zealous of, and as warmly engaged to promote the best good and real glory of the grand whole, which constitutes the British Empire.

11th. That it is an indispensable duty which we owe to our King, our country, ourselves, and our posterity, by all lawful ways and means in our power, to maintain, defend and preserve, these our rights and liberties, and to transmit them entire and inviolate to the latest generations; and that it is our fixed, determined, and unalterable resolution, faithfully to discharge this our duty.

At their Sessions at Hartford, on the second Thursday of May, 1774, in the fourteenth year of his Majesty's reign, the foregoing Resolutions, reported to the House by their Committee, were unanimously voted, and ordered to be entered on their Journal or Record.

Boston, Wednesday, May 25, 1774.

This being the anniversary day appointed by the Royal Charter, for convening a great and general Court or Assembly of this Province, and for the election of his Majesty's Council, the gentlemen who were returned to serve and represent the several towns, met a Committee from the Honourable Board, authorized and appointed by his Excellency the Governour, administered the oaths required by Act of Parliament to the members of the House, who, after having taken the oath of abjuration, and subscribed the declaration, they unanimously chose Mr. Samuel Adams for their Clerk; the House then proceeded to the choice of a Speaker, when the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esquire, was unanimously chosen and approved.

The following gentlemen were elected Counsellors for the ensuing year:

For the late Colony of MASSACHUSETTS BAY.— The Honourable Samuel Danforth, John Erving, James Bowdoin, James Pitts, Samuel Dexter, Artemas Ward, Benjamin Greenleaf, Caleb Cushing, Samuel Phillips, John Winthrop, William Phillips, John Adams, James Prescott, Timothy Danielson, Richard Derby, inn., Michael Farley, Benjamin Austin, Norton Quincy, Esquires.

For the late Colony of PLYMOUTH.—James Otis, William Sever, Walter Spooner, Jerathmeel Bowers, Esquires.

For the Province of MAINE.—Jeremiah Powell, Jedediah Prebble, Enoch Freeman, Esquires.

For SAGADAHOCK.—Benjamin Chadburne, Esq.

At Large.—George Leonard, Jun., Jcdediah Foster, Esquires,

Before the election of Counsellors, letters were received from the Honourable Isaac Royall and James Goivan, Esquires, resigning their seats at the Board.

Thursday, May 26.

The list of Counsellors chosen yesterday, being, this day, agreeable to the direction of the Royal Charter, presented to the Governour, his Excellency was pleased to consent to the gentlemen before mentioned, except James Bowdoin, Samuel Dexter, John Winthrop, William Phillips, John Adams, James Prescott, Timothy Danielson, Michael Farley, Benjamin Austin, Norton Quincy, Jerathmeel Bowers, Enoch Freeman, Jedediah Foster, Esquires.

This day his EXCELLENCY was pleased to make the following Speech to both Houses:

Gentlemen of the COUNCIL, and Gentlemen of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

His Majesty having been pleased to appoint me Governour and Captain General of his Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and my commissions having been read and published, I have met you for the election of Counsellors for the ensuing year; on which business you have been convened agreeable to your Charter, and as that work is finished, you will proceed as you shall judge fit to the consideration of such other matters as may properly come before you, and that you judge ought to be entered upon previous: to the first of next month. And you will be assured that I shall with pleasure concur with you to the utmost of my power in all matters that tend to the welfare and prosperity of the Province. I make mention of the first of next month, because I have the King's particular commands for holding the General Court at Salem from that day, until his Majesty shall have signified his royal will and pleasure for holding it again at Boston.

The honour of my appointment to the command of this Government being so lately conferred, and the time since I took it upon me so very short, I have not at present any matter to lay before you, farther than to acquaint you, that the Provincial Treasurer having informed me that sufficient provision is made for the redemption of the Government securities that are now, and will become due in June, 1775, you will have no other burden upon you but to supply the Treasury for the support of Government for the ensuing year.

T. GAGE.

Council Chamber, May 26, 1774.

Marblehead, May 25, 1774.

AN ADDRESS PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON BY SUNDRY GENTLEMEN OF MARBLEHEAD.

To Govemour HUTCHINSON:

SIR: His Majesty having been pleased to appoint his Excellency the Honourable Thomas Gage, Esquire, to be Governour and Commander-in-chief over this Province, and you (as we are informed) being speedily to embark for Great Britain, we, the subscribers, merchants, traders and others, inhabitants of Marblehead, beg leave to present you our valedictory Address on this occasion; and as this is the only way we now have of expressing to you our entire approbation of your public conduct during the time you have presided in this Province, and of making you a return of our most sincere and hearty thanks for the ready assistance which you have at all times afforded us when applied to in matters which affected our navigation and commerce, we are induced from former experience of your goodness, to believe that you will freely indulge us in the pleasure of giving you this testimony of our sincere esteem and gratitude.

In your public administration we are fully convinced, that the general good was the mark which you have ever aimed at, and we can, sir, with pleasure assure you, that it is likewise the opinion of all dispassionate thinking men within the circle of our observation, notwithstanding many publications would have taught the world to think the contrary; and we beg leave to entreat you, that when you arrive at the Court of Great Britain, you would there embrace every opportunity of moderating the resentment of the Government against us, and use your best endeavours to have the unhappy dispute between Great Britain and this country brought to a just and equitable termination. We cannot omit the opportunity of returning you, in a particular manner, our most sincere thanks for your patronizing our cause in the matter of entering and clearing vessels at the Custom House, and making the fishermen pay hospital money. We believe it is owing to your representation of the matter that we are hitherto free from that burthen.

We heartily wish you, sir, a safe and prosperous passage to Great Britain; and when you arrive there, may you find such a reception as shall fully compensate for all the insults and indignities which have been offered you.

GOVERNOUR HUTCHINSON'S ANSWER

So kind an Address from so many gentlemen of respectable characters in the town of Marblehead, requires my most grateful acknowledgments. You may be assured of my endeavours, as far as shall fall within my sphere, to obtain what you desire.

THOMAS HUTCHINSON.