At a Meeting of the PEOPLE of Boston, and the neighbouring Towns, at Faneuil-Hall, in said Boston, on Monday the 29th of November 1773, Nine o'Clock, A. M. and continued by Adjournment to the next Day; for the Purpose of consulting, advising and determining upon the most proper and effectual Method to prevent the unloading, receiving or vending the detestable TEA sent out by the East-India Company, Part of which being just arrived in this Harbour:

IN Order to proceed with due Regu­larity, it was moved that a Mode­rator be chosen, and JONATHAN WILLIAMS, Esq Was then chosen Moderator of the Meeting.

A MOTION was made that as the Town of Boston had determined at a late Meeting legally assembled, that they would to the utmost of their Power prevent the landing of the Tea, the Question be put, Whether this Body are absolutely determined that the Tea now arrived in Capt. Hall shall be returned to the Place from whence it came at all Events. And the Question being accordingly put, it passed in the Affirmative. Nem. Con.

It appearing that the Hall could not contain the People assembled, it was Voted, that the Meet­ing be immediately Adjourned to the Old South Meeting-House, Leave having been obtained for this Purpose.

The People met at the Old South according to Adjournment.

A Motion was made, and the Question put, viz. Whether it is the firm Resolution of this Bo­dy that the Tea shall not only be sent back, but that no Duty shall be paid thereon; & pass'd in the Affirmative. Nem. Con.

It was moved, that in order to give Time to the Consignees to consider and deliberate, before they sent in their Proposals to this Body, as they had given Reason to expect would have been done at the opening of the Meeting, there might be an Ad­journment to Three o'Clock, P. M and the Meet­ing was accordingly for that Purpose adjourned.

THREE o'Clock, P. M. met according to Adjournment.

A Motion was made, Whether the Tea now arrived in Captain Hall's Ship shall be sent back in the same Bottom—Pass'd in the Affirmative, Nem Con.

Mr Rotch the Owner of the Vessel being pre­sent, informed the Body that he should enter his Protest against their Proceedings.

It was then moved and voted, nem. con. That Mr. Rotch be directed not to enter this Tea; and that the Doing of it would be at his Peril.

Also Voted, That Captain Hall the Master of the Ship, be informed that at his Peril he is not to suffer any of the Tea brought by him, to be landed.

A Motion was made, That in Order for the Security of Captain Hall's Ship and Cargo, a Watch may be appointed—and it was Voted that a Watch be accordingly appointed to consist of 25 Men.

Capt. Edward Procter was appointed by the Body to be the Capt. of the Watch for this Night, and the Names were given in to the Moderator, of the Townsmen who were Volunteers on the Occasion.

It having been observed to the Body, that Go­vernor Hutchinson had required the Justices of the Peace in this Town to meet and use their En­deavours to suppress any Routs or Riots, &c. of the People that might happen.—It was Moved and the Question put—Whether it be not the Sense of this Meeting, that the Governor's Conduct herein carries a design'd Reflection upon the People here met; and is solely calculated to serve the Views of Administration—Passed in the Affirmative, nem. con.

The People being informed by Col. Hancock, that Mr. Copley▪ Son-in Law to Mr. Clarke, Sen. had acquainted him that the Tea Consignees did [...]

The Meeting out of great Tenderness to these Persons, and from a strong Desire to bring this Matter to a Conclusion, notwithstanding the Time they had hitherto expended upon them to no Pur­pose▪ were prevailed upon to adjourn to the next Morning Nine o'Clock.

TUESDAY Morning Nine o'Clock, Met according to Adjournment.

THE long expected Proposals were at length brought into the Meeting, not directed to the Mo­derator, but to John Scollay, Esq one of the Selectmen—It was however voted that the same should be read, and they are as follow, viz.

Mr. Sheriff Greenleaf came into the Meeting, and begg'd Leave of the Moderator that a Letter he had received from the Governor, requiring him to read a Proclamation to the People here assem­bled might be read, and it was accordingly read.

Whereupon it was moved, and the Question put, Whether the Sheriff should be permitted to read the Proclamation—which passed in the Affirma­tive, nem. con.

The Proclamation is as follows, viz.

And the same being read by the Sheriff, there was immediately after, a loud and very general Hiss.

A Motion was then made, and the Question put, Whether the Assembly would disperse and surcease all further Proceedings, according to the Gover­nor's Requirement—It pass'd in the Negative, nem. con.

A Proposal of Mr. Copley was made, that in Case he could prevail with the Mess. Clarkes to come into this Meeting, the Question might now be put, Whether they should be treated with Civi­lity while in the Meeting, though they might be of different Sentiments with this Body; and their Persons be safe until their Return to the Place from whence they should come—And the Ques­stion being accordingly put, passed in the Affirma­tive, Nem. Con.

Another Motion of Mr. Copley's was put, Whether two Hours shall be given him, which also passed in the Affirmative.

Adjourn'd to Two o'Clock, P. M.

TWO o'Clock P. M. met according to Ad­journment.

A Motion was made and passed, that Mr. Rotch and Capt. Hall be desired to give their Attendance.

Mr. Rotch appeared, and upon a Motion made the Question was put, Whether it is the firm Resolution of this Body, that the Tea brought by Capt. Hall shall be returned by Mr. Rotch to England in the Bottom in which it came; and whether they accordingly now require the same, which passed in the Affirmative, Nem. Con.

