debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, as aforesaid, for the use of die Govrernour and Company of this Colony, to be collected and paid to the Treasurer in manner as already provided in this act; and that all recovery or recoveries against such debtor, bailiff, tenant, or receiver, by virtue of this act, and all payments or delivery of goods, chattels, or effects, by such debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, on the requisition aforesaid, shall as effectually discharge such debtor, tenant, bailiff, factor, or trustee, for such sum recovered as aforesaid, to all intents and purposes as though the same had been made or done to the original creditor himself antecedent to incurring the forfeiture aforesaid; and that all contracts made by such debtor, tenant, agent, factor, or trustee, with any such inimical person or persons, shall be construed according to the true intent and meaning of the parties at the time of making the same; and that whenever any warrants shall be issued pursuant to this act, to seize the estate and effects of such inimical person or persons, the officer to whom the warrant shall be directed is hereby ordered to leave a true and attested copy thereof with every person or persons in sueh respective town as shall be debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, to such inimical person or persons, or has his or their estate or effects in his hands, at least twelve days before the sitting of the court to which the said warrant shall be made returnable; which service shall effectually secure such debt, goods, chattels, or effects, in the hands of such debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, till the same shall be properly inquired into and determined, that so the avails may be applied to the purposes required by this act.

Provided always, and be it further enacted, That in case any such debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, aforesaid, shall freely and voluntarily pay such debt, or sum or sums in his or their hands, to the Selectmen of the town in which he or they dwell, the said Selectmen may receive the same without instituting such suit as aforesaid, and give them receipt or discharge of such debt or demand, which shall be good and effectual in law, to secure such debtor, agent, factor, or trustee, against the original creditor or principal of such sum or sums received as aforesaid; and such Selectmen shall pay such sum or sums so received to the Colony Treasurer, and take his receipt for the same, and lodge it with the Secretary as aforesaid.

And it is further enacted and provided, That such Selectmen shall have and receive a reasonable reward for their service and expenses in and about the premises, which shall be taxed and allowed by the County Court of that County in which such Selectmen reside; and an order or orders shall be drawn by the Clerk of such Court upon the Colony Treasurer for the payment of the same accordingly.

Resolved by this Assembly, That an Embargo be forthwith laid upon the exportation out of this Colony, by water, of the following articles of Provision, viz: Wheat, Rye, Indian Corn, Pork, Beef, Live Cattle, Peas and Beans, Butter, Cheese, Bread, Flour, and every kind of Meal; and that no Pork be exported out of this Colony by land or water, except necessary stores for vessels bound to sea; and that his Honour the Governour be and he is hereby desired to issue a Proclamation laying such Embargo, and prohibiting the exportation of such Provisions accordingly, such Embargo to be in force until the rising of this Assembly in October next: Provided, nevertheless, That his Honour the Governour be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to grant Permits for the exportation out of this Colony of Live Cattle and Provisions in such cases and to such Ports and places as he shall judge necessary and expedient for the publick service: Provided, also, That his Honour the Governour, by and with the advice of the Council, may discontinue the Embargo, in whole or in part, at any time when they shall judge expedient.

Whereas the King and Parliament of Great Britain, by many Acts of said Parliament, have claimed and attempted to exercise powers incompatible with and subversive of the ancient, just, and constitutional rights of this and the rest of the English Colonies in America, and have refused to listen to their many and frequent, humble, decent, and dutiful Petitions for redress of grievances and restoration of such their rights and liberties; and, turning from them with neglect and contempt to support such claims, after a series of accumulated wrong and injury, have proceeded to invade said Colonies with fleets and armies, to destroy our towns, shed the blood of our countrymen, and involve us in the calamities incident to war; and are endeavouring to reduce us to an abject surrender of our natural and stipulated rights, and subject our property to the most precarious dependance on their arbitrary will and pleasure, and our persons to slavery, and have at length declared us out of the King’s protection; have engaged foreign mercenaries against us, and are evidently and strenously striving to effect our ruin and destruction: these and many other transactions, too well known to need enumeration, the painful experience and effects of which we have suffered and feel, make it evident beyond the possibility of a doubt, that we have nothing to hope from the justice, humanity, or temperate councils of the British King or his Parliament; and that all hopes of a reconciliation, upon just and equal terms, are delusory and vain;—in this state of extreme danger, when no alternative is left us but absolute and indefinite submission to such claims as must terminate in the extreme of misery and wretchedness, or a total separation from the King of Great Britain, and renunciation of all connection with that nation, and a successful resistance to that force which is intended to effect our destruction; appealing to that God who knows the secrets of all hearts for the sincerity of former declarations of our desire to preserve our ancient and constitutional relation to that, and protesting solemnly against their oppression and injustice, which have drawn us from them, and compelled us to use such means as God, in his providence, hath put in our power for our necessary defence and preservation:

Resolved unanimously by this Assembly, That the Delegates of this Colony in General Congress be, and they are hereby, instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the United American Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and to give the assent of this Colony to such Declaration, when they shall judge it expedient and best, and to whatever measures may be thought proper and necessary by the Congress for forming foreign alliances, or any plan of operations for necessary and mutual defence; and, also, that they move and promote, as fast as may be convenient, a regular and permanent plan of Union and Confederation of the Colonies, for the security and preservation of their just rights and liberties, and for mutual defence and security, saving that the administration of Government and the power of forming Governments for, and the regulation of the internal concerns and police of each Colony, ought to be left and remain to the respective Colonial Legislatures, and also that such plan of Confederation be laid before such respective Legislatures for their previous consideration and assent.

An Act to raise two Battalions to join the Continental Army in CANADA.

Whereas this Assembly have received a requisition from the honourable Continental Congress for Troops to reinforce the Continental Army in different departments:

Be it enactedby the Governour, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That two Battalions of the inhabitants of this Colony shall be immediately raised by voluntary inlistment, to join the Continental Army in the Northern Department; each Battalion to consist of one Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel, one Major, and eight Companies, with one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Drummer, one Fifer, and seventy-nine Privates, to each Company, and a Staff, to consist of one Chaplain to said two Battalions, and one Adjutant, one Quartermaster, one Surgeon, and one Surgeon’s Mate, to each Battalion, and to be holden in the Continental service until the 1st day of December next; and each able-bodied effective man who shall voluntarily inlist in the said service, and sufficiently clothe himself therefor, shall receive a premium of six Pounds lawful money, and every such man so inlisted as aforesaid, who shall provide for himself a good blanket, knapsack, gun, bayonet, and cartouch-box, to tbe acceptance of his Captain, shall receive a further premium of one Pound two Shillings therefor, and at the same rate and proportion for so many of the articles aforesaid as he shall furnish himself with as was allowed and granted by this Assembly to the Troops raised for the defence of this Colony in April, 1775, and whilst in service shall be under the same general command, laws, and