Resolved, That the deputy commissaries general, deputy quarter masters general, deputy adjutants general, and deputy muster masters general, make regular returns and reports to Congress, and to the respective officers to whom they are deputies, at least once a month, and that the principals also make returns to Congress at the same periods.

That the pay master general, and the aeputy pay masters general, make monthly returns to Congress of their expenditures, and the state of the military chests in their several departments:

Resolved, That the flying camp be under the command of such continental general officers as the commander in chief shall direct:

That expresses be established between the several continental posts:

Resolved, That the militia, when in service, be regularly paid and victualled in the same manner as the continental troops:

Resolved, That a pay master be appointed to each regiment. That it shall be the duty of the regimental pay masters to keep all the accounts of their respective regiments, and to observe such rules and orders as shall be given them in command by the general or commander in chief, and that each of them be allowed for this service dollars per month.'

Resolved, That the aids de camp of the commander in chief rank as lieutenant colonels:

That the aids de camp of major generals rank as majors, but not to take rank of regimental or brigade majors.2 That Robert Hanson Harrison, Esq' have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the continental army:

'On the margin is "not agreed to in committee." The paragraph is found in Charles Thomson's minute on the proceedings in committee of the whole, in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 193.

"The last clause is taken from the Thomson minute.

Resolved, That the assistant quarter masters general be allowed captain's pay:1

That the pay of the regimental surgeons be augmented to thirty three dollars and one third of a dollar a month.2

Resolved, That a committee, to consist of one member from each colony, be appointed, to consider of ways and means of establishing expresses between the several continental posts:

The members are, Mr. [Josiah] Bartlett, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott, Mr. [Francis] Lewis, Mr. W[illiam] Livingston, Mr. [Benjamin] Franklin, Mr. [Cæsar] Rodney, Mr. [John] Rogers, Mr. [Carter] Braxton, Mr. [Joseph] Hewes, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, jun. and Mr. [Button] Gwinnett.

The Congress then proceeded to the election of an adjutant general and quarter master general, to fill up the vacancies in those offices; when the ballots being taken and examined,

Joseph Reed, Esq was elected adjutant general; and Stephen Moylan, Esq! was elected quarter master general.

Resolved, That Joseph Reed, Esq have the pay of 125 dollars a month, and the rank of colonel:

That Stephen Moylan, Esq' have the pay of 80 dollars a month, and the rank of colonel.

Resolved, That the election of majors general be postponed.

Resolved, That no person shall be appointed to any place of profit, unless the person to be appointed shall have a majority of the voices of the colonies represented at the time of Election.

1In the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 177, is a sheet containing these two paragraphs in the writing of Charles Thomson. An endorsement Resolution agreed on by the Committee of the whole Congress, June 3, 1776."

The Congress then proceeded to the election of two brigadiers general, when the ballots being taken, the following gentlemen were elected: viz.

John Whitecombe, Esq

Hugh Mercer, Esq

Resolved, That this Congress will to morrow again resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into their farther consideration the report of the Committee of Conference.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1776

Sundry letters and papers being received, were laid before Congress and read.

Two letters from Major General Schuyler, of the 31 May and 1st June.

A letter from the commissioners in Canada, of the 27 and 28 May.

Three letters from General Thomas, two to the commissioners in Canada, 15 and 20 May, and one to General Wooster, 27 of the same month:

Three from Brigadier General Arnold, to the commissioners in Canada, of the 17, 25, and 27 May, enclosing cartel entered into between him and Captain Foster,|| for exchange of prisoners: ||

One from Brigadier General Thompson, of the 25 of May, to the said commissioners.1

'The letters of Schuyler are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 153, II, folios 179, 186. That of the commissioners is in No. 166, folio 53. Those of Arnold are in No. 162, folios 68, 72, 74. A copy of the articles of capitulation is in No. 29, folio 251.

Resolved, That a copy of the letter from the commissioners in Canada be sent to General Washington;

Resolved, That Brigadier General Wooster be directed immediately to repair to Headquarters at New York: That the letters just received [and read,] be referred to a committee of 5:

The members chosen, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [Jonathan D.] Sergeant, Mr. F[rancis Lightfoot] Lee, and Mr. [Button] Gwinnett.

Resolved, That the Standing Committee for Indian Affairs be directed to devise ways and means for carrying into effect the resolution of the 3d, empowering the General to employ in Canada a number of Indians, not exceeding two thousand.

The committee to whom was referred an extract of a letter from a gentleman in Bermuda, dated 26 April, and continued to May 1, to a gentleman in Philadelphia, brought in their report, which was read, and the same being taken into consideration,

Ordered, To lie on the table.

The Congress took into consideration the speech prepared by the committee to be delivered to the Indians, which was agreed to:1

Resolved, That the delivery of this speech be deferred for some days.

The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due, To Captain William West, for expences in conducting money to Williamsburg, horse hire, &c. included, the sum of £82 5 10=219 40/90 dollars:

To Melchior Meng, for twenty one days hire of his waggon and horses carrying money to Virginia, the sum of £15 15-42 dollars:

1This report is printed under June 11, p. 430, post.

To Benjamin Towne, the sum of £9 17 3=26 27/90 dollars for cartouch boxes, being so much paid him less than the price contracted for:

To Robert Porter, for accoutrements for Colonel Hartley's regiment, the sum of £7 0 6=18 66/90 dollars, and that the same ought to be paid and charged to the said regiment:

To John Kuntz, the sum of £8 0 10-21 40/90 dollars, of which sum there is due, for entertaining General Lee's guard, the sum of £400 ||=10 60/90 dollars,|| and for expresses, the sum of £4 0 10 ||=10 70/90 dollars:||

To Michael Staddleman, for entertaining General Lee's guards, the sum of £4 5 9-11 39/90 dollars:

To Benjamin Smith, for board and accommodations for prisoners at Trenton, the sum of £11 12 10=31 4/90 dollars. This money became due before the regulation of Congress, for determining the price of their board, took place:

That there is due for expences in apprehending Henry Edwin Stanhope and George Gregory, who broke their parole and ran away from Northampton, ||in Connecticut,|| the sum of £14 5 3, lawful money of Connecticut,= 47 48/90 dollars, and that the same ought to be paid and charged to the said Stanhope and Gregory:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid to J. Hancock, Esq

The Marine Committee having recommended sundry gentlemen for captains and subaltern officers for the ships building or built for the continent, the same was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That Thomas Thompson be appointed captain of the frigate built in New Hampshire:

John Hopkins, and Samuel Tomkins, for those building in Rhode Island: