Colonel Lee Doctor Church Doctor Holten Mr. Gerry Colonel Tyng Captain Roberson Major Foster and Mr. Gorham be a Committee to take into consideration the state of the Province, and report as soon as may be.

Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.

Thursday, October 13, 1774.

Congress met agreeable to adjournment.

Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Committee on the State of the Province, reported the following Message to his Excellency. The same was considered and accepted by the Congress, with one dissenting voice only, and the President requested to attest the same.

May it please your Excellency:

The Delegates from the several Towns in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay having convened in general Congress, beg leave to address your Excellency:—The distressed and miserable state of the Province, occasioned by the intolerable grievances and oppressions to which the people are subjected, and the danger and destruction to which they are exposed, of which your Excellency must be sensible, and the want of a General Assembly have rendered it indispensably necessary to collect the wisdom of the Province by their Delegates in this Congress, to concert some adequate remedy for preventing impending ruin, and providing for the publick safety.

It is with the utmost concern we see your hostile preparations which have spread such alarm throughout this Province and the whole Continent, as threatens to involve us in all the confusion and horrours of a civil war; and while we contemplate an event so deeply to be regretted by every good man, it must occasion the surprise and astonishment of all mankind, that such measures are pursued against a people whose love of order, attachment to Britain and loyalty to their Prince, have ever been truly exemplary. Your Excellency must be sensible that the sole end of Government is the protection and security of the people. Whenever therefore that power, which was originally instituted to effect these important and valuable purposes, is employed to harass, distress or enslave the people, in this case it becomes a curse rather than a blessing.

The most painful apprehensions are excited in our minds by the measures now pursuing. The rigorous execution of the Port Bill, with improved severity, must eventually reduce the capital and its numerous dependencies to a state of poverty and ruin. The Acts for altering the Charter and the administration of justice in the Colony, are manifestly designed to abridge this people of their rights, and to license murders; and if carried into execution, will reduce them to a state of slavery. The number of Troops in the capital, increased by daily accession drawn from the whole Continent, together with the formidable and hostile preparations which you are now making on Boston Neck in our opinion greatly endanger the lives, liberties and properties, not only of our brethren in the town of Boston but of this Province in general. Permit us to ask your Excellency, whether an inattentive and unconcerned acquiescence to such alarming, such menacing measures, would not evidence a state of insanity; or, whether the delaying to take every possible precaution for the security of this Province, would not be the most criminal neglect in a people heretofore rigidly and justly tenacious of their constitutional rights ?

Penetrated with the most poignant concern, and ardently solicitous to preserve union and harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, so indispensably necessary to the wellbeing of both, we entreat your Excellency to remove that brand of contention, the Fortress at the entrance of Boston. We are much concerned that you should have been induced to construct it, and thereby causelessly excite such a spirit of resentment and indignation as now generally prevails.

We assure you sir, that the good people of this Colony never have had the least intention to do any injury to his Majesty's troops; but on the contrary most earnestly desire that every obstacle to treating them as fellow-subjects may be immediately removed; but are constrained to tell your Excellency, that the minds of the people will never be relieved till those hostile works are demolished; and we request you, as you regard his Majesty's honour and interest, the dignity and happiness of the Empire, and the peace and welfare of this Province, that you immediately desist from the Fortress now constructing at the South entrance into the town of Boston and restore the pass to its natural state.

Upon a motion,

Ordered That a fair copy of the foregoing Report be taken and presented to his Excellency Thomas Gage Esquire, and that a Committee be appointed to wait upon him early to-morrow morning with the same. Accordingly, Colonel Lee Honourable Colonel Ward Colonel Orne Captain Gardner Henry Gardner Esq., Mr. Devens Mr. Gorham Captain Brown Colonel Pomeroy Honourable Colonel Prescott Colonel Thayer Mr. Williams Captain Heath Captain Upham Mr. Barnes Captain Doolittle Mr. Lothrop Major Thompson Mr. Palmer Mr. Pickering and Captain Thompson were appointed.

Resolved That when this Congress shall adjourn over the Sabbath, that it be adjourned to the Court House in Cambridge.

Then the Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.

Friday, October 14, 1774.

Resolved That the Message of his Excellency be printed in the Boston newspapers.

Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Committee on the State of the Province reported the following Resolve, which was read, considered and accepted, and ordered that it be printed in the Boston newspapers, and attested by the Secretary.

Resolved That the several Constables and Collectors of Taxes throughout the Province, who have or shall have any Moneys in their hands collected on Province Assessments, be advised not to pay the same, or any part thereof, to the Honourable Harrison Gray Esq., but that such Constables and Collectors, as also such Constables and Collectors as have or shall have any County Moneys in their hands, take and observe such orders and directions touching the same, as shall be given them by the several Towns and Districts by whom they were chosen. And that the Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs of the several Counties in the Province, who have in their hands any Province Moneys, be also advised not to pay the same to the said Harrison Gray Esq., but that they retain the same in their hands respectively, until the further advice of a Provincial Congress, or order from a constitutional Assembly of this Province. And that the present Assessors of the several Towns and Districts in the Province be advised to proceed to make assessments of the Tax granted by the Great and General Court of the Province at their last May session, and that such assessments be duly paid by the persons assessed, to such person or persons as shall be ordered by the said Towns and Districts respectively. And the Congress strongly recommend the payment of the Tax accordingly.

The Congress then adjourned to the Court House in Cambridge there to meet on Monday next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon.

Monday, October 17, 1774.

The Congress met according to adjournment, and adjourned to the Meeting House in Cambridge.

Upon a motion,

Ordered That Captain Gardner Mr. Watson and Mr. Cheever be a Committee to wait on the Reverend Dr. Appleton and desire that he would attend the Congress and open the meeting with Prayer.

The Committee reported that they had waited on the Reverend Dr. Appleton and delivered the message, and that he would wait on the Congress immediately.

Upon a motion, the question was put, whether application be made to the Governour of the College, for leave