“P. S. If the Assembly is dissolved, it is expected that you will tarry to treat with the next Assembly.

“To Jedediah Foster, Timothy Danielson, and John Bliss, Esquires.”

On motion made,

Ordered, That at three o’clock this afternoon, this Congress do take into consideration the Precepts issued by General Gage for calling a General Assembly.

Resolved, That Captain Goodman be directed to take the charge of transmitting, forthwith, the Letter to the Delegates of this Colony, now in Connecticut.

Ordered, That a postscript be added to said Letter, instructing said Delegates that if their Assembly should be dissolved, they tarry there, to treat with the new Assembly.

Adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

A Letter was presented to this Congress by Esquire Aikin, from Mr. Lemuel Williams, dated Dartmouth, May 1st, 1775, to said Aikin, which was read: Whereupon,

Ordered, That Mr. Batchelder, Esquire Dix, Colonel Farley, Mr. Greenleaf, and Mr. Bent, be a Committee to take the said Letter into consideration, and report as soon as may be, and that Esquire Aikin be desired to attend on said Committee.

The Order of the Day was moved for.

Resolved, That the further consideration of the Precepts for calling a General Assembly, be referred to Thursday next, at ten o’clock, A. M.

Ordered, That Deacon Cheever, Colonel Warren, Mr. Gill, Honourable Mr. Dexter, and the President, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve, for the purpose of granting liberty to such persons in Boston as incline to send into the country for their effects, that so another obstacle may be removed to the liberating of the inhabitants of Boston.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, President Warren, Hon. Mr. Dexter, Colonel Warren, and Colonel Gerrish, be a Committee to forward an express to the honourable Continental Congress, with authenticated copies of the Depositions and Address to the inhabitants of Great Britain, and Letter to Mr. Franklin, lately sent to Great Britain, per Captain Derby, of Salem; also, to send another original set of said papers by said express, to be forwarded by the vessel in the Southern Colonies, to London, and to report an application to be sent by said express to the Continental Congress.

Colonel Learned moved, that the sense of this Congress might be taken, whether the Regiment he is now raising, may be a Regiment of Grenadiers. The matter was ordered to subside.

A motion was made and seconded, that a Committee be appointed, to take into consideration the expediency of drafting a certain proportion of the Town’s stock of Powder, &c., from such Towns as they shall think proper, for the present supply of the Army now establishing in this Colony. The matter was ordered to subside until the Congress had passed upon a Report for giving license to such persons in Boston as incline to send into the country for their effects; which Report was read, amended, and accepted, and is as follows, viz:

“In Provincial Congress, Watertown, May 2, 1775.

“Resolved, That such inhabitants of this Colony as have repaired to the Town of Boston, there to take up their residence, and have effects in the other Towns of this Government, be permitted, each of them, to send out a servant or other person, without arms, to put up and transport into the said Town of Boston, any such goods or effects, excepting arms and ammunition; and that the officers appointed for granting permits at Roxbury and Charlestown, be, and hereby are directed to provide a suitable attendant to each person so sent out, whose business it shall be to continue with him till he returns, and that permits, agreeable to the intention of this Resolve, be granted.”

Ordered, That Mr. Freeman, Doctor Taylor, Mr. Lewis, Colonel Dwight, and Esquire Gardner, be a Committee to consider what measures are proper to be taken for liberating those persons who were taken prisoners by the Troops under the command of General Gage, on the 19th of April.

The Committee appointed to devise ways and means for supplying the Treasury, reported, as to the first step, and asked leave to sit again.*

All the Committees were enjoined to sit.

Adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Wednesday, May 3, 1775.

Ordered, That Deacon Cheever he desired to make application to the Reverend Doctor Cooper, to request that he would officiate as Chaplain to this Congress during its session in this place.

Ordered, That Doctor Taylor, Mr. Lothrop, and Mr. Paine, be a Committee to forward the Proclamations for a Fast into the country as soon as possible.

Resolved, That this last mentioned Order be reconsidered; and thereupon,

Ordered, That the Committee who were appointed at Concord for dispersing the Proclamations, be required to perform their duty with all possible expedition.

On the application from the Committee of Safety relative to supplying Col. Arnold with one hundred Pounds, and sundry Warlike Stores,

Ordered, That Mr. Greenleaf, Mr. Gill, and Mr. Patridge, be a Committee to take said application into consideration, and report.

The Committee on the application from the Committee of Safety reported. The Report was read and accepted, and is as follows:

“In Provincial Congress, Watertown, May 3, 1775.

“Resolved, That the within request of the Committee of Safety be granted, and that the Committee of Supplies be, and they hereby are directed to furnish Colonel Benedict Arnold with ten Horses, two hundred pounds of Gunpowder, two hundred pounds of Lead Balls, and one thousand Flints, at the expense of the Colony; and that said Committee draw upon Henry Gardner, Esquire, Receiver-General, for one hundred Pounds, in favour of said Arnold, and take his receipt for the whole, said Arnold to be accountable therefor to this or some other Congress, or future House of Representatives.”

Ordered, That Colonel Warren, Doctor Holten, Mr. Dix, Colonel Farley, and Doctor Taylor, be a Committee to ascertain the power of the Committees of Supplies and of Safety, and to see whether it be necessary that they be invested with other powers than they now have.

The Committee appointed to bring in the form of a Resolve, empowering the Treasurer to borrow a certain sum of Money, and the form of a Note to be by him given to the lender, &c., reported. The Report was amended, read, and accepted, and is as follows:

Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and hereby is empowered and directed to borrow the sum of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, lawful money, and issue Colony securities for the same, payable with annual interest, at six per cent., June 1st, 1777; and that the Continental Congress be desired to recommend to the several Colonies to give a currency to such securities.

Resolved, That the Securities given by the Receiver-General for the Moneys borrowed by him, in pursuance of the aforegoing Resolve, be in the form following, viz:

“No. . . . The . . . day of . . . . . . A. D. 177

“Borrowed and received of A. B. the sum of . . . . . Pounds, lawful money, for the use and service of the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay; and in behalf of said Colony, I do hereby promise and oblige myself and my successors in the office of Treasurer or Receiver-General, to repay to the said A. B., or to his order, on the first day of

* The Committee appointed to devise ways and means for supplying the Treasury, beg leave to report, as the first step, that the Receiver General be empowered and directed to borrow the sum of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, and issue Colony securities in the form following, payable with annual interest, at six per cent., in the year 177; and that when the subscription is filled up, the Continental Congress be desired to recommend it to the several Colonies, to give a currency to such securities in all payments whatsoever, and that a Resolve pass for that purpose. The Committee ask leave to sit again.

S. DEXTER, per order.