Powder and Arms arrived at Boothbay should remain in the eastern part of the Province.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, Major Hawley, Colonel Bowers, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Orne, be a Committee, with such as the honourable Board shall join, to consider and report a method of appointing Officers in the Militia, that shall be agreeable to a Resolve of the Continental Congress, and best calculated to promote the interest of the Colony.

In Council, October 24, 1775: Read and non-concurred

Afternoon.

A Petition of Jerathmeel Bowers, setting forth that one John Shardon, on board Captain Wallace’s Ship, has a family on shore that need his care and assistance; that Captain Wallace has endeavoured to tempt him to pilot his ship up the river; therefore prays he may be redeemed by a man from Taunton Jail.

Read, and committed to Colonel Godfrey, Mr. Starkweather, and Colonel Thompson.

A Petition from the Selectmen of Salem, representing their defenceless state, and praying for Ammunition. Read, and committed to Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Jewett, and Col, Otis.

The Committee on the Petition of William Greenleaf, in behalf of the Overseers of the Poor of Boston, reported. Read and accepted.

Resolved, That the Receiver-General of this Colony be, and he hereby is directed to pay out of the publick Treasury, To Messrs. William Greenleaf, Isaac Smith, Gibbins Sharp, John Sweetser, Ebenezer Putnam, William Shillabsr, and Samuel Gardner, lately appointed by this Court Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Boston, five hundred Pounds, to be by them applied for the support of such of those Poor as are or may be removed from said Town to the Hospital at Salem; and that said Greenleaf be empowered, in behalf of said Overseers, to receive said sum, he giving a receipt they to be accountable to this Court for the same.

In Council, October 25, 1775: Read and concurred.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Captain Partridge, Mr. Watson, and Mr. Durfee, be a Committee to take into consideration an information now made, that the Quartermaster-General declines taking more Clothing, of certain kinds, from the Committee of Clothing.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Colonel Freeman go up to the honourable Board, to inquire if they passed an Order, sent up, respecting the appointment of Military Officers.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., came down, and acquainted the House that the Board had non-concurred the Order respecting the Military Officers.

Upon motion, Ordered, That the Committee for bringing in a Bill for regulating the Militia proceed on that business.

A Letter to the Hon. John Hancock, Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, J. Adams, and R. T. Paine, Esq’s, viz:

“The General Court of the Colony which you represent in Congress now encloses you an application made to your honourable Assembly, for a grant of the sum therein mentioned, which application you will lay before said Congress or not, as you shall judge prudent. The frequent calls this Colony has been obliged to attend to, in support of the Army, together with those daily made for that purpose, renders it of the greatest importance to it to have an immediate grant of the money applied for. This Court therefore desires your particular care and attention in procuring the same, according to the best of your prudence, and the true interest of your constituents.”

Resolved, That the foregoing Letter be sent to the Hon. John Hancock, T. Cushing, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert T. Paine, Esquires, members of this Colony at 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.

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

Wednesday, October 25, 1775.

On the Petition of Thomas Goldthwait, Esq., and others,

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of the Colony, to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers named in a Pay-Roll herewith exhibited, the sum of three hundred and thirty-eight Pounds, in full for their services; and that the Treasurer of said Colony is directed to pay to each of said Officers and Soldiers, named in said Pay-Roll, (Captain Goldthwait and Jonathan Lowder, Gunner, excepted, ) the sums mentioned against each of their names, and take their several receipts for the same, or orders from under their own hands, which sums are agreeable to the establishment for one year last past.*

In Council, October 26, 1775: Read and concurred.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Colonel Bowers go to the honourable Board, and acquaint them that the House is now ready to proceed to the choice of a Commissary-General, agreeable to the Order of the Day. Who reported, that he had delivered the message.

Jabez Fisher, Esq., came down and informed the House that the Board are also ready to proceed to the choice of the Commissary-General.

Ordered, That Mr. Pitts, Mr. Gerry, and Col. Grout, be a Committee to count the votes of the House for a Commissary-General, carry them to the Council Board, and report the gentleman that shall be elected.

Mr. Pitts, from the Committee above mentioned, reported, that Mr. Devens was elected Commissary-General.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Morton, Captain Bragdon, Mr. Sewall, Colonel Thompson, and Mr. Hovey, be a Committee to make inquiry into the conduct of Captain Goldthwait, and the Gunner at Fort Pownall.

Afternoon.

Jabez Fisher, Esq., brought down the following Order, viz:

“In Council, October 25, 1775.

“Ordered, That the Hon. Mr. Whitcomb, Mr. Prescott, Mr. Holten, and Mr. White, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to receive of the Honourable Benjamin Franklin, Esq., one hundred Pounds sterling, sent by several charitable persons in England, for the relief of those who were wounded in the battle of Lexington, and of the widows and children of those who were then slain; Dr. Franklin having expressed his readiness to pay the said sum to such persons as shall be appointed to receive it; the Committee to dispose of the said moneys according to the best of their discretion, and to make return of their doings therein to this Court.”

Read and concurred; and Major Hawley, Mr. Devens, Colonel Barrett, and Mr. Stone, of Lexington, are joined.

Walter Spooner, Esq., came down with a message, that the Board have an assignment of a publick nature this afternoon, and would therefore propose to the House that the choice of an Attorney-General be further referred.

Ordered, That Colonel Bowers go up to the Board, and acquaint them that the House have agreed to refer the choice of an Attorney-General till to-morrow, three o’clock, afternoon. Who reported, that he had delivered the message.

Upon a motion, the question was put, whether there be any necessity or advantage in making an alteration in the appointment of Military Officers, different from what is now established by the Resolves of the Provincial Congress, and confirmed by the Assembly; which passed in the affirmative.

Resolved, That Major Hawley, Mr. Gerry, Col. Orne, Col. Bowers, and Col. Grout, be a Committee to confer with a Committee that may be appointed by the honourable Board, with regard to the method of appointing Militia Officers, and the best and most advantageous steps to be taken for the regulation of the Militia in this Colony.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Captain Partridge be

* Petition of Thomas Goldthwait, Esq., and others, late of the gar. rison of fort Pownall, humbly sheweth: That your petitioners sorted in said garrison from the first day of June, 1774, for the time they enlisted for, or until the said garrison was dismissed, agreeable to the establishment made for the said garrison by the General Assembly for the Province, at Salem, the last year, and your petitioners having received no pay for their said service, excepting only what has been advanced them by the officers of said garrison, and are in great want thereof. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your Honours to take their case into consideration, and order thorn their pay. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.