of the Committee appointed to consider what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of the Province, and ordered that it be read and considered by paragraphs.

Adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Ordered That the Doorkeeper be directed to call in the Members.

The Congress then resumed the consideration of the above Report, relative to what is necessary to be done for the defence and safety of the Province, and ordered that it be recommitted for amendments; which was amended, read, and accepted, almost unanimously, and is as followeth, viz:

Whereas, in consequence of the unhappy disputes between Great Britain and the Colonies, a formidable body of troops, with warlike preparations of every sort, are already arrived at, and others destined for the metropolis of this Province; and the express design of their being sent is to execute Acts of the British Parliament utterly subversive of the Constitution of the Province. And whereas, his Excellency General Gage has attempted, by his troops, to disperse the inhabitants of Salem whilst assembled to consult measures for preserving their freedom, and to subjugate the Province to arbitrary government; and proceeding to still more unjustifiable and alarming lengths, has fortified against the country the capital of the Province, and thus greatly endangered the lives, liberties, and properties of its oppressed citizens; invaded private property, by unlawfully seizing and retaining large quantities of ammunition in the arsenal at Boston and sundry pieces of ordnance and warlike stores of all sorts, provided at the publick expense for the use of the Province; and by all possible means endeavoured to place the Province entirely in a defenceless state; at the same time having neglected and altogether disregarded the assurances from this Congress of the pacifick disposition of the inhabitants of the Province, and entreaties that he would cease from measures which tended to prevent a restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies.

Wherefore, it is the opinion of this Congress, that notwithstanding nothing but slavery ought more to be deprecated than hostilities with Great Britain; notwithstanding the Province has not the most distant design of attacking, annoying, or molesting his Majesty's troops aforesaid; but, on the other hand, will consider and treat every attempt of the kind, as well as all measures tending to prevent a reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies, as the highest degree of enmity to the Province; nevertheless, there is great reason, from the consideration aforesaid, to be apprehensive of the most fatal consequences, and that the Province may be in some degree provided against the same; and under full persuasion that the measures expressed in the following Resolutions are perfectly consistent with such Resolves of the Continental Congress, as have been communicated to us;

Resolved That * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * be a Committee of Safety, to continue in office until the further orders of this or some other Congress or House of Representatives of the Province; whose business it shall be most carefully and diligently to inspect and observe all and every such person and persons as shall, at any time, attempt or enterprise the destruction, invasion, detriment, or annoyance of this Province, &c.; 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 directed, whenever they shall judge it necessary for the safety and defence of the inhabitants of this Province, and their property, against such person or persons as aforesaid, 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 their march to the place of rendezvous, such and so many of the militia of this Province, as they shall judge necessary for the ends aforesaid, and at such place or places as they shall judge proper, and then to discharge them as soon as the safety of the Province shall permit. And this body 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 regard the liberties and lives of themselves and the people of this Province.

Also Resolved That * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * or the major part of them, be a Committee, in case of any such muster and assembling of the militia as aforesaid, to make such provision as shall be necessary for their reception and support, until they shall be discharged by the order of the said Committee of Safety; and also sufficient provisions to support them in their return to their respective homes; and shall also, without delay, purchase and provide, upon the credit of the moneys already granted by the Province, not paid into the Treasury, so many pieces of cannon and carriages for the same, small arms, such quantities of ammunition and ordnance stores as they shall judge necessary, not exceeding the value of twenty thousand, eight hundred and thirty-seven pounds, to be deposited in such secure places as the said Committee of Safety shall direct.

Also Resolved That * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * be and they hereby are appointed officers to command, lead, and conduct, such of the militia as shall be mustered and assembled by order of the said Committee of Safety, in manner and for the purposes aforesaid, so long as they shall be retained by the said Committee of Safety, and no longer, who shall, while in the said service, command in the order in which they are above named.

Also Resolved That all the said officers and soldiers who may be mustered and retained in service by the above said Committee of Safety, for the purpose aforesaid, shall be entitled to such an allowance from this Province, as shall be adequate to their services from the time that they shall march from their respective places of abode, until they shall be discharged from the said service, and reasonable time for their return home.

Also Resolved That it be recommended to the several companies of militia in this Province, who have not already chosen and appointed officers, that they meet forthwith and elect officers to command their respective companies; and that the officers so chosen assemble as soon as may be; and where the said officers shall judge the limits of the present regiments too extensive, that they divide them and settle and determine their limits, and proceed to elect field officers to command the respective regiments so formed; and that the field officers so elected, forthwith endeavour to enlist one quarter, at the least, of the number of the respective companies, and form them into companies of fifty privates, at the least, who shall equip and hold themselves in readiness, on the shortest notice from the said Committee of Safety, to march to the place of rendezvous; and that each and every company so formed choose a captain and two lieutenants to command them on any such emergent and necessary service as they may be called by the Committee of Safety aforesaid; and that the said captains and subalterns so elected from the said companies into battalions, to consist of nine companies each; and the said captains and subalterns of each battalion so formed, proceed to elect field officers to command the same. And this Congress doth most earnestly recommend that all the aforesaid elections be proceeded in and made with due deliberation and patriotick regard for the publick service.

Also Resolved That, as the security of the lives, liberties, and properties of the inhabitants of this Province, depend, under Providence, on their knowledge and skill in the art military, and in their being properly and effectually armed and equipped, it is therefore recommended that they immediately provide themselves therewith; that they use their utmost diligence to perfect themselves in military skill; and that, if any of the inhabitants are not provided with arms and ammunition according to law, and that, if any Town or District within the Province, is not provided with the full town stock of arms and ammunition, according to law, that the Selectmen of such Town or District take effectual care, without delay, to provide the same.

Resolved That the blanks in the foregoing Report be filled up to-morrow morning at ten o'clock; and that the Committees and Officers therein recommended be chosen by ballot.

Resolved That a Committee be appointed to prepare, in the recess of this Congress, a well digested Plan for the Regulating and Disciplining the Militia, placing them in every respect on such a permanent footing as shall render