Wednesday, May 24, 1775.

Ebenezer Cutler, * of Northborough, having been brought before this Congress on complaint of sundry persons, for uttering sundry expressions against the liberties of the good people of this Colony, and the same having been inquired of by a Committee, who reported, among other matters, that all the expressions of which he is accused were uttered some time ago; and that the said Ebenezer had requested that he might have the same privilege of going into the Town of Boston, without his effects, as other persons have, by the order of Congress:

The Report was accepted, and it was thereupon Resolved, That he have liberty for so doing.

Mr. Gerry, from the Committee to consider the propriety of appointing some additional Armourers, reported as follows, viz:

“Resolved, That the Committee of Supplies be empowered and directed to appoint such and so many Armourers, in addition to those already appointed, as may be wanted by the Army of this Colony, not exceeding fifteen, including those already appointed; and that the said Armourers, as also those already appointed by the Committee of Safety, shall each receive four Pounds per month, and be entitled to billeting as Soldiers, they providing their own tools; and the said Armourers are hereby directed to keep true accounts of the expense of repairing the Fire-Arms of such Soldiers whose Fire-Arms are repaired in order to qualify them to pass master. And the Committee of Supplies be, and hereby are empowered and directed to discharge such as are, or may hereafter be appointed, when they shall think it for the interest of the Colony so to do.”

The Report being read, and amended,

Ordered, That Mr. Whittemore, Captain Dwight, and Mr. Kollock, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for the appointment of a number of Armourers as aforesaid, and for the establishment of their Pay.

It being made to appear to this Congress that the major part of the Committee appointed to effect the Removal of the Poor of the Town of Boston to the place to which they are destined, are removed out of the Towns of Charles-town and Roxbury, to which they belonged:

Resolved, That Messrs. Isaac Foster, Nathaniel Gor-ham, Edward Goodwin, John Frothingham, Joseph Hopkins, Colonel Joseph Williams, Mr. Nathaniel Patten, Major Nathaniel Ruggles, Mr. Noah Parsons, Deacon William Gridley, Lewis Fay, and James Bradish, Jun., or any three of them, (being present,) be a Committee for all the purposes and with all the powers to which the said Committee were appointed.

And it being also made to appear that said Committee cannot proceed unless further provision be made in that behalf:

Therefore Resolved, That said Committee, or any three of them, shall have full power to procure, upon the credit of this Colony, in the most frugal manner, as much Provision as they shall find necessary to support those poor persons to the places of their destination; and the said Committee are further empowered to procure Teams to carry such persons and their effects to those places; and if such Teams cannot be hired, to impress them for that service; and all the charges arising by the measures before directed shall be paid out of the Donations to the Poor of said Town of Boston, now in the hands of the Committee who were appointed to receive and dispose thereof; and if that should be insufficient, the remainder shall be paid by this Colony. And the Committee hereby appointed to the service aforesaid, are hereby directed to lay before the next Congress an account of the charges arising in pursuance of the above commission, that whatever shall appear to be reasonable and just may be liquidated and allowed.

Ordered, That Colonel Joseph Cushing, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Crane, be a Committee to fill up and deliver to the Colonels of each Regiment the Commissions for the Officers of their respective Regiments, when said Committee shall be notified by the Secretary of this Congress that the Congress have approved of the persons to be commissioned; and that blank Commissions be put in the hands of said Committee, properly authenticated, for that purpose; and that when said Commissions are filled up, they be delivered by said Committee to the Colonel, on his applying for the same, he engaging he will not deliver such Commissions to the respective Officers until they shall have taken the oath appointed to Be taken by them by order of this Congress; and that William Holden, Esq., be appointed to administer the oath to the Officers stationed at Roxbury, and James Prescatt, Esquire, be appointed to administer the oath to the Officers stationed at Cambridge.

The Committee appointed to prepare an Address to the Inhabitants of the Massachusetts-Bay, relative to an issue of Notes by said Colony, reported. The Address was read, and accepted.

Thursday, May 25, 1775.

The Committee ordered to inspect the several Towns and Districts’ stocks of Powder, and consider what Towns are well stocked, and what proportion they could spare for the publick service, have attended that business, and beg leave to report the following proportion, viz:

DANIEL, THURSTON, per order.

Upon the foregoing Report,

Ordered, That the Committee who brought in said Report be directed to bring in a Resolve in conformity thereto, and that it be inserted in the Resolve that the Towns shall be respectively paid for what Powder is drawn from their several Towns stock, or have it replaced; and that

* WATERTOWN, May 22, 1775.

The Committee appointed to examine the case of Ebenezer Cutler, do find, by full proof, that said Cutler has proved himself very inimical to his Country, by speaking many things very disrespectful of the Continental and Provincial Congresses, and acting against their resolves; and by saying he would assist Gage; calling such, damned fools who signed the Town Covenant, or Non-consumption Agreement; saying, the Acts of the Parliament were just and righteous, (meaning those which tended to take away our liberties;) and many other ways has manifested his enmity to this Country, for which he, said Cutler, deserves severe punishment; but he pleading the Resolve of this Congress to tolerate such of the inhabitants of this Colony as were so minded to go into Boston, are humbly of the opinion he, said Ebenezer Cutler, have the privilege of said Resolve. All which we submit to the Congress.

EDWARD MITCHELL, Chairman.

Not accepted.

IN PROVINCIAL. CONGRESS, WATERTOWN, May 23, 1775.

Whereas Ebenezer Cutler, of Northborough, hath been brought before this Congress, charged with endeavouring to subvert the Constitution, and by words, from time to time, for many months past, in various places, stirring up the people to assist in the execution of the late Acts of Parliament, encouraging the people not to submit to the measures proposed by the Continental and Provincial Congresses for extricating these Colonies out of the difficulties brought upon them by the measures of the British Administration; which charges, with others of the like nature, being proved to be true, this Congress do adjudge the said Ebenezer Cutler to be an implacable enemy to the liberties of his Country: therefore,

Resolved, That the said Ebenezer be committed to close confinement in the common Jail at . . . . . . ., until the further order of this or a future Congress; and the keeper of said Jail is hereby directed to receive and detain him accordingly, and . . . . . . . . . . . is hereby directed to see that this Resolve be carried into, execution.

Not accepted.