publick) spare any of their Members in the hours they usually sit upon business:

Therefore, Resolved, That Colonel Cushing, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take into consideration the matter of signing and numbering said Bills, and report some effectual mode of raising a Committee for that purpose, so that the Treasury may be seasonably supplied.

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

Benjamin White, Esq., brought down the following Vote of Council, viz:

In Council, January 4, 1776: On a motion, Ordered, That John Adams and Joseph Palmer, Esqs., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to examine into the character and conduct of Doctor Samuel Gelslon, lately apprehended by the order of the General Court, and now before them ready for examination, and report.

Read, and concurred, and Colonel Freeman, Mr. Brown, of Boston, and Colonel Grout, are joined.

The Resolve for procuring Blankets, which passed in the forenoon, was reconsidered and recommitted for amendment.

The Committee appointed to consider some further provision for the defence of the Sea-Coast, reported. Read, and accepted.

The Committee appointed to take under consideration and report what Forces are necessary to defend the Sea-Coast, beg leave further to report the following Resolve:

In the House of Representatives, January 4, 1776.

It is Resolved, That there be raised on the Sea-Coast establishment made by this Court for the present year, one Company, to consist of fifty men, including officers, and stationed at the mouth of Sheepscut-River and places adjacent, as the Commanding Officer of said Company shall order; and that a Commissary be appointed by the General Court to supply them with provisions and money according to the establishment aforesaid.

And that there be stationed at Pemaquid, for the defence of the Sea-Coast near Damariscotta-River, and the places adjacent, one Company consisting of fifty men, including officers, on the establishment aforesaid, and that there be a Commissary appointed to supply them with money and provisions according to said establishment.

And that there be stationed at Georges, Medumcook, and Penobscot, as the Commanding Officer shall order, one Company of men, consisting of fifty, including officers, and that there be a Commissary appointed to supply them with provisions and money, as by the establishment aforesaid is provided.

And that the Company, by the establishment aforesaid at Salem, be augmented to one hundred men, including officers, and to be supplied as by the said establishment is provided.

And it is, also, Resolved, That there be stationed at Truro, one Company of fifty men, including officers, and that there be a Commissary appointed to supply them with provisions and money according to the establishment aforesaid.

And it is, also, Resolved, That the Council be, and they hereby are empowered to make out their Warrant to the Treasurer to supply the Commissaries of the Companies before-mentioned to be stationed at Truro, Sheepscut, Pemaquid, and George's, in the same manner, and the same proportion as is provided in the establishment of the Sea-Coast Men, passed by the General Court in December last; and, also, to draw on the Treasurer for sufficient sums to pay the Muster-Rolls of the aforesaid Companies agreeable to said establishment.

And it is, also, Resolved, That no new Barracks shall be built for the Sea-Coast Men in this Colony by the Commissaries, or any other person, at the expense of this Colony, without the express order of the General Court.

A Memorial and Petition of Hannah Sewall, of Brook line, setting forth, that Mr. Alexander Sheppard, of Newton, and other persons, have entered her woodland, cut and carried off large quantities of wood therefrom Read, and and the Petitioner had leave to withdraw her Petition.

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

Friday, January 5, 1776.

A Petition of John Bunker,of Mount-Desert, representing that in November last he took and carried into Goldsborough a Schooner, between fifty and sixty tons, bound from Nova-Scotia to Boston, and laden with cattle, butler, cheese, &c., and praying that he may have orders from the Court to remove her to some secure place for his benefit and that of his country. Read, and committed to Mr. Ingalls, Colonel Thurston, and Mr. Low.

Michael Farley, Esq., brought down the following Vote of Council, viz:

In Council, January 4, 1776: On a motion, Ordered, That Walter Spooner, John Adams, Joseph Palmer, James Prescott, Benjamin Lincoln, Jabez Fisher, and John Taylor, Esqs., be a Committee of the Board, to confer with such Committee of the honourable House as shall be chosen for that purpose, upon the subject-matter of the Militia Bill, and upon the manner in which the Officers shall be appointed.

Read, and concurred, and Major Hawley, Mr. Sullivan, Captain Stone, Mr. Gerry, Colonel Grout, Colonel Free man, Colonel Orne, and Deacon Nichols, are appointed a Committee on the part of the House for the purpose above expressed.

John Whetcomb, Esq., brought down the Petition of Ivory Hovey, read January 26, with a Report thereon; accepted by the honourable Board, viz:

In Council, January 5, 1776: Read, and accepted; and thereupon, Ordered, That the Petitioner have leave to withdraw his Petition.

Read, and concurred.

A Petition of the Town of Falmouth, in the County of Cumberland, setting forth the distressing circumstances to which the inhabitants of that town are reduced by the burning a great part of the town by Captain Mowat, and praying the Court to release the said town from the Province Tax laid on them the present year, or otherwise relieve them. Read, and ordered to lie.

On a motion, Resolved, That a Committee, to consist of three, be appointed to repair to Falmouth, in the County of Cumberland, in the next recess of this Court, and inquire into the state and circumstances of that town, and such other towns as they may think proper, and report to the Hguse at the next session, and that next Tuesday, ten o'clock, A. M., be assigned for the choice of such Committee, by ballot.

The Resolve for procuring Blankets, being amended, was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, his Excellency General Washington, has represented to this Court the necessity of providing Blankets for the Army, and has requested the immediate assistance of this Court in this interesting affair:

Therefore, Resolved, That there be collected from the several Towns hereafter named, according to the schedule hereto annexed, four thousand Blankets.

And whereas, it is of great importance that said Blankets should be speedily in camp:

It is also Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to repair to the Selectmen of the several towns mentioned in said schedule; and the Selectmen in each of said towns are hereby earnestly desired to use their utmost, endeavours in aiding and assisting the Committee in effecting the above business. And that the sum of two thousand six hundred Pounds be delivered into the hands of said. Commitee, in the following proportions, viz:

To Mr. Lincoln, the sum of one hundred and sixty-nine Pounds.

To Colonel Barret, the sum of three hundred and seventy-eight Pounds six Shillings.

To Major Moody, the sum of two hundred and thirty-two Pounds one Shilling.

To Mr. Mills, the sum of one hundred and ninety-five Pounds.

To Mr. Knowles, the sum of one hundred and ninety Pounds nine Shillings.

To Mr. Thomas Durfee, the sum of two hundred and fifty-eight Pounds fourteen Shillings.

To Colonel Mitchell, the sum of one hundred and seventy-six Pounds sixteen Shillings.

To Mr. Singletary, the sum of three hundred and eighty-eight Pounds fourteen Shillings.