Town Meeting Minutes, Salem 1776

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At a meeting of the Selectmen, June 10, 1776

Ordered, That the clerk issue a warrant to the several Constables of the town to warn a meeting of the freeholders & other inhabitants of Salem lawfully qualified to vote in town affairs to assemble at the town house Wednesday the 12^th day of June instant at 8 o’clock in the morning.

To advise the persons chosen to represent the inhabitants in the General Courts – Whether that is the Honorable Congress should for the safety of the United American Colonies declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they the said inhabitants will solemnly engage with their lives & fortunes to support them in the measure.

To receive & regulate the list of Petit Jurors to serve at the Superior Court & the Courts of Sessions & Inferior Court of Common Pleas.

To elect a proper number of Persons to supply the vacancies in the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection & Safety.

To elect a sufficient number of Persons to supply the vacancies in the Committee for erecting & complicating Fortifications or to be added to said Committee as shall be thought necessary to determine in what manner all future town meetings shall be warned.

At a meeting of the freeholders & other inhabitants of Salem lawfully qualified to vote in town affairs at the town house on Wednesday the June 12^th, 1776 at 8 o’clock in the morning.

Voted, Abram Watson, Moderator.

That the following advice be given to the representatives of the town.

To the gentlemen who represent the inhabitants of the town of Salem in the present General Court.

Gentlemen, We, the inhabitants of the town of Salem in the town meeting legally assembled, hereby advise you, that is the Honorable Congress shall for the safety of the United American Colonies declare them independent of the Kingdom of Britain, we will solemnly engage with their lives & fortunes to support them in the measure. Nevertheless, we pretend not to determine upon the expediency or inexpediency of the measure, or mean that our advice should influence in the determination of this important question, but only that if the wisdom of the Colonies collected in Congress should declare them independent we are ready to abide by the decision.