|
Friday, January 5, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Adams, John Whetcomb, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.
Petition of Silas Ball, setting forth: "that he acted in the capacity of a Surgeon, in Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge's, Esq., Regiment, by an invitation from Mr. Richard Montague, who was then Major of said regiment, which offer he heartily accepted of, and did the duty of a Surgeon, &c., from the 19th of April, to the 9th of July last, which is eleven weeks and three days. For certain reasons was not examined, so not appointed as a Surgeon in the regiment aforementioned, which regiment he supplied with medicines, &c., to the amount of three pounds; your petitioner prays your Honours would make him a proper recompense therefor."
In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Doctor Silas Ball, the sum of fourteen Pounds eight Shillings, in full of his services as Surgeon's Mate, from the 19th of April to the 9th of July; and in full for Medicines used at his own cost, for the use of the Army.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.*
Saturday, January 6, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Adams, John Whetcomb, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.
The Committee of both Houses, appointed to take into consideration the matter of signing and numbering the Bills of Credit for the seventy-five thousand Pounds emission, and report some effectual mode of raising a Committee for that purpose, beg leave to report, that, for the reasons assigned by the Board, on the 4th instant, there be two persons appointed by this Court to sign and number said Bills, in the room of James Prescott and Joseph Palmer, Esquires, who are excused.
In Council: Read, and accepted, and, thereupon,
Resolved, That two persons, such as the honourable Court shall choose, be appointed to sign and number the Bills of Credit of the last emission, in the room of James Prescott and Joseph Palmer, Esquires, who are hereby excused.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and concured, and Doctor Rice and Major Ely are appointed to sign and number the Bills accordingly, and the Committee are directed to sit forthwith.
In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Doorkeeper be directed forthwith to take in custody Doctor Samuel Gelston, and put him under a proper guard, until the further order of Court, that the present guard may be released.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Adjourned to ten o'clock, Monday morning.
Monday, January 8, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Benjamin Chadbourn. John Whetcomb, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.
In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That there be a Committee of both Houses appointed to inquire of his Excellency General Washington, whether he will want the Militia any longer than the time for which they are inlisted.
In Council: Read, and concurred, and John Taylor, Esquire, is joined.
In the House of Representatives: Whereas, at the present important crisis of our publick affairs, the intention of this Court for causing to be erected Mills for manufacturing Gunpowder, hath not hitherto been so far executed as the exigency of the times most evidently requires, and the attention of the Court to each step to be taken in this measure must further retard it, and unnecessarily interrupt the urgent business of the Court:
It is, therefore, Resolved, That Mr. Putnam, Mr. Crane, and Mr. Vose, be, and they hereby are appointed a Committee for purchasing the remains of a Powder-Mill at Stoughton, and land and privileges convenient to improve the same, and to repair a Powder-Mill, or purchase a privilege for, and erect one at Sutton, as they, after having consulted the master-workman who shall undertake the same, shall judge expedient; and the said Committee are directed to give their diligent and constant attendance to this business, until it shall be perfected; and the Council are empowered to draw on the Treasury for a sum not exceeding three hundred Pounds, in favour of said Committee, to enable them to pay the charges of purchasing and repairing, or erecting a Mill as aforesaid, they to be accountable to the Court for the same.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Petition of Joseph Pearse Palmer, setting forth: "that he served in the New-England Army, as Quartermaster-General, from the 1st day of May last to the 14th day of August next following, when he was superseded by the appointment of Thomas Mifflin, Esquire; and no establishment having been made for said office, your memorialist prays the honourable Court to make him a grant adequate to the services and rank of the same."
In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the Treasurer of this Colony be, and he hereby is directed to pay unto Joseph Pearse Palmer the sum of forty-five Pounds eight Shillings and seven and-a-half Pence, in full consideration for his services as Quartermaster-General, at twelve Pounds per month, in the Army under the command of General Artemas Ward.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.
Tuesday, January 9, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables Walter Spooner, Caleb dishing, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Whetcomb, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Jedediah Foster, Charles Chauncy, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabz Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.
In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the Receiver-General of this Colony be, and he hereby is directed to pay into the hands of the Honourable Benjamin Greenleaf, Esquire, Captain Jonathan Greenleaf, and Major Stephen Cross, a Committee appointed by this Court to purchase Sulphur, the sum of three hundred Pounds, to enable them to make payment for the quantities of Sulphur they have, or shall engage to receive, they to be accountable to the General Court for the same.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
Petition of the Selectmen of the town of Topsfield, setting forth: "that, on the 28th day of October last, a Committee of the town of Gloucester came to us, with a letter
[* Original torn.]
|