wife of Benjamin Goldthwait, and Mrs. Chamberlain, they having given such an open, full account of matters, and appear so friendly to the Country, your Committee think they may, without danger thereto, be freed from confinement.

“CHARLES CHAUNCY, per order.”

Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Major Smith, Major Bliss, Capt. Goodman, Colonel Davis, and Major Leonard, be a Committee to take into consideration the Resolves of the Continental Congress, relative to the establishment of a Militia throughout the Continent, and to report what is proper to be done by this House relative to that matter in this Colony.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., brought down the Resolve appointing a Committee to examine such persons as come out of Boston over Winnisimit Ferry, and naming Mr. John Peck in the room of Mr. Ephraim May.

Read and concurred.

The House then adjourned till tomorrow morning, eight o’clock.

Tuesday, August 8, 1775.

Jonas Dix,, Esq., was again returned a Member from the Town of Waltham, and took his seat in the House.

Major Hawley, agreeable to order, brought in a Bill declaratory of the right of certain Towns and Districts in the Colony to elect Representatives, &c.

Read the first time.

Ordered, To be read again tomorrow morning at ten o’clock.

Ordered, That Colonel Freeman, Major Hawley, Wheeler, Colonel Bowers, and Captain Bragdon, be a Committee to consider the Resolves of the late Provincial Congress, relative to ranking the Regiments, &c., and report thereon.

A Memorial of William Hunt, of Watertown, relative to sundry articles which belonged to Lady Frankland, was read, and committed to Dix, Major Johnson, and Major Ingals.

Ordered, That the Committee who were appointed to take care and dispose of the Fire-Arms which were in the custody of the Committee of Safety, be a Committee to deliver to Colonel Nixon the Fire-Arms procured for his Regiment, and take receipts for the same.

Resolved, That three o’clock in the afternoon be assigned to consider what sum shall be levied upon the Inhabitants of this Colony by tax the present year.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the honourable Board, to know if they have passed upon the Bill for the emission of Bills of Credit for One Hundred Thousand Pounds.

Joseph Palmer, Esquire, came down and informed the House that the honourable Board have now under consideration the Bill for an emission of One Hundred Thousand Pounds.

The Committee on the Letter from Newburyport, relative to Bridget Phillips, reported. The Report was ordered to lie on the table for the present.

Ordered, That Major Fuller, Capt. Greenleaf, Capt. Batchelder, Deacon Rawson, and Major Bliss, be a Committee to consider the Resolve of Congress relative to killing Sheep and Lambs, and report what is proper to be done thereon.

Ordered, That the two Letters from Quebeck to the Hon. John Cushing, Esq., of Scituate, one from Robert Robbins, Jun., one from Thomas Aylwin, and one to the Hon. William Cushing, Esq., from Lucy Aylwin, be delivered to Mr. Robert Cushing.

Ordered, That Colonel Thompson and Colonel Davis, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to examine Andrew Hamilton, brought to this Court from Kerinebeck, and report what is proper to be done with him.

Resolved, That Colonel Benedict Arnold be admitted on the floor of the House, to lay his Commission and Instructions before the House, Which was accordingly done.

Capt. Jonathan Gardner, Jun., and Mr. Ebenezer Putnam, on the part of the country, and Mr. John Sweetser, on the part of the Town of Boston, were, in conjunction with four gentlemen appointed by this House on the 5th instant, appointed a Committee in the room and stead of the Committee of Safety of the Town of Salem, to take care of and provide for the Poor of the Town of Boston.

The Resolve of the House on the Petition of the said Committee of Safety being completed, with the names of said Committee, was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz;

On the Petition of the Committee of Safety of the Town of Salem, praying this Court to excuse them from serving as Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Boston,

Resolved, That the prayer of the Petitioners be so far granted as that they be excused from making any further provision for the Almshouse Poor of the said Town of Boston; and that Mr. William Greenleaf, Mr. Isaac Smith, Deacon Gibbons Sharp, Mr. John Sweetser, Captain. William Shillaber, Captain Jonathan Gardner, and Mr. Ebenezer Putnam, be a Committee in the room and stead of the Committee of the Town of Salem for that purpose.

In Council, August 8, 1775: Read and concurred.

The Committee appointed to consider the Resolves of the Continental Congress, relative to establishing a Militia throughout the Continent, reported.

The Report was ordered to lie on the table until the next session of this Court.

Resolved, That Colonel Arnold was authorized by the Committee of Safety to procure Blankets for the Soldiers he enlisted on the expedition to Ticonderoga.

Ordered, That the Petition of Colonel Arnold, and the Report thereon, be recommitted.

The Report of Whiting, relative to Saltpetre, was sent up to the honourable Board.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That Mr. Story, Mr. Durfee, and Major Brooks, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consider some method of calling in the outstanding Moneys due to this Colony.

A Petition of Colonel Moses Little, setting forth that several of his Regiment have not as yet received their month’s advance pay, was read, and committed to Mr. Greenleaf, Colonel Bowers, and Mr. Johnson.

The Order of the Day moved for.

Resolved, That the sum of Forty Thousand Pounds be raised on the polls and estates of the Inhabitants of this Colony; and likewise a sum sufficient to defray the expenses of the General Court the present year: And that a Committee be appointed to consider the circumstances of the several Towns in this Colony, to determine in what manner the taxes shall be laid, and to report.

Voted, That this Committee consist of one Member from each County, and that the Members of each County agree upon some Member to nominate for the respective Counties: which was accordingly done, and the following gentlemen were appointed, viz:

Mr. Crane for Suffolk, Major Fuller for Middlesex, Mr. John Turner for Plymouth, Colonel Bowers for Bristol, Colonel Maynard for Worcester, Thomas Rice, Esq., for Lincoln, Mr. Greenleaf for Essex, Major Ilawley for Hampshire, Daniel Davis, Esq. for Barnstable, Major Goodwin for York, Mr. Fabyan for Cumberland, Major Smith for Berkshire.

Ordered, That Mr. Hopkins be directed to inquire how the Committee of Supplies have disposed of the Horse and Chaise formerly Harrison Gray’s, which was used by the late Dr. Warren, and came to the hands of the said Committee after Warren’s death.

Ordered, That Mr. Story, Captain Morton, and Mr. White of Hatfield, be a Committee to consider the propriety of allowing Colonel Arnold fifty Shillings per month for the Seamen he employed at Lake Champlain.

A Letter from the Committee of Supplies relative to a Resolve of this Court directing them to supply Mr. James Minot with two hundred bushels of Corn for the use of the Inhabitants of Camden, was read, and committed to Mr. Woodbridge, Mr. Durfee, and Mr. Davis of Edgecomb.