mittee having counted the same, reported that the Hon. John Hancock, Esq. was unanimously chosen.

Benjamin Lincoln was appointed secretary.

Ordered, That Hon. John Hancock, Esq., Major Hawley, Hon. Mr. Cushing, [of Boston,] Mr. Adams, Col. Warren, Mr. Paine, Mr. Pitts, Doct. Holten, Col. Heath, Col. Gerrish, Mr. Cushing of Scituate, Hon. Col. Ward, and Col. Gardner, be a committee to take into consideration the state and circumstances of the province.

Adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow morning.

THURSDAY, February 2, 1775, A. M.

Ordered, That Col. Lee, Col. Orne, Col. Palmer, Mr. Gerry, Col. Foster, and Col. Bowers, be joined to the committee on the state of the province.

Ordered, That Col. Gardner, Col. Palmer, and Mr. Watson, be a committee to wait on the Rev. Doct. Appleton, and desire his attendance on this Congress, and [that he would] officiate as their|| chaplain during the session thereof.

The committee appointed to wait on the Rev. Doct. Appleton and desire that he would officiate as chaplain to this Congress, reported that they had attended that service, and that the Doctor would officiate as chaplain agreeably to the desire of this Congress.

Ordered, That Mr. Aiken, Col. Gerrish, Major Fuller, and Doct. Holten, be monitors to this Congress.

Ordered, That, in returning the Congress, the monitors observe the following divisions, viz: That the pews on the right of the desk be one division; on the left, another; the men's body seats, and the adjoining, a third; the women's body seats, and the pews adjoining, the other.

Then adjourned to three o'clock in the afternoon.

Met and adjourned till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

pews

Afternoon.

FRIDAY, [] February 3, 1775, A. M.

Ordered, That Mr. Pickering, Capt. Greenleaf, and Mr. Lothrop, be a committee to inspect the journals of the last Congress, and ||'extract]| therefrom what relates to the public taxes and the militia, and cause the same to be printed in a pamphlet, and a copy thereof to be sent to each town and district in the province.

A vote from the committee of correspondence for the town of Boston and other committees from a large number of towns in the vicinity thereof, setting forth that several inhabitants of the town of Boston and several other towns in this province, are constantly employed in diverse kinds of works for the army now in Boston, and in supplying them with lumber, &c., and every other article of field equipage, to qualify them to take the field in the spring, &c.;

Read, and Ordered, that Col. Prescot, Capt. Carpenter, Col. Cushing, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Partridge, Col. Thomas, and Doct. Taylor, be a committee to take the said vote into consideration and report thereon. Then Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning ten o'clock.

SATURDAY, February 4, 1775, A. M.

Resolved, That all the debates and resolutions of this Congress be kept as an entire secret, unless their special leave be first had for disclosing the same.

Resolved, That the vote of yesterday, relative to publishing in a pamphlet some of the doings of the late Provincial Congress, be reconsidered, so far as it relates to publishing the resolve respecting the militia.

Ordered, That Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Partridge, Daniel Davis, Esq., and Mr. Sayer, be added to the committee appointed to publish in a pamphlet some of the doings of the late Congress, and that the same committee prepare an address to the inhabitants of this province, recommending to them immediately to pay all their province tax to Henry Gardner, Esq., and to carry the resolves of the late Congress relative to the militia into execution.

Upon a motion Ordered, that the secretary be directed to write to Col. Roberson, desiring him to deliver the four brass field pieces, and the two brass mortars now in his hands, the property of the province, to the order of the committee of safety.

The committee appointed to take into consideration the vote from the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston and others in the vicinity, &c., reported; the consideration of the report referred till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

Then the Congress|| adjourned till next Monday morning, ten o'clock.

Order of the day moved for.

MONDAY, February 6, 1775, A. M.

The report of the committee on the vote from the committee of

a ||resolve.||

b||obtained.||

correspondence of the town of Boston, &c., read; after some debate thereon, Ordered, that it be recommitted for amendments.

Resolved, That the Hon. John Hancock, and Thomas Cushing, Esq., Mr. Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Esq., appointed by the late Provincial Congress, to represent this colony, on the 10th of May next, or sooner if necessary, at the American Congress to be held at Philadelphia, be, and they hereby are authorized and empowered, with the delegates from the other American Colonies, to adjourn from time to time, and place to place, as they shall judge necessary; and to continue in being as delegates for this colony, until the thirty-first day of December next ensuing, and no longer.

A petition of Abijah Browne and others, setting forth the irregularity of the choice of Jonas Dix, Esq., to represent the town of Waltham in this Congress, with a counter petition signed by Leonard Williams and others, were read: whereupon, it was Resolved, that in case the averments in Browne's petition mentioned [were] true, [they] are not sufficient to disqualify Jonas' Dix, Esq., member from Waltham, from having a seat in this Congress.

