“WHEREAS the Proceedings of the House of Representatives, in the present Session of the General Court, make it necessary, for his Majesty’s Service, that the said General Court should be dissolved:—
“I have therefore thought fit to dissolve the said General Court, and the same is hereby dissolved accordingly, and the Members thereof are discharged from any further Attendance.
“GIVEN under my Hand at Salem, the 17th Day of June, 1774, in the Fourteenth Year of his Majesty’s Reign.
| By his Excellency’s Command, | } | T. GAGE. |
| Tho’s Flucker, Secretary. |
“GOD SAVE THE KING.”
Gen. Gage’s next proclamation was against the existence of the famous “Committee of Correspondence,” which Samuel Adams had originated, and the “solemn league and covenant” “to suspend all commercial intercourse with the island of Great Britain,” &c. And “in tenderness to the inhabitants of this province,” he issued this proclamation of warning.
Then, as if to cap the climax of pretension and folly, not to say hypocrisy, on the 25th of July, while he relied upon the counsels and efforts of the tory party, issued what may be called a very curious proclamation, such as possibly, under some circumstances, might have been issued by Gov. Endicott, in the early days of New England Puritanism; but the Puritans had long before this time passed out of power. The following is the proclamation:—
MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
By the GOVERNOR. A PROCLAMATION.
For the Encouragement of Piety, and Virtue, and for preventing and punishing of vice, profanity and immorality.