Battalion now to be raised in this Colony, on the Continental establishment.

Adjourned to eight o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Friday, June 14, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment.

Voted, To raise £5,000 for the Colony Tax for the current year, to be assessed on the polls and estates within this Colony, and to be collected and paid into the Treasury on or before the 1st day of March next.

Received a Letter from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., enclosing the Resolves and Requisitions of the Continental Congress, about raising the Militia, &c., to send to Canada, and sent the same up to the Board by Mr. Cutts.

Adjourned to three o'clock, afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

Voted, That this House resolve themselves into a Committee of the Whole House to join the Council, or such of their Members as they shall appoint, to converse together concerning the requisition of the Continental Congress for a Battalion to be raised and sent from this Colony to Canada, and other matters concerning raising and equipping the said Battalion.

Which Committee of the Whole House being joined by a Committee of the Whole Board, the Honourable Meshech Weare, Esq., in the chair, and conferring on the premises, came to the following Resolution, viz:

That there be forthwith raised and equipped in this Colony a Regiment of seven hundred and fifty men, including Officers; and that each Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier receive a bounty of £6.

And the question being put, whether the Troops now on duty at or near New-Castle, he, shall have leave to inlist into the said Regiment, or into the Continental Battalion, and a vote being put thereon, it passed in the negative.

Also, Resolved, That the Officers and Soldiers have the same Wages as the Continental Troops have.

Voted, To choose a Committee of sixteen Members of this House to join a Committee of the honourable Board, to confer together and nominate to this House proper persons for Field-Officers, and for Captains of Regiments now to be raised for Canada, and how and in what manner the said Regiment shall be inlisted and equipped, and to make report thereon to this House as soon as may be; and that Major Barker, Colonel Baker, Captain Moulton, Mr. Wheeler, Robert Willson, Esq., James Betton, Esq., Major Philbrick, Mr. Abbott, Major Kettey, Colonel Hale, Mr. Robinson, Colonel Gerrish, Colonel Smith, Major Bellows, Colonel Morey, and Mr. Brainard, be the Committee of this House for that purpose.

Adjourned to eight o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Saturday, June 15, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment.

An Act for establishing the style of Commissions, and altering the style of Writs and Law Processes, &c., read a first time.

An Act to prevent the forging and altering Bills of Publick Credit, &c., read a first time.

The Committee of both Houses appointed to prepare a Draught setting forth the sentiments and opinion of the Council and Assembly of this Colony, relative to the United Colonies setting up an independent State, made Report as on file. Which Report being read and considered,

Voted unanimously, That the Report of said Committee be received and accepted, and that the Draught by them brought in be sent to our Delegates at the Continental Congress forthwith, as the sense of this House.

Voted, To raise and equip forthwith in this Colony a Regiment of seven hundred and fifty men, including Officers, to be sent immediately to Canada, to reinforce our Army there; and that each Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier receive a bounty of £6 on their being mustered and enrolled, and to receive the same Wages as the Continental Troops have, and that the Officers and Soldiers receive one month's advance wages upon their being ready to inarch and to continue in the service until the first day of December next, unless sooner discharged by the Continental Congress.

And that Isaac Wyman, Esq., be Colonel of the said Regiment, and Joseph Senter, Esq., be Lieutenant-Colonel, and Edward Sherburne, Esq., be Major of said Regiment; that John Drew, of Barrington, Henry Elkins, of Hampton, William Harper, of Brintwood, Daniel Reynolds, of Londonderry, James Shepard, of Canterbury, Augustus Blanchard, of Merrimack, Samuel Wetherbee, of Charlestown, and Joseph Parker, of New-Ipswich, be Captains in the said Regiment.

Voted, That the Account of Daniel Fowle, Esq., amounting to £5 14s., be allowed and paid out of the Treasury, and that the President give order of payment.

The Draught made by the Committee of both Houses, relating to Independency, and voted as the sense of this House as in the preceding page, is as follows, viz:

Whereas it now appears an undoubted fact, that notwithstanding all the dutiful Petitions and decent Remonstrances from the American Colonies, and the utmost exertions of their best friends in England on their behalf, the British Ministry, arbitrary and vindictive, are yet determined to reduce, by fire and sword, our bleeding country to their absolute obedience; and for this purpose, in addition to their own forces, have engaged great numbers of foreign mercenaries, who may now be on their passage here, accompanied by a formidable Fleet, to ravage and plunder the seacoast; from all which we may expect the most dismal scenes of distress the ensuing year, unless we exert ourselves by every means and precaution possible: And whereas we, of this Colony of New-Hampshire, have the example of the most respectable of our sister Colonies before us for entering upon that most important step of a disunion from Great Britain, and declaring ourselves free and independent of the Crown thereof, being impelled thereto by the most violent and injurious treatment, and it appearing most necessary in this most critical juncture of our publick affairs, that the honourable the Continental Congress, who have this most important object under their immediate consideration, should be also informed of our Resolution thereon without loss of time: We do hereby declare, that it is the opinion of our Assembly that our Delegates at the Continental Congress should be instructed, and they are hereby instructed, to join with the other Colonies in declaring the Thirteen United Colonies a free and independent State, solemnly pledging our faith and honour that we will, on our parts, support the measure with our lives and fortunes; and that in consequence thereof, they, the Continental Congress, on whose wisdom, fidelity, and integrity, we rely, may enter into and form such alliances as they may judge most conducive to the present safety and future advantage of these American Colonies, provided the regulation of our internal police be under the direction of our own Assembly.

Entered according to the original.

Attest:

NOAH EMERY, Clerk.

Voted, That Deacon Nahum Baldwin, Captain Prentice, Matthew Patten, Esq., Colonel Hale, and Mr. Grout, be a Committee of this House to join a Committee of the honourable Board, to give out Inlisting Orders to the several Officers of the Regiment now to be raised for Canada; and to commissionate the Officers, and make all necessary preparations for, and equip the said Regiment as soon as possible.

Adjourned to Monday next, at ten o'clock, forenoon.

Monday, June 17, 1776.

Met according to adjournment: and there being but a thin House, adjourned to three o'clock, afternoon.

Then met according to adjournment.

An Act concerning Taxes, and for ascertaining who are Legal Voters in Town and Parish Meetings; read a first time.

An Act preventing the Altering, Forging, &c., of the Bills of Credit, &c.; read a second time.

Voted, To choose a Committee of this House to confer with a Committee from the honourable Board, on the expediency of furnishing the Town of Chesterfield with Powder to defend themselves against the attempts and assaults of all persons who appear by their conduct inimical to this country, and to make report to this House as soon as may be; and that Captain Prentice, Major Bellows, and Dr. Dearborn, be the Committee of this House for that purpose.

Adjourned to eight o'clock, to-morrow morning.