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, 9 o'clock.
The long-expected proposals were at length brought into this meeting, not directed to the moderator, but to John Scollay, Esq^r., one of the Select men. It was, however, voted that the same should be read, and they were, as follows, viz.:
We are sorry that we could not return to the Town satisfactory answers to their two late messages to us respecting the teas. We beg leave to acquaint the gentlemen, Select men, that we have since received our orders from the Hon'ble East India Com^y.
We still retain a disposition to do all in our power to give satisfaction to the Town; but, as we understood from you and the other gentlemen, Select men, at Messrs. Clarke's interview with you last Saturday, that this can be effected by nothing less than our sending back the teas, we beg leave to say that this is utterly out of our power to do, but we do now declare to you our readiness to store the teas until we shall have an opportunity of writing to our constituents, and shall receive their further orders respecting them, and we do most sincerely wish that the Town, considering the unexpected difficulties devolved upon us, will be satisfied with what we now offer. We are, sir,
THO^S. & ELISHA HUTCHINSON.[52] BENJ^N FANEUIL, Jun^r., for self and JOSHUA WINSLOW, Esq^r., RICHARD CLARKE & SONS.
Mr. Sheriff Greenleaf came into the meeting, and begged 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._
_To Jonathan Williams, Esq^r., acting as Moderator of an assembly of people, in the Town of Boston, and to the people so assembled:_
Whereas, printed notifications were on Monday, the 29^th inst., posted in divers places in the town of Boston, and published in the news papers of this day, calling upon the people to assemble together for certain unlawful purposes, in such notifications mentioned; and whereas, great numbers of persons belonging to the town of Boston, and divers others belonging to several other towns in the Province, did assemble in the said town of Boston, on the said day, and did then and there proceed to chuse a moderator, and to consult, debate, and resolve upon ways and means for carrying such unlawful purposes into execution, openly violating, defying and setting at naught the good and wholesome laws of the Province, and the constitution of government under which they live; and whereas, the people thus assembled, did vote or agree to adjourn, or continue their meeting to this the 30^th inst., and great numbers of them are again met or assembled together for the like purpose, in the said town of Boston: