“Whereas dangerous commotions and
insurrections have been fomented and raised in the town of Boston, in
the province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, by divers
ill-affected persons, to the subversion of his Majesty's government
and to the utter, destruction of the public peace and good order of
the said town; in which commotions and insurrections certain valuable
cargoes of teas, being the property of the East India Company and on
board certain vessels lying within the bay of harbour of Boston, were
seized and destroyed; and whereas, in the present condition of the
said town and harbour the commerce of his Majesty's subjects cannot
be safely carried on there, nor the customs payable to his Majesty
duly collected; and it is therefore expedient that the officers of
his Majesty's customs should be forthwith removed from the said
town...nothing in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to
extend to any military or other stores for his Majesty's use, or to
the ships or vessels whereon the same shall be laden...nor to any
fuel of victual brought coastwise from any part of the continent of
America, for the necessary use and sustenance of the inhabitants of
the said town of Boston, provided the vessels wherein the same are to
be carried shall be duly be furnished with a cocket and let-pass,
after having been duly searched by the proper officers of his
Majesty's customs at Marblehead, in the port of Salem in the said
province of Massachusetts Bay; and that some officer of his Majesty's
customs be also there put on board said vessel, who is hereby
authorized to go on board and proceed with the said vessel, together
with a sufficient number of persons, properly armed, for his defense,
to the said town or harbour of Boston; nor to any ships or vessels
which may happen to be within the said harbour of Boston on or before
the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four,
and may have either laden or taken on board, or be there with intent
to load or take on board, or to land or discharge any goods, wares,
and merchandise, provided the said ships and vessels do depart the
said harbour within fourteen days after the said first day of June,
one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four...Provided also, and it
is hereby declared and enacted, that nothing herein contained shall
extend, or be construed, to enable his Majesty to appoint such port,
harbour, creeks, quays, wharfs, places, or officers, in the said town
of Boston, or in the said bay or islands, until it shall sufficiently
appear to his Majesty that full satisfaction has been made by or on
behalf of the inhabitants of the said town of Boston to the United
Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies, for
damage sustained by the said company by the destruction of their
goods sent to the said town of Boston...”
George III, March 31,
1774
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