The historic Boston Non-Importation Agreement...

Item # 700584

May 15, 1769

THE PENNSYLVANIA CHRONICLE & UNIVERSAL ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, May 15, 1769 The entire front page is taken up with: "The Speech of Th-m-s P--wn--ll, Esq. in the House of "Commons, in Favour of America" which is an interesting defense of the colonists in list of the troubles they are having with England.
A few bits include: "...that there could be any exception taken to their acquainting the other houses of representatives on the continent with 'the measures they had taken with regard to the difficulties arising from the acts of parliament for levying duties & taxes on the American colonies.'..." and: "...to examine the nature & circumstances of the riots & tumults said to have continued for some time in the town of Boston. Whatever may have been the general discontents of the people of that town at the revenue laws--whatever may have been their general disgust against the commissioners of the revenue..." and "...that nothing but the exertion of military power could prevent an open revolt of the town of Boston which might probably spread throughout the provinces..." and more. The article carries over to page 2 & is continued in a future issue.
The most notable content is the page 6 printing of a very historic document, being the Non-Importation Agreement by the merchants of Boston. It is introduced by text noting: "The merchants and traders in the town of Boston at a meeting in August last, having entered into an agreement not to send for or import any goods from Great Britain nor to purchase any that should be imported from thence, or from any of the colonies..." and what follows is the full text of the the five: "Articles of the agreement..." for non-importation. The prefacing words which are part of the Agreement begin: "The merchants and traders in the town of Boston having taken into consideration the deplorable situation of the trade, and the many difficulties it at present labours under on account of the scarcity of money, which is daily increasing for want of the other remittances to discharge our debts in Great Britain, and the large sums collected by the officers of the customs for duties on goods imported; the heavy taxes levied to discharge the debts contracted by the government in the late war; the embarrassments and restrictions laid on trade by several late acts of parliament; together with the bad success of our cod fishery, by which our principal sources of remittance are like to be greatly diminished..." with more.
Complete in 8 pages, 9 3/4 by 12 inches with wide, untrimmed margins, some damp staining, handsome coat-of-arms engraving in the masthead, nice condition.