Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1773-12-13 00:00:00, page 5

By an express arrived here last Thursday from
Boflon, we have as follows.
B OST O N, Dec. i.
rit a meeting of tfePEOPLE of Boston, atid
the neighbouring toivris, at Faneuil-Hall, in said
Boston, on Monday, the 29th of November,
1773, nine o'clock, ri. M. and continued by ad
journment to the next day ; for the purpose of con
sulting, advfog, and determining upon the mofi
proper and effectual method to prevent the unload
ing, receiving or vending the detestable T E A,
sent out by the Eafclndid Company,part ofwhich
being just arrived in our harbour :
IN order to proceed with due regularity, it was
moved that a Moderator be chosen, and J 0-
NATHAN WILLIAMS, Esq;
was then chosen Moderator of the meeting.
AMOTION was made that as the town
of Borton had determined at a late meeting
legally aflcmbled, that they would to the utmost
of their power prevent the landing of the Tea,
the question be put, Whether this body are abso
lutely determined that the Tea now arrived in
Capt'. Hall shall be returned to the place from
whence it came at all events. And the question
being put, it palled in the affirmative. Nem. Con.
It appearing that the Hall could not contain all
the people affembfed, it was voted, that the meet
ing be immediately adjourned to the Old South
°Meeting-Houfe, leave having been obtained for
this purpose.
The people met at the Old South, accordingto
adjournment.
A motion was made, and the question put, viz.
Whether it is the firm resolution of this body,
that the Tea shall not only be sent back, but that
no duty (ball be paid thereon; and pafs'd in the
affirmative, nem. con.
It was moved, that in order to give time to the
cpnlignees to consider and deliberate, before they
sent in their proposals to this body, as they had
given reason to exped would have been done at the
opening of'the meeting, there might be an adjourn
ment to three o'clock, P. M. and the meeting was
accordingly for that purpofc adjourned.
TH R DE o'clock, P. M. met according
to adjournment. A motion was made,
Whether the Tea, now arrived in Captain Hall's
ship, lall be sent back in the fame bottom. Pafs'd
in the affirmative, nem. con.
Mr. Rotch, the owner of the vessel being pre
sent, informed the body that he should enter his
protest against their proceedings.
It was then moved and voted, nem. con. That
Mr. Rotch be directed not to enter this Tea; and
that the doing of it would be at his peril.
Also voted, That Captain Hall the Master of
the ship, be informed, that at his peril he is not
to fuffer any of the Tea, brought by him, to be
landed.
A motion was made, That in order for the se
curity of Captain Hall's flip and cargo, a watch
may be appointed—and it was voted, thata watch
may be accordingly appointed to conhft of 25
men.
Capt. Edward Prohor was appointed by the
body, to be the Capt. of the watch forthis night,
and the names were given in to the Moderator,
of the townsmen who were volunteers on the oc
tafion.
It having been observed to the body, that Go
vernor Hutchinson had required the Justices of
the Peace in this town to meet and use theirendea
vours to suppress any routs or riots, fee. of the
people that might happen.—lt was moved and
the question put —Whether it be not the feme of
this meeting, that the Governor's conduct herein
carries a designed reflection upon the people here
met; and is solely calculated to serve the views
of Adminiftration —Parted in the affirmative, nem.
con.
The people being informed by Col. Hancock,
that Mr. Copley, son-in-law to Mr. Clarke, fen.
had acquainted him, that the I ea Consignees did
not receive their letters from London till last
evening, and were so dispersed, tnat tliey could
not have a joint meeting early enough to make
their proposals at the time intended ; and there
fore were desirous of a further space for that pur
pose.
The meeting out of great tenderness to these
persons, and from a ftrongdefire to bring this mat
- ter to a conclusion, notwithstanding the time they
had hitherto expended upon them to no purpose,
were prevailed upon to adjourn to the next morn
ing nine o'clock.
Tuesday Morning, 9 o'clock,
Met according to adjournment#
The long expected proposals were at length
brought into the meeting, no/direfted to the Mode
rator, but to John Scollay, Esq; one of the Select
men.—lt was however voted, that the fame should
be read, and they are as follow, viz.
P O Q T Q rP I P nr
TO THE
PENNSYLVANIA PACKET,
, O R, T HE
GENERAL ADVERTISE R. No. 112.
Monday, Nov. 29th, 5.77%
SIR,
ffE are ferry that we could net return to the town
fatisfaflory answers to their two late mefoges
to us ref,effing the Teas ; we beg leave to acquaint
the Gentlemen Selectmen, that we have face received
our orders from the Honourable East-India Company.
