Proteftants, may have arms for their defence It is the opinion of this town, that the faid declaration is founded in nature, reason, and found policy, and is well adapted for the neceffary defence of the community.

And forafmuch, as by a good and wholefome law of this province, every lifted foldier and other houfholder (except troopers, who by law are otherwife to be provided) thall be always provided with a well-fixed firelock, mufket, accoutrements and ammunition, as is in faid law particularly mentioned, to the fatisfaction of the commiffion-officers of the company: And as there is at this time a prevailing apprehenfion in the minds of many, of an approaching war with France, in order that the inhabitants of this town may be prepared in cafe of fudden danger: Voted, That those of the faid inhabitants, who may at present be unprovided, be, and hereby are requested duly to obferve the faid law at this time.

The hon. Thomas Cufhing, Efq; communicated to the town, a letter received from a Committee of the Merchants in the city of New-York, acquainting him with their agreement relative to a non-importation of British goods :Whereupon the town, by a vote, expreffed their highest fatisfaction therein.

The town taking into ferious confideration the present afpect of their public affairs, and being of opinion that it greatly behoves a people, profeffing godlinefs, to address the Supreme Ruler of the world, on all important occafions, for that wisdom which is profitable to direct :

Voted unanimoufly, That the Selectmen be a Committee to wait on the several Minifters of the Gospel within this town, defiring that the next Tuesday may be fet apart as a day of fafting and prayer.

Ordered, That the votes and proceedings of the town, in their present meeting, be published in the feveral news-papers.

The town voted their thanks to the Moderator, for his good fervices, and then the meeting was diflolved. Atteft WILLIAM COOPER, Town Clerk. The following is a copy of the circular letter, written by the Selectmen of this town, and directed to the Selectmen of the several towns within this province, agreeable to a vote at a meeting on the 13th inftant.

Gentlemen, Bofton, Sept. 14, 1768. You are already too well acquainted with the melancholy and very alarming circumftances to which this province, as well as America in general, is now reduced. Taxes equally detrimental to the commercial interefts of the parent country

Aaa 2

and

and her colonies, are impofed upon the people, without their confent: Taxes defigned for the fupport of the civil govern ment in the colonies, in a manner clearly unconftitutional, and contrary to that, in which, till of late, government has been fupported, by the free gift of the people in the Ameri can affemblies or parliaments; as alfo for the maintenance of a large ftanding army; not for the defence of the newly-acquired territories, but for the old colonies, and in a time of peace. The decent, humble, and truly loyal applications and petitions from the reprefentatives of this province, for the redress of these heavy and very threatening grievances, have hitherto been ineffectual; being affured, from authentic intelligence, that they have not yet reached the royal ear: The only effect of tranfmitting thefe applications hitherto perceivable, has been a mandate from one of his Majefty's Secretaries of State to the Governor of this province, to dif folve the general affembly, merely because the late house of re presentatives refufed to refcind a refolution of a former house, which implied nothing more than a right in the American fubjects to unite in humble and dutiful petitions to their gra cious Sovereign, when they found themfelves aggrieved; This is a right naturally inherent in every man, and exprefly recognized at the glorious revolution as the birth-right of an Englishman.

This diffolution you are fenfible has taken place; the Governor has publicly and repeatedly declared, that he cannot call another affembly: and the Secretary of State for the American department, in one of his letters communicated to the late houfe, has been pleafed to fay, "Proper care will be taken for the fupport of the dignity of government;" the meaning of which is too plain to be mifunderftood.

The concern and perplexity into which these things have thrown the people, have been greatly aggravated, by a declaration of his Excellency Governor Bernard, that one or more regiments may foon be expected in this province.

The defign of thefe troops is, in every one's apprehenfion, nothing short of enforcing, by military power, the execution of acts of parliament, in the forming of which, the colonies have not, and cannot have any conftitutional influence. This is one of the greateft diftreffes to which a free people can be reduced.

The town which we have the honour to ferve, have taken thefe things at their late meeting into their moft ferious confideration: And as there is in the minds of many, a prevailing apprehenfion of an approaching war with France, they have pafled the feveral votes, which we tranfmit to you, defiring

that

that they may be immediately laid before the town, whose prudentials are in your care, at a legal meeting, for their candid and particular attention.

Deprived of the counfels of a General Affembly, in this dark and difficult feafon, the, loyal people of this Province will, we are perfuaded, immediately perceive the propriety and utility of the propofed Committee of Convention; and the found and wholfome advice that may be expected from a number of gentlemen, chofen by themselves, and in whom they may repofe the greateft confidence, muft tend to the real fervice of our gracious Sovereign, and the welfare of his fubjects in this Province, and may happily prevent any sudden and unconnected meafures, which in their prefent anxiety, and even agony of mind, they may be in danger of falling into.

As it is of importance that the Convention fhould meet as foon as may be, fo early a day as the 22d of this inftant Sep tember has been propofed for that purpofe-and it is hoped the remoteft towns will by that time, or as foon after as conveniently may be, return their refpective Committees.

