The Report of a Committee of the late Provincial Congress, on Colonel Easton’s representation of the state of his Regiment at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, was read, and committed to the same Committee.

Ordered, That Mr. Hopkins, Major Ely, and Mr. Davis, be a Committee to prepare an answer to a Letter received from the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Saybrook.

Resolved, That Major Stephen Cross be appointed to muster and pay the Advance Pay to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of Colonel Phinney’s Regiment.

That Mr. Freeman, Major Bliss, and Captain Morton, be a Committee to estimate a proper sum to be put into the hands of Mr. Cross for that purpose. Who reported the sum of one thousand and forty Pounds. Whereupon,

Ordered, That the Receiver-General pay to Major Stephen Cross the sum of one thousand and forty Pounds, for the purpose of paying forty Shillings as advance pay to each of the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers in Colonel Phinney’s Regiment, and to take a receipt from the said Cross therefore.

Ordered That Mr. Gerry insert a clause in the above order, directing the Receiver-General to pay the sum therein mentioned to Mr. Cross, without the concurrence of the honourable Board, and to assign the reasons for such an order.

The Report of the Committee on the Petition of Mr. William Greenleaf and others, relative to the Poor and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, was again read and accepted.

Ordered, That the Committee of Safely be served with a copy of it. It is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That this House are ready to exert their best endeavours to liberate their unhappy brethren of the Town of Boston, if they may be suffered to remove with their effects, agreeable to the solemn treaty of General Gage, entered into with the Committee of that Town.

That an indiscriminate indulgence ought to be given to all the inhabitants, without exception, who have not been inimical to America, to leave the Town, without let or molestation, in the manner, and to the place hereafter mentioned.

That considering the hazard of propagating the smallpox, the inhabitants of the Town of Boston are to be removed by water to the port of Salem, where this House will provide an hospital, and such other deserted houses as shall be proper for the reception and accommodation of said inhabitants, until they shall have been so cleansed as to remove all apprehensions of their communicating that infectious distemper. And that on their arrival at the port of Salem they shall be under the direction of the Selectmen and Committee of Safety of that Town, with respect to the places and manner of landing and repairing to the hospital or houses provided for them.

That sloops, boats, or any other bottoms, not armed, which shall convey the inhabitants of the Town of Boston to Salem, together with all such persons as shall be necessarily employed, and shall be agreed to by the Selectmen of said Town to assist them in their removal, shall pass and repass, free from insult, injury, or molestation, provided they do not land, and shall return to Boston as soon as may be after having landed the said inhabitants and their effects, and offer no insult, injury, or molestation to any person.

That beds, bedding, and necessary stores and medicines be sent out with the poor by the Selectmen and Overseers, and the donation stores be sent out by the Committee of Donations for their support; and that as soon as such of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor as are now in the Town of Boston shall be made acquainted with the foregoing Resolve, they are hereby directed immediately to improve the first fair and suitable weather in removing the Poor of the said Town, in the manner, and to the place above prescribed.

In Council, July 27, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Mr. Davis, Doctor Taylor, and Captain Goodman, be a Committee to consider the terms on which the Committee of Safety of the Town of Salem will consent that the Hospital there shall be used for the reception of the Poor from Boston, and report.

Mr. Gerry, agreeable to order, brought in the following Resolve; which was accepted:

Whereas the honourable Council of this Colony, lately elected agreeable to recommendation of the honourable Continental Congress, have not yet met to act in their respective department; and it is necessary that the Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of Colonel Edmund Phinney’s Regiment be forthwith paid the advance money to which they are entitled by Resolve of the late Provincial Congress:

Ordered, That the Receiver-General pay to Major Cross the sum of one thousand and forty Pounds, for the purpose of paying forty Shillings as advance pay to each of the Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Soldiers aforesaid. This Order shall be a sufficient warrant therefor.

Ordered, That Mr. Phillips bring in a Resolve directing Colonel Whitcomb to muster and pay those Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers who have not yet received the advance pay, and receive money of the Treasurer for that purpose.

The House then adjourned till to-morrow morning, eight o’clock.

Tuesday, July 25, 1775.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to confer with General Ward on the subject of his Letter to this House, desiring that suitable accommodations may be provided for him and his attendants.

Upon a motion made, this vote was reconsidered.

The Report of the Committee on General Ward’s Letter was then read, amended, and accepted.

Resolved, That the House choose a Committee to apply to General Ward, and know of him whether it would not be as agreeable to make provision for himself, and lay his account before this House.

Colonel Davis, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Batchelder, were accordingly appointed a Committee for that purpose.

Ordered, That Captain Brown and Colonel Davis, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to complete the Powder-House began to be built by a Committee of the late Provincial Congress; and that said Committee provide an Electrical Point to be fixed on said house.

In Council, July 27, 1775: Read and concurred, and Colonel Lincoln is joined.

Mr, Phillips, who was appointed to bring in a Resolve directing Colonel Whitcomb to muster and pay those Non-Commissioned

same circumstances as to poverty; and the Regiment entertain an idea that they shall fare as the Connecticut Troops do at that place, they having forty Shillings bounty, and forty Shillings advance pay. And your Petitioner would humbly pray that your Honours would make them near about equal, (that there may be no murmuring,) by putting money into the commanding officer’s hands, to the amount of sixteen hundred Pounds, including the four hundred Pounds already expended, to pay out to them as their necessities may require for blankets and other clothing.

And your Petitioner begs leave further to inform your Honours, that he has already expended out of his own pocket, for raising and paying off men in the service of the United Colonies, nine hundred and twenty-one Pounds, besides all his own expenses for himself and horse in travelling back and forth in said services, which is no inconsiderable sum. And your Petitioner prays the indulgence of your Honours whilst he observes, that when he is at Crown Point he is about three hundred miles from this place, and that he expects soon to be ordered to St. John’s, so that he will soon be four hundred miles from this honourable Assembly, which will render it impracticable to have any further supply of cash from the Assembly till the campaign is ended.

Your Petitioner, although, from the beginning of our troubles, from a. corrupt and abandoned Ministry, he has been most heartily engaged in the cause of our much-injured Country, and has spared neither money nor time, nor bodily strength, nor fatigue, for the general cause; but at all times, when judged expedient, has heartily devoted all to the publick good, yet he is so sensible the Regiment ho has the honour to command cannot properly be provided for at such a distance without the commanding officer has money to silence the murmuring of the soldiers, that he expects a draught on the Receiver-General for twelve hundred Pounds or one thousand Pounds, to pay the advance pay, and provide blankets and other necessaries for the Regiment. And unless the honourable Council and honourable House of Representatives should see fit in their great wisdom to grant such a supply to him for the purpose aforesaid, he humbly begs leave to resign his orders, and prays that some other person may be appointed in his room. As in duty bound, shall ever pray.

JAMES EASTON.

WATERTOWN, July 24, 1775.