ICefill retain a difooftion to do ail in our power
to give fatisfaffion to the town, but as we under
food from you and the other Gentlemen, Selectmen,
at Mes. Clarkes interview with you lajl Saturday,
that this can be effected by nothing less than our fend
ing back the Teas, we beg leave to fay, that this is
utterly out of our pooler to do, but we do now declare
toyou our readings to fore the Teas until we foall
have opportunity of writing to our confituents and
foall receive their further orders ref,effing them;
and we do moftfneerely wifo that the town confder
ing the unexpected difficulties devolved upon us will be
fatisfed with what we now offer.
We are, S IR, Tour humble Servants,
Tho. & Elifloa Hutchinson,
Benja. Faneuil, jun. for Self and
fofoua Winslow, Esq;
Richard Clarke & Sons.
fohn Scollay, Esq;
Mr. Sheriff Greenleaf came into the meeting,
and begged leave of the Moderator that a letter
he had received from the Governor, requiring
him to read a Proclamation to the people here as
sembled, might be read; and it was accordingly
read.
Whereupon it was moved, and the question put,
Whether the Sheriff should be permitted to read
the Proclamation, —which palled in the affirma
tive, nem. con.
The Proclamation is as follows, viz.
Mafochufets ?
by the Governor.
To Jonathan Williams, Esq; aiding as Mo
derator of an assembly of people in the town of
Boston, and to the people so assembled:
ff H ERE ri S printed notifications were on Mon
day ike 29th infant posed in divers places in
the town of Bojion and published in the News-Ba
pers of that day calling upon the people to afemble to
gether for certain unlawful ,ur,ofes in such notifica
tions mentioned: rind whereas great numbers of peo
ple belonging to the town of Bofcn, and divers others
belonging tofeveral other towns in the province, did
assemble in thefaid town of Boson, on the fetid day,
and did then and there proceed to chufe a Moderator,
and to consult, debate and reflve upon ways and
means for carrying such unlawful purpofs into exe
cution; openly violating, defying and getting at nought
the good and wholesome laws of theprovince and the
cenfitution of government under which they live :
rind whereas the people thus assembled did vote or
agree to adjourn or continue their meeting to this the
30th infant, and great numbers of them are again
met or afembled together for the like purposes in the
paid town™ of Boston.
In faithfulnefs to my trust and as his Mafftfs
Representative within the province lam bound to bear
tefimony against this violation of the laws, and I
warn, exhort and require,ou and each of you thus un
lawfully afembled forthwith to difeerfe and to surcease
all further unlawful proceedings at ,our utmost peril.
CITEN under my hand at Milton, in the pro
vince aforefaid, the 30th Da, of November,
1773, and in the fourteenth Tear of his Ma
jeffs Reign.
By his Excellency's
Command, T. HUTCHINSON.
Thomas Flucker, Secretary.
And the fame being read by the Sheriff, there
was immediately after a loud and very general
hiss.
A motion was then made, and the question put,
Whether the aflembly would disperse and surcease
all further proceedings, according to the Gover
nor's requirement. —It was passed in the negative,
nem. con.
A proposal of Mr. Copley was made, that in
case he could prevail with Mess. Clarkes to come
into this meeting, the question might now be pur,
Whether they ffiould be treated with civility while
in the meeting, though they might be of,different
sentiments with this body; and their persons be
fafe until they should return to the place from
whence they came ^And the question being ac
cordingly put, parted in the affirmative, nem.con.
Another motion ofMr. Copley's was put, Whe
ther two hours fliall be given him, which also pas
sed in the affirmative.
Adjourned to two o'clock, P. M.
TW O o'clock, P. M. met according to ad
journment.
A motion was made and parted, that Mr.Rotch
and Capt. Hall be desired to give theii attend
ance.
Mr. Rotch appeared, and upon motion made,
the question was put, Whether it is the him le
folution of this body, that the Tea brought by
Capt; Hall mail be returned by Mr. Rotch, to
England in the bottom in which it came; and whe
ther they accordingly now require the fame, which
parted in the affirmative, nem con.
Mr. Rotch then informed the meeting that he
mould protest against the whole proceedings as he
had done against the proceedings on yesterday, but
that though the returning the Tea is an involunta
ry a& in him, he yet confiders him felf as under a
necessity to do it, and mail therefore comply with
the requirement of this body.
