Manuscript: Text Transcription

Petition to the General Court from the Town of Athol

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Honble Senate & House of Representatives of the Common Welth of Masachusetts-

att a legal Town Meeting of the freeholders & Other Inhabitants of the Town
Of Athol Assembled on Monday the first Day of May 1786-
The Following Person being Chosen a Committe to Present to your Honors the
following Petition in behalf of the Town for the Redress of Such Grievancies
as are Contain.d in said Petition (Viz) Simon Goddard John Foster Aaron
Oliver Stephen Earls & Daniel Felton-

We Therfore your Petitioners in behalf of the Town Assembly Shew
That from the Extreme Scearsety of Cash in the interior parts of this
Common welth we are Reduced to the Most Distressing Situation by Suits being
Daly commenced against the Inhabitants of this as well as many other
parts of this Commonwelth who have Sufficient property to Discharge
their Depts Ware it to be Receid in payment for the same but as the
Situation of our affairs are att Presant our property is torn from us

Our goals filld and Still our Depts not Discharged but our property
Daily Diminishing greatly to the Injury of the Deptors & in Many Cases but
little to their Advantage of the Creditor Therefore we Beg your Honors would
Take our Situation into Consideration & Do Something for the Relief of your Petitioners
by Passing An Act Makeing all Real & Personal Estate a Lawfull Tender to
Satisfy Executions to be Aprised off by men chosen by the Towns for that purpose
where the Parties cannot agree upon the Choice of Such Persons-
Who Shall also Determin what part of the Deptors Estate Shall be Apprised
off to the Creditor most to his Advantage & the lest Detrimental to the Deptor

Or Devise Some other Method to Relieav the Distresses of your Petitioners as you in
your Wisdom Shall think Best & your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall Ever
Pray

Simon Goddard
John Foster
Aaron Oliver
Stephen Earls
Dan.l Felton