Excerpt from Captain Nelson: A Romance of Colonial Days
It was a sufficiently plain structure, furnished with a balcony, an exterior staircase, a sun-dial, and a belfry. The ground-żoor, only partially enclosed, was reserved for the use of merchants of the town, who met here every day, upon 'change, to buy and sell, discuss the news, or consult the notices affixed to the walls - then the only medium of public advertisement in the colony. It was therefore the business centre of the place.
Though so little imposing in appear ance, the Town-house derived addi tional importance from its threefold occupation by the royal governor and council, the colonial judiciary, and the local magistracy. All proclamations were published from the balcony over looking the market-place; all suitors at law, and criminals of every degree, ascending or descending the steps of its' exterior staircase, were confronted by the stocks and pillory, which stood in convenient proximity to the halls of justice. Over the edifice, and symbol izing its relation to the parent govern ment, the standard of England żoated in the breeze. Here, therefore, was also the political centre.
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