December 16. 1773

BOSTON, December 20. [1773]
On Tuesday last the body of the people of this and
all the adjacent towns, and others from the distance of
twenty miles, assembled at the old south meeting-house,
to inquire the reason of the delay in sending the ship
Dartmouth, with the East-India Tea back to London,
and having found that the owner had not taken the ne-
cessary steps for that purpose, they enjoin'd him at his
peril to demand of the collector of the customs a clear-
ance for the ship, and appointed a comm [it ]tee of ten to
see it performed ; after which they adjourn'd to the
Thursday following ten o'clock. They then met and
being inform'd by Mr. Rotch, that a clearance was refus'd
him, they enjoyn'd him immediately to enter a protest
and apply to the governor for a pass port by the castle,
and adjourn'd again till three o'clock for the same day.
At which time they again met and after waiting till near
sunset Mr. Rotch came in and inform'd them that he had
accordingly enter'd his protest and waited on the gover-
nor for a pass, but his excellency told him he could not
consistent with his duty grant it until his vessel was qua-
lified. The people finding all their efforts to preserve
the property of the East India company and return it
safely to London, frustrated by the tea consignees, the
collector of the customs and the governor of the province,
DISSOLVED their meeting. -- But, BEHOLD what fol-
lowed ! A number of brave & resolute men, determined
to do all in their power to save their country from the
ruin which their enemies had plotted, in less than four
hours, emptied every chest of tea on board the three ships
commanded by the captains Hall, Bruce, and Coffin,
amounting to 342 chests, into the sea ! ! without the
least damaged done to the ships or any other property.
The masters and owners are well pleas'd that their ships
are thus clear'd ; and the people are almost universally
congratulating each other on this happy event.
[The particular Account of the Proceedings of
the People at their Meeting on Tuesday and Thurs-
day last, are ommitted this week for want of Room.]
Capt. Loring in a Brig from London for this Place,
having 58 Chests of the detested Tea on board, was cast
ashore on the Back of Cape-Cod last Friday se'nnight :
'Tis expected the Cape Indians will give us a good Ac-
count of the Tea against our next.

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