of this meeting, and transmit the same to the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston.

Voted, To dissolve this meeting; and it was dissolved accordingly.

THEODORE SEDGWICK, Clerk.

N. B.-The proceedings aforesaid were preceded by an animated prayer, made by the Rev. Mr. West.

CONVENTION OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Ar a meeting of the following gentlemen, chosen by the several towns in the county of Cumberland, held at Falmouth, in said county, on the 21st day of September, 1774, at the house of Mrs. Greele, viz.:

Falmouth-Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., Stephen Longfellow, Esq., Mr. Richard Codman, Capt. John Waite, Mr. Enoch Ilsey, Mr. Samuel Freeman. Scarborough-Capt. Timothy McDaniel, Capt. Reuben Fogg, Mr. Joshua

Fabyan.

North Yarmouth-Mr. John Lewis, David Mitchel, Esq., Mr. Jonathan Mitchel, Mr. John Gray, Mr. William Cutter.

Gorham-Solomon Lombard, Esq., William Gorham, Esq., Capt. Edmund Phinney, Capt. Briant Morton, Mr. Joseph Davis.

Cape Elizabeth-Doct. Clement Jordan, Mr. Peter Woodbury, Mr. Samuel Dunn, Capt. Jeduthan Dyer, Doct. Nathaniel Jones, Mr. George Strout. Brunswick-Mr. Samuel Thompson, Mr. Samuel Stanwood, Capt. Thomas

Moulton.

Harpswell-Mr. Joseph Ewing, Capt. John Stover, Mr. Andrew Dunning. Windham-Mr. Zerubabel Honeywell, Mr. Thomas Trott, Mr. David Bar

ker.

New Gloucester-Mr. William Harris, Mr. Isaac Parsons.

The Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., was chosen chairman, and Mr. Samuel Freeman, clerk.

A committee from the body of the people, who were assembled at the entrance of the town, waited on this convention, to see if they would choose a committee of one member out of each town, to join them, to wait upon Mr. Sheriff Tyng, to see whether he would act in his office, under the late act of parliament for regulating the government. On a motion made, Voted, that a messenger be sent to the said Sheriff Tyng, to desire his attendance at this convention. A messenger then waited upon Mr. Tyng, with the following billet, viz.:

Mr. Sheriff Tyng's company is desired at the convention of the county now sitting at Mrs. Greele's.

SAMUEL FREEMAN, Clerk.

Wednesday, Sept. 21st, 1774, 11 o'clock, A. M.

Mr. Tyng accordingly attended, and, after some interrogations, subscribed the following declaration, viz.:

COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, FALMOUTH, Sept. 21, 1774. Whereas, great numbers of the inhabitants of this county are now assembled near my house, in consequence of the false representations of some evil minded persons, who have reported that I have endeavored, all in my power, to enforce the late acts of parliament, relating to this province : I do hereby solemnly declare, that I have not, in any way whatever, acted or endeavored to act, in conformity to said acts of parliament; and, in compliance with the commands of the inhabitants so assembled, and by the advice of a committee from the several towns in this county, now assembled in Congress, I further declare I will not, as sheriff of said county, or otherwise, act in conformity to, or by virtue of, said acts, unless by the general consent of the said county. I further declare, I have not received any commission inconsistent with the charter of this province, nor any commission whatever, since the first day of July last.

WILLIAM TYNG.

COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND.-At the convention of committees from the several towns in the said county, held at the house of Mrs. Greele, in Falmouth, in said county, September 21st, 1774, Voted, that the foregoing, by William Tyng, Esq., subscribed, is satisfactory to this convention.

The convention then formed themselves into a committee, to accompany Mr. Tyng to the body of the people, to present the above declaration, and adjourned to the old town house, at three o'clock, P. M., the deliberation to be in public.

The committee accordingly went with Mr. Tyng, who read the declaration to the people, which they voted to be satisfactory, and after refreshing themselves, returned peaceably to their several homes.

