Daniel Davis, Esq., for the County of Barnstable;
Colonel Dagget for the County of Brisol;
Ichabod Goodwin, Esq., for the County of York;
Joseph Mayhew, Esq., for the County of Dukes County;
Major Bigelow for the County of Worcester;
Mr. Samuel Freeman for the County of Cumberland;
Reverend Mr. John Murray for the County of Lincoln;
Colonel John Patterson for the County of Berkshire; and
Stephen Hussey, Esq., for the County of Nantucket.

Ordered, That each of these Members attend the service according to their appointment, or write to the Committee.

Ordered, That Major Fuller, of Middleton, give a list of the names of these Members to the Committee of Safety.

Resolved, That when this Congress do adjourn, they adjourn to three o’clock this afternoon, and the Members are enjoined to attend punctually at that time.

Adjourned accordingly to three o’clock, P. M.

Afternoon, April 24, 1775.

Letters from Hartford, directed to the President of this Congress, laid on the table, ordered to be read, and, after reading them, were ordered to be immediately forwarded to the Committee of Safety, then sitting at Cambridge.

Moved, That a Committee be now appointed to examine the Records, and report such matters contained therein as may be made publick, and such as shall remain secret at present.

Ordered, That Major Brooks, Deacon Fisher, and Mr. Freeman, be a Committee for that purpose.

Congress adjourned to eight o’clock, next morning, at this place.

Tuesday, April 25, 1775, 8 o’clock, A. M.

Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Ordered, That the Treasurer be inquired of respecting the state of the Treasury.

Answered by said Treasurer in a general way, that for the year 1773, it was supposed that about Twenty Thousand Pounds was due, and that he had received about Five Thousand Pounds.

Moved, That a Committee be appointed, to bring in a Resolve how we may ascertain the number of Towns and Districts which are delinquent. Passed in the negative.

Moved for a reconsideration, and passed negatively.

The Committee appointed to bring in a Report of what they thought might be made publick of the Resolves, reported, that nothing relative to our proceedings with the Indian Nations be known, and that other matters be left at discretion with each Member.

Moved, That this matter subside for the present.

Leave of absence is granted Jerathmiel Bowers, Esquire, to return home.

Adjourned to three o’clock, afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Letter from Haverhill committed.

Ordered, That Mr. Gill, Colonel Gerrish, and Major Fuller, of Middleton, be a Committee for that purpose, and to sit forthwith.

Moved, by the Committee of Safety, for two gentlemen as Engineers, and an Establishment for them.

Ordered, That Mr. Gill, Jonas Dix, Esq., and Henry Gardner, Esq., be a Committee for that purpose to bring in a Resolve.

Ordered, That a Resolve be submitted by the Committee of Safety, to reduce the Regiments.

Moved, That the Companies in each Regiment be reduced from one hundred men each, to fifty-nine men, including three officers—one Captain and two Subalterns; and passed unanimously in the affirmative.

Moved, That each Regiment be reduced to ten of these Companies; and passed in the affirmative.

Ordered, That Colonel Orne, Colonel Palmer, and Henry Gardner, Esq., be a Committee for regulating the Regiments of the Army, and to sit forthwith.

A Letter from Salem was read, setting forth the expediency of the Depositions we are now taking being forwarded as fast as possible. The same was ordered to be sent to the Committee for that purpose, at Lexington, immediately.

Ordered, That the Memorial from Marblehead, with the debate thereon, subside for the present.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the Letters from Messrs. Nathaniel P. Sargeant, Jr., Esq., and Jonathan Webster, reported, That the Congress write to the Town of Haverhill, acquaint them of the Letters received from said Sargeant and Webster, and let them know the important business of Congress requires the wisdom of the whole Province; and therefore desire, that in case those gentlemen cannot attend, they would elect other member or members to attend in their room; and that the Letter be directed to the Town Clerk.

SIR: The Congress have this day received a Letter from Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant and Jonathan Webster, Esqrs., acquainting them that the late dreadful fire in Haverhill, together with some publick disturbances In said Town, make it necessary they should be at home at this time. The Congress apprehend, that the important business of the Colonies requires that every Town should now be represented; therefore desire, that if, in case neither said Nathaniel P. Sargeant or Jonathan Webster, Esqrs., can attend, that the Town would elect one or more members to attend in their room, that the wisdom of the whole Colony may be collected at our hour of need.

Adjourned to eight o’clock next day.

Wednesday, April 26, 1775, 8 o’clock, A. M.

Met according to adjournment.

Ordered, That Mr. President, Doctor Taylor, Mr. Freeman, Henry Gardner, Esq., and Colonel Stone, be a Committee to draught a Letter to our Agent in Great Britain.

Ordered, That William Burbeck be and be is hereby appointed an Engineer of the Forces now raising in this Colony for the defence of the rights and liberties of the American Continent; and that there be paid to the said William Burbeck, out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, during his continuance in that service, at the rate of one hundred and fifty Pounds, lawful money, per annum. And it is further Resolved, That from and after the time when the said Troops shall be disbanded, during the life of the said Burbeck, there be paid to him, out of the Treasury, the sum of ninety-seven Pounds six Shillings and eight Pence, lawful money, annually.

Ordered, That Colonel Gerrish, Deacon Fisher, Colonel Orne, Mr. Batchelder, and Captain Brown, be a Committee to take into consideration the Letter laid on the table by the Committee of Safety, from James Sullivan, Esq., and the Committee to sit forthwith.

Ordered, That the Letter drawn by the Committee, to send to Doctor Franklin, as Agent, be copied and authenticated by the President pro tempore.

The Depositions taken by the Committee for that purpose, laid on the table, and ordered to be read.

Ordered, That the Committee make Duplicates of the same, and Captain Stone, Jonas Dix, Esq., Colonel Tyng, Colonel Dwight, Captain Whittemore, Major Fuller, and Mr. Freeman, assist as scribes in that business.

Adjourned to three o’clock.

Afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

Ordered, That the Letters and Papers just now received from Rhode-Island, by Doctor Perkins, be sent to the Committee of Safety now sitting in Cambridge, by him, and that he have leave to go home for a few days.

Resolved, That Richard Gridley, Esquire, be and he hereby is appointed Chief Engineer of the Forces now raising in this Colony for the defence of the rights and liberties of the American Continent; and that there be paid to the said Richard Gridley, out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, during his continuance in that service, at the rate of one hundred and seventy Pounds, lawful money, per annum. And it is further Resolved, That from and after the time when the said Forces shall be disbanded