Tuesday, January 16, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Walter Spooner Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, John Adams, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, 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 his Excellency General Washington's Letter to this Court, of the 10th instant, have attended that ser vice, and report as followeth, viz:

That his Excellency be informed that it is the opinion of this Court, there would be a general supply of fire-arms brought into the camp, if he would give publick notice that if the recruits would come well armed, they should be allowed for the use of their arms; and if lost in the service, the just value of them should be paid, and that their arms shall not be detained from them when their time of service shall expire. And, that to detain the arms of the Militia, without their consent, would neither promote the good of the service nor facilitate the arming the forces, as it would produce a general uneasiness through the country. And that his Excellency be also informed that this Colony have in store but about two hundred fire-arms, part of which are out of repair. Such as will do for the service, although provided for the particular use of this Colony, we shall be ready to deliver, if they shall be needed, and do all in our power to aid his Excellency in arming the troops.

In Council: Read, and sent down.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and accepted, and thereupon, Ordered, That the Committee appointed to wait upon his Excellency General Washington, on the subject of his Letter of the 10th current, be a Committee to present him a copy of the within Report.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Whereas, representation has been made to this Court, by a Committee thereof, that his Excellency General Washington was desirous of borrowing, for the use of the Continental Army, a supply of money,

Resolved, That the Council be, and they hereby are empowered to draw on the Treasurer of this Colony, for the sum of fifty thousand Pounds, lawful money, in favour of his Excellency aforesaid, as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, or for such a part of said sum as his Excellency shall have a present demand for, he giving an obligation, in his capacity, to return the same to the said Treasurer, when demanded.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Committee appointed to wait on his Excellency General Washington, on the subject of his Excellency's Letter of the 10th instant, be a Committee to present his Excellency with a copy of the within Resolve.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Letter from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress, be committed to a Committee of both Houses.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Walter Spooner and Jedediah Foster, Esquires, are joined.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Memorial of Jonathan Jackson, Chairman of the Committee of Inspection of Newburyport, setting forth the fraud of Benjamin Balech, &c., be committed to Mr. Story and Mr. Wheeler, with such as the honourable Board shall join.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Caleb Cushing, Esquire, is joined.

In the House of Representatives: Whereas, by a Resolve of this Court, passed this House the 16th of December last, it was recommended to a number of towns in the Counties of Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, Plymouth, and Worcester, as they regarded their own safety and the general welfare of these Colonies, to take effectual measures to supply the Camps at Cambridge and Roxbury, with such quantities of Hay as were set to the respective towns named in said Resolve, at the rate of five Pounds per ton for English Hay, and forty Shillings per ton for salt Hay. And, whereas, upon a thorough inquiry made by this Court, it now appears, that the allowance then made is below the market price, and short of what has been usually given by the inhabitants of this Colony, under a like scarcity with the present,

Resolved, That it be recommended to those towns which have not, as yet, forwarded to the camps the quantities of Hay which have been assigned, that they send their respective quantities immediately, and receive pay therefor, at the rate of six Pounds per ton for English, and fifty Shillings per ton for salt Hay, provided the same shall be brought into camp within ten days from the date hereof. And lest the other towns mentioned in said Resolve, which from an early regard to the recommendations of this Court, have already furnished their respective quantities of Hay, should be sufferers for so doing, they are to receive out of the Colony Treasury, such sums as have been short paid them of the prices now allowed to be given therefor, on their producing proper certificates to the honourable Board of the quantities furnished aforesaid, who are hereby empowered to grant warrants for the same; and the Selectmen and Committees of Correspondence in those towns are desired to transmit to this Court the receipts for the Hay they have already carried into the camps, that so their regard to the credit of this community, and zeal for the common safety may appear upon the publick records of this Colony. And whereas, it may so happen, that at the expiration of said ten days, some towns may still remain deficient, to prevent the fatal consequences of such neglect, the Selectmen of any delinquent town are hereby directed and empowered to impress therein, for the use of the Continental Army, so much Hay as will make up the full quantity assigned such town by the aforesaid Resolve of this Court; and the Committee named in the former Resolve are directed to see that and the foregoing Resolve be carried into execution; and Colonel Thompson is directed to get this Resolve printed in handbills and dispersed through the several towns mentioned in the schedule annexed to the first Resolve.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Mr. Gerry came up with a message from the House, to inform the Board that the House proposed to come to the choice of such Officers on the Sea-Coast, as remain to be chosen, at five o'clock this afternoon, by joint ballot, if agreeable to the honourable Board.

Mr. Spooner went down with a message to the House, to inform them that the Board agreed to the foregoing proposal of the honourable House, and would request to be informed what Company the House propose to begin with.

In Council: Ordered, That Charles Chauncy and Joseph Palmer, Esquires, be a Committee to count and sort the votes for Officers to command the Company to be stationed at Salem, who reported the number of votes were:

Twenty-seven made a vote; Daniel Ward, as Captain; Jonathan Herreden, as First Lieutenant; William Marston, as Second Lieutenant; were chosen.

The Committee appointed to count and sort the votes for a Mustermaster for Cumberland reported, that the number of votes were:

Twenty-six made a vote; and Peter Noyes was chosen Mustermaster accordingly.

The Committee appointed to count and sort the votes for a Mustermaster for Dukes County reported, that the number of the votes were:

Twenty-seven made a vote; and Colonel Beriah Norton was unanimously chosen Mustermaster for Dukes County. The Committee appointed to count and sort the voles for a Mustermaster for the County of Plymouth, reported that the number of votes were: