Resolved, That the committee for providing medicines, be directed to supply the militias aforesaid, with a sufficient quantity of suitable medicines.

Resolved, That an order for 60,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of the delegates of Georgia, for the use of the continental batallions; the colony ||state of Georgia to be accountable.

Resolved, That General Washington be empowered to appoint suitable places of rendezvous for the new batallions raising for Canada, and communicate the same to the assemblies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Connecticut and New York; also, to issue his orders for supplying the men with rations, tents, a month's advance pay, and other necessaries.

Resolved, That Mr. Mease be directed to advance one month's pay to such of the militia of Pensylvania, marching to Trenton as will engage to serve in the flying camp.

Resolved, That an order for 5,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of Mr. George Evans, contractor for supplying the Delaware batallion; he to be accountable.

A letter of the 5, from the committee of safety of Sussex in Delaware government, with sundry papers enclosed, was laid before Congress, and read:1

Resolved, That the same be referred to the delegates of Maryland and Delaware.

Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.2

1This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 581.

"A paper has been privately laid on the Congress table, importing that some dark designs were forming for our destruction, and advising us to take care of ourselves. Some were for examining the cellars under the room where we sit. I was against it, and urged that we ought to treat such information with contempt, and not show any mark of fear or jealousy. I told some of them I had almost as soon be blown up as to discover to the world that I thought myself in danger. No notice has been taken of this piece of information, which I think is right." Joseph Hewes to Samuel Johnston, 8 July, 1776.

TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1775

The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Abraham Sheppard be appointed captain, Samuel Finley, first lieutenant, William Kelly, second lieutenant, Henry Bedinger, third lieutenant, of the Virginia riffle company: and that the delegates of Virginia be empowered to write to the several county committees in that state, where they think it most proper and probable for the men to be raised, requesting the said committees to recommend officers for the appointment of Congress, to fill up Colonel Stevenson's regiment; the officers so recommended, to have power immediately to inlist their men, and commissions to be sent them as soon as possible, and that 7,000 dollars be paid into the hands of Colonel Stevenson, for bounty money, and other regimental expences:

That a farther sum of|| 5,000 dollars be paid into the hands of the delegates of Virginia said Colonel Stevenson, and 2,500 dollars to the delegates of Maryland, for the account of the said regiment; they to be accountable.

Resolved, That Mr. Palfrey, late aid de camp of General Washington, have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the continental army.

The Congress proceeded to the election of a deputy muster master general for the flying camp, and militia ordered to rendezvous at Trenton; and, the ballots being taken,

Jonathan B. Smith was elected.

Resolved, That an order for 10,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of the Committee of Secret Correspondence, for the purchase of two vessels; they to be accountable.

The committee to whom the petition of William Poole was referred, brought in their report: Whereupon,

Resolved, That 20 dollars be paid to the said William Poole for his present support, till regulations are made for the relief of disabled soldiers.

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. J. Duché be appointed chaplain to Congress, and that he be desired to attend every morning at 9 o'clock.

Resolved, That the committee of safety of Pensylvania release Allan M'Donald, of Kingsborough, a prisoner in the gaol of Philadelphia, on his parole, and that, upon his signing his parole, he be treated agreeable to former resolutions of Congress.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to settle a cartel for exchange of prisoners:

The members chosen, Mr. [Carter] Braxton, Mr. [James] Wilson, and Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison.

Resolved, That such of the militia as are employed in making gun locks, and such as are employed in making cannon and powder, be detained from marching on the present occasion to New Jersey.1

Resolved, That five of the committee, appointed to enquire into the cause of the miscarriages in Canada, be a quorum to proceed to business.

The Committee on the Treasury, to whom the claims of John Walker and Willie Jones, Esqrs. commissioners for Indian affairs for the southern department, were referred, reported, that there is due,

To John Walker, Esq' for 139 days he was employed in the southern department, at the rate of 4 dollars a day, 556 dollars:

To Willie Jones, Esq. for his expences attending Indian

1 Printed in the Pennsylvania Evening Post, 11 July, 1776, with the following addition, "in consequence of the resolution of the sixth instant."

affairs at Salisbury, and travelling to sundry places, 250 dollars, and for 95 days on duty, at 4 dollars a day, 380 dollars:1

Ordered, That the said account be paid.

A memorial from Ludwick Karcher, was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1776

Resolved, That one month's pay be advanced to the militia of Pensylvania, ordered to march to Trenton, the same to be paid after the men are mustered.

That Mr. Mease be directed to deliver to Mr. Biddle, the deputy quarter master general for the flying camp, and militia, such tents, and other articles as he has belonging to the continent, and which may be wanted for the militia and flying camp.

The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the committee of Lancaster be empowered and directed, to keep a guard over the prisoners, in the barracks of that borough, and to surround the said barracks with a stockade fort:

That the privates who are prisoners in the town of Reading, be removed to the borough of Lancaster.

A letter from Ephraim Anderson was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That the president write to General Washington on the subject, and enclose Mr. Anderson's letter, and that Mr. Anderson be referred to the General.2

1This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 1.

'This letter is in the Letters to Washington, X, folio 181. Anderson was adjutant to the Second New Jersey Battalion.

The committee appointed to draw up rules and orders for the government of this house, brought in their report, which was read:

The Committee appointed to draw up Rules and Orders for the Government of this House beg Leave to report as their Opinion have agreed to the following report:

III. That No Member shall read any printed Paper in the House during the sitting thereof without Leave of the Congress.

VII. That no Member shall speak more than twice in any one Debate without Leave of the House.

IX. That no Motion shall be made debated until the same be seconded.

X. That when a Motion shall be made and seconded it shall be reduced to writing, if desir'd by the President or any Member; delivered in at the Table, and read by the President before the same shall be allowed to be debated.

XI. When a Motion is made and seconded the Matter of the Motion shall receive a Determination by the Question, or be laid aside by general Consent, or postponed by the previous Question, before any other Motion be received.

XIV. When the Question is put by the Chair [every Member in the House] colony present shall [give his Voice one way] be counted on one side or the other, unless it's delegates be divided.

IV. No Member in coming into the House or in removing from his Place shall pass between the President and the Member then speaking. V. When the House is speaking sitting no Member shall speak [or whisper] to another, so as to interrupt any Member who may be speaking in the Debate.

III. When two Members rise together the President shall name the Person to speak.

II. No Member shall leave depart from the service of the Place House during the sitting thereof without Permission of the House Congress, or order from his constituents. If by the withdrawing of the said Member he shall break the Representation of the Colony from whence the said Member came.

XVI. No Person shall be appointed to any office of Profit unless he shall have the Consent of Seven Colonies. Nor shall any Ballot be counted unless the Person for whom the Ballot shall be given be first named to the House, before the balloting be gone into.