The Associations (20. Okt. 1774)

The Associations (1774)

Dieses Dokument ist noch in Bearbeitung. Es datiert vom 20. Oktober 1774. 
Ein Abdruck des Textes findet sich in Adolf Rock, Dokumente der amerikanischen Demokratie, Wiesbaden 1947, S. 86-94.

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WE, his maJesty's most loyal subJects, the delegates of the several colonies of New-Hampshire, Massa
usetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower connties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Dela
rare, Maryland, Virginia, NorthCarolina, and South-Carolina, deputed to represent them in a continental Congress, held in the city of Philadelphia, on the fiffh day of September, 1774, avowing our allegiance to his maJesty, our affection and regardfor our fellow-subJects in Great Britain and elsewhere, affected with the deepost anxiety, and most alarming apprehensions, at those grievances and distresses, with whi
his maJesty's American
subJects are oppressed; and having taken under our most serlous deliberation, the state of the whole continent, find, that the present unhappy situation of our affairs is occasioned by a rninous system of colony administration, adopted by the British ministry about the year 1763, evidently calculated for inslaving these colonies, and, with them, the British Empire. In prosecution of whi
system, various acts of parliament have been passed, for raising a revenne in America, for depriving the American subJects,- in many instances, of the constitutional trial by Jury, exposing their lives to
langer, by directing a nenY and illegal trial beyond the seas, for crimes alleged to have been committed in America: And in prosecution of the same system, several late, crnel, and oppressive acts have been passed, respecting the to
n of Boston and the Massachusetts-Bay, and also an act for extending the province of Quebec, so as to border on the western frontiers of these colonies, establishing an arbitrary goverument therein, and discouraging the settlement of British subJects in that wide extended conntry; thus, by the influence of civil principles and ancient preJudices, to dispose the inhabitants to act with hostility against the free Protestant colonies, whenever a wi
ed ministry shall
use so to direct them.
To obfain redress of these grievances, whi
h threaten destruotion to the li
res, liberty, and property of his maJosty's subJects, in North-America, we are of opinion, that a non-importation, non-consumption, and nonexportation agreement, faithfully adhered to, will prove the most speedy, effectual and peaceable measure: And, therefore, we do, for ourselYes, and the inhabitants of the several colonies, whom we represent, firmly agree and associate, under the sacred ties of sirtue, honour and love of our conntry, as follows: 

1. That from and after the first day of Dece
nber next, we will not import, into British America, from Great-Britain or Ireland, any goods, wares, or merchandize whatsoever, or from any other place, any suth goods, wares, or merchandize, as shall have been exported from Great-Britain or Ireland; nor will we, after that day, import any East-India tea from any part of the world, nor any molasses, syrups, paneles, coffee, or pimento, from the British plantations or from Dominica; nor wines from Madeira, or the Western Islands; nor foreign indigo.

2. We will neither import nor pur
ase, any slave imported after the first day of December next; after which time, we will wholly discontinne the slave trade, and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor will we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities or manufactures to those who are concerned in it.

3. As a non-consumption agreement, strictly adhered to, will be an effectual security for the observation of the non-importation, we, as above, solemuly agree and associate, that from this day, we will not puröhase or use any tea, imported on account of the East-India company, or any on whi
h a duty hath been or shall be pald; and from and after the first day of March next, we will not purchase or use any East-India tea whatever; nor will we, nor shall any person for or under us, purchase or use any of those goods, wares, or mer
handize,
we have agreed not to import, which we shall kno
, or have cause to suspect, were imported after the first day of December, except sufh as come under the rule.s and direction
s of the tenth article hereafter mentioned.

4.-The earnest desire we have not to inJure our fellow-subJects in Great-Britain, Ireland, or the West-Indies, induces us to suspend a nonexportation, until the tenth day of September, 1775; at whi
h time, if the sald acts and parts of acts of the British parlisment herein after mentioned, are not repealed, we will not directly or inderectly, export any merchandize or commodity whatsoever to Great-Britain, Ireland, or the West-Indies, except rice to Europe.

5. Such ias are mer
ants, and use the British and Irish trade, will give orders, as soon as possible, to their factors, agents and correspondents, in Great-Britain and Ireland, not to ship any goods to them, on any pretence whatsoever, as they cannot be received in America; and if any merchant, residing in Great-Britain or Ireland, shall directly or indirectly ship any goods, wares or mer
handize, for America, in order to lareak the said non-importation agreement, or in any manner contravene the same, on su
h unworthy conduct being well attested, it onght to be made public; and, on the same being so done, we will not, from thenceforth, have any commercial connection with suth mer
hant.

6. That such-as are owners of vessels will give positive orders to their caplains, or masters, not to receive on board their vessels any goods prohibited by the said non-importation agreement, on pain of immediate dismission from their service.

`. We will use our utmost endeavours to improve the breed of sheep, and increase their number to the greatest extent; and to that end, we will kill them as sieldom as may be, especially those of the most proEtable kind; nor will we export any to the West-Indies or el$e
vhere; and those of us, who are or may becom
e overstocked with, or can conveniently spare any sheep, will dispose of them to our neighbours, especially to the poorer sort, on moderate terms.

8. We will, in our several ,stations,~encourage frugality, oeconomy, and industry, and promote agricolture, arts and the manufaclores of this country, especially that of wool, and will discountenance and discourage every species of extravagance and dissipation, especially all horse-racing, and all kinds og gaming, cock fighting, exhibitions of
shews, plays, and other expensive diversions and entertainwents; and on the death of any relation or friend, none of us, or a
y of our families will go into any further mourning-dress, than a black crape or ritbon on the arm or hat, for gentlemen, and a black ribbon and necklace for ladies, and we will discontinne the giving of gloves and scarves at funerals.

9. Su
ase are venders of gcods or merchandize will not take advantage of the scarcity of goods, that may be occasioned by this association, but will sell the same at the rates `ve have been respeclively accostomed to do, for twelve months last past. ù And if any vender of goods or merchandize shall sell such goods on higher terms, or shall, in any manner, c,r by any de
rice whatsoever, violate or depart from this agreement, no E,erson ought, nor will any of us deal `vith any such person, or his or her factor or agent, at any time thereafter, for
any commodity whatever.

10. In case any merchant, trader, or other person, shall import any goods or mer
andize, after tte lirst day of December, and before the first day of February next, the same ought forthwith, at the eleclion of the owner, to be either re
shipped or delivered up to the committee of the county or tonvn, wherein they shall be imported, to }'e stored at the risque of the importer, until the non-importation agreement shall cease, or be sold unde
r the direction of the committee aforesaid; and in the last-mentioned case, the owner or owners of such goods shall be re
mbursed out of the sales, the £irst cost and (harges, the profit, if any, to be applied towards relieving and employing su
poor inhabitants of the to
n of Boston, as are immediate sufferers by the Boston port-bill; and a partieular account of all goods so returned stored, or sold, to be inserted in the public papers; and if any goods or meröhandizes shall be imported after the sald £irst day of February' the same onght forthwith to be sent back again, without breaking any of the pa
kages thereof..

11. That a committee be (hose
1 in every county, city, and town, by those who are qualified to vote for representatives in the legislature, whose business, it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of all persons tou
ing this association; and when it shall be m.ade to appear, to the satisfaction of a maJority of any such committee, that any person within the limits of their appointment has violated this association, that su
h maJority do forthwith cause the truth of the case to be published in the gazette; to the end, that a11 such foes to the rights of BritishAmerica may be publicly known, and universally contemned as the enemies of American liberty; and thenceforth we respectively will break off all dealings with him or her.

12. That the committee of correspondence, in the respective colonies, do frequently inspect the entries of their custom-houses; and inform eath other) from time to time, of the true state thereof, and of every other m.aterial circumstance that may~occur relative to this association.

13. That all manulactures of this conntry be
sold at reasonable prices so that no undue advantage be taken of a future scarcity of goods

14. And we do further agree and resolve, tbat we will have no trade, commerce, dealings or intercourse whatsoever, with any colony or province, in North-Ame.rica, which shall not accede to, or which shall hereafter violate this association, but will hold them as unworthy of the rights of freemen, and as inimical to the llberties of their country. 
And we do solemnly bind ourselves and our constituents, under the ties aforesaid, to adhere to this association, until su
h parts of the several acts of parliament, passed since the close of the last war, as impose or continne duties on tea, wine, molasses, syrups paneles, coffee, sugar, pimento, indigo, foreign paper, glass, and painters' colours, imported into Amer
ca, and extend the powers of the admiralty courts beyond their ancient limits, deprive the American subJect of trial by Jury, authorise the Judge's certi£icate to indemnify the prosecutor from damages, that he might otherwise be liable to, from a trial by his peers, require oppressive secority from a claimant of ships or goods seized, before he shall be allo
ved to defend his property, are repealed.ùAnd until that part of the act of the 12. G. 3. ch. 24. entitled, "An act for the better secaring his maJesty's dock-yards, magazines, ships, ammunition, and stores," by whi
any persons
arged with committing any of the of I ences therein described, in America, may be tried in any shire or county within the realm, is repealedùand until the four acts, passed the last session of parliament, viz. that for stopping the port and blo
ing up the harbour of Boston ùthat for altering the charter and government of the Massathusetts-Bayùand tbat whi
is entitled, "An act for the better administration of Justice, &c."ùand that. "For extending the lirnits of Quebec, &c." are repealed. And we recommend it to the provincial conventions, and to the committees-in the respective colonies, to establish such farther regulations as they may think proper, for carrying into execution this association.