Title Page of The Votes and Proceedings

The strategy of the Boston Whigs pivoted on the salutary political effects of a 42-page pamphlet, the title-page of which is reproduced on the right. Why, an early reader might well wonder, has the town meeting refused to do what most 18th century title pages do so well, by offering a more or less systematic preview of the content of the pamphlet? The answer, I think, lies in the Whig leadership's worry that the town meeting might be seen as overstepping the proper legal function of a town meeting. So, to deflect the accusation that they have exceeded their authority by criticizing a new imperial policy, the Boston Whigs chose a title and title page that everywhere emphasizes that this pamphlet is being published according to the routine legal procedures of the town meeting. Thus the title presents the pamphlet as 1) "the votes and proceedings of the (tax paying) freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston"; 2) in a town meeting "assembled" "according the law" (e.g. by warrant); 3) which votes are "published by order of the Town." To make the occasion for this communication still clearer, the pamphlet prefixes "as Introductory, An attested Copy of the Vote of the Town at a preceeding Meeting", which had authorized the committee to write this pamphlet communication to the other towns.