To the King's Most Excellent Majesty: ー

The Humble Address of the Council and Assembly of Bermuda.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We your Majesty's Most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Council and Assembly of your Majesty's Bermuda or Somer Islands in America, with all humility beg leave to approach the Throne and testify our dutiful and affectionate attachment to your Majesty's sacred Person and Family, the most Zealous regard to the British Constitution and Government and the most unfeigned Solicitude for the Happiness and Prosperity of that Parent State which we have ever been taught to consider with the utmost Reverence. We have long regarded the unhappy Difference between the Mother Country and her American Colonies with the utmost anxiety and have beheld the Progress of them with unfeigned sorrow and Concern, not only as the Source of innumerable Misfortunes to the whole British Empire by the Suspension of Trade and the introduction of intestine War, the greatest of Civil Evils, but as the immediate Fountain of a Torrent of Calamities by which we are likely to be overwhelmed in this unhappy Island; unless the Hand of Providence, thro' the gracious Interposition of your Majesty, shall save us from the Destruction which Threatens us on every side. We therefore with humble hope and Confidence in your Majesty's Paternal Regard to the Welfare and Happiness of a People whose Hearts have ever glowed with Loyalty to your Majesty, and your illustrious Progenitors presume to lay before your Majesty a full and candid state of the Distresses we have suffered, and are likely to feel in a still greater extreme by the operation of some of the late Acts of the British Legislature.

From the earliest settlement of these Island our local Circumstances have obliged us to rely on the Continent of North America for sustenance, as the supplies of Provisions necessary for our subsistence could only be drawn from thence, these Islands not affording above a fourth part of the Quantity necessary for the support of the Inhabitants. Having no internal staple of Commerce these supplies have been usually procured from the hire of our Vessels, which have almost immemorially been employed as carriers from the Continent to the West Indies. This with the advantage we derived from gathering Salt at Turks Islands and carrying it to the American Market has been the only means of procuring that Subsistence from other Parts, which our own Country was incapable of affording.

We heard therefore with terror of the Resolutions of the Americans to withhold all Trade and Intercourse with every other part of your Majesty's Dominions after the 10th of September, 1775. Self Preservation gave the alarm, and in such an Exigency there was no alternatiye but an application to the American Congress, setting forth the Situation of the Island, and requesting a Dispensation of that Resolve in favor of a People who without their aid must inevitably Perish, or a Submission to all the Horrors of Famine and General Distress. When such Motives (and such alone) influenced their conduct, the Inhabitants of Bermuda assured themselves that the Father of His People would not take umbrage at a measure dictated by the most powerful and irresistable Nature. The People therefore imprest with those sentiments deLaw of puted some Persons from the several Parishes to make application for that purpose in May, 1775. At that time we scarcely knew of the dawning of Civil War, and cherished hopes that it might still be prevented from breaking out by an amicable and honourable Reconciliation. Altho' this pleasing hope has been blasted by the Event, yet we flatter ourselves. that your Majesty will regard with a favourable eye a Measure which if reprobated by the Malevolence of some, or the Misinformation and Ignorance of others was yet Dictated by necessity and most urgent of human Incentives. But we had scarely begun to felicitate ourselves on the Dissipation of this impending Cloud of Evils before another impregnated with still more dreadful Calamities arose by the operation of the Law prohibiting all Trade and Intercourse with the American Colonies. The loss of our Trade we considered as one of those General Misfortunes from which in times of state Convulsions we could not expect to be wholly exempt. But when we beheld ourselves precluded from the means of procuring a Subsistence, our souls thrilled with horror at the Reflection. The dire alternative now left was to behold those whom the Ties of Blood and nature rendered still dearer to us than ourselves, sinking beneath the Weight of Famine and distress without the power to relitve their wants or to hazard our all and even our Liberties and Lives in obtaining Provisions for their support.

