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The Declaration of Rights and Grievances



On Wednesday, September 7, 1774, Congress appointed a committee, consisting of two delegates from each colony in attendance. The committee's duty was defined in this resolution: "That a Committee be appointed to state the rights of the Colonies in general, the several instances in which these rights are violated or infringed, and the means most proper to be pursued for obtaining a restoration of them." The committee read its draft of the rights of the colonies on Thursday the 22nd and a draft of the grievances on the 24th. Congress debated the drafts on October 12 and 13, and a final draft was agreed on Friday, October 14, 1774.

Later in the session, the Articles of Association were drafted - where the Declaration was addressed to the King, the Articles were a plan of agreement between the colonies themselves, a union of protest and boycott.

The source for this text is the Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 1. The text is as presented in that volume, but has been modified slightly to expand abbreviations and modernize spelling. Footnotes explain arcane language and illuminate some points.


Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, October 1774


And whereas, in consequence of other statutes, judges who before held only estates at will in their offices, have been made dependent on the Crown alone for their salaries, and standing armies kept in times of peace. And it has lately been resolved in Parliament, that by force of a statute made in the 35th year of the reign of king Henry the Eighth, [1] colonists may be transported to England, and tried there upon accusations for treasons and misprisions, or concealments of treasons committed in the colonies; and by a late statute, such trials have been directed in cases therein mentioned.

And whereas, in the last session of Parliament, three statutes were made; one entitled "An act to discontinue, in such manner and for such time as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading, or shipping of goods, wares and merchandise, at the town, and within the harbor of Boston in the province of Massachusetts-bay, in North America;" [2] another, entitled "An act for the better regulating the government of the province of the Massachusetts-bay in New England;" [3] and another, entitled "An act for the impartial administration of justice, in the cases of persons questioned for any act done by them in the execution of the law, or for the suppression of riots and tumults, in the province of the Massachusetts-bay, in New England." [4] And another statute was then made, "for making more effectual provision for the government of the province of Quebec, etc." [5] All which statutes are impolitic, unjust, and cruel, as well as unconstitutional, and most dangerous and destructive of American rights.


The good people of the several Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island and Providence plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, justly alarmed at these arbitrary proceedings of parliament and administration, have severally elected, constituted, and appointed deputies to meet, and sit in general Congress, in the city of Philadelphia, in order to obtain such establishment, as that their religion, laws, and liberties, may not be subverted:







5. That the respective colonies are entitled to the common law of England, and more especially to the great and inestimable privilege of being tried by their peers of the vicinage, [6] according to the course of that law.









The several Acts of 4 Geo. 3, chapter 15 and chapter 34; 5 Geo. 3, chapter 25; 6 Geo. 3, chapter 52; 7 Geo. 3, chapter 41 and 46; 8 Geo. 3, chapter 22; which impose duties for the purpose of raising a revenue in America, extend the powers of the admiralty courts beyond their ancient limits, deprive the American subject of trial by jury, authorize the judges' certificate to indemnify the prosecutor from damages that he might otherwise be liable to, requiring oppressive security from a claimant of ships and goods seized before he shall be allowed to defend his property; and are subversive of American rights.

Also the 12 Geo. 3, chapter 24, entitled "An act for the better preserving his Majesty's dockyards, magazines, ships, ammunition, and stores," [7] which declares a new offense in America, and deprives the American subject of a constitutional trial by jury of the vicinage, by authorizing the trial of any person charged with the committing any offense described in the said act, out of the realm, to be indicted and tried for the same in any shire or county within the realm.

Also the three acts passed in the last session of parliament, for stopping the port and blocking up the harbor of Boston, for altering the charter and government of the Massachusetts bay, and that which is entitled "An Act for the better administration of Justice," etc.

Also the act passed the same session for establishing the Roman Catholic Religion in the province of Quebec, abolishing the equitable system of English laws, and erecting a tyranny there, to the great danger, from so great a dissimilarity of Religion, law, and government, of the neighboring British colonies by the assistance of whose blood and treasure the said country was conquered from France.








1. The 35th year of the reign of Henry the 8th was 1544.

2. The Boston Port Act.

3. The Massachusetts Government Act.

4. The Administration of Justice Act.

5. The Quebec Act.

6. "Vicinage" means a limited area around a point; in this context, it refers to the Administration of Justice Act, which allowed a trial to be moved from Massachusetts to another colony or to England.

7. The Dockyards Act, passed on April 16, 1772.

8. The Quartering Act.

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