Moses Gill, Esquire, brought down the Petition from the County of Bristol, with the Address to the Continental Congress on the said Petition, and the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, July 28, 1775: Read and concurred, as taken into a new Draught.

The new Draught was at the same time brought down by Mr. Gill, and is as follows, viz:

“To the Honourable AMERICAN Continental Congress at PHILADELPHIA:

“MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS: The distressed situation of the eastern parts of this Colony, exhibited in the Petition (accompanying this address) from the Committee of the Town of Bristol, and the impracticability of conveying Provisions to them by land, will excuse this Court for troubling the Congress with an address in their behalf. The two Houses of Assembly humbly request your Honours to take their prayer under your wise consideration, and act thereon as in your wisdom you shall think proper.”

Read, and Ordered, That the foregoing Address be sent to the American Congress.

In Council, July 29, 1775: Read, and Ordered, That the foregoing Address be signed by the Secretary, and forwarded to the honourable Continental Congress.

The Committee on the Petition from the Committee of Inspection for the East Precinct in the Town of Pownalborough reported. Report ordered to lie on the table.

Leave of absence was granted to Colonel Bowers till next Tuesday seven-night.

Whereas by the Royal Charter it is provided that when the Governour, Lieutenant or Deputy-Governour of this Province shall happen to die, be displaced, or be absent from the Province, the Council, or Assistants, or the major part of them, shall have full power and authority to do and execute all and every such acts, matters and things which the said Governour or Lieutenant or Deputy-Governour could lawfully do or exercise; and whereas the late Governour, Lieutenant or Deputy-Governour of the Province, have absented themselves, and have refused to govern the Province according to said Charter:

It is, therefore, Resolved, That until the said Governour, Lieutenant-Governour or Deputy-Governour, shall return to his or their duty, or some Governour shall be appointed to govern the Province according to the Charter aforesaid, this House will consider the Constitutional Council of the Province, or the major part of them, as Governour of this Province, and will acquiesce in whatever said Council, or the major part of them, shall constitutionally do in said capacity.

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

Saturday, July 29,1775.

The Committee on the Petition of the Committee of Correspondence, &c., of the Town of Bridgewater, reported. Read and accepted.

Whereas the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Bridgewater have represented to this House a certain Ebenezer Keith, of that Town, as having in a most obstinate, daring manner, acted in open violation of the recommendation of the Continental and Provincial Congresses, as well as in direct opposition to the rights and liberties of this Country; more especially by abusing a soldier for no other reason than his enlisting in the service of his Country, taking an oath to be true to the same, and receiving the Colony securities; for which said Committee have confined him the said Keith: Therefore,

Resolved, That the said Committee of Correspondence be, and they are hereby directed to continue said Keith in their custody, and to confine or secure him in such manner as they shall think safe, and till the further order of this Court.

In Council, July 29, 1775: Read and concurred.

Mr. Rawson was appointed in the room of Captain Partridge, on the Committee for bringing in a Resolve respecting the Receiver-General’s giving Bond.

The Resolve on the Petition and Account of Messrs. Sheppard and Hunt, was sent up to the honourable Board.

Colonel Orne was appointed in the room of Colonel Dwight on the Petition from Nantucket.

The Committee appointed to devise means for the immediate payment of advance wages to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers reported. Read and accepted.

Whereas sundry complaints have been made by some of the Soldiers raised by this Colony, that they have not received the advance pay of forty Shillings, agreeable to the Resolution of the Provincial Congress:

Therefore, Resolved, That a Committee be appointed forthwith to apply to the Colonels of the several Regiments in the camp at Cambridge, Roxbury, &c., (raised by this Colony,) as aforesaid, and obtain of them a complete list of the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers in their respective Regiments, that have not received the advance pay of forty Shillings, that such methods may be pursued as shall remove all just ground of complaint; and that Col. Cushing and Mr. Webster, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee for that purpose.

Ordered, That Mr. Watson and Mr. Dix be added to the Committee appointed to provide a Hospital for the sick and wounded in the Army; and that the Committee be instructed to use their discretion in providing such Hospital in Cambridge, Watertown, or any neighbouring Town.

Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Wood.

Ordered, That Dr. Church, Mr. Greenleaf, and Colonel Freeman, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consider what is proper to be done with regard to appointing Apothecaries for the Medical Store at Watertown, and to take care of and compound the Medicines for the use of the Army.

In Council, August, 1, 1775: Read and concurred, and Samuel Holten and E. Taylor, Esqrs., are joined.

Ordered, That Colonel Cushing, Mr. White, Mr. Davis, Colonel Grout, and Dr. Baylis, be a Committee to consider several Papers laid before the House respecting one Andrew Hamilton, a prisoner from Georgetown, and report what is proper to be done.

Ordered, That the Clerk, Mr. Sewell, Colonel Freeman, Captain White, and Major Brooks, be a Committee to consider a Message from the honourable Board relative to the Eastern parts of the Colony.

Colonel Mitchell was appointed in the room of Colonel Bowers, on the Petition of Mrs. Apphia Jones, and Mr. Devens in the room of Mr. Rawson.

The Committee on the Petition from Fryburgh reported. The Report was not accepted, and the Petition was dismissed.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the honourable Board, desiring the Board to send down the Petition from Deer-Island, the Petition from St. George’s, and the Letter from the Rev. Mr. Murray, relative to the distressing situation of the Eastern parts of the Colony.

Samuel Holten, Esq., brought them down accordingly.

Ordered, That the Receiver-General be directed to accommodate those persons who have draughts upon him with Colony Notes of such value as may be convenient to them; that the Committee to countersign said Notes be directed to attend their duty; and that Mr. Gerry be directed to draw a Resolve for that purpose.*

Ordered, That Dr. Church, Colonel Orne, and Captain Batchelder, be a Committee to consider the Account of Richard Derby, Esq.

Ordered, That Captain John Derby’s Account be committed to the Committee last mentioned.

Mr. William Barley’s Account being read, Ordered, That said Account be allowed; and that Jonas Dix, Esq., be directed to bring in a Resolve for the payment of the same.

* IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 29, 1775.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed by a late Congress of this Colony to countersign the Notes of the Receiver-General, be directed to attend that service, and to furnish him with such a number of blanks as he shall judge necessary to complete the emission of such a grant of One Hundred Thousand Pounds.

Then Voted, As the demands on this Colony shall require, before other provision can be made, also that the said Receiver-General be directed, as far as circumstances will permit, to accommodate the persons who shall receive said Notes, with such as shall best suit their conveniency, and be agreeable to the Resolves of said Congress.

In Council, July 29, 1775: Read and concurred.