and expediency of giving order that any part of the cargo of Powder and Arms lately arrived at Boothbay, in the Schooner Britannia, should remain in that part of the Government.

Afternoon.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Cooper and Mr. Hall be added to the Committee for selecting such Resolves of the Congresses of this Colony as are proper to be printed.

Mr. Gerry brought in the following Resolve, for supplying the Truckmaster of Penobscot with Flints. Read and accepted.

Whereas it is necessary that an application of the Truckmaster of Penobscot, for sundry articles to supply the Indians in that part of the country, should be complied with, as a salutary measure for preserving their friendship; and this Colony, having exhausted its stock of Flints to supply the Continental Army, is unable to furnish any for the immediate purposes mentioned:

Resolved, That his Excellency George Washington, Esq., be, and he hereby is desired to order Enoch Plummer, of Newburyport, to be supplied, out of the Continental Magazine, with five hundred Flints, for the purpose aforesaid, he paying a reasonable consideration for the same.

In Council, October 23, 1775: Read and concurred.

Mr. Spooner brought down the Letter prepared to be sent to the Continental Congress, viz:

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS: You have here enclosed nearly the amount of our disbursements, which have been paid by our Treasurer, before the 5th instant; for the support of the Army stationed in this Colony, and for providing necessaries to enable us to make a proper stand against the Ministerial forces. The hurry with which we have been driven, the perplexities which have attended the sudden collection of an army, and the multiplicity of business which naturally arises from attending to their various wants, together with a due attention to our suffering friends in and about Boston, have prevented our perfecting such an account as your Honours might expect. But as soon as a settlement can be made with our several Committees, and our accounts adjusted, which are daily coming before us, we hope to be able to transmit to your Honours such an account as will appear satisfactory and reasonable.

In the mean time, as the sum on the paper enclosed arises only from the purchasing articles absolutely necessary for the support of the Continental cause, about ten thousand Pounds whereof is for provisions and other articles in store before the arrangement of the American Army, which have been and are daily delivering to the Continental Commissary and Quartermaster-General, we trust you will be induced to grant us the same, or such other sum, to supply our pressing necessities, as to your Honours may appear fit and reasonable. It is proposed that we should pay up the troops raised by this Colony to the 1st of August, (as will appear by a copy of General Washington’s letter transmitted herewith, ) which business we shall attend to as soon as the pay-rolls are laid before us. We have paid the noncommissioned officers and soldiers of this Colony only forty shillings each, which is included in the within account; and as most of them have been in camp since the 19th of April last, we imagine that the balance of said pay-rolls will amount to the sum of sixty-five thousand six hundred and eighty Pounds. Agreeable to the terms of enlistment, each non-commissioned officer and private soldier, raised in this Colony, was to have one coat given him. Many of these coats have been already delivered, and the expense of the whole will, we presume, amount to the sum of sixteen thousand two hundred and twenty Pounds, at the least.

We have also already before us accounts from several Towns, of powder supplied the Army, to the amount of one hundred and seventy-four barrels and a quarter. We would further inform your Honours, that we have raised in this Colony two thousand and eighty men, officers included, and stationed them on those parts of our sea-coasts which were most exposed to the depredations of the enemy. We judged this step absolutely necessary, in order to prevent our enemies from supplying themselves with provisions and other necessaries. Their vessels of war made several attempts on the most naked and defenceless places on the sea-coasts of this Colony, whose situation exposed them beyond that of our neighbours; but although their attempts were bravely opposed, we knew the inhabitants of those places had not sufficient force within themselves to repel all such invaders. It was, therefore, of the utmost importance to send them such additional forces as might enable them effectually to cut off all supplies of provisions, wood, &c., from the Ministerial forces in Boston, as well as to secure themselves against the vengeance which might be expected from the rage of a disappointed enemy, and under which those unfortunate people are now suffering in a shocking degree. To these forces we have paid the sum of four thousand and eighty-three Pounds, eight Shillings. A measure so necessary and so essential to the service of the common cause, we are persuaded, will meet with the approbation and support of the Congress; and we trust your Honours will consider the above expenses, in connection with the within account, and make such grants as you may judge fit and reasonable.

We have exhibited no account of moneys advanced in removing and supporting the inhabitants of the Town of Boston. The distress of those persons who have virtuously sacrificed, not only the conveniences but necessaries of life, to save their Country, so much deserves the compassion of this Continent, that we shall, as soon as may be, beg leave (in pursuance of a resolution of the late honourable Continental Congress respecting them) to lay an account of our disbursements thereon before you, for consideration.

Resolved, That the foregoing application be presented to the honourable the Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia; and that the same be signed by the Secretary, in the name of the General Court, and forwarded as soon as may be, with the schedule and certificate accompanying the same.

In Council, October 23, 1775: Read and concurred.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That the Committee on the Militia Bill bring in a Bill providing that the Officers of the Companies be chosen by the Companies, that the Field-Officers be chosen by the Assembly, and that all be commissionated by the Council.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Nye, Mr. Kingsbury, Mr. Hovey, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Low, be a Committee to consider and report what steps are proper to be taken with the incomes of the Estates of the Refugees.

Tuesday, October 24, 1775.

Mr. Speaker communicated a Letter from a number of gentlemen at Falmouth, giving an account of an attack upon it, and of the desolation the enemy had made by fire. Read and sent up.

Benjamin White, Esq., brought down a Memorial from Samuel Stanwood, Chairman of the Committees of Safety and Correspondence of Brunswick, Bowdoinham, and Topsham, representing that nine sail of Vessels, with a clearance from Nantucket, had arrived in Kennebeck River, for Wood and Provisions, without license from any Committee, and that they had ordered the Vessels to be stopped and hauled up till they can receive the order of Court respecting them.

Read, and committed to Mr. Durfee, Mr. Woodbridge, Deacon Plympton, Colonel Lovell, and Colonel Orne.

A Petition of William Pitman, setting forth that he has a quantity of West-India Rum and Sugar at Georgetown, which the Committee and Selectmen would not suffer him to remove; he therefore prays that orders may be given to said Committee for the delivering of his goods, and payment of damages for the detention thereof.

Read, and committed to Colonel Mitchell, Mr. Codding, and Major Learned.

A Letter from Timothy Langdon, of Boothbay, enclosing a Petition from Major Edward Emerson, in behalf and at the desire of the Officers of the Eastern Regiment in the County of Lincoln, setting forth their deficiency in Arms and Ammunition, and praying that part of the cargo of Powder and Arms, lately arrived there in the Schooner Britannia, may be ordered for the use of Colonel Cargill’s Regiment.

Read, and committed to the Committee appointed to consider the expediency of ordering that any part of the