Aug. 28?, 1773

Made the following Report, the Inhabitants of the Town of Taunton having Read (the above Letters & Pamphlets) are of Opinion that the Rights Privalidges & immunitys of the Colonists and the violations infringments & violations of the same are in general well Stated by the Inhabitants of the town of Boston in their meeting in Novr. 1772 & transmitted by them to this Town sometime past, but as so many of the towns in this Province have expressed their minds largely on this Subject we do not think it will be expected of us at this Period to enter largely perticularly upon the Subjects it, Yet we cannot but express our great Uneasiness to find from long Observation that our Libertys have been so repeatedly violated & infringed & that so many Plans have been laid & so many measures taken and are still in Operation to undermine the foundation of our Libertys them.

It gives us great Pleasure to find that the Metropolis of this Province the Centre of Communication instead of Conniving at or assisting in these520measures by which they the opulent & powerful might avail themselves of Public Calamitys, have been so attentive to & searched out the designs of our Enemy, & transmitted the earliest accounts of the same to the interiour Parts of the Government. It also gives us pleasure that the Representatives of the Province have from time so firmly Adhered to the Libertys of their Country & as they have Considered & acted upon many of the matters now laid before their Town we think it needless to express our minds any further than that we acquiesce in their wise Conduct & hope that by the & Patriotic conduct & persevering Efforts of our Representative Body we shall will be instrumental of relieving us from the Greivances under which we Labour & of restoring that Harmony between G. Britain & the Colonys so necessary to the happiness of both.

Dft . in RTP's hand; endorsed: "Report, in behalf of the Town of Taunton, in approbation of Resolves of Boston in Nov. 1772."

1.

At a Boston town meeting held on Oct. 28, 1772, and continued by adjournment to Nov. 2, a Committee of Correspondence was appointed "to state the Rights of the colonists, and of this Province in particular, as men, as Christians, and as Subjects,; to Communicate and Publish the same to the several towns in this Province, and to the World, as the Sense of this Town, with the Infringements and Violations thereof that have been, or from Time to Time may be made; also requesting of each Town a free Communication of their Sentiments on this Subject." The report was read and amended at the Boston town meeting of Nov. 20, 1772, ordered to be printed and distributed to the selectmen of the towns in the province (The Votes and Proceedings of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, In Town Meeting assembled, According to Law. [Published by Order of the town.] to which is prefixed, as Introductory, an attested copy of a Vote of the town at a preceeding meeting. Boston: Printed by Edes and Gill, [1772]).

2.

At a Taunton town meeting held on Aug. 28, 1773, a committee consisting of RTP (as chairman), George Godfrey, Benjamin Williams and Daniel Leonard, Esqrs., and Mr. Nathaniel Carver was appointed to consider the Boston letter as well as other pamphlets sent to the town and to draw such votes "as shall be expedient for said Town to pass and to Report to said Town at the Adjournment of their meeting" (RTP Papers).