18 May 1774. Report of the Committee on Proposals for Boston's conduct under the Port Act. No Dft found. printed: Boston Record Commissioners, 18th Report , p. 175. Prepared by a committee appointed 13 May composed of Samuel Adams, John Rowe, Thomas Boylston, William Phillips, Joseph Warren, John Adams, Josiah Quincy, Thomas Cushing, Henderson Inches, William Molineux, and Nathaniel Appleton.

“The Committee appointed on Fryday last to receive Proposals &c Report verbally that they had received several Proposals and plans, which appeared to them very likely to promote the Ease of those Inhabitants who may be brought into Distress by the Operation of the detested Port-Bill but that not having had time to digest those Plans, they asked Leave to set again, and report at the Adjournment, when having heard from the other Colonies, they will be better able to make said Report.”

Not satisfied, the town requested that Cushing be asked to appear “with Part of a written Report,” but when he came, he said that he had not written anything.

30 May 1774. Report of the Committee on Proposals and Ways and Means. No Dft or minutes found. printed: Boston Record Commissioners, 18th Report , p. 176.

“The Committee to receive Proposals and to consider of Ways and Means to employ the Poor, acquaint the Town, they were not able to report at present—they were therefore desired to sit again.”

Just before adjournment, the town decided to assign a new responsibility to the committee. It was requested to “prepare a Paper, to be carried to each Family in the Town, the Report of which to be, not to purchase any Articles of British Manufactures, that can be obtained among Ourselves, and that they will purchase Nothing of, but totally desert those who shall Counter-work the Salutary Measures of the Town.” Further the Committee of Correspondence was told to send word of this non-consumption resolution to towns throughout the province. The town's proposed boycott was far less sweeping than the Solemn League and Covenant, drafted by the Committee of Correspondence, which would have cut off all trade with Great Britain. (See Brown, Revolutionary Politics , p. 191–192.)

17 June 1774. Report of the Committee on Ways and Means. No Dft or minutes found. printed: Boston Record Commissioners, 18th Report , p. 176.

With John Adams acting as moderator pro tempore, Dr. Joseph Warren, a member of the committee, “acquainted the Town, that they thought it best to defer making Report, till they had heard from the other Governments, whereupon they were directed to set again.”

19 July 1774. Report of the Committee on Ways and Means. No Dft found. printed: Boston Record Commissioners, 18th Report , p. 181.

John Adams had returned home by 17 July, for he wrote to James Warren on that date from Braintree. How much part he played in the committee's deliberations is problematical.

“The Committee on Ways and Means Reported verbally, that they had been considering of the best Methods to Employ the Poor; and informed the Town, 'That the building a Wharff from the South End, leading to Dorchester Neck, and a House or Two on the Town's Lands, at that Part of the Town was what they thought might be of Service: That they had other Proposals to make in some future Time; but that for the present, the Comittee desired the Sense of the Town, with Respect to the Expediency of employing a Number of Inhabitants now out of Employ, in Carrying on a Wharff.'”

In the morning session, the town voted to accept the committee's recommendation to build a wharf, laying down certain conditions. In the afternoon, however, the town voted to reconsider its vote, decision being post poned to another meeting.