It must be matter of grief to every true Briton, that the honor of British troops is sullied by the infamous errand on which they are sent to America; and whilst, in the unjust cause, on which you are engaged, menaces will never produce submission from the people of this province, your excellency, as well as the army, can only preserve your honor by refusing to submit to the most disgraceful prostitution of subserving plans so injurious, [and] so notoriously iniquitous and cruel to this people.

Your excellency professes to be solicitous for "preserving union and harmony between Great Britain and the colonies;" and we sincerely hope that you will distinguish yourself by exertions for this purpose; for, should you be an instrument of involving in a civil war this oppressed and injured land, it must forever deprive you of that tranquillity which finally bids adieu to those whose hands have been polluted with innocent blood.

Your excellency reminds us of the spirit of the British nation; we partake, we rejoice in her honors, and especially revere her for her great national virtues; we hope she never will veil her glory, or hazard success by exerting that spirit in support of tyranny.

Your excellency's strange misconception of facts, is not less conspicuous in the close of your message than in many other parts of it. You have suggested that the conduct of the province, for supporting the constitution, is an instance of its violation. To declare the truth, relative to this matter, must be a full vindication of our conduct therein.

The powers placed in your excellency, for the good of the province, to convene, adjourn, prorogue, and dissolve the general court, have been perverted to ruin and enslave the province, while our constituents, the loyal subjects of his majesty, have been compelled, for the laudable purposes of preserving the constitution, and therein their freedom, to obtain the wisdom of the province in a way which is not only justifiable by reason, but, under the present exigencies of the state, directed by the principles of the constitution itself; warranted by the most approved precedent and examples, and "sanctioned by the British nation, at the revolution; upon the strength and validity of which precedent the whole British constitution now stands, his present majesty wears his crown, and all subordinate officers hold their places. And although we are willing to put the most favorable construction on the warning you have been pleased to give us of the "rock on which

a sanctified.||

we are," we beg leave to inform you that our constituents do not expect, that, in the execution of that important trust which they have reposed in us, we should be wholly guided by your advice. We trust, sir, that we shall not fail in our duty to our country and loyalty to our king, or in a proper respect to your excellency.

Resolved, That the foregoing replication to his excellency's answer be published in the newspapers.

Ordered, That Major Hawley, Col. Lee, and Mr. Gerry, be a committee to extract such parts of the resolves which passed in this Congress, the 26th and 28th current, and are necessary now to be published; who reported as followeth :

Whereas, it has been recommended by this Congress, that the moneys heretofore granted and ordered to be assessed by the general court of this province, and not paid into the province treasury, should not be paid to the Hon. Harrison Gray, Esq., for reasons most obvious:

Therefore, Resolved, That Henry Gardner, Esq., of Stow, be, and hereby is, appointed receiver general until the further order of this or some other Congress or house of representatives of this province, whose business it shall be to receive all such moneys as shall be offered to be paid into his hands to the use of the province, by the several constables, collectors, or other persons, by order of the several towns or districts, and to give his receipt for the same. And it is hereby recommended to the several towns and districts, within this province, that they immediately call town and district meetings, and give directions to all constables, collectors, and other persons who may have any part of the province tax of such town or district in their respective hands or possession, in consequence of any late order and directions of any town or district, that he or they immediately pay the same to the said Henry Gardner, Esq., for the purposes aforesaid. And it is also recommended that the several towns and districts, in said directions, signify and expressly engage to such constable, collector, or other persons as shall have their said moneys in their hands, that their paying the same to Henry Gardner, Esq., aforesaid, and producing his receipt therefor, shall ever hereafter operate as an effectual discharge to such persons for the same. And it is hereby recommended, that the like order be observed respecting the tax ordered by the great and general court at their last May session. And it is further recommended to all sheriffs or deputy sheriffs, or coroners, who may have in their hands any moneys belonging to the province, that they immediately pay the same to the said receiver general, taking his receipt therefor. And the said Henry Gardner, Esq., the receiver general, shall be ac

countable to this or some other Congress or house of representatives of this province.

And to the end that all the moneys heretofore assessed in pursuance of any former grants and orders of the great and general court or assembly of this province, and hitherto uncollected by the several constables and collectors to whom the several lists of assessment thereof were committed, may be effectually levied and collected; and also to the end that all the moneys granted and ordered to be assessed by the general court at their session in May last, which have been assessed, or which may be assessed, may be also speedily and punctually collected, it is earnestly recommended by this body to the several constables and collectors, respectively, who have such assessments in their hands, or to whom any assessments yet to be made may be committed by the assessors of any towns or districts, that, in levying and collecting the respective part or proportion of the total of such assessments therein set down to the several persons named therein, they should act and proceed in the same way and manner as is expressed and provided in the form of a warrant, given and contained in ||an|| act or law of this province, entitled "an act prescribing the form of a warrant for collecting of town assessments," &c.

And it is hereby strongly recommended to all the inhabitants of the several towns and districts in this province, that they, without fail, do afford to their respective constables and collectors all that aid and assistance which shall be necessary to enable them in that manner to levy the contents of such assessments; and that they do oblige and compel the said constables and collectors to comply with and execute the directions of this resolve, inasmuch as the present most alarming situation and circumstances of this province do make it absolutely necessary for the safety thereof.

Whereas, in consequence of the present unhappy disputes between Great Britain and the colonies, a formidable body of troops, with warlike preparations of every sort, are already arrived at, and others destined for the metropolis of this province; and the 'expressed design of their being sent, is to execute acts of the British parliament utterly subversive of the constitution of the province; and whereas, his excellency General Gage has attempted by his troops to disperse the inhabitants of Salem, whilst assembled to consult measures for preserving their freedom, and to subjugate the province to arbitrary government; and, proceeding to still more unjustifiable and alarming lengths, has fortified against the country the capital of the province, and thus b ||express.||

a ||one.||

greatly endangered the lives, liberties and properties of its oppressed citizens; invaded private property by unlawfully seizing and retaining large quantities of ammunition in the arsenal at Boston, and sundry pieces of ordnance in the same town; committed to the custody of his troops, the arms, ammunition, ordnance, and warlike stores of all sorts, provided at the public expense, for the use of the province; and by all possible means endeavored to place the province entirely in a defenceless state; at the same time having neglected and altogether disregarded assurances from this Congress of the pacific dispositions of the inhabitants of the province, and entreaties that he would cease from measures which tended to prevent a restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the colonies:

Wherefore it is the opinion of this Congress, that notwithstanding nothing but slavery ought more to be deprecated than hostilities with Great Britain, notwithstanding the province has not the most distant design of attacking, annoying, or molesting his majesty's troops, aforesaid, but, on the other hand, will consider and treat every attempt of the kind, as well as all measures tending to prevent a reconciliation between Great Britain and the colonies as the highest degree of enmity to the province, nevertheless, there is great reason, from the considerations aforesaid, to be apprehensive of the most fatal consequences; and that the province may be in some degree provided against the same, and under full persuasion that the measures expressed in the following resolves are perfectly consistent with such resolves of the Continental Congress as have been communicated to us, it is

Resolved, and hereby recommended to the several companies of militia in this province, who have not already chosen and appointed officers, that they meet forthwith, and elect officers to command their respective companies; and that the officers so chosen assemble as soon as may be; and where the said officers shall judge the limits of the present regiments too extensive that they divide them, and settle and determine their limits, and proceed to elect field officers to command their respective regiments ||so formed;|| and that the field officers, so elected, forthwith endeavor to enlist one quarter, at least, of the number of the respective companies, and form them into companies of fifty privates, at the least, who shall equip and hold themselves in readiness to march at the shortest notice; and that each and every company, so formed, choose a captain and two lieutenants to command them on any necessary and emergent service, and that the said captains and subalterns, so elected, form the said companies into battalions, to consist of nine companies each, and that the captains and subalterns of each battalion,

And

so formed, proceed to elect field officers to command the same. the Congress doth most earnestly recommend that all the aforesaid elections be proceeded in and made with due deliberation and ||a|| generous regard to the public service.

Also Resolved, That the security of the lives, liberties, and properties o. the inhabitants of this province depends, under Providence, on their knowledge and skill in the art military, and in their being properly and effectually armed and equipped; if any of said inhabitants are not provided with arms and ammunition, according to law, that they immediately provide themselves therewith, and that they use their utmost diligence to perfect themselves in military skill; and that if any town or district within the province is not provided with the full town stock of arms and ammunition, according to law, the selectmen of such town or district take effectual care, without delay, to provide the

same.

The committee on the state of the province, reported a resolve relative to the removal of the inhabitants of the town of Boston. After the same was read and some debate had thereon, the question (upon a motion made) was put, whether the matter now subside, and it passed in the affirmative.

Resolved, As the opinion of this Congress, that Cambridge is the most eligible place for the committee of safety, at present, to sit in. Resolved, That two gentlemen be added to the committee of safety. Ordered, That Col. Prescot, Doct. Holten, and Mr. Gill, be a committee to count and sort the votes for two gentlemen to be added to the committee of safety.

The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes. After counting and sorting the same, the committee reported that Mr. Pigeon and Capt. Heath were chosen.

Resolved, That the extract of the resolves, relative to the militia, which passed this day be printed, and a copy thereof sent to all the towns and districts in this province.

The Congress adjourned till the 23d day of November next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, then to meet in this place.

WEDNESDAY, November 23, 1774, A. M.

The Congress met according to adjournment, and then adjourned till half past two o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Congress being apprehensive that the Hon. Walter Spooner, Esq., had not received the resolve passed by them, inviting the mem