MHS Collections Online

Boston Novr. 17 1764

Sir,

This will be handed you by Mr Bela Lincoln, a
Gentleman of my acquaintance whom I recommend to you [your] Patronage.
Any respect shown him will be gratefully acknowledged; His
Father is one of our Council, he himself is a Member of
the House and Represents the Town of Sherburne & can Inform
you, more particularly than I can do by Letter, of the Sentiments
of the Members of the General Court respecting the late Act of
Parliament as also relative to that which is proposed to be pass'd
the next Sessions -- The House of Representatives were clearly for
making an ample & full declaration of the exclusive Right of
the People of the Colonies to tax themselves & that they ought not
be deprived of a right they had so long enjoyed & which they held
by Birth & by Charter; but they coud not prevail with the Councill,
tho they made several Tryalls, to be more explicit than they have
been in the Petition sent you, in short they were reduced to this
alternative either to join with the Council in the Petition forwarded
you by the Secretary or to petition by themselves & considering they
had wrote you fully upon the matter of Rights ye last session & had
sent you a small tract entituled, The Rights of the British Colonies in
general & of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in particular briefly
stated, which they then desired & expected you woud make the best use of
in your Power, they thought it ye less necessary to remonstrate by themselves
at this time & therefore upon the whole determined to have the weight of
the Council as far as they coud, & so concluded to join with them in the
present petition tho' not so full as they coud have wished -- You will
therefore collect the sentiments of the Representative Body of People rather
from what they have heretofore sent you than from the present Address
As the People throughout ye Continent are greatly alarm'd at this Infringement,
as they apprehend, of their most Essential Rights, I hope their Sentiments will have
their due weight with the Parliament.

I conclude with great respect Your most humble servant,

[Address]

Mr. Lincoln

[Endorsement]