USA > Massachusetts > The journals of each Provincial congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of safety, with an appendix, containing the proceedings of the county conventions-narratives of the events of the nineteenth of April, 1775 > Part 15
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Resolved, That at three o'clock this afternoon, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the committee of sup- plies instead of Mr. Hall, excused.
· The order of the day was moved for ; accordingly, the Congress re- sumed the consideration of the report of the committee, relative to the power of the committee of safety, and the power of the general offi- cers ; after some debate thereon, it was referred for farther considera- tion, to the afternoon.
Afternoon.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the same report, which was recommitted for amendments proposed.
Ordered, That, as Doct. Warren, and Doct. Church are absent, that Col. Dwight, and Col. Coffin be added to the committee, on the account of the late delegates from this province to the Continental Congress.
The committee appointed to report an address to the inhabitants of this province, having amended their draught, reported; which was again ordered to be recommitted for amendments.
A petition of Boice and Clark, praying that this Congress will take
-
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
some step for the encouragement of collecting of linen rags in their respective towns [was] read and Ordered, that Mr. Gorham, Mr. Bige- low, and Mr. Freeman, be a committee to bring in a resolve recom- mending the saving of linen rags, according to the prayer of the petition.
Resolved, That the Congress will now proceed to the choice of some person to serve on the committee of safety, in the place of Norton Quincy, Esq., who declined serving thereon.
Ordered, That Mr. Pitts, Major Fuller, and Doct. Holten, be a com- mittee to count and sort the votes for a person to serve on the commit- tee of safety, in the stead of Norton Quincy, Esq., who declined serving thereon.
The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve on the committee of safety : the committee having sorted and counted the same, reported that Mr. Jabez Fisher was chosen.
Resolved, That to-morrow morning at ten o'clock, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the committee of sup- plies, instead of Mr. Hall, who hath been excused.
||The Congress then|| adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.
THURSDAY, February 9, 1775, A. M. ,
The report of the committee relative to the power of the committee of safety, and the power of the general officers, being amended, was accepted, and is as followeth, viz :
Resolved, That the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., Doct. Joseph War- ren, Doct. Benjamin Church, Jun., Mr. Richard Devens, Capt. Benja- min White, Col. Joseph Palmer, Mr. Abraham Watson, Col. Azor Orne, Mr. John Pigeon, Col. William Heath, and Mr. Jabez Fisher, be and hereby are appointed a committee of safety, to continue until the farther order of this or some other Congress, or house of represen- tatives of this province; whose business and duty it shall be, most carefully and diligently to inspect and observe all and every such per- son or persons as shall at any time attempt to carry into execution by force, an act of the British parliament, entitled " an act for the better regulating the government of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England ;" or who shall attempt to carry into execution by force, another act of the British parliament, entitled " an act for the impartial administration of justice, in the cases of persons questioned for an act done by them in the execution of the law, or for the sup- pression of riots and tumults, in the province of the Massachusetts Bay :" which said committee, or any five of them, provided always 12
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Feb. 9,
that not more than one of the said five shall be an inhabitant of the town of Boston, shall have power, and they are hereby empowered and directed, when they shall judge that such attempt or attempts are made, to alarm, muster, and cause to be assembled with the utmost ex- pedition, and completely armed, accoutred and supplied with provisions sufficient for their support in their march to the place of rendezvous, such and so many of the militia of this province, as they shall judge necessary for the end and purpose of opposing such attempt or at- tempts, and at such place or places as they shall judge proper ; and them to discharge as the safety of the province shall permit.
And this Congress doth most earnestly recommend to all the officers and soldiers of the militia in this province, who shall from time to time during the commission of the said committee, receive any call or order from the said committee, to pay the strictest obedience thereto, as they ||a|| regard the liberties and lives of themselves and the people of this province-any order or orders of any former Congress varying therefrom notwithstanding.
