to prepare draughts of a petition, be desired to make report; upon which, each committee reported accordingly, and the said draughts after having been several times respectively read, it was motioned, that the draught, as reported by the first committee, be again read, in order for approbation, which being read and debated by paragraphs, it was approved, and is as follows:

STATE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

To the Honourable Council and House of Representatives of the State of the Massachusetts Bay, aforesaid, in General Court, assembled and held at Boston, within and for said State.

The petition of a convention, of the committees or agents of the several towns of Billerica, Chelmsford, Andover, Dunstable, Dracut, Tewksbury, Westford, Haverhill and Methuen, in the State of the Massachusetts Bay, aforesaid. Also, of the committees or agents of the several towns or districts of Londonderry, Hampstead, Plaistow, Atkinson, Pelham, Dunstable, Merrimack, Bedford, Derryfield, Goffstown, Hollis, Mason, Raby, NewIpswich, Peterborough, Wilton, Lyndeborough and Nottingham-West, in the state of New-Hampshire, and also of Mr. Edward Jewett, agent in behalf (of a convention of the committees) of the several towns of Rindge, Morristown, Bath, Landaff, Haverhill, Piermont, Hanover, Lebanon, Plainfield, Jaffrey, Cardigan, Canaan, Enfield, Cockermouth, Orford, and Lyme, in the state of New Hampshire, aforesaid, held at the house of Major Joseph Varnum in Dracut, aforesaid, on Tuesday, November the 26th, A. D. 1776-

Humbly sheweth, That, notwithstanding the association, and sundry other resolves and recommendations of the Hon. Continental American Congress, by the letter and spirit of which, and their proceedings, in general, we apprehend they intended that no unreasonable advantage should be taken in

the purchase or sale, either of foreign commodities, the produce of our farms, or our own manufactures, but that all should be sold upon reasonable terms, and by their said association, did agree, and expressly determine, that such as are venders of goods and merchandize, should sell at the same rates they had been respectively accustomed to do, for twelve months, then last past; many persons, in the states aforesaid, altogether disregarding the said proceedings of Congress and the weal of these United States, from mercenary, or worse views, have augmented the price of by far the greater part of the necessaries of life, to an enormous degree, many articles of which, are more than double the usual prices, they were respectively sold for, before the commencement of the present unhappy war. That

some persons have been so lost to all virtue and the love of their country, as to engross the must necessary and saleable articles, purchasing them at retail price, and immediately advancing upon that retail price, at least cent. per cent., thereby endeavouring to depreciate the value of our paper currency. That the soldiers and others, not concerned in this unrighteous commerce are groaning under their burthens, and we fear cannot endure them much longer. That great discontent, and uneasiness, is already prevailing, in many parts of these states, on account of these detestabie practices. That we are greatly alarmed, lest tumults, disorders, and even a disunion and backwardness, in, or defection from the common cause of America, will appear in many places, and great difficulties arise in recruiting and supporting the American Army, (upon the success of which, under God, we look for political salvation,) unless some method can be found out and speedily applied, to relieve the oppressed and remedy those evils, the fatal consequences of which, are too numerous to be inserted, and too obvious to need. mentioning. But

not to trouble this Honourable Court with a long detail of our grievances, and the probable consequences of their continuance, which must be founded upon facts, so notorious that the observation and experience of each day, would make it needless to mention. Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray this Honourable Court to take the premises under consideration, and to enact such laws and make such provision and regulations, as, in their operation, may speedily and effectually remedy the evils, of which we so justly complain, or otherwise relieve the petitioners and others, as in your wisdom and prudence, it shall seem good, and the petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray. Signed by order and in behalf of the convention. JOHN BODWELL, Chairman.

Upon a motion made, &c. Resolved, That there be two petitions made out, agreeable to the above reported draught, (reserving only for the necessary variations) the one directed to the General Court in the State of the Massachusetts Bay, and the other to the General Court of the State of NewHampshire, and that the chairman sign the same, in the name and behalf of this convention, and that the clerk of this convention attest the same, in order that said petitions may be preferred to the said Courts.

Voted, the Oliver Barron and Nathaniel Peabody, Esqr's. be a committee in behalf of this convention to prefer the aforementioned petition to the Honourable General Court of the state of the Massachusetts Bay, and that they pursue the same so far as shall be reasonable, in order to have the prayer thereof granted.

Voted, that Deac. Samuel Fisher and Mr. Thomas West be a Committee in behalf of this Convention to prefer the afore mentioned Petition to the Hon. General Court of the state of New

Hampshire and that they pursue the same so far as shall be reasonable, in order to obtain the prayer thereof, and that each of said two last meationed committees take the earliest opportunity to give notice of the success they shall respectively meet with in their said undertakings.

Voted also that it shall be in the power of the two last mentioned committees, or the major part thereof, jointly to notify a meeting of the committees or agents of the towns and Districts now present and such others as shall upon having notiee thereof see cause to join and to be held at this place at any future time when they shall adjudge the same expedient.

Signed per order,

JOHN BODWELL, Chairman.

Moved, that this convention be adjourned for one hour, and adjourned accordingly per vote.

P. M. Convention opened, &c. then resumed the consideration of the affair of Mr. Edward Jewett, agent in behalf of several towns in the back part of the state of New-Hampshire-and it was moved that major Bancroft and others being the Committees appointed by this convention yesterday to take the premises under consideration, be desired to make report; upon the hearing of which report, and the said Jewett's account of affairs, requesting our advice upon the matter, the convention express their opinion thereof, as follows, viz. That having deliberated the matters of grievance, complained of, by Mr. Jewett, agent in behalf of certain towns in the back part of the State of New-Hampshire, setting forth, that many of those towns are deprived of an equal and fair representation in the general assembly of that state, (the convention apprehending themselves unauthorized to give advice in matters of such a nature at this time) can only, in their several private capacities say, that we applaud the vigilance of those towns in endeavoring

to procure a just, fair and equal representation of all parts of the state to which they belong, without which, there can be no security either of person or property; and allowing Mr. Jewett's representation of facts to be just, we do, by no means, censure or disapprove of the conduct of those towns in that behalf, so far as it has been made known to us. Voted, that this convention be adjourned without day, and adjourned accordingly.

Per order,

JOHN BODWELL, Chairman.

Attest, NATHANIEL PEABODY, Clerk.

Letter from Hon. Meshech Weare to Messrs. Langdon and Peabody, Delegates to Congress.

GENTLEMEN,

EXETER, NOV. 17, 1779.

You are very sensible of the alarming situation of our currency, and the great danger there is that our military operations, which at present are greatly embarrassed, will be finally and totally destroyed, through the enormous demands which are made for the necessaries of life.

Congress have wisely adopted the method of taxing, for supplying the treasury, and thereby take off the necessity of further emissions, which may tend to appreciate the value of our money, and bring things to a better regulation. But this measure does not operate at present, and the most exorbitant demands are still made for almost every essential article. In order to remedy the growing evil, several states, in addition to what Congress have done, have come into the measure of regulating the prices of the most necessary articles, but