State of the Massachusetts Bay

To the Honorable the Council & the Honble House of Representatives of the State aforesaid assembled in General Court at Watertown Aug 28th 1776

Most humbly shews

Ichabod Jones late of Boston in the County of Suffolk That your Petitioner in May 1775 considering that the People at Machias in the eastern part of this State were of themselves unable to procure the Provisions necessary for their Subsistence & knowing that the greater part of them depended on your Petitioner to supply them, the other Traders having declined to do it, did purchase a Quantity of Pork Flower & other Articles of Food & convey the same to the People aforesd in two Sloops belonging to your Petitioner ー That when arrived at Machias the Inhabitants at the Request of your Petitioner met together & were informed that if they could furnish themselves in any other Way with necessary Provisions your Petitioner would be extremely glad to be freed from the difficult & hazardous Task. That a great Majority of them declared they could not obtain the necessary Supplies without the Assistance of your Petitioner & desired him to continue as formerly to bring them Provisionsー

That afterwards by Means of some of Machias People with the Assistance of others in the neighbouring Places the Vessels aforesd & the Person of your Petitioner were seised ー that at the time of this Seisure the Inhabitants of Machias owed to your Petitioner & Compy, nearly the Sum of four thousand Pounds lawful Money which he is able & ready to prove ー That your Petitioner is lately informed they have taken Possession of his Houses Mills & all his other Estate at Machias & not only of the Estate of which your Petitioner was sole Proprietor but also the Estate which belonged to himself & others in Partnershipー

That your Petitioner learns from an Advertisement in the Watertown Paper of August 19th that Libels are filed against the Vessels & Cargoes abovementioned before the Judge of the Maritime Court for the eastern District in this State & that the Justice of the Captures is to be tried at the said Court to be holden at Pownalboro oil the 9th of September nextー²

As your Petitioner is confined to this Town of Northampton under large Bonds (with scanty Means of Subsistence) he is unable to attend himself or to procure any person to attend in his Behalf on so short a Notice & is greatly apprehensive that his Property therefore will be condemned altho' if allowed to attend the sd. Court with his Evidence he persuades himself the Innocence of his Conduct would fully appearー

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays your Honors to take the Premisses into your wise Consideration & that he may be heard thereupon & having no Doubt on a full Knowledge of his Case your Petitioner would be discharged from any further Confinement ー Your Petitioner also prays that he may have Liberty to attend in Person the Tryal aforesd of his Vessels at some future Time to which the said Court shall by Order of your Honors be adjourned & that in the mean Time all proceedings touching the Vessels & Cargoes aforesd may be staid ー All which is most humbly submitted And as in Duty bound shall pray

[Endorsed] In the House of Representatives Sept 6 1776ー

Resolvd that the Prayer of this petition be so far granted that the maritime Court for the Eastern District of this State to be holden at Pownalborough on the nineth of this Instant in order to try the justice of the Captures of two Vessels taken from the petitioner be adjourned to the first Day of october next in order that the petitioner by an attorney may Shew cause if aney he has why the said Vessels Should not be Condemned. A-and that the judge of said Court be Notifyed thereof by being served with a Coppy of this order ー passed ー Sent up for Concurrence

Saml Freeman Speakr Pr Temp

In Council Sept 7th 1776

Read & Concurr'd with the Amendment at A & insert. And the Petitioner by his Attorney has Liberty to file his Claim with the Judge of the Said Maritime Court, to the Said Vessels & Appurtenances at any Time before the Said first Day of October nextー

Sent down for Concurrence
John Avery Dpy Secyー

In the House of Representatives Sept 9 1776
Read & concurrd

Sam^l Freeman Speakr P T