last mentioned, in the room of Moses Atkinson, who has likewise joined the Continental Army.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Whereas by a former Resolve of this Court, relative to the rank of Officers on the station at Gloucester, some difficulty has arisen,

Therefore, Resolved, That the Officers in that department be ranked in the following manner, viz: Daniel Warner, First Captain; Bradbury Saunders, Second Captain; William Pearson, Third Captain; and Daniel Giddins a Fourth Captain.

A Bill for repealing an Act passed by the Great and General Court at their session in February last, entitled “An Act for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels to defend the Sea-Coast of America, and for erecting a Court to try and condemn all Vessels that shall be found infesting the same,” having passed the House of Representatives to be engrossed:

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence to be engrossed.

Mr. Sullivan came up with a message from the House, to inform the Board that Mr. Cooper, the Speaker pro tern., being absent, they had appointed Mr. Freeman, the Clerk, to act in that capacity.

Resolved, That such of the Selectmen and Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston, as have continued there till this time, do lay before this Court, as soon as may be, a list of the names of all such persons in the said town as have countenanced, aided, or in any way assisted our enemies, or have appeared to act an unfriendly part to the liberties of America, while the said town was in possession of the British Troops, that such measures may be taken with regard to those persons as may be judged necessary for the security of the Town and Colony; and the Secretary is directed forthwith to transmit a copy of this Resolve to John Scollay, Esq., to be communicated.

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

Tuesday, March 19, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable William Sever, Walter Spooner, John Winthrop, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Charles Chauncy, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Ordered, That Mr. Rawson be of the Committee to consider the Accounts of the Commissaries for the Sea-Coast Forces, in the room of Mr. Ellis, absent.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Petition of Rufus Putnam, (respecting Captain Peter Ingersoll’s carrying off the Muster-Roll of one of the Companies, with a warrant on it, in Colonel David Brewer’s Regiment,) be committed to Major Goodwin and Colonel Sartel, with such as the honourable Board may join.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Eldad Taylor, Esq., is joined.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Elisha Dicker son, the sum of four hundred Pounds, for the use of Colonel Porter’s Regiment, now on their march to Canada.

Whereas Moses Gill, Esq., Chairman of the Committee appointed to settle the Accounts remaining unsettled on the books of the Committee of Supplies, and to collect balances due to the Colony on the said Accounts; and, also, to take care of several cargoes of Vessels belonging to the Colony, has now in his hands three hundred Pounds, in silver money, which is the property of the Colony, and which he received of Captain Shaw, master of the Schooner Macaroni, and the said Gill being desirous of being discharged thereof,

It is therefore Resolved, That the said Moses Gill, Esq., be, and he hereby is, directed to pay the said sum to the Treasurer of this Colony; and the said Treasurer’s Receipt shall be a discharge for the same.

An engrossed Bill entitled “An Act for repealing an Act made and passed by the Great and General Court at their session in February last, for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels to defend the Sea-Coast of America, and for erecting a Court to try and condemn all Vessels that shall be found infesting the same,” having passed the House of Representatives to be enacted:

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence to be enacted.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That . . . . . . . . . be a Committee, with such as the honourable Board may join, to consider the state of the Province, and report what is proper to be done for the immediate defence and government thereof.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and William Sever, Walter Spooner, John Winthrop, and Jedediah Foster, Esquires, are joined.

In the House of Representatives: The House made choice of Thomas Burnham as Adjutant of the Essex Regiment, to reinforce the American Army, till the 1st of April next, in the room of John Peabody, who declines.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That . . . . . . . . . be a Committee, with such as the honourable Board may join, on the Petition of Joseph Eaton and others, representing the state of several Towns in the County of Lincoln.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., is joined.

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

Wednesday, March 20, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable William Sever, Walter Spooner, John Winthrop, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldnd Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Whereas the Judge of the Court of Justice for the Counties of Suffolk, Essex, and Middlesex, appointed in pursuance of an act of the General Court at their session in November last, entitled “An Act for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels to defend the Sea-Coast of America, and for erecting a Court to try and condemn all Vessels that shall be found infesting the same,” has appointed certain days for holding his Court for that purpose, at Ipswich, viz: the 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 28th, and 29th days of March instant; and it being inexpedient that these Courts should be held until some further regulation shall be made relative to the proceedings therein:

It is therefore Resolved, That the Court aforesaid, appointed to be held on the days aforesaid, which are not already elapsed, be adjourned until Monday, the 1st day of April next, to be held at Ipswich, in the County of Essex; and all processes, pleas, and every matter and thing whatsoever which might or could have been heard, considered, and determined by the said Judge, in virtue of the appointment of those days for that purpose, shall and may be determined by him on the said 1st day of April next, and they are hereby continued accordingly; and all jurors and witnesses who have been summoned to attend in pursuance of the appointment aforesaid, shall be hereby holden, and are accordingly directed, to attend said Court, on the said 1st day of April next, and shall be liable to the same penalties for non-attendance as if the said Court had been held on the days appointed for holding the same.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Joseph Bacon, the sum of seventy-two Pounds, in full for his services as a Post-Rider from Woodstock to Cambridge, from the 25th of April last to this time.

In the House of Representatives: The House made choice of Ebenezer Morton as Second Lieutenant of the Company stationed at Falmouth, under the command of Briant Morton, in the room of Levi Loring, who declines.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Resolved, That the Commissary-General of this Colony be, and he hereby is, empowered and directed to take into custody all and singular the Stores of every kind purchased by this Colony for the use of the same, and not particularly appropriated; and the Committees, or other persons who may have, any of the Stores aforesaid in their possession, are hereby directed to deliver the same accordingly.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That Colonel Orne and Captain Partridge, with such as the honourable Board may join, be a Committee to wait on his Excellency General Washington, and confer with him at large on the