Commissioned Officers and Soldiers who have not yet received their advance pay, reported.

The Report was ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That Mr. Phillips, Captain Goodman, Mr. Singletary, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Partridge, be a Committee to settle with Colonel Whitcomb his account of the disposal of the Moneys received from the Treasury for payment of the advance pay to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers raised by this Colony.

The Committee appointed to consider the terms on which the Hospital at Salem may be used for the reception of the Poor of Boston, reported. Read and accepted.

Whereas, the Committee of Safety of the Town of Salem, at a conference with a Committee of this House, did consent that the Hospital in that Town should be improved for the reception of the Poor from Boston, and did represent that Bread, Fire-wood, and a Well will be wanted; it is, therefore,

Resolved, That the Committee of Safely of the Town of Salem be appointed by this Court as Overseers of said Poor, whose business it shall be to receive into their own hands all such necessary Stores, Medicines, and Donations, as shall be sent out with said Poor by the Selectmen of Boston, and improve the same for the support of said Poor; and also to make all such further provision, at the charge of this Colony, as shall be necessary for their support and comfort, so long as they shall be continued in said Hospital, and lay their accounts before this Court for allowance.

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

Ordered, That Colonel Sawyer, Colonel Dwight, and Mr. Crane, be a Committee to consider the Return of Colonel Sergeant‘s Regiment, and report.

Ordered, That Major Hawley, Mr. Wheeler, and Mr. Hopkins, be a Committee to draw up an Advertisement calling on all persons who have paid any Moneys into the hands of Mr. Treasurer Gardner, to produce a duplicate or an authenticated copy of his receipt therefor to the Secretary‘s Office.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to wait on General Ward be instructed to desire him to provide himself with proper accommodations, and to lay his accounts before this House.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to examine Accounts sit forthwith.

A Protest of a number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Swanzey, against the election of Colonel Bowers, was again read, and the Protestors had leave to withdraw their Protest.

Ordered, That Major Hallet, Colonel Bowers, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Brent, be added to the Committee to examine Accounts.

Ordered, That Mr. Sewall, Mr. Jones, Col. Thompson, Mr. Bancroft, and Colonel Woodbridge, be a Committee to consider a Letter from the Committee of Deer-Island, relative to the arrival of a Man-of-War of twenty guns, and several other Ships, at Penobscot; and also a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Murray, on the same subject, and report.

The Committee on the Letter from St. George‘s, reported. The Report, together with the Letter, was recommended to the Committee just now appointed to consider the Letter from Deer-Island.

Ordered, That this Committee sit forthwith.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to examine Accounts and Muster-Rolls be directed to consider twenty-eight days as a month, and make up such Rolls accordingly.

A Memorial of the Committee of Safety for the Town of Salem, was read, and after a long debate, ordered to lie on the table.

The Committee on the Petition of Colonel Easton, reported. The Report was recommitted, to be drawn in form of a Resolve.

Resolved, That a new Precept be sent to the Town of Leominster, for the choice of a Member to represent that Town in this Assembly; and that Major Hawley, Mr. Phillips, and Major Johnson, be appointed a Committee to prepare a Precept accordingly.

A Petition of Captain John Stevens, with a Roll of his Company, was read, and committed to the Standing Committee appointed to examine Muster-Rolls and Accounts.

Then the House adjourned till to-morrow morning, at eight o’clock.

Wednesday, July 26, 1775.

Ordered, That Mr. Crane, Col. Davis, and Mr. Vose, be a Committee to make further search for the, Letters of Gov. Hutchinson, and other enemies of the Country.

The following gentlemen, being elected Counsellors for this Colony, personally accepted of the trust thereby reposed in them, viz:

Hon. Jedediah Foster, Esq., Hon. James Prescott, Esq., Hon. Joseph Palmer, Esq., Hon. Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., Hon. Jabez Fisher, Esq., Hon. Walter Spooner, Esq., Hon. John Taylor, Esq., Hon. Samuel Holten, Esq.

Ordered, That Dr. Baylis, Major Hawley, and Dr. Church, be a Committee to wait upon the other gentlemen who were elected to the Board, and are now in this Town, and know of them if they accept of their election.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to prepare a Letter to the Counsellors be directed to prepare a particular Letter to the honourable Delegates at the Continental Congress.

Ordered, That Captain Thatcher, Mr. Watson, and Captain Goodman, be a Committee to take care and dispose of the Fire-Arms that were in the custody of the Committee of Safety.

The Committee on the Petition of Colonel Easton, reported. The Report was accepted.

Read and Resolved, That the prayer of the Petition be so far granted, that there be paid out of the publick Treasury to Colonel James Easton the sum of four hundred Pounds, to be by him applied for the payment of the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers in his Regiment that have not yet received their forty Shillings advance pay; and that there be a further sum of two hundred and forty Pounds paid out of said Treasury to Timothy Edwards and Samuel Brown, Esqrs., to be laid out for Blankets, at the price of twelve Shillings each, for the use of said Regiment.; and that such Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers as have procured their own Blankets, or that will procure them, shall be paid twelve Shillings each in money by the said Edwards and Brown, when certified thereof, and take their receipts for the same; and that there be paid out of said Treasury one hundred Pounds more to said Edwards and Brown, to be used for billeting said Regiment, at the rate of one penny per mile, each man, reckoning the distance from the respective places of abode of each Soldier to Ticonderoga or Crown Point; also that there be paid out of said Treasury two hundred Pounds more to said Edwards and Brown, to be expended for providing Stockings, Breeches, Shirts, &c., to supply said Regiment in case of necessity, in manner as is directed in a Resolve of the late Congress, dated May 9, 1775, in which the Commissaries are instructed on what terms they are to supply the Army; the said Easton, Edwards, and Brown, to be accountable to this Court for the sums they receive and lay out in this affair. The whole sum to be drawn out of said Treasury, amounts, in the whole, to nine hundred and forty Pounds.

In Council, July 26, 1775: Read and concurred.

The Committee on the Petition from Deer-Island reported that an Address be sent to the honourable Board on the subject thereof.

Whereupon, Ordered, That Colonel Bowers, Captain Partridge, and Dr. Baylis, be a Committee to prepare an Address accordingly.

Ordered, That Deacon Rawson, Captain Partridge, and Major Brooks, be a Committee to consider the state of the Armourers, and report what is best to be done thereon.

The Committee appointed to wait upon the Counsellors in Town reported that the Hon. Joseph Gerrish Esq., Won. William Sever, Esq., and Hon. Moses Gill, Esq., accepted of the trust to which they were elected.