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, in any sum not less than forty Shillings; the order of this Court of the 29th July last, directing a Committee appointed by a late Congress to perform this business, and the order of Congress directing the Treasurer to issue none for a less sum than for four Pounds, notwithstanding.

In Council, August 1, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Phillips, and Deacon Rawson, be a Committee to countersign the Colony Notes emitted by Congress for borrowing One Hundred Thousand Pounds, in the room of the Committee appointed by said Congress for that purpose.

The Resolve for a new emission of Colony Bills being amended, was read and accepted.

Sent up for concurrence.

Ordered, That Mr. Vose, Major Fuller, and Mr. Watson, be a Committee to procure suitable Paper for printing the Bills upon.

Ordered, That Mr. Woodbridge be on the Committee appointed to consider the situation of the Eastern parts of the Colony, in the room of Mr. Freeman.

Ordered, That the new emission of Bills of Credit be printed on types.

The Order of the Day moved for.

The Report of the Committee on the Petition against Thomas Rice, Esq., was considered; whereupon,

Resolved, That the Petitioners have leave to withdraw their Petition.

Ordered, That Captain Brown be directed to procure a Pine Desk for the use of the Clerk.

Colonel Cushing was appointed on the Committee to confer with Mr. Brown, relative to the situation of the Inhabitants of Boston, in the room of Mr. Goodrich.

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

Wednesday, August 2, 1775.

Benjamin White, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee who were appointed to confer with Mr. Brown on the situation of the Inhabitants of Boston, viz:

“In Council, August 2, 1775.

“The Committee of both Houses appointed to confer with Mr. Brown, of Boston, upon the situation of our friends in Boston, beg leave to report, that they have conferred with the said Mr. Brown upon that subject, and are informed by him of the following facts, viz:

“That Mr. Brown is of opinion that General Gage would be willing that all the inhabitants should leave the Town, without exception, who are disposed to go, if Jones and Hicks were suffered to go in; that the inhabitants are greatly distressed, being in constant fear of the prevailing sickness and want of sustenance; that Hicks, the printer, told him (said Brown) that he had procured thirteen of the principal people to be stopped on account of Jones and his brothers being detained, and that he promised said Hicks that he would do all in his power with the General Assembly that said Jones and Hicks should be released upon condition that said thirteen might be suffered to leave the Town; the names of some of the gentlemen mentioned are, John Gill, Thomas Boylston, Samuel Whitwell, Samuel Partridge, and all the Selectmen in Town; the others he cannot remember: that he (Mr. Brown) has the best information that General Gage has consented that the Aims-House Poor should be removed to Marblehead, but, contrary to his past engagement, refuseth to permit any clothing, medicines or provision (saving only for six days) to be sent with them; that the inhabitants and soldiers die very fast, and Doctor Elliot says he apprehends that there are as many deaths among the inhabitants now as he had known at any time when the Town was fullest of inhabitants. All which is humbly submitted.

“JEDEDIAH FOSTER, per order.”

Ordered, That Colonel Orne and Mr. Hale be on the Committee appointed to consider what is proper to be done with regard to appointing Apothecaries for the Medical Store in Watertown, &c., in the room of Colonel Freeman and Mr. Greenleaf.

A Letter from the Hon. James Bowdoin, Esq., dated Middleborough, July 26th, 1775, declaring an acceptance of his election to the honourable Board, was read.

A Petition from Benjamin Ames,* a Captain in Colonel Frye’s Regiment, praying for the advance wages to his men, was read.

Ordered, That the Treasurer be directed to pay to Mr. Samuel Phillips a sufficient sum of Money to pay off Captain Benjamin Ames’s Company; and that Mr. Phillips be directed to muster said Company, if not already mustered, and pay them forty Shillings as advance pay: and that Mr. Hopkins be directed to bring in a Resolve for that purpose.

Ordered, That Mr. Batchelder prepare a Letter to Col. Whitcomb, Muster-Master, requesting him to lay his Accounts as soon as may be before this House.

A Petition of Samuel Allyne Otis, praying this Court to direct that a Horse and Chaise, in the hands of Doctor Eustis, may be restored to him, as the rightful owner thereof, was read, and committed to Colonel Cushing, Dr. Church, and Colonel Davis.

Mr. Hopkins, agreeable to order, brought in a Resolve empowering Mr. Samuel Phillips to muster Captain Benjamin Ames’s Company; which was read, and accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Ordered, That Mr. Samuel Phillips be directed to muster the Company of Captain Benjamin Ames, in Col. Frye’s Regiment, (if not already mustered,) and that he be also empowered to draw out of the publick Treasury of this Colony the sum of one hundred and fourteen Pounds, for the purpose of paying the sum of forty Shillings as advance wages to each of the non-commissioned Officers and private Soldiers belonging to the above Company, if they have not been paid. And the Receiver-General is hereby directed to pay the same to Mr. Phillips accordingly, he to be accountable to this Court.

In Council, August 3, 1775: Read and concurred.

Afternoon.

The Committee on the state of the Eastern Country, reported.

The Report was considered and recommitted.

Major Hawley, by leave of the House (the Galleries being first cleared,) brought in the following Resolve for procuring Powder, which was accepted, (the Committee being first appointed for the purpose therein mentioned,) viz:

Whereas General Washington has represented to the Speaker of this House, that the British Troops have this week made some new and advanced works, both on Boston-Neck and at Charlestown, and that their intention in the said works seems to be thereby gradually to advance so near to the lines of the Continental Army, as that they may advantageously annoy the said lines, both with bombs and cannon shot; and that he, the said General, is of opinion, that the Army under his command ought to be so amply supplied with Powder, as that they may be able by the improvement of their Artillery, not only to obstruct, but effectually to demolish the said works of the enemy: And as the said General is very desirous of such full supplies of Powder that at all events the said Army should not feel any scarcity of Gunpowder, he therefore desires that

*To the Honourable the Council and House of Representatives of the Colony of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, in General Court assembled:

Your petitioner, a Captain in Colonel James Frye’s Regiment, begs leave to rotate, that the Company which he has the honour to command, consisting of fifty-seven non-commissioned officers and soldiers, came into camp at Cambridge on the 19th April last. That since that time said Company has regularly done duty; but though they have been in the service of this Colony above three months, not one man has received any part of the forty Shillings which a late Congress promised should be advanced to them; that these soldiers, with many of their families, have suffered difficulties which are not small by reason of this delay; their necessities have been growing daily more urgent, till at length I am able to withstand their importunity no longer. I am, therefore, constrained most earnestly to entreat of this honourable Court that relief to which he humbly presumes he has some claim in justice. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

BENJAMIN AMES.

CAMP IN CAMBRIDGE, August 2, 1775.