Mr. Rotch then informed the Meeting that he should protest against the whole Proceedings as he had done against the Proceedings on Yesterday, but that tho' the returning the Tea is an invo­luntary Act in him, he yet considers himself as under a Necessity to do it, and shall therefore com­ply with the Requirement of this Body.

Capt. Hall being present was forbid to aid or assist in unloading the Tea at his Peril, and ordered that if he continues Master of the Vessel, he carry the same back to London; who reply'd he should comply with these Requirements.

Upon a Motion, Resolved, That John Rowe, Esq Owner of Part of Capt. Bruce's Ship expected with Tea, as also Mr. Timmins, Factor for Capt. Coffin's Brig, be desired to attend.

Mr. Ezekiel Cheever was appointed Captain of the Watch for this Night, and a sufficient Number of Volunteers gave in their Names for that Service.

VOTED, That the Captain of this Watch be desired to make out a List of the Watch for the next Night, and so each Captain of the Watch for the following Nights until the Vessels leave the Harbour.

Upon a Motion made, Voted, that in Case it should happen that the Watch should be any Ways molested in the Night, while on Duty, they give the Alarm to the Inhabitants by the tolling of the Bells—and that if any Thing happens in the Day Time, the Alarm be by ringing of the Bells.

VOTED, That six Persons be appointed to be in Readiness to give due Notice to the Country Towns when they shall be required so to do, upon any important Occasion. And six Persons were accordingly chosen for that Purpose.

John Rowe, Esq attended, and was informed that Mr. Rotch had engaged that his Vessel should carry back the Tea she bro't in the same Bottom, & that it was the Expectation of this Body that he does the same by the Tea expected in Capt. Bruce; where­upon he reply'd that the Ship was under the Care of the said Master, but that he would use his utmost Endeavour, that it should go back as re­quired by this Body, and that he would give im­mediate Advice of the Arrival of said Ship.

VOTED, That it is the Sense of this Body that Capt. Bruce shall on his Arrival strictly conform to the Votes passed respecting Capt. Hall's Vessel, as tho' they had been all passed in Referrence to Capt. Bruce's Ship.

Mr Timmins appeared and informed that Capt. [...]

It was then Voted, That what Mr. Rowe and Mr. Timmins had offered was satisfactory to the Body.

Mr. Copley returned and acquainted the Body, that as he had been obliged to go to the Castle, he hoped that if he had exceeded the Time allowed him they would consider the Difficulty of a Pas­sage by Water at this Season as his Apology: He then further acquainted the Body, that he had seen all the Consignees, and tho' he had convinced them that they might attend this Meeting with safety, and had used his utmost Endeavours to prevail upon them to give Satisfaction to the Body; they acquainted him, that believing nothing would be satisfactory short of re-shipping the Tea, which was out of their Power, they thought it best not to appear, but would renew their Proposal of stor­ing the Tea, and submitting the same to the In­spection of a Committee▪ and that they could do no further, without incurring their own Ruin; but as they had not been active in introducing the Tea, they should do nothing to obstruct the Peo­ple in their Procedure with the same.

It was then moved, and the Question put, Whe­ther the return made by Mr. Copley from the Consignees, be in the least Degree satisfactory to this Body, & passed in the Negative. Nem. Con.

Whereas a Number of Merchants in this Province have inadvertently imported Tea from Great Bri­tain, while it is subject to the Payment of a Duty imposed upon it by an Act of the British Parliament for the Purpose of raising a Revenue in America, and appropriating the same without the Consent of those who are required to pay it:

RESOLVED, That in thus importing said Tea, they have justly incurr'd the Displeasure of our Brethren in the other Colonies.

And Resolved further, That if any Person or Persons shall hereafter import Tea from Great-Britain, or if any Master or Masters of any Vessel or Vessels in Great-Britain shall take the same on Board to be imported to this Place, until the said unrighteous Act shall be repeal'd, he or they shall be deem'd by this Body, an Enemy to his Country; and we will prevent the Landing and Sale of the same, and the Payment of any Duty thereon. And we will effect the Return thereof to the Place from whence it shall come.

RESOLVED, That the foregoing Vote be printed and sent to England, and all the Sea-Ports in this Province.

Upon a Motion made, Voted, That fair Copies be taken of the whole Proceedings of this Meet­ing, and transmitted to New York & Philadelphia, And that

• Mr. SAMUEL ADAMS,
• Hon. JOHN HANCOCK, Esq
• WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Esq
• JOHN ROWE, Esq
• JONATHAN WILLIAMS, Esq

Be a Committee to transmit the same.

Voted, That it is the Determination of this Body, to carry their Votes and Resolutions into Execution, at the Risque of their Lives and Pro­perty.

Voted, That the Committee of Correspondence for this Town, be desired to take Care that every other Vessel with Tea that arrives in this Harbour, have a proper Watch appointed for her — Also Voted, That those Persons who are desirous of making a Part of these Nightly Watches, be de­sired to give in their Names at Messieurs Edes and Gill's Printing-Office.

Voted, That our Brethren in the Country be desired to afford their Assistance upon the first Notice given; especially if such Notice be given upon the Arrival of Captain Loring, in Messieurs Clarkes' Brigantine.

Voted, That those of this Body who belong to the Town of Boston do return their Thanks to their Brethren who have come from the neighbouring Towns, for their Countenance and Union with this Body in this Exigence of our Affairs.

VOTED, That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to JONATHAN WILLIAMS, Esq for his good services as Moderator.

VOTED, That this Meeting be Dissolved— And it was accordingly Dissolved.