The committee reported, that Doct. Benjamin Church was chosen. The committee appointed to take under consideration the letter from Col. Legate reported; which report being read and amended, was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, it is of the utmost importance, that the men who shall be enlisted into the artillery company should be well qualified for that employment, and it being impossible to enlist the men for the artillery at large, in the colony, so soon as the service requires, therefore, Resolved, That the officers of the artillery be allowed to enlist the men from the several regiments already engaged, when the men are willing to engage in that service, until the whole artillery establishment shall be completed, always provided, that such enlistments shall be no prejudice or hindrance to the officers with whom such men are already enlisted, in entitling them to their respective commissions; and that not more than four men be taken from any one company and the officers of the train of artillery are directed to use their endeavor, to enlist as many ||men,|| who are not under any previous engagement in the army, as they can, speedily; and the officers, from whose regiment or company any person is enlisted into the train of artillery, are also directed to fill up their said regiment or companies with all convenient speed, by enlisting other soldiers in the place of those enlisted into the train of artillery.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, Mr. Pitts, Doct. Taylor, the President, and Mr. Batchelder, be a committee to consider what measures it would be expedient to take, relative to the prisoners in Boston, and the inhabitants which are there kept in duress.

The committee appointed to apply to the committee of safety for a list of officers, &c., reported, verbally, that they had no other list than what they had before sent to the congress: that they had received no returns, and knew not how many had enlisted, or whether any regiments were completed.

Ordered, That Col. Barrett, Doct. Taylor, and Mr. Fuller, be a committee to take into consideration a petition from the inhabitants of Canaan and Norridgewock, on Kennebeck river, and report.1

The committee who were appointed to consider the information from Dartmouth, reported; the report was recommitted for further examination and inquiry into the affair.

Ordered, That Mr. Freeman and Doct. Holten be added to the committee appointed to examine Hutchinson's letters.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.

(1) This petition, like most others from the eastern part of the province, appears to have been for supplies of arms, ammunition, and provisions.

[WEDNESDAY,] May 17, 1775, [A. M.]

A letter from [Edward] Mott to this Congress, dated May 11, 1775, giving an account of the taking of the fortress at Ticonderoga, was read, together with a letter from Ethan Allen; also an application from Col. Easton, and others: whereupon, Ordered, That Col. Foster, Mr. Sullivan, and Doct. Holten, be a committee to introduce Col. Easton to this house, to give a narrative of that transaction, and that each member have liberty to ask him any questions.1

Ordered, That Mr. President, Doct. Taylor, Col. Foster, Doct. Holten, and Mr. Cross, be a committee to take the same into consideration, and report.

A resolve from the committee of safety, relative to the seizing the servants and friends to government, improperly so called, was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Resolved, That three o'clock, P. M., be assigned for the purpose of considering the expediency of making out a commission to Gen. Ward. The Congress appointed two other monitors, viz. Mr. John Hale and Capt. Woodbridge Brown.

:

The resolve, and form of an oath to be taken by the general officers, were read, amended and accepted, and are as follow, viz. :

Resolved, That the general officers of the Massachusetts army, now raising for the defence and security of the rights and liberties of this and our sister colonies in America, shall each and every of them repeat, take, and subscribe the following oath, to be administered by [blank] viz. :

I, A. B., do solemnly swear, that, as a general officer in the Massachusetts army, I will well and faithfully execute the office of a general, to which I have been appointed, according to my best abilities, in defence and for the security of the estates, lives, and liberties of the good people of this and the sister colonies in America, in opposition to ministerial tyranny, by which they are or may be oppressed, and to all other enemies and opposers whatsoever; that I will adhere to the rules and regulations of said army, established by the Congress of the colony of the Massachusetts Bay, observe and obey the resolutions and orders which are or shall be passed by said Congress, or any future congress, or house of representatives, or legislative body of said colony, and such committees as shall be by them authorized for that purpose; and that I will disclose and make known to the authority aforesaid, all traitorous conspiracies, attempts and designs whatsoever, (I) The papers relating to Ticonderoga, will be found in the Appendix.

which I shall know to be made, or have reason to suspect are making, against the army, or any of the English American colonies.

Ordered, That Jonas Dix, Esq. be directed to take depositions relative to the destruction of private property, by the king's troops, on the 19th instant, and their driving women in childbed out of their houses, and killing old men unarmed.

Henry Gardner, Esq., informed the house, that he was willing to continue to serve this colony in the office of receiver general.

Ordered, That Mr. Kollock, Deacon Nichols and Mr. Rawson, be a committee to consider what steps are proper to be taken, for the relief of such of the inhabitants of Boston as come over to Charlestown, who are not able to take care of themselves.

