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CORRESPONDENCE,

IN 1774 AND 1775,

BETWEEN A COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON AND CONTRIBUTORS OF DONATIONS FOR THE RELIEF OF· THE SUFFERERS BY THE BOSTON PORT BILL.

[AMONG the archives of the MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY are two Letter Books; one, containing copies of Letters addressed to the Committee appointed by the Town of Boston to receive and distribute the Donations contributed for the relief of the sufferers by the Boston Port Bill; and the other, containing the Replies to these Letters by the Committee. In some instances, no reply to the letters is recorded. This Correspondence is now, for the first time, printed. For convenience of reference, the letters of both volumes are arranged chronologically-the reply following the letter to which it is an answer. On a fly-leaf of one of these volumes, is the following memorandum : This Book contains copies of certain Letters directed to a Committee of the Town of Boston, appointed to receive and distribute such Donations as might be sent to them, for the Employment or Relief of such Tradesmen and others, Inhabitants of said Town, who might become sufferers for want of employment in their several occupations, by means of the unprecedented and cruel Edict of the British Parliament for shutting up the Harbor of Boston.'

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The Boston Port Bill received the royal assent on the 31st of March, 1774, and went into effect on the first of June. The House of Representatives of Massachusetts, on the 17th of June, the day it was dissolved by Governor Gage, passed the following preamble and resolution :

"Whereas the towns of Boston and Charlestown are at this time suffering under the hand of power, by the shutting up the harbor 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 all 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 4TH S.-VOL. II.

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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.'

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Subsequently, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress took measures to promote contributions; and, on the 17th of September, the Continental Congress "Resolved, unanimously, That contributions from all the Colonies, for supplying the necessities and alleviating the distresses of our brethren at Boston, ought to be continued, in such manner, and so long, as their occasions may require." The following extracts from the Boston Town Records, of 1774, will show the action of the town in relation to the appointment of the Donation Committee and the reception of the contributions.

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On the 13th of May, moved and voted, nem. con., that Mr. Samuel Adams, John Rowe, Esq., Thomas Boylston, Esq., William Phillips, Esq., Dr. Joseph Warren, John Adams, Esq., Josiah Quincy, Esq., the Hon. Thomas Cushing, Esq., Mr. Henderson Inches, Mr. William Molineux, Mr. Nathaniel Appleton, be and hereby are appointed a committee to take the several proposals that have been made, and others that may be made, relative to our conduct on the present exigency, into their consideration, and report as soon as may be their opinion.'

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On the 17th of June, it was voted : Whereas the Overseers of the Poor, in the Town of Boston, are a body politic by law, constituted for the receipt and distribution of all charitable donations for the use of the poor of said town,

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Voted, That all grants and donations to this town and the poor thereof, at this distressed season, be paid and delivered into the hands of the Overseers, and by them appropriated and distributed, in concert with the Committee lately appointed by this town, for the consideration of the ways and means of employing the poor.

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On the 19th of July, the Overseers of the Poor, "for reasons offered by them, did desire to be discharged from further services touching the receiving and distributing donations, when it was, Voted, That Capt. Fortesque Vernon, Captain Edward Proctor, Mr. John White, Mr. Gibbens Sharp, Capt. William Mackay, Mr. Thomas Greenough, Capt. Samuel Partridge, Benjamin Austin, Esq., Mr. Jonathan Mason, Mr. John Brown, Mr. James Richardson, Mr. Thomas Crafts, Jr., Mr. Henry Hill, Mr. Joshua Henshaw, Jr., be added to the first-named committee;" i. e. the committee chosen May 13.

