thereto, and that it be inserted in the resolve, that the towns shall be respectively paid for what powder is drawn from their several towns stock, or have it replaced, and that each town be notified of the quantity respectively to be taken from its stock.]

[The committee reported a resolve as directed, which was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz.: Resolved, that there be drafted out of the town stocks of powder from each respective town aforesaid, the quantity of powder affixed to the name of the town, for the use of the army in the defence of the colony, and that it be replaced as soon as the state of the colony magazine will admit of it, or otherwise paid for in money, and that the selectmen of each town be forthwith served with an account of the draft made on their town, and that they immediately deliver it to the committee of supplies, or their order.]

[The committee of safety having represented to this Congress, that considerable difficulty exists in the adjustment of Gen. Ward's regiment, in consequence of the pretensions of Col. Joseph Henshaw and Col. Jonathan Ward to the post of lieutenant colonel in said regiment, it was Ordered, that said representation, as also the memorial of Col. Henshaw, setting forth his claims to said post, be referred to a committee. The committee having considered the matter, reported a resolve, which was accepted, and is as follows:]

[Resolved, as the opinion of this Congress, that Col. Ward is best entitled to receive the commission as lieutenant colonel of the regi ment, which right was disputed by Lieut. Col. Henshaw.]

[Ordered, That the Hon. Mr. Dexter be desired to attend his duty on the committee for countersigning the treasurer's notes, immediately.]

[Mr. Dexter transmitted the following letter to the Congress, which was ordered to be read.]

[DEDHAM, May 25, 1775.

HONORED GENTLEMEN :-I was under the necessity to come home last evening. Had I been at Congress to-day, and been as unwell as I am at present, I should have very poorly performed my duty respecting the notes. I found myself so indisposed this morning, that I ventured to conclude to tarry till to-morrow morning at home, and sick or well, will endeavor to be early at Watertown for that purpose. With much regard, I am your very humble servant,

S. DEXTER.]

[The committee appointed to take into consideration the petition of several persons at Roxbury, reported verbally, that it is the opinion

of the committee, that the said petition be sent to Gen. Thomas, and that he be directed to inquire into the causes of the complaint therein contained, and take proper measures for their redress.]

[The report was accepted.]

[The following letter was received from Gen. Thomas, and ordered to be read.]

[ROXBURY CAMP, May 25, 1775. GENTLEMEN :—I have had the honor of being informed by your committee, that the honorable Congress have made choice of me as lieutenant general of the Massachusetts army, and to know whether I would accept that trust. I am sensible of the great importance of the office, and of my inability of discharging that duty, but since you have done me the honor of appointing me to that important office, shall accept of the same, and attend the Congress to-morrow.

I am, gentlemen, with the most profound respect,

Your most obedient humble servant,

To the honorable Provincial Congress.]

JOHN THOMAS.

[The committee to whom was referred an application from the officers of the army, respecting absconding soldiers, reported. The report was read, accepted, and is as follows, viz.: Whereas, application hath been made to this Congress, by some of the officers of the army, that some effectual method may be taken for the speedy return of absconding soldiers, or such as shall tarry beyond the time limited by furlough therefore, Resolved, that it be, and it hereby is recommended, to the committees of correspondence in the several towns and districts in this colony, or to the selectmen, where no such committees are appointed, that they take effectual care that such absconding or delinquent soldiers be immediately sent back to their respective regiments.]

FRIDAY, May 26, 1775.

[The Hon. Joseph Hawley, from the committee to prepare a letter to the Provincial Congress of New York, now sitting in that colony, reported the following, which was accepted, and ordered to be forwarded.]

[WATERTOWN, May 26, 1775.

GENTLEMEN :-Enclosed are copies of a letter from Col. Arnold, and a list of military stores at Ticonderoga. You cannot fail to ob

(1) The letters of Col. Arnold, and the other documents relating to the capture of Ticonderoga, will be inserted in the Appendix.

serve, that Mr. Arnold, for the defence of this colony, is endeavoring that such ordnance as he judges can be spared from' that quarter, should be transported to the army in this colony. This step is taken in consequence of orders given to him by our committee of safety. Perhaps this may appear to you extraordinary, but, we trust, you will candidly overlook such a mistake, if it be one, made in the hurry and confusion of war, and, we most solemnly declare to you, that this Congress, and the inhabitants of this colony, are at the utmost remove from any disposition or design to make any the least infraction upon, or usurpation of, the jurisdiction of any of our sister colonies; and if any of those cannon, &c., taken at the Lake Champlain, should happen, through the exertions of enterprising spirits, to be brought within the allowed limits of this colony, and come to our use, we shall hold ourselves accountable for them to the representatives of the continent, and whenever they shall inform us that they are needed for the general defence, at any other part of the continent, than, in this colony, we shall endeavor, that they be removed thither with the utmost despatch.]

