History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

84 History of Swansea
Worse than all, the regulating act sought to throttle the town
meeting, that dearest of all institutions to New England, whose
people, as Bancroft so well puts it, "had been accustomed, in
their town meetings, to transact all business that touched them
most nearly, as fathers, as freemen, and as Christians. There
they adopted local taxes to keep their free schools ; there they
regulated the municipal concerns of the year : there they chose
their representatives and instructed them: and there most of
them took measures for the settlement of ministers of the
gospel in their congregations: there they were accustomed to
express their sentiments upon any subject connected with
their interests, rights, liberties, and religion.
The new act allowed only two town meetings annually, in
which town officers and representatives might be chosen, but
no other matters introduced. Every other assembly of a town
was forbidden, except only upon written leave of the Governor,
and then only for business expressed in that leave. Thus the
King trampled under foot the customs, laws, and privileges of
the people of Massachusetts.
This act went immediately into effect, and at once forced
a choice between resistance and submission.
In this juncture, the Committee of Boston sent a circular
letter to all the towns in the province, in which they said:
"Though surrounded by a large body of armed men, who,
having the sword, have also our blood in their hands, we are
yet undaunted. To you, our brethren, and dear companions
in the cause of God, we apply. To you we look for that advice
and example which with the blessing of God shall save us from
destruction. " This urgent message roused the State : William
Prescott of Pepperell, who in less than a year was to stand at
the head of a band of American soldiers to dispute with the
British regulars the possession of the Bunker Hill redoubt,
expressed the mind of the State, when he wrote for his neighbors,
"We think, if we submit to these regulations, all is gone.
Let us all be of one heart and stand fast in the liberties wherewith
Christ has made us free." Everywhere the people were
weighing the issue in which they were involved, and one spirit
animated the country.
This was the situation in view of which Swansea sent Col.
Andrew Cole and his associates "to deliberate and devise
measures sutabel to the exigency of the times. " And this was
why in a town meeting which the new regulating act interdicted
but which was nevertheless held, Swansea chose Colonel
Andrew Cole, Col. Jerathmiel Bowers and Capt. Levi Wheaton
as "a committee for said town to meet with other committees
of the several towns in the province, at Concord to act on
"