Meeting of the Committee and other Inhabitants of Gloucester on the arrival of Tea

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Gloucester County, November 7, 1774.

From certain information that the Virginia, Captain Howard Esten, was arrived in York River with a quantity of Tea on board, twenty-three members of the Committee of Gloucester County, with a number of the other inhabitants, assembled at Gloucester Town, to determine how the said Tea should be disposed of.

Hearing that the Members of the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg, at eight o' clock this morning, had taken the matter under their consideration, we determined to wait the result of their deliberations. We accordingly waited till after twelve, but the determinations from Williamsburg having not then come down, we repaired to the Ship, in order to meet the Committee of York, which we supposed to be in the great number of those we discerned on board. On our arrival we found the Tea had met its deserved fate, for it had been committed to the waves. We then returned, and after mature deliberation came to the following Resolutions:

Resolved, That John Norton, Merchant in London, by sending over Tea in his Ship has lent his little aid to the Ministry for enslaving America, and been guilty of a daring insult upon the people of this Colony, to whom he owes his all.

Resolved, That the Ship Virginia, in which the detestable Tea came, ought and shall return in twenty days from the date hereof.

Resolved, That no Tobacco shall be shipped from this County on board the said Ship, either to the owners or any other person whatsoever; and we do most earnestly recommend it to our countrymen to enter into the same Resolution, in their respective Counties.

Resolved, That the said Norton has forfeited all title to the confidence of this County, and that we will not in future consign Tobacco, or any other commodity to his house, until satisfactory concessions are made, and we recommend the same Resolution to the rest of the Colony.

Resolved, That John Prentis, who wrote for, and to whom the Tea was consigned, has justly incurred the censure of this country, and that he ought to be made a publick example of.

Resolved, That Howard Esten, commander of the Ship Virginia, has acted imprudently, by which he has drawn on himself the displeasure of the people of this County.

Signed by order of the Committee,

JASPER CLAYTON, Clerk.