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Saturday, October 22, 1774.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the Report of the Committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of this Province; and ordered the same to be recommitted for amendments.
Ordered, That the Honourable John Winthrop, Esq˙, Mr˙ Wheeler, and Mr˙ Lombard; be a Committee to bring in a Resolve recommending to the people of this Province that they observe a day of Publick Thanksgiving throughout the same; and that they sit immediately.
Resolved, That the consideration of the propriety of sending Agents to Canada be referred to the next meeting of this Congress.
Ordered, That Mr˙ Cushing, of Scituate, Captain Doolittle, Mr˙ Williams, and Mr˙ Palmer, be joined to the Committee appointed to prepare a Non-consumption Agreement relative to British and India goods; and that the Committee sit forthwith.
Moved, That a Committee be appointed to bring in a Resolve relative to the King' s Troops providing themselves with straw. After a long debate had thereon, the question was ordered to subside.
The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve recommending to the people of this Province to observe a day of Publick Thanksgiving throughout the same, reported; which Report was read, amended, and accepted, and is as followeth, viz:
From a consideration of the continuance of the Gospel among us, and the smiles of Divine Providence upon us with regard to the seasons of the year, and the general health which has been enjoyed; and in particular, from a consideration of the union which so remarkably prevails, not only in this Province, but throughout the Continent, at this alarming crisis, it is resolved, as the sense of this Congress, that it is highly proper that a day of Publick Thanksgiving should be observed throughout this Province;
Afternoon.
The Report of the Committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the Defence and Safety of the Province, being amended, was again read, and ordered to be recommitted for further amendment; and was committed accordingly.
Resolved, That the order recommending that a day of Thanksgiving be observed throughout this Province, be printed, and a copy thereof sent to all the religious assemblies in this Province; and that the President sign the same.
Ordered, That Mr˙ Appleton, Doctor Foster, and Mr˙ Devens, be a Committee to agree with Messrs˙ Edes and Gill, to print the Resolve entered into by this Congress, recommending to the Inhabitants of this Province to observe a day of Publick Thanksgiving; and that they send a copy thereof to all the religious assemblies therein.
Adjourned to Monday next, at ten o' clock, A˙ M.
Consideration of the Report resumed, and recommitted
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and it is accordingly recommended to the several religious assemblies in the Province, that Thursday, the fifteenth day of December next, be observed as a day of Thanksgiving, to render thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings we enjoy; and, at the same time, we think it incumbent on this people to humble themselves before God, on account of their sins, for which he hath been pleased, in his righteous judgment, to suffer so great a calamity to befall us as the present controversy between Great Britain and the Colonies; as also to implore the Divine blessing upon us, that, by the assistance of his grace, we may be enabled to reform whatever is amiss among us, that so God may be pleased to continue to us the blessings we enjoy, and remove the tokens of his displeasure, by causing harmony and union to be restored between Great Britain and these Colonies, that we may again rejoice in the smiles of our Sovereign, and in possession of those privileges which have been transmitted to us, and have the hopeful prospect that they shall be handed down to posterity under the Protestant succession in the illustrious House of Hanover.