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Subject: [GM-L] History of the Town of Concord - Chapter VI - American Revolution Part 3
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002 18:21:06 EDT
Subject: Chapter VI - Part 3 - p.79 American Revolution
Source: History of the Town of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel
Shattuck 1835.
Part 3
Concord, Mass.
American Revolution
p.79
Another similar document, showing the peculiar feelings
of those times, was the non-consumption covenant. This
was considered and adopted at a town-meeting, June 27,
1774; and was signed by more than 300 voters.
p.80
"We the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Concord,
having taken into our serious consideration the pre-
carious state of the liberties of North America, and more especially the
present distressed condition of this
insulted province, embarassed as it is by several acts of the British
Parliament, tending to the entire sub-
version of our natural and charter rights; among which is the act for
blocking up the harbour of Boston: and
fully sensible of our indispensable duty to lay hold of every means in our
power, to preserve and recover the
much injured constitution of our country; and conscious
at the same time of no alternative between the horrors
of slavery, and the carnage and desolation of a civil
war, but a suspension of all commercial intercourse with
the Island of Great Britain: do in the presence of God,
solemnly, and in good faith, covenant and engage with
each other: -
"1. That from henceforth we will suspend all commercial
intercourse with the Island of Great Britain, until the
said act for blocking up the said harbour be repealed,
and a restoration of our charter rights be obtained.
"2. That there may be the less temptation to others to
continue in the said now dangerous commerce, we do in like manner, solemnly
covenant that we will not buy,
purchase, or consume, or suffer any person by, for, or
under us to buy, purchase, or consume, in any manner
whatsoever, any goods, wares, or merchandise, which
shall arrive in America from Great Britain from and after the last day of
August next ensuing. And in order
as much as in us lies, to prevent our being interrupted
and defeated in this only peaceable measure, entered into for the recovery
and preservation of our rights,
we agree to break off all trade, commerce, and dealings
whatsoever with all persons, who, preferring their own
private interest to the salvation of their now perish-
ing country, shall still continue to import goods from
Great Britain, or shall purchase of those who shall im-
port: arms, ammunition, and medicines for the sick only
excepted.
"3. That such persons may not have it in their power to
impose upon us by any pretence whatever, we further agree to purchase no
article of merchandise from them or
any of them, who shall not have signed this, or a similar covenant, or will
not produce an oath, certified
by a magistrate, to be by them taken to the following
purport; viz. "I, ___ of ____, in the county of ____, do
solemnally swear, that the goods I have now on hand and
propose for sale, have not, to the best of my knowledge,
been imported from Great Britain into any part of America since the last of
August, 1774; and that I will
not, contrary to the spirit of an agreement entered into
through this province, import, or purchase of any person
so importing, any goods as aforesaid, until the port or
harbour of Boston shall be opened, and we are restored
to the freedom of our constitution and charter rights."
"4. We agree that after this or a similar covenant has
been offered to any persons, and they refuse to sign it
or produce the oath aforesaid, we will consider them
as contumacious importers, and withdraw all commercial
connexion with them, so far as not to purchase any
article whatever of merchandise imported from Great
Britian.
p.81
"Provided nevertheless; notwithstanding the obligations
which we have laid ourselves under by the above instru-
ment, should there be a congress of the provinces on
the continent, or the major part of them, to consult and
advise suitable measures to be taken in this difficult
and alarming day, which is already begun by the late
House of Representatives, and the example is likely to
be followed by the neighbouring governments; should said
body, when convened, adopt measures, after deliberation,
which they shall judge more salutary and safe for the
whole community; then what has been signed above we
hereby reserve liberty to disannul, and make void this
present covenant upon our acceptance thereof. As witness our hands this 24th
of June 1774."
This covenant, copied partly from one sent from Boston,
was scrupulously regarded. It may well be supposed, that where proceedings
like these were had, the attention of the people would be greatly awakened.
If there were any "enemies of liberty," they might be easily detected. In a
careful review of that period,
however, I am astonished that so few arrayed themselves
on the side of England in opposition to the wishes of
the colonies. The whole town of Concord, exepting two
or three individuals, was a united family of "Sons of
Liberty." The excitement, or rather the opposition to
British oppression, gradually increased; and its progress from the year 1773
was uncommonly rapid.
p.82
Petitions having been presented in vain for a redress of
their grievances, the people began seriously to think of
asserting their rights by an appeal to arms, should other means to accomplish
their object fail. Such a
crisis seemed then to be approaching; for England had
already assumed a hostile attitude; large numbers of
soldiers and munitions of war had arrived at Boston; and
the people had every indication that they were to be
compelled into submission by military force.
To be continued - Chapter VI - Part 4 - p. 82
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
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