Capt. Hall being present was forbid to aid or as
sist in unloading the Tea at his peril, and ordered
that if he continues Master of the vessel, he carry
the. fame back to London; who replied he fliould
comply with their requirements.
Upon motion, Resolved, that John Rowe, Esq;
owner of part of Capt. Bruce's ffiip expected with
Tea, as also Mr. Timmins, factor for Capt. Coffin's
brig, be desired to attend.
Mr. Ezekiel Chever was appointed Capt. of the
watch for this night, anda fufficient number ofvo
lunteers gave in their names for that service.
VOTED, That the Captain ofthis watch be
desired to make out a lift of the watch for the next
night, and so each Captain of the watch for the
following nights until the vessels leave the harbour.
Upon a motion made, Voted, That in case it
mould happen that the watch mould be any ways
molested in the night, while on duty, they give
the alarm to the inhabitants by the tolling of the
bells—and that if any thing happens in the day
time, the alarm be by ringing of the bells.
VOTED, That fix persons be appointed to
be in readiness to give due notice to the country
towns when they mail be required so to do, up
on any important occasion. And fix persons were
accordingly chosen for that purpose.
John Rowe, Esq; attended, and was informed
that Mr. Roti h had engaged that his veflel mould
carry back the Tea me brought in the fame bot
tom, and thatit was the expectation of this body
that he does the fame by the Tea expelled in Capt.
Bruce; whereupon he replied that the ship was
under the care of the Lid Master, but that he
would use his utmost endeavour, that it fliould go
back as required by this body, and that he would
give immediate advice of the arrival of said fliip.
VOTED, That it is the sense of this body
that Capt. Bruce shall on his arrival ftri&ly con
form to the votes patted refpe&ing Capt. Hall's
vessel, as though they had been all parted in refer
ence to Capt. Bruce's ship.
Mr. Timmins appeared and informed that Capt.
Coffin's brig expected with Tea was owned in
Nantucket, he gave his word of honour that no
Tea mould be landed while she was under his
care, nor touched by any one until the owner's
arrival.
It was then voted, That what Mr. Rowe and Mr.
Timmins had offered was fatisfadory to the body.
Mr. Copley returned and acquainted the body,
that as he had been obliged to go to the Cafle, he
hoped that if he had exceeded the time allowed
him they would confider the difficulty of a partage
by water at this season as his apology: He then
further acquainted the body, that he had seen all
the Consignees, and tho' he had convinced them
that they might attend this meeting with fafety,
and had used his utmost endeavours to prevail up
on them to give fatisfadion to the body; they ac
quainted him, that believing nothing would be
fatisfadlory Ihort of re-shipping the Tea, which
was out of their power, they thought it best not
to appear, but would renew their proposal of sto
ring the Tea, and submitting the fame to the in
fpe&ion of a Committee, and that they could go
no further, without incurring their own ruin ; but
as they had not beenadive in introducing the Tea,
they should do nothing to obftrud the people in
their procedure with the fame.
It was then moved, and the question put, Whe
ther the return made by Mr. Copley from the
Consignees, be in the least degree fatisfa&ory to
this body, and partedin the negative. Nem. Con.
Whereas a number of Merchants in this province
have inadvertent , imported Tea from Great - Britain,
while it is fubjeri to the payment of a Duty imposed
uton it b, an AR of the BritiJh Parliament for the
purpose of raifng a Revenue in rimerica, and approx
priating the fame without the conjent of those who
are required to pa, it:
RESOLVE D, That in thus importing said
Tea, they have justly incurred the displeasure of
our brethren in the other colonies.
rind Resolved further, That if any person or
persons ffiall hereafter import Tea from Great-
Britain, orif any Master or Masters of any vertel
or vessels in Great-Britain mail take the fame on
board to be imported to this place, until the said
unrighteous Aft mail be repealed, he or they fliall
be deemed by this Body, an enemy to his country;
and We will prevent the landing and sale of the
fame, and the payment of any Duty thereon. And
we will effect the return thereof toggle place from
whence it mall come.
RESULTED, That the foregoing vote be
printed and sent to England, and all tho La-ports
in this province.
Upon a motion made, voted, That fair copies
be taken of the whole proceedings of this Meeting,
and transmitted to New-York and Philadelphia,
And that
Mr. SAMUEL ADAMS;
Hon. JOHN HANCOCK, Esq;
WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Esq;
JOHN ROWE, Esq;
Hon. JONATHAN WILLIAMS, Efi;
be a Committee to transmit the fame.
