Boston, desiring their attendance at this Congress, to consult ||"means|| for the preservation of the town of Boston at this alarming crisis.

Upon a motion, the question was put, whether the Congress will now assign a time when they will take into consideration the propriety of recommending a day of public thanksgiving throughout this province, and passed in the affirmative; accordingly three o'clock this afternoon was assigned|| for that purpose.

Upon a motion the question was put, whether the Congress will now assign a time when they will take into consideration the propriety of recommending a day of fasting and prayer throughout this province, and it passed in the affirmative. Accordingly, four o'clock this afternoon is assigned for that purpose.||

Upon a motion, the question was put whether a time be now assigned to take into consideration the propriety of appointing an agent or agents, to repair to the government of Canada, in order to consult with the inhabitants thereof, and settle a friendly correspondence and agreement with them, and passed in the affirmative; accordingly, five o'clock this afternoon was appointed for that purpose.

The committee appointed to report a letter to the selectmen of the town of Boston, and others, reported a letter accordingly, which was read and accepted, and the president ||'ordered|| to sign the same.

Ordered, That the gentlemen wrote to and expected from Boston, [be requested to] bring with them six or eight of Rivington's late newspapers.

The committee on the state of the province, reported several resolves relative to the counsellors and others who have acted in obedience to the late act of parliament for altering the civil constitution of this government, and are now in Boston. The same being read and considered, were ordered to be recommitted for amendments; which were accordingly recommitted, amended, reported, accepted, and ordered to be printed in all the Boston newspapers, and are as follow, viz:

Whereas, sundry persons now in Boston, have as mandamus counsellors, or in other capacities, accepted or acted under commissions or authority derived from the act of parliament passed last session, for changing the form of government and violating the charter of this province; and by such disgraceful, such detestable conduct, have counteracted not only the sense of this province, but of the United American Colonies, in Grand Congress expressed :

Therefore, Resolved, That the persons aforesaid who shall not give

a measures.||

b ||appointed.||

c requested.

satisfaction to this injured province and continent, within ten days from the publication of this resolve, by causing to be published in all the Boston newspapers, acknowledgments of their former misconduct, and renunciations of the commissions and authority mentioned, ought to be considered as infamous betrayers of their country; and that a committee of Congress be ordered to cause their names to be published repeatedly, that the inhabitants of this province, by having them entered on the records of each town, as rebels against the state, may send them down to posterity with the infamy they deserve; and that other parts of America may have an opportunity of stigmatizing them in such way as shall effectually answer a similar purpose.

Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to the good people of this province, so far to forgive such of the obnoxious persons aforesaid, who shall have given the satisfaction required in the preceding resolve, as not to molest them for their past misconduct.

Ordered, That Major Thompson, Mr Devens, and Mr. Watson, be a committee to cause the names of sundry persons now in Boston, having as mandamus counsellors, or in other capacities, accepted or acted under commission or authority derived from the act of parliament passed last session, for changing the form of government and violating the charter of this province, to be published repeatedly, in case they shall not, within ten days, give satisfaction to this injured province, by causing to be published in all the Boston newspapers, acknowledgments of their misconduct, and renunciations of the commissions and authority aforesaid.

Ordered, That Mr. Appleton, Mr. Gill, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Legate, and Major Thompson, be a committee to report a non consumption agreement relative to British and India goods.

Ordered, That Mr. Palmer, Capt. Doolittle, Capt. Greenleaf, Doct. Foster, and Col. Danielson, be a committee to report a resolve recommending the total disuse of India teas.

Then adjourned till three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Mr. President informed the Congress that he had in his hands a number of Rivington's newspapers; Whereupon

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, Capt. Farley, and Doct. Church, be a committee to look over the same; and if any thing therein should appear to have been written with a design to injure this province, that they report it to the Congress.1

(1) Rivington's New York Gazateer, or the Connecticut, Hudson's River, New Jersey, and Quebee Weekly Advertiser, was published in the city of New York. It commenced April 22, 1773;

Ordered, That Mr. Gill, Major Fuller, Col. Prescott, Mr. Hall, Mr. Gardner of Stow, Mr. Davis, and Capt. Upham, be a committee to wait on the gentlemen selectmen, and others, expected from Boston, and conduct them to this body.

The gentlemen selectmen, overseers of the poor, committee of correspondence, and committee of donations, being introduced, a free conversation was had with them on means for preserving the town of Boston at this alarming crisis.

The committee appointed to bring in a resolve recommending the total disuse of India teas in this province, reported. The report was read and accepted, and is as follows:

Whereas, the unnecessary and extravagant consumption of East India teas in time past, has much contributed to the political destruction of this province; and as tea has been the mean by which a corrupt administration have attempted to tax, enslave, and ruin us: Therefore,

Resolved, That this Congress do earnestly recommend to the people of this province an abhorrence and detestation of all kinds of East India teas, as the baneful vehicle of a corrupt and venal administration, for the purpose of introducing despotism and slavery into this once happy country; and that every individual in this province ought totally to disuse the same. And it is also recommended, that every town and district, appoint a committee to post up in some public place the names of all such in their respective towns and districts, who shall sell or consume so extravagant and unnecessary an article of luxury.

The committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of this province, reported. The report was read, and ordered that the consideration thereof be referred till to-morrow morning.

The Congress then|| adjourned till to-morrow morning nine o'clock.

was devoted to the support of the principles of the British administration; had extensive circulation among the royalists of the principal towns of the colonies; and received the patronage of government. It was continued until November 27, 1775, when a troop of armed men from Connecticut surrounded the printing house, broke the press, destroyed the cases, scattered the forms, and carried away a large quantity of type to melt into bullets.

James Rivington, the publisher, born in London, arrived in America in 1760, and commenced business as a bookseller in Philadelphia. He pursued the same trade in Boston and in New York, without success, and in 1773 became printer. After the disaster which terminated the existence of the Gazateer, he procured new apparatus, was appointed the king's printer for New York, and reestablished his newspaper. His editorial labors ceased in 1783. He resumed the occupation of bookseller, and died in July, 1802, aged seventy-eight years.-See Thomas's History of Printing, vol. II, pages 111, 312.

The newspapers exhibited to the Congress, had a decided tone of loyal sentiment, but contained no reflections peculiarly injurious to the character or feelings of the people of the province.

SATURDAY, October 22, 1774, A. M.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of this province; and ordered the same to be recommitted for amendments.

Ordered, That the Hon. John Winthrop, Esq., Mr. Wheeler, and Mr. Lombard, be a committee to bring in a resolve recommending to the people of this province that they observe a day of public thanksgiving throughout the same; and that they sit immediately.

Resolved, That the consideration of the propriety of sending agents to Canada be referred to the next meeting of this Congress.

Ordered, That Mr. Cushing, of Scituate, Capt. Doolittle, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Palmer, be joined to the committee appointed to prepare a non-consumption agreement relative to British and India goods; and that the committee sit forthwith.

Moved, That a committee be appointed to bring in a resolve relative to the king's troops providing themselves with straw. After a long debate had upon the matter|| the question was ordered to subside.

The committee appointed to bring in a resolve recommending to the people of this province to observe a day of public thanksgiving throughout the same, reported; which report was read, amended, and accepted, and is as followeth, viz:

From a consideration of the continuance of the gospel among us, and the smiles of Divine Providence upon us with regard to the seasons of the year, and the general health which has been enjoyed; and in particular, from a consideration of the union which so remarkably prevails, not only in this province, but throughout the continent, at this alarming crisis, it is resolved, as the sense of this Congress, that it is highly proper that a day of public thanksgiving should be observed throughout this province; and it is accordingly recommended to the several religious assemblies in the province, that Thursday, the fifteenth day of December next, be observed as a day of thanksgiving, to render thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings we enjoy ; and, at the same time, we think it incumbent on this people to humble themselves before God, on account of their sins, for which he hath been pleased, in his righteous judgment, to suffer so great a calamity to befall us as the present controversy between Great Britain and the colonies; as also to implore the Divine blessing upon us, that, by the assistance of his grace, we may be enabled to reform whatever is amiss among us; that so God may be pleased to continue to us the blessings we enjoy,

a ||thereon.||

and remove the tokens of his displeasure, by causing harmony and union to be restored between Great Britain and these colonies, that we may again rejoice in the smiles of our sovereign, and in possession of those privileges which have been transmitted to us, and have the hopeful prospect that they shall be handed down ||entire|| to posterity under the protestant succession in the illustrious house of Hanover.

Afternoon.

The report of the committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of the province, being amended, was again read, and ordered to be recommitted for further amendment; and was committed accordingly.

Resolved, That the ||aresolve|| recommending that a day of thanksgiving be observed throughout this province, be printed, and a copy thereof sent to all the religious assemblies in this province; and that the president sign the same.

Ordered, That Mr. Appleton, Doct. Foster, and Mr. Devens, be a committee to agree with Messrs. Edes and Gill, to print the resolve entered into by this Congress, recommending to the inhabitants of this province to observe a day of public thanksgiving; and that they send a copy thereof to all the religious assemblies therein.

Then the Congress adjourned till Monday next, [at] ten o'clock in the forenoon.

MONDAY, October 24, 1774, A. M.

The report of the committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of the province, being amended, was taken into consideration, and a long debate had thereon. ||The Congress|| adjourned till three o'clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

||||Ordered, That Col. Lee, Mr. Palmer, Capt. Batchelder, Capt. Keith, and Col. Orne, be a committee to consider of and report to this Congress the most proper time for this province to provide a stock of powder, ordnance, and ordnance stores; and that they sit forthwith.

Ordered, That the committee appointed to bring in a non consumption agreement, ||'sit|| forthwith.

Resolved, That the debates had in Congress this afternoon, and that all those which may be had therein|| in future, be kept secret by the members thereof, until leave shall be had from the Congress to disclose the same.

a ||order.||

b ||Congress met pursuant to adjournment.||

c ||report.||