Resolution of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Provincial_Congress" class="extiw" title="w:Massachusetts Provincial Congress">Massachusetts Provincial Congress</a> of March 24, 1775, signed by its president <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hancock" class="extiw" title="w:John Hancock">John Hancock</a>, as printed in The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Virginia) on April 21, 1775.
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<dl><dd><dl><dd><dl><dd>Full text:</dd></dl></dd></dl></dd></dl><p>IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS
<br><i>Concord, March 24, 1775</i>
</p><p>Whereas it is indispensably necessary for the safety of a free people, and the preservation of their liberties, that they at all times keep themselves in a state of actual defence against every invasion or depredation; and this country being still threatened by a powerful army posted in its capital, with a professed design of executing certain acts of the British Parliament, calculated to destroy our invaluable rights and liberties, and the government of this colony as by charter and law established therein:
</p><p><i>Therefore resolved,</i> that the measures that have heretofore been recommended by this and the former Provincial Congress, for the purpose of putting this colony into a complete state of defence, be still most vigorously pursued by the several towns, as well as individual inhabitants; and that any relaxation would be attended with the utmost danger to the liberties of this colony and of all America, especially as by the latest advices from Great Britain we have undoubted reasons for jealousy that our implacable enemies are unremitting in their endeavours, by fraud and artifice, as well as by open force, to subjugate this people; which is an additional motive to the inhabitants of this colony to persevere in the line of conduct recommended by the Congress, and be ready to oppose with firmness and resolution at the utmost hazard, every attempt for that purpose.
</p><p><i>Signed by order of the Provincial Congress.</i>
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<dl><dd>JOHN HANCOCK, President.</dd></dl><p><i>A true extract from the minutes.</i>
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<dl><dd>BENJAMIN LINCOLN, Secretary.</dd></dl>
John Hancock, signer and presumed main author of this Resolution by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress on March 24, 1775, as printed in <i>The Virginia Gazette</i> (Williamsburg) on April 21, 1775).
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