“In Council, August 23, 1775: Read and Ordered, That the within Petition be committed to James Prescott, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, to be inquired into and reported upon.”

Read and concurred, and Mr. Durfee and Captain Stone are joined.

A Letter from his Excellency General Washington, desiring that all the Shirts, Breeches, Stockings, and Shoes, which have been provided by order of the Committee of Supplies, may be delivered to the Quartermaster General, &c., was read, and committed to Colonel Sayer, Colonel Bowers, and Colonel Cushing.

Colonel Sayer, agreeable to order, reported the following Resolve, which was accepted, viz:

On the Petition of Hannah Goidthwait, praying that she may have leave to use the waters at Newton, and not to proceed to Stafford, agreeable to leave obtained from the honourable Board:

Resolved, That the prayer of the Petition be granted, and that the Petitioner have the liberty asked for.

In Council, August 24, 1775: Read and concurred.

Charles Chauncy, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses who were appointed to consider some method of calling in the outstanding Moneys due to this Colony.

Ordered, That the Secretary be directed to attend and inform the House whether the major part of the Council had consented to the Bill for an emission of One Hundred Thousand Pounds.

The Secretary accordingly attended, and informed the House that the Bill aforesaid had passed both Houses, and was consented to by a majority of the Council.

In the fifteenth year of the Reign of GEORGE the Third, King, &c.

An Act for making and emitting Bills of Publick Credit.

Whereas the exigences of this Colony require an immediate emission of Bills of Publick Credit to discharge the Publick Debts: Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That there be forthwith stamped on copper-plates a certain number of Bills of Credit on this Colony, to the amount of the sum of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, lawful money, of the following denominations, viz: of one Shilling, of two Shillings, of two Shillings and six Pence, of four Shillings, of five Shillings, of six Shillings, of seven Shillings and six Pence, of eight Shillings, of ten Shillings, of eleven Shillings, of twelve Shillings, of seventeen Shillings, of twenty Shillings, of twenty-four Shillings, of thirty Shillings, and of forty Shillings; and to be ten thousand of each denomination, and no more: four-tenths of the number of each denomination to be of the tenour and form following:

“No.— Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, Aug. 18, 1775.

“The possessor of this Bill shall be paid by the Treasurer of this Colony two Shillings and six Pence, lawful money, by the 18th day of August, 1778: which Bill shall be received for the aforesaid sum in all payments at the Treasury, and in all other payments. By order of the General Assembly.

And so, mutatis mutandis, for a greater or lesser sum. Three-tenths of each denomination to be of the tenour and form following, viz:

“No.— Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, Aug. 18, 1775.

“The possessor of this Bill shall be paid by the Treasurer of this Colony two Shillings and six Pence, lawful money, by the 18th day of August, 1779: which Bill shall be received for the aforesaid sum in all payments at the Treasury, and in all other payments. By order of the General Assembly.

And so, mutatis mutandis, for a greater or lesser sum. Three-tenths of each denomination to be of the tenour and form following, viz:

“No.—Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, Aug. 18, 1775.

“The possessor of this Bill shall be paid by the Treasurer of this Colony two Shillings and six Pence, lawful money, by the 18th day of August, 1780: which Bill shall be received for the aforesaid sum in all payments at the Treasury, and in all other payments. By order of the General Assembly.

And so, mutatis mutandis, for a greater or lesser sum; and that on the back of each of said Bills shall be stamped the value of the Bill, its date, and the figure of an American with a sword in his right hand, with the following inscription suspended therefrom, “Ease petit placidam sub libertate quietem;”and from his left hand “Magna Charta; ”and round the figure these words, “Issued in defence of American Liberty.” Which Bills shall be received in the publick Treasury and in all payments in this Colony without any abatement or discount upon any pretence whatever, under the penalty and forfeiture of treble of the value of the Bill or Bills so passed, to be paid and forfeited by the receiver, which penalty may be recovered by action of debt, complaint or indictment, in any Court proper to try the same in the County in this Colony where the offence shall be committed.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Committee hereafter to be appointed by this Court, to authenticate by signing and numbering all the Bills aforesaid, be and they hereby are directed and empowered to take care and make effectual provision as soon as may be to cause the said Bills, of the several denominations aforesaid, to be stamped and emitted, to the amount of the said sum of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, and no more, and to sign and deliver the same to the Treasurer and Receiver-General of this Colony, taking his receipt for the same; and the said Committee shall be under oath for the faithful management of the business aforesaid and the trust reposed in them; they to be rewarded for their service as this Court shall determine.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Treasurer be, and he hereby is ordered and empowered to issue forth and emit the said Bills towards payment of the publick debts of this Colony already contracted, and the further growing charge for the defence thereof; for payments of grants, salaries and allowances, made or that may hereafter be made by the Great and General Court for the support of the Government of this Colony, and answering the incident and contingent charges thereof, according to such draughts as from time to time shall be made upon him by warrant or order of the Council, or such draught and order as have already been made on him by any Committee heretofore appointed by the Congress of this Colony, empowered to draw on the said Receiver-General; and the said Bills shall pass out of the Treasury, and shall be taken and accepted in all payments, at the rate therein expressed.

And whereas it is necessary to give a currency to this emission of Bills, and to support the faith and credit of this Colony, that there should be suitable provision made for calling in and paying the same, Therefore:

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That there be, and hereby is granted a Tax of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, to be levied on polls and estates, both real and personal, within this Colony, in manner following, that is to say: Forty Thousand Pounds of the One Hundred Thousand Pounds aforesaid, according to such rules and in such proportion in the several Towns, and other places within this Colony, as shall be agreed upon and ordered by the General Court or Assembly, at their sessions in May, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, to be paid into the publick Treasury on or before the last day of May next, after; and the further sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds, part of the One Hundred Thousand Pounds aforesaid, according to such rules and in such proportions on the several Towns and other places aforesaid, as shall be agreed upon and ordered by the General Court at their sessions in May, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, and to be paid into the publick Treasury on or before the last day of May next, after; and the further sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds, part of the One Hundred Thousand Pounds aforesaid, and according to such rules and proportions on the several Towns and other places aforesaid, as shall be agreed upon or ordered by the General Court or Assembly at

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