By the GOVERNOR. A PROCLAMATION.
_For the Encouragement of Piety, and Virtue, and for preventing and
punishing of vice, profanity and immorality._
In humble imitation of the laudable example of our most gracious
sovereign _George_ the third, who in the first year of his reign was
pleased to issue his Royal proclamation for the encouragement of piety
and virtue, and for preventing of vice and immorality, in which he
declares his royal purpose to punish all persons guilty thereof; and
upon all occasions to bestow marks of his royal favor on persons
distinguished for their piety and virtue:
"I therefore, by and with the advice of his Majesty's Council, publish
this proclamation, exhorting all his Majesty's subjects to avoid all
hypocrisy, sedition, licentiousness, and all other immoralities, and
to have a grateful sense of all God's mercies, making the divine laws
the rule of their conduct.
"I therefore command all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, and other
Officers, to use their utmost endeavors to enforce the laws for
promoting religion and virtue, and restraining all vice and sedition;
and I earnestly recommend to all ministers of the gospel that they be
vigilant and active in inculcating a due submission to the laws of God
and man; and I exhort all the people of this province, by every means
in their power, to contribute what they can towards a general
reformation of manners, restitution of peace and good order, and a
proper subjection to the laws, as they expect the blessing of Heaven.
"And I do further declare, that in the disposal of the offices of
honor and trust, within this province, the supporters of true religion
and good government shall be considered as the fittest objects of such
appointments.
"And I hereby require the Justices of assize, and Justices of the
peace in this province, to give strict charge to the grand Jurors for
the prosecution of offenders against the laws: and that, in their
several courts they cause this proclamation to be publickly read
immediately before the charge is given.
"_GIVEN at the Council Chamber in Salem, the 21st day of July, 1774,
in the fourteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the
Third by the Grace of GOD of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, &c._
"THOMAS GAGE.
"By his Excellency's Command,
THOS. FLUCKER, Secry.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."
The gist of the proclamation, which was specially intended for the people
of Boston, for whose benefit the words "sedition and hypocrisy" were used,
was in the phrase, "submission to the laws of God _and man_." This
proclamation was not like the previous one, directed to the sheriffs; nor
was it ordered to be posted in the several towns of the province; nor was
it ordered to be read from the pulpits of the churches; but the justices
of the courts and grand juries were to see to its observance. It was, in
fact, a mere piece of gasconade on the part of the governor, in imitation
of his Majesty very likely; but, like the others, nobody either observed
it or troubled themselves about it; and it has very rarely been spoken of
since, if at all, by any historian. However it may be characterized, it
simply had the effect to exasperate the minds of the people, owing to the
insertion of _hypocrisy_ among the immoralities.[10] The proclamation
itself, as they thought, was the boldest piece of political hypocrisy the
government had yet perpetrated. It was much like every thing else which
the king, ministry, or governor had done from the time of the stamp-act,
and had a tendency to make matters worse instead of better.
Gen. Gage's proclamation of the 12th of June, 1775, offering pardon to all
who shall lay down their arms, &c., is well known. It begins,--
"Whereas the infatuated multitude who have suffered themselves to be
conducted by certain well-known incendiaries and traitors in a fatal
progression of crimes against the constitutional authority of the state,
have at length proceeded to avowed rebellion," &c. ... "A number of armed
persons to the amount of many thousands assembled on the 19th of April,"
&c. "In this exigency I avail myself of the last effort," and thereupon
offers "a full pardon to all who shall lay down their arms, excepting
Samuel Adams and John Hancock, whose offences are of too flagitious a
nature to admit of any other consideration than that of condign
punishment," &c.
The proclamation was probably written by Gen. Burgoyne, and so little
attention was paid to it that the army continued intact at Cambridge, and
in exactly one week from its date occurred the battle of Bunker Hill,
which proved so "fatal" to more than a thousand British soldiers. In less
than four months after this time Gen. Gage "laid down his arms" and
returned to England; and a few months later, in March, 1776, the army and
the navy followed his example and left the country, taking the "Port Act"
with them, but leaving for the use of the colony, arms, ammunition,
provisions, and even medical stores.