Resolved, That the Hon. Jedediah Prebble, Esq., Hon. Artemas Ward, Esq., Col. Seth Pomeroy, Col. John Thomas, and Col. William Heath, be and they hereby are appointed general officers ; whose busi- ness and duty it shall be, with such and so many of the militia of this province, as shall be assembled by order of the committee of safety, effectually to oppose and resist such attempt or attempts as shall be made for carrying into execution by force, an act of the British Parlia- ment, entitled " an act for the better regulating the government of the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England," or who shall at- tempt the carrying into execution by force, another act of the British parliament, entitled "an act for the more 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," so long as the said militia shall be retained by the committee of safety and no longer; and the said general officers shall, while in the said service, command, lead and conduct, in such opposition, in the order in which they are above named, any order or orders of any former Congress varying therefrom, notwithstanding.
The order of the day was moved for.
Upon a motion, Ordered, That a committee be appointed to count · and sort the votes for the choice of a person to serve on the commit- tee of supplies in the place of Mr. Hall, who hath been excused; ac-
& |shall.||
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.
cordingly Mr. Sayer, Mr. Lothrop, and Capt. Greenleaf, were ap- pointed.
The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve on the committee of supplies; after counting and sorting the same, the committee reported that Mr. Manning was chosen. Upon a motion made by Mr. Manning, the question was put whether he be ex- cused from serving on the committee of supplies, and passed in the af- firmative. The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve in his place, and, after counting and sorting the same, the committee reported that Mr. Elbridge Gerry was chosen.
Ordered, That during the debates of the Congress, the members thereof be seated in their proper places.
A number of letters, said to be from gentlemen in England, were read ; upon a motion, Ordered, that they be committed to the com- mittee on the state of the province, to take them into consideration and report.
The committee appointed to prepare an address to the inhabitants of this province, having amended their report, the same was read, con- sidered and accepted, and ordered to be attested and added to the pamphlet directed to be printed by this Congress, and is as followeth, viz :
To the Inhabitants of the Massachusetts Bay.
FRIENDS AND FELLOW SUFFERERS :- When a people entitled to that freedom, which your ancestors have nobly preserved, as the richest in- heritance of their children, are invaded by the hand of oppression, and trampled on by the merciless feet of tyranny, resistance is so far from being criminal, that it becomes the christian and social duty of each individual.
While you see the lives of your fellow men, in other nations, sported with and destroyed, and their estates confiscated by their prince, only to gratify the caprice, ambition, or avarice of a tyrant, you ought to entertain and cultivate in your minds, the highest gratitude to the Su- preme Being, for his having placed you under such a form of govern- ment, as, when duly administered, gives the meanest peasant the same security in his life and property, as his sovereign has in his crown.
This constitution of government secures to each one subject there- to, such an entire property in his inheritance and the fruit of his in- - dustry, that they cannot be taken from him without his personal or representative consent ; and as the evidence of entire property arises from the uncontrollable power of disposing, when your estates shall be brought into such a situation, or under such a form of government, as
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[Feb. 9,
that they can be disposed of or granted by persons who are by no means accountable to you therefor, you cease to have any thing more than a licensed and precarious property in them.
Notwithstanding these principles have been warmly contended for and nobly defended at the expense of much blood and treasure, by your British ancestors, who have ever been seriously alarmed at the least infringement on this branch of their happy privileges, the house of commons there, over whom you have not the least control, and in whose election you have no voice, have claimed and exercised the power of granting your money without your consent; and what ren- ders the same more aggravated, is, that the money extorted from you, is applied to the vile purpose of maintaining a set of men, who, through depravity of mind, and cruelty of disposition, have been, and still are, endeavoring to enforce certain acts of parliament, made with express purpose to take from you your charter rights, and reduce you to a state of misery, equal to that ever attendant on those, whose prince has the sole disposal of their lives and properties.
Fleets, troops, and every implement of war, are sent into the prov- ince, with apparent design to wrest from you that freedom which it is your duty, even at the risk of your lives, to hand inviolate to posterity.
Those strides of tyranny have fixed the united attention of all America ; and, being greatly and justly alarmed, the wisdom of the whole continent has been collected in that Congress, whose salutary resolutions have pointed you to effectual means of redress, and the execution of the plan projected by that honorable assembly, has been warmly recommended to you by your former Provincial Congress.
