Mr. Sullivan, agreeable to order, reported an establishment for the Forces to be raised to garrison the Sea-Coast.

On a motion made, Voted, That one Company be raised to be stationed at Sheepscut-River.

Voted, That one of the Captains of the Companies to be stationed at Tarpaulin-Cove, be appointed to command over the whole, with Captain's pay, and with the rank of Major.

Voted, That one of the Captains of the Companies to be stationed at Martha's Vineyard, be appointed to command over the whole, for Captain's pay, with the rank of Major.

Voted, That when this House is adjourned, it be adjourned to three o'clock in the afternoon, then to meet at Mrs. Coolidge's, Innkeeper in this Town, and that a message go to the honourable Board to inform them of this vote.

The House then accordingly adjourned to Mrs. Coolidge's, at three o'clock, in the afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Committee appointed to consider the state of the Boston and Charlestown Poor, reported.

Whereupon, Ordered, That Tuesday next, at three o'clock, in the afternoon, be assigned for the consideration of the Report.

Mr. Sullivan, agreeably to order, reported a Resolve to enlarge the power of the Committee appointed to procure Wood. Read, amended, and accepted, as follows:

Whereas, by a Resolve passed in the House of Representatives, on the 3d day of November last, and concurred by the honourable Board on the 4th day of the same month, it is ordered that Mr. Devans, Captain Thatcher, Mr. Cheever, Colonel Thayer, Mr. Walker, Mr. Dix, and Mr. Ellis, should be a Committee, who were directed to afford their utmost assistance and aid to the Quartermaster General, that the Continental Army might be provided with a full supply of Wood until the further order of the Court; and, for the purpose of more effectually procuring the same, they were empowered to enter the wood-lots of such of our enemies as had fled into Boston, and, after having the Wood thereon growing apprized, to cause the same to be cut down and drawn to the camp, which Resolve, with one since passed for the same purpose, has proved ineffectual, and it being absolutely necessary for the preservation of the lives and property of the people of all America that the said Army be supplied with necessary Wood:

It is, therefore, Resolved, That Captain Vose, Mr. Guild, Mr. Stone of Lexington, and Mr. Withington, be added to the said Committee, and that either three (C) of said Committee, (A) or a greater number, in the absence of some of the Committee (B) be, and they hereby are empowered (if Wood sufficient for said Army cannot be procured at a reasonable price without it) to enter the woodlands of any person, or persons, within this Colony, and, after apprizing the Wood thereon standing and growing, to cause the same to be cut down and carried to the camp to supply said Army. And if any person, owner, and proprietor of such woodland, shall molest or hinder the said Committee, or any three of them, from acting in pursuance of this Resolve, the said Committee, or the major part of them present, being not less than three, are hereby empowered to cause such person to be arrested and sent to this Court, to be dealt with according to the demerits of his contempt. And the said Committee is hereby directed to pay each person, whose Wood they shall cause to be cut down and carried away, the price the same shall be by them apprized at; and, also, to pay all axe-men which they shall employ reasonable wages; and the owner of any team that they may employ reasonable wages for his team.

Ordered, That the Committee of three, appointed to put in execution a Resolve of this Court which passed the House the 16th current, relative to procuring Wood for the Army, who have wrote Letters to the Selectmen of the Towns from which the Wood is to be procured, urging them to supply the Army with that article as soon as possible, be directed to report to the House what effect those Letters may have.

The House then adjourned till Monday next, at ten o'clock, then to meet at the Meeting-House, as usual.

Monday, December 95, 1775.

A Petition of James Ferry, setting forth, that being in the battle of Lexington, his wife sent him a horse, with provisions, and that the said horse was killed on his returning home; and, therefore, praying the consideration of the Court. Read, and committed to Mr. Allen, Colonel Grout, and Major Hallet.

Ordered, That the Secretary lay upon the table the Resolve of this Court for stationing two Companies at Gloucester.

Who laid the same upon the table accordingly.

Jedediah Foster, Esq., brought down the Resolve investing the Committee for procuring Wood with greater power, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, December 25, 1775: Read, and concurred with the amendment at A B., viz: Dele from A to B.

Read, and concurred, and the House proposed a further amendment at C, viz: At C, insert the words "or more."

The Resolve for stationing Men to defend the Sea-Coasts was again read, and recommitted, and Major Hawley, Mr. Gerry, Colonel Freeman, and Colonel Gushing, are added to the Committee.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board to inquire if they have passed upon the last Resolve of this House relative to Muster-Rolls.

The Report of the Committee appointed to consider the conduct of Abiel Wood was read, and four o'clock, in the afternoon, assigned for the consideration of it.

The Committee on the Petition of the Committee of Supplies, entered December 18th, reported, and eleven o'clock, to-morrow, A. M., was assigned for the consideration of the Report.

Afternoon.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., came down and informed the House that the honourable Board had not passed upon the Resolve of this House relative to stoppages in the Muster-Rolls, as they judged they could not consistenity until they had received Colonel Whitcomb's (Mustermaster and Paymaster) Account.

A Petition of the Town of Harvard, praying the Court to use its influence with the Continental Congress to reduce the stipends granted to Officers and others in the American service. Read, and to-morrow, twelve o'clock, assigned for the consideration thereof.

The Committee appointed to consider the services of the Post-Riders, reported. Read and accepted.

Note.—This Resolve was afterwards taken into a new draft.

A Letter from his Excellency General Washington, desiring the Court to take some measures for supplying the Army with Blankets. Read, and committed to Mr. Hopkins, Colonel Godfrey, Colonel Dwight, Colonel Otis, and Major Hawley.

A Petition from the Town of Murrayfield, praying that the name of that Town, for reasons set forth in said Petition, may be altered to that of "Mount-Asaph." Read, and committed to Mr. Story, Mr. Perry, and Captain Partridge.

The House considered the Report of the Committee of both Houses on the conduct of Abiel Wood, brought down the 23d current, viz:

In Council, December 23, 1775: Resolved, That the former Committee of Inspection on the East part of the Town of Pownalborough, had sufficient evidence to justify them for publishing Abiel Wood as a violator of the Continental Association, and that in many other instances he, the said Wood, appeared by his conduct to be an enemy to the liberties of this country; and the said Committee deserve to be highly commended for so doing; and the Committee of Correspondence of said Town who counteracted the doings of said Committee of Inspection is very unjustifiable, as it encouraged the said Abiel Wood in his principles and practices, go inimical to the rights and liberties of America.