History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

570 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1796.
"that the treaty lately negotiated with Great Britain,
ought to be carried into immediate effect." Samuel Henshaw,
Ebenezer Hunt of Northampton, William Pynchon
of Springfield, Ebenezer Mattoon of Amherst, William
Coleman of Greenfield, Jonathan E. Porter of Hadley,
and Warham Parks, were appointed to draft a petition to
the National House of Representatives. This document was
prepared, adopted by the convention, and a vote passed
requesting '
' the Grand Jury of the county to forward to
each town in the County of Hampshire a copy of the Petition,
together with a circular letter desiring their imme-
diate attention to this momentous subject." That body at
once acceded to this request and dispatched the desired
letter and petition to the several towns. ^
The Town Approves. On the secoud of May the letter from the
Grand Jury and the accompanying petition
came before the town, when it was unanimously voted
"that the Circular Letter from the Grand Jury of this
County together with the Petition to Congress, praying
that provision might be made to Cary into effect the Treaty
lately negociated with Great Britain, as mentioned in the
foregoing warrant should be read."
"Whereupon after two several readings Voted unanimously
to accept the same." Subsequently it was voted
"unanimously, that the said Petition is expressive of the
Sentiments of this Town and that it should be delivered to
Ebenezer Hunt and by him sent to Sam'l Lyman, Esq.,
requesting him to lay the same before the House of Representatives,
now in Session at Philadelphia."
Approved by the
On the 11"' of May, meetings had been held
County. in most of the towns in the county and
votes passed approving the petition. The
meetings were uncommonly full and unanimous upon the
subject. Petitions from fifteen towns in this neighborhood
were forwarded to Congress by mail on the 6*'' of May. ^
1 This letter may be found in the Hampshire Gazette, May 4, 1796.
2 Hampshire Gazette, May 4, 1796.