Voted, That the resolves accepted in this convention, and the vote about town meetings, be signed by the chairman and clerk, and printed. Voted, That the Rev. Mr. Chaplain be requested to close the meeting with prayer. Voted, To adjourn this meeting to the first Tuesday of September next, then to meet at the house of Mr. Timothy Bigelow, in Worcester, at 10 o'clock, A. M. TUESDAY, SEPT. 6, 1774. The committees of correspondence and delegates of the several towns, met in convention, at the house of Mr. Timothy Bigelow, according to adjournment. The Rev. Mr. Chaplain opened the meeting with prayer. Voted, As the opinion of this convention, that the court should not sit on any terms. Voted, That the several committees inform the people of their respective towns, of this vote of the convention, and, that they choose one man from each company, as a committee to wait on the judges to inform them of the resolution to stop the courts sitting, if the people concur therein. Voted, That the body of the people in this county now in town, assemble on the common.1 Voted, To choose a committee of three persons to inquire of the committees of the towns, how long it will be before they make the determination of the body of the people respecting the courts, known to the judges, and to inform the convention thereof. Voted, To adjourn to the green beyond Mr. Salisbury's, where the convention proceeded. Voted, That a committee of three, viz.: Capt. Mandell, Deacon Rawson, and Mr. Samuel Jennison, be a committee to inform the grand jurors of the determination of the county as to the courts being held. Voted, to adjourn to the court house at two o'clock, P. M. Afternoon. Met according to adjournment, and again adjourned to the green, to attend the body of the people. Voted, To choose a committee of three persons to proceed to wait on the committees of the towns, to inquire the occasion of the delay of the judges in making their appearance before the body of the people. Voted, That three persons be chosen a committee, to acquaint John Chandler, Esq., and the other protesters, that they must follow after the judges (1) On the invitation of the convention, the people of the county had assembled to the number of about six thousand. The companies of the several towns were under officers of their own election, and marched in military order. Having been formed in two lines, when the arrangements were completed, the royalist justices, and officers, were compelled to pass through the ranks, pausing, at intervals, to read their declarations of submission to the public will. At evening, finding that no troops were on their way to sustain the judicial tribunals, whose constitution had been corrupted by the act of parliament, the great assembly dispersed peacefully. through the ranges of the body of the people; that they go immediately after the judges, and read their recantations.1 Voted, That the thanks of the convention be given to the Rev. Mr. Chaplain, for his attendance with them. Voted, That it be recommended to the military officers in this county, that they resign their commissions to the colonels of the respective regiments. Voted, That the field officers resign their offices, and publish their resignations in all the Boston newspapers. Voted, That it be recommended to the several towns of the county, to choose proper officers for the military of the town, and a sufficient number. Voted, That it be recommended to the several towns and districts of this county, that they provide themselves, immediately, with one or more field pieces, mounted and fitted for use; and also a sufficient quantity of ammunition for the same; and that the officers appoint a suitable number of men, out of their respective companies, to manage said field pieces. Voted, To take notice of those justices of the inferior court of common pleas and general sessions of the peace of this county, who aspersed the people in a late address to Gov. Gage.? (1) Forty-three of the royalist inhabitants of Worcester, had made their protest against the patriotic resolutions of that town. This protest having been entered on the municipal records, by the clerk, without authority, he was subsequently compelled, in open meeting, to obliterate the document ; the work of the pen not being effectual in destroying its former traces, his fingers were dipped in ink, and drawn over the page, which still remains in the town book, entirely illegible. Most of the subscribers of the loyal paper were forced to sign recantations of their expressed opinion. To these persons the vote in the text refers. (2) The address of the justices of the county of Worcester, was presented June 21, 1774, and with the answer of Governor Gage, follows: To his Excellency Thomas Gage, Esq., Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England. May it please your Excellency :—The justices of the court of general sessions of the peace, and justices of the inferior court of common pleas, held at Worcester, on the second Tuesday of June, 1774, beg leave, at our first session, after your safe arrival, to congratulate your excellency thereon, and also, on your appointment to the most important office of first magistrate in this province; in full confidence, from the amiable character your excellency has obtained in your other important departments in America, you will ever delight in promoting the good of this government. We find a peculiar difficulty in expressing the distress of our minds relating to the unhappy circumstances of this province at this time; and can, with sincerity, say, that we have no doubt, from your well known character, you will do all that is in your power, to extricate us out of our distresses, in every way consistent with the true interest of Great Britain and her colonies, which we hold inseparable. And we do bear our testimony against all riots, routs, combinations, and unwarrantable resolves, which, we apprehend, have been the unhappy occasion of many of our troubles. And as there are now circulating through this province, certain inflammatory pieces, signed by order of the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston; and in this county, by order of certain persons, calling themselves a committee of correspondence of the town of Worcester, directed to the several towns in the county, stimulating the people to break off all connexion with Great Britain, which ha still a tendency to alienate the affections of the people of this province and county from the mother country, and create discord and confusion, we do assure your excellency, that we will do every thing in our power, to discountenance such proceedings, and support the execution of the laws, and render your excellency's administration successful and prosperous. To which his Excellency was pleased to return the following answer: Voted, That three persons be a committee to require the committee of the day, to make report to the convention, of their proceedings with the judges. Voted, That the principals in the protest reading their recantation, shall be accepted for all those who signed the recantation. Voted, That four men be desired to attend, in addition to those who are to walk with Col. Gardner Chandler, sheriff of the county, through the ranges of the