Anne Arundel County, MD, Resolves of Independence (June 22, 1776)

Editor’s Note: Describing themselves as ‘Associators’ (which brings to mind the sundry clusters of voluntary associations that banded together in the years preceding the march toward revolution — formed to combat effective the increasingly onerous acts imposed by King and Parliament — this resolve for independence in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, aims in part to generate a show of unanimity among colonists to prevent “the most diabolical wishes of the King, Lords, and Commons”.

Meeting of the Associators in Anne Arundel County, Maryland: Resolves in favour of Independence

 

MEETING OF ASSOCIATORS, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MARYLAND.At a very respectable meeting of the Associators of Anne Arundel County, held at West River, on Saturday, the 22d instant, (June,) the following important questions were submitted to their consideration:

First. Whether, in the opinion of the Associators present, the Province of Maryland should, or should not, be bound by the determination of the majority of the United Colonies upon all questions to be agitated in Congress, such only excepted as are calculated to regulate, or in any manner interfere in, the internal government of the Province?

Resolved, unanimously, in the affirmative.

Second. Whether the Instructions that were imposed upon the Delegates of this Province in Congress by the December, and continued by theMay Sessions of Convention, should, or should not, be immediately rescinded by the present Convention, and the Delegates in Congress intrusted with discretionary powers of exercising their own judgments upon any question that may come under their consideration?

Resolved, unanimously, in the affirmative — from a thorough conviction that the true interests and substantial happiness of the United Colonies in general, and this in particular, are inseparably interwoven and linked together, and essentially dependant upon a close Union and Continental Confederation. The complexion of the times is such that, in our opinion, unanimity alone can render our opposition to the establishment of a Parliamentary tyranny glorious. By division, the most diabolical wishes of the King, Lords, and Commons, will be effectually realized.

Published by order of the meeting.

Source:

American Archives, Series 6, Peter Force, editor, pp. 1017-1018;  Washington, D.C.: M. St. Clair Clarke and Peter Force, pp. 1017:1018

Image source:

http://www.eoionline.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/fireworks.jpg

Further reading:

American Scripture: The Making of the Declaration of Independence, Pauline Maier, New York: Vintage, 1998