Congress were determined to preserve their dignity and power over the Military.

Mr. Craft was again called in, and the President politely admonished him, agreeably to the Resolve of Congress.

Resolved, That Lady Frankland be permitted to go info Boston with the following articles, viz: seven trunks; all the beds, and furniture to them; all the boxes and crates; a basket of chickens, and a bag of corn; two barrels and a hamper; two horses and two chaises, and all the articles in the chaise, excepting arms and ammunition; one phaeton; some tongues, hams and veal, and sundry small bundles.

Which articles having been examined by a Committee from this Congress, she is permitted to have them carried in without any further examination.

Adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Friday, May 19, 1775.

Resolved, That Colonel .Bond be and hereby is directed to appoint a Guard of six men to escort Lady Frankland to Boston, with such of her effects as this Congress have permitted her to carry with her; and Colonel Bond is directed to wait on General Thomas with a copy of the Resolves of this Congress respecting Lady Frankland.

Resolved, That Mr. Ezekiel Hall, of this Town, be recommended to the Generals of our Colony Army, in order to have such aid as they can afford him in going into or out of Boston, or sending some, suitable person there, which appears to be necessary, in order to save some of his valuable effects, which there is reason to fear were exposed by the late fire.

Ordered, That Colonel Warren wait on General Ward, directing him to attend this Congress forthwith, to receive his Commission and also on the Committee of Safety, for a list of such Colonels and other Officers as they shall report to be prepared for receiving their Commissions.

A Letter from the Committee of Correspondence of Connecticut, was read, respecting the taking of Ticonderoga: Whereupon,

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry prepare an answer thereto, informing them what steps this Congress have taken relative to that affair.

Ordered, That Doctor Perkins and Captain Baker be added to the Committee who were appointed to inquire where the Treasurer can borrow money.

Resolved, That all persons who may have any Goods or Chattels belonging to Lady Frankland, now in their custody, which are not mentioned in the Resolve of this Congress for allowing her, with certain effects, to go into Boston, be: and hereby are directed to permit her to send them to Hopkinton, or dispose of them in any way agreeable to her, not inconsistent with the Resolves of this Congress.

The Committee appointed to consider what steps may be taken for the relief of such of the inhabitants of Boston as come over to Charlestown, &c., reported : Whereupon,

Ordered, That Deacon Cheever, Colonel Davis, and Captain E. Withington, be a Committee to bring in a list of names of persons, to fill up the blank in said Report.

Mr. Gerry reported an. Answer to a Letter from the Committee of Correspondence of Connecticut, which was accepted.

Adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That Doctor Holten, Mr. Whittemore, and Major Bliss, be a Committee to take into consideration the Representation made to this Congress by Colonel Warren, by desire of General Ward, of the necessity there is that the Army should be immediately supplied with Iron Pots, as well as an additional stock of Powder; as also for providing a House for the abode of Joseph Trumbull, Esquire, of Connecticut, and another for the Chairman and the other Members of the Committee of Safety.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the Representation made to this Congress by Colonel Warren, by desire of General Ward, made the following Report:

That they applied to the Committee of Supplies respecting the want of Iron Pots for the use of the Army; and also of an additional stock of Powder, and received for answer, that Mr. Gerry would wait upon the Congress this afternoon, and inform them respecting the same. And said Committee beg leave further to report, as their opinion, that a Resolve be brought in empowering Joseph Trumbull, Esquire, of Connecticut, to use and improve the house of John Borland, Esquire, late of Cambridge, until further orders of this Congress, or some future Congress, or House of Representatives; and also a Resolve empowering the Committee of Safety to use and improve the house of John Vassall. Esquire, late of Cambridge, until further orders of this Congress, or some future Congress, or House of Representatives; said houses to be improved as above expressed, as soon as General Ward shall provide for the soldiers in said houses in some other places.

The Report of the Committee for revising the Commissions of the Committee of Safety, after being read, paragraph by paragraph, was amended and accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, the former Congresses of this Colony have chosen, and by divers Resolutions have empowered, John Hancock, Esquire, Doctor Joseph Warren, Doctor Benjamin Church, Captain Benjamin White, Colonel Joseph Palmer, Mr. Richard Devens, Mr. Abraham Watson, Jr., Mr. John Pigeon, Colonel Azor Orne, Nathan Cushing, Esq., Colonel William Heath, Colonel Thomas Gardner, Colonel Asa Whitcomb, Mr. Edward Durant, and Mr. James Sullivan, to be a Committee of Safety; and by virtue of the authority of that office, on certain occasions, to cause to be assembled the Militia of this Colony, for the defence of the inhabitants thereof; and which Committee of Safety are, by the Resolutions of said Congresses, empowered to do several other acts for the service of the Colony, as by the Journals and Records of said Congresses appears:

It is Resolved, That whatever the said Committee of Safety, or any of them, have done pursuant to the said Resolutions of said Congress, shall be held good and valid, and that the said inhabitants of said Colony shall be held thereby, as well according to the true intent and meaning of said Resolutions, as according to the strict letter thereof.

And whereas, there appears to be. still a deficiency of power in said Committee, considering the particular exigencies of the Colony, and it being necessary to have their Commission as concise and explicit as possible, which can be done only by consolidating the powers intended by the several Resolutions of this as well as the former Congresses, to be given them; it is, therefore.

Resolved, That all and every Resolution now in force respecting the said Committee of Safety, shall be and hereby are repealed, revoked, and rendered null and void.

And it is also Resolved, That the Honourable John Hancock, Esquire, Doctor Joseph Warren, Doctor Benjamin Church, Captain Benjamin White, Colonel Joseph Palmer, Mr. Richard Devens, Mr. Abraham Watson, Mr. John Pigeon, Colonel Azor Orne, Honourable Benjamin Greenleaf, Esquire, Mr. Nathan Cushing, Doctor Samuel Holten, and Honourable Enoch Freeman, Esq., be a Committee of Safety for this Colony hereafter, until some further order of this or some future Congress or House of Representatives of this Colony shall revoke their or either of their appointment.

And it is also Resolved, That the said Committee of Safety shall be, and hereby are empowered, when they shall think it necessary, in defence of the lives and properties of the inhabitants of this Colony, to assemble such and so many of the Militia thereof, and them to dispose and place where, and detain so long, as the said Committee of Safety shall judge necessary, and to discharge said Militia when the safety of this Colony will admit of it; and the Officers of the said Militia are hereby enjoined to pay strict obedience to the orders and directions of the said Committee of Safety.

And it is also Resolved, That the said Committee of Safety shall be, and hereby are empowered to direct the Army of this Colony to be stationed where the said Committee of Safety shall judge most conducive to the defence and service of the Colony; and the General, and other Officers of the Army, are required to render strict obedience to such orders of said Committee; provided always, that it shall be in the power of this, or any future. Congress, to control any order of the said Committee of Safety, respecting this or any other matter.