The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

BOSTON, October 9.

AT a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of BOSTON, legally assembled at Faneuil Hall on Wednesday the 4th of October, 1769.

The Hon. THOMAS CUSHING, Esq; Moderator.

AGREEABLE to the Notification of the Selectmen, it was ordered, that the authentic Copies of the several Letters, Memorials, &c. wrote by Governor Bernard, Commodore Hood, the Commissioners of the Customs, and others, to the Ministry, which were laid before the Parliament, and transmitted to the Select-men by William Bollan, Esq; be read so far as they related to this Town;

And they were read accordingly.

A Motion was then made, and it was unanimously VOTED, That the Thanks of the Town be and hereby are given to William Bollan, Esq; for his generous Care in transmitting to the Selectmen authentic Copies of Letters wrote to his Majesty's Ministers of State, by Governor Bernard, General Gage, Commodore Hood, and others, and also of several Memorials of the Commissioners of the Customs in America--In which Letters and Memorials the Disposition and Conduct of the Inhabitants of the Town have been grossly misrepresented to our Sovereign, in Consequence whereof they have been sensibly affected with the Marks of his Majesty's Displeasure--and that the Moderator be directed to transmit this Vote of Thanks to Mr. Bollan for so seasonable & important a Service.

It was also unanimously VOTED, That the Hon. Thomas Cushing, Esq; Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams, Esq; the Hon. James Otis Esq: Dr. Joseph Warren, Richard Dana, Esq; Joshua Henshaw, Esq; Joseph Jackson, Esq; and Benjamin Kent, Esq; be and hereby are appointed a Committee to consider what measures are proper to be taken, to vindicate the Character of the Town from the false and injurious Representations contained in the Letters and Memorials aforesaid, and report at the Adjournment of this Meeting.

After which, upon a Motion made, the following Vote was unanimously passed:

THE Merchants, not only of this Metropolis, but through the Continent, having nobly preferred the public Good to their own private Emolument: And with a view to obtain a Redress of the Grievances so loudly and justly complained of, having almost unanimously engaged to suspend their Importations from Great-Britain: A Measure approved by all Orders, as legal, peaceable, and most likely of all others to effect the salutary Design in view; and which will be regarded by Posterity with Veneration, for the disinterested, and truly public Spirit appearing in it: The Town cannot but express their Astonishment and Indignation, that any of its Citizens should be so lost to their Feelings of Patriotism and the common Interest, and so thoroughly and infamously selfish, as to obstruct this very Measure by continuing their importation:--

Be it therefore Solemnly Voted, that the Names of those Persons--few indeed, to the Honor of the Town,--be entered on the Records of this Town, that Posterity may know who those Persons were that preferred their little private Advantage to the common Interest of all the Colonies in a Point of the greatest Importance; who not only deserted; but opposed their Country, in a struggle for the Rights of the Constitution, that must ever do it honor: And who with a Design to enrich themselves, basely took Advantage of the generous Self-Denial of their Fellow Citizens for the common Good.

ORDERED, That the aforegoing Votes be printed in the several public News-Papers.

Then the Meeting was adjourned to Wednesday the 18th Instant at 10 o'Clock in the Forenoon. Attest,

WILLIAM COOPER, Town-Clerk.

Notwithstanding the above Meeting was so full a one, the Merchants of the Town, were during the whole Time, at the Representatives Chamber, on Business of Importance which concerned the general Cause.

Tuesday Morning last arrived here the Brig WOLF, Capt. Briant from London, which he left the 28th of July last:--In the Brig came
Passengers, Samuel Venner, Esq; late Secretary to the Board of Commissioners, Capt. Lyde. Capt. Coppinger, Mr. Patrick Smith, a Merchant from London, and several others, among whom were one or two Hatters and Jewellers.

On the Arrival of the above Vessel, a Meeting of the Merchants was immediately called, and the following Transactions voted to be published.

THE Merchants of this Town met at Faneuil-Hall on the third of October Instant, and being informed that Mr. Patrick Smith, a Stranger from London, had imported a Quantity of Goods in the Brigantine Wolf, John Briant, Master, and considering that in case Strangers might import Goods while the Merchants were obligated not to import any, it would have a direct Tendency to frustrate the Design of their Agreement, and to be attended with fatal Consequences, they appointed a Committee to apply to Mr. Smith, and desire his Attendance, who accordingly attended and signed an Agreement to reship his Goods for London, a Copy of which is hereafter inserted: Capt. Nathaniel Byfield Lyde, & Mr. Colburn Barrell also appeared at the Meeting and signed similar Agreements, which are also Inserted below.

