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A Letter from John Hancock, Esquire, President of the American Congress, with enclosed Resolutions of Congress, pertaining to this Colony.
In Council: Read, and sent down.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, Mr. Pitts, and Colonel Orne, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to take into consideration the enclosed Resolves, and report.
In Council: Read, and concurred, and William Sever and Walter Spooner, Esquires, are joined.
In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That Mr. Cooper, Mr. Pitts, and Colonel Lovell, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to take into consideration a Letter from Thomas Crafts, Jun.,* concerning the people lately brought from the Town of Boston, of December 10, 1775.
In Council: Read, and concurred, and Mr. Chauncy and Mr. Fisher are joined.
Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.†
Tuesday, December 12, 1775.
Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb Gushing, Joseph Gerrish, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prcscott, Eldad Taylor, Charles Chauncy, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.
The Committee of both Houses, appointed to take into consideration a Letter from Captain Thomas Crafts, beg leave to report the following Resolve:
Whereas, it appears that the Inhabitants lately come out of Boston to Point Shirley, are under difficult circumstances for want of Fuel, and that two of said Inhabitants are now broke out with the Small-Pox:
Resolved, That the Committee at said Point Shirley be, and they hereby are, directed to make use of any old decayed stores, barns, or fish-houses, as fuel for the relief of the sick and distressed, and if necessary, to take down any publick building there for the purpose aforesaid; said Committee to render an account of their proceedings to this Court. And they are further directed to use their utmost endeavours to prevent the spreading of the small-pox, and make proper representation of the state of such persons as are put under their care, to this Court, whenever they find there is occasion therefor; and that Captain Foster and Captain Searl be a Committee to repair immediately to Point Shirley, and cause such buildings, as may be thought necessary to be taken down for fuel, to be appraised, and take any measures, and give any directions that shall appear to them necessary to aid the Committee now there in procuring wood and in preventing the spreading of the small-pox.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.
In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby, strongly recommended to the Committees of Correspondence and Safety of the Town of and in case of a deficiency of both said Committees, to the Selectmen of said Town, that they cause to be made to this Court, a true return of the number of men in said Town who are desirous of inlisting, and fit for Marines or Seamen on board of armed vessels, either in the pay of the Continent, or of this Colony, or of private adventurers, who shall fit out said vessels; also, the names of the persons as are desirous of entering the service aforesaid, and are qualified for Commanders or other officers; likewise, the Ships, Brigantines, Schooners or Sloops, in said Town, suitable for armed vessels, which are to be sold or hired out; to whom they respectively belong, what their tonnage, the depth of water they draw, their breadth, their decks, and what their age; and that said return be made agreeable to the schedule herewith sent them, and without delay lodged in the Secretary's Office.
Resolved, That the foregoing Resolve be printed, and sent to the several maritime Towns in this Colony, with a special direction to each of said Towns, by filling up the blank in the same, with the name of each Town to which it shall be sent.
Resolved, That Colonel Thompson be a Committee to cause the foregoing Resolves and the Schedule annexed, to be printed and sent to the Towns mentioned therein.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Memorial of the Committees of Safety and Correspondence of the Town of Gloucester, "acknowledge, with gratitude, the favour of a Committee from the honourable Court, agreeable to our request; also, the receipt of two four-pound cannon from Worcester. We beg leave further to request, that if you think this harbour worthy of defence, you would be pleased to grant us further assistance; as we have a number of redoubts without cannon, we pray you would order us four nine-pounders and two eighteens, with their implements, and a proper number of rounds for each. We pray, also, that Captains Bradbury, Saunders, and William Pearson, of this town, may be
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