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It was also resolved that if any more powder should be sent into the colony for colony use, that a suitable proportion should be delivered to John Lawrence, Esq., of Hartford, and the remainder distributed into the several counties in suitable proportions, to the care of the gentlemen above named.

April, 1775. Robert Fairchild, Esq., and Daniel Judson, were appointed by the Assembly, to enquire after, and take charge of, for the use of the colony, all stores of the camp of a military kind, owned by the colony, or which could be found with the heirs of Theophilus Nichols, Esq., then late deceased, and a commissary of the government, &c., and report the next session of said Assembly.

April, 1775. Jedediah Strong, was also appointed to enquire at Albany, for arms belonging to this colony, left there during the last war, and return them as soon as might be.

April, 1775. Daniel Lyman, Enos Allyn, Thomas Howell, Dudley Woodbridge, Joseph Denison, 2d, Stephen Babcock, Gurdon Saltonstall, Thomas Mumford, John Lay, John Deshon, Richard Dickinson, and John McCurdy, were appointed a committee by the Legislature, to consider on the best method and means of securing, defending, and protecting the sea coast, ports and shipping in the colony; to state facts, and report their opinions thereon to said Assembly in May (then) next, without expense to the colony.

The Legislature appointed Col. Gurdon Saltonstall, Samuel Mott, Esq., and Capt. John Deshon, a committee forthwith to prepare carriages and necessary apparatus for the cannon at New London, so that they might be put in the best order for use, in case of necessity for defence.

A resolution was passed authorizing the Governor to give Brig. Gen. Spencer an order, to direct the colonels of the six regiments under his command, to order the respective captains, to forward the enlistments of men for the special service, defence, and safety of the colony, and to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice. And the four regiments commanded by Brig's. Spencer and Putnam, and Col's. Hinman and Parsons, or such part of them as the Governor should order, forthwith to be in readiness, and march to Boston, or to some place contiguous, as should be ordered.

An act was passed repealing the act constituting the action of Book Debtthe Legislature believing, if it existed, many accounts would be barred by the statute of limitations, in time of war, to the prejudice of officers and soldiers, who were necessarily absent from their homes.

Also for the same reasons, was an act passed, exempting debtors from impris onment for debt, and releasing those who were in prison for debt, on execution or attachment; which act was to continue in force until the rising of the Legislature in October (then) next.

NOTE. John Patterson, Esq. of Piermont, of the province of N. Hampshire, agent of said town, preferred a petition in favor of said Piermont, stating its exposed situation to Quebec, at that alarming period, and expecting an attack by the French and Indians from Canada; that said town had voted to supply themselves with arms and ammunition, of which they were nearly destitute; and being without money in the infant state of the town, prayed the colony of Connecticut to sell them fifty pounds of powder, offering their note, with security, to be paid in May, 1776, with interest, and signed by John Patterson, Agent.

A resolution passed, directing the powder to be delivered, and to take said Patterson's note for the same, payable the 1st day of May, 1776, with interest.

An enquiry was had in the town of Waterbury, as to the major part of a company who were discovered to be inimical to the American cause, composed of officers and soldiers; the true whigs praying to be annexed to a new company. A committee was appointed, consisting of Thomas Mattthewson and Timothy Judd, to examine the facts, and report to the next Assembly.

Joseph Munson, of New Haven, and Joseph Webb, of Wethersfield, had leave given to export to the West India Islands, 46 cattle and 80 barrels of pork, which had been purchased before the laying of the embargo.

The session of the Assembly was closed by passing the following preamble and resolution, viz. :

Considering the dark and gloomy aspect of Divine Providence, over this colony and land, and that it is the indispensable duty of every people suffering under the afflictive chastisements of a righteous God, with deep repentance, supplication, and amendment of life, to endeavor by all the ways which God has prescribed, to avert his anger and incline him to become reconciled to his people. It is therefore Resolved by this Assembly, That it be recommended to all the Ministers of the Gospel in this colony, that they earnestly endeavor to dissuade their several congregations from all excess and all diversions which may be improper in the present day of distress; and that both they and their people cry mightily to God, that he would be pleased to spare his people, and be gracious unto them, and visit them with his loving kindness and tender mercies, and not give up his heritage to reproach; but preserve unto them their great and important rights and privileges, and guide and prosper the public counsels of this colony and land; and in this hour of difficulty and distress, graciously manifest his power in the deliverance and salvation of his people, to the glory of his own

name.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

MAY SESSION,

Held on the 11th day of said month, A. D. 1775, and continued in session until the 31st day of said May.

Hon. JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Governor.

The same Assistants, (Conant absent.)

