MS ; endorsed in RTP's hand: "A List of the Members of the Convention holden at Boston 1768 October in Consequence of Gov Barnards dissolving the Genl Court."

The refusal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives to rescind the Circular Letter of Feb. 11, 1768, which had been sent to all colonial assemblies to inform them of the ill effects expected of the Townshend Acts of 1767, resulted in Governor Bernard's dissolving the General Court. This action together with news that British troops were on their way to Boston plus other grievances led the Boston selectmen to send a call to the province's towns to send delegates to a convention to be held at Faneuil Hall on Sept. 22, 1768. RTP noted in his diary that on Sept. 21 he and James Williams were chosen to represent Taunton at the convention and were duly present on the following day. He probably made his hasty listing of delegates present at that time. While the measures taken at the convention were moderate, Richard D. Brown points out that "The royal government had small reason for comfort when the great majority of politically active towns demonstrated their readiness to defy the governor by asserting the right to convene at will" ("The Massachusetts Convention of Towns, 1768," William and Mary Quarterly, 3d ser., 26[1969]: 102).

Brown prints a slightly amended version of this list in his article (pp. 103–104). He notes that RTP mistakenly placed several Maine towns in the wrong counties, and from town records added further delegates from Brimfield, Brunswick, Cambridge, Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth [Cumberland County], Leicester, and Montague. However, "Even if these 7 are added to Paine's list, 2 are still missing since the final proceeding of the convention reported 96 towns and 8 districts represented, whereas this list only includes 102 towns and districts."