Smith from the committee to whom was referred the petition of the Trustees and members of the church and Congregation of Salem, in the County of Westchester, reported that they have maturely considered the facts stated in the said petition and believe them to be true and are therefore of opinion that the prayer of the petition ought to be granted; that the committee have prepared a bill for that purpose, and have directed him to ask for leave to bring in the same ; leave being granted, Mr. Smith brought in the said bill entitled,

"An act to authorize the trustees of the Presbyterian church and Congregation of the town of Lower Salem to sell and dispose of lands for the benefit of the said church" ,

which was read the first time and ordered to a second reading.

The object of the petition was to enable the petitioners through their trustees to have full power to sell, alien in fee, all right and title belonging to the said church and congregation, vested in them as trustees of and in all such lands, situate, lying and being in the town of Salem, in

a Rcc. of Trustees of Presbyterian church. Smith Salem, vol. I., p.p. 13-14.

b Mr. Gould Ilawlev of Salem n i the i ■stimonv of the late William Watson Wellman or New Haven) was heard to say that Judge Gilbert weut to the Legislature at Albany and obtained a grant giving the Presbyterian Society charge and use of the glebe.