A Letter from Joseph Reed, Esq., Secretary to his Excellency General Washington, relative to the disposal of the Vessels which have been taken from our enemies, *was read, and committed to Major Hawley, Colonel Orne, and Mr. Hopkins.

Resolved, That the Vote of this House, directing the Committee to prepare Accounts, &, c, to prepare a Letter to the Continental Congress, desiring they would prescribe a form for such Accounts, be reconsidered.

Jedediah Foster, Esq., came down and informed the House that the honourable Board had agreed to the assignment of three o’clock, to-morrow afternoon, for the choice of Civil Officers, † and would join the House in such choice.

Ordered, That Mr. Story, Major Brooks, and Captain Parker, be a Committee to consider how the Committee to prepare Accounts, &c., shall be possessed of proper Vouchers to be transmitted to the Continental Congress.

Ordered, That Mr. Pitts, Colonel Cutt, and Mr. Watson, be a Committee to consider what is proper to be done relative to the communication between the Town of Bostonand the country.

The Committee on the representation made to this Court by the Committee of Safety for Newburyportreported, that a Committee, to be joined by such as the honourable Board shall appoint, wait on General Washington, to acquaint him with the subject-matter of the representation made by the Committee of Safety of New-buryport, that he may determine whether it will not conduce to the publick interest to take the Vessel therein referred to into the Continental service.

Read and accepted.

Tuesday, October 3, 1775.

Agreeable to a Resolve of the General Court, dated August 21, 1775, desiring the Committee of Inspection of the Town of Falmouthto inquire into the conduct of Jeremiah Poteand Robert Pagan, relating to their exporting a quantity of Fish, the said Committee met for the above purpose, and called the said Poteand Paganbefore them, and, upon examination, found Robert Paganclear of the matter; but Jeremiah Pote, as also Thomas Wyer, remains for further examination. Thereupon,

Ordered, That Colonel Thompson, Mr. Woodbridge, and Captain Cutter, with such as the honourable Board may join, be a Committee to examine Captain Jeremiah Poteand Captain Thomas Wyer, relative to their exporting Fish, contrary to the Resolves of Congress, as set forth in a Letter from the Committee of Inspection of Falmouth, and other Papers accompanying.

In Council, October 3, 1775. Read and concurred.

Samuel Holten, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee on the representation from Newburyport, relative to fitting out an Armed Vessel there, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

“In Council, October 3, 1775.

“Read and concurred; and Ordered, That Benjamin Greenleaf, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee for the purpose expressed in the above Report.”

Read and concurred; and Colonel Orneand Mr. Pittsare joined.

Michael Farley, Esq., brought down a Memorial from the Field-Officers of the Western Regiment of the County of Barnstable, relative to the arrival of a Fleet of Men of War and Transports at Holmes’s Hole, &c.; and praying for a supply of Ammunition, &c.

Read, and committed to Mr. Gerry, Colonel Orne, Mr. Hall, Captain Harding, and Colonel Norton.

A Petition of the Selectmen of Lunenburgh, praying payment for an Account of Provision sent to Cambridgeon the 20th Aprillast, for the use of the Soldiers who marched thither in consequence of the shedding of blood at Lexingtonand Concord, by the King’s Troops, was read, and ordered to lie on the files.

Ordered, That Mr. Low, Deacon Stickney, Mr. Allen, Deacon Nichols, and Mr. Hendrick, be a Committee to consider the matter at large.

The Committee on the Letter from the Committee of Inspection of Londonderryreported. Read and accepted.

Whereas the Committee of Inspection for the Town of Londonderryhave collected a considerable quantity of wearing apparel, household furniture, and other articles, that were taken away on the day of the battle at Charleston, and have sent them to Watertown, and delivered them into the hands of Mr. Richard Devens; and whereas it is probable that wearing apparel, household furniture, and other goods, were taken from Charlestownand other places at the time aforesaid, and may be in divers Towns of this Colony, and the neighbouring Colonies and Provinces: It is therefore

Resolved, That the Committee of Correspondence and Committees of Inspection in each Town in this Colony, and in each Town in the neighbouring Colonies and Provinces, and, where no such Committees are, the Selectmen of each Town, be desired to make inquiry and search for any Apparel or Goods of any sort brought amongst them, belonging to the Inhabitants of Bostonor Charles-town, or any other Towns, at or after the time aforesaid, and that they advertise in the publick newspapers all such Goods as may, from time to time, come to their hands, that the owners thereof may know where to apply for the same.

And it is further Resolved, That the said Richard Devensbe directed to deliver the Goods now in his possession to those persons that shall make out to his satisfaction their property in them, they paying a proportionable part of the charge of collecting and bringing the same to Watertown.

In Council, October 4, 1775: Read and concurred.

Ordered, That Colonel Cutt, Colonel Pyncheon, and Major Ely, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve recommending to the Corporation and Overseers of HarvardCollege not to appoint any person as Governour or Instructor, but such whose political principles they can depend upon; and to inquire into the principles of such as are now in office, and dismiss those who are not friendly to the Country.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider the Proceedings of the Committee of Inspection of Deer-Island, relative to the Schooner Nightingale, be directed to sit forthwith.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to the consideration of suitable Grants to the Civil Officers of the Colony.

Whereupon, Resolved, That there be granted and allowed, to be paid out of the publick Treasury, to Mr. Edward Wigglesworth, HollisianProfessor of Divinity at HarvardCollege, the sum of one hundred Pounds, as a gratuity, in consideration of his faithful discharge of the great and important trust reposed in him, for one year, ending the 25th day of Januarylast.

Resolved, That there be granted and allowed, to be paid out of the publick Treasury, to John Winthrop, Esq., L. L. D., HollisianProfessor of Mathematical and Natural Philosophy at HarvardCollege, the sum of one hundred Pounds, as a gratuity, in consideration of his faithful discharge of the great and important trust reposed in him, for one year, ending the 13th day of Januarylast.

Resolved, That there be granted and allowed, to be paid out of the publick Treasury, to Mr. Stephen Sewall, HancockProfessor of the Hebrewand other Oriental Languages at HarvardCollege, the sum of forty Pounds, as a gratuity in consideration of his faithful discharge of the great and important trust reposed in him, for one year.

Ordered, That a grant to the President of HarvardCollege, and to the Commissary-General, be referred to some future time.

Ordered, That Deacon Plymptonand Mr. Hobartbe on the Committee to examine Captain Poteand Captain Wyer, in the room of Colonel Thompsonand Captain Cutter, excused.

*[Relative to three Vessels proposed to be manned by his Excellency, and taken into the Continental service.]

†[To come to the choice of such Civil Officers, the appointment of whom, by Charter, rests in the General Court.]