Upon a motion made by Mr. Hall, that he might be excused from serving any longer on the Committee of Supplies, in consideration of his ill state of health, the question was put, whether he be excused for the reason mentioned, and passed in the affirmative.

Resolved, That at three o'clock this afternoon, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the Committee of Supplies, instead of Mr. Hall, excused.

The Order of the Day was moved for; accordingly the Congress resumed the consideration of the Report of the Committee relative to the power of the Committee of Safety, and the powers of the General Officers. After some debate thereon, it was referred for further consideration until the afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the same Report; which was recommitted for amendments proposed.

Ordered, That as Doctor Warren and Doctor Church are absent, Colonel Dwight and Colonel Coffin be added to the Committee on the Account of the late Delegates from this Province to the Continental Congress.

The Committee appointed to report an Address to the inhabitants of this Province, having amended their draught, reported; which was again ordered to be recommitted for amendments.

A Petition of Boice and Clark, praying that this Congress would take some step for the encouragement of collecting Linen Rags in their respective Towns; read, and

Ordered, That Mr. Gorham, Mr. Bigelow, and Mr. Freeman, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve recommending the saving of Linen Rags, according to the prayer of the Petition.

Resolved, That the Congress will now proceed to the choice of some one to serve on the Committee of Safety, in the place of Norton Quincy, Esquire, who declined serving thereon.

Ordered, That Mr. Pitts, Major Fuller, and Doctor Holten, be a Committee to count and sort the votes for a person to serve on the Committee of Safety, in the stead of Norton Quincy, Esquire, who declined serving thereon.

The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve on the Committee of Safety. The Committee having sorted and counted the same, reported that Mr. Jabez Fisher was chosen.

Resolved, That to-morrow morning, at ten o'clock, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the Committee of Supplies, instead of Mr. Hall, who hath been excused.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.

Thursday, February 9, 1775, A. M.

The Report of the Committee relative to the power of the Committee of Safety, and the powers of the General Officers, being amended, was accepted, and is as followeth, viz:

Resolved, That the Honourable John Hancock, Esquire, Doctor Joseph Warren, Doctor Benjamin Church, Junior, Mr. Richard Devens, Captain Benjamin White, Colonel Joseph Palmer, Mr. Abraham Watson, Colonel Azor Orne, Mr. John Pigeon, Colonel William Heath, and Mr. Jabez Fisher, be, and hereby are, appointed a Committee of Safety, to continue until the further order of this, or some other Congress, or House of Representatives of this Province, whose business and duty it shall be, most carefully and diligently to inspect and observe all and every such person or persons, as shall at any time attempt to carry into execution, by force, an Act of the British Parliament, entitled "An Act for the better regulating the Government of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England," or who shall attempt to carry into execution, by force, another Act of the British Parliament, entitled "An Act for the Impartial Administration of Justice in the cases of persons questioned for any act done by them in the execution of the Law, or for the suppression of Riots and Tumults in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay;" which said Committee, or any five of them, (provided always, that not more than one of the said five shall be an inhabitant of the Town of Boston,) shall have power, and they are hereby empowered and directed, when they shall judge that such attempt or attempts are made to alarm, muster, and cause to be assembled, with the utmost expedition, and completely armed, accoutred, and supplied with provisions sufficient for their support in the march to the place of rendezvous, such and so many of the Militia of this Province, as they shall judge necessary for the end and purpose of opposing such attempt or attempts, and at such place or places as they shall judge proper, and them to discharge, as the safety of the Province shall permit. And this Congress do most earnestly recommend to all the Officers and Soldiers of the Militia in this Province, who shall from time to time, during the commission of the said Committee, receive any call or order from the said Committee, to pay the strictest obedience thereto, as they shall regard the liberties and lives of themselves and the people of this Province, any order or orders of any form Congress varying therefrom notwithstanding.

Resolved, That the Honourable Jedediah Preble, Esquire, Honourable Artemas Ward, Esquire, Colonel Seth Pomeroy, Colonel John Thomas, and Colonel William Heath, be, and they hereby are appointed General Officers, whose business and duty it shall be, with such and so many of the Militia of this Province as shall be assembled by order of the Committee of Safety, effectually to oppose and resist such attempt or attempts as shall be made for carrying into execution, by force, an Act of the British Parliament, entitled "An Act for the better regulating the Government of jhe Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England;" or who shall attempt the carrying into execution, by force, another Act of the British Parliament, entitled "An Act for the more Impartial Administration of Justice in the cases of persons questioned for any act done by them in the execution of the Law, or for the suppression of Riots and Tumults in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay," so long as the said Militia shall be retained by the Committee of Safety, and no longer; and the said General Officers shall, while in the said service, command, lead, and conduct in such opposition, in the order in which they are above named, any order or orders of any former Congress, varying therefrom notwithstanding.

The Order of the Day was moved for.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to count and sort the votes for the choice of a person to serve on the Committee of Supplies in the place of Mr. Hall, who hath been excused. Accordingly, Mr. Sayer, Mr. Lothrop, and Captain Greenleaf, were appointed.

The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve on the Committee of Supplies; after counting and sorting the same, the Committee reported that Mr. Manning was chosen.

Upon a motion made by Mr. Manning, the question was put, whether he be excused from serving on the Committee of Supplies, and passed in the affirmative.

The Congress then proceeded to bring in their votes for a person to serve in his place; and after counting and sorting the same, the Committee reported that Mr. Elbridge Gerry was chosen.

Ordered, That during the debates of the Congress, the Members thereof be seated in their proper places.

A number of Letters said to be from gentlemen in England, were read. Upon a motion, Ordered, That they be committed to the Committee on the State of the Province, to take them into consideration, and report.

The Committee appointed to prepare an Address to the inhabitants of this Province, having amended their Report, the same was read, considered and accepted, and ordered to be attested, and added to the pamphlet directed to be printed by this Congress, and is as followeth, viz:

To the Inhabitants of the MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

FRIENDS AND FELLOW-SUFFERERS: When a People entitled to that freedom which your ancestors have nobly preserved, as the richest inheritance of their children, are invaded by the hand of oppression, and trampled on by the merciless feet of tyranny, resistance is so far from being criminal, that it becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual. While you see the lives of your fellowmen, in other Nations, sported with and destroyed, and their Estates confiscated by their Prince, only to gratify the caprice, ambition, or avarice of a Tyrant, you ought to entertain and cultivate in your minds the highest grati-