Philadelphia July 1st. 1772 Gentlemen, Your Favor, requesting, that we would communicate our Sentiments on the unhappy Dispute with the Mother Country, has been duly attended to. We cannot consider this [inserted: late] Measures [inserted: in Parliament,] in any other Light than an additional Proof of a Resolution in the Mother State to draw a Revenue from the Subject in America without his Consent. And on this Principle we conclude, that every British American Colony will esteem themselves intimately concerned in it. Under this Idea of the Intention of Parliament it certainly behoves us coolly and dispassionately to meditate on the Consequences and to leave no rational or probable Means unessayed to avoid them, and to obtain that Relief which our Rights as English Subjects entitle us to demand What those Means ought to be, we think the several Branches of the American Legislatures, in [2] which the People are constitutionally represented, and who are vested with their whole Powers, ought to determine. We therefore only presume to give you our private Sentiments, which must ever be subject to the Amendment and Controul of the Body of which we are only Members, when we again mix with them. We earnestly hope and recommend that the great Cause of American Rights may be left to the management of the Representatives of the People in every - Colony as they alone are vested with a constitutional Power of enquiring into and redressing those Aggrievances under which the Subject may at any Time be oppressed. Until this Measure shall be fairly attempted, and a failure shall ensue, we cannot conceive the present Dispute between Great Britain and the Colonies can with any Propriety or Prudence be assumed by any other Persons - whatever, or that in other Hands any good Consequences can be rationally expected. And as we are in a State of Society where Order, Reason and Policy ought to [3] prevail every Measure which can only serve to irritate and not convince, every Act of Violence or even the Appearance of [strikeout] [inserted: it] should be carefully avoided, as they cannot [struck: under] under our present Circumstances obtain us that Relief we desire, and have a Right to expect, but, on the contrary, may involve all America in Difficulties which no after Wisdom or Prudence can surmount. A Congress of Delegates, chosen either by the Representatives in Assembly or by them in Convention, appears to us the first proper Step to be taken. Nor are we dubious, but that it may be happily effected in a short Time, should calm and prudent Measures be pursued to obtain it. In this Congress composed of the Representatives, constitutionally chosen, of all concerned, and who would of course act with Weight and Authority, something might be produced, by their united Wisdom, to ascertain our Rights, and establish a political Union between the two Countries with the Assent of both; which would effectually secure [4] to Americans their future Rights and Priviledges. Any thing short of this will leave the Colonies in their present precarious State, disunited among th[text loss]lves, unsettled in their Rights, ignorant of their Duties, and destitute of that Connection with Great Britain which is indispensably [inserted: Necessary] to the safety and Happiness of both. We are, with great Respect, Your assured Friends - Jos. Galloway } In Behalf of Sam Rhoads the Committee &c P.S. The Assembly of this Province are summoned by the Governors Writ to meet on the 18th - Instant - To the Committee of Correspondence for the Colony of Virginia -