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March
31, 1774
AN
ACT to discontinue, in such manner, and for or such time as are
therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading or shipping,
of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the town, and within the
harbour, of Boston, in the province of Massachuset's Bay, in North
America.
WHEREAS
dangerous commotions and insurrections have been fomented and
raised in the town of Boston, in the province of Massachuset's
Bay, in New England, by divers ill affected persons, to the subversion
of his Majesty's government, and to the utter destruction of the
publick peace, and good order of the said town; in which commotions
and insurrections certain valuable cargoes of teas, being the
property of the East India Company, and on board certain' vessels
Iying within the bay or harbour of Boston, were seized and destroyed:
And
whereas, in the present condition of the said town and harbour,
the commerce of his Majesty's subjects cannot be safely carried
on there, nor the customs payable to his Majesty duly collected;
and it is therefore expedient that the officers of his Majesty's
customs should be forthwith removed from the said town:
...be
it enacted ..., That from and after June 1, 1774, it shall not
be lawful for any person or persons whatsoever to lade, put, or
cause to procure to be laden or put, off or from any quay, wharf,
or other place, within the said town of Boston, or in or upon
any part of the shore of the bay, commonly called The Harbour
of Boston, between a certain headland or point called Nahant Point,
on the eastern side of the entrance into the said bay, and a certain
other headland or point called Alderton Point, on the western
side of the entrance into the said bay, or in or upon any island,
creek, landing place, bank, or other place, within the said bay
or headlands, into any ship, vessel, lighter, boat, or bottom,
any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever, to be transported
or carried into any other country, province, or place whatsoever,
or into any other part of the said province of the Massachuset's
Bay, in New England; or to take up, discharge, or lay on land,
... within the said town, or in or upon any of the places aforesaid,
out of any boat, ... any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever,
to be brought from any other country, province, or place, or any
other part of the said province of the Massachuset's Bay in New
England, upon pain of the forfeiture of the said goods, ... merchandise,
and of the said boat, ... and of the guns, ammunition, tackle,
furniture, and stores, in or belonging to the same: And if any
such goods, ... shall, within the said town, or in any the places
aforesaid, be laden or taken in from the shore into any barge,
... to be carried on board any ship or vessel outward bound to
any other country or province, ... or to be laden into such barge,
... from or out of any ship or vessel coming in ... from any other
country, such barge, ... shall be forfeited and lost....
X.
Provided also, and it is hereby declared and enacted, That nothing
herein contained shall extend, or be construed, to enable his
Majesty to appoint such port, harbour, creeks, quays, wharfs,
places, or officers, in the said town of Boston, or in the said
bay or islands, until it shall sufficiently appear to his Majesty
that full satisfaction hath been made by or on behalf of the inhabitants
of the said town of Boston to the united company of merchants
of England trading to the East Indies, for the damage sustained
by the said company by the destruction of their goods sent to
the said town of Boston, on board certain ships or vessels as
aforesaid; and until it shall be certified to his Majesty, in
council, by the governor, or lieutenant governor, of the said
province, that reasonable satisfaction hath been made to the officers
of his Majesty's revenue, and others, who suffered by the riots
and insurrections above mentioned, in the months of November and
December, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy three,
and in the month of January, in the year one thousand seven hundred
and seventy four.
From
Documents of American History, 1940, published by FS
Crofts & Co
Part
of These United Colonies: The American
War for Independence Exhibit |
