last, and were countenancing, aiding, and assisting them in the robberies and murders then committed; whose offences are of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration than that of condign punishment provided, they take the benefit hereof, by making a surrender of themselves to any general officer belonging to the Massachusetts army, and subscribe a declaration of their readiness to comply with, support, and abide by, all the resolutions and determinations which are already made by this or any former Congress, or that shall hereafter be made by this or any future Congress, or house of representatives of this colony, within thirty days from the date hereof. And it is earnestly enjoined upon the selectmen, committees of correspondence, committees of safety, and all other officers, of every town in this colony, that they use their utmost diligence to discover and make known to this Congress, any person or persons, who shall, in any respect, attempt to do any thing tending to render ineffectual their designs and doings; and we trust, that the God of armies, on whom we rely for a blessing upon our arms, which we have taken up in support of the great and fundamental principles of natural justice and the common and indefeasible rights of mankind, will guide and direct us in our designs; and at last, in infinite goodness to this his injured people, restore peace and freedom to the American world.] Voted, That Tuesday next, ten o'clock before noon, be assigned for the further consideration thereof. Ordered, That Mr. Lothrop, Col. Grout and Mr. Crane, be a committee to fill commissions for the field officers of the regiment of artillery, as recommended by the committee of safety. Resolved, That a commission be made out for Mr. Heath, as colonel of a regiment of the Massachusetts army. Resolved, That Deacon Plympton be appointed to countersign the small notes, instead of Col. Richmond. The committee appointed to consider the application of president Langdon, reported; which report was accepted, and is as follows, viz. : Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to as many of the overseers of Harvard College as can be called together, under the present circumstances of the college and the country, to meet and join with the corporation of said college, in conferring academical degrees at the approaching season of the annual commencement, on such candidates as may offer themselves and be judged qualified for the same; and to transact any other important matters relative to that society, in the same manner, and to all intents and purposes, as the whole body of the overseers might do, if present. Voted, That the receiver general, Henry Gardner, Esq., as also Deacon Plympton, have leave of absence from to-morrow afternoon until Monday morning. Adjourned till eight o'clock to-morrow morning. SATURDAY, June 17, 1775. The committee on account of Mrs. Coolidge, reported: the report was ordered to lie on the table, till the president came into Congress. The Congress granted leave of absence to Mr. J. Orne, being bound on a journey to Philadelphia. The committee appointed to take into consideration the property of some persons, who have left their habitations in sundry towns in this colony, and also have discovered themselves to be enemies to the rights of this colony and the continent, &c., reported. Ordered, That Mr. Edwards, Col. Thompson and Col. Glover, be a committee to consider upon the expediency and means of procuring fire arms and powder from Philadelphia, and elsewhere; which committee reported the report was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz.: The committee appointed to consider upon the expediency and means of procuring fire arms and powder from Philadelphia and elsewhere, and to report in the form of a resolve, report accordingly : Resolved, That the committee of supplies be directed to employ Mr. Joshua Orne, a member of this Congress, for this end, and that they, by letter, desire that the honorable Continental Congress would be pleased to grant to Mr. Orne their aid in the premises. The committee appointed to take into consideration the resolve of the committee of safety, respecting the augmentation of the army, and supplying the army with arms, &c., reported in part; the report was considered and accepted, and is as follows, viz.: Whereas, the hostile incursions this country is exposed to, and the frequent alarms we may expect from the military operations of our enemies, make it necessary that the good people of this colony be on their guard, and prepared at all times to resist their attacks, and to aid and assist their brethren: therefore, Resolved, that it be, and hereby is recommended to the militia, in all parts of this colony, to hold themselves in readiness to march at a minute's warning, to the relief of any place that may be attacked, or to the support of our army, with at least twenty cartridges, or rounds of powder and ball; and, to prevent all confusion or delay, it is further recommended to the inhabitants of this colony living on the sea coasts, or within twenty miles of them, that they carry their arms and ammunition with them to meeting on the sabbath, and other days when they meet for public worship. Resolved, That all vacancies occasioned by the officers going into the army, or otherwise, in the several regiments of militia, be immediately filled up and it is recommended to the regiments, where such vacancies are, to supply them, in manner and form as prescribed by the resolutions of Congress. Ordered, That the resolve before mentioned, brought in by said committee last mentioned, be