Ordered, That Mr. Lothrop, Doctor Taylor, and Doctor Holten, be a Committee to take into consideration the proceedings of the Town of Bristol, presented to this Congress by Mr. Thomas Bracket, in behalf of said Town.

The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve, recommending to the inhabitants of this Colony to save their Straw, reported; which Report was read and accepted, and ordered to be copied and sent to the Printer of the Cambridge Newspaper, and to the Printer of the Worcester Newspaper for publication, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, it will be indispensably necessary that large quantities of Straw be provided for the use of the Army now forming for the defence and protection of this Colony: therefore,

Resolved, And it is hereby strongly recommended to all such inhabitants of this Colony as have or may have of that article by them, that (as they regard the lives and health of their brethren, who engage in the service above-said) they take immediate care the same be preserved for the purpose above mentioned.

Ordered, That Captain Foster, Mr. Lothrop, and Mr. Pickering, be a Committee to transcribe the Depositions taken by a Committee of this Congress, of the proceedings of the Troops, under command of General, Gage, the 19th ultimo, and that they transmit them to Mr. Hall, at Cambridge, to be published in a pamphlet, and that said Committee agree with him for the expense of publication.

Ordered, That Colonel Barrett attend the business to which he was yesterday appointed, of inquiring into the truth or falsity of a paragraph taken from a printed account of the action of the King’s Troops on the 19th ultimo.

The Committee appointed to consider some measures for securing the County Records, reported. The Report was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee appointed for each County, on the 12th of April last, be instructed to take proper measures for securing the Records of the several Counties, where they are exposed.

The Order of the Day was moved for.

The Committee appointed to consider of the expediency of establishing Post-Offices, &c., reported.

The Report was recommitted, for the purpose of settling the rates of Postage, and taking into consideration some method of establishing Post-Offices. Mr. Hall, of Medford, and Mr. Cross, were added to the Committee; also, Mr. Batchelder, in the room of Mr. Dix.

Resolved, That the Resolve for accepting the establishment for the Train, which passed this Congress the 6th instant, be reconsidered; and that Colonel Mandell, Captain Baker, Doctor Taylor, Major Perley, and Colonel Coffin, be a Committee to take into consideration the propriety of establishing a Regiment of the Train; and that they sit forthwith.

Ordered, That Colonel Warren, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Foster, be a Committee to take into consideration a Resolve of the Committee of Safety, recommending to this Congress to establish a Court of Inquiry.

Ordered, That Colonel Richard Gridley be and hereby is directed forthwith to recommend to the Committee of Safety, for Officers of the Train of Artillery, such persons as he thinks are qualified for that appointment.

On a complaint of the Selectmen of the Town of Worcester, against Samuel Pain and William Campbell, prisoners from that Town; Ordered, That said Prisoners be committed to the care of Captain Brown, or such persons as he shall appoint, to be kept in custody till the further orders of this Congress.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to transcribe the Depositions of the late proceedings of the King’s Troops, be directed to prepare a Narrative thereof, as an introduction to said Depositions; which are ordered to be printed.

Adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That Mr. Gill, Colonel Warren, Colonel Gerrish, Mr. Dix, and Doctor Perkins, be a Committee to inquire into the complaint made by the Selectmen of the Town of Worcester against Samuel Pain and William Campbell, and report to this Congress.

The consideration of the Remonstrance to General Gage was resumed, and the same was accepted, and ordered to be authenticated, and sent forward.

It is as follows, viz:

“In Provincial Congress, Watertown, May 10, 1775.

To his Excellency General Gage :

SIR: This Congress have received frequent intelligence, that their brethren, the inhabitants of the Town of Boston, have to contend, in their removal there from, with numerous delays and embarrassments, contrary to the stipulation proposed and agreed to between your Excellency and the Selectmen of that Town.

“We think it our duty to remonstrate to your Excellency, that from the papers communicated to us by the said Selectmen, it appeared, that the inhabitants were promised, upon surrendering their arms, that they should be permitted to leave the Town, and carry with them their effects. The condition was immediately complied with on the part of the people; since which, though a number of days have elapsed, but a very small proportion of the inhabitants have been allowed to take the benefit of your covenant.

“We would not affront your Excellency by the most distant insinuation, that you intended to deceive and disarm the people by a cruel act of perfidy. A regard to your own character, as well as the fatal consequences which will necessarily result from the violation of your solemn treaties, must be sufficient reasons to deter a gentleman of your rank and station from so injurious a design. But your Excellency must be sensible, that a delay of justice is a denial of it, and extremely oppressive to the people now held in duress.

“This Congress, though not the original party in the treaty, have taken every step in their power to facilitate the measure; and, in the whole of their conduct, have endeavoured to evidence a disposition to act upon the principles of humanity and good faith; and still indulge hopes, that the confidence of the inhabitants of Boston in your Excellency’s honour and faithfulness, is not misplaced, and that, notwithstanding any disagreeable occurrences, naturally resulting from the confused state of the Colony, which this Congress have discountenanced, and endeavoured to rectify, your Excellency will no longer suffer your treaty with a distressed people, who ought by no means to be effected thereby, to be further violated,”

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the expediency of establishing a Regiment of the Train, reported. Part of the Establishment reported, was accepted; the consideration of the residue was referred to a future time.

Resolved, That the Resolve, which this Congress passed at Concord, the 13th ultimo, directing the Committee of Safety to engage a suitable number of persons for forming six Companies of the Train, be so far reconsidered, as that it be, and hereby is Resolved, That the Committee of Safety be directed to engage a suitable number of persons, and form ten Companies of the Train for the artillery already provided by this Colony, to enter immediately on constant discipline, and be in readiness to enter the service of the Colony; and that said Committee be, and they are hereby empowered to draw on the publick Treasury, for said Companies, a suitable consideration for their services.

The Petition of Timothy Langdon was read, and ordered to lie on the table till some of the eastern Members should be present.

Ordered, That the Secretary be directed, pursuant to a request of the Committee of Safety, to furnish them with copies of all such Resolves as have passed the Congress, in any ways relative to the duty enjoined them.

The Secretary pro tempore represented to the Congress, that the multiplicity of the business of his office was such, as made it necessary that he should have some assistance. Whereupon,

Ordered, That Captain Stone, of Oakham, assist him in that service.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the state of the Army, and to settle the appointment of the Field-Officers, reported a Letter from Head-Quarters.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the complaint of the Selectmen of the Town of Worcester against Samuel Pain and William Campbell, reported; which Report