On the 26th of July is the following vote: "Voted, That the gentlemen whose names are after mentioned, viz., Mr. Samuel Adams, John Rowe, Esq., Mr. Thomas Boylston, William Phillips, Esq., Dr. Joseph Warren, John Adams, Esq., Josiah Quincy, Esq., Thomas Cushing, Esq., Mr. Henderson Inches, Mr. William Molineux, Mr. Nathan Appleton, Capt. Fortesque Vernon, Capt. Edward Proctor, Mr. John White, Mr. Gibbens Sharp, Capt. William Mackay, Mr. Thomas Greenough, Capt. Samuel Partridge, Benjamin Austin, Esq., Mr. Jonathan Mason, Mr. John Brown, Mr. James Richardson, Mr. Thomas Crafts, Jr., Mr. Henry Hill, Mr. Joshua Henshaw, Jr., Mr. David Jeffries, be, and hereby are appointed the committee to receive all donations that have been, or may be made for the employment or relief of such inhabitants of this town as may be sufferers for want of employment in their several occupations, by means of the act of the British Parliament for shutting up the harbor of Boston, and to appropriate, improve, or distribute

the same for the purpose aforesaid, according to their best discretion; the said committee to be accountable to the town."

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On the 9th of August is the following record: "The committee on ways and means for employing the poor, and receiving and applying the donations that have and may be made them, at this distressing season, reported verbally, That it was in their opinion, that the poor of our sister town of Charlestown, were suffering with us, under the operation of the Boston Port Bill, ought to share with our poor in those donations.' Upon which it was moved, and the question was accordingly put, Whether our sister town of Charlestown is equitably entitled to a certain part of the donations that are and may be received for the employment and relief of such persons as are sufferers by the operation of the Boston Port Bill,' which passed in the affirmative unanimously. Álso moved, that whereas the town of Charlestown have had encouragement from the committee on ways and means, that they were to receive seven per cent. out of the donations mentioned above, said committee may now accordingly be directed to apply for their relief out of said donations, in the proportion of seven per cent. And the question being put, passed in the affirmative.'

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On the 25th of October, "On a motion made, that ten persons be added to the committee of ways and means for employing the poor sufferers by the operation of the Boston Port Bill, so called, Voted, That Mr. Daniel Waldo, Mr. William Whitwell, Capt. John Pulling, Mr. Peter Boyer, Mr. Samuel f May, Mr. John Avery, Jr., Mr. William Boardman, Mr. John Soley, Capt. Nehemiah Soames, Mr. John Preston, be, and hereby are added to the committee on ways and means for employing the poor.

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Samuel Adams signs his name as chairman of the Donation Committee, in tits official letters; and it is stated that the Town Treasurer, David Jeffries, was its Treasurer. The replies to the letters from abroad were evidently from different pens. In the Boston archives may be found much matter relative to Te the proceedings of this committee.

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The town records, under the date of the 7th of December, 1774, read : On a motion made, Voted, That a committee be appointed to draught a vote of thanks of the Town of Boston expressive of their gratitude for the beneven olent assistance which they have received from the other Colonies, during their Ric present calamities, and particularly for [the] generous recommendation of the Jr. respectable Continental Congress for farther support from their sister Colonies, 13 during their unhappy struggles, under the arbitrary and oppressive measures tler of the present British administration.

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Voted, That Jonathan Williams, Esq., Moderator, the Hon. James Otis, n. J Esq., Dr. Benjamin Church, Dr. Joseph Warren, Mr. John Pitts, Joseph anders Greenleaf, Esq., Mr. William Cooper, be a committee to prepare said report, and report the same at the adjournment."

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On the 30th of December is the following record: The following vote, enja expressive of the gratitude of the town for the benevolent assistance received Rich from the other Colonies under our present calamities, and the kind recommendJr., ation of the late respectable Continental Congress for future support, passed Zeive nem. con.

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"Whereas the Town of Boston is befortunately become the most striking ment monument of ministerial tyranny and barbarity, as is particularly exhibited in ment the sudden shutting up this port, thereby cruelly depriving the inhabitants of istrite this metropolis of the means they have hitherto used to support their families;

and whereas our brethren in the other Colonies, well knowing that we are suffering in the common cause of America and of mankind, have, from a generous and brotherly disposition, contributed largely towards our support in this time of our general distress (without which many of our worthy and virtuous citizens must have been in imminent danger of perishing with cold and hunger):

"And whereas the honorable members of the Continental Congress have kindly recommended us to our sister Colonies, as worthy of farther support from them, while the iron hand of unremitting oppression lies heavy upon us. Therefore

"Voted, That this Town, truly sensible of the generous assistance they have received from their sympathizing brethren, return them their earnest and most sincere thanks for the same. And they pray that God, whose beneficence they so gloriously imitate, may bestow upon them the blessings he has promised to all them, who feed the hungry and clothe the naked: And the thanks of this Town are accordingly hereby given to our benefactors aforementioned, and to the honorable members of the Congress, for their benevolence towards us, expressed as aforesaid, which support, if continued, cannot fail of animating us to remain steadfast in defending the rights of America.