Voted, That it is the determination of this Bo
dy, to carry their votes and Revolutions into exe
cution, at the rifque of their lives and property.
Voted, that the Committee of Correspondence
for this town, be desired to take care that every
other vertel with Tea that arrives in this harbour,
has a proper watch appointed for her—Also vo
ted, That those persons who are desirous of ma
king a part of these nightly watches, be desired to
give in their names at Mertieurs Edes and Gill's
Printing Office.
Voted, That our brethren in the country be
desired to afford their assistance upon the nrft no
tice given ; especially if fneh notice be given upon
the arrival of Captain Loring, in Messrs. Clarke's
brigantine.
Voted, That those of this Body who belong to
the town of Boston do return their thanks to their
brethren who have come from the neighbouring
towns, for their countenance and union with this
Body in this exigence of ear affairs.
Voted, That the thanks of this Meeting be giv
en to Jonathan Williams, Esq; for his good
services as Moderator.
Voted, That this meeting be difTolved And
it was accordingly dinolved#
PHILADELPHIA, December 13.
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
SI R,
The following Hand- bill basing been difributed thro'
the city, you are earnejily requeued to reprint it in
your paper, by
A Number of Tradesmen.
To the Tradesmen, Mechanics, trie, of tbepro
^ince of PENNSYLV ANIA.
My dear and much reflected Brethren,
AT a time when a corrupt and prostituted Mi
nistry are pointing their deftruaive machines
against the hatred liberties of the Americans, the
eyes of all Europe are upon us; and much is ex
pefted from the known resolution and condu& of
the Pennsylvanians, amongst whom the industrious
and refpe&able body of Tradesmen and Mecha
nics bear a very large proportion. The point in
question is, Whether we have property of our own,
or not? Whether our property, and the dear
earned fruits of our labour, are at our own disposal,
or fliall be wantonly wrested from us, by a let of
luxurious, abandoned and piratical hirelings, to be
appropriated by them to increase the number of
such infamous pensioners, and Support their unli
mited extravagance ? The result depends on our
determined virtue and integrity, at so important a
crisis.
The nature of the detestable T EA-S CHEME,
and the pernicious cohfequences of submitting to
receive it amongst us, fubjeft to a duty payable
here, and levied on us without our consent, have
been so judiciously let forth, and demonstrated by
abler pens, as to leave no room for one of my ca
pacity to undertake it; and, if the trifling duty of
three-pence were only to be considered, it would
not be worth our while to eppofe it ; nor worth wl i?e
for the Ministry so ftrenubtifly to infill on, and take
off, in lieu thereof, a much greater sum, payable
in London : But, that by this breach (though (mail)
they will enter the bulwark of our sacred liberties,
and will never desist, till they have made a conquest
of the whole.
These arbitrary meafares we have virtnoufly op
posed hitherto : Let us, for our own fakes, for our
posterity's fake, for our country's Sake, ftedfJUy
persevere in opposing to the end. Corruption, ex
travagance and luxury, are Seldom found in the ha
bitations of Tradefmeu ; industry, ceconomy, pru
dence and fortitude, generally inhabit there; and I
expe& to fee these commendable virtues Shine forth
upon the present occasion, with more than brilliant
luftre.
Let not the artful insinuation of cur enemies,
That the duty will be paid in England, by the East-
India Company, and not in Atacrice, have any weight
among us: This is one of their toils to ensnare us.
The aft of 7th of Geo. 3, expref, lays the aforefaid
anty, on all Teas imported in America from Eng
land, payable on its landing here : And no private
contract between the Eaf-India Company and the
Lords of the Treasury, no power under the Crown,
nor even the King himfelf, can dispense with, fee
aside, difannul, or make void such a chufe, or any
other, in any aft of Parliament, but the fame power
and authority by which it was enabled. The grand
point in view is, by every artifice to enihve the
American colonies, and to plunder them of their
property, and, what is mere, their birth-right,
LIBERTY. It is therefore highly in<nmbeut
on us unitedly, with heart and find, to refit the di
abolical delusion, and defff the infamous projectors.
But fuppofmg the aft was repealed; and the Tea
could be imported free of any duty, import or cus
tom ; yet, is it not a molt grots and daring insult,
to pilfer the trade from the Americans, and lodge
it in the hands of the Eaft-ludia Company? Let us
not be prevailed upon to suppose that this will affect
the Merchants only : We need not concern our
selves with it :—lt will full molt sensibly atfeff the
Merchants; but it will also very materially atßft
yov, ME, and every member of the community.