to pay to the Treasurer of this Colony all the moneys he has received, or may receive, from the several Post-Offices in this Colony.

And, as it appears that the incomes of the several Offices are inadequate to the expense incurred by riding, therefore, further

Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and hereby is, directed to pay the several Post-Riders as followeth, in full, for services, viz:

John Noble, from Cambridge to Portsmouth, sixty-five miles, twenty-one Pounds thirteen Shillings and four Pence.

Josiah Barnard, from Portsmouth to Falmouth, fiftythree miles, seventeen Pounds thirteen Shillings and four Pence.

Adams & Hide, from Cambridge to Springfield, eighty-seven miles, twenty-nine Pounds.

Peter Mumford, from Cambridge to Providence, fortysix miles, thirteen Pounds six Shillings and eight Pence.

The above persons began to ride the first of June, and ended the 5th of October last, when they entered the Continental service.

Benjamin Epes, from Falmouth to Georgetown, fortysix miles, twenty-eight Pounds fifteen Shillings.

Cadwalader Ford, Jun., from Cambridge to Exeter, forty-eight miles, thirty Pounds.

Isaac Cotton, from Springfield to Great-Barrington, forty-three miles, twenty-one Pounds ten Shillings.

Howland & Goodwin, from Cambridge to Falmouth, eighty-one miles, fifty Pounds twelve Shillings and six Pence.

And these four last are dismissed from the service.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Petition of the Selectmen of Rowley, (Blank.)

In Council: Ordered, That there be a Committee of both Houses appointed, to consider and bring in a Resolve, directing how the present emission of Bills of Credit shall be signed and numbered, and what allowance the signers and numbers shall have for their services.

Sent down for concurrence.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and non-concurred.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to wait on and represent to his Excellency General Washington the circumstances of four Companies now doing duty in the towns of Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, setting forth by whose order they were raised, that they were then considered as part of the thirteen thousand six hundred men agreed to be inlisted by this Colony, where they have done duty, &c., and to request that his Excellency would order them to be paid by the United Colonies, beg leave to represent, that, as the propriety of such an order depends upon various circumstances, and as many important matters are constantly soliciting his Excellency's attention, the Committee report the following state of facts, to be laid before him, so that he may be better enabled to answer the request of this Court.

Upon application from the towns aforesaid, as, also, from those of Chelsea and Malden, on or about the 1st of May last, to the Committee of Safety of this Colony, who then had the direction of raising and stationing the forces within the same, praying that they would (from a consideration of the situation of said towns, and that the enemy could land in any of them from Boston harbour within an hour after they enter their boats, and in some parts in less than half an hour, and, also, that they could from thence easily penetrate into the country,) order a detachment from the camp as a guard, to be stationed in those towns.

The said Committee of Safety, with the Council of War, after full inquiry and deliberation, determined that it was necessary that a party should be constantly stationed on the sea-coasts of these towns, to watch the motions of the energy and prevent their landing. But, as no troops could well be spared at that time, from either of the camps of Cambridge or Roxbury, they directed that there should immediately be raised one company in Hingham, one in Weymouth, and two in Braintree, (also, two in Chelsea and Malden,) and that these companies should be joined to such regiments, in future, as should be directed.

The men were raised as ordered, and were then, and ever have been, considered as part of the thirteen thousand six hundred men to be raised by this Colony. They were so considered by the General Officers, and have been employed in such services, place, and places, as the commanding officer at Roxbury hath, from time to time, directed, as will appear by his orders to the several Captains of said companies, some copies of which accompany this representation.

A company from Roxbury was, as soon as the slate of that camp would admit of it, detached to the assistance of these four companies, and upon their being ordered back, in August last, two other companies also, part of the Continental Army, were sent to supply their place, and the place of a company drawn from Cohasset, a town adjoining to Hingham

When these four companies were raised, the Colony had it not in contemplation to raise men for the general defence of the sea-coasts, and they have never been considered by us in any other point of view, than as part of our quota for the common defence; and being stationed far within the narrow limits of the harbour of Boston, his Excellency will, undoubtedly, from all these considerations, grant the reasonable request of this Court, and order these forces to be paid by the United Colonies.

In Council: Read, and accepted, and, thereupon,

Resolved, That the Committee who were appointed to wait on his Excellency General Washington, with a representation of the state of the said Companies, be excused that part of their service, and that the Committee appointed to wait on his Excellency, to request his informing this Court how far he will extend his Guards, and present him with the foregoing Report and Representation, with the papers accompanying the same, and request his ordering payment to said Companies.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.

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

Wednesday, December 27, 1775.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Walter Spooner, John Winthrop, Benjamin Chadbourn, Joseph Gerrish, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Joseph Palmer, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Petition of Deborah Cushing, wife of Thomas Cushing, Esq., one of the members of the Continental Congress, setting forth: "that your petitioner formerly living in Boston, and having at the time of the Ministerial Troops commencing hostilities with this Colony, had Mr. Cushing necessarily called to publick business out of town; it prevented his getting any of his household furniture out, excepting one or two beds. That your petitioner is informed the furniture which belongs to the late infamous traitor to America, Hutchinson, is now in disuse, and in the hands of the Committee of Correspondence for Milton; she, therefore, prays that your Honours, and the honourable House, may be pleased to grant a warrant or order for such articles as she may necessarily want, being willing to become accountable for them, or to be under such restrictions as your Honours may think proper."

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

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred, and Mr. Pitts and Deacon Nicols are joined.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to take into consideration a Petition of Mrs. Deborah Cushing, wife of the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esq., now at the American Congress, beg leave to report, by way of Resolve:

Resolved, That the prayer of said Petition be granted, and that the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Milton be, and hereby are, directed to deliver to said Deborah Cushing, such and so much of the Household Furniture, now in their hands, belonging to the late Governour Hutchinson, as, in the judgment of said Committee, she may need, and take her receipt therefor, the said Thomas Cushing, Esq., to be accountable to this or some future General Assembly of this Colony for the same; and the aforesaid Committee are directed to get such articles (as said Deborah may receive) appraised by three indifferent persons, under oath, and lodge a copy of said appraisement in the Secretary's Office.

In Council: Read, and accepted.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.