stituents, as distinguished in private and public happiness, as you have been by ministerial oppression, by private and public distress. GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the Honorable Charles Lee, Esq., major general of the continental army:

Sir:-The Congress of the Massachusetts colony, possessed of the fullest evidence of your attachment to the rights of mankind and regard to the distresses, which America in general, and this colony in particular, are involved in, by the impolitic, wicked, and tyrannical system adopted by administration, and pursued with relentless and savage fury, do, with pleasure, embrace this opportunity to express the great satisfaction and gratitude they feel on your appointment as a major general in the American army. We sincerely congratulate you on your safe arrival here, and wish you all possible happiness and success in the execution of so important a trust.

We admire and respect the character of a man, who, disregarding the allurements of profit and distinction his merit might procure, engages in the cause of mankind, in defence of the injured, and relief of the oppressed. From your character, from your great abilities, and military experience, united with those of the commander in chief, under the smiles of providence, we flatter ourselves with the prospect of discipline and order, success and victory.

Be assured, sir, that it will give us great pleasure to be able to contribute to your happiness. May the favors and blessings of Heaven attend you. May Divine Providence guard and protect you, conduct you in the paths of honor and virtue, grant you the reward of the brave and virtuous here, the applause of mankind, and the approbation of your own conscience and eternal happiness hereafter.

[The following answer was returned by General Lee :]

To the Gentlemen of the Provincial Congress of the Massachusetts: Gentlemen-Nothing can be so flattering to me, as the good opinion and approbation of the delegates of a free and uncorrupted people. I was educated in the highest reverence for the rights of mankind, and have acquired, by a long acquaintance, a most particular regard for the people of America. You may depend, therefore, gentlemen, on my zeal and integrity; I can promise you nothing from my abilities. God Almighty grant us success equal to the righteousness of the cause. I

thank you, gentlemen, for an address which does me so much honor, and shall labor to deserve it.

Ordered, that the sum of fifty pounds be paid to Mr. Paul Revere, in full, for engraving four plates, and printing 14,500 impressions, and that Mr. Langdon bring in a resolve for that purpose.

Ordered, That Mr. Phillips, Col. Grout, and Mr. Crane, be a committee to devise means for supporting the poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown to the places of their destination.

Ordered, That the committee for procuring and furnishing a house for Generals Washington and Lee, be directed to purchase what things are necessary, that they cannot hire.

Ordered, That Mr. Goodwin and Col. Richmond be added to the committee last mentioned.

Ordered, That the last mentioned committee be directed to procure some refreshment for the Generals, Washington and Lee.

Mr. Langdon, agreeably to order, brought in the following resolve, which was accepted, viz.:

Resolved, That there be paid, out of the public treasury of this colony, to Mr. Paul Revere, or order, the sum of fifty pounds, in full, for procuring and engraving four plates, and printing 14,500 impressions of colony notes; and the receiver general is hereby directed to pay the same sum accordingly.

The committee appointed to consider of means for securing sundry whale boats, procured for the use of this colony, and now lying at Weymouth and Braintree, beg leave to report: That Capt. Edmund Soper, of Braintree, be empowered to take charge of the same, and with the assistance of Capt. Seth Turner's and Capt. Vinton's companies, now posted in Braintree, to convey and secure them in some safe and convenient place, where they will not be exposed, either to the enemy, or the weather, and there to remain till the further order of this or some future Congress, or House of Representatives.

Adjourned till eight o'clock, tomorrow morning.

SABBATH DAY, JULY 2, 1775.

Ordered, That Mr. Bliss and Mr. Cutt, be of the committee for devising means for the support of the poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown, to the places of their destination, in the room of Mr. Phillips and Mr. Crane.

The report of the committee for securing the lamps of the light houses, was read, accepted, and is as follows, viz. :

The committee appointed to consider the expediency of removing and securing the lamps, with the oil, &c., from the several light houses within this colony, have attended that service, and beg leave to report as follows, viz. :

That it be recommended to the committee of correspondence, or selectmen of the town of Chelsea, to remove and secure, if practicable, the lamps and oil from the light house at the entrance of Boston harbor, with all the appurtenances thereto belonging; also, that it be recommended to the committee of safety of the town of Gloucester, that the same measures be taken with respect to the light houses on Thatcher's Island, so called, and that the keeper of said lights, with the several boats, cattle, &c., be also removed from thence.

Furthermore, that it be recommended to the committee of correspondence for the town of Plymouth, to remove and secure the lamps, oil, &c., from the light house at the Gurnet, so called, with all the appurtenances thereto belonging; and, that the keepers of the several light houses as above specified, be discharged from the service of this colony, till the further order of this or some future Congress, or House of Representatives.

Ordered, That three copies of the last mentioned report be sent to the places in said report mentioned, and that the committee, who drew the report, forward the copies.

Ordered, That Doct. Taylor, Mr. Pickering, and Mr. Greenleaf, be a committee to write to Mr. Russell, desiring him to pay the money due from him to the treasury, immediately.

