as the Committee herein appointed shall direct, and of the same tenour with the late impression of Bills of Credit of this Colony, without interest, payable at or before the tenth day of May, 1777, dated the ninth day of May, 1775. William Pitkin, George Wyllys, Elisha Williams, Benjamin Payne, and Thomas Seymour, Esquires, or any three of them, are appointed a Committee for the purpose aforesaid, to take care that said Bills be imprinted with all convenient speed, and to sign and deliver the same to the Treasurer of this Colony, taking his receipt therefor. And the said Committee shall be sworn to a faithful discharge of their trust, and the Treasurer is hereby directed to pay out said Bills according to the orders of Assembly. And for providing an ample and sufficient Fund to call in, sink, and discharge the aforesaid sum, to be emitted as aforesaid,

Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a Tax of seven pence on the pound be, and is hereby granted and ordered to be levied on all the Polls and Rateable Estate in this Colony, according to the list thereof, to be brought into this Assembly in October, 1775, with the additions; which Tax shall be collected and paid into the Treasury of this Colony by the tenth day of May, 1777; which Tax may be discharged by paying the Bills of this Colony of this emission, or lawful money; and the Treasurer of this Colony is hereby ordered and directed to send forth his Warrants for collecting the same accordingly.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration what disposition is best to be made of the Colony Powder, having made their Report, which has been accepted, it is now

Resolved, That Captain Jabez Huntington, of Windham, take into his care all the Powder that is lodged in the County of Windham, and that Mr. Winthrop Saltonstall take into his care the Powder lodged in the Town of New-London, and that Jabez Huntington, Esquire, of Norwich, take into his care, the Powder lodged in the Town of Norwich, and that twenty-eight half-barrels of the Powder, lodged at New Haven, be sent to the County of Fairfield, and committed to the care of Thaddeus Burr, Esq.; and that fourteen half-barrels of the Powder lodged at New-Haven be sent to the County of Litchfield, to the care of Lynde Lord, Esq., of Litchfield, and the remainder of the Powder lodged at New-Haven, be taken into the care of Jonathan Fitch, Esq., of New-Haven. And the aforesaid persons are ordered to deliver out the same according to such orders as shall from time to time be given them respectively by the General Assembly of the Colony; or in case of some sudden and extraordinary emergency, by the Selectmen of the respective Towns where the same is lodged, taking their receipts therefor.

And it is further Resolved, That if any more Powder shall be brought into the Colony, for the use and defence thereof, a suitable proportion thereof be committed to the care of John Lawrence, Esq., of Hartford, and the remainder thereof to be distributed into the several Counties in some suitable proportion, and committed to the care of the gentlemen before named, to be disposed as aforesaid.

This Assembly do appoint and direct Robert Fairchild, Esq., and Captain Daniel Judson, to inquire after and take into their care, for the use of the Colony, whatever Stores, of the camp or military kind, belonging to said Colony, as may be found with the heirs of Theophilus Nichols, Esq., deceased, late a Commissary for this Government, or in the hands of any other person in Stratford; and cause any Arms which need, to be forthwith repaired, and make report to next Assembly.

This Assembly do appoint Mr. Jedediah Strong to make inquiry at Albany, whether any Arms belonging to this Colony, and left there during the last War, yet remain there, and if any, how many, and in whose custody. He is also to receive and give proper receipts in behalf of this Colony for the same, and cause the same to be transported into this Colony as soon as conveniently may be, and make report of his doings in the premises to the next General Assembly.

This Assembly do appoint Daniel Lyman, Enos Allyn, Thomas, Howel, Dudley Woodbridge, Joseph Denison the second, Stephen Babcock, Gurdon Saltonstall, Thomas Mumford, John Lay, Esquires, Captain John Deshon, Captain Richard Dickenson, and Mr. John McCurdy, a Committee, to take into consideration the best method and means of securing and defending our Sea-coast, Ports, and Shipping therein, and to state the facts, and report their opinion thereon to the Assembly in May next, jointly or severally, without expense to this Colony.

Resolved by this Assembly, That Colonel Gurdon Saltonstall, Samuel Mott, Esq., and Captain John Deshon, be, and they are hereby appointed a Committee, forthwith to prepare Carriages, and other necessary apparatus for the Cannon at New-London, in this Colony, so that they may be put into the best order for use, in case of necessity for defence.

Resolved by this Assembly, That his Honour the Governour be, and he is hereby desired, authorized, and empowered, to give to Brigadier-General Spencer an order to the Colonels of the six Regiments under his command, to send to their respective Captains, to forward the enlistment of the inhabitants and men, for the special defence and safety of this Colony, and to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice; and the four Regiments commanded by Brigadier Spencer and Putnam, and Colonels Hinman and Parsons, or such part of them as his Honour the Governour shall order, do forthwith get into readiness and march forward to Boston, or such place or places adjoining near thereto as shall be ordered.

Considering the dark and gloomy aspect of Divine Providence over this Colony and land, and that it is the indispensable duty of every People, suffering under the afflictive chastisements of a righteous God, with deep repentance, supplication, and amendment of life, to endeavour, by all the ways which God has prescribed, to avert his anger and incline him to become reconciled to his People,

It is therefore Resolved by this Assembly, That it be recommended to all the Ministers of the Gospel in this Colony, that they earnestly endeavour to dissuade their several congregations from all excess and all diversions which may be improper in the present day of distress, and that both they and their people cry mightily to God, that he would be pleased to spare his People, and be gracious unto them, and visit them with his loving kindness and tender mercies, and not give up his heritage to reproach, but preserve unto them their great and important rights and privileges, and guide and prosper the Publick Councils of this Colony and land, and in their hour of difficulty and distress, graciously manifest his power in the deliverance and salvation of his People, to the glory of own name.

This Assembly being informed by Charles Webb, Esq., Colonel of the Ninth Regiment of Militia in this Colony, that Clap Raymond of Norwalk, in said Regiment, Lieutenant of a Company of Militia, in the Parish of Wilton, in said Norwalk, of which Matthew Mead is Captain, hath, ever since said Mead was established and commissioned as Captain of said Company, wholly refused to obey the orders of said Captain, or do his duty as Lieutenant of said Company, in any respect;

Resolved by this Assembly, That the aforesaid Clap Raymond be notified to appear before the General Assembly, to be holden at this place on the second Thursday of May next, to answer unto said information, and be dealt with thereupon as the wisdom of said Assembly shall direct. And that in the mean time the said Clap Raymond be, and he is hereby, suspended from the exercise of his office of Lieutenant of the Company aforesaid, and the Secretary of this Colony is hereby directed and authorized, by warrant under his hand, to give notice to said Clap Raymond that he appear and answer as aforesaid.

An Act to repeal an Act, entitled An Act in further addition to an Act of this Colony, entitled an Act concerning Book Debts.

Whereas a further continuance, of said Act in force at this time may prove very inconvenient and prejudicial;

Be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said Act be repealed, and the same is hereby repealed and made void.

An Act to exempt, for a limited time, the persons of Debtors from being imprisoned for Debt.

Whereas, in the present situation of our publick affairs it will be prejudicial to the Colony to confine persons in Jail for Debt;