opinion. that fuch new government ought to be inftituted and establifhed, then to inftitute and establish fuch a government as they fhall deem beft calculated to fecure the rights, libcrties, and happinefs of the good people of this colony: and to continue in force until a future peace with GreatBritain fhall render the fame unneceffary. And, Time & place of meeting. "RESOLVED, That the faid elections in the feveral countics, ought to be had on fuch day, and at fuch place or places, as by the committee of each county refpectively fhall be determined. And it is recommended to the faid committees, to fix fuch early days for the faid elections, as that all the deputies to be elected have fufficient time to repair to the city of New-York by the fecond Monday in July next; on which day all the faid deputies ought punctually to give their attendance. "AND WHEREAS the object of the aforegoing refolutions is of the utmost importance to the good people of this colony; RESOLVED, That it be, and it is hereby earnestly recommended to the committees, freeholders and other electors in the different counties in this colony, diligently to carry the fame into execution." vention. AND WHEREAS the good people of the faid colony, Appointment in purfuance of the faid refolution, and repofing fpecial of this Cotruft and confidence in the members of this convention, have appointed, authorised, and empowered them for the purposes, and in the manner, and with the powers in and by the faid refolve fpecified, declared and mentioned. AND WHEREAS the delegates of the United American States, in general congrefs convened, did on the fourth day of July now laft paft, folemnly publish and declare, in the words following, viz. Congrels. "WHEN in the courfe of human events, it becomes proceedings neceffary for one people to diffolve the political bands of the General which have connected them with another, and to affume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal ftation to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the caufes which impel them to the feparation. thereof: "We hold thefe truths to be felf-evident, that all men Reafons are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among thefe are, life, liberty and the purfuit of happinefs. That to fecure thefe rights, governments are inftituted among men, deriving their juft powers from the confent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes deftructive of thefe ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolifh it, and to inftitute new government, laying its foundation on fuch principles, and organizing its powers in fuch form, as to them fhall feem moft likely to effect their fafety and happinefs. Prudence indeed will dictate, that governments long established fhould not be changed for light and tranfient causes, and accordingly all experience hath fhewn, that mankind are more difpofed to fuffer, while eviis are fufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abufes and ufurpations, pursuing invariably the fame object, evinces a Grievances. defign to reduce them under abfolute defpotifm, it is their "He has forbidden his governors to pafs laws of im- them. "He has refufed to pafs other laws for the accommodation of large diftricts of people, uniefs thofe people would relinquith the right of reprefentation in the legifiature; a right ineftimable to them, and formidable to tyrants only. "He has called together legiflative bodies at places unufual, uncomfortable, and diftant from the depolitory of their public records, for the fole purpofe of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. "He has diffolved reprefentative houfes repeatedly, for oppofing with manly firmnefs his invafions on the rights of the people. "He has relufed for a long time, after fuch diffolutions, to caufe others to be elected; whereby the legiflative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large, for their exercife; the ftate remain- . ing in the mean time expofed to all the dangers of inva fion from without, and convulfions within. "He has endeavored to prevent the population of thefe fates; for that purpofe obftructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refufing to pafs others to encourage their migrations hither, and railing the conditions of new appropriations of lands. "He has obftructed the administration of justice, by refufing his affent to laws for eftablishing judiciary powers. "He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their falaries. "He has erected a multitude of new offices, and fent hither fwarms of officers to harrafs our people, and eat out their fubftance. "He has kept among us, in times of peace, ftanding armies, without the confent of our legiflatures. "He has affected to render the military independent of, and fuperior to, the civil power. "He has combined with others to fubject us to a ju rifdiction foreign to our conftitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his affent to their acts of pretended legiflation: "For quartering large bodies of troops among us? "For protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment for any murders they fhould commit on the inhabitants of these states: "For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world: "For impofing taxes on us without our confent : "For depriving us in many cafes, of the benefits of trial by jury: "For tranfporting us beyond feas to be tried for pretended offences: "For abolishing the free fyftem of English laws in a neighbouring province, eftablifhing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, fo as to render it at once an example and fit inftrument for introducing the fame abfolute rule into thefe colonies: "For taking away our charters, abolifhing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments : For fufpending our own legiflatures, and declaring themfelves invefted with power to legiflate for us in all cafes whatfoever. "He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war againft us. He has plundered our feas, ravaged our coafts, burnt our towns, and deftroyed the lives of our people. "He is, at this time, tranfporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, deiolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy, fcarcely paralleled in the moft barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation. "He has conftrained our fellow citizens, taken captive on the high feas, to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themfelves by their hands. "He has excited domeftic infurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian favages, whofe known rule of warfare is an undiftinguifhed deftruction of all ages, fexes and conditions. "In every ftage of thefe oppreffions, we have petitioned for redrefs in the moft humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince whofe character is thus marked by every aft |