|
Twenty-seven made a vote; and Thomas Lothrop was chosen Mustermaster for Plymouth.
The Committee appointed to count and sort the votes for a Mustermaster, for the County of Essex, reported the number of votes were:
| On the part of the Board, | 9 |
| On the part of the House, | 43 |
| Total, | 52 |
Twenty-seven made a vote; and Daniel Hopkins was unanimously chosen Mustermaster.
The Committee, appointed to count and sort the votes for a Captain, First and Second Lieutenants, and a Commissary, for the County of Lincoln, Sheepscut-River, who reported that the number of votes were:
| On the part of the Board, | 9 |
| On the part of the House, | 44 |
| Total, | 53 |
Twenty-seven made a vote; and Israel Davis, as Captain; Nathaniel Win slow,as firstLieutenant;Christopher Woodbridge, as Second Lieutenant; David Reed,as Commissary, were unanimously chosen.
The Committee of the honourable House then informed the Board, that the House proposed to defer the further choice of Officers on the Sea-Coast till to-morrow, twelve o'clock.
Adjourned till to-morrow, ten o'clock.
Thursday, January 17, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables William Saver, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, John Adams, 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.
In Council: Whereas, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and Elbridge Gerry, Esquires, having been chosen by joint ballot of the two Houses of Assembly, to represent the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, in the American Congress, until the 1st day of January, 1777,
Resolved, That they, or any one, or more them, are hereby fully empowered, with the Delegates from the other American Colonies, to concert, direct, and order such further measures as shall to them appear best calculated for the recovery and establishment of American rights and liberties; and the Secretary is hereby directed, as soon as may be, to signify to each of those gentlemen their appointment, with an attested copy of this order.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and committed to Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hawley, and Mr. Cooper, with such as the honourable Board may join; and said Committee are directed to form Instructions to said Delegates.
In Council: Read, and concurred, and William, Sever and Walter Spooner, Esquires, are joined.
In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That part of the Sea-Coast establishment, which respects the raising two Companies in the County of Cumberland, be so far reconsidered as that Captain Bryant Morton, lately appointed by this Court to command one of the said Companies be, and he hereby is empowered and directed to inlist the whole, or any part thereof, in any other County in this Colony, where he can fill up the same with the greatest despatch, except in sea-port towns; and that Colonel Thompson be, and hereby is empowered and directed to sign inlisting orders, and give a form of an inlistment to the said Morton, agreeable to the establishment before mentioned.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
In the House of Representatives: Whereas, by a Resolve of this Court, of the 27th of December last, provision is made for a Commissary for the Forces stationed on the Sea-Coast at Salem and Marblehead; and as it appears to be more for the publick benefit that there should be a Commissary for each of those towns,
It is, therefore, Resolved, That the Commissary already appointed be a Commissary for the Companies at Marblehead only; and that a Commissary be appointed for the Forces stationed in the Town of Salem.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
In the House of Representatives: Whereas, his Excellency General Washington hath informed this Court, that he doth not think himself at liberty to pay four Companies of men, who have generally done duty at Braintree,Weymouth, and Hingham, the last year; and the said Companies having received no part of their pay from him since August last,
Therefore, Resolved, That the Officers of the said four Companies, be directed to make up their Rolls to the 1st day of January current, and observe such rules as were given to the Officers in the camps at Cambridge and Rexbury.
In Council: Read, and concurred.
The Committee of both Houses appointed upon a Petition from the town of Dorchester, relative to Jane Jackson, and her two children, beg leave to report the following Resolve:
Whereas, it appears that Jane Jackson, and her two children, have been sent over from Castle-William into the Town of Dorchester, since which they have been maintained at the expense of the said town, notwithstanding their application to General Washington, (by order of this Court.) to desire his assistance in conveying them back to Boston, he refusing to concern himself in the matter,
Therefore, Resolved, That the Selectmen of Dorchester be, and they are hereby directed to remove the said Jane Jackson, with her two children, into some inland town, where they may be maintained at the cheapest rate; and, provided either of the said persons are able to work, that they be put out for that purpose, to lessen the charge of their maintenance as aforesaid, the said Selectmen to lay their Accounts before this Court, for examination and allowance. In Council: Read, and accepted.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.
Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.
Thursday, January 18, 1776.
Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, John Adams, 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.
The Committee of both Houses, appointed to form Instructions for the Delegates from this Colony to the American Congress, have attended that service, and report the following draft, which is submitted.
WILLIAM SEVEH, per order.
In Council: Whereas, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and Elbridge Gerry, Esquires, have been chosen, by joint ballot of the two Houses of Assembly, to represent the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, in the American Congress, until the 1st day of January, 1777,
Resolved, That they, or any one, or more of them, are hereby fully empowered, with the Delegates from the other American Colonies, to concert, direct, and order such further measures as shall to them appear best calculated for the establishment of right and liberty to the American Colonies, upon a basis permanent and secure, against the power and arts of the British Administration, and guarded against any future encroachments of their enemies, with power to adjourn to such times, and places, as shall appear most conducive to the publick safety and advantage.
Read, and accepted. Sent down.
In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred, and the Secretary is hereby directed, as soon as may be, to signify to each of those gentlemen their appointment, with an attested copy of this order.*
In Council: Read, and concurred.
A Bill, entitled "An Act for regulating the Militia,
To John Hancock, Esq.
[Same to Elbridge Gerry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert: Treat Paine, Esquires.]
|