The petition of Joseph Barrell for himself and others, [was] read, and ordered to lie upon file.1

(1) This petition bears date June 30, 1775, and is as follows:

"The petition of Joseph Barrell, late of Boston, humbly sheweth, that in the fire in Boston, which began in the soldiers' barracks, on the evening of the 17th of May last, his store, together with his effects to a very considerable amount, were consumed. Your petitioner humbly apprehends, that this loss is entirely occasioned by the cruel oppression of the British administration; as, at the general desire of the friends of the country, he removed with his family from Boston, that scene of distress, and, by the chicanery of General Gage, was prevented from carrying his effects with him; as he, with his distressed townsmen, were shamefully deceived by the fairest promises of a speedy removal, with their effects, without molestation, until the end of the capitulation on the side of the general was fully answered, and then they were insulted, by the most cruel perversion of that comprehensive, plain English word effects, confining it to a few trifles, which, when they were suffered to depart, was clogged with such restrictions as will forever disgrace him. But, notwithstanding all this, still your petitioner had been safe, in all probability, had not the General, by an order, as extraordinary as it was new, secured from the inhabitants the fire engines, and given the use of them to his troops; whereby, as your petitioner is informed, it was a very considerable time before they were in use at all, and then were conducted with such consummate ignorance as to be of no service; in which time, the flames raged to that degree, that no human help could prevent them; and your petitioner is further informed, that some of his effects, saved from the fire by his friends, were afterwards wantonly destroyed by the savage order of the officer of the army.

The letter of Mr. Alexander Sheppard, Jun., to the committee of safety [was] read.1

The report of the committee for devising means for the support of the poor of Boston and Charlestown, to the places of their destination, was read, and accepted, and is as follows:

Whereas, it is necessary, that further provision be made for the suffering poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown, therefore, Resolved, that such person or persons as shall produce a certificate from any or either of the selectmen or overseers of the poor of the said towns, that they are of the poor of the town to which the said selectmen or overseers do, or did in March last, belong, that then the commissaries, in the towns of Watertown and Roxbury, are hereby directed to deliver, out of the province stores, to them, a sufficiency of provisions to carry them to the place of their destination, the commissary to take a receipt from such selectmen or overseers therefor.

And it is recommended to the inhabitants of this province, to treat such poor with humanity, by affording them shelter in their houses. from the weather, and, if desired, to exchange such provisions with them as said poor may have occasion for on their way.

Ordered, That the foregoing resolve be published in the Watertown, Cambridge, and Worcester newspapers.

Adjourned to four o'clock, P. M.

At four o'clock, P. M., the Congress met, and adjourned to Monday morning, eight o'clock.

MONDAY, JULY 3, 1775.

Ordered, That the committee of safety, who were appointed a committee to take into consideration the expediency of a new emission of notes or bills of credit, be directed to sit, and report as soon as possible.

Resolved, That the resolve of the first instant, ordering the rules and regulations of the army to be read monthly, be reconsidered.

Resolved, That the receiver general be directed to pay to Mr. Josiah

Wherefore, your petitioner humbly hopes, that his case, together with the case of his fellow sufferers, may, by the honorable Congress, be represented to the grand Continental Congress, that they, in their great wisdom, may take such measures as to them shall seem fit, to alleviate their sufferings, and that what is thus destroyed in the general cause, may not fall so very heavily on any individual."

(1) The letter of Alexander Sheppard, Jun., related to compensation for surveys of lands in the province, now the state, of Maine.

Stevens, the sum of two pounds, in colony notes or bills of credit, payable to said receiver, for his services in bringing a number of letters to this Congress, taken out of a vessel from London.

Afternoon.

A vote of the Congress of New Hampshire [was] read, and Messrs. Child and Ashley, the bearers thereof, [were] admitted on the floor.1 They produced a letter from Messrs. Bucknam and Wales, to Col. Bayley, of New Hampshire, and his answer.

Ordered, That Messrs. Dexter, Col. Lincoln, Doct. Church, Mr. Pitts, and Capt. Bragdon, be a committee to confer with Messrs. Child and Ashley, from the province of New Hampshire.

Ordered, That the addition of the words "overseers of the poor," be added to the resolve of yesterday, respecting the poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown.

Ordered, That Mr. Cutt, Col. Farley, and Col. Dwight, be a committee to take into consideration the petition of Thomas Morton, [for leave to export fish.]

Ordered, That a letter for Thomas Irving, Esq., be opened, and ordered to be committed to the committee who were to take under consideration, what should be done with the letters from London.

The petition of the selectmen of Abington, [relating to donations for the poor of Boston,] was read, and committed to Col. Mitchell, Mr. Lothrop, and Mr. Ellis.

Major Goodwin, who was appointed to bring in a resolve for directing the committee of supplies to furnish the non-commissioned officers, who lost their clothes and blankets, in the late engagement, with clothes and blankets, reported. The report was accepted, and is as follows:

Whereas, in consequence of a letter from General Ward, provision was made, by a resolve of this Congress, for private soldiers who had lost their clothes and blankets in a late engagement, but no provision was made for non-commissioned officers in similar circumstances, therefore, Resolved, that the committee of supplies be, and they hereby are directed, to furnish said non-commissioned officers with clothes and blankets, in such manner and form as they were directed by said resolve to supply said privates.

Adjourned to Tuesday morning, eight o'clock.

(1) The communication from New Hampshire related to the establishment of friendly intercourse and union with the people of Canada.