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Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board, to desire them to send down Captain Obrien' s Muster-Roll, if they have not passed upon it.
Jedediah Foster, Esquire, brought it down accordingly, and it was recommitted to Captain Epes, Captain Hathaway, and Captain Partridge.
Mr˙ Story, agreeable to order, reported. Read and accepted.
Whereas, the honourable the Continental Congress have desired this Court to make application to the several towns in this Colony, to know what quantity of Silver and Gold can be procured in exchange for the Continental Bills, as that sort of money is greatly wanted, to support that part of the Army gone against Quebeck:
Therefore, Resolved, That the persons hereafter named, in each County of this Colony, be a Committee to make inquiry, what money, in Silver and Gold, can be procured in exchange for Continental Bills; and the same Committee are required to obtain subscription, in their several Counties, of all persons that are willing, in this time of danger and distress, to exchange hard money for said Bills, and that each person set down, against his name, the amount of such sum as he is ready to exchange; and that the said Committee make report of their doings therein on the second day of the next sitting of this Court; and that Mr˙ Perry, Colonel Lovell, and Colonel Davis, for the County of Suffolk; Colonel Orne, Major Cross, Mr˙ Hopkins, and Mr˙ Phillips, for the County of Essex; Mr˙
The Committee to whom was committed the Report of a Committee of both Houses, relative to the defence of Dartmouth Harbour, reported. Read, and recommitted; and the Committee were directed to make an estimate, &c.
John Taylor, Esquire, brought down the Report of a Committee of both Houses, appointed to inquire after virgin Lead.
The Committee appointed to appraise a number of Fire-Arms, the properly of this Colony, in the possession of Colonel Parsons, reported, that they have appraised the same at forty-eight Shillings each, amounting, in the whole, to one hundred and eighty-nine Pounds twelve Shillings, and delivered them to General Washington; that they have received the money for the same, and paid it into the hands of the Treasurer of this Colony, and taken his receipt therefor, which they have lodged in the Secretary' s Office.
Whereas, the Honourable Joseph Frye, Esquire, who has been appointed by this Court to the command of the forces stationed at Falmouth, in the County of Cumberland, is appointed Brigadier-General in the Continental Army, and as it may be necessary, in case of his accepting the said trust, to have some other person appointed to the command at Falmouth, before the next sitting of this Court:
Therefore, Resolved, That the Council be, and hereby are empowered to appoint some person to such command at Falmouth, on their being certified, in the recess of the Court, that the said Joseph Frye, Esquire, has accepted the appointment of the office of Brigadier-General, as aforesaid.
A new draft of a Bill, entitled "An Act for the carrying into execution a Resolve of the American Congress for ascertaining the number of Inhabitants in this Colony."
Read a first and second time, and ordered to be read again to-morrow, nine o' clock, A˙ M.
Ordered, That Mr˙ Perry procure a transcript of the Resolve of Congress recommending the several Provincial Assemblies to assist the General in procuring Fire-Arms, printed, one for each of the Committees who are appointed to procure them.
Whereas, sundry persons of this Colony have joined our unnatural enemies, who are, in a hostile manner, endeavouring to enslave the United Colonies, and others have absconded, and removed themselves out of this Colony, with intent either to aid the despotick measures of our enemies, or to escape the trouble and expense of a manly opposition to our wicked adversaries; and divers of both sorts have left estates, either real or personal, much of which has been already wasted, and more is liable to waste; and as some of said persons have, by various arts, obtained the rents of such deserted estates, and such personal estates, also, or the proceeds thereof:
Therefore, Resolved, That the Selectmen and the Committee of Correspondence (if any such) of any town in this Colony, where, in their opinion, there is any such real or personal estate as aforesaid, shall, and they hereby are empowered and directed, until the further order of this Court, according to their best discretion and judgment, to take possession of, and so to order and lease such real estate, as
The House then adjourned to nine o' clock, to-morrow morning.
Committees to Collect Silver and Gold
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Hall, Colonel Barret, and Mr˙ Hobart, for the County of Middlesex; Major Hawley, Major Ely, Colonel Bliss, and Captain Goodman, (A,) for the County of Hampshire; Mr˙ Cushing, Mr˙ Turner, and Major White, for the County of Plymouth; Colonel Otis and Colonel Doan, for the County of Barnstable; Mr˙ Durfee, Colonel Bowers, Colonel Godfrey, and Colonel Carpenter, for the County of Bristol; Captain Parker, Esquire Caldwell, Deacon Rawson, Mr˙ Singletary, Mr˙ Bancroft, and Mr˙ Wheeler, for the County of Worcester; Deacon Curtis, Doctor Whiting, and Mr˙ Dickenson, for the County of Berkshire; Captain Bragdon, Deacon Hovey, and Colonel Sayer, for the County of York; Mr˙ Freeman, Brigadier Thompson, and Mr˙ Fabyan, for the County of Cumberland; Mr˙ Rice, Captain Howard, Major Sewell, and Captain Jones, for the County of Lincoln; Colonel Norton, for the County of Dukes-County; and Mr˙ Stephen Hussey, for the County of Nantucket, be a Committee for the purposes above said; and that Esquire Davis give notice to Mr˙ Hussey of his being appointed for the purpose aforesaid.
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that waste may be prevented, as much as possible, for the future; and, also, to take possession of, and so to order and dispose of such personal estate, as that the same may not be embezzled or wasted; and, also, in such manner as that no pan of such estates, or of the profits arising therefrom, should get into the hands, or any way benefit such persons, who have (or shall have) joined our enemies, or absconded as aforesaid; any former Order or Resolve of the Congress of this Colony, or of our General Court to the contrary notwithstanding. And such Selectmen and Committees of Correspondence (if any such) shall keep fair and full accounts of all their proceedings and doings in the premises, and shall render such accounts to this Court, when thereunto required, and unto whom they shall be accountable; Provided, always, That nothing in the foregoing Resolve shall be construed to extend to such estates as aforesaid, whether real or personal, as are now held and possessed by any person friendly to this Colony, by virtue of any written conveyance, or agreement, bearing date, and actually executed, on or before the 22d day of May, 1775.