A petition of John Sawyer and others of Rowley, in the county of Essex, setting forth that they have raised a troop of horse, praying the aid of this Congress that they may be established, &c., [was] read and committed to Mr. Sullivan, Col. Grout, and Major Fuller, to consider of and report thereon.

Afternoon.

Resolved, That the secretary have power to adjourn this Congress in the absence of the president.

Then the Congress|| was adjourned till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

TUESDAY, February 7, 1775, A. M.

The committee on the vote of the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston and others, having amended their report, again reported, which was considered and accepted, and is as followeth :

Whereas, it appears to this Congress, that certain persons are employed in diverse kinds of works for the army now stationed in Boston, for the purpose of carrying into execution the late acts of parliament, and in supplying them with iron for waggons, canvas, tent poles, and other articles of field equipage, whereby said army may be enabled to take the field and distress the inhabitants of this country,

Therefore, Resolved, as the opinion of this Congress, and it is accordingly strongly recommended to the inhabitants of the several towns

a [if.]

and districts of this province, that, should any person or persons presume to supply the troops now stationed at Boston or elsewhere in said province, with timber, boards, spars, pickets, tentpoles, canvas, bricks, iron, waggons, carts, carriages, entrenching tools, or any materials for making any of the carriages or implements aforesaid; with horses or oxen for draught; or any other materials whatever, which may enable them to annoy, or in any manner distress said inhabitants, he or they so offending|| shall be held in the highest detestation, and deemed inveterate enemies to America, and ought to be prevented and opposed by all reasonable means whatever.

And whereas, it appears to this Congress, that large quantities of straw will be wanted by the inhabitants of this province, in case we should be driven to the hard necessity of taking up arms in our own defence, therefore, Resolved, That no person or persons ought to sell or dispose of any straw, which he or they may have on hand, except to the inhabitants of this province for their own private use, or the use of said province.

And it is strongly recommended by this Congress, to the committees of correspondence and inspection in the several towns and districts in this province to see that the above resolves be strictly and faithfully adhered to, till otherwise ordered by this or some other Provincial Congress, or house of representatives.

Ordered, That the above resolves be published in all the newspapers in this province, and that [they] be attested by the secretary.

Ordered, That Mr. Fisher, Doct. Church, Mr. Bailey, Doct. Warren, and Col. Thomas, be a committee to take into consideration the account of the late delegates from this province who attended the Continental Congress, and report what they be allowed for their expenses, and for their time while absent on the business of the province; and also [to] devise some method how the money shall be procured to discharge the same; and also how the money shall be procured to enable our present delegates appointed to attend the American Congress to refund their expenses.

The committee appointed to draught an address to the inhabitants of this province, accompanying the resolve which is ordered to be published relative to the province taxes being paid to Henry Gardner, Esq., reported; read and considered in paragraphs; Ordered to be recommitted for amendments, and that Doct. Church, and Doct. Warren, be added to the committee.

Then the Congress|| adjourned till three o'clock, P. M.

a [it.]

Afternoon.

In consideration of the coldness of the season, and that the Congress sit in a house without fire, Resolved, That all those members who incline thereto may sit with their hats on while in Congress.

The committee on the state of the province reported an addition to the report of the late Provincial Congress, relative to the power of the committee of safety, and general officers; after some debate thereon it was referred for farther consideration till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

Resolved, That at ten o'clock to-morrow morning, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the committee of safety, instead of Norton Quincy, Esq., who declined accepting that trust. ||Then the Congress|| adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, February 8, 1775, A. M.

The committee appointed to prepare an address to the inhabitants of this province, having amended, again reported the same; after some consideration thereon, it was ordered to be recommitted for further amendments.

Upon a motion made by Mr. Hall, that he might be excused from serving any longer on the committee of supplies, in consideration of his ill state of health, the question was put whether he be excused for the reason mentioned, and passed in the affirmative.

Resolved, That at three o'clock this afternoon, the Congress will come to the choice of some person to serve on the committee of supplies instead of Mr. Hall, excused.

The order of the day was moved for; accordingly, the Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee, relative to the power of the committee of safety, and the power of the general officers; after some debate thereon, it was referred for farther consideration, to the afternoon.

Afternoon.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the same report, which was recommitted for amendments proposed.

Ordered, That, as Doct. Warren, and Doct. Church are absent, that Col. Dwight, and Col. Coffin be added to the committee, on the account of the late delegates from this province to the Continental Congress.

The committee appointed to report an address to the inhabitants of this province, having amended their draught, reported; which was again ordered to be recommitted for amendments.

A petition of Boice and Clark, praying that this Congress will take