Springfield March 3^d 1788
M^r Williams
Sir last Saturday Dr Moseley call at my House & shew me the
Copy of a petⁿ presented to Dr Dorchester & Col^o Fitch any Name
in our own Behalf & that of many others whose Names were
subjoined I had but a Moments time to glance it over but
I found it Containing such Sentiments & Complaints & Principles
as I could not adopt, & the Application [?] on such Grounds
as I could not approve I thot my Integrity & Honer required
a disavawol of it & I requested Col^o Fitch to put my Name
out & that I might not be consid^d as a petitioner

I hope this will be one without prejudice to any of the
other Petitioners for I should be very sorry to embarrass
or obstruct their Suit in any degree by my not being
willing to proceed w^t them further on the Ground of
Complaint of Parsecution here & of Design of removal
to Canada &c

I am in Haste
Your hum^l Servant
John Worthington
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: In this letter, John Worthington asks John Williams to assist him in removing his name from a petition which he finds contains sentiments he does not agree with. The petition to which John Worthington's name was attached was a result of Shays' Rebellion and seems to contain the sentiments of the followers of Shays.
John Worthington was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1786 and served as a colonel in the French wars. John Williams held many offices in the town of Deerfield, among them Justice of the Peace, Register of Deeds, as well as acting as town storekeeper.

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