now in Philadelphia, and which may hereafter arrive, with the utmost despatch to Bristol, there to wait farther orders.

That the secret committee be directed to transmit, from time to time, to gen. Washington, bills of exchange, or specie, for the support of our prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy, according to their ranks and pay in the continental service; and that the general be desired to appoint a Commissary of prisoners, for the purpose of applying the money obtained by the bills and the specie transmitted, to the purposes aforesaid; and that the said commissary be ordered to take care, that the prisoners of war be supplied with proper provisions and clothing.

Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed. Resolved, That the director and deputy directors-general, shall constantly publish in the news-papers, the names of the places in which their military hospitals are respectively kept; and the several commanding officers of parties, detachments, or corps, on their march to or from the camp, shall send to the said hospitals, such of their officers and soldiers, as, from time to time, are unable to proceed, together with certificates to the director or deputy director-general, mentioning the names of the said officers and soldiers and particular regiments to which they belong; unless, from the distance of the hospitals, or other causes, it shall at any time be necessary to deliver them to the care of private physicians or surgeons, in which cases, such physicians and surgeons, and also the respective commanding officers, are forthwith to report their names and regiments to the director or deputy directorsgeneral as aforesaid, who shall give the necessary orders for removing them to the hospitals as soon as may be, and discharge the reasonable demands of the physicians and surgeons conducting agreeable to this resolve.

That the director and deputy directors-general and assistant deputy directors, have power to order to their respective hospitals, the sick and wounded of the army, wherever found, in their own or other departments, provid.. ed such departments are not supplied with any of the officers aforesaid.

A memorial from Robert Long was read, requesting permission to go to New-York, in order to render to Mr. Chamier an account of his affairs: Ordered, That the said memorial be dismissed.

Resolved, That an order be drawn on the treasurer at Baltimore, in favor of James Mease, clothier-general, for the sum of 12,000 dollars, to discharge a bill of exchange drawn at Boston, March 1, 1777, by Abraham Livingston and William Turnbull, on Robert Morris, esq. in favor of Stephen Hooper, or order.

Resolved, That governor Trumbull be informed, that Congress have received undoubted information that William Franklin, late governor of the state of New-Jersey, and now a prisoner in Connecticut, has, since his removal to that state, sedulously employed himself in dispersing among the inhabitants the protections of lord Howe and general Howe, stiled the king's commissioners for granting pardons, &c. and otherwise aided and abetted the enemies of the United States: And, that he be requested forthwith to order the said William Franklin, esq. into close confinement, prohibiting to him the use of pen, ink, and paper, or the access of any person or persons, but such as are properly licensed for that purpose by governor Trumbull. A memorial from colonel Haller and lieutenant-colonel Lutz was read, praying that they may be paid for retained rations.

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That a member be added to the committee for suppressing toryism. The member chosen, Mr. Duer.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several states, to order their statute laws, and the additions that may be made thereto, to be sent to Congress, and to each of the states, together with all discoveries and improvements in the arts of war made in such states respectively.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, April 23, 1777.

Ordered, That the sum of 680 dollars be paid to the captain, officers and privates, of the brigantine Andrew Doria, the same being in full of the bounty granted for ten carriage guns mounted, and sixty men, on board the armed sloop Racehorse, at the time of her capture by the said brigantine Andrew Doria, as certified by the register of the court of admiralty for the state of Pennsylvania.

The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Dr. James Tilton be authorized to repair to Dumfries, in Virginia, there to take the charge of all continental soldiers that are or shal! be inoculated, and that he be furnished with all necessary medicines: that the commanding officers in that department be directed to afford every assistance in their power, and that all commissaries and quarter-masters on whom the doctor shall have occasion to call, be directed to provide quarters and every thing requisite for this business.

Resolved, That the board of war be empowered and directed to sell to the delegates of North-Carolina, 200 gun-locks.

A petition from Lawrence Powell, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

The committee, to whom the report on the quarter-master's department was re-committed, brought in a new report, which was read.

Joseph Trumbull, commissary-general, being arrived at Philadelphia, Ordered, That the committee on the commissary's department, and the committee appointed to devise means for supplying the army with fresh beef, be consolidated; and that Mr. Trumbull be directed to confer with the said committee.

Resolved, That a committee of six be appointed to consider of ways and means for speedily reinforcing general Washington's army.

The members chosen, Mr. Duer, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Wilson, Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr. R. H. Lee, and Mr. Sherman.

Ordered, That the committee confer with general Schuyler and general Mifflin on the subject.