Ar this session of the Assembly, the town of Westmoreland was to form the 24th regiment, with all the powers, privileges, and advantages that other regiments of the colony had.

A sum of money being required to defray the incidental charges of Government, it was enacted forthwith to print fifty thousand pounds, in bills of credit on the colony, equal to lawful money, of the tenor of the last emission of bills of credit, without interest, payable by the 1st day of June, 1778, to be dated the

1st day of June, A. D. 1775; and Jabez Hamlin, Wm. Pitkin, George Wyllys, Elisha Williams, Benjamin Payne, Thomas Seymour, and Jesse Root, Esq'rs., or any three of them were to be a committee to see that said bills were immediately printed, and to sign and deliver them to the Treasurer of the colony. And as a Sinking Fund, a tax of seven pence on the pound was granted, and ordered to be levied on all the polls and rateable estate in the colony, payable into the Treasury by the 1st of June, A. D. 1778; payable also in bills of this emission or lawful money. Warrants were issued to collect said tax.*

The embargo laid by the Assembly in April last, was continued on the articles mentioned in said act, until the 1st day of August (then) next, and the Governor was so directed to make proclamation, reserving to the Governor and Council, power to discontinue in whole or part at an earlier time, if they should judge it expedient.

The Legislature ordered that there should be provided 90 marques or officer's tents, 500 tents for privates, and cloth for 48 tents, 460 tents for private soldiers, 1092 iron pots that would contain about ten quarts each, if pots could not be procured, then to purchase tin kettles and 1098 pails; two brass kettles of ten gallon size, for the use of each company; 2,500 wooden bowles; four frying pans for each company; 6,000 quart rumlets; 60 drums, and 120 fifes for the use of said troops; six standards, one for each regiment, distinguished by their color, as follows, viz.: for the 1st regiment, yellow; for the 2d, blue; for the 3d, scarlet; for the 4th, crimson; for the 5th, white; for the 6th, azure-a medicine chest and apparatus, to the value not exceeding £40, for each regiment; a set of surgical instruments for the whole corps on each destination, and such medicine as should be left, to be returned to the colony; 70 books, each in quarto of one quire each, covered with cartridge paper; 2 reams of writing paper; 10 reams of paper for cartridges; one cart or wagon for each company. Allowed to the troops three-fourths of a pound of pork or one pound of beef, one pound of bread or flour, three pints of beer to each man per day, beef to be fresh two days in a week; also a half pint of rice or a pint of Indian meal; 6 ounces of butter; three pints of peas or beans, to each man per week. Also one gill of rum to each man upon fatigue per day, and at no other time; milk, molasses, candles, soap, vinegar, coffee, chocolate, sugar, tobacco, onions in the season, and vegetables be provided for said troops at the discretion of the general and field officers.

That 1s. and 6d. be paid to each man that should supply himself three pounds of ball; 3s. for a pound of powder; 3d. for six flints; otherwise to be supplied from the town stock, or out of the colony ammunition. Soldiers marching east, to be furnished out of the colony stock at New London, Norwich, and Windham, or Mansfield; and two assistants or justices to adjust the accounts of what should be received of the towns, and the pay table give an order on the Treasurer. The pay masters to keep the ammunition account for such as provide for themselves, ball, powder, &c. The flints to be distributed to each county, and one ton of the balls in the care of the Treasurer to be sent to Windham.

* It will be observed that in April, an emission of £50,000 of bills of credit were issued, making in April and May, £100,000 in bills of credit, issued within two months, and the colony taxed fourteen pence on the pound to redeem the bills.

An act was passed directing the manufacture of 3,000 fire arms, for the use of the colony, describing the kind of guns, length, bore, &c., giving a bounty of 5s. for each stand of arms, with a good lock that should be made in the colony, by the 20th day of October (then) next, (if not sold out of the colony); and a bounty of 1s. and 6d. for every good gun lock made within the colony by the 20th day of October; and that all such arms so manufactured within the colony should be purchased at a reasonable price, over and above the premium given.

A committee was appointed to enquire and report to the Governor, as soon as might be, the probable number of arms that could be manufactured in the colony by the 20th of October aforesaid; and to call upon the Treasurer for the necessary funds to pay for them, and receive the arms so purchased for the use of the colony, and secure the same.

It was also enacted, that a bounty of ten pounds should be paid for every fifty pounds of salt petre that should be made from materials found in this colony, within one year after the rising of the Assembly. Also a bounty of five pounds for every one hundred weight of sulphur, that should be manufactured within the colony, from materials found in any of the British colonies, in America, within one year as aforesaid.

