Petition of William Brown, and others

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Petition of William Brown, and others, setting forth, that your petitioners did, early after the engagement at Concord, enter into the service of the Army from no other motive but that of being instrumental of serving the glorious cause of liberty, expecting only such a reward as their services merited, calculated only for the time of their employment. The certificate given by the late Commissary, Mr˙ Pigeon, on each of their accounts, which accounts your petitioners now present with this Petition, will fully testify that no service was thought too hard, no time tedious, when the cause of the country required extraordinary services. Your petitioners beg leave, also, to observe, that it has been their constant endeavour to serve the interest of the Colony. The provisions allowed to the Army, while in the pay of the Colony, were so ample, that oftentimes the men, with little persuasion, were prevailed upon to take less than the quantity stipulated; and your petitioners, knowing the Colony would be served and the men not injured, repeatedly (with their consent) served out to them their allowance with a little deduction, which deduction, though small from each individual, amounted, in the whole, to very large quantities, saved entirely for the benefit of the Colony. For the truth of the above representation your petitioners would only refer you to the Commissary' s books, where the amount of provisions received in and delivered out is recorded, and to the attestation of a number of the gentlemen Quartermasters, which accompanies this Petition. For these services your petitioners have charged the Colony four shillings per diem, which, they trust, will be found reasonable, and granted them, when all circumstances are duly weighed and considered by the honourable Court.

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"Your petitioners would not have troubled your Honours with their small concernments, had not your Committee informed them that they were not at liberty to allow more than two shillings and four pence per diem, which sum your petitioners think so inadequate to their exertions for the publick good, that they choose rather to rely on the generosity of your Honours, not doubting of receiving an ample reward."

The Committee, upon the Petition of William Brown and others, Clerks and Assistants to Mr˙ Pigeon, late Commissary-General, praying for an allowance for services, &c˙, having heard the petitioners and evidences they had to produce in support of their Petition, beg leave to report as their opinion: that the petitioners have acted, whilst in the said service, with integrity and honesty, and have shown a proper regard to the publick interest, and have been instrumental of considerable savings to the Colony, as represented in their Petition, and are of opinion that they be allowed the sum of three shillings and two pence each, per day, for their services.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and accepted.

In Council: Read, and concurred.