On May 12, 1774 the Boston Committee of Correspondence issued this broadside replying to the Boston Port Closure Act,.
This particular copy is from the town of Boxford, MA and was received by the town clerk on June 6, 1774.
BY the last advices from London we learn that an Act has been passed by the British Parliament for blocking up the Harbour of Boston, with a Fleet of Ships of War, and preventing the Entrance in, or Exportation of, all Sorts of Merchandize, on Penalty of Forfeiture of the Goods and the Vessels which carry them: And not only the Goods and Vessels are to be forfeited, but the very Wharfinger who shall assist in lading or discharging such Goods or Merchandize, shall forfeit treble their Value, at their highest Price, together with his Cattle, Horses, Carriages, Implements whatsoever, made Use of in lading or landing them.
And under these grievous and unheard of Impositions are we to remain till his Majesty in Council shall be certified by the Governor or Lieutenant Governor, that a full Obedience is yielded to the Laws of a British Parliament, and the Revenue duly collected; and also that the East-India Company have received full Satisfaction for their Teas, and the Revenue Officers, and others for their Sufferings, by their Endeavours to fix the Tea Duty upon us. And even then, the whole Port of Boston with all its Wharves, Quays, &c. shall be under the absolute Controul of his Majesty, and no Article of Merchandize landed on or laded from any of them, but such as he shall licence, on the Penalty abovesaid.
By this Means, even in Case of the most abject Submission, and unconditional Obedience, the private Property, in most of the Wharves which surround this great Town, is ravished from the rightful Owners, and rendered useless, to the utter Ruin of many worthy Citizens, in Revenge to the Patriotism of some, whom probably this Clause was inserted to punish.
To this alarming Situation has the Machinations of our Enemies here and in Great-Britain reduced us: And as this is a Cause so interesting to all America--A Cause which has been hitherto so nobly defended by ALL, we cannot entertain a Thought so dishonorable to our Friends, that in this Crisis we shall be left to struggle alone.
We are, Gentlemen,
Your Friends and Fellow Countrymen,
By Order of the Committee,
P. S. As it has been industriously and wickedly propagated that the patriotic Col. Barre had become our Enemy, we can assure you that in a Speech on this Bill he expressed himself in these emphatic Terms, "America is stamped upon every Loom and Anvil in Great-Britain." In plain English, let America discontinue its Trade, and the British Manufacturer must emigrate or starve.
N. B. This Letter was written in Presence of and with the Concurrence of the Committees of Correspondence for the Towns of Dorchester, Roxbury, Newtown, Lexington, Brooklyn, Cambridge, Charlestown and Lynn.