· The transactions of your former Congress, with regard to placing the militia on such a footing as may serve to defend you from each act of hostility that may be offered, have been carefully transmitted to you, and we rejoice to hear, that you have cheerfully paid the strictest attention to them, and ardently wish that the same martial spirit which so remarkably prevails among you may be encouraged and increased.
Though we deprecate a rupture with the mother state, yet we must still urge you to every preparation for your necessary defence; for, un- less you exhibit to your enemies such a firmness as shall convince them that you are worthy of that freedom your ancestors fled here to enjoy, you have nothing to expect but the vilest and most abject sla- very.
The foregoing sheets contain the resolutions of your former Con- gress, respecting the improvement of your public monies at this criti- cal juncture of your public affairs. Such is the alarming state of the
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
province, that the necessity of punctually complying with these re- solves can, by no means, need any further argument to stimulate there- to, than what naturally arises from facts under your constant observa- tion ; but as necessary preparations for your defence require immedi- ate supplies of money, duty and faithfulness to you, compel us to take leave to hint, that, should you be so unhappy as to be driven to un- sheath the sword, in defence of your lives and properties, the having proper magazines duly prepared, may give that success which cannot be expected without them.
Subjects generally pay obedience to the laws of the land, to avoid the penalty that accrues on breach of them ; and on the same princi- ples we are assured, that, as you liitherto have, you will continue still strictly to adhiere to the resolutions of your several congresses ; for we can conceive of no greater punishment for the breach of human laws, than the misery that must inevitably follow your disregarding the plans, that liave, by your authority, with that of the whole continent, been projected.
Your conduct hitherto, under the severest trials, has been worthy of . you as men and christians, and, notwithstanding the pains that have been taken by your enemies, to inculcate the doctrines of non-resist- ance and passive obedience, and, by every art, to delude and terrify you, the whole continent of America has, this day, cause to rejoice in your firmness. We trust you will still continue steadfast, and having regard to the dignity of your characters as freemen, and those gener- ous sentiments resulting from your natural and political connections, you will never submit your necks to the galling yoke of despotism prepared for you ; but with a proper sense of your dependance on God, nobly defend those rights which Heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us.
An address from the committee of correspondence of the town of Scituate and others, showing that a number of his majesty's troops are now stationed in the town of Marshfield, &c. ||ªwas|| read :
Ordered, That Doct. Warren, Doct. Taylor, Col. Henshaw, Mr. Watson, and Mr. Gill, be a committee to take the same into conside- ration, and the papers accompanying it, and report.
Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan Mr. Pickering, and Capt. Greenleaf, be a committee to bring in a resolve, empowering the committee of safety to take into their hands the warlike stores, the property of the province.
Ordered, That Col. Thomas, Col. Heath, Hon. Col. Ward, Col.
a {[being.||
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[Feb. 9,
Pomeroy, and Col. Gardner, be a committee to bring in a resolve, di- recting how the ordnance in the province shall be used.
Afternoon.
The committee on the petition of John Sawyer and others, reported by way of resolve, which report was ordered to lie on the table.
Ordered, That the several members who were appointed to make return of the officers and number of the militia, and minute men, in the several counties, be directed to comply with the said order as soon as possible.
Upon a motion, Ordered, That Col. Paterson, Mr. Browne, of Pittsfield, and Major Bliss, be a committee to report a resolve for the publication of the names of those who have been appointed counsel- lors by mandamus, and have refused to resign their appointments.
The committee on the accounts of the delegates from this province to the Continental Congress, reported, which was accepted; and there- upon Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Devens, and Mr. Gorham, be a committee to report a resolve agreeably to the same.
