MHS Collections Online

THE Town then took into Consideration
the Petition of a Number of Inhabitants,
"That some effectual Measures might be
"agreed upon to promote Industry, Oe-
"conomy, and Manufactures ; thereby
" to prevent the unnecessary Importation of Euro-
" pean Commodities, which threaten the Country
" with Poverty and Ruin :" Whereupon in a
very large and full Meeting, the following Votes
and Resolutions were passed Unanimously.

Whereas the excessive Use of foreign Superfluities
is the chief Cause of the present distressed State of
this Town, as it is thereby drained of its Money :
which Misfortune is likely to be increased by Means
of the late additional Burthens and Impositions on
the Trade of the Province, which threaten the Coun-
try with Poverty and Ruin :

Therefore, VOTED, That this Town will take
all prudent and legal Measures to encourage the
Produce and Manufactures of this Province, and to
lessen the Use of Superfluities,& particularly the fol-
lowing enumerated Articles imported from Abroad,
viz. Loaf Sugar, Cordage, Anchors, Coaches, Chaises
and Carriages of all Sorts, Horse Furniture, Men
and Womens Hatts, Mens and Womens Apparel ready
made Houshold Furniture, Gloves, Mens and Womens
Shoes, Sole-Leather, Sheathing and Deck Nails, Gold
and Silver and Thread Lace of all Sorts, Gold and
Silver Buttons, Wrought Plate of all Sorts, Dia-
mond, Stone and Paste Ware, Snuff, Mustard, Clocks
and Watches, Silversmiths, and Jewellers Ware,
Broad Cloths that cost above 10s. per Yard, Muffs
Furrs and Tippets, and all Sorts of MillenaryWare,
Starch, Womens and Childrens Stays, Fire Engines,
China Ware, Silk and Cotton Velvets, Gauze, Pew-
terers hollow Ware, Linseed Oyl, Glue, Lawns, Cam-
bricks, Silks of all Kinds for Garments, Malt Li-
quors and Cheese. -- And that a Subscription for
this End be and hereby is recommended to the se-
veral Inhabitants and Housholders of the Town ;
and that John Rowe, Esq; Mr. William Greenleafe,
Melatiah Bourne, Esq; Mr. Samuel Austin, Mr.
Edward Payne, Mr.Edmund Quincy, Tertius, John
Ruddock, Esq: Jonathan Williams, Esq; Joshua
Henshaw, Esq; Mr. Henderson Inches, Mr. Solomon
Davis, Joshua Winslow, Esq; and Thomas Cushing,
Esq; be a Committee to prepare a Form for Sub-
scription, to report the same as soon as possible ;
and also to procure Subscriptions to the same.

And whereas it is the Opinion of this Town,
that divers new Manufactures may be set up in Ame-
rica, to its great Advantage, and some others carried
to a greater Extent, particularly those of Glass & Paper

Therefore, Voted, That this Town will by all
prudent Ways and Means, encourage the Use and
consumption of Glass and Paper, made in any of
the British American Colonies ; and more especi-
ally in this Province.

[Then theMeeting adjourn'd till 3 o'Clock
Afternoon.]

III o'Clock, P. M.

THE Committee appointed in the Forenoon,
to prepare a Form for Subscription, reported
as follows.

WHEREAS this Province labours under a heavy
Debt, incurred in the Course of the late War ; and
the Inhabitants by this Means must be for some
Time subject to very burthensome Taxes : --
And as our Trade has for some Years been on the
decline, and is now particularly under great Em-
barrassments, and burthened with heavy Impositions,
our Medium very scarce, and the Balance of
Trade greatly against this Country :

WE therefore the Subscribers, being sensible that
it is absolutely necessary, in Order to extricate us
out of these embarrassed and distressed Circumstan-
ces, to promote Industry, Oeconomy and Manu-
factures among ourselves, and by this Means pre-
vent the Unnecessary Importation of European Com-
modities, the excessive Use of which threatens the
Country with Poverty and Ruin -- DO promise and
engage, to and with each other, that we will en-
courage the Use and Consumption of all Articles
manufactured in any of the British American Co-
lonies, and more especially in this Province ; and
that we will not, from and after the 31st of Decem-
ber next ensuing, purchase any of the following
Articles, imported from Abroad, viz. Loaf Sugar,
and all the other Articles enumerated above. --

And we further agree strictly to adhere to the
late Regulation respecting Funerals, and will not
use any Gloves but what are Manufactured here,
nor procure any new Garments upon such an Occa-
sion, but what shall be absolutely necessary.

The above Report having been considered, the
Question was put, Whether the same shall be ac-
cepted ? Voted unanimously in the Affirmative.
-- And that said Committee be desired to use their
best Endeavours to get the Subscription Papers
filled up as soon as may be. Also, Voted unani-
mously, That the foregoing Vote and Form of a
Subscription relative to the enumerated Articles,
be immediately Published ; and that the Selectmen
be directed to distribute a proper Number of them
among the Freeholders of this Town ; and to for-
ward a Copy of the same to the Select-Men of every
Town in the Province ; as also to the principal
City or Town Officers of the chief Towns in the
several Colonies on the Continent, as they may
think proper.

Attest,

Then the Meeting was Adjourn'd to the 20th
Day of November next.