In Council, December 27, 1775: Read, and Ordered, That Moses Gill, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider said Petition, and report.

Read, and concurred, and Mr. Pitts and Deacon Nichols are joined.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed, with whom the Commissary-General may advise and consult, with respect to the purchase of Military Stores, and that Mr. Devans, Mr. Phillips, and Mr. Pitts, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve slating the commission of such a Committee.

The Committee on Accounts were directed to allow Doctor's Accounts, so far as they were for services done before the first day of August last.

Ordered, That Mr. Partridge bring in a Resolve directing the Committee for procuring Saltpetre to deliver what they procure into the care of the Commissary-General.

Resolved, That three o'clock in the afternoon be assigned for the consideration of the Report of the Committee appointed to consider the state of the Boston and Charles-town Poor.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board to desire they would send down the Resolve which passed this House relative to the Estates of the Refngees.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Thurston, with such as the honourable Board may join, be a Committee to consider the Petition of the Town of Harvard, entered the 25th current.

Resolved, That Colonel Porter, Deacon Cheever, and Mr. Pitts, be a Committee to advise with the Commissary-General in procuring and depositing such Ordnance and other Military Stores as this Court have ordered to be purchased for the use of the Colony.

The House considered the Petition of Charles Chauncy, Esq., in behalf of Neal Mclntyer, brought down December 20th, and the Vote of Council thereon.

Read, and concurred, and Colonel Thompson and Mr. Hopkins are joined.

James Prescott, Esq., brought down the Resolve of this House relative to disposing of the Estates of the Refugees.

The Committee appointed to inquire what quantity of Saltpetre will be procured by the Committee on Saltpetre, having acquainted themselves relative to the matter, and being persuaded that in a month or two, one ton of Saltpetre at least will be procured by them, which, at seven Shillings per pound, amounts to seven hundred Pounds:

Therefore, Resolved, That the Receiver-General of this Colony be directed to pay Captain Peck two hundred and fifty Pounds; Dr. Whiting, one hundred and fifty Pounds; Deacon Baker, one hundred and fifty Pounds; and Mr. Phipps, the other one hundred and fifty Pounds, which completes the sum above-mentioned—those gentlemen being the Committee upon Saltpetre, and that they severally be accountable to this Court for the above said sums.

Afternoon.

The Committee to whom was referred the Petition of the Committee of Frenchman's Bay, relative to a quantity of Grain, &c., from Virginia, consigned to the Committee of Donations for the Poor of Boston, reported, that said Petition be handed to the Committee of Donations, that they may act thereon as they shall judge proper.

Read, and accepted, and, accordingly, Ordered, To be handed to the said Committee of Donations, they to act thereon as they think proper.

Mr. Watson, by order of the Committee of Accounts, laid before the House the appointment of Joseph Pearse Palmer, as Quartermaster-General of the Massachusetts Forces, and an Account of his services, and requested the instructions of the House;

Whereupon, Ordered, That the Committee do not take the same into consideration until the said Palmer makes application by way of petition.

It was moved that the sense of the House be taken on this question, proposed by the Committee on Accounts, viz: Whether they ought to allow such Accounts of Tavernkeepers, for billeting soldiers, as are so general that the Committee cannot determine whether they are reasonable or not ? And the question being put, it passed in the negative.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board, to know if they have passed upon a Resolve of this House, directing how the Bills of Credit should be signed.

Ordered, That Mr. Hobart, Colonel Cushing, and Mr. Pills, be a Committee to consider what shall be done with those Bills of Credit which specify a different denomination on the back to what is expressed on the face of the Bill, and to determine how they shall be received in payment.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board, desiring that they would send down the Resolve of this House relative to the payment of Muster-Roils, if they have not passed upon it.

John Taylor, Esq., brought the same down accordingly, and, also, brought down a Resolve, certifying the appointment of the gentlemen delegated by the Court to represent this Colony at the Continental Congress, and expressing their commission.

Resolved, That the Committee appointed by this Court to purchase Saltpetre, be, and they hereby are directed to deliver all the Saltpetre they shall purchase, in pursuance of their commission, to Richard Devans, Esq., and take his receipt for the same.

Resolved, That Henry Gardner, Esq., Receiver-General of this Colony, be, and he hereby is directed to pay unto Thomas Crafts, Esq., and others, (a Committee appointed by this Court to provide for such of the Poor of Boston as have, or may be sent out of said town to Point-Shirley,) the sum of one hundred Pounds, for the purpose aforesaid, said Committee to be accountable to this Court therefor.

The House considered the Resolve for stationing Forces to guard the Sea-Coasts.

The House then adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Thursday, December 28, 1775,

Ordered, That Colonel Otis, Mr. Phillips, Captain Carpenter, Mr. Morgan, and Colonel Norton, be a Committee to take into consideration some proper method, by which this Colony may be supplied with a quantity of Wool.

The House considered, and non-concurred a Resolve of the honourable Board, brought down the 26lh current, for the purpose of appointing a Committee to consider and report a Resolve directing how the Bills of Credit should be signed and numbered, and what allowance the signers and numberers shall have for their services;

Whereupon, Ordered, That Mr. Singlelary, Mr. Brown of Abington, and Mr. Phillips, be a Committee for that purpose.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board, to know if they have passed upon a Resolve of this House directing how the Bills of Credit should be signed.

Accordingly, Jedediah Foster, Esq., came down, and informed the House that the honourable Board had non-concurred the said Resolve, and, at the same time, brought down a Report of the Committee of both Houses, on the Petition of Mrs. Deborah Cushing, read yesterday, viz:

Resolved, That the prayer of said Petition be granted, and that the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Milton be, and hereby are directed to deliver to said Deborah Cushing such, and so much of the household furniture now in their hands, belonging to the late Governour Hutchinson, (A) as she may need, and take her receipt therefor, the said Thomas Cushing, Esq., to be accountable to this, or some future General Assembly of this Colony, for the same, and the aforesaid Committee are directed to get such articles as said Deborah may receive apprized, by three indifferent persons, under oath, and lodge a copy of said apprizement in the Secretary's Office.

In Council, December 28, 1775: Read, and accepted.