The committee on the petition of Boice and Clark, reported, by way of resolve, which was read and accepted, and is as followeth, viz :
Whereas, the encouragement of the manufactories of this country will, at all times, and more especially at this, be attended with the most beneficial effects, and Messrs. Boice and Clark, having represent- ed to this Congress, that they have, at a very considerable expense, erected works at Milton, in this province, for the making paper, and have not heretofore been able to obtain a sufficiency of rags to answer their purpose, and in order to procure a larger quantity of that article, have raised the price thereof;
Therefore, Resolved, That it be recommended, and it is by this Congress accordingly recommended, to every family in this province, to preserve all their linen, and cotton and linen rags, in order that a ||ªmanufacture|| so useful and advantageous to this country, may be suitably encouraged : and it is also recommended to our several towns, to take such farther measures for the encouragement of the manufac- ture aforesaid, as they shall think proper.
||Then the Congress|| adjourned till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.
FRIDAY, February 10, 1775, A. M.
Ordered, That Mr. Devens, Mr. Watson, Col. Gardner, Col. Howe, and Capt. Batchelder, be a committee to observe the motion of the troops said to be on their road to this town.
a ||manufactory.||
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
An application from Thomas Legate, Esq. was read. Ordered, That it be committed : Accordingly Ordered, That Mr. Pickering, Col. Cushing, and Col. Farley, be a committee to take the same into con- sideration.
Ordered, That Col. Palmer, Col. Cushing, and Mr. Cushing of Scituate, be a committee to sit in the recess of this Congress, to pre- pare all such rules and regulations, for the officers and men of the constitutional army which may be raised in this province, as shall be necessary for the good order thereof.
The committee appointed by the late Provincial Congress, to esti- mate the loss and damage which hath accrued to the province by the operation of the Boston port bill and the act for altering the civil gov- ernment of this province, reported ; the report ordered to be filed.
||The committee appointed to take into consideration how the ord- nance should be disposed of, are directed to make report to the com- mittee of safety.1||
The committee appointed to bring in a resolve relative to the pay- ment of the late delegates to the Continental Congress, reported ; the report was accepted, and is as followeth, viz :
Whereas, the account of expenses incurred by the Hon. Thomas Cushing, Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert Treat Paine, Esquires, in the execution of the trust reposed in them as representa- tives of this province at the grand Continental Congress, held at Phil- adelphia, in the months of September and October last, has been ex- hibited to, and approved of, by this Congress, and there appears to be due to the said delegates the sum of nine pounds, seventeen shillings, and ten pence, lawful money, in order to discharge their said expenses, and this Congress have voted, that the sum of fifty-six pounds [be paid] to each of the aforesaid delegates, in order to compensate them for their time spent in said service ;
Therefore, Resolved, That Henry Gardner, Esq., receiver general of this province, be directed, and he is hereby accordingly directed, to pay to the Hon. Thomas Cushing, Esq., the above sum of nine pounds, seventeen shillings, and ten pence, for expenses, and the sum of fifty- six pounds for his time spent in the service aforesaid; and to Mr. Sam- uel Adams, John Adams and Robert Treat Paine, Esquires, each, the sum of fifty-six pounds, as a recompense for their time spent in said service.
The same committee reported the following resolve, which was ac- cepted, viz :
(1) This order is inserted in the copy of the journal among the proceedings of the afternoon session.
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [Feb. 10,
Whereas, the Hon. John Hancock, Hon. Thomas Cushing, Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams and Robert Treat Paine, Esquires, were, by a former Provincial Congress, chosen and appointed a committee of delegates, to meet the delegates from the other American colonies, at Philadelphia, on the tenth day of May next, or sooner, if necessary ; and whereas, it is ordered by this Congress, that the sum of one hun- dred pounds be allowed and paid each of them, to enable them to per- form said journey ; therefore, || Resolved, That Henry Gardner, Esq. re- ceiver general of this province, be, and hereby is ordered and directed, to pay each of the said committee of delegates of this province, the sum of one hundred pounds, for which they are to be accountable to some future Congress, or house of representatives of this colony. ||
Resolved, That Henry Gardner, Esq., receiver general of th - prov- ince, be and hereby is ordered and directed, to pay, unto Robert Treat Paine, Esq., the sum of forty-six pounds, lawful money, in con- sideration of the same sum being by him accidentally lost out of his pocket while on his journey to Philadelphia in the service of this gov- ernment.
