Committee to Repair to Falmouth

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Ordered, That the Secretary immediately give notice to the gentlemen elected Field and Staff-Officers of the several Regiments, to be raised in this Colony, to join the Army before Boston until the 1st of April next, of their appointment to said offices, respectively.

A Letter from William West, of Middleton, on Rhode-Island, relative to the apprehending Doctor Gelslon, and other papers accompanying.

Read, and committed to the Committee of both Houses appointed to examine Doctor Gelston; and the said Committee are directed to examine Mr˙ Brown, who was taken

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Jedediah Foster, Esq˙, brought down a Petition of Captain Jeremiah Obrien, representing that the Vessels in which he has been cruising since the 21st of August last, in the service of the Colony, now lie at Newbury, completely equipped for sea, with about fifty men on board them, &c˙, and praying the Court to determine whether they shall be discharged or not. Read, and committed to Colonel Orne, Major Cross, and Mr˙ Caldwell.

On a motion. Resolved, That Tuesday next, ten o' clock, A˙ M˙, be assigned for the consideration of the Report of a Committee relative to the Poor of Boston and Charlestown.

Ordered That a message go to the honourable Board, to know if they passed upon the Vote of this House relative to Doctor Gelton.

Moses Gill Esq˙, came down to desire the House to send back the list of Brigadiers.

James Prescott, Esq˙, came down and informed the House, that the Papers relative to Doctor Gelston were in the hands of the Committee of both Houses, who have not yet reported.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board, to desire that they would direct the Committee to examine Doctor Gelston to sit forthwith.

On a motion, Ordered, That Colonel Orne, Mr˙ Cooper, and Colonel Freeman, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for explaining that part of the Militia Bill which excludes all persons belonging to, or being a part of, the established Forces of the United Colonies of this Colony, from being elected to, or holding any office in the Militia of this Colony.

The House made choice of Field-Officers for the Third and Fourth Regiments of Militia in the County of Bristol, for those of the Third Regiment in the County of Middlesex, and for those of the Second and Third Regiments in the County of York.

Afternoon.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, made choice of Colonel Daniel Thurston, Mr˙ Jewett, of Littleton, and Captain Walker, to repair to Falmouth, in the County of Cumberland, in the next recess of this Court, and inquire into the state and circumstances of that town, and such other towns as they may think proper, and report to the House at the next sitting of the Court. The same was sent up accordingly.

The Members from each County were directed to complete the list of Officers for the Regiments in their respective Counties.

Whereas, the non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers who inlisted into this Colony' s service in the late campaign became entitled to the bounty of a Coat, or money for the same; and sundry of said non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers are since deceased, and left no estate worth administering upon; therefore, to enable the heirs of those deceased to receive the bounty aforesaid, without taking administration on the estate of such deceased,

Resolved, That where there is no Administrator qualified to receive the Bounty aforesaid, upon the Selectmen of such Town where such non-Commissioned Officer or Soldier belonged, or had his last residence, certifying to the Committee of Clothing that there is no administration appointed on the estate of any such deceased; and, also, the said Selectmen, or some of the commissioned officers of the Company to which such deceased belonged, signifying to what Company and Regiment he, or they, belonged; and that the bounty aforesaid hath not been received, the said Committee of Clothing be, and they hereby are directed to pay unto the Selectmen (or their order) of each town, respectively, where such deceased non-Commissioned Officer or Soldier belonged, or had his last residence, the sum of twenty-five Shillings, for the use and benefit of the heirs of such deceased; but, in case such deceased non-commissioned Officer or Soldier hath left no heir, that then the said bounty be retained for the use of this Colony.

The Committee on Clothing were directed to get the above Resolve printed in the Watertown, Newspapers.

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The Committee on the Petition of the Selectmen of Stoughton, reported. Read, and recommitted, and the Committee are directed to ascertain facts.

James Prescott, Esq˙, brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to take into consideration a Memorial of the Selectmen of Sherburne, in the Island of Nantucket, viz:

That a representation of the present state of that Island, and of the conduct of the inhabitants, be made to the American Congress, and that the inhabitants be supplied with necessaries for their subsistence, in the manner directed by a Resolve of the Congress, until their determination on such representation may be had. All which is humbly submitted. J˙ WINTHROP, per order.

In Council, February 2, 1776: Read, and accepted, and thereupon Ordered, That a representation, to the purpose mentioned in the foregoing Report, be made to the American Congress accordingly. And that John Winthrop, Esq˙, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to make said representation.

Read, and concurred, and Mr˙ Brown, of Boston, and Mr˙ Cushing, of Scituate, are joined.

On a motion, Ordered, That Colonel Bowers, Major Cross, and Colonel Orne, be a Committee to make an estimate of the expense of fitting out ten Armed Sloops, to carry sixteen carriage guns, each.

The House then adjourned till ten o' clock, to-morrow morning.