Committees on Petitions from Machias and from Falmouth

v3:328

Monday, August 14, 1775.

The Petition from the Inhabitants of Machias, and the Account accompanying it, were read, and committed to Colonel Otis, Colonel Thompson, and Mr˙ Cushing.

The Petition of the Committee of Inspection and Correspondence for the Town of Falmouth, read, and committed to Mr˙ Durfbe, Colonel Cushing, and Colonel Otis.

Resolved, That the Committee of Supplies be directed to assist Captain James Curtis with suitable carriages to convey one ton of Stores from Watertown to Newburyport, and lay their accounts before this House.

The Report of the Committee respecting the abating the Town of Boston, and some other suffering Towns, their Colony Taxes, in whole or in part, read and recommitted.

Ordered, That Captain Foster, Mr˙ Singletary, and Captain Morion, be a Committee to procure the quantity of Shot specified in the Report of the Committee to furnish the Town of Gloucester with Men and Ammunition.

The Letter from the Selectmen of Newburyport, respecting their Town' s stock of Powder, read, and

Ordered, That the Resolve for collecting Powder from several Towns be dispensed with as to Newluryport.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Sullivan, Mr˙ Story, and Captain Goodman, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consult what measures can be taken to cut off the communication of intelligence which is said to go to the enemy by means of the Man-of-War at Portsmouth.

Ordered, That a Message go to the Board, acquainting them that the House considered the Memorial of the Town of Gloucester, and the Letter from General Washington, brought down by Captain White, to belong to the department of the Board to consider of.

Mr˙ Sullivan accordingly went with a Message from the House, to inform the Board that it was the opinion of the

v3:329

The Resolve relative to the killing of Sheep, read, and accepted, and is as follows:

Whereas considerable doubts have arisen amongst the good people in some parts of this Colony, by means of the various constructions of the recommendations of the Continental and Provincial Congresses, respecting the preserving and increasing the stocks of Sheep: For the more effectual obviating of such doubts, this House do now Resolve, That, in their opinion, the owners of Sheep are by those recommendations by no means absolutely restrained from killing such Sheep and Lambs as by the scarcity of hay are rendered necessary to be killed, nor others from purchasing them, but that if such owners of Sheep shall suffer their stock to increase to as great a number as they are able to support, and if they should have a surplusage, that they manifest a readiness to sell the Same at a reasonable rate to others who may be disposed to buy, with a view to keep them in this Colony, they fully comply with the spirit and intentions of those recommendations, especially as the severe drought in most parts of the Colony renders it impracticable for the farmers to keep their whole stock.

In Council, August 14, 1775: Read and concurred.

Major Fuller exhibited an Account from the Selectmen of Newton, for supplying Provisions and Military Stores.

Ordered that he have leave to withdraw it.

Ordered, That the Committee upon Dr˙ Marvin' s Account and Captain Ezra Buell' s Muster-Rolls be directed to report.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Colvill, Captain Morton, and Mr˙ Davis, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve empowering the Receiver-General to pay to Captain Briant Morton a sum of Money sufficient to purchase the Supplies ordered for Captain James Curtis.