MA SELECTMEN MISTREATED DURING WASHINGTON'S VISIT

[JOHN HANCOCK]. BOSTON, DECEMBER 12, 1789. 3 PAGES.9 ¼" X 14 ¼". AN EXCEPTIONALLY DETAILED ACCOUNT RENDERED BY THE SELECTMEN OF BOSTON FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SHERIFF ON DUTY DURING A VISIT BY PRESIDENT WASHINGTON. THE CONTENT IS REALLY AMUSING, SO WE HAVE QUOTED EXTENSIVELY;"WE THE SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON (AND IN US THE WHOLE BODY OF THE INHABITANTS) HAVING BEEN IN THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS & INSOLENT MANNER AFFRONTED & INSULTED BY MR. HENDERSON THE SHERIFF OF THIS COUNTY ON THE DAY THE TOWN WAS HONOURED BY A VISIT FROM THE BELOVED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BEG LEAVE TO REMONSTRATE & COMPLAIN TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AGAINST THE CONDUCT OF SAID SHERIFF AT THAT TIME WHICH WE SHALL DO, BY STATING THE FACTS THAT TOOK PLACE."The order of procession agreed on by the Selectmen & Committee apointed for the purpose, being laid before his Honour the Lt. Governour & the Honourable Council (sickness preventing your being present) it was consented to, by them among other articles agreed on, the Selectmen were to precede the President giving place only to the supreme Executive of the State and that no person on horseback should join the procession, on condition that the marshalls who were appointed by order of the Town, should be on foot as soon as the line was formed, which was strictly complied with, notwithstanding which, when the President appeared within sight of the preocesion and we were prepared to wait upon him, as directed by the Town, to congratulate him on his arrival at this metropolis & then to take our station as agreed on. Mr. Henderson the Sheriff, in a very rude & insolent manner approached us, and publicly & repeatedly declared with great contempt, that we should not precede the President, and when he was told that we should take our station, even if he rode over us, he declared if we attempted it, he would do it, and frequently declared during the altrecation, that he had you Excellency's positive orders to support and justify his conduct and the he would obey them and affirmed to some of us that he had them in writing…After disputing the matter near half an hour and finding the Sheriff obstinately determined to bring on confusion & disorder at that critical moment, if we did not retire, and considering the disagreable situation of the President, in his delicate state of health, so long exposed to the cold and piercing wind on the neck, we very reluctantly submitted to the mortifying alternative of giving place to a number of persons on horseback, most of them unknown in the Town…"Your Excellency will naturally suppose that we must experience very disagreable sensations, on receiving such unparelled ill-treatment from one of your officers, who has since made his boast "that if we had contended longer with him, he would have made a hole through some of us"."…we therefore request your Excellency's attention to this remonstrance & complaint and as the insult offered & the affront given by the Sheriff was public…we have a right to expect the acknowledgement & satisfaction to be made by him will be as public."We are sorry for the occasion that obliges us to trouble your Excellency but the dignity of this Metropolis –our honor as it Selectmen have been so insulted our feelings so cruelly wounded and a great number of our worthy fellow citizens so irritated by the treatment we have received from the Sheriff we cannot be silent…"Signed at the conclusion by the Selectmen of Boston including John Scollay. Some archival tape repairs. Great content detailing the Selectmen's maltreatment by the Sheriff. Actually quite humorous.