other Congress or House of Representatives of this Colony.

The Committee appointed to confer with the gentlemen from the New-Hampshire Congress, reported verbally.

Whereupon, Ordered, That said Committee be directed to reduce their Report to writing.

The Report of the Committee on the Petition from the Inhabitants of Machias, being again read, was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition of the Inhabitants of Machias, beg leave to report, that it be recommended by this Congress to the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Salem, or to the like Comittees of any other Town within this Province, to supply Messrs. Gardner and Smith, of said Machias, for the present relief of the said inhabitants, with the following articles, viz: one hundred bushels of Indian Corn, ten barrels of Pork and Beef, one cask of Molasses, and one cask of Rice, and take in return for the same, Wood, or such other payment as the said Gardner and Smith may be able to make; and in case they or their constituents (the above-said inhabitants) shall not make satisfaction for the same in a reasonable time, it shall be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury of this Province; and the said inhabitants shall refund the same as soon as may be.

Your Committee further report, that a recommendation go forth from this Congress to the Governour and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, to suffer the inhabitants of the eastern parts of this Colony to purchase and carry out of said Colony of Connecticut such Provisions as their necessitous circumstances may require.

The Committee appointed to confer with the gentlemen from New-Hampshire having reduced their Report to writing, the same was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That an application be made by this Congress to the Continental Congress, desiring them to take such measures as to them shall appear proper, to quiet and conciliate the minds of the inhabitants of Canada, and the several tribes of Indians adjacent to these Colonies, and prevent any unfavourable apprehensions from the military preparations of the several Colonies in America; and that the other three New-England Colonies, with the Colony of New-York, be desired to join in such an application.

Resolved, That Letters be immediately wrote to the Colonies of Connecticut, Rhode-Island, and New-Hampshire, desiring them, severally, to appoint Committees to meet a Committee appointed by this Congress, at the Town of Worcester, in this Colony, on Wednesday, the 28th day of June current, in order to settle and determine the number of men to be raised on the present emergency by each of the New-England Colonies; and likewise to determine where they shall be stationed and employed.

Whereupon, Ordered, That the President, Honourable Mr. Sever, and the Honourable Mr. Dexter, be a Committee to prepare an application to the Continental Congress, and a Letter to each of the Colonies of Connecticut, Rhode-Island, and New-Hampshire, and a Letter to New-York, agreeable to the foregoing Resolve.

Resolved, That to-morrow, five o’clock, P. M., be assigned for the choice of three Members of this Congress as a Committee to meet Committees from, the Colonies of Connecticut, Rhode-Island, and New-Hampshire, agreeable to the foregoing Resolve.

The Committee appointed to confer with the Committee of Safety on the subject of their Resolve relative to a re-enforcement of the Army, reported as follows:

The Committee appointed to consider a Resolve of the Committee of Safety of the second instant relative to a re-enforcement of the Massachusetts Army, have attended that service; and having, agreeable to the order of Congress, conferred with the Committee of Safety and General Officers upon the subject-matter of the Resolve, beg leave, upon mature deliberation, to report, that it appears to the Committee inexpedient and unnecessary for this Colony to augment at present the Forces already voted by it to be established for the defence of this and the other American Colonies. Whereupon,

Resolved, That to-morrow, nine o’clock, be assigned for the consideration of the said Report: and that the Committee of Safety, the Committee of Supplies, and the several Committees of this Congress, be notified of this assignment, and be desired to attend at that time, if they can with conveniency.

Ordered, That the Honourable Colonel Warren, Mr.Pitts, Mr. Gerry, the President, Colonel Freeman, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Batchelder, Honourable Mr. Dexter, and Mr. Greenleaf, be a Committee to consider the expediency of establishing a number of small armed Vessels to cruise on our sea-coasts for the protection of our trade and the annoyance of our enemies; and that the Members be enjoined by order of Congress to observe secrecy in this matter.

Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Colonel Porter, Honourable Mr. Sever, Mr. Greenleaf, and Mr. Partridge, be a Committee to consider at large on some measure for commissionating the Officers of the Army.

Ordered, That the Secretary be directed to serve General Ward with a List of the Officers of the Army commissionated by this Congress.

Adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Thursday, June 8, 1775.

An account of the taking a Sloop which sailed from Boston for Annapolis for Hay and other stores for the use of the Army at Boston, from the Committee of the Town of Arundel, was read; as also several Letters which were found of board said Sloop: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress be given to said Committee for their care and judicious conduct in this affair.

The Order of the Day moved for.

Resolved, That this Congress will resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House.

Which was done accordingly.

The Committee of the Whole House, by Col. Warren, their Chairman, reported, that the Committee have not sufficient time to deliberate on a matter of such importance; and therefore desire leave to sit again; which Report was accepted by the Congress.

Afternoon.

The Committee of the Whole House reported, that it was the opinion of said Committee, that the Report of the Committee who were appointed to confer with the Committee of Safety on the augmentation of the Army, be accepted; which Report was accordingly accepted by this Congress.

Ordered, That a Commission be delivered to Thomas Poor, Esq., as Major of a Regiment under the command of Colonel Fry.

Resolved, That the choice of two Major-Generals be deferred to four o’clock to-morrow afternoon.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider the expediency of establishing several small armed Vessels, sit forthwith.

The Committee appointed to consider on some measures for commissionating the Officers of the Army, reported the following Resolve; which was read and accepted, and a hundred of them ordered to be printed and dispersed among the Army. It is as follows, viz:

Whereas, it is necessary to have, as soon as may be, a Return of the number and equipments of the Forces raised by this Colony; and whereas, it is of the utmost importance that such Returns should be consistent with the strictest truth: It is, therefore,

Resolved, That if any Officer now commissioned in the Forces aforesaid, or that shall hereafter be commissioned therein, shall wittingly and willingly, after his being so commissioned, make any false returns of the numbers or equipments of the men under his command, and shall be thereof convicted before this or any future Congress of this Colony, or before a General Court Martial of the Army raised by this Colony, such Officer shall be immediately cashiered. And every person now under nomination, or that shall hereafter be nominated to any office in said Forces, who shall wittingly and willingly make such false return, shall be deemed incapable of holding any commission