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absence, that they signify the same to the Congress, in order to their obtaining leave to withdraw.
Adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow morning.
Saturday, November 26, 1774, A. M.
The Committee appointed to wait on the Members of his Majesty's Council now in Town, reported that they had attended that service; had seen the Honourable Mr. Cushing and the Honourable Mr. Seaver, and had delivered to them the Message with which they were charged; they being the only Members in Town.
Ordered, That the same Committee wait on the other gentlemen of his Majesty's Council, invited by this Congress to attend here, as they come into Town, and inform them of the Resolve of this Congress.
Ordered, That Captain Heath, Mr. Adams, Colonel Doolittle, Colonel Pomeroy, and Honourable Mr. Dexter, be a Committee to devise some means of keeping up a correspondence between this Province, Montreal, and Quebec, and of gaining very frequent intelligence from thence of their movements.
The Committee appointed yesterday to see if some more convenient place could be procured for the Congress, than that in which they now sit, reported that the new Chapel can be had, and that it is the most convenient place that they can obtain.
Ordered, That this matter now subside.
Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Honourable Major Hawley, and the Honourable Mr. Cushing, be a Committee to draw the form of an Order with respect to the Treasurer's giving Bonds, and report.
Ordered, That Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Adams, Honourable Mr. Cushing, and Doctor Church, be added to the Committee appointed to publish the names of the Mandamus Counsellors, and others, now in Boston.
Adjourned till Monday morning, ten o'clock.
Monday, November 28, 1774, A. M.
Ordered, That Mr. Palmer, Mr. Cushing, Colonel Gerish, Mr. Bigelow, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Pickering, and Colonel Pomeroy, be a Committee to take into consideration the state of the Manufactures, and how they may be improved in this Province.
Adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow morning.
Tuesday, November 39, 1774, A. M.
Ordered, That Colonel Henshaw, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Lothrop, and Mr. Pigeon, be a Committee to make as just an estimate as may be of the loss and damage of every kind occasioned to the Province by the operation of the Boston Port Bill and the Act for altering the Civil Government, from their commencement to this time
Ordered, That Doctor Foster, Mr. Gorham, and Colonel Orne, be a Committee to state the amount of the sums which have been extorted from us since the year 1763, by the operation of certain Acts of the British Parliament.
Resolved, That a messenger be despatched to the Town of Salem, in order to gain what intelligence can be had by the last vessels from London, and that the messenger bring with him the Essex Paper to this Congress; and that Mr. Bigelow be desired to take upon him the above service.
Resolved, That Mr. Devens be desired to go to Boston and inquire what advice came by the last vessels from London.
Resolved, That when this Congress shall adjourn, that it be adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.
Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.
Afternoon.
Mr. Devens reported that, in obedience to the order of the Congress, he had been to the Town of Boston; that the Letters from London by the last ships had not come to hand; that Doctor Church was in Boston, and would bring them to the Congress as soon as they should arrive.
Resolved, That to-morrow, at eleven o'clock, the Congress will take into consideration the expediency of appointing Members to attend a Continental Congress, to be held at Philadelphia, agreeably to the recommendation of the last Continental Congress.
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow morning.
Wednesday, November 30, 1774, A. M.
The Order of the Day was moved for.
The expediency of appointing Members to attend a Continental Congress, was considered: Thereupon,
Resolved, unanimously, as the opinion of this body, that Members be appointed to attend a Continental Congress, proposed to be held at Philadelphia, on the tenth day of May next, agreeably to the recommendation of the late Continental Congress.
Resolved, That five Members be appointed.
Resolved, That to-morrow, at three o'clock in the afternoon, be assigned to come to the choice of Delegates to attend the Continental Congress, proposed to be held at Philadelphia, on the 10th day of May next.
Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Sullivan, and Doctor Foster, bring in a Resolve expressive of the Thanks of this body to the other Colonies, for their generous Donations to the inhabitants of the Town of Boston, now labouring under the oppression of certain Acts of the British Parliament.
Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.
Afternoon.
Resolved, That the Letters from Doctor Franklin to Mr. Cushing, which have been now read, be committed to the Provincial Committee of Correspondence.
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow morning.
Thursday, December 1, 1774, A. M.
The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve expressing the Thanks of this body to the other Colonies, for their generous Donations to the inhabitants of the Town of Boston, reported. The Report was recommitted for amendments.
The same Committee reported a Brief to be circulated through the several Towns, to promote Donations to the Towns of Boston and Charlestown; also recommitted for amendments.
The Committee appointed to take into consideration the state of Rights, the state of Grievances, and the Association, as stated by the Continental Congress, reported. The Report was then taken into consideration, and the further consideration thereof referred to three o'clock this afternoon.
Afternoon.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the Report of the Committee, agreeably to their Resolve in the forenoon; after some debate thereon, it was ordered to be recommitted for an amendment.
The Resolve expressing the Thanks of this body to the other Colonies, for their Donations to the Town of Boston, &c., as amended, was read and accepted, and is as followeth:
Whereas, by the rigorous operation of the Boston Port Bill, the Metropolis of this Province, and the neighbouring Town of Charlestown, have been brought into the most distressful state, many of the inhabitants being deprived of the means of procuring their subsistence, and reduced to the cruel alternative of quitting their habitations, or of perishing in them by famine, if they had not been supported by the free and generous contributions of our sister Colonies, even from the remotest part of this Continent.
Resolved, That the grateful acknowledgments of this Congress be returned to the several Colonies, for having so deeply interested themselves in behalf of said Towns, under their present sufferings in the common cause; and that the Congress consider these Donations, not merely as unexampled acts of benevolence to this Province in general, which has also greatly suffered, and of charity to those Towns in particular, but as convincing proofs of the firm attachment of all the Colonies to the glorious cause of American Liberty, and of their fixed determination to support them in the noble stand they are now making for the liberties of themselves and of all America.
The Committee appointed to prepare a Brief, reported; their Draught amended. Ordered, To be recommitted for a revision, and for such further amendments as they shall think proper.
Ordered, That Mr. Devens apply to the Secretary for a list of Counsellors appointed by mandamus; and in case he should be refused such list, he is desired to take with
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