Afternoon.
Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Col. Paterson, and Col. Thomas, be a committee to revise the commission of the committee of safety, and the commission of the committee of supplies, and point out what amendments, if any, are necessary.
Upon a motion made, the question was put, whether the vote rela- tive to committing the petition of Thomas Legate, Esq., be reconsid- ered, and the petitioner have leave to withdraw his petition, and passed in the affirmative.
Ordered, That the secretary be directed to publish the names of the mandamus counsellors now in Boston, in all the newspapers of the province, agreeably to the [order of the] late Provincial Congress.
A petition from the delegates of the several towns and districts in the counties of Hampshire and Berkshire was read; thereupon, Or- dered, That the same be committed to the committee on the state of the province, and that the committee make the petition public if they think proper.
||Then the Congress|| adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.
SATURDAY, February 11, 1775, A. M.
The committee appointed to revise the commission of the committee of safety and the committee of supplies, &c., reported by way of re- solve, which was considered and accepted, and is as followeth, viz :
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
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Whereas, several resolves have been passed by this and the former Provincial Congress, authorizing and directing the committee of safe- ty, in case of necessity, in the defence of the province, to call togeth- er, arm, accoutre, and equip, the inhabitants thereof : and, whereas, by resolves of the same Congress, a committee of supplies is appoint- ed, to provide ordnance, stores, provisions, and arms, and to place them where the said committee of safety shall order ; but there is no provi- sion made by whom, to whom, or in what manner and quantities, the supplies provided by said committee of supplies shall be delivered ;
It is |therefore|| Resolved, That the said committee of safety, or the major part of them, shall be, and hereby [are,] empowered to ap- point one of their number, a commissary, whose business it shall be to deliver all such stores, ordnance, arms, and provisions, as shall be, by the committee of supplies provided, as the said committee of safety shall order and direct, until the constitutional army shall take the field; when, and during all the time said army shall be in the field, until they are discharged by the committee of safety, the commissary ap- pointed by the committee of safety shall deliver the said warlike stores to the order of the commanding officers of said army.
The committee appointed to bring in a resolve relative to the dis- posal of some bayonets, &c., reported the following resolve, which was accepted :
Whereas, there are a number of bayonets and other implements of war, purchased at the expense of the province, that are not now in the hands of the committee of safety, as they ought to be, it is there- fore Resolved, as the opinion of this Congress, that the committee of safety ought to possess themselves of all the same bayonets and imple- ments of war, as soon as they conveniently can ; and that they ought to dispose of the same, for the use of the province, to such persons, and on such conditions, as they shall think proper.
The committee on the state of the province, reported a resolve re- commending that a day of fasting and prayer be kept throughout the province, which was considered and Ordered to lie on the table.
Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Stickney, and Col. Cushing, be a committee to bring in a resolve, empowering the committee of safety to direct the committee of supplies, to make such further provision for the defence of the province as may be necessary.
Resolved, That all the members of the Congress be enjoined to at- tend, and that none depart without special leave be first obtained.
Ordered, That Col. Tyng, Mr. Adams, Doct. Warren, Major Haw- ley, Col. Ward, Hon. Mr. Hancock, and Mr. Paine, be a committee to
13
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SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [Feb. 13,
report a resolve, purporting the determination of this people, coolly and resolutely, to support their rights and privileges, at all hazards.
The committee appointed to take into consideration the address from the committee of correspondence, for the town of Scituate, and others, reported; the report was ||ª|| ordered to be recommitted for amendments.
||Then the Congress|| adjourned till Monday next, ten o'clock in the forenoon.
MONDAY, February 13, 1775, A. M.
The committee on the state of the province, reported the form of a receipt, two of the same tenor and date to be signed by the receiver general, one of which to be lodged with the town or district treasurer, and 'the other to be kept by the constable, or other officer, who shall pay the money to him. Ordered, that the report be recommitted for amendments.
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