“I prayed they would not be hasty in signing”
The Rev. Ebenezer Parkman wrote in his diary: “N.B. Governor Gage has issued out a Proclamation against Combinations—Assemblys for signing a solemn League and Covenant etc.”
By that point, the townspeople had been debating the call for a strict non-consumption pact for two weeks. They were looking at both the Boston and Worcester versions. Their new committee of correspondence had already spoken with Parkman, as well as hearing from the Rev. Nathan Stone of Southboro.
So what effect did the governor’s royal proclamation have? It certainly slowed down one important person in town, but he was already leery of anything that might be controversial. That person was the Rev. Mr. Parkman himself.
On 4 July he wrote about a meeting never entered into the official town record:
Town Meet on the Affair of signing some Draught, for the public Relief. Old Mr. Whitney and Capt. Jonas Brigham are sent to me to desire me to go and assist ‘em, by prayer and advice. Went and prayed.Despite Parkman’s clear reluctance, men at that (unofficial) gathering joined the boycott. Two days later, the minister continued to fret: “all Conversations are upon the Governors Proclamation prohibiting Combinations and Covenants against Great Britain.” But, like Gage, he had lost his sway over his parishioners. Now he was trying to preserve his standing.
After prayer the Moderator (Mr. Daniel Forbes) requested me to communicate to them my Thoughts, if I had prepared something etc. I told him I had made no formal Draught: but read the Introduction and some other parts of my Remarks on the Covenant from Boston. Also what I wrote at Bottom of the Letter signed William Cooper.
Sundry persons urged my tarrying and advising them with respect to what their own Committee had drawn up, but I answered that I did not care to meddle with it; for I conceived it was not safe for me to do it, Safe either for me or for them, especially by reason of the Governors Proclamation. I craved the Liberty to retire; not but that I was heartily ready and willing to improve my small Abilitys to my utmost in their service.
It was asked me whether I would read their paper if it were Sent Me. I did not refuse to do that in [onelay?] for them and I said I had no desire or Intention to offend any one of them all, not the least; but intreated, and challenged the Liberty of Briton and a New Englandman: and I prayed they would not be hasty in signing every thing; I could not advise to signing any Thing Seeing there was no immediate Necessity; Boston itself had not and their meeting was adjourned to the 19th.
I conceived they would know better how to conduct if they waited a while, and had better perhaps till after the proposed Congress. I observed that there was not such an Alternative as was mentioned in the Covenant, viz. of Suffering Blood-shed or slavery, unless we would withdraw Commerce with Great Britain; for by the News from Newport it appeared that their Messengers to the Congress would propose a general Address and Supplication to the King from all the Colonys jointly.
Before I retired I openly declared, for the Ease and satisfaction of all their minds, that I had signed no paper of Address or Recommendation of the late Governor and that I could not but take it ill that numbers of persons had been ready to take up a Reproach against their Neighbour.
When I retired, they, as I understood went on to ripen for signing, and that many did sign.
TOMORROW: Holding out to the last.
(The picture above shows the Jonah Warren House in Westboro, the oldest part estimated to have been built in the 1720s.)
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