In Senate, February 19th, 1783. Read & thereupon Ordered, that William Sever & John Bacon, EsqTM, with such as the Honble. House may join be a Committee to take this Representation under consideration & report what may be proper to be done thereon..

Sent down for concurrence.

S. ADAMS, Presid*.

In the House of Representatives, February 20th, 1783. Read and concurred & Gen' Ward, Mr Dane & Mr Frazier are join'd.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk.

The Committee of both Houses on the Representation of Robert Treat Paine, Esq', Attorney General of this Commonwealth, &c., have attended that service & having considered the same report the following Resolve which is submitted.

W. SEVER, p' ord".

Resolved that the allegations of James Sullivan, Esq', against John Temple, Esq, be referred to the Attorney General of this Commonwealth who is hereby directed immediately to lay such facts therein contained as particularly relate to the said John Temple, Esq', before the Grand Jury of the County of Suffolk, that such proceedings may be had thereon as to law & justice appertain.

In Senate, March 4th, 1783. Read & not accepted and thereupon,

Resolved that the Governor be & he is hereby requested to order John Temple, Esq', within a reasonable

Attorney-General be called upon to repeat what he had done in obedience to their order concerning the charge of Mr. James Sullivan against Mr. Temple? The Attorney appeared upon the floor, made a very frivolous (and in the opinion of some of the Members a very impertinent) excuse or apology for such his total neglect of positive orders given the preceding session! The Senate likewise called upon him to report in writing what he had done in obedience to their order concerning the said charge against Mr. Temple ?" Then follows the report as given above. — EDS.

time to depart from this Commonwealth, not to return into the same again without leave therefor first had of the General Court.

In Senate, March 5th, 1783. Read again, reconsidered & thereupon, Ordered that the Governor with advice of Council be requested to take proper measures, that it may be speedily determined whether it be consistent with the public safety to permit John Temple, Esq, to remain any longer time within this Commonwealth. Sent down for concurrence. S. ADAMS, Presidt.

In the House of Representatives, March 7th, 1783.

Read & concurred.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk.

Gentlemen of the Senate & Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

The Secretary will lay before you a letter I have received from John Temple, Esq', upon the subject of his bond; as Mr Temple's affairs are still before the General Court, I judg'd it most proper to submit it to you to act upon as you shall think proper.

COUNCIL CHAMBER, BOSTON, 27th Septr, 1783.

JOHN HANCOCK.

In Senate, Sept. 27th, 1783. Read & thereupon Ordered, that Charles Turner & Nathaniel Tracey, Esqr, with such as the Honble. House shall join be a Committee to take this message & the letter accompanying the same into consideration, & report what may be proper to be done thereon.

Sent down for concurrence.

S. ADAMS, Presid*.

In the House of Representatives, same day,

Read & concurred, & Mr Dane, Mr Hosmer & Mr

Clarke are joined.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk'.

In Senate, October 9th, 1783. Ordered that Seth Washburne, Esq', be on this Committee in the room of Nathaniel Tracey, Esq, who has leave of absence. S. ADAMS, Presidt.

In the House of Representatives, Sept. 30th, 1783. Ordered that Mr Page be on the joint committee on the Governor's message relative to Mr Temple in the room of Mr Dane, who is absent.

Sent up for concurrence.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. October 11th, 1783. The Committee of both Houses to whom the Governor's message of the 27th September last was committed, together with a letter from John Temple, Esqr., to the Governor accompanying the said message, having maturely considered the matter are unanimously of opinion that the said Temple have a hearing before both Houses in one room, in such way & manner as the General Court shall order & direct. Which is submitted

SETH WASHBURN, Order.

In Senate, October 11th, 1783. Read & not accepted, & thereupon Ordered that this Report be recommitted, & that the Committee be directed to take into consideration the papers on the files of the General Court relating to John Temple, Esq.

Sent down for concurrence

S. ADAMS, Presidt.

In the House of Representatives, October 13th, 1783.

Read & concurred.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Committee of both Houses appointed to take into consideration the Governor's message of 27th Sept. last & the letter accom

panying the same from John Temple, Esq', report as per the Resolve on the other side.

SETH WASHBURNE, pr. order.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Whereas John Temple, Esq', in the year One thousand seven hundred & seventy removed himself & family from the then Province of Massachusetts Bay to Great Britain & there remained until the year One Thousand seven hundred & seventy eight & then returned to America in such manner as excited suspicion & jealousies against him, reports then notoriously current in England relative to his mission as well as the person accompanying him gave force to the suspicions then raised, & the said Temple calling himself a citizen of this State did in May, One thousand seven hundred & seventy nine, without obtaining permission therefor depart from this State & voluntarily return to the kingdom of Great Britain & there receive protection from the laws & the King of that kingdom, then at open war with these States, until the year One thousand seven hundred & eighty one, & in the month of October in the same year did without permission return to this Commonwealth, whereupon his Excellency the Governor & Council taking the matter into their consideration, as well to satisfy the justifiable jealousies of the good people of this Commonwealth as to prevent any injury which might arise to the United States, either from said Temple's conduct aforesaid or from any thing which he might thereafter do against them, did order that he should enter into bonds with. sureties, conditioned that he would not do or say any thing in opposition to or in prejudice of the proceedings of Congress or of the Assembly or Council of this State, & that he would not directly or indirectly give any intelligence to the enemies of these United States; and the said Temple did on the twenty fourth day of December, in the year last above mentioned give such bond accord

ingly, And whereas the United States in Congress assembled by their letter dated the first day of March, One thousand seven hundred & eighty two request the Supreme Executive Power of this Commonwealth to take such measures with regard to said Temple as should put it out of his power to injure the United States, for which & other considerations the said Temple's bond aforesaid has remained uncancelled until this day, And whereas there appears no evidence that the said Temple hath broken the condition of the bond aforesaid; & it does not appear probable that his liberation will be detrimental or dangerous to this Commonwealth, or to the United States of America

It is therefore, RESOLVED that the said bond be & it is hereby declared to be null from the passing of this Resolve, And the Treasurer of this Commonwealth is hereby directed to deliver the same to the said Temple on his making personal application therefor.

In Senate, October 224, 1783.

Read & accepted as taken into a new draft.
Sent down for concurrence

S. ADAMS, Presidt.

In the House of Representatives, October 24th, 1783.
Read & concurred as taken into another new draft.
Sent up for concurrence.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk.

In Senate, Oct 28th, 1783. Read & concurred with amendments at A.

dele from A to B.

Sent down for concurrence

S. ADAMS, Presid*.

In the House of Representatives, October 28th, 1783.

Read & concurred.

Approv'd.

TRISTRAM DALTON, Spk'.

JOHN HANCOCK.