to inform the Board, that the House proposed to postpone the choice of a General Officer, for the Town of Gloucester, till Tuesday, ten o'clock.

A Letter from the Honourable James Otis, Esq., with papers accompanying it.

In Council: Read, and Ordered, That Walter Spooner and Moses Gill, Esquires, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take the same into consideration, and report.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred, and Mr. Pitts, Mr. Story, and Colonel Freeman, are joined.

A Letter from his Excellency General Washington, inclosing four resolves of Congress.

In Council: Read, and committed to the Committee already appointed, to take the former part of said resolves of Congress under consideration.

A Letter from the Committee of Inspection of the Town of Dartmouth, representing a clandestine conduct of Doctor Gelston, he, supplying the enemy with Provisions from Nantucket.

In Council: Read, and Ordered, That Walter Spooner and Moses Gill, Esqs., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider the same, and report.

Adjourned to ten o'clock, Monday morning.

Monday, December 18, 1775.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Jedediah Foster, Joseph Gerrish, John Whetcomb, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Samuel Holten, Joseph Palmer, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

The Committee appointed by both Houses, to consider of sundry Depositions relative to the conduct of some of the inhabitants of the Island of Nantucket, and make report thereon, have attended that business, and find there is great reason to suspect that some of said inhabitants have had undue connection with some of the officers and sailors belonging to our enemy's fleet; and, it having been made to appear to this Committee, by the depositions aforesaid, that a certain Doctor Samuel Gelston, of said Island, has been guilty of many infamous practices, in supplying our said enemies with provision, &C., contrary to the resolution of the Continental Congress, the authority of this Court, and the known sense of the whole Continent; therefore, beg leave to report by way of Resolve:

Resolved, That Major Joseph Dimock, of Falmouth, in the County of Barnstable, be, and he is hereby empowered and directed to repair to said Island of Nantucket, with such assistance as he shall think sufficient, and apprehend said Samuel Gelston, and bring him before this Court, as soon as may be, that he be dealt with according to the nature of his high-handed offence; and that he be, and is hereby empowered and directed to command such aid and assistance as he may need, in order to apprehend said Gelston; and the Committee ask leave to sit again.

In Council: Read, and accepted; and the Committee are ordered to sit again.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred. Consented to by fifteen of the Council.

Mr. Story came up with a message from the House, to propose to the Board, that as the House have some matters of great importance coming before them to-morrow morning, the choice of Officers, to command at Gloucester, be further postponed till Wednesday, ten o'clock.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., went down to the House, to inform them, that the Board had agreed to the foregoing proposal of the House.

Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, December 19, 1775.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Benjamin Greenleaf, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Joseph Genish, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Cbauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That there be a Committee of both Houses appointed to draft a Proclamation, to be read at the opening of the Court of Sessions, to inculcate obedience to the commands of the civil magistrate.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and William Sever and John Winthrop, Esquires, are joined.

Whereas, the business assigned the Committee of both Houses, appointed to examine all the Muster-Rolls that shall be returned into the Secretary's Office is found to be inconvenient and to extensive for the attention of one Committee; therefore,

Resolved, That the commission of the said Committee be confined to the Muster-Rolls of the Army; and that Michael Farley, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to examine the several Muster-Rolls of the Sea-Coast Forces and Militia; and as they shall pass them, to exhibit the same to the honourable Board in order for payment.

Sent down for concurrence. Came up concurred by the honourable House with a Committee of three, joined on the part of the House.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Samuel Holten, Esq., is added to the above Committee.

Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Wednesday, December 20, 1775.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Benjamin Greenleaf, calebh Cushing, Joseph Gerrish, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holton, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Order of the House, discharging the Committee appointed to consider what part of the Sea-Coast ought to be garrisoned from that part of their duty, which directs them to confer with his Excellency General Washington thereon.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Petition of Charles Chauncy, in behalf of Neal McIniyer, of Portsmouth, setting forth "that the said Neal Mclntyer's father, of Boston, put on board the Sloop Advance, one Nehemiah Eastman, of George's, master, (and there bound when in Boston about two months' since,) certain valuable articles of house furniture, and some other necessaries, as per schedule may appear. His said father intended to come out of Boston, as soon as he might obtain a permit for that purpose, having applied for leave a number of times without success. Now, may it please your Honours, the said Eastman being suspected of supplying our enemies at Boston, with wood, was stopped at George's by the Committee there; but, before they could come to any determination in regard to what was best to be done, a number of persons, who, it is said, are of the Committee of Frenchman's Ray, came and carried her down there, by means of which, my two sisters, who also came out of Boston, in said sloop, are deprived of every necessary, so that they are not able so much as to shift their linen; am apprehensive they will not deliver them without orders frorn authority. Pray your Honours to grant such orders as may be necessary for the recovery of our goods.

In Council: Read, and Ordered, That Jabez Fisher, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider the foregoing Petition, and report.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred, and Colonel Thompson and Mr. Hopkins are joined.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Captain William Johnson, of the Schooner Brittania, be and he hereby is directed, forthwith to deliver Richard Devans, Esq., Commissary of the Colony, the nett proceeds of a cargo consigned him by order of the late Committee of Supplies, being, per his account, three hundred and sixty-four fire-arms, five hundred and twenty-nine and-a-half pounds of powder, (Leward weight), two thousand flints, seventy-five pounds of ball, and twelve cutlasses, excepting so many of said articles, as per receipts, shall appear to have been delivered agreeable to the order of this Court. And he is further directed to adjust his accounts as soon as may be, with Colonel Orne and Mr. Gerry, a Committee appointed for that purpose. Also, that he deliver twelve swivel-guns to the Committee of Safety of Newburyport, to be improved by them in the defence of said town, until, the further order of this Court.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

A Petition of Abitl Wood, of Pownalborough, humbly-showeth, "that your petitioner is accused of many things as inimical to his country, and the cause of liberty, by the Committee of Pownalborough; and, the honourable.