And it is also recommended, that the several towns and districts in said directions, signify and expressly engage, to such constables, collectors, or other persons, who shall have their said moneys in their hands, that their paying the same in manner as aforesaid, and producing a receipt therefor, shall ever hereafter operate as an effectual discharge to such persons for the same. And it is hereby recommended, that the like order be observed respecting the tax ordered by the great and general court at their last May session.

And it is hereby further recommended, to all sheriffs who may have in their hands any moneys belonging to the province, that they immediately pay the same to the said receiver general, for the purposes aforesaid, taking his receipt therefor.

And the said Henry Gardner, Esq., the receiver general, shall be accountable to this or some other Congress or house of representatives of this province, for whatever he shall do touching the premises. And to the end that all the moneys heretofore assessed in pursuance of any former grants and orders of the great and general court or assembly of this province, and hitherto uncollected by the several constables and collectors, to whom the several lists of assessments thereof were committed, may be effectually levied and collected, and also to the end, that all the moneys granted, and ordered to be assessed by the general court at their session in May last, which have been assessed, or which may be assessed, may be also speedily and punctually collected, it is earnestly recommended by this body, to the several constables and collectors respectively, who have such assessments in their hands, or to whom any assessments yet to be made, may be committed by the assessors of any towns or districts, that in the levying and collecting the respective part or proportion of the total of such assessments, therein set down to the several persons named therein, they should act and proceed in the same ||way and|| manner as is expressed and prescribed in the form of a warrant given and contained in an act or law of this province, entitled " an act prescribing the form of a warrant for collecting of town assessments," &c. And it is also hereby strongly re

commended to all the inhabitants of the several towns and districts in this province, that they, without fail, do afford to their respective constables and collectors all that aid and assistance which shall be necessary to enable them in that manner to levy the contents of such assessments, and that they do oblige and compel the said constables and collectors to comply with and execute the directions of this resolve, inasmuch as the present most alarming situation and circumstances of this province do make it absolutely necessary for the safety thereof.

Ordered, That Mr. Appleton, Mr. Cushing, and Mr. Palmer be a committee to bring in a resolve relative to a non consumption agree.

ment.

Ordered, That Major Hawley, Mr. Cushing, and Mr. Gerry, be a committee to prepare and bring in a resolve relative to an equal representation of the province in Congress at the next meeting thereof.

The committee appointed to bring in a resolve inviting the constitutional counsellors of this province to attend this Congress at the next meeting thereof upon adjournment, reported; which report was read and accepted, and is as followeth, viz:

Resolved, That the Hon. John Erving, Esq., Hon. ||James|| Pitts, Esq., Hon. Artemas Ward, Esq., Hon. Benjamin Greenleaf, Esq., Hon. Caleb Cushing, Esq., Hon. Samuel Phillips, Esq., Hon. Richard Derby, Esq., Hon. James Otis, Esq., Hon. William Seaver, Esq., Hon. Walter Spooner, Esq., Hon. Jeremiah Powell, Esq., Hon. Benjamin Chadburn, Esq., Hon. Jedediah Preble, Esq., and Hon. George Leonard, Esq., constitutional members of his majesty's council of this colony, by the royal charter, chosen to said office last May session, be desired to give their attendance at the next meeting of this Congress upon adjournment, that this body may have the benefit of their advice the important matters that may then come under consideration And the secretary of this Congress is hereby directed to transmit to those gentlemen severally a copy of this resolve.

upon

The committee appointed to bring in a resolve relative to a nonconsumption agreement, reported. The report was read and ordered to be committed for amendments. It was accordingly amended, read again, and accepted, and is as followeth, viz:

Whereas, the people of this province have not, as yet, received from the Continental Congress such explicit directions respecting nonimportation and non consumption agreements as are expected; and whereas, the greatest part of the inhabitants of this colony have lately entered into non importation and non consumption agreements, the good effects of which are very conspicuous: Therefore,

Resolved, That this Congress approve of the said agreements, and earnestly recommend to all the inhabitants of this colony, strictly to conform to the same, until the further sense of the continental or the provincial Congress is made public. And further, this Congress highly applaud the conduct of those patriotic merchants, who have generously refrained from importing British goods since the commencement of the

a ||Samuel.

cruel Boston port bill; at the same time reflect with pain on the conduct of those who have sordidly preferred their private interest to the salvation of their suffering country, by continuing to import as usual; and recommend it to the inhabitants of the province, that they discourage the conduct of said importers by refusing to purchase any articles whatever of them.

[Ordered, That the foregoing report] be published.

The committee appointed to inquire into the state of the warlike stores in the commissary general's office, reported; and it was thereupon Ordered, That Capt. Heath, Doct. Warren, and Doct. Church, be a committee to take care of, and lodge in some safe place in the country, the warlike stores now in the commissary general's office, and that the matter be conducted with the greatest secrecy.

