Mr. William Whitwell Mr. Jonathan Mason Mr. Samuel Austin were chose Wardens for the Year ensuing The Town brought in their Votes for Sixteen Fire-Wards and upon sorting them it appeared that [220.] John Scollay Esq. Newman Grenough Esq. Mr. William Cooper Mr. John Mico Wendell Mr. James Richardson The Honble. John Hancock Esq. Mr. Samuel Adams Mr. Alexander Hill were chose Fire-Wards for the Year ensuing Upon a Motion made and seconded the Question was put – vizt. "Whether Constables and Collectors of Taxes shall be chose sepperate - Passed in the Affermative Voted, that the Sum of Five Pounds be remitted out of the Ten Pound Fine to such Persons as shall be chose into the Office of Constable for the Year ensuing and shall decline serving The Town brought in their Votes for twelve Constables, the Persons chose into that Office are [221.] Mess. Augustus Hail Francis Salmon George Thomas Peter Barbour Thomas Rice Joseph Payson Lindsey George Wallace Hezekiah Usher John Wells Stephen Symms Edward Blake The Town brought in their Votes for a Town Treasurer, and upon sorting them it appear'd that Mr. David Jeffries was chosen, & having taken the Oath respecting his paying and receiving 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 Mr. Justice Mess". John Pulling John Andrews Nathaniel Wheatley Elisha Avery Thomas Hill Jun'. Joseph Laughton William Foster Samuel Parker Samuel Wallis were chose Clerks of the Market for the Year ensuing Voted, that the Sum of Twelve Pence on the Pound, be and hereby is allowed to such Persons as shall be chose Collectors of Taxes for the Year ensuing, for all such Sums as they shall Collect; provided they pay into the several Treasuries the whole Sum committed to them to Collect on or before the tenth Day of August 1771. Eight Pence on the Pound on all such other Sums as they shall have so paid in to said Treasurers on or before the 20 Day of December 1771. and Four Pence on the Pound upon the remainder of the Sums they shall be obliged to Collect provided such remainder shall be fully paid in on or before the Second Monday in March [222.] 1772. This Premium as above expressed appears to be Just and equitable, and an ample allowance to the Collectors to encourage them to discharge their duty with diligence and fidelity; provided also that each of said Collectors give Bond with sufficient Sureties to the satisfaction of the Selectmen for the faithful discharge of their duty in said Office, and complying with this Vote The Inhabitants brought in their Votes for Four Collectors of Taxes, and upon sorting them it appeared that Mess. Sampson Salter M'. Abraham Savage were chose Collectors of Taxes for the Year ensuing The Inhabitants brought in their Votes for Seven Assessors, and upon sorting them it appeared that Mr. William Fairfield were chose Assessors for the Year ensuing Mr. Speaker Cushing Chairman of the Committee appointed at a former Town Meeting, having received Letters from Mr. Pownal the late worthy Governor of this Province, and some other Gentlemen to whom they had transmitted the Phamphlets which contained Remarks on Governor Bernards Letters &c. laid the same before the Town [223.] A Letter to the Selectmen of Boston inclosing the Votes of the Town of Watertown, respecting the Non Importation Agreement Tea &c. were laid before the Town Voted, that this Meeting be Adjourned to 3 O'Clock P: M: 3 O'Clock P: M: Met according to Adjournment The Moderator having laid before the Town a Letter from M'. Sheriff Greanleaff representing the danger there was of some of the Prisoners in the County Jayl making an escape, and that it is his Opinion, that in order to prevent it the County Watch should be doubled, but that the Court of Session not meeting till April next cannot be apply'd to for this purpose - therefore Voted, That the Sheriff be and hereby is impowered and directed to double said Watch in the manner he has proposed, and that in case the Court of Session at their next sitting, should decline defreying the Charge upon his application to them therefore, that then the Town will be answerable for the same Votes for a County Treasurer brought in and sealed up in Town Meeting, and delivered to the care of Constable Hale to be returned to the Court of