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or bread thus sold. He, the said Shearman, says he inquired of Mr. Fenno, Moore’s foreman, upon what conditions Moore baked for the Army, and he told him the Colony made Mr. Moore debtor for the flour he received of them, and Moore made the Colony debtor for the bread he delivered to the Army; that there could be no other way. Shearman says, if that is the case, Moore must make a very large advance; that the bread made with thirty pounds worth of flour would amount to forty pounds; that Moore supplies about that quantify every day: so that if he took some of the Colony flour for private use, and is honest in the weight of the bread, he would advance ten Pounds, lawful money, per day. Besides, he says one of Moore’s boys reported, that the loaves were not weight, and the Commissary examined and found it so; that Moore severely corrected the boy for Jelling. Upon the whole, Shearman supposes Moore is in a way of making money fast. Shearman says he is personally knowing to these facts, and they may be sufficiently proved. Thus far, Sir, I thought it my duty, as a member of the honourable Congress, to inform, and hope every unfaithful servant will be dismissed. All which is humbly submitted. Yours, &c. ISAAC STONE. “To the Honourable James Warren, Esquire, President of Congress, at Watertown.” Ordered, That the said Letter be immediately transmitted to the Committee of Supplies. Ordered, That Deacon Fisher, Captain Batchelder, Captain Stone of Framingham, join with Mr. Pidgeon in an inquiry into the conduct of said Moore, and report to this Congress. Ordered, That the Resolve just now past, in consequence of General Ward’s Letter, be reconsidered, and that it be recommitted, together with the Resolve passed relative to absconding soldiers, to Mr. Partridge, Mr. Hopkins, and Captain Goodrich. Ordered, That Mr. Thatcher be appointed to apply to the brother of our late President for such Papers belonging to this Congress as he may have in his possession. Ordered, That Dr. Taylor, Colonel Coffin, and Captain Webster, be a Committee to consider a Letter from General Thomas, respecting a petition for liberty to permit Provisions to be carried to those who were taken prisoners by Gage’s Troops, on the 17th instant, now in Boston. A number of Letters were presented to the Congress by Mr. Palfrey, lately arrived from England; some of which were read, and then the whole were committed to Dr. Taylor, Mr. Partridge, and Captain Brown. Ordered, That Mr. Bigelow be appointed to go to Cambridge to inquire if there are any blank Commissions at the Committee of Safety’s room. Ordered, That Mr. Webster, Mr. Partridge, and Captain Goodman, be a Committee to receive and sort the votes for four gentlemen to be added to the Committee of Supplies. The Committee having attended that service, reported, that Colonel James Prescott, Colonel Elisha Porter, Major Brooks, and Captain Vose, were chosen. Major Brooks having requested that he might be excused, was excused, and Colonel Barrett was chosen in his room. Ordered, That the Secretary make out a proper certificate of the choice of the above-named four gentlemen on the Committee of Supplies. The Committee on the account of Mr. Paul Revere, reported. The Report was recommitted. A Letter from General Ward was read, nominating Colonel William Henshaw to be an Adjutant-General in the Massachusetts Army; whereupon, Ordered, That a Commission be made out for him accordingly. Ordered, That the Hon. Major Hawley, Mr. Pickering, and Col. Porter, be a Committee to prepare Letters to the Continental Congress, requesting their aid in furnishing us with Gunpowder; and also to prepare another Letter to Governour Trumbull, requesting him to take some steps for collecting Powder from the several Towns in the Colony of Connecticut, to be sent to Head-Quarters at Cambridge, as this Colony is now doing. A Letter from General Thomas was read, nominating Mr. Samuel Brewer to be an Adjutant-General in the Massachusetts Army; whereupon, Ordered, That a Commission be made out for him accordingly. Resolved, That Mr. Ezekiel Cheever be appointed Storekeeper of the Ordnance, in the room of Major Barber, who has declined accepting of that trust; and that five o’clock, P. M., be assigned for considering the expediency of augmenting the Pay of the Storekeeper of the Ordnance. Ordered, That Captain Holmes, Captain Brown, and Captain Batchelder, be a Committee to examine Ensign Robert Campbell, lately arrived from England, and now a prisoner in this Town, and to report what is proper to be done with him. Afternoon. Ordered, That Captain Farley, Captain Dwight, and Mr. Webster be a Committee to prepare an Address to the several Towns in the Colony who may be applied to to furnish the. Army with Powder. Resolved, That Mr. Edes be desired to print three hundred blank Commissions, agreeable to the form lately made use of for the Officers of the Army. A Petition from Jonathan Hicks and Josiah Jones, prisoners in Concord Jail, was read, and ordered to lie on the table. A Letter from S. L was read, and ordered to lie on the table. A Petition from the Committees of the several Townships of Goldsborough, Narragangus, and Number Four, was read,* and committed to Captain Parker, Colonel Smith, and Captain Ellis, who are directed to consider the propriety of supplying the inhabitants of Machias with some three-pounders and some swivel balls. The Committee made report as follows, viz: The Committee appointed to take into consideration the Petition of the Towns of Goldsborough, Narragaugus, and the Township Number Four, beg leave to report, that it be recommended to the Committee, of Correspondence and Committee of Safety, in the County of Essex, that they supply the three Towns abovementioned with one hundred bushels of Grain, five barrels of Pork, and one cask of Molasses, to each Town; and take security of William Shaw, Joseph Wallis, and Phineas Whitlen, petitioners, for the pay in Lumber, or such other things as may suit for pay best; and if not paid in a reasonable time, it shall be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony. Ordered, That Captain Shillaber be directed to bring in a Resolve for the purpose of assuring the officers and soldiers that; notwithstanding the date of the officers’ commissions, the Pay of both officer’s and soldiers shall commence at the time of their enlistment. Ordered, That Commissions be made out to the subaltern officers of Captain Edward Craft’s Company, in the * To the Honourable Gentlemen of the Provincial Congress for the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY: GENTLEMEN: The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of Goldsborough, Number Four, and Narragaugus, in the County of Lincoln, in said Province, humbly shews: That the particularly alarming situation of this County, as well as the whole Continent, induces us to address your Honours, and particularly to lay before you the distressed situation of said Towns, holding ourselves as true friends to the cause that all America, as well as ourselves are now supporting. At present we are almost destitute of all kinds of provisions, as well as ammunition; and the many reports we have that we may expect the Indians on our backs, and the tenders in our harbours to distress us, oblige us to pray that your Honours may assist us in that way that yon in your wisdom may think best; for which we shall be always ready to make you full satisfaction. And your petitioners, as in duly bound, shall ever pray. WILLIAM SHAW,
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