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,

Your most humble servants,

THO^S. & ELISHA HUTCHINSON.[52]
BENJ^N FANEUIL, Jun^r., for self and
JOSHUA WINSLOW, Esq^r.,
RICHARD CLARKE & SONS.

To John Scollay, Esq^r."

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._

The proclamation is as follows, viz.:

"Massachusetts Bay.
By the Governor.

_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 consul