On a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Jewett, Deacon Nichols, and Captain Carpenter, be a Committee to inquire of the Committee appointed to purchase Saltpetre, what quantity they have a prospect of procuring, and report to the House what is a meet sum for payment of the same.

The House assigned eleven o'clock, to-morrow morning, to consider of the Report relative to Post-Riders.

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

Friday, December 22, 1775.

The Resolve brought in by the Honourable Major Hawley, containing directions to the Committee on Muster-Rolls, was read, and passed.

Note.—This Resolve was afterwards brought down and amended.

Resolved, That the consideration of the Report for stationing Forces to defend the Sea-Ports, be referred to three o'clock, in the afternoon.

An engrossed Bill for making and emitting Bills of publick Credit.

Read, and Resolved, That it pass, to be enacted. The Militia Bill was again considered by the House.

Afternoon.

Resolved, That ten o'clock, to-morrow morning, be assigned for the choice of Sea-Coast Officers for Gloucester, and that a message go to the honourable Board, informing them of this assignment.

Accordingly, Jabez Fisher, Esq., came down and informed the House, that the honourable Board had agreed to come to the choice of the Officers to command at Gloucester, agreeable to the proposal of the House.

The Militia Bill was again considered, and recommitted.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to procure Hay for the Army, be directed to proceed immediately to execute their commission, and to procure as much Hay as they can, over and above what is specified in the Resolve of this Court, agreeable to said Resolve.

Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., brought down the following Resolve, viz:

In Council, December 22, 1775: Resolved, That Colonel Asa Whitcomb, who was by the late Provincial Congress appointed to muster and pay the advance wages to the men at the camp at Cambridge, be directed forthwith to make return to this Court of the number and names of the men he hath mustered and paid, and to what Regiment and Company they severally belong, with the receipts by him received from them. As, also, the names of such Officers to whom he hath delivered money for the purpose of paying the advance wages to the men by him mustered, and who have not accounted with him therefor; with the receipts he hath received from them respectively.

Read, and concurred.

The Report of the Committee appointed to consider the circumstances of the Sea-Ports, was considered by the House.

Whereupon, Resolved, That there be stationed at the places hereafter mentioned upon the Sea-Coast establishment, as follows, viz:

At Plymouth, one Company.

At Marblehead, two Companies.

At Salem, one Company.

At Gloucester, two hundred and fifty men.

At Kiltery, one Company, ten men of which to be kept at York.

At Falmouth, four hundred Men, under the command of the commanding officer there, for the defence of that town and the neighbouring places in the Province of Maine.

At Tarpaulin-Cove, one hundred and fifty men. At Martha's Vineyard, one hundred and fifty men. At Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, two hundred men

Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan bring in an establishment agreeable to the foregoing Resolve.

Ordered, That Colonel Sayer bring in a Resolve directing the Receiver-General to put a sum of money into the hands of the Committee appointed to purchase Sulphur, to enable them to make payment for what they engage.

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

Saturday, December 23, 1775.

The Report of the Committee on the Post-Riders' Accounts read, and recommitted, and Mr. Singletary, Mr. Mighill, and Major Smith, were added to the Committee, in the room of three gentlemen absent.

A Petition of Joshua Haynes, Jun., setting forth, that he was wounded in the battle ofLexington, and in consequence thereof, was unable to labour until the 20th of July following, and praying the consideration of the Court.

Read, and committed to the Committee on the Petitions and Accounts of wounded men.

Resolved, That a Resolution of this Court, that passed the House on the 12th instant, directing Mr. Putnam and others to erect a Powder-Mill at Sutton, and repair another at Stoughton, be reconsidered, and that Captain Goodman attend Mr. Thomas Hailing to Andover and Stoughton, to take a view of a place in each of those towns, proposed for erecting a Powder-Mil!, and report to this Court at which place said Mill may be erected with the greatest convenience and despatch.

Ordered, That Captain Vose, Mr. Guild, Mr. Stone, of Lexington, and Mr. Withington, be added to the Committee appointed to procure Wood for the Army, and that Mr. Sullivan bring in a Resolve for investing the said Committee with greater power.

James Prescott, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to consider the Petition of the former Committee of Inspection of the East part of the Town of Pownalborough, the Petition of a number of the inhabitants of said Town, and the Petition of Abiel Wood.

On the Petition and Account of Aaron Wright, entered the 21st current,

Resolved, That the whole sum of the said Accounts;, (excepting what is charged for the Prisoners sent by General Washington,) being fifteen Pounds seventeen Shillings and four Pence, be paid out of the Treasury of this Colony to Joseph Hawley, Esquire, to the use of the said Wright, in full satisfaction of the charges for the Prisoners sent by the honourable Council.

The Committee appointed to report what sum was necessary to be put into the hands of the Committee for purchasing Saltpetre, reported.

The Report was recommitted, and the Committee was directed to determine how much money shall be paid to each of the said Saltpetre Committee, for the purpose expressed in said Report.

Benjamin Lincoln, Esquire, brought down a Petition of William Hunt, of Watertown, praying that the Court would direct the Selectmen of that town to deliver him certain articles, lately the property of Lady Franklin, and now in their possession, agreeable to an order of Congress, accompanying said Petition.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Towns hereafter mentioned, to supply the Army with the following quantity of Wood, daily, viz: Walpole, two cords, to be carried to the camp at Roxbury; Medfield, two cords, to be carried to the camp at Roxbury; Concord, three cord, to be carried to the camp at Cambridge.

And that the Town of Dedham be excused from carrying any more than two cords to the camp at Cambridge, and that the other cord which that town was to procure, be carried to the camp at Roxbury.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to see that a Resolve of this Court, which passed the House the 16th current, relative to the procuring of Wood, proceed forthwith upon the business personally.

On a motion made, this last vote was reconsidered.

Ordered, That Colonel Freeman be on the Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve for establishing Committees of Correspondence, in the room of Mr. Batchelder, excused.