The Petition of a number of Inhabitants for calling this Meeting was read, and after Debate had thereon Joshua Henshaw Esq. Benjamin Kent Esq. [669.] Be and hereby are Appointed a Committee to sign and present the following Council; and that Memorial to his Excellency the Governor in Jeremiah Gridley Esq. James Otis Esq. John Adams Esq. be applyed to as Council to appear in behalf of the Town in support of said Memorial Province of the Massachusetts Bay To His Excellency the Governor in Council The Memorial of the Town of Boston Humbly Sheweth That your Memorialists having a Just Sense of the value of the British Constitution of Government, under which they have enjoyed all the Blessings of Civil Life, cannot but be deeply affected, when the Channels through which these Blessings are derived to us are obstructed; which is at present our unhappy Case. The Courts of Law within the Province in which alone Justice can be distributed among the People, so far as respects Civil Matters are to all intents and purposes shut up, for which your Memorialists apprehend no Just and legal Reason can be Assigned. We have always understood that the Law is the great rule of Right, the Security of our Lives and Propertys, and the best Birth right of Englishmen: Under the Apprehensions we make our humble Applications to your Excellency in Council, with whom the executive Power within the Province is constitutionally lodged, that you would be pleased to give such Directions to the several Courts and their Officers, as that under no Pretence whatever, we may be any longer deprived of this invaluable Blessing: - And your Memorialists pray that they may be heard upon this most important Subject by their Council learned in Law. And as in Duty bound, they ever pray & Adjourned to 3 O'Clock P: M: 3: OClock P: M: Met according to Adjournment [670.] Voted, that the Committee appointed to present the above Memorial to His Excellency in Council, be desired to do it as soon as possible, and that the Town Clerk acquaint Jeremiah Gridley Esq. the Ilone James Otis Esq. and Mr John Adams of the Vote respecting their being apply'd to as Council to appear in behalf of the Town in support of said Memorial Adjourned to Satturday next 10 O'C: A: M: Saturday December 21. 1765. Met according to Adjournm1. Mr Samuel Adams Chairman of the Committee appointed to present the Petition of the Town to his Excellency in Council for opening the Courts of Law within this Province Reported That they had presented the same, and that the Town had been heard thereon, by their Council Appointed for that purpose; and that the Governor and Council had the Subject Matter of the Memorial now under consideration. Adjourned to 3 OClock P: M: 3 O'Clock P: M: Met according to Adjournment. - Mr. Adams again Reported That the Honourable the Council had come into some Resolves relative to the Memorial of the Town to His Excellency in Council, a Copy of which had been handed him by the Deputy Secretary, which Resolves being read it was Voted that the same be entred upon the Town Records And they are as follows Vizt. At a Council held at the Council Chamber in Boston upon Satturday the 21st. Day of Decem*. 1765 The Board proceeded to the Consideration of the Memorial of the Town of Boston, and came to the following resolves Vizt. - That a Question in Law necessarily arises from said Memorial, namely, Whether the Officers of the Courts of Law can be justified in proceeding in their respective Offices with unstamp'd [671.] Papers, and it is thereupon Resolved that it is the Business of the Courts of Law to determine Points of Law, nor can the Board with any propriety direct or advise the said Courts in such Judgments or determination, and in this point of Law, under the present state of the Province the Board are desirous that the said Courts should be free in their Judgements, without any apprehension of censure from the Board, It is therefore further Resolved, that the Subject Matter of this Memorial is not proper for the determination of this Board nor is it in the power of the Board to afford relief in the way and manner pray'd for, but the Board recommend it to the Justices of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for the County of Suffolk to determine the aforesaid Point of Law as soon as may be, and to the other Courts within the Province to determine it at or before their first respective Terms. A true Copy Att JN° COTTON D Secry. Upon a Motion made and seconded the Question was put Vizt Whether the Town apprehend the above Resolves of Council in consequence of their Memorial to His Excellency, in Council to be satisfactory Passed in the Negative unanimously Adjourned to Thursday next 10 O'Clock A : M : Thursday December 26th. 1765. Met according to Adjournment. The Town being acquainted by several Gentlemen present, that the Courts of Probate within this Province would be opened; that the Sheriff of the County of Suffolk had served and was ready to serve all Writts brought to him, and that the Conrt of Cominon Pleas for said County next in course to sit, would meet & proceed to Business; and that Mr Sheriff Greanleaff and Mr. William Mullineux could give the Town further satisfaction relative to these particulars It was therefore Voted, that Mr. Sheriff and Mr. Mullineux be desired to inform the Town respecting these Matters - Mr. Sheriff accordingly declared that he had duly served all the Writts which had been given him for service to this Day And Mr. Mullineux that [672.] Having discoursed the Judges