Early Governors' Papers

at a meeting of a number of the ^most respectable Citizens of the county of Robertson, Convened at the Court house in the Town of Springfield on thursday the 2^nd instant for the purpose of taking under Consideration, the present eventful and Critical State of our national and political affairs with the beligirents of Europe - the distress occasioned by the Embargo Acts, and the Consequent Scarcity of a Circu= lating medium -

Gen^l Thomas Johnson was Called to the Chair and Thomas Swann Esq^r appointed Secretary -

The Meeting being Organized, the Chairman, in a Concise, but animated and impressive speech, Stated the Object of the meeting - the repeated insults and injuries Committed by France and England on the Commerce, neutral rights and national independence of the American Government; - the policy of our Govern= ment in laying an Embargo to Counteract the injurious effects ^that would necessarily result from the British Orders in Council, and the decrees of the French Emperor; and Concluded by Suggesting the propriety of petitioning the executive to Convoke the Legislature, that such laws may he passed, as should be deemed politic from our relative Situation with the other States and the laws passed therein.

A motion was made that a Committee be appointed to draft resolutions, to be referred to the Consi= deration of a general meeting of the Citizens on thursday next; a Committee was accordingly appointed, Consisting of the following Gentlemen.

Thomas Swann John Hutchinson Thomas D Martin Richard M Harwell Thomas Johnson John Coleman Martin Duncan John B Cheatham