immediately printed in handbills, and that the number be three hundred. Voted, That Capt. Goodman, Mr. Brown, and Major Bliss, be and hereby are appointed a committee, to get said three hundred handbills printed, and distribute the same to the several towns and districts in this colony. Resolved, That Doct. Moses Gunn, be and hereby is appointed to countersign the large notes, instead of the Hon. Joseph Warren, Esq. Col. Jonathan Brewer's list of officers in his regiment, was presented: Ordered, that a commission be delivered to each of the said officers, except to Joseph Stebbins, who has but 21 men in his company. Col. David Brewer's list of officers in his regiment, was presented : Ordered, that a commission be delivered to each of said officers. Resolved, That Capt. Holmes, Major Brooks, and Capt. Smith, be a committee to confer with the printers, Edes, Hall, and Thomas, and know of them respectively, upon what terms they will print handbills, and also such pieces as may be desired by this Congress to be put in the weekly papers, and make report to this Congress in writing, with all convenient speed. The petition of sundry persons from Egamagon Reach was read, and committed to the committee on the state of the sea coasts, [who reported as follows:] On the petition of a number of the inhabitants of Egamagon Reach, No. 4., so called, praying for a small supply of provisions : Resolved, That it be recommended by this Congress to the committee of safety of the town of Salem, or to the like committee or committees of correspondence of any other towns within this province, to supply Messrs. Robert Byard and Alexander Greenlaw, of said Egamagon Reach, No. 4., for the present relief of the said inhabitants, with the following articles, viz.: forty bushels of Indian corn, and five barrels of pork; and take in return for the same, cord wood, or such other payment as the said Robert Byard, and Alexander Greenlaw, may be able to make; and in case they, the said Bayard and Greenlaw, should not make satisfaction for the same, in a reasonable time, it shall be allowed and paid out of the public treasury of this province, and the said Byard and Greenlaw shall refund the same as soon as may be. Several of the committee who were appointed to consider the state and circumstances of the sea-coasts, viz.: Hon. Mr. Sever, Hon. Mr. Spooner, Col. Cutt, and Capt. Maynard, being absent, Ordered, that Major Hall, Mr. Aiken, Capt. Morton, and Capt. King, be appointed in their stead. Resolved, That the vote for choosing brigadier generals from the colonels who have been commissioned by this Congress, be so far reconsidered, as that Col. Heath, though he has not yet received his commission, may be eligible to that office. The committee appointed to consider the resolutions of the cominittee of safety, reported the following resolve and schedule, which were accepted. Whereas, some of the inhabitants of the new plantations in this colony, not incorporated, and some of the inhabitants of the neighboring colonies, together with a number of the late inhabitants of the town of Boston, have enlisted into the army now raising in this colony, to whom the resolve of Congress, dated May 9, 1775, empowering the selectmen to supply the inhabitants of their respective towns with arms, &c., did not extend; and, by that means, many of such men are not provided with sufficient arms: therefore, Resolved, that the inhabitants of the several towns and districts in the counties specified in a list hereunto annexed, who may have good and sufficient firelocks, be and hereby are most earnestly advised, as soon as possible, to provide and deliver to such person or persons as are to be now appointed by this Congress to receive the same, the full number of good, effective firelocks, specified in the said list for each town and district to supply, for which firelocks every owner thereof shall receive such sum, in the bills of credit of this colony, as the person or persons now to be appointed by this Congress to receive such firelock, and the owner thereof, shall agree to be the value of the same, within forty days after the delivery of such firelock. For all which firelocks delivered as aforesaid, the person to be appointed by this Congress to receive the same, shall give his receipt therefor in the form following: of the said colony is directed, in forty days after the date hereof, to pay to the said A. B. or order, in bills of credit of this colony. And the said receiver general, upon such receipt being produced to him, is empowered and required to pay, out of the treasury of this colony, the sum specified in such receipt, in the bills of credit aforesaid, to the person named therein, or his order; and, furthermore, the selectmen and committees of correspondence of the several towns and districts aforesaid, are hereby most earnestly requested to afford all possible aid and assistance to the persons to be appointed by this Congress, to procure the said firelocks; that so the said arms may be supplied to our army with the greatest expedition. And the persons to be appointed to procure said firelocks, are hereby severally empowered and directed to employ such wagoners and teamsters as shall be necessary, with great despatch, to convey the same to the army, and to order the receiver general of this colony to pay, out of the treasury of the same, in bills of credit as aforesaid, such sums as they shall agree on and draw for; and the said receiver general is hereby authorized and directed to pay the orders so drawn. Worcester County.-Worcester, 30; Lancaster, 32; Mendon, 24; 514 334 |