THE FANEUIL FAMILY 179 



Faneuil was a public-spirited citizen. While engrossed 

 in the cares of extensive business, he had vital inter- Paneuii Hau 

 est in the welfare of his neighbours and friends and 

 in the future good of the town of Boston. From his own 

 experience he realized the disadvantages under which 

 trade was conducted without a local market. He desired 

 improvement in this direction, and was finally led to test 

 the public sentiment, which had been strangely an- 

 tagonistic to ^the establishment of a public market, by 

 making a proposition which is set forth in a petition, 

 sent to the selectmen with the signatures of three hundred 

 and forty prominent citizens attached. The petition de- 

 clared that Peter Faneuil, Esq., ''hath been generously 

 pleased to offer at his own cost and charge to erect and 

 build a noble and complete structure or edifice to be im- 

 proved for a market, for the sole use, benefit and ad- 

 vantage of the town, provided that the town of Boston 

 would pass a vote for that purpose, and lay the same un- 

 der such proper regulations as shall be thought necessary, 

 and constantly support it for the said use." So the war- 

 rant for the town meeting was posted, and the matter was 

 discussed pro and con, for there was a great division 

 of opinion. There were seven hundred and twenty- 

 seven ballots cast, and the yeas won by only seven votes. 

 Thus near did Boston come to losing Faneuil Hall and 

 the ''cradle of liberty." But Peter Faueuil's plans in- The cradie of 

 eluded a public meeting hall in addition to a market, ' ^^^^ '^^^ 

 and it was due to him that the people had a forum. In 

 August, 1742, after two years spent upon the work, the 

 selectmen were informed that the market was finished, 

 and on September 10, the keys were delivered to the city 

 authorities. There had been a great change in public 

 opinion, and now the citizens unanimously voted to "ac- 

 cept this most generous and noble benefaction for the use 

 and intention they are designed for." 



The name came from no initiative of Peter Faneuil, but source of the 

 from an outside source. The records show that it was ^^""^ 



