372 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION [1776.

sidered as a common stock, to be parcelled out by congress into
free, convenient, and independent governments, as the wisdom of
that body shall hereafter direct; but if these (the only lands as this
convention apprehend that can) should be provided by congress at
the expense of the United States to make good the proffered boun-
ties, every idea of their being a common stock must be thereby giv-
en up: some of the states may, by fixing their own price on the land,
pay off what of their quota of the public debt they please, and have
their extensive territory settled by the soldiery of the other States,
whilst this state and a few others must be so weakened and im-
poverished, that they can hold their liberties only at the will of
theit powerful neighbours.

That this state is so far from having an intention to increase un-
necessarily the expense of the United States, that it hath uniform-
ly given every evidence to the contrary; but this convention im-
pressed with the indispensable necessity of establishing and keep-
ing up a good army, at the same time that they could not be active
in giving up a common right of the United States, or in rendering
the freedom of their own precarious, determined to exert the only
safe means in their power to raise the quota of this state, nor can
this convention yet see any possibility of injury to the common in-
terest, from this state adopting the most effectual means to raise its
own quota of troops of its own inhabitants partly, or even wholly,
at its separate expense.

That this convention have a strong disinclination to go into any
discussion of the powers with which the congress is invested, being
fully sensible that the general interest will not be promoted by either
the congress affirming, or this convention denying the existence
of a fulness of power in that honourable body; the best and only
proper exercise of which can be in adopting the wisest measures for
equally securing the rights and liberties of each of the United States,
which was the principle of their union.

That this convention, very sincerely disposed to contribute every
thing in their power towards the common cause, will, if the con-
gress choose neither to specify the lands to be given in bounties,
nor to permit this state to give the proposed additional bounty of
Jen dollars, endeavour to enlist its quota of troops on the twenty
dollars bounty allowed by congress, but if the event should prove a
disappointment, it cannot be imputed to this state.

That this convention request the honourable congress soon to
signify their pleasure in this matter to the commissioners from
this state now attending in Philadelphia, that the little time left
may not be lost.