Transcribed by Robert E. Hoogs for the Monterey Historical Society,
At a Meeting of Sixty gentlemen, Deputies of the several Towns in the county of Berkshire, Appointed to consult, and Advise what was necessary & prudent to be done by the Inhabitants of this County in the present Alarming situation of our public affairs, met at Stockbridge July the Sixth, 1774.
John Ashley Esq. Unanimously chosen Chairman.
Mr. Theodore Sedgwick chosen Clerk.
Mr. Williams, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Brown & Mr. Hopkins, being appointed reported the following resolves, viz.
1ly resolved, that King George the third is our rightful King & that we will bear true Allegiance to him,
2ly resolved, that the Inhabitants of his Majesty’s Colonies in America, are justly intitled to all the Rights and Liberties that the Inhabitants of Great Britain are intitled [word partly obscured, erasure?] to, which Rights and liberties have been particularly (?given?) [word partly obscured] to the Inhabitants of this Province by Charter.
3ly resolved, that it is one of the grand Rights & Liberties of said Inhabitants of Great Britain, that they cannot constitutionally be deprived of their property, but by their own consent.
4ly resolved, that the late act of the British Parliament for giving and granting to his Majesty, a Duty upon all Teas, imported from Great Britain into America, which Duty by said Act is made payable here, for the Purpose of raising a Revenue, was made without the Consent of the Inhabitants of America; whereby their property is taken from them without their Consent, and therefore ought to be Opposed in all legal and provident Ways.
5ly resolved, that it is an Undoubted Right of the Inhabitants of said Colonies all Actions to be tried by their Peers of the Vicinity, and therefore that all those Acts of the british Parliament, that any way respect the collecting the duties of aforesaid. Whereby the Trial by Jury, is taken away or whereby the Ancient Trial by Jury is in any way att?? [word uncertain] are Unconstitutional and Oppressive.
6ly resolved, that wherever any Franchises and Liberties Liberties are granted to a Corporation or Body Politic, those Franchises and Liberties cannot legally be taken from such Corporations & Bodies Politic, but by their Consent or by Forfeiture; that the Inhabitants of this Province have many great and invaluable Franchises & Liberties granted to them by Charter, which Franchises and Liberties have not been forfeited or resigned by the Inhabitants, that by the late Acts of the British Parliament some of the most Valuable of these Franchises and Liberties of the Said Inhabitants, are taken From them without even the Form of a Trail. —
therefore,
7ly resolved, that it is the indispensable Duty of every Person who would preserve to himself and Posterity the inestimable Blessings of Liberty, by all constitutional Ways and Means in his power to endeavor to avert the much dreaded Consequences of these Arbitrary and Oppressive Acts; and that for that Purpose it is precedent for the Inhabitants of the said Colonies to enter into an Agreement not to purchase or consume the Manufactures of Great Britain under such Limitations and Exceptions as shall be Agreed upon; & that such a non consumption Agreement is neither Unwarrantable, hostile, traitorous nor contrary to our Allegiance due to the King, but tends to promote the Peace, good Order and Safety of the Community.
Which said Report being maturely considered it was put to vote Paragraph by Paragraph, and each and every Paragraph thereof is Unanimously Accepted. –
A Committee being Appointed to make Draught of the Form of a solemn League and Covenant, to be recommended to be signed by the Inhabitants of this County to prevent the Consumption of the Merchandise of Great Britain, the following Draught is reported viz:
Whereas the Parliament of Great Britain, have of late Undertaken to give and grant away our Money, without our Knowledge or Consent; and in order to compel us to a servile submission until submission to the above Measures, have proceeded to block up the Harbour of Boston, also have or are about to vacate the Charter and repeal certain Laws of this Province heretofore enacted by the general Court and confirmed by the King and his Predecessors, therefore as a Means to obtain a speedy Redress of the aforesd grievances, we do hereby solemnly and in good faith covenant and engage with each other.
