to issue his notes for the same; it being the only measure which we could have recourse to for supporting our forces; and we request your assistance, in rendering our measures effectual, by giving our notes currency through the continent.

Ordered, That Col. Davis be desired to wait on the Rev. Mr. Gordon, and desire that he would attend on this Congress, and officiate as their chaplain, during their session in the town of Watertown.

The committee who were appointed to take under consideration the advance pay to the soldiers, reported. The report was recommitted, and Capt. Stone ||of Framingham|| and Doct. Taylor, added to the committee.

[The committee who were appointed to consider what measures are proper to be taken for liberating those persons who were taken prisoners by the troops, under general Gage, on the 19th of April, reported a resolve, which was read and accepted, and Ordered, that any member who desires a copy may have one. The resolve is as follows:]

IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, Watertown, May 3, 1775.

[Whereas, a number of the inhabitants of this colony were taken prisoners by the troops, under the command of general Gage, on the 19th of April last, and are by him so held :]

[Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Congress that an application be sent to general Gage, signed by the wives or nearest relations of such prisoners, and the selectmen of the towns to which they respectively belong, desiring that he would discharge their friends from their said imprisonment; and they are empowered hereby to offer to send in to the general an equal number of his troops, now in the hands of this people, who were taken prisoners on the aforesaid 19th of April, upon his liberating their friends as aforesaid.]

The Congress then adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.

[THURSDAY,] May 4, [1775, A. M.]

Col. Davis, who was appointed to wait upon the Rev. Mr. Gordon, to desire that he would officiate as chaplain to this Congress, reported, that he had waited upon Mr. Gordon, and that Mr. Gordon informed him he would attend accordingly.

The committee who were appointed to take into consideration the advance pay to the soldiers, again reported; which report was read, amended and accepted, and ordered to be authenticated, and sent forthwith to head quarters. It is as follows:

Whereas, the distressed state of this colony, at this alarming crisis, calls for its utmost exertions, that the army now to be raised be forthwith completed: therefore, Resolved, that each non commissioned officer and private soldier, who has, or shall, enlist himself into the service of this colony, shall have twenty shillings paid him out of the receiver general's office, as advance ||pay ;|| and that the commanding officer of each regiment who shall be, and hereby is,|| empowered to act as muster master for his said regiment, shall draw from the receiver general's office the sum of twenty shillings, for each non commissioned officer and private soldier in his said regiment, and pay the same, according to the tenor of this resolve, as soon as said men shall have enlisted themselves, and be duly sworn, and give his bond, with sufficient surety, to the receiver general, therefor; said bond to be discharged by a receipt produced, by said officer, from each non commissioned officer and private soldier, that he has received the same.

On an application made to this Congress, for an order on the committee of supplies, for one barrel of powder, for the use of the inhabitants of Falmouth, in Casco Bay; Ordered, that this matter be referred to the said committee of supplies, they to act thereon as they think best.

The order of the day [was] moved for.

The absent members were ordered to be called in.

On a motion made, that a committee be appointed to bring in a resolve containing a reconsideration of a resolve, passed by this Congress, at Concord, the first of April last, giving it as their opinion, that "if writs should be issued for calling a general assembly, to be held on the last Wednesday of May next, that the several towns in this colony ought to obey such precepts, and to bring in a resolve recommending to the several towns and districts in this colony not to obey such precepts," after a long and serious debate, the question was put, and it passed in the affirmative: for the question, 94: the whole number of the house, 107.

Col. Warren, Mr. Gerry, Col. Gerrish, Doct. Holten and Col. Mandell, were accordingly appointed for this purpose.

Ordered, That Capt. Stone of Framingham, Mr. Bent and Major Fuller, be a committee to examine the returns of the several town and district stocks of powder, and to bring in a resolve recommending to such towns as they think proper, which are not immediately exposed, to furnish the towns of Falmouth and Arundel with one barrel of powder each.

Then adjourned to three o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Resolved, That Gen. Putnam and Col. Porter, who were, with other of the committee of safety, appointed by the said committee of safety, and the council of war, to lay some special matters before this Congress, be admitted into this house, and that Col. Warren, Mr. Devens and Col. Gerrish, be a committee to introduce them accordingly.|| The left hand front pew was assigned them to sit in.

The absent members were directed to attend.

The said committee having accordingly attended this Congress, they informed the Congress, that the gentlemen delegated by the assembly of Connecticut, to execute an embassy to general Gage, had come out of Boston, with letters from him to the assembly of Connecticut, of which they thought it proper to inform this Congress, that they might take order thereon, if they thought fit: whereupon, Ordered, that the president, Col. Warren, Doct. Holten, Col. Gerrish, Col. Palmer, Doct. Baylies, Doct. Taylor, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Gerry and Mr. Mills, together with the committee from the committee of safety, and council of war, be a committee to hold a conference with the said Connecticut delegates, and to attend forthwith.

