Committee of Safety

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The Committee on the State of the Province reported a Resolve relative to appointing a Committee to apply to a suitable number of persons to be in readiness to enter the service of this Colony as Officers, when an Army shall be raised.

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be referred to three o' clock, P. M.

Ordered, That at four o' clock, P. M., the Congress will come to the choice, by ballot, of a person to serve on the Committee of Safety, instead of Doctor Fisher, who was excused.

Adjourned to three o' clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the Report referred, agreeably to the Order of the Day. After some debate thereon, it passed, and is as follows, viz:

In Provincial Congress, Concord, April 14, 1775.

Resolved, That a Committee be now appointed to apply to a suitable number of persons, to be in readiness to enter the service of this Colony to act as Field Officers. Such Field Officers, in conjunction with the Committee, to apply to proper persons as Captains, and they to determine on such Subaltern Officers as may be necessary for each Regiment, when an Army shall be raised; the Committee and Officer, coteris paribus, to give the preference to persons who have been chosen Officers in the Regiments of Minute-men.

Ordered, That the Committee of Safety be the Committee to apply to a suitable number of persons to act as Officers, as recommended in the foregoing Resolve.

Ordered, That the Congress now proceed to the choice of a gentleman to serve on the Committee of Safety, in the place of Mr˙ Fisher.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Cushing, Colonel Palmer, and Mr˙ Bigelow, be a Committee to count and sort the votes. — Reported that Colonel Thomas Gardner was chosen.

Ordered, That the Reverend Mr˙ Murray, Mr˙ Mayhew, and Colonel Pomeroy, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve, recommending a day of Fasting and Prayer.

Ordered, That the Committee on the State of the Province, take the late Newspapers from England into consideration, and report what there is relating to this Province.

Adjourned to ten o' clock to-morrow morning.