Ordered, That the Committee sit again.

Sent down for concurrence. Read and concurred.

Caleb Cushing, Esq., brought down the Petition of Benjamin Foster and Jeremiah Obrian.

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition from the Selectmen of Newburyport, reported.

Ordered, That it be recommitted.

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition and the Remonstrance of Benjamin Brown, &c.,* reported as follows:

The Petition of Benjamin Brown and others, Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Lexington, shows that Mary and Eleanor Pike are still supported by the Town of Lexington, as ordered by the General Court, and as will appear by the Journals of said Court for the year 1767. Therefore,

Resolved, That the prayer of this Petition be so far granted, as that there be paid out of the publick Treasury the sum of eighteen Pounds, fourteen Shillings, and nine Pence, to Deacon Jonas Stone, for the use of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor of the abovementioned Town, in full discharge of the above sum, from the 9th of June, 1774, to the 9th of June, 1775.

Read and accepted.

In Council, August 18, 1775: Read and concurred.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That Mr. Turner, Mr. Brent, and Mr. Stickney, be a Committee to confer with Mr. Greenleaf, with respect to the Poor of Boston who came over Winnisimit Ferry, and report what is proper to be done for their support.

A Memorial of Ebenezer Marvin, setting forth his services at Ticonderoga, &c. and praying that the Committee appointed to consider the same might report, and make allowance for his time and expenses, &c, was read, and committed to the Committee appointed to consider Colonel Arnold’s Account.

Ordered, That Colonel Orne and Mr. Cushing, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consider what is proper to be done with the Letters and other Papers of the late Governour Hutchinson, and how they shall be preserved.

In Council, August 19, 1775: Read and concurred, and John Adams, Esq., is joined.

John Whitcomb, Esq., brought down the Petition of Josiah Jones, a Prisoner in Concord Jail, setting forth, that “having been obnoxious to the jealousy of his fellow-countrymen,” he was taken prisoner at Cape Porpus, and brought to the Provincial Congress, by whom he was sent to the Jail aforesaid, and praying this Court to take his case into consideration, &c., with the following order of Council thereon, viz:

“In Council, August 15, 1775.

“Resolved, That Samuel Adams, Thomas Cushing, Benjamin Lincoln, and Moses Gill, Esquires, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take this Petition into consideration, and report.”

A Bill for making and emitting Bills of Publick Credit. Read the third time, and passed to be engrossed.

And Mr. Gardner, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Wood, Mr. Dix, and Major Goodwin, were appointed to carry the same to the honourable Board.

Ordered, That Colonel Cushing, Colonel Thompson, and Major Brooks, be a Committee to consider the Petition of Benjamin Foster and Jeremiah Obrian, and report.

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition of Edward Emerson* reported. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That Major Edward Emerson be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury, seven Pounds, four Shillings, in full discharge for the services within specified.

In Council, August 18, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Mr. Hobart, Colonel Grout, and Colonel Dwight, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consider the Petition of Samuel White, and other Selectmen of the Town of Watertown.

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition of Jonathan Titcomb and others, Selectmen of Newburyport,† reported. Read and concurred.

Resolved, That Captain Jonathan Greenleaf be paid, out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, the sum of fifty-two Pounds, thirteen Shillings, and four Pence, in full for six half-barrels of Powder, lent the Colony, and for carting the same to Head-Quarters; and, also, that the Town of Newburyport be not precluded from calling upon the Colony for four other half-barrels abovementioned, if the necessity of their case may require it, they paying the Colony the money already received therefor.

In Council, August 19, 1775: Read and concurred.

The Committee appointed to consider the request of Joseph and William Greenleaf, relative to the Poor of Boston now moving over to Chelsea, reported. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That there be paid, out of the Treasury of this Colony, the sum of thirty Pounds, to Messrs. Joseph and William Greenleaf, and Dr. Roberts, a Committee appointed to take care of said Poor as they move out; they to improve said money for said purpose, and to be accountable to this Court for the same.

In Council, August 18, 1775: Read and concurred.

The Committee appointed to consider the Petition of Thomas Rice‡ and others, setting forth the distressed state

*PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, August 14, 1775.

To the Honourable Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and now sitting at WATERTOWN:

The Petition and Remonstrance of Benjamin Brown, Jonathan Harrington, Thomas Parker, Joshua Reed, and Thaddeus Parker, Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Lexington, humbly shows: That on the 9th of June, A. D. 1767, Mary and Eleanor Pike, part of the family of Samuel Pike, were to be supported at the publick expense, as will appear by the Journal of the General Court on said day; and provision was thereon ordered to be made for said Pikes, by the Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Lexington, which has been done accordingly, and their accounts have been allowed ever since, to the 9th of June, 1774. The Petitioners desire that the following account may be allowed, which is the charge for supporting said Pikes from the 9th of June, 1774, to 9th June, 1775. As in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.

To 52 weeks’ Board, at 6s. 8d. per week, £17 6s. 8d.; to sundries in Clothing for said Pikes, 16s. 9d.; to one pair of Shoes, 5s. 4d.; to a new Shift, 6s.; to removing said Pikes from one place to another, 6s. 8d; total, £ 19 1s,. 5d.

BENJAMIN BROWN,

In the name and by the order of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor.

Deduct the last charge from the above account.

*To the Honourable Great and General Court assembled at WATERTOWN on the 19th of JULY, A. D. 1775:

The Petition of Edward Emerson humbly sheweth: That whereas your Memorialist was appointed, by Colonel James Cargill and the officers of his Regiment, in the County of Lincoln, to convey to this honourable Court Messrs. Peleg Crooker and Nathaniel Phillips, supposed being guilty of violating the law of Congress, to which they have been heard before said honourable Court, your Petitioner humbly prays that the honourable Court would allow your Petitioner, for himself, one man, and two horses, time and expenses, from Booth-Bay to Watertown, and from Watertown to said Booth-Bay, which is about four hundred miles, out and home, and have been on the journey and here ten days. That your honourable Court would take the same into your wise consideration, and discharge your Petitioner as soon as your wisdom will admit. And as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

EDWARD EMERSON.

WATERTOWN, August 16, 1775.

†The Colony of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY to the Town of NEWBURY-1775

NEWBURYPORT, August, 4 1775.

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JONATHAN TITCOMB, ABIEL GREENLEAF, RICHARD SMITH,

Selectmen of Newburyport.

‡To the Honourable Council and House of Representatives for the Colony of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, assembled at WATERTOWN:

Humbly sheweth the Representatives in some of the Towns in the County of Lincoln, in behalf of said County, that the unhappy dispute between England and the United Colonies in America, whereby the exportation of lumber has ceased, and the providence of God in a great measure cutting off our hopes from the English harvest by drought and mildew, have at present rendered bread extremely scarce amongst us, and unless supplied from abroad we must be soon wholly destitute of it; and that such is the laudable jealousy and zeal of the people in said County for the cause of liberty, that no vessel is permitted to sail with lumber for corn to any port without license first obtained from the General Court, the expense and delay of which would, in almost all cases, wholly hinder the voyage: Wherefore, your petitioners humbly

*