people. Voted, That it be recommended to the officers of each company of the people assembled, to keep good order: enjoin it on their men not to do the least damage to any person's property: but to march quietly home: and that the convention have nothing further to lay before them. Voted, That Deacon Rawson, Mr. Asa Whitcomb, and Doct. Crosby, be a committee to wait on a number of justices, to give them an opportunity to sign the declaration, which has been signed by the justices and officers of the inferior court, and is as follows: WORCESTER, SEPT. 6, 1774. Worcester, ss. The justices of the inferior court, and justices of the court of general sessions of the peace, for the county of Worcester, to the people of the county, now assembled at Worcester: GENTLEMEN:-You having desired, and even insisted upon it, that all judicial proceedings be stayed by the justices of the court appointed this day, by law, to be held at Worcester, within and for the county of Worcester, on account of the unconstitutional act of the British parliament, respecting the administration of justice in this province, which, if effected, will reduce the inhabitants thereof to mere arbitrary power; we do assure you, that we will stay all such judicial proceedings of said courts, and will not endeavor to put said act into execution. GENTLEMEN:-I return you my most sincere and hearty thanks for your very affectionate and truly patriotic address. Your disavowal of the malevolent labors of a desperate faction, who, by raising groundless fears and jealousies, and using every sort of artifice and fraud, endeavor to delude and intimidate the people, and to create in them an aversion and enmity towards their brethren in Great Britain, is a proof that you hold sentiments the most friendly to your country. May your designs to discountenance such proceedings, meet with all the success that every real patriot must hope and wish for ; and I will, at all times, be ready to advance so laudable a work, which alone can give peace and happiness to the province, and restore the union so necessary to be cemented with the kingdom of Great Britain. We, the officers of the court, do, for ourselves, give the people the same assurances above. GARDNER CHANDLER, Sheriff. RUFUS CHANDLer, JOHN SPRAGUE, NATHANIEL CHANDLER, Attorneys. Voted, To choose a committee of nine persons, to draw up a form of a vote for administering justice, and to protect the justices in the execution of their offices. Voted, That Capt. Ward, Capt. Henshaw, Deacon Rawson, Joseph Wheeler, Samuel Jennison, Lieut. Joseph Baker, Capt. Mandell, Timothy Bigelow, and Lieut. Jonathan Holman, be the committee for that purpose. Voted, That the above committee be appointed to confer with the justices of the county, to-morrow morning. Voted, That the consideration of the justices' address to Governor Gage, be committed to the same committee. Voted, To adjourn till to-morrow, at 8 o'clock, A. M. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1774. The convention met according to adjournment. Voted, To accept of the acknowledgment made by Thomas Steel, Joseph Wilder, Timothy Paine, John Chandler, Abel Willard, and Joshua Upham, Esquires, for aspersing the people of this county in a late address to Governor Gage. Voted, That the justices who addressed Governor Gage at the last session of the court, be brought before the convention, and make and sign a declaration, in writing, of the inadvertence of their proceedings: which is done, and the declaration is as follows: Whereas, the committees in convention have expressed their uneasiness to a number of the justices of the common pleas and general sessions, now present in the convention, who, in an address to Governor Gage, at their session in June last, aspersed the people of this county; those justices, in the presence of the convention, frankly declare that they precipitately entered into the measure; they are sorry for it; and they disclaim an intention to injure the character of any; and were the same measure again proposed, they should reject it. THOMAS STEEL, DUNCAN CAMPBELL, EZRA HOUGHTON, The committee on the administration of justice, and respecting the offices of probate and sheriff, made a report, which was accepted, and is as follows: Whereas, the late act of parliament respecting the province, is evidently designed to prevent any civil officers holding their places by virtue of the charter of this province, thereby interrupting the course of justice, and it is necessary to have civil officers till further provision can be made: therefore, Resolved, That the justices of the peace for this county, who were in said office on the last day of June past, except Timothy Ruggles, John Murray, and James Putnam, Esquires, be hereby desired to act in said offices, as single justices, except in judicial proceedings merely civil: also, that the judge of probate, sheriffs, and coroners, who were in office on the last day of June past, exercise their respective offices till the rising of the Provincial Congress, proposed to sit at Concord, on the second Tuesday of October next, notwithstanding any proposed supersedeas that may be sent to them, or any of them, or any proclamation designed to prevent them from holding and exercising their said offices. And we, hereby, also recommend, to the people of this county, that they consider and treat them as being in their said offices, and support and defend them in the execution thereof, according to the laws of this province. Voted, To put the laws in execution respecting pedlars and chapmen. Voted, To take notice of Mr. Samuel Paine, assistant clerk, for sending out venires. Voted, That Mr. Samuel Jennison go to Mr. Samuel Paine forthwith, and desire his immediate attendance before this body, to answer for his sending venires to the constables, commanding their compliance with the late act of parliament. Mr. Paine appeared, and stated that he felt bound by the duty of his office to comply with the act. Voted, That Mr. Paine has not given satisfaction, and that he be allowed to consider till the adjournment of this meeting. Voted, To adjourn till the 20th of September instant, to meet at the court house, in Worcester, at 10 o'clock, A. M.1 (1) On the day following the adjournment of the county convention, a meeting of the blacksmiths of the county of Worcester was held. Their resolutions, which were published in a handbill, and subscribed by forty-three persons, follow: Whereas, at a meeting of the delegates from the counties of Worcester, Middlesex, and Essex, with the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston, in behalf of the county of Suffolk, holden at Boston the 26th day of August, 1774, it was resolved-That all such officers or private persons as have given sufficient proof of their enmity to the people and constitution of this country, should be held in contempt, and that those who are connected with them ought to separate from them: laborers to shun their vineyards; merchants, husbandmen, and others, to withhold their commerce and supplies: In compliance, therefore, to a resolution of so respectable a body as aforesaid, so reasonable in its contents, and so necessary at this distressing day of trial, we, the subscribers, being deeply impress |