An act for regulating and ordering the troops that were or should be raised for the defence of the colony.

Whereas God in his providence hath been pleased in great mercy to bestow upon the inhabitants of this colony, all the rights, liberties, and immunities of the free and natural born subjects of the realm of England, which have been established and confirmed by a sacred compact, and secured by a royal charter; which rights, liberties, and immunities, were the birth.right of our brave, virtu. ous, and religious ancestors whilst in England, who rather than submit to reli. gious or cruel tyranny, chose to leave their pleasant seats and all their happy prospects in their native country, bravely encountered the danger of untried seas and coasts of a howling wilderness, barbarous men, and savage beasts, at the expense of their ease and safety of their blood, their treasure, and their lives; transplanted and reared the English constitution in these wilds, upon the strong pillars of civil and religious liberty, and having led the way by their great example, bequeathed their inestimable purchase as a sacred and unalienable legacy to their posterity, who have ever since united the sincerest loyalty to their sovereign, and the warmest affection for their elder brethren in England, with the enjoyment of their aforesaid rights, liberties, and immuni ties, nor have they till lately been thought incompatible.

And whereas, since the close of the last war, the British Parliament claiming a power of right to bind the people of America by statute in all cases whatsoever, hath in some acts expressly imposed taxes upon them, and in others, under various pretences, but in fact for the purpose of raising a revenue, hath imposed rates and duties, payable in these colonics, established a Board of Commissioners with unconstitutional powers, and extended the jurisdiction of courts of admir. alty, not only for collecting said duties, but also for the trial of causes merely arising within the body of a country.

And whereas in consequence of other statutes, judges who before held only estates at will in their offices, have been made to depend on the crown alone for their salaries; and standing armies kept in time of peace; and it has been lately resolved in Parliament, that by force of a statute made in the thirty-fifth

year of the reign of king Henry the Eighth, colonists may be transported to England, and tried there upon accusations for treason, and misprisons, or concealment of treasons committed or alleged to be committed in the colonies; and by a late statute such trials have been directed in cases therein mentioned. And whereas, three acts of Parliament have been passed, by one of which the port of Boston is shut up, and thousands reduced from affluence to poverty and distress; by another, the charter of the province of Massachusetts Bay is subverted and destroyed; and by the third, under pretence of the impartial administration of justice, all hope of justice is taken away in certain cases.

And whereas, another statute has been made, by which the Roman Catholic religion is established, the equitable system of English laws are abolished, and a tyranny erected, in the province of Quebec, to the great danger of the neigh. boring colonies. And also in the present session of Parliament, another act is passed, by which the New England colonies are in a great measure deprived of their trade and fishery, the blessings which God and nature have indulged them with, being attempted by force to be wrested from them.

And whereas, ail our humble, dutiful, and loyal petitions to the throne for redress of grievances, have been treated with contempt, or passed by in silence, by his majesty's ministers of state, and the refusal to surrender our just rights, liberties, and immunities, hath been styled rebellion; and fleets and armies have been sent into a neighboring colony to force them to submit to slavery, and awe the other colonies into submission, by the example of vengeance inflicted on her, who had besides the casual calamities and insults that proceed from standing armies, fortified the town of Boston, driven the peaceable inhabitants from their dwellings, and imbrued their hands in the blood of our countrymen. All which acts and measures have relation to all the British colonies, in the princi. ples from which they flow, and are evidently intended to force or terrify them into a submission to Parliamentary taxation, or at least into a surrender of their property at the pleasure of the British Parliament, and in such proportion as they shall please to prescribe, with which we must comply, or be at the mercy of those who cannot know our situation and circumstances, and will be interested to oppress and enslave us; our liberty, our lives, and property, will become precarious and dependent upon the will of men over whom we can have no check or control; religion, property, personal safety, learning, arts, public and private virtue, social happiness, and every blessing attendant on liberty, will fall victims to the principles and measures advanced and pursued against us; whilst shameless vice, infidelity, irreligion, abject dependence, igno. rance, superstition, meanness, servility, and the whole train of despotism present themselves to our view in melancholy prospect.

And whereas, although this Assembly wish for no new rights and privileges, and desire only to preserve their ancient constitution, as it has been under. stood and practised upon from the beginning; freely yielding to the British Parliament the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of secur ing the commercial advantages of all the dominions of our sovereign to the mother country, and the commercial benefits of its several members, excluding every idea of taxation, for raising a revenue without our consent; and claiming only a right to regulate our internal police and government, and are most earnestly desirous of peace, and deprecate the horrors of war. Yet when they see military preparations against them at hand, and the hopes of peace and har.

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