The several matters to this day referred, being post

poned,

Adjourned to 9 o'Clock on Monday.

MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1776

Two Letters from General Washington, of the 20 and 21, with sundry papers enclosed, were laid before Congress and read:1 Whereupon,

Resolved, That a letter be written to the General, desiring him to put a stop to the raising the companies of Mohickan and Stockbridge Indians, mentioned in one of the enclosed papers; and that a like letter be written to Governor Trumbull.

That the letters, with the enclosed papers, be referred to the Board of War and Ordnance.

A letter, from the convention of New Jersey, dated 21, with sundry papers, containing the questions proposed to Mr. William Franklin, his behavior on the occasion,|| and the resolution of the Convention, "declaring him a virulent enemy to this country, and a person that may prove dangerous, and that the said William Franklin be confined in such place and manner as the Continental Congress shall direct;" Whereupon,

Resolved, That William Franklin be sent under guard to Governor Trumbull, who is desired to take his parole; and, if Mr. Franklin refuses to give his parole, that Governor Trumbull be desired to treat him agreeable to the resolutions of Congress respecting prisoners.

Resolved, That Mr. Mease be directed to advance to Captain Matthew Smith, of the riffle batallion, 1,040 dollars, for the purpose of recruiting his company; the said Captain Smith to be accountable.

1 These letters are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folios 75 and 79. That of the 20th is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), IV, 164.

Resolved, That Mr. Mease, and the Committee of Claims, be directed to forward to the pay master general, an account of the monies advanced and ordered to be charged to the riffle batallion, or the respective riffle companies, in order that the same may be deducted, and stopped from their pay.

Information being given to Congress that a quantity of tents, which were sent from Philadelphia for the use of the colony of Massachusetts bay, have been stopt at New York, by the order of the quarter master general:

Resolved, That the president write to the General on this subject, and desire him to order the said tents to be redelivered, and forwarded to the colony of Massachusetts bay immediately.

Resolved, That a committee, to consist of a member from each colony, be appointed to enquire into the cause of the miscarriages in Canada:1

That the said committee have power to send for persons and papers:

The members chosen, Mr. [William] Whipple, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, Mr. [Stephen] Hopkins, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [George] Clinton, Mr. [James] Wilson, Mr. [William] Paca, Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, Mr. [Joseph] Hewes, Mr. [Arthur] Middleton, and Mr. [Lyman] Hall.

The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,

1In the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 171, is a paper in the writing of Charles Thomson, as follows: "That the Board of War and Ordnance be directed to inquire into the causes of the miscarriage in Canada and into the conduct of such officers as may have been accessory thereto, and report the same with the charges to Congress, together with their sentiments thereon." This, with several motions, was referred to the Committee of the Whole. In the same volume, folio 177, is a motion in the writing of James Wilson, as follows: "Resolved, That a committee be appointed to enquire into the causes of the miscarriages that have happened in Canada.

"Resolved, That this Committee be empowered to send for such Persons and Papers as may tend to throw Light upon the Subject before mentioned."

To Gunning Bedford, the sum of £75 15 0=202 dollars, of which sum £38 15 0 ||=103 dollars and 30/90ths,|| is for his pay and subsistence for two months; and the remainder for a horse for the continental service:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

Resolved, That the report on the cartel for exchange of prisoners, entered into between Brigadier General Arnold and Captain Foster, be recommitted.

The Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee on Spies; Whereupon,

Resolved, That all persons abiding within any of the United Colonies, and deriving protection from the laws of the same, owe allegiance to the said laws, and are members of such colony; and that all persons passing through, visiting, or make a temporary stay in any of the said colonies, being entitled to the protection of the laws during the time of such passage, visitation or temporary stay, owe, during the same time, allegiance thereto :

That all persons, members of, or owing allegiance to any of the United Colonies, as before described, who shall levy war against any of the said colonies within the same, or be adherent to the king of Great Britain, or others the enemies of the said colonies, or any of them, within the same, giving to him or them aid and comfort, are guilty of treason against such colony:

That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several United Colonies, to pass laws for punishing, in such manner as to them shall seem fit, such persons before described, as shall be proveably attainted of open deed, by people of their condition, of any of the treasons before described.

That it be recommended to the several legislatures of the United Colonies, to pass laws for punishing, in such manner as they shall think fit, persons who shall counter

feit, or aid or abet in counterfeiting, the continental bills of credit, or who shall pass any such bill in payment, knowing the same to be counterfeit.

Resolved, That the remainder of said report be recommitted.

The committee, appointed to consider what harbours are proper to be fortified, brought in their report, which was read.

The Committee appointed to consider what Harbours are proper to be fortified, have attended that Service, and come to the following Resolutions, viz:

Resolved, as the opinion of this Committee, that the Harbour of Cape Ann, in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, ought to be fortified, and to this End that Twenty Pieces of large Cannon, with Ten Eighteen Pounders and Ten Twenty four Pounders, be procured at the Continental Expence and sent to that Place, and that the Commanding officer in the Eastern Department be directed to order an Engineer to dispose of said Cannon to the best Advantage for the Defence of that Harbour, and also to order a sufficient Number of Troops there to do the necessary Work.

Resolved, That Twenty two Pieces of heavy Cannon, Eighteen and Twenty four Pounders, be furnished at the Expence of the Continent for the Fortification of the Harbour of New London, and that Governor Trumbull be impowered to raise three Companies of Troops on the Continental, Establishment of Pay, Rations, and Disbursements, to be stationed at New London to Garrison the Forts there and defend the Harbour.

Resolved, that the Marine Committee be impowered and instructed, to build, Man and equip two large Row Gallies for the Defence of little Egg Harbour, so called, in the Colony of New Jersey.1

Ordered, To lie on the table.

Resolved, That the said committee be empowered to draw on the Treasurers, for a sum of money sufficient to defray the expences of surveying and examining the ports.

This report, in the writing of John Adams, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 193. A report upon New York is printed later.

A petition from Antoine Felix Wiebert was presented to Congress, and read:

Resolved, That the same, together with the papers accompanying it, be referred to the Board of War ||and Ordnance.||

The Board of War and Ordnance, to whom was referred a petition from Carpenter Wharton, brought in their report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table: and that the president write to General Washington, and request him to inform Congress of the cost of a ration as furnished by the commissary general.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,1

Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1776

A letter from General Washington, of the 23, with sundry letters from Major General Schuyler, Brigadier General Sullivan, Brigadier General Arnold, and others, were laid before Congress, and read:2

Resolved, That the same be referred to the Board of War and Ordnance; who are directed to sit immediately, and report thereon as soon as possible.

A memorial from Captain Stephen Rowe Bradley was presented to Congress and read, together with sundry

accounts:

Resolved, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.

1A memorial of Captain Elisha Painter was read this day. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VI, folio 121. Also a petition from William Goddard, which was referred to the Board of War. It is in No. 42, III, folio 178, and bears an endorsement by Richard Peters: "24 P. M. Read before the Board of War and referred to farther consideration."

'The letter of Washington, with enclosures, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 89. It is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), IV, 169.