Met according to adjournment.

Afternoon.

Voted, That Mr. Samuel Freeman, Solomon Lombard, Esq., Stephen Longfellow, Esq., David Mitchel, Esq., Mr. John Lewis, Capt. John Waite, Mr. Samuel Thompson, Capt. Timothy McDaniel, Doct. Nathaniel Jones, Mr. Isaac Parsons, Enoch Freeman, Esq., Mr. David Barker, and Capt. John Stover, be a committee to draw up the sentiments of this convention, and report the same at the adjournment.

Then adjourned to Thursday morning, eight o'clock, September 22.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1774.

Met according to adjournment, when the committee presented the following report, which, after being read paragraph by paragraph, was unanimously accepted, viz. :

The great concern with which the people of this county view the increas

ing differences, which now subsist between the mother country and the colonies, and the dark prospect which some late acts of the British parliament have, in particular, opened to them, have occasioned the several towns herein to choose committees for this convention, "to consider what measures it would be thought expedient to adopt for the general interest of the county, in the present alarming situation of our public affairs." We, therefore, the said committees, pursuant to the request of our respective towns, guided by a strong attachment to the interest of our oppressed country, think it proper, with respect and deference to our brethren in the other counties, to make known our minds as follows:

We think it the indispensable duty of every subject of the English constitution, for his own sake, as well as that of future generations, to use his utmost care, and endeavor, according to the station he is in, to preserve the same inviolate and unimpaired; for we regard it, not only as the foundation of all our civil rights and liberties, but as a system of government the best calculated to promote the people's peace and happiness: and we lament, that in the present administration, there are inen so lost to all the principles of honor, equity, and justice, as to attempt a violation of the rights which we have long enjoyed, and which, while we profess ourselves, as we now declare we do, faithful subjects to George the third, our rightful sovereign, we have a right still to enjoy entire and unmolested: and it is a melancholy consideration, that the acknowledged head of this respected state should be induced to pass his sanction to such laws as tend to the subversion of that glorious freedom, which preserves the greatness of the British empire, and gives it reputation throughout all the nations of the civilized world. It is too apparent, that the British ministry have long been hatching monstrous acts to break our constitution, and some they have at length brought forth. We think the colonies deserve a better treatment from his majesty than this which he assents to. We are his loyal subjects, and merit his regard, and cannot help thinking that if he would pursue his own unbiassed judgment, and lay aside the selfish counsel of wicked and designing men, he and his subjects would be mutually happy, and provocations on both sides cease. But since the ministry have borne their tyranny to such a length, as to endeavor to execute their wicked designs, by military force, in our metropolis, we fear it is their aim to introduce despotic monarchy. But though their tyranny and fell oppression seem now, with hasty strides, to threaten all the colonies with ruin and destruction, we hope no vengeance will affright, or wiles allure us to give up our dear bought liberty, that choicest boon of Heaven, which our fathers came into these regions to enjoy, and which we therefore will retain while life enables us to struggle for its blessings. We believe our enemies supposed we must submit, and tamely give up all our rights. It is true, a vigorous opposition will subject us to many inconveniences, but how much greater will our misery be, if we relinquish all we now enjoy, and lay our future earnings at the mercy of despotic men? We cannot bear the thought. Distant posterity would have cause to curse our folly, and the rising generation would justly execrate our mem

ory. We, therefore, recommend a manly opposition to those cruel acts, and every measure which despotism can invent to abridge our English Jiberties, and we hope that patience will possess our souls till Providence shall dissipate the gloomy cloud, and restore us to our former happy state. The late act for regulating the government of this province, we consider, in particular, as big with mischief and destruction, tending to the subversion of our charter and our province laws, and in its dire example, alarming to all the colonies. This, through the conduct of some enemies among ourselves, will soon bring us into difficulties, which will require some able counsel to remove. We therefore recommend to each town in this county, to instruct their several representatives to resolve themselves, with the other members of the house, at their approaching session, into a provincial congress, for this purpose.