Session Upon a Motion made and seconded Voted, that the Committee of the Town now sitting at the Representatives Chamber, be desired to attend this Meeting by a Committee to inform the Town what progress has been made in the removal of the Troops from this Town The Committee attended, and Reported That they had attended the Business alotted them by the Town, Night and Day, and done every thing in their power by their repeated applications to Coll. Dalrymple to expedite the removal of the Troops, that the 29 Regiment was already [224.] Gone, and the Coll. had assured them that the 14th. Regiment should begin to follow them this Day, and that no time should be lost in removing them The above Report having been considered, Voted, unanimously that The Honble John Hancock Esq. Mr. Samuel Adams be a Committee immediately to wait upon Collo. Dalrymple to inform him that this Town have now waited Seven Days, for the removal of the 14 & 29th Regiments agreable to his express promise made in presence of the Lieut. Governor his Majestys Council and ye. Committee of the Town to remove the same with the utmost dispatch; that the Town is very uneasy and apprehend the Inhabitants are unsafe, while the Troops remain in Town, and that they are therefore obliged for the protection of the Inhabitants to keep up a military Watch during their tarry at a great expence; that it is the opinion of the Town that the removal of the said two Regiments may consistent with the usual dispatch of the Army be soon compleated, and that it is the desire of the Town that the removal of the Troops may be immediately effected, and that the Committee obtain an explicit answer from Coll°. Dalrymple, when the said Regiments shall be compleatly removed [225.] Mess". William Nichols Andrew Symms were chose Surveyors of Boards for the Year ensuing Obediah Low William Crafts were chose Fence Viewers for the Year ensuing Mess". Benjamin Bass Samuel Bangs Nathan Cooper Thomas Noland were chose Sealers of Leather for the Year ensuing Mess. Nathaniel Gardner William Daws Jun'. were chose Informers of Deer for the Year ensuing [226.] Messrs. Peter Cotta Manesseh Masters Joseph Dyer John Harskins David Spear Jonathan Jenkins Robert Brick Jun'. Benjamin Salt John Owen Thomas Knox Samuel White Edward Cowell Nathaniel Waterman Jacob Williams Samuel Bernard John Nowell Joseph Phillips Henry Lucas were chose Cullers of Staves for the Year ensuing. Messrs. David Simins Thomas Curtis were chose Hogreeves for the Year ensuing Committee to wait on Coll. Dalrymple Reported That they had delivered the Message of the Town, to which he was pleased to Reply That not a Man of the 29th. Regiment was now in Town, and that between Thursday Night and Fryday Morning not one of the 14th. Regiment, except himself, would remain here [227.] Voted, that John Hancock Esq. and others the above Committee be desired to pursue their application to Coll. Dalrymple and the Lieut. Governor, that the Troops be removed with the greatest dispatch Voted, that the Honble. Thomas Cushing Esq. Mr. John Adams be a Committee to write immediately to the Honble. Isaac Barree Esq. Thomas Pownal Esq. Dennis Deberdt Esq. Dr. Benjamin Franklyn Esq. William Bollan Esq. Barlow Trecothick Esq. acknowledging our obligation for past favors, acquainting them with the Circumstances & Facts relative to the late horred Massacre, and asking the continuance of their good services in behalf of this Town and Province Voted, That the Thanks of this Town be given to the Town of Roxbury for their kind interposition and Assistance in our late distress particularly by their Petition to the Lieut. Governor on our behalf also Voted, that the Thanks of the Town be given to the Towns of Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, and to all our Brethren in the Towns through the Province for the kind concern they manifested for us in the late horred Massacre by the Soldiery, and their readiness to afford us all that assistance which our Circumstances might have required, and that these Votes be printed in the several News Papers Voted, that this Meeting be Adjourned to Thursday next 9. O'Clock P: M: Tuesday March 13 9. O'Clock P: M: Town met Mr. John Gray was chosen Surveyer of Hemp for the Year ensuing. |