On the lothof May, I775,the general congrefs,
regardlefsof the circular letter of lord Dartmouth,
forbidding in the king's name the eleftion of de-
legates, met at Philadelphia; and among their
firfl adts were, refolutions for raifing a continen-
tal army, and eftablifliing a paper currency ; alfo
a declaration, that, by the late violation of the
charter of Maflachufetts Bay, the compaft be-
tween the crown and that colony was diifolved.
The colonies of New York and North Carolina
now declared their fixed refolution to unite with
the other provinces in every effort to retain their
juft rights and liberties. The conciliatory pro-
poilcion of lord North being taken into confidera-
tion, it was unanimoufly rejected ; and for this
rejeftion the congrefs affigned their reafons at

• General Putnam, who Bad ferved with reputation under
lord Amherft at the head of the Connedicut troops during
the laft war, had long fince retired to a remote farm, which
he cultivated with his own hands > and when the intelligence
of his appointment was notified to him, he was found, like
another Cincinnatus, in a leathern frock and apron, occupied
amongft his labourers in fencing in his land. Without a mo*
ment*s hefitation he laid down hisfpade, and aflumed the ge-
neral's truncheon—within eighteen hours repairing to the
bead-quarters at Lexington, which wasjittle Ihort of an hun^
dred Englifb mileg difiant.
K 3 large



131. GEORGE III.
