Petition of the Town of Harvard, setting forth: "that from an ardent concern for the good of our country, in every prudent and necessary way, we are ready to consecrate our all in such an important cause as we are embarked in, by reason of the intolerable calamities occasioned by British invasions, under which America now groans; which is sufficient to alarm us to an exertion of our last might to defend our precious liberties, and to evade abject slavery, which depends much upon the unanimity of America; and it is with pain that we behold any thing to the contrary thereto; therefore, we beg leave to mention our dissatisfaction with the large stipends granted to officers, and some others, (except soldiers) in the American service, which stipends, at the lowest, were so high, that the knowledge thereof, much chilled the spirits of the commonalty, much more when large additions were made thereto, which has been a bar against the Army's filling up. We acknowledge that a generous reward is their due; this, in our judgment, they would have had, if their wages had been far less. That the distresses of America should prove a harvest to some, and famine to others, this we deprecate; therefore, we humbly pray that this honourable Court would exert their power and use their influence with the great and General Continental Congress that such large stipends may be abridged. This we conceive a necessary means to support unanimity in America, which, otherwise, we fear, will be soon interrupted. We, therefore, beg a candid attention to this our petition."

In the House of Representatives: Read, and committed to Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Thurston, with such as the honourable Board shall join.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Walter Spooner and John Adams, Esquires, are joined.

In Council: Ordered, That the Secretary be directed to apprize the Delegates of this Colony, in American Congress, of their appointment.

Sent down for concurrence.

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

Thursday, December 28, 1775.

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

In Council: Resolved, That it be, and it hereby is, recommended to the Selectmen of the several towns in this Colony, as soon as may be, to call their towns together, and to insert in the warrants to be by them issued for calling said town-meetings, a clause or article for devising ways and means for introducing the art of manufacturing Saltpetre into private families in such towns; and it is hereby recommended to said towns to appoint Committees, and grant all such encouragement as they shall judge proper to this necessary business; and it is recommended to the Selectmen to lay before their towns, for their consideration, the several methods for collecting materials and making Saltpetre, which have been published by the honourable the Continental Congress, and by this Court. And it is further recommended to all private families, to exert themselves in collecting earth from the foundations of houses, barns, stables, dove-houses, and all other buildings, and from cellars and other places, and in learning the art of extracting Saltpetre from the same; and the same price shall be allowed for any quantity under fifty pounds as is allowed by this Court, for any quantity above fifty pounds weight.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Committee of both Houses, lately appointed to examine the Muster-Roils ordered by this Court, to be made up to the 1st of August last, be directed not only carefully to see to it, that all such stoppages be made on the said Rolls, as are directed to be made by the resolve passed in the House on the 3d of November last, and concurred by the Council on the 6th of (he same month; but that they diligently inquire, and endeavour fully to find out whether any officer, or officers, borne on such Rolls, are indebted to [he Government for any moneys received to pay their regiments, or companies their advance pay, which they have not accounted for to either of the Paymasters of the Colony; and also, whether any non-commissioned officers or privates have received their advance pay more than once; and in all instances where the said Committees shall find that any officers or privates are indebted to the Government on such accounts, that they stay the payment of so much of the wages of the particular person so indebted, whether officers or soldiers borne on the said Rolls, as may indemnify the Government. And in order more effectually to do the same, the said Committee is hereby directed and empowered, to call upon such of the Commissaries, Paymasters, and Committees of Supplies, as have been in the service of this Colony, for all accounts and certificates necessary to enable them to make the stoppage; and that an addition may be immediately made to the said Committee of two, on the part of the House, and one on the part of the Board, and that any five of such increased Committee be a quorum; and that the said Committee be hereby directed and required, constantly to attend the business of examining, and correcting the said Rolls, until they shall be finished, and, from time to time, as soon as they shall have passed on such Rolls, that they present the same to the honourable Board for their concurrence, and that the Board, as soon as they shall have passed thereon, make their warrant on the Treasury for the payment of what shall appear to be due to each man borne on the said Rolls.

Ordered, That Major Gooding and Colonel Porter be added to the Committee above-mentioned, on the part of the House.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Jabez Fisher, Esq., is joined to the Committee of the House; and

Ordered, That Benjamin White, Esquire, be of said Committee, in the room of Moses Gill, Esquire, who is excused.

Consented to by fifteen of the Council.

The Committee appointed to draw a Proclamation, to be read at the opening of the several Courts of Justice through this Colony, and at Town-Meetings, &c, reported a draft, which was read, and ordered to be recommitted; and that John Adams, Esq., be of the above Committee on the part of the Board, in the room of William Sever, Esq., who is occasionally absent.

Sent down for concurrence.

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

Friday, December 20, 1775.

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

In Council: Ordered, That John Adams and Joseph Palmer, Esquires, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider and readded to the Committee port a plan for fitting out Armed Vessels, for the defence of American liberty.

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

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

Saturday, December 30, 1775.

Present in Council: Honourables Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Adams, Joseph Gerrish, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Mr. Gardner came up with a message from the House, to inform the Board that the House proposed to come to the choice of Officers to command at Gloucester, by joint ballot of both Houses, at three o'clock this afternoon, if agreeable to the honourable Board.

Mr. Sullivan came up with a message from the House, to inform the Board that the House, were now ready to come to the choice of a Field-Officer, with the rank of Colonel, lo command at Gloucester, by joint ballot of both Houses, if agreeable to the honourable Board.

Mr. Holten went down with a message to the House, to inform them that the Board were now ready to proceed to the choice of a Field-Officer, to command at Gloucester, agreeable to the foregoing proposal.