And at a Meeting of the Merchants the fourth Inst. a Gentleman appeared, and at the Request of Thomas and Elisha Hutchinson, informed the Merchants that they were ready to treat with them with respect to the Goods they had imported; upon which a Committee was appointed to hear their Proposals: The Committee accordingly had a Conference with them, and reported that they had acceded to every Article of the Agreement of the Merchants, and had engaged to deliver up the Eighteen Chests of Tea, they imported in Captain Briant; as also any other Goods that they might receive by any other Vessels.--The Committee also reported, that Mr. Theophilus Lillie met them, and acceded to the Agreement, and entered into similar Engagements.

Which Report was accepted.

The Merchants sent a Message to Nathaniel Rogers, John Bernard, and Mr. Masters, requesting their Attendance at the Meeting at half after three o'Clock P. M.---Their several Answers were highly insolent, & justly deserving of Censure, particularly the Answer received from James Mc Masters, who refused to attend, and told Mr. Gore and Mr. Freeman that the Merchants might do as they pleased, that he found they intended to make a Riot, which he should be very glad to see:

VOTED unanimously, That these several Persons by continuing their Importations from Time to Time, contrary to the Sense of the Trade, notwithstanding the Pains that has been taken to prevail with them to accede to the Agreement, have discovered a base Attachment to their own little private interests and a total disregard to that of the Public: It appears they have had a settled Design to counteract and defeat the generous Efforts of the Merchants, and have acted altogether unbecoming the Character of good Citizens, and therefore are not only unworthy of the future Countenance and Favour of the Public in any respect, but by this their Conduct have rendered themselves justly obnoxious to all who have any Regard for the Welfare of their Country.

VOTED That the Committee of Inspection be and hereby are desired to make strict enquiry after such Persons as may hereafter purchase Goods of those who continue to import from Great-Britain, contrary to the Agreement of the Merchants, and publish their Names in the News-Papers.

VOTED, unanimously, That the Conduct of the Standing Committee is highly worthy of our Approbation, and we accordingly approve of it in every Instance, especially in the fair, just and impartial Account which they published the 28th of August last, relative to such Goods as have been imported from Great-Britain, since the Agreement of Non-Importation has taken place.

WHEREAS I the Subscriber have imported a quantity of Goods consisting of Twenty Eight Bales and Cases in the Brigantine Wolf, from London, and I find since my Arrival, that it will greatly interfere with, and have a Tendency to defeat the good Intentions of the Merchants of this Place in their Agreement of Non-Importation, and gives great Uneasiness to the People of this Place: I hereby promise and engage to Reship the said Goods to London, by the first Vessel that will take Freight for said Place, provided the Charge of Reshipping and Insurance of the same be borne by the Merchants there, as well as my Passage back.

Boston, OCT. 3d 1769.

PATRICK SMITH.

WHEREAS I the Subscriber have imported a Quantity of Goods, consisting of Four Cases, in the Brigantine Wolf, from London; and I find since my Arrival that it will greatly interfere with, and have a Tendency to defeat the good Intentions of the Merchants of this Place, in their Agreement of Non-Importation, and gives great Uneasiness to the People of this Place; I hereby promise and engage to reship the said Goods to London, by the first Vessel that will take Freight for said Place, provided the Charge of Reshipping, Insurance and Freight of the same, be borne by the Merchants.

Boston October 3, 1769.

NATHANIEL BYFIELD LYDE.

WHEREAS I the Subscriber have a Parcel of Goods containing in Six Trunks, Eight Cases, per the Brigantine Wolf, consigned to me from London: I hereby engage to reship the said Goods to London by the first Vessel that will take Freight for said place, provided the Charge of Reshipping, Insurance and Freight for the same be borne by the Merchants, and also indemnify me from any Charges that may arise on said Goods here from this Time.

COLBURN BARRELL.

We hear the Merchants here propose that if the Rhode-Island Merchants do not come into an Agreement for Non-Importation of Goods from Great-Britain, they will treat them as those at New-York, and Philadelphia have done, and inform their Correspondents in London, that if they ship Goods for Newport or Providence, they will change their Correspondents.

It is also proposed, that an Agreement be signed by the Owners of Vessels gone and going for London, to give their Masters Orders in Writing, not to take on board any Goods except what is allowed of by the Merchants here, until the Revenue-Acts are repealed.

It is likewise proposed that an Agreement be subscribed to as has been at Philadelphia and New-York, to extend their Non-Importation until the Revenue-Acts are repealed.

A Day or two ago one of the Importers sent a Trunk of Goods to go to Old York by Capt. Wian, who enquiring of the Servant from whence they came, and being informed, the Captain refused to take it on board, and sent the Servant Back with the Goods.----Some Altercation ensued between the Merchant and Captain; but the Goods were not taken on board.

We hear that two Strangers who Imported three Boxes of Linens from Philadelphia in Capt. Gorham have agreed to re-ship them by the first Vessel that sails for that Port.