***Proclamation of Clemency, Massachusetts, June 15th, 1787***

Commonwealth of Massachusetts\
ENSE . PETIT PLACIDAM . SUB . LIBERTATE QUIETEM

BY HIS EXCELLENCY

JOHN HANCOCK, Esquire.

Governour of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

A Proclamation.

WHEREAS the Legislature of this Commonwealth, with an intention, \"not
only to adopt very vigourous and efficacious method, necessary to
suppress the present traiterous opposition to the laws, and to restore
peace and harmony to the Commonwealth, but also to repeat the offers of
grace and mercy to the penitent citizen, and to extend the same as far
as may be consistent with the true interest of the Commonwealth, and the
security of her citizens in future;\" have, a resolve of the thirteenth
day of June, instant, made provision for the raising and supporting a
force, to defend the Commonwealth; against all wicked and rebellious
men; and have also with a very extensive clemency, by the same resolve
provided, that, \"each and every citizen of this Commonwealth, who have
committed any treasons or misprisions of treason against the same, since
the first day of June, A. D. 1786, be, and they thereby are indemnified
for the same, and for all felonies which had been perpetrated by any of
the said citizens in the commissions of treasons, and which are overt
acts of the same; and each and every citizen aforesaid, are thereby
discharged of all pains, penalties, disqualifications and disabilities
of the law in such case, made and provided: Provided, that pursuant to
the said resolve such of said offenders, who have not taken and
subscribed the oath of allegiance to this Commonwealth, since the first
day of June, A. D. 1786, shall take and subscribe the said oath, before
any Justice of the Peace within the Commonwealth, on or before the
twelfth day of September next; excepting out of the same
indemnification, as well all such persons as had been convicted of such
crimes by due course of law, as Daniel Shays, of Pelham, Gentleman, Luke
Day, of West-Springfield, Gentleman, both of the county of Hampshire,
and Lieutenant-Colonel William Smith, of the same county, Eli Parsons,
of Adams, Gentleman, Perez Hamlin, of Lenox, Yeoman, Elisha Manning, of
a place called the Eleven Thousand Acres, Yeoman, David Dunham, of
Sheffield, Yeoman, Ebenezer Crittenden, of Sandisfield, Yeoman, Jacob
Fox, of Washington, Gentleman, all within the county of Berkshire, whose
crimes are so attrocious, and whose obstinancy so great, as to exclude
them from an offer of that indemnification, which is extended to those
who have been misled, and are not so flagrantly guilty.

I HAVE THEREFORE, by and with the advice of Council, and at the request
of the General Court, thought fit to issue this Proclamation, that the
extension of mercy and indemnification offered by the Legislature, may
be fully known, to those unhappy offenders who are the objects of it,
and who have been deceived by wicked and designing men, and to give them
assurances of their indemnification for all past treasons, misprisions
of treason and felonies, and of being again renewed to the arms of their
country, and once more enjoying the rights of free citizens of the
Commonwealth.

As the lenient measures taken by the General Court, coinciding with the
wishes of all good men who love their country, and ardently wish for the
perfect restoration of peace and tranquility, cannot fail to convince
the people of the whole State, that should the unhappy and deluded
offenders, the subjects of said indemnity, again spurn at the clemency
of government, and continue their attrocious and traiterous exertions to
overthrow the Commonwealth, the most spirited and decisive measures must
be adopted: And I cannot but believe, that the good sense of my
fellow-citizens, the regard the people have for the Constitution of
civil government established by themselves; their knowledge of their
true interest; the obvious necessity of good government, and the unhappy
and distressing consequences of supporting government by the sword, will
unite all ranks and orders of men, in the pursuit of peace, good order
and due obedience to the laws.

AND all officers civil and military, who may be called upon in the duty
of their offices to carry the resolve aforesaid, into execution, are
hereby strictly enjoined to yield a ready and punctual attention to the
same.

GIVEN at the COUNCIL-CHAMBER, in BOSTON, the fifteenth day of JUNE, in
the year of our LORD, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and
in the eleventh year of the INDEPENDENCE of the UNITED STATES of
AMERICA.

JOHN HANCOCK.

By his Excellency\'s Command,

JOHN AVERY, jun. Secretary

BOSTON: Printed by ADAMS AND NOURSE, PRINTERS to the HONOURABLE GENERAL
COURT

**John Hancock (1737-1793), Governor of Massachusetts, Boston,
Massachusetts, June 15, 1787, #L03.001**

**Memorial Libraries, Deerfield, MA**