The board of treasury reported, that there is due,

To Edward Snicker, and to be paid to colonel Daniel Morgan, the sum of £ 276 2 6, for sundry arms, blankets, provisions, &c. furnished by him for the use of the said colonel Morgan's regiment, and for an allowance made him for his trouble and expense of purchasing the said arms, &c. and for those purchased as per a former account, amounting to £ 482 8, the sum of £37 186, which two sums amount to £314 1, Virginia currency, equal to 1046.75 dollars:

That there should be paid to captain Nathaniel Rumsey, for sundry clothing he purchased for the use of his company in the first Maryland battalion, which were taken by the enemy, as is set forth in his memorial to Congress, the sum of 115 30 dollars:

That there is due to John Carswell, late a soldier in the late captain Hendrick's company, who was taken prisoner at Quebec, for his pay from the 1st of January, 1776, to the 22d of April, 1777, the sum of 94 73 dollars.

That there should be paid to Henry Shitz, for 46 reams of paper for continental bills of credit, the sum of 444 dollars:

That there should be paid to Francis Lewis, esq. for sundry goods purchased for clothing the army out of the prize schooner Hannah, and put into the hands of Samuel and Robert Purviance, at Baltimore, the sum of 7346 62 dollars; the said Samuel and Robert Purviance to be accountable:

That there should be advanced to colonel Daniel Morgan, of the 11th Virginia regiment, for the bounty of a volunteer company inlisted into the said regiment, the sum of 1800 dollars; he to be accountable:

That the Rev. Mr. John Nevelling officiated as chaplain to nine New-Jersey battalions for one month and six days, at 50 dollars a month, amounting to 59 77 dollars; of which he received of the pay-master 33 30 dollars, and that a balance of 26 47 should be paid to him.

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

THURSDAY, April 24, 1777.

A letter, of the 2d, from J. Allen, at Boston, agent for Indian affairs in the eastern department; one, of the 26th of December last, from James Lyon, at Machias; and one, of the 18th instant, from the convention of NewYork, with sundry papers enclosed, were read.

Ordered, That the said letters be referred to the board of war, who are directed to confer with the person who brought the two first letters.

A letter, of the 23d, from general Washington, with sundry papers enclosed, was read.

The committee appointed to consider of ways and means for speedily reinforcing general Washington's army, brought in a report, which was read and considered: Whereupon,

Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the president of the supreme executive council, and to the board of war of Pennsylvania, to call out 3000 of the militia of the said state, exclusive of the city militia; one half of the said troops to rendezvous at Chester on the Delaware, and the other half at Bristol: And to order the city militia to equip themselves with arms and accoutrements, and to hold themselves in readiness at a moment's warning; and that the said president and board of war take measures to furnish the said troops with a proper train of artillery.

Resolved, That the president write to general Washington, and inform him, it will be agreeable to Congress, that he order general Mifflin to con tinue in Philadelphia for some time; provided the public service will admit of his absence from the army.

Resolved, That the officers of the 7th Pennsylvania battalion be referred to the board of treasury for the liquidation of their accounts, and settlement of the money due to the said battalion for the last campaign, and that the said board report thereon.

Resolved, That all the accounts of the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland militia yet unsettled, be referred to the board of treasury for liquidation, and that the reports thereon, be transmitted to general Schuyler, who is now the commanding officer in Philadelphia, in order that he may draw warrants for paying the arrears due to them, agreeable to the resolve of the 17th instant.

Ordered, That the account of William Graham, a surgeon's mate of the second Virginia regiment, be referred to general Schuyler, who is directed to draw a warrant for two months' pay.

An appeal from the judgment of the court of admiralty for the state of Maryland, held at Baltimore, in the libel sloop Montgomery, vs. brig Minerva, was lodged with the secretary, and referred to the committee on appeals.

An appeal from the judgment of the court of Admiralty for the state of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, on the libel Mary, Alsop and others, vs. Thomas Buttenburgh, being lodged the 6th of March last, was also this day referred to the committee of appeals.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, April 25, 1777.

Ordered, That 1666.60 dollars be paid to Sampson Mears, or order, the same being in full of a bill drawn by William Aylett, Virginia, April 9th, 1777, in favor of Mr. Isaac Vanbibber, of Baltimore, and endorsed by the said Isaac Vanbibber, and the payment ordered to the said Sampson Mears, or order, by Vanbibber & Crocket; and that the said sum be charged to the account of the said William Aylett.

