signed by the President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall issue annually, at or before the first day of November, for the choice of a Council and House of Representatives, to be returned by the third Wednesday in December then next ensuing, in such manner as the Council and Assembly shall hereafter prescribe.

Upon reading the Petition of the Agents for the Town of Newtown against Joseph Bartlett, Esq., (being present before the House,) Ordered, That the parties be heard thereon before this House on the 18th day of January current, if the Assembly be then sitting; and if not, then on the second day of their sitting after that time.

Voted, That the Honourable Matthew Thornton, Esq., be Speaker of this House.

Voted, That Ebenezer Thompson, Esq., be Clerk of this House.

Voted, That Noah Emery, Esq., be Assistant Clerk of this House.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Saturday, January 6, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment.

Voted, That the last Book of Records of the Court of Probate be returned to William Parker, Esq., in order for him to complete the Records.

Voted, That the several Muster-Rolls of Captain Salter and Captain Daniel be paid agreeable to the Return of the Committee for examining Muster-Rolls, stopping out such stoppages as are mentioned in their report thereon.

Voted, That the Matrosses under command of Captain Salter and Captain Daniel be paid off monthly for the future.

Voted, That the Account of the Selectmen of Northampton, amounting to seven Pounds nineteen Shillings, (for Blankets,) be paid.

Voted, That the Treasurer and Deacon Samuel Brooks be a Committee to receive and pay off for all the Blankets that may be collected in this Colony for the Continental Army, and to make report thereof to this House.

Then the House proceeded to choose twelve Counsellors for this Colony; and voted that the Hon. Meshech Weare, Esq., be first Counsellor for this Colony; the Hon. Matthew Thornton, Esq., second; William Whipple, Esq., third; Josiah Bartlett, Esq., fourth; Nathaniel Folsom, Esq., fifth, Counsellors for the County of Rockingham; Thomas Westbrook Waldron, Esq., sixth; and Ebenezer Thompson, Esq., seventh, for the County of Strafford; Wyseman Clagett, Esq., eighth; and Jonathan Blanchard, Esq., ninth, for the County of Hillsborough; Samuel Ashley, Esq., tenth; and Benjamin Giles, Esq., eleventh, for the County of Cheshire; and John Hurd, Esq., twelfth, for the County of Grafton, for the current year.

Voted, That Ebenezer Thompson, Esq., be Secretary for this Colony for the current year.

Then the honourable the Council and Secretary left the House.

Whereupon the House voted that Clement March, Esq., be Chairman of this House pro tempore.

Voted, That Samuel Cutts, Esq., have an Order on the Treasury for three hundred Pounds, to be by him accounted for.

Adjourned to Monday next, three o’clock, afternoon.

Monday, January 8, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment; and the Chairman not being present,

Voted, That Philips White, Esq., be Chairman pro tempore.

Voted, That this House proceed to the choice of a Speaker, and that he be chosen by ballot.

And the Votes being counted, it appeared that Philips White, Esq., was chosen Speaker of this House; who took the chair accordingly.

Voted, That Noah Emery, Esq., be Clerk of this House.

Voted, To choose a Committee of five Members of this House to draw up Rules for the order of this House;

And that Captain Giddinge, Captain Long, Major Downing, John Dudley, Esq., and Colonel Walker, be the Committee for that purpose, to report as soon as may be.

Monday, January 8, 1776, P. M.

Voted, That Precepts be sent out to the several Towns and places in this Colony, whose Representatives are advanced to the Council, to choose new Members to represent them in the Assembly.

The Clerk of this House being necessarily called out of the House,

Voted, That Samuel Cutts, Esq., be Clerk pro tempore.

Voted, To choose two Monitors;

And that Israel Morey, Esq., and Dr. Levi Dearborn, be Monitors of this House.

Adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, January 9, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment.

The Committee appointed yesterday to draw up Rules for the order of the House, made report of twelve Rules, following;

Which being distinctly read and considered,

Voted, That the same be accepted, adopted, and made Rules for the order of this House; and are as follows, viz:

First. That whosoever shall, by any misbehaviour in speech or action, justly offend any of the Members of the House, shall, for the first offence, be admonished; and for the second, shall be fined as the House shall see meet.

Second. That no Member speak twice to any matter in debate before the House until every Member have liberty to speak once to the same matter, if he should see cause.

Third. That every Member direct his speech to the Speaker, and not one to another; and when any Member has a mind to speak to any matter in debate, he shall stand up and ask leave of the Speaker, and not speak without his consent; and shall be silent at his command. But if the Member speaking thinks such command unseasonable, or unreasonable, the Speaker shall take a vote of the House thereon; to which such Member shall submit, on pain of forfeiting such sum as the House shall determine.

Fourth. That, whenever it happens that there are as many votes on one side of a question as on the other, without the Speaker, then the Speaker shall make the casting vote.

Fifth. That if the Speaker be absent, the House may choose a Speaker pro tempore, that the business of the House be carried on without delay.

Sixth. That if any Member, after being qualified and entered, shall absent himself at any time, without leave, from the House, he shall be liable to be fined at the discretion of the House.

Seventh. That if any Member of this House shall, by the major part of the House, be thought unfit, and not qualified for said place, it shall be in the power of the House to dismiss such person, giving notice to the Town or Towns, Parish or Parishes, where he belongs, to choose another to fill up such vacancy.

Eighth. That every Bill, to be passed in this House, be read three times; and that there be two adjournments of this House before any Bill be passed into an Act.

Ninth. That the Speaker and thirty of the Members returned, be a House to do business.

Tenth. That no Vote that is passed in the House shall be reconsidered by a lesser number than were present when passed.

Eleventh. That no Vote shall be valid unless passed by a majority of the Members present.

Twelfth. That no Member make any new motion until that which is under consideration is determined or postponed.

Voted, That Colonel Morey be excused from being a Monitor to this House; and that Samuel Cutts, Esq., be chosen and appointed in his room.

Voted, That Colonel Long, Colonel Morey, and John Dudley, Esq., be a Committee of this House, to confer with a Committee of the honourable Council, and report to this House what business is necessary to be immediately entered upon.

General Folsom came down from the Board, and informed the House that the honourable Council had appointed a Committee to join the Committee of this House, to confer and report what business shall be immediately entered upon;