they might receive from the Committee of Donations, provided they could obtain his Excellency’s permission.

“The Selectmen, Overseers, and Committee, previous to their removal, beg for leave to write to such persons in the country as may be empowered to take care of, and provide for the poor, that these destitute persons may find such assistance and relief as their particular circumstances may require.”

Ordered, That the Secretary, Dr. Taylor, and Major Brooks, be a Committee to confer with Mr. John Lane on the difficulties which attend the supplying the Indians at Falmouth, Casco Bay.*

Resolved, That the Hon. Jedediah Preble and the Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esquire, be, and hereby are empowered to supply the Indians of the Penobscot Tribe with any quantity of Goods, not exceeding the value of three hundred Pounds, and to draw on the Receiver-General for the same, who is hereby directed to pay such draughts in three months after the date of this Resolve, and to take Furs and Skins of the said Indians in exchange, on the account of this Colony, they to be accountable for their proceedings.

Ordered, That Deacon Cheever be a Committee to bring in a Resolve, empowering the Committee of Supplies to furnish General Washington with such articles of household Furniture as he has wrote to said Committee for.

Afternoon.

Resolved, That the consideration of the allowance proper to be made to Mr. Fowle, for the use of his house by several Committees of this Congress, be referred to the General Assembly.

The Committee on the Letter of Mr. John Scollay, of Boston, reported as follows:

The Committee to whom was referred the Letter from John Scollay, Esquire, in the name of the Selectmen, &c., of Boston, have attended the service assigned them, and are of opinion, that the letter, and paper accompanying the same, be referred to the Committee of Safety of this Colony; and that said Committee, if they see fit, on being satisfied that said poor, and other inhabitants, may leave Boston with such quantities of provisions, bedding, &c., as mentioned in the paper purporting to be an agreement with General Gage, provide such conveyances for transporting into the country such of said poor as are able to bear the same, to be ready at such time and place as may be agreed upon; and that notice be given to Salem, Marblehead, or any other seaports, to receive such of said poor as will not bear being removed otherwise than by water; and that all expenses for removing and supporting said poor be paid by the Colony.

The Report was ordered to lie for further consideration.

The Committee appointed to prepare a list of such Towns as it would be expedient to apply to for Shirts, Breeches, &c., again reported. The Report was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, there is a very pressing demand for some articles of clothing, more especially of Shirts, Breeches, Stockings, and Shoes, in the Army raised by the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, and there is danger of very mischievous consequences from a delay of supplying the same:

Resolved, That the inhabitants of the respective Towns and Districts in the Counties specified in a list hereunto annexed, be most earnestly desired, as soon as possible, to procure such a number of each of the articles of Shirts, Breeches, and Stockings, as are affixed to their said Towns and Districts, respectively, of a serviceable quality, and as many good Shoes as they can obtain, and deliver the same to the person or persons now to be appointed by this Congress to collect them, who are directed to give receipts to the owners, at the prices for which they shall mutually agree, (keeping an account thereof,) in the form following, viz:

“The—day of—, 1775. Received of—,—shirts, at——pair of Breeches, at—; pair of Stockings, at—;—pair of Shoes, at—: amounting to the sum of—, for the service of the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay; which the Receiver-General is directed, in forty days after the date hereof, to pay to the said—, or order, in notes or bills of credit of this Colony.”

And the Receiver-General is hereby required to pay the same accordingly. And that this business may be effected with the greatest expedition, the Selectmen and Committees of Correspondence in the several Towns and Districts before mentioned, are hereby most earnestly reqested to afford the utmost aid in their power to the person or persons appointed as aforesaid, in collecting said articles. And those persons are further directed to take such measures as will enable them to ascertain the price of each article on its arrival, and to contract at a reasonable rate with suitable wagoners and teamsters, to transport the effects, when procured, with great despatch, to the Committee of Supplies at Watertown, giving them a certificate of the sums to be paid for such service; for which sum said Committee are hereby directed to draw on the publick Treasury, in favour of any thus contracted with, or their orders; and the Receiver-General is accordingly directed to pay the same.

Committee.—SUFFOLK: Mr. Daniel Vose, Milton; Sir. Abner Ellis, Dedham; Deacon Jabez Fisher, Wrentham.

ESSEX: Major Asa Perley, Boxford; Colonel Daniel Thurston, Bradford; Major A. Fuller, Middleton.

MIDDLESEX: Mr. Peter Bent, Marlborough; Captain Timothy Walker, Wilmington; Mr. Israel Hobart, Town-shtnd; Mr. Samuel Sprague, Stoneham.

PLYMOUTH: Mr. Ebenezer Thompson, Halifax; Col. Joseph Gushing, Hanover; Mr. George Partridge, Dux-by.ry.

BRISTOL: Mr. Thomas Durfee, Freetown; Capt. Benjamin King, Raynham; Benjamin Aikin, Esquire, Dartmouth.

WORCESTER: Mr. David Bancroft, Worcester; Mr. Joseph Wheeler, Harvard; Col. Jonathan Grout, Petersham.

BARNSTABLE: Colonel Joseph Otis, Barnstable; Col. N. Freeman, Sandwich; Col. Elisha Cobb, Wellfleet.

DUKES COUNTY: James Athorne, Esquire.

Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and he hereby is directed to pay Doctor Benjamin Church, Junior, or order, the sum of thirty-four Pounds, five Shillings, and two Pence, in full discharge of his account of expenses for himself and servant, on a journey to Philadelphia, in May last.

Ordered, That Mr. Gill, Mr. Phillips, and Dr. Taylor, be a Committee to provide a Dinner, on the 19th instant, for themselves and the Clergy.

Ordered, That Mr. Kollock, Dr. Taylor, and Deacon Nichols, be a Committee to get the Resolves relative to procuring Shirts, Breeches, &c., printed and dispersed, one to each Town mentioned in the schedule, and one to each of the Committee.

The Committee appointed to bring in an additional Resolve relative to the Poor of Boston, reported, The Report was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, it appears that some Towns in this Colony have a larger number of the Poor of the Towns of Boston and Charlestown than has been heretofore assigned them, and more than they are willing to retain:

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Selectmen of those Towns to cause such Poor to be removed to some Town that shall all not have the proportion heretofore assigned, or shall be willing to receive them, (and if convenient to those of such Towns that said Poor may choose,) provided said Poor are possessed of a certificate from either of the Selectmen or Overseers of the Poor of the Towns of Boston or Charlestown, showing that they were inhabitants of either of those Towns on the 1st of March last. And the Selectmen or Overseers of the Poor of the Towns

*LETTER FROM THE FOUR INDIAN CHIEFS TO ANDREW GILMAN.

FALMOUTH, July 4, 1775.

SIR: We have been here five days, and did expect to go home with the supplies for our tribe in a sloop. But as we are told Captain John Lane must return to Watertown before our supply can be sent, \va have agreed to go home in our canoes, though we should rather go in said sloop We beg leave to let you know it is our desire that Captain Lane may be appointed truckmaster, with full power to redress, any insults we may receive from the white people when we come into trade. You may depend on our friendship, and assistance, if required. We are your humble servants,

Andrew Gilman, Interpreter,