[Gentlemen and brethren could you have seen the horrid devastation and carnage in this colony, committed by ministerial troops, those sons of violence, who have got some footing in this colony, the breach of a most solemn treaty with respect to the inhabitants of Boston, when they had surrendered their arms, and put themselves wholly in the power of a military commander, relying upon his faith then pledged, that they should immediately depart from the town with their effects, as stipulated, which was no sooner done, than they were not only refused liberty to carry out the most valuable part of those effects, but their persons were detained under the most idle pretences, and suffered only to scatter from their prison, a few in a day, hardly to be seen or noticed; we say, gentlemen, could you see and realize these scenes of distress, you could not refrain one moment from doing every thing in your power to prevent the like distress from happening to your metropolis, and availing yourselves of every article which our enemies can improve with the least advantage to themselves for effecting the like desolation, horrors and insults, on the inhabitants of your city and colony, or which might enable you to make the most effectual defence.]

[Have you not, gentlemen, divers of those articles, as it were, under your hand? If you should delay securing them until they should be out of your power, and, within a few days, you should behold those very materials improved in murdering you, and yourselves perishing for the want of them, will not the chagrin and regret be intolerable?

Brethren, pardon our importunity. It is our own case. We behold Castle William, and realize the ample warlike provisions and apparatus therein, held by our enemies, to our infinite and inexpressible mortification. We wish to Heaven that you may be timely admonished by the consequences of our delay.

We are, &c.]

[The committee to whom was referred the letter of the Hon. James Russell, reported the following resolve, which was accepted.]

[Resolved, That the Hon. James Russell, Esq. be, and he hereby is directed, immediately to call in all the public moneys committed to his care as impost officer, and pay the same to Henry Gardner, Esq., receiver general of this province.]

[It having been represented to this Congress, that it would be agreeable to the inhabitants of the colony of New Hampshire, that the post rider on the road from Cambridge to Haverhill, should extend his route to the town of Exeter, to meet the post rider from Portsmouth to that place, and a post office having been appointed at Exeter, by the inhabitants of New Hampshire :]

[Resolved, That the route of the post rider from Cambridge be extended to said Exeter, so long as it shall be found to be expedient, or until the Massachusetts or New Hampshire Congress, or future house of representatives, shall otherwise order.]

[Whereas, it appears to this Congress, that although divers able bodied and effective men, who have enlisted into the Massachusetts army, are either not furnished with arms and accoutrements, or with such only as are insufficient for use, yet, that it will be for the public service that such men be accepted:]

[Therefore, Resolved, That the resolve of this Congress, passed on the 6th instant, be so far reconsidered, that the muster masters be, and they hereby are directed, to accept of all such able bodied and effective men, and muster them accordingly, any thing contained in the aforementioned resolve to the contrary notwithstanding; and that the several muster masters be, and hereby are directed, to make a return to this or some future congress, or house of representatives, of the names of such soldiers as shall be found deficient in arms and accoutrements, and also of the names of the towns to which they respectively belong.]

[Upon a representation of the committee of safety, that Mr. Jonathan Brewer, of Waltham, has, contrary to the orders of said committee, undertaken to enlist a company of rangers, has made use of artifices

and impositions to obtain said enlistments, and that he has also seized and retained possession of horses and certain real estate, the private property of various individuals, and converted the same to his own use, whereby he has disqualified himself for the command of a regi ment, it was Ordered, that the matter be referred to Doct. Perkins, Mr. Kollock and Mr. Bent.]

[The committee appointed to consider of the charges alleged against Mr. Jonathan Brewer, by the honorable committee of safety, having attended that service, beg leave to report the defence of said Brewer, viz. that he, the said Brewer, absolutely denies the charge. of seducing men, belonging to other corps, to enlist in his regiment, or any of the companies thereof. As to the taking the horses of Cols. Jones and Taylor, he acknowledges his thus doing, and thinks himself justified therein, by furthering the service of the province in which he was engaged, that he had used them some time past in that way, and on Saturday last past had returned Jones's horse.]

[He also owns the leasing part of said Jones's estate, and taking security; which security, he says, was in the keeping of one Capt. Butler; that he had proceeded in the affair merely from a principle of saving the improvement of one Mr. Jennison, (whose lands were contiguous to those of said Jones,) and which were exposed by a neglect of said Jones in keeping up sufficient fences. Said Jennison, (as Brewer says,) supposing, if he would thus dispose of the above leased land to him, he could fence and improve it without molestation. And that the committee can proceed no further, unless they are enabled, by hearing the full of the evidence supposed to support the complaint. Per order: RICHARD PERKINS, Chairman.]

SATURDAY, May 27, 1775.

[Resolved, That the committee of safety be directed to write to Col. Arnold, and inform him that it is his duty to conform himself to such advices and orders as he shall receive from this Congress.]

[Doct. Richard Perkins, from the committee appointed to examine into the complaint against lieutenant colonel Brown, setting forth that said Col. Brown has, at various times and places, used language disrespectful to the Congress, and tending to lessen and bring into contempt the power and authority of the Congress of this province, made the following report, which was accepted, viz. :]

[That after a full hearing of the allegations and proofs, for and against said Brown, on the complaint of some unknown person, through the selectmen of Waltham, to this honorable Congress, we