last, giving it as their opinion, that “if Writs should be issued for calling a General Assembly, to be held on the last Wednesday of May next, that the several Towns in this Colony ought to obey such precepts,” and to bring in a Resolve recommending to the several Towns and Districts in this Colony not to obey such precepts: after a long and serious debate, the question was put, and it passed in the affirmative. For the question 94; the whole number of the House 107.

Colonel Warren, Mr. Gerry, Colonel Gerrish, Doctor Holten, and Colonel Mandell, were accordingly appointed for this purpose.

Ordered, That Captain Stone, of Framingham, Mr. Bent, and Major Fuller, be a Committee to examine the returns of the several Towns and Districts’ stocks of Powder, and to bring in a Resolve recommending to such Towns as they think proper, which are not immediately exposed, to furnish the Towns of Falmouth and Arundel with one barrel of Powder each.

Adjourned to three o’clock, this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Resolved, That General Putnam and Colonel Porter, who were, with others of the Committee of Safety, appointed by the said Committee of Safety and the Council of War to lay some special matters before this Congress, be admitted into this House, and that Colonel Warren, Mr. Devens, and Colonel Gerrish, be a Committee to introduce them.

The left hand front Pew was assigned them to sit in:

The absent Members were directed to attend.

The said Committee having accordingly attended this Congress, they informed the Congress, that the gentlemen delegated by the Assembly of Connecticut, to execute an embassy to General Gage, had come out of Boston with Letters from him to the Assembly of Connecticut, of which they thought it proper to inform this Congress, that they might take order thereon if they thought fit. Whereupon,

Ordered, That the President, Colonel Warren, Doctor Holten, Colonel Gerrish, Colonel Palmer, Doctor Baylies, Doctor Taylor, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Patridge, Mr. Gerry, and Mr, Mills, together with the Committee from the Committee of Safety and Council of War, be a Committee to hold a conference with the said Delegates from Connecticut, and to attend forthwith.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the conduct of the several Towns, relative to the prisoners of war, reported. Whereupon,

Ordered, That Mr. Wyman apply to the Committee of Safety, desiring that they would take such measures with respect to the Colony Stores, and two Regular Officers, with their waiters, now at Woburn, as will remove the necessity of keeping so large a guard as is now placed there to guard the same.

The Committee appointed to confer with the Connecticut Delegates, reported, that they had conferred with them on the subject of their embassy, and of the Letter to their Assembly from General Gage; but that they thought it inconsistent with their honour, and the interest of the Colonies, to open it; but that they would use their influence when they returned, to have the contents of it communicated to this Colony.

Moved, That the Delegates from Connecticut be desired to attend this Congress.

After debate, the matter was ordered to subside.

Ordered, That the President, Colonel Warren, Colonel Dwight, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Holten, be a Committee to return the compliments to the gentlemen from Connecticut, for their patient attendance to the inquiry made of them by this Congress, respecting their embassy to General Gage.

Moved, That the Resolve passed yesterday, respecting advance pay for the Soldiers, be reconsidered, so far as it respects Muster-Masters, and that two Muster-Masters be appointed by this Congress.

After debate, the matter was ordered to subside.

Ordered, That the President, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Warren, be a Committee to prepare a Letter to the Assembly of Connecticut, respecting their late application to General Gage.

Ordered, That Captain Stone, Mr. Mills, Captain McCobb, Doctor Perkins, Colonel Grout, and Mr. Kollock, be directed to copy the Depositions of the late hostile proceedings of General Gage’s Troops, to be transmitted to Connecticut.

Adjourned until to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Friday, May 5, 1775.

Ordered, That Deacon Stickney and Mr. Webster be added to the Committee who were appointed to examine the Returns, and Districts’ stock of Powder, &c., May 4, A. M.

Ordered, That Doctor Taylor, Mr. Batchelder, and Doctor Holten, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve, relative to an obstruction to the removing the inhabitants of Boston, as expressed in a Letter to this Congress from the Selectmen of Boston, and other papers; and that said Resolve, when passed, together with the Resolve that passed this Congress the second instant, giving license to those persons in Boston who incline to send a servant out for their effects, be authenticated and transmitted to General Ward.

The Committee who were appointed to bring in two Resolves respecting General Gage’s Writs for calling an Assembly, reported; both of which were read and accepted, and are as follows, viz:

Whereas, this Congress did, at their session at Concord, on the first day of April last, resolve, as their opinion, that if Writs be issued (in form as the law directs) for calling a General Assembly, to be held on the last Wednesday of May next, that such Writs should be obeyed, &c. And whereas, many reasons now prevail, to convince us that consequences of a dangerous nature would result from the operation of that Resolution: therefore,

Resolved, That the said Vote and Resolution be reconsidered, and it is hereby reconsidered and declared null and void.

Whereas, his Excellency General Gage, since his arrival in this Colony, hath conducted as an instrument in the hands of an arbitrary Ministry to enslave this people, and a detachment under his command have of late been ordered to the Town of Concord, to destroy the publick Stores deposited in that place for the use of the Colony: and whereas, by this clandestine and perfidious measure, a number of respectable inhabitants of the Colony, without any provocation, have been illegally, wantonly, and inhumanly slaughtered by the Troops: therefore,

Resolved, That the said General Gage hath, by these means, and many others utterly disqualified himself to serve this Colony as a Governour, and in every other capacity, and that no obedience ought, in future, to be paid by the several Towns and Districts in this Colony to his Writs for calling an Assembly, or to his Proclamations, or any other of his acts or doings; but that, on the other hand, he ought to be considered and guarded against as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to this Country.

Ordered, That Mr. Gardner, Colonel Dwight, and Colonel Warren, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve, recommending the several Towns and Districts in this Colony, to choose Delegates for a new Provincial Congress, to be held on the last Wednesday of the present month.

The Committee who were appointed to prepare the form of an Oath, to be taken by the Officers and Soldiers of the Army now raising in this Colony, reported; which Report was ordered for the present to subside.

The Committee who were this day appointed to bring in a Resolve for the purpose of removing an obstruction to the liberating the inhabitants of Boston, reported; which Report was ordered to be recommitted, and that Mr. Gill and Mr. Patridge be added to the Committee.

The Committee who were yesterday appointed to prepare a Letter to the Assembly of Connecticut, reported a Letter, which was read, amended, and accepted, and is as follows:

To the Honourable the Governour and Company of the Colony of CONNECTICUT:

GENTLEMEN: The Delegates appointed by your respectable Assembly, to treat with General Gage on the late unhappy events which have occurred in this Colony, have favoured us with a conference, and communicated the substance of their interview with him. We are greatly alarmed