Resolved, That the committee of correspondence of the town of Worcester be desired to take proper care that the bayonets, the property of this province, now in the hands of Col. Chandler, be removed to some safe place at a distance from his house.

||The Congress then|| adjourned till to-morrow morning nine o'clock.

SATURDAY, October 29, 1774, A. M.

The committee appointed to take into consideration what military exercise is best for the people of this province now to adopt, reported; the report was read and accepted, and

Ordered, That Major Foster bring in a resolve accordingly; who, in obedience to the above order, reported the following resolve, which was read and accepted, and ordered to be published in the Boston newspapers.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the inhabitants of this province, that in order to their perfecting themselves in the military art, they proceed in the method ordered by his majesty in the year 1764, it being, in the opinion of this Congress, best calculated for appearance and defence.

Upon a motion, the question was put, whether the Congress will now go into the consideration of the propriety of keeping the records of the county of Suffolk in the town of Boston, and passed in the affirmative.

After a very considerable debate on the question, it was ordered that the matter now subside.

Resolved, That the consideration of the state of the executive courts in the province be referred to the next meeting of this Congress.

Ordered, That Capt. Gardner, Mr. Wheeler, and Mr. Watson, be a

committee to wait on the Rev. Doct. Appleton, with the thanks of this body for his constant attendance on, and praying with them, during their session in the town of Cambridge.

Ordered, That the payment of several expenses of this Congress be referred until the next meeting thereof.

Resolved, That the committee of safety be desired to write to the Continental Congress, showing them the grounds and reasons of our proceedings, and enclose them a copy of our votes and resolutions.

Ordered, That Major Foster, Doct. Holten, and Mr. Appleton, be a committee to look over the resolves and orders of this Congress, and point out what is necessary now to be made public.

The Committee appointed to wait on the Rev. Doct. Appleton, with the thanks of this Congress, reported that they had attended to that service, and that the Doct. informed them that the Congress were welcome to his services, and that he wished them the blessing of heaven.

Resolved, That when this Congress shall adjourn that it be adjourned to the 23d day of November next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, then to meet at this place.

The committee on the state of the province having amended the replication to his excellency's answer to our message to him, the same being read, was accepted unanimously.

Ordered, That Capt. Heath, Capt. White, Capt. Gardner, Mr. Cheever, and Mr. Devens, be a committee to wait upon his excellency with the following replication to his excellency's [answer.]

May it please your Excellency:

The province having been repeatedly alarmed by your excellency's unusual and warlike preparations since your arrival into it, and having, by this Congress, expressed a reasonable expectation that you would desist from, and demolish your fortifications on Boston neck, it must afford matter of astonishment not only to the province, but the whole continent, that you should treat our importunate applications with manifest insensibility and disregard.

The Congress are possessed of a writing with your signature, which purports itself to be a message to this body, although addressed to sundry gentlemen by name, who, officiating as our committee, presented an address to your excellency. We are surprised at your saying, that "what we call a fortress, unless annoyed, will annoy nobody;" when, from your acquaintance with the constitution of Britain, and of the province over which you have been by his majesty commissioned to preside, you must know, that barely keeping a standing army in the

province, in time of peace, without consent of the representatives, is against law, and must be considered as a great grievance to the subject-a grievance which this people could not, with a due regard to their freedom, endure, was there not reason to hope that his majesty, upon being|| undeceived, would order redress. Is it not astonishing then, sir, that you should have ventured to assert that a " fortress," by whatever name your excellency is pleased to call it, which puts it in the power of the standing army which you command to cut off communication between the country and the capital of this province; to imprison the many thousand inhabitants of the town of Boston; to insult and destroy them upon the least, or even without any provocation, and which is evidently a continual annoyance to that oppressed community," unless annoyed, will annoy nobody?",

A retrospect of your excellency's conduct, since your late residence in this province, we conclude, will convince you of that truth, the mere hinting of which, you tell us, "is highly exasperating as well as ungenerous." We presume your excellency will not deny that you have exerted yourself to execute the acts made to subvert the constitution of the province, although your excellency's connections with a ministry inimical to the province, and your being surrounded by men of the worst political principles, preclude a prospect of your fully exercising towards this province your wonted benevolence and humanity; yet, sir, we pray you to indulge your social virtues so far as to consider the necessary feelings of this people under the hand of oppression. Have not invasions of private property, by your excellency, been repeatedly made at Boston? Have not the inhabitants of Salem, whilst peaceably assembled for concerting measures to preserve their freedom, and unprepared to defend themselves, been in imminent danger from your troops? Have you not, by removing the ammunition of the province, and by all other means in your power, endeavored to put it in a state utterly defenceless? Have you not expressly declared that "resentment might justly be expected" from your troops, merely in consequence of a refusal of some inhabitants of the province to supply them with property undeniably their own? Surely these are questions founded on incontestible facts, which, we think, must prove that while the "avowed enemies" of Great Britain and the colonies, are protected by your excellency, the lives, liberties, and properties of the inhabitants of the province, who are real friends to the British constitution, are greatly endangered, whilst under the control of your standing army.

a ||his being.