Petition of Joseph Deane, setting forth that he has for several years past used the Surrinam Trade, in Consequence of which a very considerable part of his Interest, to the amount of Five hundred pounds, now remains in the Hands of the Merchants in that place ー The time limitted for the payment of which, has already expired ー Your Petitioner begs leave further to represent to the Honle Court, that he last spring purchased a Bill of Exchange to the amount of Five hundred pounds more, drawn by a dutch Merchant there on his correspondent in Amsterdam ー which Bill has since come back protested to your Petitioner both of which Sums must be infallibly lost to your Memorialist, in case of failure of any of his debtors (which at this day is not improbable:) He therefore prays your Honors, to grant him Liberty to sail from this Colony to Surrinam in a Brigantine, which he now has by him, and laying totally useless, in order to secure the aforesaid Sums ー He means not, nor does he wish to contravene the Resolves of the American Congress, or the regulations made by this Colony ー He therefore only Asks permission to carry empty Molosses Casks enough to bring home the proceeds of his said debt in the produce of Surrinam and the rest ballast ー He intends, if by any means can be obtained, to purchase a Cargo of Powder ー But as this is a matter altogether uncertain, and as Molasses Casks can not be procured in Surrinam, he prays your Honors to grant him the Permission above prayed for.

In the House of Representatives Read and committed to the Committee appointed the 15th Currant to consider the subject matter of Thomas Russels Petition ー

In Council Read and Concurred

The Committee of both Houses on the above Petition, have attended that service, and having Considered the same, report the following Resolve. ー

Resolved, That Joseph Dean be allowed to send the Brigantine, in his Petition mentioned, to the Foreign West Indias, in order to collect any money's which may be due to him there ー he giving Bonds with sufficient sureties, in the sum of One Thousand pounds, to the Treasurer of this Colony, that he will not export in said Brigantine, any Cash or produce of the Colonies. ー And it is recommended to the said Joseph Dean, to purchase and return here, Arms, Ammunition or any species of Military Stores enumerated in a late Resolution of the Congress, if they are to be obtained ー

In Council read and accepted

In the House of Representatives read & Concurred

Petition of Thomas Russell late of Charlestown setting forth that he has now due to him considerable sums of money from the foreign West India Islands, for the recovery of which he conceives there are no possible means, if the intercourse between them and us is totally stopped: That your Petitioner is also possessed of a small Schooner of which Mathew Groves is Master, now in the Harbour of Salem, the Inactivity of which, if a total stagnation of Trade takes place, your Honors are doubtless sensible must prove a dead loss. ー

That your Petitioner by no means proposes to export the Produce of this Province to the foreign West Indias, but to sail in Ballast and make a return with the Commodities of said foreign Island. ー Wherefore and considering the amazing scarcity and consequently high Price of West India commodities ー your Petitioner prays that the said Schooner may be permitted to perform said Voyage. ー

In the House of Representatives ー Ordered that the Speaker, Mr [Daniel] Hopkins, and Colo [Ebenezer] Sawyer, with such as the honle Board shall join, be a Committee to consider at large the Subject matter of the within Petition and report ー

In Council Read and Concurred and William Sever and John Winthrop Esqrs are joined. ー

The Committee of both Houses on the Petition of Thoms Russell have attended that service and having considered the same, report the following ー

Resolved that Thomas Russell be allowed to send the Schooner, of which Mathew Groves is master to the foreign West Indias, in order to collect any Monies which may be due him there, he giving Bonds with sufficient Sureties in the sum of One Thousand pounds to the Treasurer of this Colony, that he will not export in said Schooner, any Cash, or produce of the Colonies: and it is hereby recommended to the said Thoms Russell, to direct. the Master of said Vessell to purchase Arms, Ammunition, or any kind of Military Stores enumerated in a late Resolution, of the Congress, if they are to be obtained. ー

In Council Read and Accepted