In Vain might it be suggested by our Enemies or by those who are unacquainted with our Situation that we might procure the necessary supplies from Great Britain, Ireland or the unprohibited Colonies in America. The remote situation of the Former the exagerated prices of Provisions there, and the want of a Staple to purchase them with are Obstacles insurmountable by an indigent People, and from the latter we have found from Experience that it was in vain to hope for supply as the productions of the Florida's and Nova Scotia are scarcely adequate to their internal Consumption and the great interruption given to agriculture by the Disturbances in Canada has effectually prevented all Exportation fromthence. We have therefore been compelled by our Extreme Exigencies to adopt a Conduct which those Exegencies along could have suggested, since we have ever paid the most implicit Obedience to every Act of the supreme Legislature of the Nation by which our vital Existence has not been immediately endangered.

To your most Gracious Majesty, therefore as the Guardian and Parent of the People, we now sue for Redress of those Calamities which must inevitably involve your faithfull Subjects of these Islands in utter ruin and Destruction, unless by your Majesty's Gracious Interposition the supreme Legislature of the Realm should be induced to make such Provision in our Behalf as may remove those dreadful Evils with which we are at present threatened.

From various concurring Circumstances we are induced to apprehend that some unfavourable Representations of the People of Bermuda have been made to your Majesty, and that their Conduct has been stigmatized as undutiful and Disloyal. But we humbly trust most gracious Sovereign that such Representations will make no Impression in your Royal Breast, For there are not in your Majesty's extensive Dominions a People whose Hearts are more firmly attached to their Sovereign and the British Constitution than your Majesty's Subjects of Bermuda, and therefore with submission we presume to hope that the Depredation on our Magazine cannot be imputed to them as a Crime, as from the remote and unguarded Situation of it, that Robbery could have been easily perpetrated by a very inconsiderable Number of Men. The ample Reward offered by the Legislature for the discovery of the Offenders demonstrates our thorough Detestation and and abhorrence of that Transaction, and tho' no Information has been given against any Individuals, yet we have the strongest Reason to believe that it was perpetrated by the Crews of two American Vessels, perhaps sent for that very purpose.

If we have been charged with resisting Government, we humbly conceive that our Conduct will appear to have been ever directed to it's support. If your Majesty will graciously condescend to lend an Ear to the following authentic Relation of the altercation between Capt. [John] Tollemache, of your Majesty's Sloop Scorpion, and some of the Inhabitants of these Islands: In September last application was made by a Lieutenant of the Scorpion to purchase for Exportation some Rice detained here by an Act to prevent the Exportation of Provisions then lately passed. The holder of the Rice declining to sell it the Lieutenant attempted to take it by Force which occasioned a Resistance on the part of the People and his design was frustrated. This produced a remonstrance Letter from Capt: Tollemache to the Justices of Somerset and Port Royal. The Inhabitants of those Parishes returned an answer expressive of their disapprobation of a Measure adopted in direct opposition to the Law of the Country but declared their cheerful acquiescence in the Determination of their Representatives who by adjournment were to meet the Ensuing Week in General Assembly, and at the same time preferred [sic proffered] a Petition to His Excellency the Governor ー requesting that they might be permitted to meet at the Day appointed, willing to refer the Dispute to them as the delegated Guardians of their Rights and Safety. To them His Excellency by an immediate adjournment refused to communicate the Requisitions of Capt. Tollemache, and by that means put it out of the power of the People to accomodate him with the supplies required.

This Act done in support of the Laws of our Country and for the preservation of our Lives, having been represented as an outrageous Insult on Government, we think it necessary to explain to your Majesty that any unfavourable Impressions which Malice or Prejudice might have attempted to make in sacred breast may be utterly obliterated and expunged. That your Majesty and your illustrious Line may long reign over a free and happy People, and that the British Constitution and Empire may continue to flourish with the greatest splendor under such happy auspices is the ardent and sincere Wish of your Majesty's most Loyal and affectionate Subjects of Bermuda.

John Lewis, Clerk of the Committee.