1ly That we will not import, purchase or consume or suffer any person by, for or under us to import, purchase or consume in any manner whatever, any goods, Wares or Merchandise which shall arrive in America from Great Britain, from and after the first day of October one thousand seven hundred & seventy four, or such other Time as shall hereafter be agreed upon by the American Congress, nor any Goods which shall be ordered from thence after this Day, until our Charter and constitutional Rights shall be restored or untill it shall be determined by the Major Part of our Brethen in this and the Neighboring Colonies that a non Importation and non consumption agreement will not have a Tendency to effect the desired End, or untill it shall be apparent that a non importation or non consumption Agreement will not be entered into by the Majority of this and the Neighbouring Colonies, except such Articles as the said general Congress of North America shall Agree to import, purchase & consume.
2ly we do further covenant and Agree that we will Observe the most strict Obediance to all constitutional Laws and Authority and will at all Times avail ourselves to the Utmost, for the discouragement of all Licentiousness [page 5] and suppressing all Mobs & Riots.
3ly We will exert ourselves as far as in us lies, in promoting Love Peace and Unanimity among each other and for that End we engage to avoid all unnecessary Lawsuits whatever.–
4ly as a strict and proper Adherence to this present Agreement will (if not seasonably provided against,) involve us in many Dificulties and Inconveniences; we do promise and Agree that we will take the most prudent Case, for the raising and preserving sheep; for the manufacturing all such Cloth as shall be most Useful and Necessary; for the raising of Flax & manufacturing linen; further, that we will by every prudent Method endeavor to guard against all those Inconveniences which may Otherwise arise, from the foregoing Agreement.
5ly That if any Person shall refuse to sign this or a similar Covenant, or after having signed it, shall not adhere to the real Intent and Meaning thereof, he or they shall be treated by us, with all that Neglect they justly deserve.
6ly That if this or a similar Covenant shall (after the first Day of August next) be Offered to any Trader or shop- keeper in this County, and he or they shall refuse to sign the same, for the space of forty eight Hours, that we will not From thenceforth purchase any Articles of british Manufacturer from him or them until [page 6] until such time as he or they shall sign a similar covenant.
Witness our hands, this ___________ day of July
Anno Domini 1774. —-
which being several Times distinctly read, it was put paragraph by paragraph and Accepted. —
And this Congress in Deference to the Resolves of the late House of Representatives, in Imitation of the pious Example of the Revd the Pastors of the associated Churches in the Town of Boston, and from a sense of their dependence on God, for every mercy, to earnestly recommend to all denominations of Christians in this county to set apart and observe Thursday the 14th day of July current, as a day of public fasting and prayer, to implore the divine assistance that would in mercy interpose and avert all those evils with which we are threatened.
And each and every Member of this Congress are injoined to inform the several Ministers of the several religious Assemblies to which they belong hereof.
[next four lines are crossed out; not transcribed]
Voted that the several members of this Congress as do recommend to the Charity of the Inhabitants of the Several Towns and Places to which they belong, the distressed Circumstances of the poor of the Towns of Boston and Charleston, and that whatever shall be collected for them be remitted in fat Cattle in the next Fall by such Ways and Means as shall be hereafter agreed upon.
Voted Unanimously that Thanks be given to Col Ashley, for his constant Attendance, Uprightness, and Impartiality as Chairman.
Voted that the Clark be enjoined to make a fair Copy of the Proceedings of this Meeting & transmit the same to the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston.
Voted to dissolve this meeting and it is dissolved accordingly
The foregoing is a true copy.
Att. Theodore Sedgwick Cler.
N.B. The Proceedings aforesd were preceded by an animated Prayer, made by the Revd Mr. West.
T. S. C.Editor’s notes: 1. Bob, thank you so much for this effort and for sharing it with the Town of Stockbridge. 2. Afores = aforesaid; Revd = Reverend 3. Use of capital letters was very different in the Eighteenth Century and generally indicated stress on, or importance of, the word capitalized. 4. This Document was apparently sent to the Boston Committee of Correspondence, original notes by Theodore Sedgwick in the collection of the New York Public Library: available at: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/f132be10-c9ba-0132-a2e1-58d385a7bbd0
