First Continental Congress: October 12, 1774

The First Committee and the Second Committee submit their reports.  Samuel Ward argues that Parliament ought to be forbidden to regulate “our Trade for many Reasons.” John Adams gives the tally of the votes on the regulation of trade question.

Link to date-related documents.

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

The Second Committee appointed “to prepare a plan for carrying into effect, the non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation agreement, brought in a report, which was read” and made available to the delegates.

The Congress then resumed the consideration of the work of the First Committee on the “rights and grievances of these colonies.” 

After considerable deliberation on “this & the following day, adjourned till Friday.”

John Adams’s Diary

From ten o’clock until half after four, we were debating about the parliamentary power of regulating trade.  Five Colonies were for allowing it, five against it, and two divided among themselves, that is, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  

Samuel Ward’s Notes for a Speech in Congress

The Parliament ought not to be allowed the Regulation of our Trade for many Reasons….

I have proved that the Parliament have no Right to regulate our Trade upon any just Principles whatsoever. I shall now endeavor to prove that the giving them such a Power would be the entire Ruin of America.

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.