for one hundred pounds of Gunpowder, received of the Selectmen of the Town of Stockbridge, for the use of Colonel Eastman's Regiment at Crown-Point; and an order drawn by said Selectmen the 5th December last, on Deacon Elnathan Curtis, to procure or pay for ammunition, as mentioned in said order.

Read, and committed to Captain Brown, of Abington, Mr. Hale, Mr. Hobart, Major Smith, and Mr. Guild, who were directed to consider the matter thereof at large.

The Letter of Mr. Joshua Elderkin, brought down yesterday, was read, and committed to Major Brooks and Deacon Nichols, with such as the honourable Board should join.

Mr. Speaker communicated to the House a Letter from his Excellency General Washington, enclosing a copy of Peleg Wadsworth's account of Cape-Cod Harbour. Read, and sent up.

Jabez Fisher, Esquire, brought down the Report of a Committee appointed to consider the Petition of some of the inhabitants of Majabigwaduce against the conduct of John Bakeman, Esquire, &c., viz:

The Committee appointed upon the Petition of some of the inhabitants of Majabigwaduce, against the conduct of John Bakeman, Esquire, relative to his conduct with the people of that place, have attended that service, and heard the said Bakeman in his defence of the charges alleged against him in said Petition, and have examined the depositions and declarations relating to the conduct of the Committee of Safety, and numbers of the inhabitants of that place. Your Committee have great reason to suspect that a number of said inhabitants and petitioners, under the countenance of some of the Committee of Safety of that place, have the last year, in many instances, supplied our enemies with wood and live stock, thereby counteracting the Resolves of the Congress.

And it does not appear to the Committee that the said Bakeman has acted an unfriendly part to his country, or has done any thing to forfeit the trust reposed in him by his appointment to the office of a Justice of the Peace for the County of Lincoln; and with respect to the riot committed on said Bakeman in December last, it being of such an alarming nature, we think that unless some methods are speedily taken in order to bring the perpetrators thereof to condign punishment, it will prove of very mischievous consequences, and that it is a matter of so much importance, that it deserves the attention of the whole Court.

BENJAMIN CHADBOURN, per order.

In Council, January 10, 1776: Read, and accepted, and

Ordered, That Moses Gill and John Taylor, Esqs., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider the subject-matter of the above Report, and what is further necessary to be done.

Read, and concurred, and Colonel Norton, Mr. Hovey, and Captain Hathaway, are joined.

Afternoon.

Michael Farley, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses, appointed to consider the Petition of Charles Chauncy, Esq., read December 20, viz:

That the prayer of the Petition be granted, and that an Order pass this Court to the person, or persons, who may have the Goods, Clothing, or Furniture, mentioned in the Petition or Invoice, in their possession, to deliver the same to the order of Charles Chauncy, Esq., or Mr. Neal MeIntyer, as soon as demanded.

JABEZ FISHER, per order.

In Council, January 10, 1776: Read, and accepted, and,

Thereupon, Resolved, That the Committee of Frenchman's Bay be directed to deliver all the Goods, Clothing, or Furniture, mentioned in the enclosed schedule, to the order of Charles Chauncy, Esq., or Mr. Neal Mclntyer, on demand.Read, and concurred.

Resolved, That the choice of a Committee to go to Falmouth be put off to Friday next, ten o'clock, A. M.

The House proceeded, according to the Order of the Day, to the choice of a Committee on the part of the House, for the purposes expressed in a Resolve brought in by Mr. Gerry. And Colonel Porter and Mr. Brown,of Boston, being nominated, were appointed.

The Resolve being amended, passed the House, and is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That Colonel Porter and Mr. Brown, of Boston, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be, and they hereby are appointed a Committee to settle the Accounts remaining unsettled on the Books of the late Committee of Supplies, and to collect or pay the balances that may be due to or from the Colony on said Accounts; also, to take care of the Brigantines Rockingham and Unity's cargoes, and such a part of the Schooner Maccaroni, as belongs to the Colony; also, to see that the order of this Court be complied with by Captain William Johnson, late commander of the Schooner Brittania, relative to his delivering to the Commisssary of said Colony the neat proceeds of the cargo of said Schooner, consigned him by the said late Committee of Supplies, exclusive of what he shall produce receipts of having delivered agreeable to any order of said Court. And they are further directed, to receive from the files of said Committee of Supplies all the papers relative to said vessel, or any of the persons having Accounts unsettled, as aforesaid, and, upon the arrival of any of them, to cause the proceeds of their cargoes (if vested in military stores) to be delivered to the,Colonial Commissary, and take his receipts therefor, and to certify to the Standing Committee on Accounts the sums which they shall find necessary to discharge the portage-bills, hire, and other necessary charges attending the said voyages, that shall be due from the Colony aforesaid. And the Standing Committees on Accounts are hereby empowered to pay and discharge the portage-bills, hire of vessels, and other charges that shall be examined and certified by the Committee now chosen, as aforesaid, they to be accountable to the General Court for their doings.

Ordered, That Major Bliss, Dr. Fletcher, and Mr. Bancroft, be a Committee to count and sort the votes for some persons to repair to Philadelphia, with the state of Disbursements of this Colony, &c..

On a motion, Resolved, That the Committee consist of one person only, and that twelve o'clock, to-morrow, be assigned for the choice of some person for that purpose.

Whereas, in the present contest with Britain the Militia of the several United Colonies of America may be frequently called forth to defend their invaluable rights and liberties, and it is indispensably necessary to the welfare of the Colonies that such of the said Militia as shall have conducted in the service with a laudable zeal and fidelity, should be fully satisfied with publick measures, and at all times so accommodated and rewarded for their services, that the Colonies may have the fullest assurance of a renewal of their engagements, whenever the same shall be required; and whereas, it will be much for the convenience and advantage of any part of the said Militia, when called as a temporary reinforcement for the American Army, to receive their wages at the time of their demission, as the trouble and expense of a future application for the same would greatly reduce the reward of their services, and may tend to discourage their inlisting again:

It is, therefore, Resolved, As the opinion of this Court, that it will greatly tend to promote the service in this Colony, and encourage the reinlistments of that part of the Militia of said Colony, now in the American Army as a temporary reinforcement, if they could be assured by his Excellency General Washington that they should be paid their wages at the time of their discharge from service.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker and Colonel Thayer, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be, and they here by are appointed a Committee to apply to his Excellency General Washington, with a copy of the preceding Resolve, and, also, of a Resolve of this Court relative the., reenlistment of the Militia, aforesaid.

A Petition of John Tufts, of Belfast, in Penobscot, setting forth, that he came from thence to inform the Court that fourteen families now dwelling on Long-Island, have, from lime to time, supplied the Ministerial forces with cord-wood and other necessaries, and praying that they may be removed, or otherwise discountenanced; also, praying for ammunition, and for the direction of the Court with respect to a large quantity of wood on the sea-shore at Belfast.

Read, and committed to the Committee of both Houses,