the honorable Continental Congress, respecting the method of establishing civil government in this colony, reported: [The report was] read and debated, and Resolved, that the further consideration of said report be put off until Doct. Church, who was at Philadelphia at the time said resolve of the Continental Congress passed, shall be present. The committee appointed to take into consideration a letter from General Ward, respecting supplying the soldiers with blankets, &c., lost in battle, and providing spears &c., reported: The report was recommitted.

Col. Prescott and Mr. Wheeler, were added to the committee chosen to fill up commissions for the officers of the army.

Afternoon.

[The] order of the day [was] moved for.

Ordered, That Col. Prescott, Doct. Hall, and Col. Otis, be a committee to receive, sort, and count, the votes for a President.

The committee having attended that service, reported, that the Hon. James Warren, was chosen.

Resolved, That nine o'clock to-morrow morning, be assigned for the consideration of the report of the committee on the establishing armed vessels.

The committee appointed to inquire of the committee of supplies, what they had done relative to providing blankets and coats, reported, verbally; that they had conformed to the resolve of Congress relative thereto, and looked upon it to be their duty, to pay such orders as the selectmen might draw on them for the blankets they should purchase, but that they had only paid one town as yet.

Resolved, That the same committee report to this Congress, the price proper to be given for blankets throughout the whole colony, and that the committee of supplies be directed to suspend the payments for blankets till some further day, and that the said committee bring in a resolve expressive of the reason thereof.

The committee appointed to consider the expediency of establishing another hospital for the army, reported, that a house belonging to Doct. Spring, of this place, may be had for that purpose, whereupon, Resolved, That said committee be directed to inquire at what rate, per month, Doct. Spring will let the same.

Resolved, That the secretary be directed to subscribe the name of the late president, to all commissions that are to be delivered out to the officers of the army, bearing date the 19th of May.

The report of the committee appointed to consider General Ward's

letter relative to spears, was again read and accepted, and it is as follows, viz.:

The committee appointed to take into consideration a letter from the general, informing that a number of the soldiers in the late action, lost their clothes and blankets, and also proposing that the soldiers in the intrenchments be furnished with lances and spears, have attended that service, and beg leave to report by way of resolve.

[Resolved] That the committee of supplies be, and they are hereby directed, to furnish those destitute soldiers with clothes and blankets, as soon as may be, who shall produce from the colonel of the regiment they belong to, certificates of their having lost such clothes and blankets in the late engagement: and that a committee be chosen, immediately to procure, from such as can most speedily and conveniently supply them, a sufficient number of good spears, not exceeding 1500, either by purchase or hire; and that the same be transmitted to the army at Cambridge as soon as possible; all which is humbly submittted. ELISHA PARKS, per order.

Adjourned to eight o'clock, to-morrow morning.

TUESDAY, June 20, 1775.

The committee appointed to consider the request of Col. Phiney, reported.

The report was ordered to lie on the table till the matter respecting armed vessels is considered.

Ordered, That Major Brooks, Col. Mitchell, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Kollock, Deacon Fairbanks, Mr. Perry, and Major Fuller, be a committee to purchase spears, agreeably to a resolve which passed the Congress yesterday; said committee to proceed on the business forthwith; to consult with and receive directions from the general, respecting the form, &c., of the spears; and to engage payment for the same, in bills of credit of this colony.

The committee on the resolve of the Continental Congress respecting government, reported a letter to the several towns in the colony, which was read and accepted, and ordered to be printed in hand bills with the resolve of the Continental Congress at large and Mr. Whitney, Col. Freeman, Capt. Stone, Doct. Church, and Deacon Cheever, were appointed a committee to ascertain the number to be printed; to get them printed, and to disperse the same to the several towns and districts in this colony: and also to consider in what manner the late inhabitants of the towns of Boston and Charlestown, should choose

members to represent them. The resolve of the Continental Congress and the letter to the towns, fol.ow, viz. :

IN CONGRESS, FRIDAY, June 9, 1775.

Resolved, That no obedience being due to the act of parliament for altering the charter of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, nor to a governor and lieutenant governor, who will not observe the directions of, but endeavor to subvert that charter; the governor and lieutenant governor are to be considered as absent, and their offices vacant. And as there is no council there, and the inconveniences arising from the suspension of the powers of government are intolerable, especially at a time when general Gage hath actually levied war, and is carrying on Lostilities against his majesty's peaceful and loyal subjects of that colony; that in order to conform, as near as may be, to the spirit and substance of the charter, it be recommended to the Provincial Congress, to write letters to the inhabitants of the several places, which are entitled to representation in assembly, requesting them to choose such representatives; and that the assembly, when chosen, should elect counsellors; which assembly and council should exercise the powers of government, until a governor of his majesty's appointment will consent to govern the colony according to its charter.

A true copy from the minutes.

CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.

By order of the Congress.

