Tea Leaves / Being a Collection of Letters and Documents relating to / the shipment of Tea to the American Colonies in the year / 1773, by the East India Tea Company. (With an introduction, / notes, and biographical notices of the Boston Tea Party)

by Francis S. Drake

PHILADELPHIA.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE INHABITANTS OF PHILADELPHIA,

On the Measure of the Company's Exporting Tea to that Place.

[Taken from a Philadelphia news paper.]

Monday Dec^r 27, 1773.

Upon the first advice of this measure a general dissatisfaction was expressed, that at a time when we were struggling with this oppressive Act, and an agreement subsisting not to import tea while subject to the duty, our fellow subjects in England should form a measure so directly tending to enforce the Act, and again embroil us with our parent state. When it was also considered that the proposed mode of disposing of the tea tended to a monopoly, ever odious in a free country, a universal disapprobation shewed itself through the city. A public meeting of the inhabitants was held at the State House, on the 18^th October, at which great numbers attended, and the sense of the following resolves (which are entered in page [296], the people of Boston having formed the same resolutions).

In consequence of these resolutions, a committee waited upon the gentlemen in this city who had been appointed consignees of the expected cargo. They represented to them the detestation and abhorrence in which this measure was held by their fellow citizens, the danger and difficulties which must attend the execution of so odious a task, and expressed the united desire of the city that they would renounce the commission, and engage not to intermeddle with the ship or cargo in any shape whatever. Some of the commissioners resigned in a manner that gave general satisfaction, others in such equivocal terms as desired further explanation. However, in a few days the resignation was complete. In this situation things remained for a few days.

In the mean time the general spirit and indignation rose to such a height that it was thought proper to call another general meeting of the principal citizens to consider and resolve upon such further steps as might give weight and secure success to the unanimous opposition now formed. Accordingly a meeting was held for the above purpose, at which a great number of respectable inhabitants attended, and it appeared to be the unanimous opinion that the entry of the ship at the custom house, or the landing any part of her cargo would be attended with great danger and difficulty, and would directly tend to destroy that peace and good order which ought to be preserved. An addition of twelve other gentlemen was then made to the former committee, and the general meeting adjourned 'till the arrival of the tea-ship. Information being given of that, the price of tea was soon advanced, though this was owing to a general scarcity of that article, yet all the possessors of tea, in order to give strength to the opposition, readily agreed to reduce the price and sell what remained in their hands at a reasonable rate.

Nothing now remained but to keep up a proper correspondence and connection with the other Colonies, and to take all prudent and proper precautions on the arrival of the tea-ship.