Commonwealth of Massachusetts
ENSE . PETIT PLACIDAM . SUB . LIBERTATE QUIETEM
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
JOHN HANCOCK, Esquire.
Governour of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
A Proclamation.
WHEREAS the Legislature of this Commonwealth, with an intention, "not
only to adopt very vigourous and efficacious method, necessary to suppress the
present traiterous opposition to the laws, and to restore peace and harmony
to the Commonwealth, but also to repeat the offers of grace and mercy to the
penitent citizen, and to extend the same as far as may be consistent with the
true interest of the Commonwealth, and the security of her citizens in future;"
have, a resolve of the thirteenth day of June, instant, made provision for the
raising and supporting a force, to defend the Commonwealth; against all wicked
and rebellious men; and have also with a very extensive elemency, by the same
resolve provided, that, "each and every citizen of this Commonwealth,
who have committed any treasons or misprisions of treason against the same,
since the first day of June, A. D. 1786, be, and they thereby are indemnified
for the same, and for all felonies which had been perpetrated by any of the
said citizens in the commissions of treasons, and which are overt acts of the
same; and each and every citizen aforesaid, are thereby discharged of all pains,
penalties, disqualifications and disabilities of the law in such case, made
and provided: Provided, that pursuant to the said resolve such of said offenders,
who have not taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance to this Commonwealth,
since the first day of June, A. D. 1786, shall take and subscribe the said oath,
before any Justice of the Peace within the Commonwealth, on or before the twelfth
day of September next; excepting out of the same indemnification, as well all
such persons as had been convicted of such crimes by due course of law, as Daniel
Shays, of Pelham, Gentleman, Luke Day, of West-Springfield, Gentleman, both
of the county of Hampshire, and Lieutenant-Colonel William Smith, of the same
county, Eli Parsons, of Adams, Gentleman, Perez Hamlin, of Lenox, Yeoman, Elisha
Manning, of a place called the Eleven Thousand Acres, Yeoman, David Dunham,
of Sheffield, Yeoman, Ebenezer Crittenden, of Sandisfield, Yeoman, Jacob Fox,
of Washington, Gentleman, all within the county of Berkshire, whose crimes are
so attrocious, and whose obstinancy so great, as to exclude them from an offer
of that indemnification, which is extended to those who have been misled, and
are not so flagrantly guilty.
I HAVE THEREFORE, by and with the advice of Council, and at the request of
the General Court, thought fit to issue this Proclamation, that the extension
of mercy and indemnification offered by the Legislature, may be fully known,
to those unhappy offenders who are the objects of it, and who have been deceived
by wicked and designing men, and to give them assurances of their indemnification
for all past treasons, misprisions of treason and felonies, and of being again
renewed to the arms of their country, and once more enjoying the rights of free
citizens of the Commonwealth.
As the lenient measures taken by the General Court, coinciding with the wishes
of all good men who love their country, and ardently wish for the perfect restoration
of peace and tranquility, cannot fail to convince the people of the whole State,
that should the unhappy and deluded offenders, the subjects of said indemnity,
again spurn at the clemency of government, and continue their attrocious and
traiterous exertions to overthrow the Commonwealth, the most spirited and decisive
measures must be adopted: And I cannot but believe, that the good sense of my
fellow-citizens, the regard the people have for the Constitution of civil government
established by themselves; their knowledge of their true interest; the obvious
necessity of good government, and the unhappy and distressing consequences of
supporting government by the sword, will unite all ranks and orders of men,
in the pursuit of peace, good order and due obedience to the laws.
AND all officers civil and military, who may be called upon in the duty of
their offices to carry the resolve aforesaid, into execution, are hereby strictly
enjoined to yield a ready and punctual attention to the same.
GIVEN at the COUNCIL-CHAMBER, in BOSTON, the fifteenth day of JUNE, in the
year of our LORD, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and in the eleventh
year of the INDEPENDENCE of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.
JOHN HANCOCK.
By his Excellency's Command,
JOHN AVERY, jun. Secretary
BOSTON: Printed by ADAMS AND NOURSE, PRINTERS to the HONOURABLE GENERAL COURT
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