The Committee who prepared a Letter to the Continental Congress, agreeable to order, reported a Letter to the Delegates from this Colony, to enclose the former, which was read and accepted.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Story bring in a Resolve to accompany each of the beforementioned Letters.

A Petition of William Greenleaf in behalf of the Overseers of the Poor of Boston, praying the sum of one thousand Pounds, to enable them to purchase Winter Stores for the support of said Poor in Salem Hospital. Read, and committed to Mr. Cooper, Major Johnson, and Mr. Codding.

A Resolve to encourage the manufactory of Fire-Arms, brought down from the honourable Board on the 18th instant, read and recommitted.

The Committee on matters relating to the Poor of the Town of Boston reported. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the several Towns within this Colony, and such Committees as have been appointed by Congress or of this House, who have transported or received and supported any of the Poor of the Town of Boston or Charlestown, according to the Resolves of the late Congress of this Colony relative to such Poor, be, and hereby are directed to exhibit to a Committee thereafter named fair Accounts of the expense of transporting or receiving and supporting any such Poor, from the time such expense began to the first day of October, instant, expressing the name and age of each person so received and supported; and that Colonel Dwight, Mr. Sinletary, Colonel Lovel, Captain Toby, and Deacon Nichols, be a Committee to receive and examine all such Accounts, and make report to this House. Also, that the Selectmen of the several Towns who shall still support any of the Poor of the Towns aforesaid be directed, from and after the first day of October, instant, to make up their Accounts to the end of every three months, and exhibit them to the Committee aforesaid.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Dix, Maj. Brooks, and Mr. Hubbard, examine the Resolves of the Congresses of this Colony, and select such as are proper to be printed.

Whereas the Committee of Inspection for the Town of Londonderry have collected a considerable quantity of Wearing Apparel, Household Furniture, and other articles that were taken away on the day of the battle at Charlestown, 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 Charlestown and other places at the time aforesaid, and may be in divers Towns in 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 Boston or Charlestown, or any other Towns, at or after the time aforesaid; and that they be desired to send such Goods as may, from time to time, come to their hands, to Mr. Devens, Mr. Watson, and Captain Brown, at Water-town, a Committee of this Court appointed to receive said Goods, and to pay the charge of collecting and bringing the same; which Committee is directed to deliver those Goods to such persons as shall make out to their satisfaction their respective property therein, they paying a proportionable part of the charge of collecting and bringing the same to Watertown; any thing in a Resolve of this Court, passed the 3d instant, to the contrary notwithstanding.

In Council, October 27, 1775: Read and concurred.

Mr. Story, agreeable to order, brought in a Resolve for purchasing Sulphur for the use of the Colony. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That Mr. Story and Mr. Webster, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee, in behalf of this Colony, to purchase, at a reasonable rate, all such Sulphur as can be procured in this Colony to the first day of March next.

The Committee appointed to make inquiry into any frauds that may be committed by any person belonging to the Forces raised by this Colony, reported a charge against Colonel Scammons, of drawing Pay for one or more who had not been in the service. Read and recommitted.

Ordered, That he may be heard on the subject before the Committee

Afternoon.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Wood, Captain Batchelder, Colonel Godfrey, and Colonel Bowers, serve this House as Monitors.

Saturday, October 21, 1775.

The Committee ordered to consider of various matters relative to the Clothing of the Army reported. Read and accepted, viz:

Whereas encouragement has been heretofore given, that the Soldiers in the Forces raised by this Colony shall receive the Coats made in the Towns to which they severally belong, and it is found impracticable to conform to this rule in delivering out those that are brought into the Store for Clothing:

Resolved, That notice be hereby given, that where the inhabitants of any Town are desirous that the Coals by them provided should be delivered agreeable to this encouragement, it is expected that such inhabitants will take care that said Coats are delivered to the Soldiers from their respective Towns accordingly; and whenever any person shall present to the Committee of Clothing at Watertown a receipt in form following, viz: “We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the Town of.., in the County of ..., now belonging to Captain ....’s Company, in Colonel.....’s Regiment, hereby acknowledge that we have each received of the bearer’......, a Coat, according to the encouragements of a late Congress of this Colony,” subscribed by any number of Soldiers belonging to the Town by whom the Clothing was provided, and the same shall be witnessed by the Commissioned Officers of the Companies to which such subscribers belong; in such case, the Committee are directed to pay the sum of twenty-five Shillings for each Coat so delivered, taking receipt therefor. Such Towns as are indifferent about the delivery of their Coats, according to the foregoing encouragement, will convey them to the Committee of Clothing at Watertown, where they will receive payment for the same.

The Committee of Clothing have procured Buttons, which they will deliver to the Selectmen of any Town, or their order, for as many Coats as they shall certify are providing for the use of the Soldiers belonging to their Town.

And whereas many Soldiers, who are well supplied with Clothing, are desirous of the value of their Coats in Money instead of the Coats:

Ordered, That whenever an Order shall be offered to the Committee of Clothing, from any Soldiers, for the payment of the value of their Coats, together with a Certificate from the Selectmen of the Towns to which they severally belong, or the Commissioned Officers of their respective Companies, testifying that the Soldiers signing such Order are well provided with Clothing, that the said Committee be directed to pay the sum of twenty-five Shillings for each Soldier so applying, till the further order of this Court; and that the foregoing be published in the Watertown, Cambridge, and Worcester Papers.

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

The Committee also reported the subsequent Resolve for the direction of the Committee of Clothing, which was likewise accepted, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee of Clothing procure those Buttons that are purchased for the purpose, to be set on those Coats that they now have, or may hereafter receive without Buttons, as soon as may be, and this without any respect to the number of the Regiments, as was at first proposed; that said Committee deliver of the Buttons aforesaid to the Selectmen of any Town, or their order, according to the number of Coats they shall certify are providing for the use of the Soldiers in their respective Towns, keeping an account thereof; that they make such