The Congress being informed that Doctr. Lyman Hall attended at the door, as a delegate from the parish of St. John's in the colony of Georgia, and desired to know whether, as such, he may be admitted to this Congress;

[Note: became Liberty County in 1777. A meeting at Savannah had declined to send any delegates to the Continental Congress, but the Parish of St. John dissented, and Hall was chosen a delegate. See, White, Historical Collections of Georgia, 520.]

Agreed unanimously, That he be admitted as a delegate from the parish of St. John's, in the colony of Georgia, subject to such regulations as the Congress shall determine, relative to his voting.

Mr. Lyman Hall being accordingly admitted, produced his eredentials, which were read and approved, as follows:

Here insert them.

To the Honourable Gentlemen of the Congress, designed to be held at Philadelphia, on May Anno Domini 1775.

The Address of the Inhabitants of the Parish of St. John's, in the Province of Georgia.

Gentlemen,

To give a particular Detail of our many Struggles in the Cause of Liberty, the many Meetings thereby occasioned and held in this Parish, the Endeavours we have used to induce the rest of this Province to concur with us, the Attendance of our Committee on the Provincial Congresses, held at Savannah, in this Province, and particularly that of the 18th of January last, with their Proceedings, and the Reasons of our Dissent from them, we think would be tedious to you; and therefore send a summary Abstract; which, with the Account, that may be given by Lyman Hall, Esq[r.] appointed a Delegate to represent and act for this Parish in the General Continental Congress, to be held on May next, and the Testimonies of the honorable Delegates from South Carolina, we hope will be satisfactory.

Immediately upon our being honoured with an Answer to the Representation of our Case transmitted to the Honourable Congress, which sat at Philadelphia last Year, with a Copy of the Association there entered into, we had a Meeting, and our Proceedings then and since that Time, will, in Brief, appear from the following Abstracts of an Address from this Parish to the Committee of Correspondence in Charles Town, South Carolina, which is as follows:

Gentlemen,

Herewith will be communicated to you, the several Steps taken by this Parish in their Endeavours to conform, as near as possible, to the Resolutions entered into by the other Colonies: and the particular Measures now adopted, for carrying into Execution the Continental Association,--which we embraced the earliest Opportunity of acceding to, by subscribing it; on Condition that Trade and Commerce with the other Colonies be continued to us the Subscribers; and thereupon, should have immediately sent to you for your Approbation and Indulgence, but were delayed by a Summons to attend a Provincial Congress in Savannah, on the 18th of January last, for the Purpose, as we understood, of a General Association with the other Colonies, and chusing Delegates: At which Time and Place we attended; and acquainted the other Parishes, assembled on that Occasion, that we had already acceded to the General Association, on condition as above-mentioned, and earnestly requested them to do the same. Had they acceded fully to the General Association, we should have had no Occasion to trouble you with this Address; but, as they did not, we now apply to you, to admit us, the Subscribers, to an Alliance with you, requesting that you will allow Trade and Commerce to be continued to us, the same to be conducted under such Regulations and Restrictions, as shall be consistent with the Continental Association, and which, on our Part, we engage, with all possible Care, to keep inviolate. As we of this Parish are a Body detached from the Rest (i. e. of this Province) by our Resolutions, and sufficiently distinct by local Situation, large enough for particular Notice, adjoining a particular Port, and in that Respect, capable of conforming to the General Association, if connected with you, with the same Fidelity as a distant Parish of your own Province; we must be considered, as comprehended within the Spirit and equitable Meaning of the Continental Association, and hope you will not contemn the Innocent with the Guilty, especially when a due Separation is made between them.

Give us Leave to add only, that we wait your Answer, shall be glad of your Advice, and are with Esteem,

Gentlemen, your &c.

St. John's, 9th February, 1775.

To which we received the following Answer:

Gentlemen,

Your Letter, accompanying sundry Papers, having been laid before a very full Committee of this Colony, and undergone the most mature Deliberation, I am, by their Desire, to acquaint you, that they have the highest Sense of your arduous Struggles in Favour of the common Cause of America; and most sincerely lament your present unhappy Situation; But would recommend a Continuance of your laudable Exertions, and the laying a State of your Case before the ensuing Continental Congress, as the only Means of obtaining Relief, and to put you in the Situation you wish, which this Committee apprehend to be entirely out of their Power to do; as it is their Opinion, that the Parish of St. John, being a Part of the Colony of Georgia (which, by not acceding to, has violated the Continental Association) falls under the 14th Article of the said Association, no Part of which any Committee can presume to do away, &c. &c.

Upon the Receipt of this Answer, it was seriously considered in what Manner to conduct in the present Situation; and proposed, whether we should immediately break off all Connexion and Commerce with Savannah, and all other Inhabitants of this province, who have not fully scceded to the Continental Association.

It was considered, that as we were denied Commerce with any other Colony, and but one Merchant among us considerable for dry Goods, had signed our Association, and he insufficient for a present Supply, and we utterly unable at Present to procure Materials or Manufactures for Clothing among ourselves, we must, by such a Resolution, become extreamly miserable; it was therefore concluded, that till we could obtain Trade and Commerce with some other Colony, it is absolutely necessary to continue it in some Respects with our own, and determined that it be carryed on under the following Regulations:

Ist. That None of us shall directly or indirectly purchase any Slave imported at Savannah, (large Numbers of which we understand are there expected,) till the Sense of the Congress shall be made known to us.

2nd. That we will not trade at all with any Merchant at Savannah, or elsewhere, that will not join in our Associating Agreement, otherwise than under the Inspection of a Committee, for that Purpose appointed, and for such Things only as they shall judge necessary, and when they shall think there are necessary Reasons for so doing.

A Committee was then nominated, and appointed to sit Weekly on Thursdays, for the Purposes aforesaid. It was then resolved, that a Delegate be sent from this Parish to the Congress, to be held at Philadelphia, in May next, and that Tuesday, the 21st of March, be appointed for chusing one.

On the said 21st of March, at a full Meeting, Lyman Hall Esqr. was unanimously chosen, to represent and act for the Inhabitants of this Parish, as a Delegate at the General Congress, to be had in Philadelphia, in May next, who are determined faithfully to adhere to, and abide by the Determinations of him, and the other Honourable Members of the Same.

And are Honourable Gentlemen your very Humble, very obedient Servants.
Signed by Order of the Inhabitants by us of the Committee by them appointed.
Midway, St. John's Parish, in the Province of Georgia, 13th April, Anno 1775.

John Winn
Parmenas Way
Benjamin Andrew
Samuel Stevens
Samuel Saltus
J. Powell
William Peacock
James Screven
John Stacy
Daniel Roberts
John Stevens
James Maxwell
Edward Ball
John Bacon
John Elliott
William Bacon, Junr.
John Winn Jurr.
Nathan Brownson
James Dunwody
Joseph Oswald
John Stewart.

Source:
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789, SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1775,Pages 44-48: The Law Library of Congress

Submitted by Bob Franks