The committee appointed to enquire into the conduct of the several towns, relative to the prisoners of war, reported: whereupon, Ordered, that Mr. Wyman apply to the committee of safety, desiring that they would take such measures with respect to the colony stores, and two regular officers, with their waiters, now at Woburn, as will remove the necessity of keeping so large a guard as is now placed there to guard the same.

The committee appointed to confer with the Connecticut delegates, reported, that they had conferred with them on the subject of their embassy, and of the letter to their assembly from general Gage, but that they thought it inconsistent with their honor, and the interest of the colonies, to open it; but that they would use their influence, when they returned, to have the contents of it communicated to this colony Moved, That the delegates from Connecticut be desired to attend this Congress after debate the matter was ordered to subside.

Ordered, That the president, Col. Warren, Col. Dwight, Mr. Gerry and Col. Holten, be a committee to return the compliments to the gentlemen from Connecticut, for their patient attendance to the inquiry made of them by this Congress, respecting their embassy to general Gage.

Moved, That the resolve passed yesterday, respecting advance pay for the soldiers, be reconsidered, so far as it respects muster masters,

and that two muster masters be appointed by this Congress. After debate [the matter was] ordered to subside.

Ordered, That the president, Mr. Gerry and Col. Warren, be a committee to prepare a letter to the assembly of Connecticut, respecting their late application to general Gage.

Ordered, That Capt. Stone, Mr. Mills, Capt. McCobb, Doct. Perkins, Col. Grout and Mr. Kollock, be directed to copy the depositions of the late hostile proceedings of general Gage's troops, to be transmitted to Connecticut.

Then adjourned to to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.

[FRIDAY,] May 5, 1775, [A. M.]

Ordered, That Deacon Stickney and Mr. Webster be added to the committee who were appointed to examine the returns, and districts' stock of powder, &c., May 4th, A. M.

Ordered, That Doct. Taylor, Mr. Batchelder and Doct. Holten, be a committee to bring in a resolve relative to an obstruction to the removing the inhabitants of Boston, as expressed in a letter to this Congress from the selectmen of Boston, and other papers: and that said resolve, when passed, together with the resolve which passed this Congress the 2d instant, giving license to those persons in Boston, who incline, to send a servant out for their effects, be authenticated, and transmitted to Gen. Ward.

The committee who were appointed to bring in two resolves respecting general Gage's writs for calling an assembly, reported: both of which were read and accepted, and are as follow, viz. :

Whereas, this Congress did, at their session at Concord, on the first day of April last, resolve, as their opinion, that if writs be issued in form as the law directs, for calling a general assembly, to be held on the last Wednesday of May next, that such writs should be obeyed, &c.; and whereas, many reasons now prevail to convince us that consequences of a dangerous nature would result from the operation of that resolution therefore, Resolved, that the said vote and resolution be reconsidered, and it is hereby reconsidered, and declared null and void.

Whereas, his excellency general Gage, since his arrival into this colony, hath conducted as an instrument in the hands of an arbitrary ministry to enslave this people, and a detachment ||of the troops,|| under his command, have, of late, been ||by him|| ordered to the town of Concord, to destroy the public stores deposited in that place for the use of the colony and, whereas, by this clandestine and perfidious

measure, a number of respectable inhabitants of the colony, without any provocation given by them,|| have been illegally, wantonly and inhumanly slaughtered by the troops: therefore, Resolved, that the said general Gage hath, by these means, and many others, utterly disqualified himself to serve this colony as a governor, and in every other capacity, and that no obedience ought, in future, to be paid by the several towns and districts in this colony, to his writs for calling an assembly, or to his proclamations, or any other of his acts or doings; but that, on the other hand, he ought to be considered and guarded against, as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to this country.

Ordered, That Mr. Gardner, Col. Dwight and Col. Warren, be a committee to bring in a resolve, recommending to the several towns and districts in this colony, to choose delegates for a new Provincial Congress, to be held on the last Wednesday of the present month.

The committee who were appointed to prepare the form of an oath, to be taken by the officers and soldiers of the army now raising in this colony, reported: which report was ordered for the present to subside.

The committee who were this day appointed to bring in a resolve for the purpose of removing an obstruction to the liberating the inhabitants of Boston, reported: which report was ordered to be recommitted, and that Mr. Gill and Mr. Partridge be added to the committee.

The committee who were yesterday appointed to prepare a letter to the assembly of Connecticut, reported a letter, which was read, amended and accepted, and is as follows :

To the Honorable, the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut:

GENTLEMEN -The delegates appointed by your respectable]] assembly, to treat with general Gage on the late unhappy events which have occured in this colony, have favored us with a conference, and communicated the substance of their interview with him. We are greatly alarmed at the unparalleled wickedness of our unnatural enemies, in endeavoring to persuade our sister colony, that the inhabitants of this, first commenced hostilities; a suggestion which, we cannot but think, will appear absurd, when the great inequality of the Lexington company and the detachment of regular troops, which attacked them, is coolly considered.

But to put this matter in the clearest light, we beg leave to enclose you the copies of depositions, taken by order of this Congress, and