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The ninth volume of the second series of these Collections contains a List of the Donations received in 1775, from January 30 to April 17. It was printed from manuscript, and as it goes no further back than January, 1775, of course it is incomplete. Before this date, the Boston journals regularly acknowledged the receipt of the donations; and though the list referred to, specifies the same contributors which the journals name during the corresponding period, yet, in many cases, the specification in the journals is more full than it is in the list.-R. F., JR.]

GENTLEMEN,

LETTER FROM WINDHAM.1

Windham, Connecticut, 28th June, 1774.

'Tis with pity, mixed with indignation, that we have beheld the cruel and unmanly attacks made by the British Parliament on the loyal and patriotic Town of Boston, who seem destined to feel the force of ministerial wrath, the whole weight of parliamentary vengeance levelled at them in a manner so replete with cruelty and injustice, as must strike every heart with horror, and fill every breast with

1 The only letter addressed to the Donation Committee which appears in the contemporary journals, is that of the town of Windham. The Boston Gazette, of July 18, 1774, contains the following letter, bearing on the contributions,

rage, that is not entirely void of every sentiment of honor and justice, and callous to all the common feelings of humanity. But when we consider the cause of all these calamities, that it is nothing less, on your part, than a strict adherence to the fundamental principles of the Constitution,

addressed, probably, to the Committee of Correspondence. The Gazette says: "The Boston Committee have received the following spirited letter from the Committee of Correspondence of the respectable town of Glastenbury, in the patriotic colony of Connecticut."-ED.

GENTLEMEN:

Glastenbury, in Connecticut, June 23, 1774.

We cannot but heartily sympathize with you under the gloomy prospects which at present are before you, upon account of those oppressive Acts of Parliament which have lately been passed, respecting Boston in particular, and the Province of Massachusetts Bay in general. Especially when we consider that our liberties and privileges are so nearly and indissolubly connected with yours, that an encroachment upon one, at least, destroys all the security of the other. It seems the Parliament of Great Britain are determined to reduce America to a state of vassalage, and, unless we all unite in the common cause, they will undoubtedly accomplish their design. We are much surprised to find so many of the merchants in Boston courting favor of the tools of the ministry, and heaping encomiums on that enemy to liberty, that traitor to his country, and abettor, if not author, of all these evils to America. However, we hope the spirit of liberty is not entirely fled from Boston, but that you will yet hold out, and to the last resist and oppose those who are striving to enslave America. You may depend on us, and we believe all Connecticut, almost to a man, to stand by you and assist you in the defence of our invaluable rights and privileges, even to the sacrificing of our lives and fortunes in so good a cause. You will see the determinations and resolves of this town, which we have inclosed. A subscription is set on foot for the relief of the poor in Boston, and what money or provisions shall be collected, we shall forward as soon as possible. We are informed that your House of Representatives have appointed a time for the meeting of the general Congress, in which we hope all the Colonies will concur, and that a nonimportation and non-exportation agreement, will be immediately come into, which we doubt not will procure the desired effect. And notwithstanding the gloomy. aspect of things at present, we cannot but look forward, with fond hopes and pleasing expectations, to that glorious era, when America, in spite of all the efforts of her enemies to the contrary, shall rise superior to all opposition, overcome oppression, be a refuge for the oppressed, a nurse of liberty, a scourge to tyranny, and the envy of the world.

Then (if you stand firm and unshaken amidst this storm of ministerial vengeance) shall it be told to your everlasting honor, that Boston stood foremost in the cause of liberty, when the greatest power on earth was striving to divest them of it; and by their noble efforts, joined with the united virtue of her sister Colonies, they overcame, and thereby have transmitted to posterity those invaluable rights and privileges, which their forefathers purchased with their blood. And now, Gentlemen, relying on your steadiness and firmness in the common cause, we subscribe, your most obedient, humble servants,

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