HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Wednesday, September 20, 1775.

The House met according to adjournment.

The following Gentlemen were returned Members from the Towns hereafter mentioned, viz:

George Godfrey, Esq., from the Town of Tounton.

Mr. David Field and Mr. Samuel Wells, from the Towns of Deerfield and Conway.

Mr. William Cooper, for the Town of Boston.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, Colonel Orne, Mr. Story, Mr. Greenleaf, and Mr. Jewett, be a Committee to wait upon the majority of the honourable Council, and acquaint them that a Quorum of this House is present, and ready to proceed to business.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed by this Court, to bring in a Tax Bill, be instructed to insert a clause directing the Assessors of the several Towns in this Colony to consider the Officers and Soldiers now in the Army as residents in their respective Towns, and tax them accordingly.

Mr. Wood was appointed on said Committee, in the room of Mr. Devens, otherwise engaged.

Ordered, That the Memorial of the Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., entered last Session, be recommitted to Deacon Nichols, Mr. Greenleaf, and Mr. Crane.

Afternoon.

The Proceedings of the Committee of Inspection for Deer–Island, relative to the taking a Sloop and Schooner, supposed to be in the service of our enemies, was read, and committed to Colonel Godfrey, Mr. Wood, Captain Foster, Captain Stone, and Captain Batchelder, who were directed to confer with the gentlemen who presented the same, and report what is proper to be done thereon.

Ordered, That Colonel Orne, Deacon Stickney, and Colonel Spaulding, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to devise ways and means for supplying the Army with Wood.

In Council, September 20, 1775: Read and concurred; and Benjamin Lincoln and Benjamin While, Esqs., are joined.

Thursday, September 21, 1775.

A Petition of William Owen, one of the Selectmen of the Town of Falmouth, praying the Court to order a sum of Money to be granted them, to procure Provisions for billeting the Soldiers stationed in said Town, was read; and the petitioner had leave to withdraw it.

Ordered, That Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Greenleaf, and Mr. Mills, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for the purpose of directing payment to be made for one month’s billeting the Soldiers stationed on the seacoasts, to commence from the day of their enlistment.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry bring in a Resolve directing the several Colonels of the Massachusetts Forces to exhibit to this House a return of the names of the men in their respective Regiments,

The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve for paying one month’s billeting to the Officers and Soldiers stationed on the seacoasts, reported.

The Report was recommitted, and the Committee were directed to extend the pay for billeting to two months.

A Petition of Stephen Hussey and others, of Nantucket, praying for liberty to send a number of Vessels to sea on whaling voyages, was read, and committed to Colonel Orne, Mr. Wood, and Colonel Thayer.

A Petition of Warwick Palfrey, of Salem, praying the Court to approve of his intention to send a Vessel to Baltimore for Flour and other Provisions, was read, and committed to Colonel Grout, Mr. Story, and Deacon Nichols.

Afternoon,

A Petition of David Bradish, for himself and in behalf of a number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Falmouth, praying that this Court would direct them what to do with fifty white pine Masts, taken from Captain Thomas Coulson, was read, and committed to Mr. Hall, Colonel Grout, and Mr. Woodbridge.

A Petition of Samuel Noyes, for himself and in behalf of a number of Inhabitants of the Town of Falmouth, praying this Court to direct them what to do with a Boat, and seven white pine Masts and Bowsprits, taken from Captain Thomas Coulson, was read, and committed to the Committee last chosen.

The Committee on the Petition of Warwick Palfrey reported. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That the Petitioner have full liberty to bring in his said Schooner at Baltimore, in Maryland, a cargo of Flour, and other produce of that country, to the Port of Salem.

In Council, September 22, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to the Selectmen and others appointed by Congress to billet the Officers and Soldiers raised for the defence of the seacoasts, or to their order, two months’ billeting of said Officers and Soldiers, from the time of their enlistment, according to the rate established by Congress.

In Council, September 21, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Major Hawley, Colonel Orne, and Mr. Hopkins, be a Committee to make inquiry of Captain Glover, relative to the manufacture of Saltpetre, at Windsor, in Connecticut.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to the Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., and Mr. William Owen, two of the Selectmen of the Town of Falmouth, for the use of said Town, the sum of twenty Pounds, in order to enable them to supply the Powder, Ball, and Flints, mentioned in the within Petition;* and the Treasurer is accordingly ordered to pay the same.

In Council, September 21, 1775: Read and concurred.

Friday, September 22, 1775.

A Petition of Elisha Cobb, of Wellfleet, in behalf of Elisha Doane, Esq., and others, praying for liberty to send off a number of Vessels on whaling voyages, was read, and committed to Captain Bragdon, Deacon Codding, and Dr. Gunn.

Ordered, That Mr. Story, Deacon Nichols, Mr. Mills, Mr. Hubbard, and Deacon Rawson, be a Committee to consider the expediency of paying off the Massachusetts Forces to the first of August last past.

Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee appointed to devise means for supplying the Army with Wood,

Read and considered, and the matter was ordered to subside.

Ordered, That Mr. Cooper, Colonel Bowers, Colonel Orne, Colonel Thompson, and Mr. Durfee, be a Committee to consider the Petition of Stephen Hussey and others, of Nantucket; also, the Petition of Elisha Cobb, of Wellfleet, and all Petitions of a similar kind; and also to take a general view of the trade of this Colony, and report some rules relative thereto.

A Petition of the Committee of Inspection of the Town of Bristol, praying the direction of this Court with respect to the Sloop Sally, taken from one Andrew Johnson, was read, and committed to Mr. Hall, Colonel Grout, and Mr. Woodbridge.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the honourable Board, for the Petition of Warwick Palfrey.

* Petition of Enoch Freeman, of Falmouth, in the County of Cumberland, in said Colony, Esquire, humbly shows: That the Selectmen of said Town, agreeable to a resolve of the late Provincial Congress, supplied the soldiers stationed in that Town to guard the seacoast with ninety weight of powder, one hundred and sixty weight of ball, and fortyfive dozen of flints, out of the Town stock, as per their account herewith. Therefore your petitioner prays the said powder, balls and flints, may be immediately replaced, or so much money deposited in the hands of some suitable person as will purchase the same. And your petitioner further shows, that the Selectmen of said Town have taken the utmost pains to procure powder, far and near, but have hitherto failed; that their stock of powder is too small to be mentioned; and that no Town is more exposed to the enemy than that; that the inhabitants have lately provided carriages and mounted several fine cannon, which, had they powder, would greatly help them in their defence; wherefore, your petitioner humbly prays this honourable Court would take their critical and dangerous circumstances into consideration, and grant said Town, by way of loan or otherwise, three or four barrels of powder, until the said Town can supply themselves, And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.