of the Inferior Court he had no reason to doubt but that the aforesaid Court would at their next Term proceed to Business as usual Upon a Motion made and seconded Voted that when this Meeting be Adjourned, it shall be to Thursday the 16th Day of January next Stephen Greanleaf Esq. Sheriff of the County of Suffolk having informed the Town that he and his Deputy Mr. Benjamin Cudworth had each of them Yesterday received a Letter tending to the Disorder of the Town which being read at the desire of the Town, it was thereupon Voted, unanimously that said Letters were highly abusive and inflamitery, and tending to the distruction of all good Order and Government; that they abhor and detest them, and that they will be at all Times ready to assist the Civil Majestrate and support all Officers in the execution of their Trust according to the Laws and usage of this Land, and also properly to reward the Person or Persons who shall discover and detect the Author or Authors of said Letters or either of them upon Conviction Upon a Motion made and seconded Voted, unanimously That the Representatives of the Town be and they hereby are Instructed and directed to apply to his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq. as soon as may be, humbly to desire that the General Assembly of this Province be not further prorogued Then the Question was put Whether the Town would now Adjourn, which passed in the Affermative, and the Meeting was accordingly Adjourned to Thursday the 16th. of January next 3. O'Clock P: M: Thursday the 16th of January 1766. Met according to Adjourn ment. Mr. Adams Chairman of the Committee appointed to Liquidate [673.] The Accounts of the several Tradesmen who repaired Faneuil Hall, acquainted the Town that they were not then prepared to make Report thereon "Whereas the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for the County together with the Court of Probate is now open and Business going on as usual-Voted, unanimously that the Representatives of the Town be and hereby are Instructed to use their utmost endeavours with the General Assembly at the present Session; that Measures may be taken that Justice be also duly Administred in all the Countys throughout the Province and that enquiry may be made into the Reasons why the Courts of Justice in the Province has been in any Measure obstructed It is further Voted unanimously, That the Representatives be also Instructed, to use their Influence in the General Assembly that proper enquiry may be made into the behavior of any Person or Persons who by their misconduct have either contributed towards the Difficultys we labor under respecting the Stamp Act, or have basely neglected to use their upright and best endeavors, to relieve us from those Difficultys " Voted that the Thanks of the Town be and hereby are given to the Honourable James Otis Esq. the Moderator of this Meeting for dispatching the Business thereof Then the Meeting was dissolved. [674.] At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston legally qualified and warned in publick Town Meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall on Monday the 10th Day of March Auno Domini 1766 Prayer was made by the Revd Dr Chauncy read Sundry Laws enjoin'd to be read at this Meeting read The Honble James Otis Esq. was chosen Moderator of this Meeting, and took the Oath respecting his paying and reciving Bills of Credit of the Connecticut New Hampshire and Rhode Island Governments, as required by an Act of this Province William Cooper was chosen Town Clerk for the Year ensuing, and having taken the Oath respecting the Receiving and Paying Bills of Credit of the other Governments, took the Oath of Office for the faithful discharge of his Duty, which oaths were administred to him by John Avery Esq The Town proceeded to the choice of Seven Selectmen, and the Votes being brought in and sorted it appeared that were chose Selectmen, for the Year ensuing excused Sworn d° do excused [675.] Joshua Henshaw & Benjamin Austin Esq" having excused themselves from serving as Selectmen the Year ensuing― Voted unanimously that the Thanks of the Town be and hereby are given to the said Joshua Henshaw & Benjamin Austin Esq" for their faithful services as Selectmen some Years past The Town brought in their Votes for two Selectmen in the room of those Gentlemen that had excused themselves from serving, and upon sorting them it appeared that William Phillips Esq. were chose Selectmen for the Year ensuing The Town brought in their Votes for Twelve Overseers of the Poor, and upon sorting them, it appeared that John Barrett Esq. The Honble Royal Tyler Esq. John Avery Esq (excused) 1 chose Page were chose Overseers of the Poor for the Year ensuing. The Town brought in their Votes for Twelve Wardens, and upon sorting them it appeard that Joseph Scott Esq excused Mr Phillip Freeman Mr William Boardman Mr Daniel Parker were chose Wardens for the Year ensuing (all sworn) The Town brought in their Votes for a County Treasurer & which were sealed up and delivered to Mr Constable Salmon to be returned to the Court of Sessions The Town brought in their Votes for a Register of Deeds &c. for the County of Suffolk, which were sealed up and delivered to Mr Constable Salmon to be returned to the Court of Sessions The Town brought in their Votes for Sixteen Fire-Wards, and upon sorting them it appear'd, that Newman Grenough. Esq. Joseph Jackson Esq. John Rowe Esq. Mr. William Cooper excused excused William Tayler. Esq. (excused) Capt. William Downe Cheever |