informed the House that the honourable Board had not passed upon it, and acquainted the House that the Board desired to know if this House had passed upon the amendments proposed by the Board to be made in a Resolve of the House passed the 9th November last, relative to the management of the Estates of Refugees.

Afternoon.

The Committee on the Petition of Joshua Hathaway, entered December 15, reported.

Read, and not accepted, and the Petitioner had leave to withdraw his Petition,

A Petition from a Convention of Committees from the several towns in the County of Cumberland, praying for liberty to send two vessels to the West-Indies for Powder and other warlike stores.

And also, a Petition from the Committees of the Town of Biddeford, Pepperelborough, and Arundel, praying that they may be permitted to fit out one vessel for the same purpose, were both read, and committed to the Committee appointed to fit out vessels for Powder, &c.

A Petition signed by David Cheever, Esq., per order of the late Committee of Supplies, setting forth, that from a consideration of the burden of the office of said Committee, the risk of negotiating such large sums as they accounted for, and other circumstances, they propose to exhibit an account for their services, and praying the Court would instruct them what it is proper they should charge per day. Read, and committed to Captain Brown, Mr. Singletary, and Captain Goodman.

Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan bring in a Resolve to empower the honourable Council to pay off the Muster-Rolls that are or may be lodged in the Secretary's Office.

Jedediah Foster, Esq., brought down a Bill for forming and regulating the Militia in this Colony; which was read the first time, and ordered to be read again to-morrow, ten o'clock, A. M., and all Committees of the House are directed to attend at that time.

Ordered, That the choice of Sea-Coast Officers, for the Town of Gloucester, be put off to ten o'clock, next Wednesday morning, and that a message go to the honourable Board informing them of this assignment.

Accordingly, Joseph Palmer, Esq., came down and informed the House that the honourable Board had agreed to come to the choice of the said Officers at the lime proposed by the House.

Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Phillips, and Major Ely, with such as the honourable Board may join, be a Committee to draft a Proclamation, to be read at the opening of the several County Sessions, for the purpose of inculcating a general obedience of the people to the several Magistrates appointed under the present Government of this Colony.

Then the House adjourned till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

Tuesday, December 19, 1775.

The Committee appointed to consider what vouchers are proper to support the Accounts of such Officers and Soldiers as were sufferers by the loss of Arms, Accoutrements, or Clothing, on the 19th of April, and 17th of June last, reported. Read, and accepted.

Resolved, That full compensation be made to such Captains, Subalterns, non-Commissioned Officers, and Privates, who sustained loss of Arms, Accoutrements, or Clothing, on the 19th of April, and 17th June last, and that each Captain and Subaltern produce a certificate from the Colonel or Commanding Officer of such Regiment, and that each non-Commissioned Officer and Private produce a certificate from the Captain or Commanding Officer of the Company to which such non-Commissioned Officer or Private did, or doth respectively belong, and that each certificate, with other circumstances concurring therewith, shall be admitted as plenary evidence.

And it is further Provided, That any other legal or satisfactory evidence may be admitted, as time, place, and circumstance may require, to the satisfaction of the Committee appointed by this Court to consider such losses, and compensation shall be made accordingly.

This Resolve to be printed in the Watertown Newspapers.

An Account of Ely Lewis and others, belonging to Captain Styles's Company, in Colonel Sargent's Regiment, of their loss of Arms, Accoutrements, and Clothing, on the 19th of April, and 17th of June last.

Read, and committed to the Committee appointed to consider such losses.

Ordered, That Major Hawley bring in a Resolve for the purpose of revoking a Resolve of this Court, appointing a Committee of both Houses to examine Muster-Rolls.

Order of the Day moved for.

Honourable Michael Farley, Esq., brought down the vote of this House appointing a Committee to draft a Proclamation for inculcating obedience to the Magistrates appointed under the present Government of the Colony.

In Council, December 19, 1775: Read, and concurred, and William Sever and John Winthrop, Esqs., are joined.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to the consideration of the Militia-Bill.

Afternoon.

The Committee appointed to repair to Salem to inquire if Mr. Haskitt Derby had imported Coffee and other things from the English West-India Islands contrary to the Association of the Continental Congress, and to notify the said Derby to attend his duty in this House, made a verbal report, and laid a paper on the table containing the depositions of Ebenzer Lakeman and others, relative to that matter.

Mr. Derby (being present) moved that the matter might be considered, and he heard thereon, by a Committee of this House.

Whereupon the following gentlemen were appointed a Committee for that purpose, viz: Mr. Pitts, Col-Mitchell, Mr. Hale, Captain Parker, Major Ely, Colonel Freeman, and Major Bliss.

The House proceeded to the further consideration of the Militia Bill.

Honourable Samuel Holten, Esquire, brought down the following Resolve, viz:

In Council, December 19, 1775: Whereas, the business assigned the Committee of both Houses appointed to examine all the Muster-Rolls that shall be returned into the Secretary's Office, is found to be inconvenient and too extensive for the attention of one Committee.

Therefore, Resolved, That the Commission of the aforesaid Committee he in future confined to the examination of the Muster-Rolls of the several Captains in the Continental Army; and that Michael Farley, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to examine the several Muster-Rolls of the Sea-Coast Forces and the Militia, and as they shall pass them, exhibit the same to the Board, in order for payment.

Read, and concurred, and Colonel Cushing, Major Goodwin, and Major Bliss, are joined to the Honourable Michael Farley, &c, above named, and such other persons as the honourable Board may appoint.

Honourable James Prescott, Esquire, brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to take into consideration sundry Resolves of the American Congress.

In Council, December 19, 1775: Read, and accepted.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the number, size, and quality of sundry pieces of Ordnance, removed from several Towns in this Colony, and now under the care of his Excellency General Washington, not charged, reported a schedule containing as exact an account thereof as can at present be obtained.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, Captain Thatcher, and Major Hawley, be a Committee to lay the same before his Excellency General Washington.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker be excused from serving on the Committee appointed to fit out vessels for Powder, and that to-morrow morning, ten o'clock, be assigned for the choice of some other person in his stead.

Then the House adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine-o'clock.