be directed to make monthly returns, at least, of the stores under their direction, and the distribution of them:

That the commanding officer in each department be directed to make returns, once a month, to Congress, of the draughts made by him upon the pay master, in his department.

Resolved, That Mr. [George] Walton be appointed a member of the Marine Committee, in the room of Mr. [Button] Gwinnett, who is absent.

Resolved, That the sum of one hundred dollars be advanced to Thaddeus Sturges, to be accounted for by him, and deducted out of his pay on the settlement of his accounts; and that the Board of Treasury be discharged from proceeding on his accounts, and that they be referred for settlement to the commissioners appointed to settle the accounts in the northern department.

The Marine Committee, to whom it was referred to enquire into the conduct of Commodore Hopkins, brought in their report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table, to be taken into consideration on Monday next.

The Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the articles of confederation; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [John] Morton reported, that the committee, not having finished, desire leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the articles of confederation.

Resolved, That the adjournment be to 10 o'Clock until farther order of Congress.

The Board [Committee] of treasury report, that there is due,

To Benjamin Thompson, for 131 days service, viz. from the 1 December to the last of May inclusive, as clerk of the hospital at Montreal, at the rate of 2/3 of a dollar per day, the sum of 122 dollars:

Ordered, That the same be paid.
||Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.||

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1776

The Board [Committee] of treasury reported, that there is due,

To Thomas Whitbeck, the sum of seventy five dollars and one fourth of a dollar, for carrying money from Philadelphia to Ticonderoga, in October last:

To Samuel Johnson, twenty dollars and eighty one ninetieths of a dollar, for two hundred and nine meals. To George Hufnagle, one dollar and forty five 90ths parts of a dollar.

To Michael Staddleman, seventy dollars and 72 90ths parts of a dollar, for 708 meals.

To Richard Cheney, fifty four dollars for 540 meals furnished the militia on their march to New Jersey:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

The committee on the miscarriages in Canada, brought in a farther report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table, to be taken into consideration on Monday next.

A letter from Neil M'Clean was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.

MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1776

Sundry letters were laid before Congress and read; viz. Two from General Washington, of 31 July and 2 August; One from the council of Virginia, of the 27 July, with copies of sundry letters from North and South Carolina, enclosed.

One from Ephraim Anderson, of 31 July;

And sundry resolutions, passed by the convention of Pensylvania:

Resolved, That the said letters and resolutions be referred to the Board of War.

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

Resolved, That the commanders of all ships of war and armed vessels in the service of these states, or any of them, and all letters of marque and privateers, be permitted to inlist into service on board the said ships and vessels, any seamen who may be taken on board any of the ships or vessels of our enemies, and that no such seamen be entitled to receive the wages due to them out of the said prizes, but such as will so inlist, and that all other seamen, so taken, be held as prisoners of war, and exchanged for others taken by the enemy, whether on board of vessels of war or merchantmen, as there may be opportunity:

That Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Putnam be appointed an engineer, with the rank of colonel, and pay of sixty dollars per month.

A petition from Esek Hopkins, commander in chief of the continental fleet, was presented to Congress, and read;

1The letters of Washington are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folios 317 and 325. The latter is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), IV, 315. That of Virginia is in No. 71, I, folio 37. The letter of Anderson, recommending M. La Marquisie, is in No. 78, I, folio 19. That of the convention of Pennsylvania is in No. 69, I, folio 205.

setting forth, that "he has been informed that certain complaints, interrogatories and report, charging him with sundry crimes and misdemeanors, had been exhibited to the honorable Congress; the purport of which complaints, &c. he is ignorant of; and praying that he may be furnished with copies thereof, and of all other proceedings against him, which are now before this honorable body; and that time may be allowed him to prepare for, and a day assigned for, his being heard before Congress in his own defence."

Resolved, That the prayer of the petition be granted, and that Friday next be appointed for hearing Commodore Hopkins.

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be directed to order the ships and armed vessels, belonging to the continent, out on such cruizes as they shall think proper.

Resolved, That Monday next be assigned for hearing and determining the Appeal against the verdict and sentence passed on the schooner Thistle.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to deliver to the Delaware batallion, as many of the arms, lately imported, as will be necessary to arm them completely:

That they deliver to the council of safety of Delaware government, 193 of said arms, in lieu of so many had from them; and

That the remainder of the said arms be delivered to the council of safety of Pensylvania, they to be accountable.

Resolved, That the batallion, above mentioned, when armed, be ordered to New Jersey, subject to the farther orders and directions of the general.

The Board of Treasury reported, that there is due, To Thomas Dundas for 24 riffles and one firelock, purchased

fer the use of Colonel Irvine's battalion, the sum of 313 78/90ths dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Andrew Robeson by his order.1

To J. Symes, a prisoner of the royal Highland emigrants, 28 dollars, for fourteen weeks' allowance, from the 24 April to the 30th July.

Ordered, That the said account be paid.

Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to furnish the Committee of Treasury with the names of the British officers and other prisoners, who are entitled to the allowance made by Congress of two dollars per week, with the times of their captivity, and the places where they are quartered.

Resolved, That the pay of an assistant clerk to the Board of War, be 266 2/3 dollars [a year].

Resolved, That an order for 1,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of Francis Lewis, Esq' and that the same be charged to the account of the pay master general; it being for so much received by him, by the order of Mr. Lewis.

The Congress took into consideration the report on Messrs. Price and Haywood's accounts; and, after some debate,

Resolved, That the said accounts be re-committed, and that the commissioners to Canada be desired to attend the Board of Treasury at the examination of the said accounts.

Resolved, That an order for 53 1/3 dollars, be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of Monsieur Artur Vermonet, it being two months' advance, for which he is to be accountable.

A petition from Lewis De Linkensdorff, was presented to Congress, and read:

1" See 11 July, then settled." Note by Charles Thomson.