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

In observance of the foregoing resolve of the Hon. Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia, these are to request you, forthwith, to cause the freeholders and other inhabitants of your town, that have an estate of freehold in land, within this province or territory, of forty shillings per annum, at the least, or other estate to the value of forty pounds sterling, to assemble, at such time and place as you shall appoint, then and there to elect and depute one or more freeholders, resident in the same town, according to the numbers set and limited by an act of the general assembly, entitled an act for ascertaining the number and regulating the house of representatives, to serve for, and represent them in a great and general court or assembly, to be convened, held, and kept, for the service of the said colony, until the end of the day next preceding the last Wednesday of May next, if necessary, and no longer, at the meeting-house in Watertown, upon Wednesday, the 19th day of July next ensuing the date hereof, and to warn

360

THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

[June 19,

the person or persons so elected by the major part of the electors present at such election, to be timely notified, by one or more of the constables of your town, to attend the service of this colony in the said general court or assembly, on the day above prefixed, by nine o'clock, in the forenoon, and so from day to day, during their session and sessions. Hereof we desire you not to fail, and make return of this letter, with the name or names of the person or persons so elected or deputed, and of their being notified, unto the said general assembly, at the time and place abovementioned for its meeting.

Given under my hand, this nineteenth day of June, anno domini, 1775. By order of Congress.

To the selectmen of the town of

President.

Attest,

Secretary.

Resolved, That 3 o'clock, P. M. be assigned for the choice of a major general in the room of the late Doct. Warren, and also for the choice of one brigadier general.

Several letters from Penobscot, viz.; from Mr. John Lane, and others, were read and committed to Capt. Webster, Col. Farley, Capt. Holmes, Doct. Taylor, and Major Perley.1

Doct. Gunn was appointed to report a resolve on the proposal made by the committee of safety, relative to the killed and wounded in the late battle.

A petition from the district of Woolwich 2 was presented and read : and thereupon, Resolved, that the petitioners have leave to withdraw their petition.

Upon a motion made, Resolved, that the house of Mr. Hunt, at Cambridge, be hired for a hospital, and that the committee appointed to treat with Doct. Spring, be a committee to hire the same.

(1) The substance of the communications from Penobscot, is contained in a letter from Gen. Preble.

"FALMOUTH, June 15, 1775.

"HONORED SIR:-Mr. Lane is returned here, with four of the Penobscot tribe; we have furnished them with carriages to convey them to you, and Mr. Lane with money to pay their expenses. Oro no, the chief man, seems to be sensible, and hearty in our cause he reserves what he has chiefly to gay, till he comes to the Congress. We gave them assurances that they might depend upon being provided for, while there, as well as on their return back again, wished them a pleasant journey, and that the event might be happy to them and us. We suppose Mr. Lane will give account of the expense, therefore we have sent none."

"Wishing success to our righteous cause, we are, your honors, most obedient humble servants, the committee of correspondence, JEDEDIAH PREBLE, Chairman."

"Hon. Joseph Warren, President."

(2) This petition was for a supply of powder.

Ordered, That Doct. Church, Doct. Taylor, and Doct. Whiting, be a committee to consider what method is proper to be taken to supply the hospitals with surgeons: and that the same gentlemen be a committee to provide medicines, and all other necessaries for the hospitals.

The report of the committee on the expediency of establishing armed vessels, was considered, and after debate, the matter was ordered to subside.1

The committee appointed to confer with Doct. Spring, relative to the use of his house for another hospital, reported: the report was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz.:

The committee appointed to consider of the expediency of establishing another hospital for the sick and wounded of the army, having attended that service, beg leave to report, that they judge it is really expedient to have another established, and they judge that the house of Doct. Spring, in Watertown, is convenient for that purpose; and that he is willing said house should be improved by the province for that use, but that he cannot at present ascertain the damage it may be to him, but is willing to submit that matter to the judgment of a committee to be hereafter appointed by this honorable Congress or the house of assembly. By order, J. HALL. Ordered, That Doct. Church, Doct. Taylor, and Mr. Pickering, be a committee to consider the petition of Mr. Pigeon, commissary general. Ordered, That Mr. Wheeler, Doct. Whiting, and Capt. Pilsbury, be a committee to consider a petition of Col. John Patterson, [who reported as follows:]

The committee appointed to take into consideration the petition of Col. Patterson, have attended that service, and beg leave to report by way of resolve.

[Resolved] That the committee of supplies be directed to give immediate orders for the supplying said destitute soldiers with blankets, agreeably to the said petition.

The committee on the petition of Mr. Pigeon, reported. The report was accepted, and is as follows, viz.:

Resolved, That Mr. John Pigeon, commissary general, requesting a dismission from his said office, being under a mistake, have liberty to withdraw his petition; that the conduct of said commissary general in his office, has been such as to merit the approbation of this Congress,

(1) The resolve reported by the committee, provided for fitting out a number of armed vessels not less than six, to mount from eight to fourteen carriage guns, to cruise under the orders of the committee of safety, for the protection of the commerce and property of the towns of the sea-coast against the depredations of the enemies of the province, and for the capture and destruction of its foes.