Moses Moody, et al. Ms. Petition to Massachusetts Bay House of Representatives, March 25, 1777

Newbury March the 25th 1777

To the Honorable Council And
To the Honorable House of Representatives
For the State of ye Massachusetts Bay In General
Court Now Assembled & Mett -

The Petition of us The Subscribers whose Names Are
hereunto Annexed Humbly Sheweth That
Whereas The Town of Newbury at A former meeting put
It to the town to Raise A Sum of money To be given to
Those persons Who have been In the Service out of this Town
(Officers as well as Soldiers) An subsidy Over & Above what
The General Court had Generously Given It passed in
The Negative Since Att Another meeting which –
was Warned of A Sunday & held the Next Day A Vote was
Obtained to the great Discontent of many of the
Inhabitants the Afforesaid Meeting being held At the
Easterly part of the Town the Distance of way Shortness of
the warning previous Engagements & Avocations prevented A
Considerable part of the Inhabitants from attending Said
Meeting After Said Vote passed A Committee was chosen to
Prefer a Petition To the honorable council & House of
Representatives in Order That Said Vote might be Enacted
By your Honours Into A Law As your Petitioners humbly
Conceive the Encouragement already Given Amply sufficient
And When Deuly considering as we humbly Conceive The
Illegality and Unreasonableness of Said Vote On Account of
The Shortness of The warning the Distress of Many Aged
Persons Widows & Orphans possessing small Estates Barely
Sufficient To Support Them when Obliged To pay Such
Unreasonable & Enormous Sums Must Inevitably Sell Such Estates
for To Answer The Cruel Oppressive & Unhallowed Demand

{Note: Transcription provided by Sarah Caswell Angell Chapter, NSDAR}