The committee appointed to consider the account of taking the fortress of Ticonderoga, reported the following resolve, and letter to the assembly of Connecticut, which were accepted, and the letter ordered to be authenticated and sent forward:

GENTLEMEN:-We have the happiness of presenting our congratulations to you, on the reduction of that important fortress, Ticonderoga; we applaud the conduct, both of the officers and soldiers, and are of opinion, that the advantageous situation of that fortress, makes it highly expedient, that it should be repaired and properly garrisoned. In the mean time, as we suppose that there is no necessity for keeping all the cannon there, we should be extremely glad, if all the battery cannon, especially brass cannon, which can be spared from that place, or procured from Crown Point, which, we hope, is, by this time, in the hands of our friends, may be forwarded this way, with all possible expedition, as we have here to contend with an army furnished with as fine a train of artillery as ever was seen in America; and we are in extreme want of a sufficient number of cannon to fortify those important passes, without which, we can neither annoy general Gage, if it should become necessary, nor defend ourselves against him; we, therefore, must, most earnestly, recommend this very important matter to your immediate consideration; and we would suggest it, as our opinion, that the appointing Col. Arnold to take charge of them, and bring them down with all possible haste, may be a means of settling any disputes which may have arisen between him and some other officers, which we are always desirous to avoid, and, more especially, at a time when our common danger ought to unite us in the strongest bonds of unity and affection.

We are, gentlemen, &c.

This Congress, having received authentic intelligence, that the fort at Ticonderoga, is surrendered into the hands of Col. Ethan Allen and others, together with the artillery, and artillery stores, ammunition, &c., thereunto belonging, for the benefit of these colonies, occasioned by the intrepid valor of a number of men under the command of the said Col. Allen, Col. Easton of the Massachusetts, and others, and by the advice and direction of the committee for that expedition, the said Col. Allen is to remain in possession of the same, and its dependencies, until further order :

Resolved, That this Congress do highly approve of the same, and the general assembly of the colony of Connecticut are hereby desired to give directions, relative to garrisoning and maintaining the same for the future, until the advice of the Continental Congress can be had in that behalf; and, as this colony is in want of some battering cannon for their defence, immediately, it is further Resolved, that the president of this Congress be desired to write to the general assembly of the colony of Connecticut, desiring that they would give orders for the immediate removal of some of those cannon to this colony, for the purpose aforesaid.

Adjourned to three o'clock, P. M.

[Afternoon.]

The committee appointed to consider the petition from the inhabitants of Canaan and Norridgewalk, reported; the question being put, whether the report shall be accepted, and it passed in the negative; thereupon, Resolved, that the petitioners have leave to withdraw their petition.

Ordered, [That] Col. Foster, Mr. Sullivan and Capt. Farley, be a committee to prepare a commission for Gen. Ward.

The committee appointed to consider of the verbal information from Dartmouth, reported verbally, that the inhabitants of Dartmouth be advised to conduct themselves, with respect to the prisoners they have taken, agreeably to the direction of the committee of inspection for that town. After a long debate, it was Moved, that the consideration of this matter should subside; and the question being put, it passed in the affirmative, and the matter accordingly subsided.

Ordered, That the secretary be directed to inform the gentlemen from Dartmouth of the determination of the Congress, respecting the information from Dartmouth, and the reason thereof.

Ordered, That the committee appointed to revise the commission of the committee of safety, sit forthwith, and report as soon as may be; that Mr. Sullivan be excused, and that Col. Foster and Deacon Fisher be added to this committee.

Resolved, That Doct. Church be allowed one servant to attend him in his journey to Philadelphia.

Ordered, That the letters relative to taking the fortress of Ticonderoga, be delivered to the committee of safety.

Ordered, That the committee appointed to prepare an establishment for post offices, &c., be directed to bring in a resolve, for the purpose of empowering the committee, who were appointed to agree with the post riders, &c., to take bonds of the post masters, and appoint oaths to be taken by the post masters and post riders; and that Col. Foster be excused, and Capt. Stone and Mr. Greenleaf be added to the committee.

Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.

[THURSDAY,] May 18, 1775, A. M.

The committee who were appointed to revise the resolves respecting the committee of safety, reported; whereupon, Resolved, that three o'clock in the afternoon be assigned for the choice of a committee of safety, to consist of thirteen members, and for the further consideration of said report.

Ordered, That Capt. Rawson, Mr. Bullen and Col. Farley, be a committee to consider the practicability of employing chaplains for the army, out of the number of clergy of this colony.

Ordered, That Col. Warren, Mr. Gardner and Mr. Sullivan, be a committee to bring in a resolve, recommending it to the inhabitants of this colony, not to choose any person to represent them in Congress, who has a commission in the army.

Ordered, That Major Fuller ||of Middleton,|| Mr. Whittemore and Mr. Bliss, be a committee to wait upon the Hon. James Russell, Esq., impost master, to know if he has any public moneys now in his hands.

Ordered, That the president, Mr. Sullivan and Col. Warren, be a committee to bring in a resolve, recommending to the inhabitants of this colony to make no purchases, nor receive any conveyances of estates, from the mandamus counsellors, or other inveterate enemies to the rights of this country, and that they have no dealings of any kind with such persons.

Ordered, That Mr. Gardner, Doct. Taylor and Mr. Kollock, be a committee to consider and inquire into the subject matter of a resolve of the committee of safety, respecting Lady Frankland.1

Adjourned to three o'clock, P. M.

(1) Sir Henry Frankland was the proprietor of extensive estates in Hopkinton, where he had a country residence previous to the Revolution, and maintained the splendor of an English nobleman. On the commencement of hostilities, his lady became alarmed at the movements of the people, and asked and obtained leave to remove to Boston with a small portion of her effects.