subject of the removal of any or all of the Continental Forces now in this Colony.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Thomas Cushing, Esq., is joined.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That . . . . . . . . . be a Committee, with such as the honourable Board may join, to consider what is proper to be done with respect to appointing some person to preach a Sermon on the ensuing general election.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and John Winthrop, Esq., is joined.

Ordered, That the Committee on the Muster-Roils of the Army make up the Roll of Captain James Keith, in Colonel Sargent’s Regiment, to the 15th of August last.

Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Richard Devens, Esq., and others, a Committee of this Court to procure Fire-Wood for the Continental Army, the further sum of one thousand Pounds, to enable them to pay for said Fire-Wood, as they have already or may hereafter agree for, to supply the Army aforesaid, they to be accountable to this Court for the same.

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

Thursday, March 21, 1776.

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

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That . . . . . . . . . be a Committee, with such as the honourable Board may join, to prepare an Address to his Excellency General Washington, before he shall set out for the Southern Colonies.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and William Sever, Esq., is joined.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Deacon Stickney, for the use of John Nichols, the sum of eight Pounds, in full of his losses at the battle of Lexington.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Major Hawley, Mr. Cushing, and Mr. Story, together with such as the honourable Board may join, be a Committee to take into immediate consideration the best measures proper to prevent the spreading of the Small-Pox.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and Walter Spooner and Samuel Holten, Esquires, are joined.

The Committee of both Houses, to whom was referred the Petition of Rufus Putnam, showing that Captain Peter Ingersoll, in Colonel David Brewer’s Regiment, with the assistance of the said Peter Ingersoll and Ensign Thomas Burnham, had made up a Muster-Roll of his Company, and presented it to the Committee of Muster-Rolls to be examined and to have a warrant for payment; and as there is no roll or warrant found with the Colony Treasurer to pay the soldiers, by which they are kept out of their just dues, having attended that service, beg leave to report: That they found there was a Muster-Roll presented to the Committee of Rolls, and by their minutes, and by a duplicate in the Secretary’s Office, that a Muster-Roll of Captain Peter Ingersoll was passed in Council, and a warrant to the Treasurer was ordered for payment of the same, on the 9th of February last; also inquired of the Treasurer if there was any such roll lodged with him, but found none; and the Treasurer informed the Committee that he hath not seen such roll; wherefore your Committee are of opinion that the said Peter Ingersoll and Ensign Thomas Burnham be directed forthwith to attend this Court for examination touching the matter.

ELDAD TAYLOR, per order.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and accepted.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

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

Friday, March 22, 1776.

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

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the Town of Boston be directed to use the utmost vigilance and industry to find out every person in that town who is actually infected with the small-pox, and cause them to be collected in some several house or houses, in the most westerly part of the town, and with the greatest diligence and care effectually to cleanse all infected places other than those to which the infected persons shall be removed; and that in case it should so happen that the said distemper should break out anew, that the infected person or persons be removed immediately to the place assigned for those who are now infected; and that the said Selectmen be also directed, from time to time, very particularly to advertise the publick of the state of the small-pox during its continuance there; and that Mr. Pitts, a member of this Court, and one of the Selectmen of Boston, be directed to take a copy of this Resolve, attested by the Secretary, and communicate the same to his brethren, the said Selectmen, as soon as may be.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to confer with his Excellency General Washington at large on the subject of the removal of any or all of the Continental Troops now in this Colony, beg leave to report:

That your Committee waited upon General Washington; and upon conferring with him on the subject above-mentioned, they were informed by his Excellency that, as the British Troops were about leaving the harbour of Boston, he had thought it necessary to order five regiments to the southward, and that as soon as the British Army and Navy were sailed, and had absolutely taken their departure, he should order away the rest of the Continental Troops, excepting three or four regiments, which, together with the Militia inlisted to tarry till the beginning of April, he should leave to take care of the lines, the military stores, and to assist in fortifying the Harbour and Town of Boston; that he had already ordered some works to be thrown up on Fort-Hill, and he supposed the Government would take some effectual measures to fortify Castle-Island, and such other places as would be necessary to secure the town and harbour.

Your Committee mentioned to the General that the several towns through this Government had delivered out their stocks of powder in order to supply the Continental Army, and desired to know whether his Excellency was now able to refund the Colony the quantity of powder they advanced for the Continent. The General answered, that he did not know what quantity the Army had been supplied with, and should be glad the Court would furnish him with an account of the same, in order that he might resolve them upon this head.

Your Committee further inquired of the General, whether he should be willing to spare to this Colony a regiment or two, that consisted of seamen, provided the Colony would supply him with an equal number of other men in their room. He replied he should be ready to make the exchange as soon as the men were produced.

THOMAS CUSHING, per order.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and committed to the Committee of both Houses appointed to take into consideration a Letter from His Excellency General Washington.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That the Letter from General Washington, of this day, be committed to . . . . . . . . , with such as the honourable Board may join, to consider the same and report.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and William Sever, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, and Benjamin Lincoln, Esquires, are joined.

Whereas some of the Soldiers who have been engaged in the service of this Colony the year past are deceased, and the Estates left by the said deceased are not sufficient to influence any person to administer thereon:

Therefore Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and he hereby is, directed and empowered to pay unto the Heirs next akin to the above-mentioned Soldiers, the respective sums that may be due to them on the Muster-Roils, on the said Heirs producing a certificate from the Selectmen of the town where the said deceased Soldiers had their abode, that they are the Heirs next akin to the said deceased, and that there is not estate enough to influence the Heirs to take administration.