That, as to the complaint of Philip Hodgskins against Colonel Cargill, for confinement, your Committee are of opinion that it is a matter cognizable before a civil rather than a legislative Court.

That the said Hodgskins is worthy of the favourable notice of this Court, for his zeal in pursuing and taking the Sloop Advance, Nehemiah Eastman, Commander, on her return from Boston to Georgia.

As to the complaint of the Committee of Goldsborough against said Cargill, no part thereof was supported; therefore, in our opinion, ought not to operate to the disadvantage of said Colonel Cargill. Furthermore, as to the vessels detained by the Committee of Goldsborough, your Committee are humbly of opinion, that this Court has made sufficient provision already.

Your Committee beg leave further to report as their opinion, that a Committee of both Houses be appointed to Consider and report what is further necessary to be done in order to support and protect the people in the County of Lincoln, east of Penobscot-River. Also, how Committees shall be chosen in places not incorporated.

ELDAD TAYLOR, per order.

The Committee of both Houses on the Letter this morning received by this Court, from his Excellency General Washington, relative to supplying the Army with Fire-Arms, beg leave to report, by way of Resolve, viz:

In Council: Resolved, That a Committee be appointed in the several Counties of Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, Hampshire, Worcester, Plymouth, York, and Bristol, to purchase, as early as possible, in the recess of this Court, all the good and effective Fire-Arms, which are to be obtained in the several towns in the Counties aforesaid, on the best terms they may be had, and forward them, without delay, to his Excellency General Washington, or his order.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency, to deliver to the Chairman of each Committee, for the several Counties aforesaid, such sum or sums of money as may be sufficient to enable them to execute their commission with care and despatch, they to be accountable to his Excellency for the same.

In the Mouse of Representatives: Read, and accepted, and the following gentlemen are appointed for the purpose within expressed, viz:

For the County of Suffolk: Captain Ellis, Mr. With-erton, Colonel Thayer, and Mr. Metcalf.

For the County of Essex: Mr. Jewett, Captain Epes, Mr. Ingalls, and Mr. Johnson of Lynn,

For the County of Middlesex: Colonel Barrett, Mr. Stickney, Colonel Perry, and Mr. Bryant.

For the County of Hampshire: Captain Goodman, Mr. Cranson, Colonel Field, Major Ely, and Major Bliss.

For the County of Worcester: Mr. Singletary, Captain Parker, Captain Moore, Mr. Slone, and Colonel Grout.

For the County of Plymouth: Colonel Mitchell, Major Cushing, Major White, and Mr. Partridge.

For the County of Bristol: Colonel Williams, Mr. Hathaway, Captain Tobey, Mr. Starkweather.

For the County of York: Mr. Hovcy, Captain Bragdon, and Major Goodwin.

In Council;Read, and concurred.

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

Wednesday, February 14, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourables Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Thomas Cushing, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Tldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires,

In the House of Representatives: Whereas, the invention and industry of the inhabitants of this Colony have been excited by the barbarous policy of Britain, and by the encouragement given by the General Court, to seek internal resources of warlike stores, and have been so far successful, that much greater quantities of that capital article, Saltpetre, has, and probably will be made here, than the Powder-Mills now erecting at Stoughton and Andover will be able to manufacture into gunpowder; and whereas, experience, and the present apparent designs of Administration strongly dictate the necessity of guarding against the want of that important article, which we presume may be done by encouraging individuals to erect Powder-Mills,

Therefore, Resolved, That a bounty or premium of fifty Pounds shall be paid out of the Treasury of this Colony, to the person, or persons, who shall, at his or their own expense, erect the first Powder-Mill in this Colony, other than the aforementioned, capable of manufacturing at least fifty pounds weight of Powder per day; and shall make and manufacture therein one thousand pounds weight of good and merchantable Gunpowder, to be judged and approved of by a Committee to be appointed by this Court; also, that a bounty, or premium, of thirty Pounds shall be paid out of the Treasury of this Colony to the person, or persons, who shall in like manner erect a second Powder-Mill, (other than those mentioned in the preamble,) and make and manufacture therein one thousand pounds weight of good merchantable Powder, to be judged and approved as aforesaid. Provided always, the said Mills shall be erected, and the Powder manufactured therein, within six months from the 15th day of February current; and that the said Mills shall be erected within such towns or plantations as the General Court of this Colony shall license, or in the recess of the same, as shall be licensed by the Council; and in such part or parts of such licensed town as shall be approved by the major part of the Selectmen thereof.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: The House made choice of the following gentlemen as Field-Officers for the First Regiment of Militia in the County of Essex, viz: Timothy Pickering, Jun., Colonel; John Flagg, Lieutenant-Colonel; Joseph Sprague, First Major; Daniel Parker, Second Major.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: The House made choice of the following gentlemen as Majors in the Second Regiment of Militia in the County of Worcester, in the room of Jonas Houghton and Ebenezer Jones, who have been non-concurred by the honourable Board, viz: Silas Bayley, First Major; Ebenezer Jones, Second Major.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Mr. Story came up with a message from the House, to inform, the Board that the House proposed to come to the choice of a Truckmaster for Machias, by joint ballot of both Houses, at twelve o'clock this day.

Walter Spooner, Esquire, went down with a message to the House,'to inform them that the Board had agreed to the foregoing proposal of the honourable House.

The Committee of both Houses appointed to sort and count the votes for a Truckmaster for Machias, reported that the number of votes cast were:

Thirty-seven made a vote; and that.Mr. Stephens Smith was unanimously chosen.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Richard Devans, Esq., Commissary for this Colony, be, and hereby is added to the Committee appointed to examine, receive, purchase, and pay for Saltpetre.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Colonel Orne be, and he hereby is appointed to raise as soon as may be, and muster a Company of Matrosses, to be stationed in the Town of Marblehead, agreeable to a Resolve passed the House of Representatives, the 10th instant, and that the following be a form of Inlistment for the said Company of Matrosses:

We, the subscribers, do hereby engage and inlist ourselves as Matrosses in the service of the Massachusetts Colony, for the defence and protection of the sea-coasts of said Colony, from the day of our inlistment to the last day of December, 1776, for the establishment of that purpose made, unless the said service shall admit of a discharge of a part or the whole sooner, which is to be determined by the General Court of said. Colony, and we do hereby oblige ourselves to submit to all the orders and regulations of the Army, and faithfully to observe and obey all such orders as we shall from time to time receive from our superior officers.

day of ......1776.

In Council: Read, and concurred.