be recommended to the said council to proceed against the said Bazil Bouderot according to the laws of their state; but, if they have no laws by which crimes committed out of their state may be tried within the same, that then they confine the said Bazil Bouderot, until the situation of public affairs will admit his being removed to Nova Scotia, where the crime is alleged to have been committed, and there submitted to a fair trial, according to the antient laws of that province.

The committee to whom part of the report from the Committee on Spies was re-committed, having brought in a report, the same was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That all persons, not members of, nor owing allegiance to, any of the United States of America, as described in a resolution of Congress of the 24th of June last, who shall be found lurking as spies in or about the fortifications or encampments of the armies of the United States, or of any of them, shall suffer death, according to the law and usage of nations, by sentence of a court martial, or such other punishment as such court martial shall direct.

Ordered, That the above resolution be printed at the end of the rules and articles of war.

Resolved, That 500,000 dollars be sent to the pay master general for the use of the army at New York.

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

Resolved, That the Cannon Committee be directed to contract for the immediate casting of six 6 pounders, six 12 pounders, four 8 inch howitzers, four 6 inch howitzers, and 6 cohorn mortars, to be made of brass, if a sufficient quantity of that metal can be procured; if not,

to be cast of iron, and sent, as soon as possible, to General Gates for the use of the northern army, and that the said committee provide also carriages, and every thing necessary to complete the said artillery for service:

That Major General Ward be authorized and requested, if his health will permit, to continue in the command of the forces in the service of the United States, in the eastern department, until farther orders:

That the Cannon Committee be authorized to possess themselves of the copper said to be at New London, belonging to the United States.

Resolved, That Colonel Henry Knox be authorized to draw upon the pay master general for money sufficient to pay for any quantity of copper that can be procured for the use of the United States; he to render an account of the sums drawn for, and the copper purchased.

Resolved, That the letter from General Washington, received and read yesterday, and the letter from him of the 12, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.

A letter to the Committee of Secret Correspondence was laid before Congress and read.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to revise the resolutions of Congress, respecting the place where prizes are to be carried into, and to bring in such farther resolutions as to them shall seem proper:

The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, Mr. [Robert] Morris, and Mr. J[ohn] Adams.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1776

A letter, of the 20th, from General Washington, enclosing a copy of Major Bigelow's journal, and General Carleton's orders of the 4th August;

A letter of the 16th, from General Schuyler, from Albany were laid before Congress, and read.1

The president laid before Congress a warrant for apprehending Thomas Reed, Patrick Ballantine, and Robert Gilmore, and informed that, in consequence thereof, a party of Light horse have brought the prisoners to town, and that they are now under a guard, at the Indian Queen tavern.

Resolved, That the prisoners be sent for examination with the warrant to the council of safety of Pensylvania. Resolved, That the letter from General Washington, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War:

That the letter from General Schuyler be referred to the committee appointed to enquire into the causes of the miscarriages in Canada.

Resolved, That an order for one thousand four hundred dollars be drawn on the treasurers in favour of Alexander Tod, it being in full of an order in his favour, drawn by George Morgan, for goods purchased for the treaty at Pittsburg, and that the same be charged to the account of the commissioners for Indian affairs in the middle department.

Resolved, That an order for two thousand dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of Colonel Mark Bird, who has contracted to cast cannon for the United States; he to be accountable.

1 The letter of Washington, with enclosures, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 447. It is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), IV, 355. That of Schuyler is in No. 153, II, folio 271.

The Board of War brought in a report, which was read. Ordered, To lie on the table.

The committee, to whom was referred the letter from General Washington of the 18th, brought in their report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table.1

Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their consideration, the form of a treaty; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [Thomas] Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matters to them referred; but, not having time to go through the same, desired leave to sit again.

Resolved, That Congress will, to morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the plan of foreign treaties.

A letter of the 18th, from the council of safety of Maryland, was laid before Congress and read; Whereupon,2

Resolved, That twenty six thousand six hundred and sixty six and 2/3 dollars, be advanced to the council of safety of Maryland, for the use of the troops raised for the flying camp; they to be accountable.

A letter from Brigadier General Lewis; and, a letter from the committee of Carlisle, in Cumberland county, Pensylvania, enclosing a memorial from the officers, prisoners there, were laid before Congress and read;

3

Resolved, That they be referred to the Board of War. The Marine Committee having recommended Dudley Saltonstal to the command of the frigate Trumbull; Jona

"The Congress having considered the matter thoroughly, are of opinion to decline taking any public or further notice of his Lordship [Drummond] or his letters, and particularly as you have so fully expressed their sentiments on the subject in your letter to him." Hancock to Washington, 24 August, 1776.

2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 47. "The letter of Lewis is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 159, folio 246.

than Maltbay, first lieutenant, and David Phipps second lieutenant of the said frigate; Wilson to be first lieutenant of the Washington, John Nicholson second lieutenant of ditto; John Hodge to command the Montgomery frigate, at New York.

Resolved, That they be accepted, and that commissions be granted to them accordingly.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to deliver to Major Nichols, a number of musquets, sufficient to arm the marines raising under his command in this city. The Board of Treasury reported, that there is due,

To Robert Jewell, for a writing desk, stools, &c. for the use of the war office, the sum of 31 60/90ths dollars: To John Bates, for 120 camp kettles, delivered to Colonel Clement Biddle, deputy quarter master general, 160 dollars:

To John Bogart, for the expences of burying a soldier of Captain Harman's company, and for maintenance and nursing of him, and one other soldier, belonging to Captain Willet's company, both of the 1st Pensylvania batallion, 19 30/90ths dollars; and for the expences of guards escorting powder, &c. 5 31/90ths dollars; the whole amounting to twenty four and 61/90ths of a dollar; and to be paid to Joseph Burrell:

To Oswald Eve, for surveying the inlets to the northward of Cape May, by order of a committee of Congress, the sum of 224 55/90ths dollars:

To Richard Bache, Stephen Paschall and Michael Hillegas, for superintending the press from December 13, 1775, to February 3, 1776, at printing the second emission of continental bills of credit, and of the ten thousand dollars, struck for the purpose of exchanging torn and ragged bills, forty five days, at 2 dollars each, agreeable to a resolve of Congress, the sum of 270 dollars: