be furnished with Lances or Spears, have attended to that service, and beg leave, to report by way of Resolve:

That the Committee of Supplies be, and they are hereby directed to furnish those destitute soldiers with Clothes and Blankets, as soon as may be, who shall produce from the Colonel of the Regiment they belong to certificates of their having lost such clothes and blankets in the late engagement; and that a Committee be chosen immediately to procure from such as can most speedily and conveniently supply them, a, sufficient number of good Spears, not exceeding fifteen hundred, either by purchase or hire; and that the same be transmitted to the Army at Cambridge, as soon as possible. All which is humbly submitted.

Adjourned to eight o’clock to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, June 20, 1775.

The Committee appointed to consider the request of Colonel Phinney, reported as follows, viz:

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the request of Colonel Phinney, with respect to establishing a Regiment in the pay of this Colony to guard the sea-coast within and adjacent to the County of Cumberland, have attended to that service, and beg leave to report: That it appears to us necessary that there should be a Regiment, consisting of five hundred men, stationed there for their proper defence, provided said Regiment can be furnished with ammunition, as it appears, that those parts are greatly exposed to the ravages of Cutters, &c. All which is humbly submitted.

The Report was ordered to lie on the table till the matter respecting armed Vessels is considered.

Ordered, That Major Brooks, Colonel Mitchell, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Kollock, Deacon Fairbanks, Mr. Gerry, and Major Fuller, be a Committee to purchase Spears, agreeable to a Resolve which passed the Congress yesterday; said Committee to proceed on the business forthwith, to consult with and receive directions from the General respecting the form, &c., of the Spears, and to engage payment for the same in bills of credit of this Colony.

The Committee on the Resolve of the Continental Congress respecting Government, reported a Letter to the several Towns in the Colony; which was read and accepted, and ordered to be printed in handbills, with the Resolve of the Continental Congress at large; and Mr. Whitney, Colonel Freeman, Captain Stone, Doctor Church, and Deacon Cheever, were appointed a Committee to ascertain the number to be printed, to get them printed, and to disperse the same to the several Towns and Districts in this Colony; and also to consider in what manner the late inhabitants of the Towns of Boston and Charlestown should choose Members to represent them.

The Resolve of the Continental Congress, and the Letter to the Towns, follow, viz:

“In Congress, Friday, June 9, 1775.

“Resolved, That no obedience being due to the Act of Parliament for altering the Charter of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay, nor to a Governour and Lieutenant-Governour who will not observe the directions of, but endeavour to subvert that Charter, the Governour and Lieutenant-Governour are to be considered as absent, and their offices vacant. And as there is no Council there, and the inconveniences arising from the suspension of the powers of Government are intolerable, especially at a time when General Gage hath actually levied war, and is carrying on hostilities against His Majesty’s peaceable and loyal subjects of that Colony: That in order to conform as near as may be to the spirit and substance of the Charter, it be recommended to the Provincial Congress to write Letters, to the inhabitants of the several places which are entitled to Representatives in Assembly, requesting them to choose such Representatives; and that the Assembly, when chosen, should elect Counsellors, which Assembly and Council should exercise the powers of Government, until a Governour of His Majesty’s appointment will consent to govern the Colony according to its Charter.

“By order of the Congress:

“JOHN HANCOCK, President.

“A true copy from the Minutes:

“CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.”

Colony of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.

In observance of the foregoing Resolve of the honourable Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia, these are to request you forthwith to cause the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of your Town that have an estate of freehold in land within this Province or Territory, of forty Shillings per annum at the least, or other estate to the value of forty Pounds sterling, to assemble at such time and place as you shall appoint, then and there to elect and depute one or more Freeholders, resident in the same Town, according to the numbers set and limited by an Act of the General Assembly, intituled “An Act for ascertaining the number, and regulating the House of Representatives,” to serve for and represent them in a Great and General Court or Assembly, to be convened, held, and kept for the service of the said Colony, until the end of the day next preceding the last Wednesday of May next, if necessary, and no longer, at the meeting-house in Watertown, upon Wednesday, the 19lh day of July next ensuing the date hereof; and to warn the person or persons so elected by the major part of the electors present at such election, to be timely notified by one or more of the Constables, of your Town to attend the service of this Colony in the said General Court or Assembly, on the day above prefixed, by nine o’clock in the forenoon, and so from day to day during their session and sessions. Hereof we desire you not to fail; and make return of this letter, with the name or names of the person or persons so elected or deputed, and of their being notified, unto the said General Assembly, at the time and place above-mentioned for its meeting. Given under my hand this 19th day of June, Anno Domini 1775.

By order of the Congress:

. . . . . . , President.

Attest:

. . . . . . , Secretary.

To the Selectmen of the Town of . . . . .

Resolved, That three o’clock, P. M., be assigned for the choice of a Major-General, in the room of the late Doctor Warren; and also for the choice of one Brigadier-General.

Several Letters from Penobscot, viz: from Mr. John Lane and others, were read, and committed to Captain. Webster, Colonel Farley, Captain Holmes, Doctor Taylor, and Major Perley.

Doctor Gunn was appointed to report a Resolve on the proposal made by the Committee of Safety relative to the killed and wounded in the late battle.

A Petition from the District of Woolwich was presented and read: And thereupon,

Resolved, That the petitioners have leave to withdraw their Petition.

Upon a motion made, Resolved, That the House of Mr. Hunt, at Cambridge, be hired for a Hospital; and that the Committee appointed to treat with Doctor Spring be a Committee to hire the same.

Ordered, That Doctor Church, Doctor Taylor, and Doctor Whiting, be a Committee to consider what method is proper to be taken to supply the Hospitals with Surgeons; and that the same gentlemen be a Committee to provide Medicines and all other necessaries for the Hospitals.

The Report of the Committee on the expediency of establishing armed Vessels, was considered. The Report is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That a number of armed Vessels, not less than six, to mount from eight to fourteen carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, &c., &c., be with all possible despatch provided, fixed, and properly manned, to cruise as the Committee of Safety, or any other person or persons who shall be appointed by this Congress for that purpose, shall from time to time order and direct, for the protection of our trade and sea-coasts against the depredations and piracies of our enemies, and for their annoyance, capture or destruction.

After debate, the matter was ordered to subside for the present.

The Committee appointed to confer with Doctor Spring relative to the use of his house for another Hospital, reported