To this congress we shall submit the general interest of the province, but for the particular benefit of this county, we do advise and recommend:

1. That the justices of the sessions, and court of common pleas, and every other civil officer in this county, whom no authority can remove but that which constituted them, agreeably to charter and our own provincial laws, would religiously officiate in their several departments, as if the aforesaid act had never been invented, and that every private person would pay a strict obedience to such officers, be always ready to protect and to support them, and promote a due observance of our own established laws; and if any persons whatsoever should, henceforth, in any manner, dare to aid the operation of the said tyrannical act, they should be considered as malignant enemies to our charter rights, unfit for civil society, and undeserving of the least regard or favor from their fellow countrymen.

2. That every one should do his utmost to discourage lawsuits, and likewise compromise disputes as much as possible.

3. That it be recommended to the honorable Jeremiah Powell, Esq., and Jedediah Preble, Esq., constitutional councillors of this province, residing in this county, that they should take their places at the board the ensuing session as usual.

4. We cannot but approve of the recommendation given by the convention of Suffolk county, to the several collectors of province taxes, not to pay one farthing more into the province treasury, until the government of the province is placed on a constitutional foundation, or until the Provincial Congress shall order otherwise, and we recommend the same to the several collectors in this county; but we think it the duty of the several collectors of county, town, and district taxes, to perfect their collections, and pay the same into their several treasuries as soon as possible. And here we think it proper to observe, that though we do not coincide in every instance with our Suffolk brethren, which may be owing to a want of knowing all the circumstances of affairs, yet we highly applaud their virtuous zeal and determined resolution.

5. We recommend to every town in this county, charitably to contribute to the relief of our suffering brethren in our distressed metropolis.

6. Lest oppression, which maketh even wise men mad, should hurry some people into tumults and disorders, we would recommend, that every individual in the county use his best endeavors to suppress, at all times, riots, mobs, and all licentiousness, and that our fellow subjects would consider themselves, as they always are, in the presence of the great God, who loveth order, not confusion.

7. That when a general non-importation agreement takes place, we shall look upon it to be the duty of every vender of merchandize, to sell his goods at the present rates; and if any person shall exhorbitantly enhance the prices of his goods, we shall look upon him as an oppressor of his country. And in order to prevent imposition in this respect, we recommend that a committee be chosen in each town, to receive complaints against any who may be to blame herein: and if he shall refuse to wait on such committee, on notice given, or be found culpable in this respect, his name shall be published in the several towns of the county, as undeserving of the future custom of his countrymen.

8. That every one who has it in his power, would improve our breed of sheep, and, as far as possible, increase their number; and also encourage the raising of flax, and promote the manufactures of the country.

9. As the very extraordinary and alarming act for establishing the Roman catholic religion, and French laws, in Canada, may introduce the French or Indians into our frontier towns, we recommend that every town and individual in this county, should be provided with a proper stock of military stores, according to our province law, and that some patriotic military officers be chosen in each town, to exercise their several companies, and make them perfect in the military art.

10. Our general grievances being the subject of deliberation before the Continental Congress, renders it inexpedient to consider them particularly ; on their wisdom we have a great dependence, and we think it will be our duty to lay aside every measure to which we have advised, that may be variant from theirs, and pay a due regard to their result.

And now we think it proper to declare, that as we have been recounting the hardships we endure by the machinations of our enemies at home, we cannot but gratefully acknowledge our obligation to those illustrious worthies, our friends of the minority, who constantly opposed those wicked measures, and would heartily wish, some great and good men would invent and mark out some plan that will unite the parent state to these, its colonies, and thereby prevent the effusion of christian blood.

Then, Voted, That every member of this convention be severally interrogated, whether he now has, or will hereafter, take any commission under the present act of parliament, for regulating the government of this province.

The members were accordingly interrogated, and each and every one of them answered in the negative.

Voted, That the several committees which compose this convention, or the major part of each, be, and hereby are, desired to interrogate the civil