The board of war reported,

"That having enquired into the case of major Elisha Painter, it appeared by the evidence produced, that the objections made against his appointment to the office of major in colonel Seth Warner's regiment, and the complaint of uneasiness occasioned thereby, are without any just foundation, and that nothing is alleged, or appears to have been done by him, to forfeit his right to the said office; and that the board knows of no such office vacant in any other regiment, to which he can be appointed by Congress : Whereupon,

Resolved, That the resolution of the 18th, of Jan. last, removing the said Esliha Painter from any command in the said col. Seth Warner's regiment, be repealed; and that he return to his command in the said regiment as major thereof, unless general Washington shall think proper to appoint him to some other office or employment in the army not inferior to his present rank. The committee of treasury brought in a report, which was taken into consideration Whereupon,

Resolved, That 50,000 of the 300,000 dollars, ordered to be advanced to general Mifflin, on the 22d of March last, be paid by a warrant on the loanoffice in Connecticut.

Ordered, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to Joseph Trumbull, esq.. commissary-general, he to be accountable; and that a warrant be drawn on the commissioner of the loan-office for the state of Pennsylvania for the sum of 35,000 dollars, in part of the above sum.

Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed.

The committee appointed to devise ways and means for speedily reinforcing general Washington's army, brought in a farther report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the president and council of the state of Delaware be requested forthwith to call out 1500 of the militia of the said state, well armed and accoutred, to rendezvous at Chester on Delaware.

That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the said president and council, to enforce the necessity of this measure, and that general Miffilin be requested to join the said committee for the purpose aforesaid.

The members chosen, Mr. Read, Mr. Roberdeau, and Mr. Sergeant. Resolved, That the governor of the state of New-Jersey be requested forthwith to call out such part of the militia of the said state, as general Washington shall judge necessary to reinforce the army under his command. Resolved, That the physician or surgeon-general of the hospital in the middle department, be directed to send a proper person or persons in the medical department, to visit all the hospitals betwixt this city and the town of Annapolis, in Maryland, with directions, to order all such soldiers, as shall be deemed capable of service, to join immediately their respective corps under proper officers.

Resolved, That major-general Schuyler be directed to order all the troops in or near the city of Philadelphia, and between the said city and the town of Annapolis, to march immediately to Bristol, by such routes as shall render VOL. II.

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it unnecessary to pass through the city of Philadelphia; that he send active officers to forward the said troops without delay, and that he order proper returns to be made of the quantity of arms and clothing wanted for the respective corps or detachments, in order that a supply of the same may be forwarded by the clothier-general to the town of Bristol.

Resolved, That general Washington be requested to send a general-officer into the eastern states, to forward all the troops already raised to their respective places of destination, with the utmost despatch.

According to the order of the day, Congress resumed the consideration of the articles of confederation, as reported by a committee of the whole; and, after debate,

Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed to Monday

next.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, April 26, 1777.

A letter, of the 25th, from president M'Kinley, of Delaware; two, of the 21st, and one of the 23d, from governor Johnson, of Maryland, were read: Ordered, That the said letters, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to the state of Maryland, the said state to be accountable; and that the same be paid by an order for 25,000 dollars, on the commissioner of the loan-office for the state of Maryland, and by an order on the treasurer at Baltimore, for the remaining 75,000 dollars.

Ordered, That 691.50 dollars be paid to Thomas Lawrence, being so much paid by him to the wives of the carpenters employed in the service of the United States, at Fort-Pitt, and that the same be charged to the account of colonel George Morgan.

Ordered, That 500 dollars be advanced to captain Joseph Mitchell, for the use of the 12th Virginia battalion, and that the same be charged to the account of James Wood, colonel of the said regiment.

Ordered, That the committee on the commissary's department proceed on that business, and report on Monday next.

The committee on the treasury reported, "That there is due to John Biddle, for the weekly allowance paid to several officers, &c. prisoners of war, and for sundry provisions furnished women and children, prisoners at Reading, at the rate of ten pence per ration, the sum of 955.52 dollars:

To Henry Haller, for the weekly allowance of capt. Anstruther, from the 23d of August to the 24th of November, being 11 weeks and four days, the sum of 23.12 dollars:

To Thomas Polhoos, and to be paid to Mr. Wiltner, for bleeding 95 privates of colonel Hausegger's battalion, the sum of 12.60 dollars:

To Joseph Simons, for provisions issued to women and children, prisoners; and for provisions issued to prisoners at Easton, who were unable to move with the others that were exchanged, the sum of 126.6 dollars:

To Mark Wilcox, for paper for loan-office certificates, and two reams of paper for the use of the treasury board, 876.73 dollars:

To captain Benjamin Deane, for his expenses while escorting money to the White Plains, and on his return, including wagon and horse-hire, 175.30 dollars:

To Joseph Cowperthwaite, for sundry casks for powder, and for cooperage, porterage, &c. 297.66 dollars:

To Levi Hollingsworth, for freight and cartage of 503 casks of powder, and one case of gun-locks, from Baltimore to Philadelphia, and for porterage to the magazine, the sum of 437.6 dollars: