Committees of Inspection

v4:1284

Wednesday, January 31, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Caleb Cushing, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Charles Chauncy, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Mr˙ Mills came up with a message from the House, desiring that the honourable Board would send down the division and arrangements of the several Regiments.

Mr˙ Story came up with a message from the House, desiring the honourable Board to take upon themselves the trouble to arrange the Regiments of the County of Hampshire, there being but one or two Members from that County now in the House.

In Council: Whereas, the General Court have received such information as that there is reason to apprehend a confederacy is forming by some evil-minded persons in this and other Colonies, which may injure the credit of the Continental Bills, and the Bills of this and the other Colonies,

Therefore, Resolved, That it be recommended to the Committees of Inspection and Correspondence in all the towns in this Colony, to make strict inquiry in their several towns, and if they shall find any person within the same endeavouring, in any way whatever, to prevent the credit of the Continental Bills, or the Bills of this, or any other of the United Colonies of America, or to alter or counterfeit the same, that they cause such person to be arrested and secured, and give information thereof to this Court, in order that such person may be proceeded with according to the just demerits of such high crimes and misdemeanours, and that this Resolve be published in all the Newspapers in this Colony.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That it be an instruction to the Committee appointed to bring in a Bill to prevent the bodies of Soldiers to be arrested for debt, or their estates attached in certain cases: In the same Bill to make provision to prevent desertion in the Army, and any person from harbouring deserters.

In Council: Read, and concurred.