MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The late Honourable House of Representatives of this Province, having finished all the ordinary public business of importance that had been before them, on Friday, June 17, 1774, came into the following Resolutions; present, one hundred and twenty-nine members, and only twelve dissentients,* viz:

In the House of Representatives, June 17, 1774.

This House having duly considered, and being deeply affected with the unhappy differences which have long subsisted, and are increasing, between Great Britain and the American Colonies, do resolve, that a meeting of Committees, from the several Colonies on this Continent is highly expedient and necessary, to consult upon the present state of the Colonies, and the miseries, to which they are, and must be reduced, by the operation of certain Acts, of Parliament respecting America; and to deliberate and determine upon wise and proper measures to be by them recommended to all the Colonies, for the recovery and establishment of their just rights and liberties, civil and religious, and the restoration of union and harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, most ardently desired by all good men.

Therefore, resolved, That the Honourable James Bowdoin, Esq., the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esq., Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert Treat Paine, Esquires, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee on the part of this Province, for the purposes aforesaid, any three of whom to be a quorum, to meet such Committees or Delegates from the other Colonies, as have been or may be appointed, either by their respective Houses of Burgesses or Representatives, or by Convention, or by the Committees of Correspondence appointed by the respective Houses of Assembly, to meet in the City of Philadelphia, or any other place that shall be judged most suitable by the Committee on the first day of September next; and that the Speaker of the House be directed, in a letter to the Speakers of the Houses of Burgesses or Representatives in the several Colonies, to inform them of the substance of these resolves.

Whereas, this House, taking into consideration the many distresses and difficulties to which the American Colonies, and this Province in particular, are and must be reduced by the operation of certain late Acts of Parliament, have determined that it is highly expedient that a Committee should be appointed to meet, as soon as may be, the Committees that are or shall be appointed by the several Colonies on this Continent, to consult together upon the present state of the Colonies, and to deliberate and determine upon wise and proper measures to be by them recommended to all the Colonies for the recovery and establishment of their just rights and liberties, civil and religious, and the restoration of that union and harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, most ardently desired by all good men. And the Honourable James Bowdoin, Esquire, the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esquire, Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert Treat Paine, Esquires, are appointed a Committee on the part of this Province, for the purposes aforesaid; any three of whom to be a quorum, to meet such Committees or Delegates from the other Colonies as have been or may be appointed, either by their respective Houses of Burgesses or Representatives, or by Convention, or by Committees of Correspondence appointed by the respective Houses of Assembly, to meet in the City of Philadelphia, or any other place that shall be judged most suitable by the joint Committees, on the first day of September next. And whereas this House did resolve, that there be paid to said Committee, out of the public Treasury, the sum of five hundred pounds, to enable them to discharge the important trust to which they are appointed; they, upon their return, to be accountable for the same. And said Resolve was sent up to the Honourable Board for their concurrence, who accordingly concurred in the Resolve of the House; but his Excellency the Governour declined his consent to the same. Wherefore this House would recommend, and they do accordingly hereby recommend to the several towns and districts within this Province, that each town and district raise, collect and pay, to the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esquire, of Boston, the sum of five hundred pounds, by the fifteenth day of August next, agreeable to a list herewith exhibited, being each town and district's proportion of said sum, according to the last Province tax, to enable them to discharge the important trust to which they are appointed; they, upon their return, to be accountable for the same.

Whereas the towns of Boston and Charlestown are at this time suffering under the hand of power, by the shutting the harbour by an armed force, which, in the opinion of this House, is an invasion of the said towns, evidently designed to compel the inhabitants thereof to a submission to taxes imposed upon them without their consent. And whereas it appears to this House, that this attack upon the said towns, for the purpose aforesaid, is an attack made upon this whole Province and Continent, which threatens the total destruction of the liberties of British America.

It is, therefore, Resolved, As the clear opinion of this House, that the inhabitants of the said towns ought to be relieved; and this House do recommend to all, and more especially to the inhabitants of this Province, to afford them speedy and constant relief, in such way and manner as shall be most suitable to their circumstances, till the sense and advice of our sister Colonies shall be known. In full confidence that they will exhibit examples of patience, fortitude and perseverance, while they are thus called to endure this oppression for the preservation of the liberties of their country.

Whereas this, and his Majesty's other Colonies in North America, have long been struggling under the heavy hand of power, and our dutiful petitions for the redress of our intolerable grievances, have not only been disregarded and frowned upon, but the design totally to alter the free Constitution of civil Government in British America, and establish arbitrary Governments, and reduce the inhabitants to slavery, appears more and more to be fixed and determined. It is, therefore, strongly recommended by this House, to the inhabitants of the Province, that they renounce altogether the consumption of India teas, and, as far as in them lies, discontinue the use of all goods and manufactures whatever, that shall be imported from the East Indies and Great Britain, until the public grievances of America shall be radically and totally redressed. And it is also further recommended to all, that they give all possible encouragement to the manufacturers of America. And it is moreover strongly recommended to the inhabitants aforesaid, that they use their utmost endeavours to suppress pedlars and petty chapmen, (who are of late become a very great nuisance,) by putting in execution the good and wholesome laws of this Province for that purpose.

June 17, 1774. His Excellency the Governour, having directed the Secretary to acquaint the two Houses that it was his pleasure the General Assembly should be dissolved, and to declare the same dissolved accordingly, the Secretary went to the Court House, and finding the door of the Representatives Chamber locked, directed the Messenger to go in and acquaint the Speaker that the Secretary had a Message from his Excellency to the Honourable House, and desire he might be admitted to deliver it. The Messenger returned, and said he had acquainted the Speaker therewith, who mentioned it to the House, and their orders were to keep the door fast.

Whereupon the following Proclamation was published on the stairs leading to the Representatives Chamber, in presence of several members of the House, and a great number of other persons, and immediately after in Council:

PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

By the GOVERNOUR.—A Proclamation for Dissolving the General Court.

Whereas the proceedings of the House of Representatives, in the present session of the General Court, make it

* The following is said to be a true list of the names of eleven of the gentlemen who voted AGAINST a Congress; the remaining one is at present uncertain—Colonel Worthington, Colonel Murray, Colonel Jones, Major Ingersol, David Thatcher, Esq., Abijah White, Esq., Colonel Bacon, Colonel Day, Captain Hayward, of Easton, Mr. Samuel Field, and Barnabas Freeman.