Not doubting but that you are equally concerned with us and our fellow-citizens, for the preservation of our invaluable rights, and for the general happiness of our country, and that you are difpofed with equal ardour to exert yourselves in every conftitutional way for fo glorious a purpose.

Signed by the Select-Men.

Bofton, Sept. 19. This day the governor informed the council that two regiments were ordered here from Halifax, and would arrive in a few days, and also laid before them a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, containing advice that two were likewife ordered from Ireland.

Bofton, Sept. 26. The following are the tranfactions of the committees from fixty fix towns, and two districts of the province of Maffachufett's bay, convened in Bofton, Sept. 22, €768.

Meffage to the GOVERNOR.

May it pleafe your Excellency,

The committee chofen by the feveral towns in this province, and now convened in Boston, to confult and advife fuch meafures as may moft effectually promote the peace and good order of his majefty's fubjects in this government, at this very dark and diftrefling time, take the earlieft opportunity, openly to disclaim all pretence to any authoritative or governmental

acts:

acts: Nevertheless as we freely and voluntarily come from the different parts of the province, at the earneft defire of the inhabitants, and must be supposed to be well acquainted with their prevailing temper, inclinations and fentiments, under the present threatening afpect of our public affairs, we think ourfelves indifpenfably obliged, from a fenfe of duty to his majefty, to whom we and the people of this province bear the firmeft allegiance, and from the tendereft concern for the welfare of his fubjects, with all due refpect to your excellency, to declare our apprehenfion of the abfolute neceffity of a general affembly.

If ever this people needed the direction, the care and fupport of fuch an affembly, we are humbly of opinion that their prefent circumftances immediately require it.

Your excellency cannot be infenfible of their universal uneafinefs, arifing from the grievances occafioned by the late acts of parliament for an American revenue; from authentic information that the dutiful and loyal petition of the late house of reprefentatives has not been allowed to reach the prefence of our gracious king; from the diffolution of the late general affembly; from undoubted advice that the enemies of Britain and the colonies are still unwearied in the most grofs mifrepresentations of the people of this province to his majefty's minifters, as being on the eve of a general infurrection; and from the alarming intelligence that the nation by means of fuch mifreprefentations is incenfed to a high degree, fo that it is generally apprehended that a standing army is immediately to be introduced among the people, contrary, as we apprehend, to the bill of rights a force reprefented to be fufficient to over-awe and controul the whole civil power of the province, which muft render every right and poffeffion dreadfully precarious.

From thefe weighty confiderations, and alfo that the people may not be thrown into a total defpair; that they may have a fresh opportunity at the next meeting of the parliament of taking off the impreffion from the minds of the nation, made by fuch mifreprefentations as are before mentioned, and by that means preventing the moft unhappy confequences to the parent country, as well as ourfelves, we beg leave moft earneftly to pray that your excellency would commiserate his majefty's truly loyal fubjects of this province, under their deplorable circumftances, and reftore to them the full poffeffion of their invaluable charter rights to a general Affembly, and cause one to be immediately convened, that the most effectual measures may be taken in the manner prefcribed by our happy conftitution for the redrefs of grievances, for the preventing

venting an unconstitutional encroachment of military power on the civil eftablishment, for the promoting the profperity of his majefty's government, and the peace, good order, and due fubmiffion of his fubjects in the province, and making the neceffary provifion for the fupport of government, and finally, for the restoration of that harmony, union, and affection between the nation and the colonies, which appears to us to be in the utmost danger of being totally and irrecoverably lost. As in duty bound the committee fhall ever pray, In the name and behalf of the committee,

By

THO. CUSHING, Chairman

his excellency Francis Bernard, Efq; Governor in Chief of the province of Maffachufett's-Bay, &c.

To the Gentlemen affembled at Faneuil, under the name of a committee of Convention,

As I have lately received from his majefty ftrict orders to fupport his conftitutional authority within this government, I cannot fit ftill and fee fo notorious a violation of it, as the calling an affembly of the people by private perfons only. For a meeting of the deputies of the towns is an affembly of the reprefentatives of the people to all intents and purposes; and it is not the calling it a committee of convention that will alter the nature of the thing.

I am willing to believe that the gentlemen who so hastily iffued the fummons for this meeting, were not aware of the high nature of the offence they were committing; and they who have obeyed them have not well confidered of the penalties which they will incur if they should perfift in continuing their feffion, and doing bufinefs therein. At prefent ignorance of the law may excufe what is paft; a step further will take away that plea.

It is therefore my duty to interpofe at this inftant, before it is too late. I do therefore earnestly admonish you that inftantly, and before you do any bufinefs, you break up this affembly, and feparate yourselves. I fpeak to you now as a friend to the province, and a well-wifher to the individuals of it.

But if you fhould pay no regard to this admonition, I must, as governor, affert the prerogative of the crown in a most public manner. For affure yourselves, (I fpeak from inftruction) the king is determined to maintain his entire fovereignty over this province; and whoever fhall perfift in ufurping any of the rights of it, will repent of his rashness.

Province-house, Sept. 22, 1768. FRA. BERNARD.

Meffage