Ordered, That 82.60 dollars, be paid by a warrant on the treasurer, to Mons. Lotbinier for two months' pay and rations as chaplain, from the 10th of January last.

Resolved, That the bills drawn by the treasurer of North-Carolina on the continental treasury, be paid as part of the 500,000 dollars ordered to be advanced to that state the 5th of February last.

Ordered, That the bill drawn by governor Trumbull, in favor of Nathaniel Shaw, for 25,000 dollars, be paid and charged to the state of Connecticut. Ordered, That Carpenter Wharton lay his accounts before the board of treasury.

Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into the conduct of the commissaries, and that they be empowered to send for persons and papers:

The members chosen, Mr. Lewis Morris, Mr. Clark, and Mr. J. B. Smith. The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Mons. Faneuil's scheme for officering, arming and clothing a corps of Frenchmen, to be raised in the French islands, to serve in the United States, as mentioned in general Washington's letter of the 20th of February, be disapproved :

That general Washington be acquainted, it is the opinion of Congress, no commission should be granted to foreign officers, to serve in these states, unless they are well acquainted with our language, and bring strong credentials of their abilities:

That general Washington be informed, that no provision has been made by Congress for the support of widows, whose husbands have been slain in battle.

Ordered, That the letters of the 1st and 6th from general Washington, be referred to a committee of the whole Congress.

Resolved, That the pay-list transmitted by the general for the establishment of colonel Sheldon's regiment of cavalry, be approved, which is as follows:

Resolved, That the establishment and pay of each regiment of light dragoons, raised for the defence of the United States, as transmitted by the general, be approved, which is as follows:

Note. The pay of the farrier and saddler being less than such persons can be had for, a small stoppage from the men's pay must be made and given in aid, as is usual in the British service."

Resolved, That the pay of Mr. Nathaniel Barber, junior, deputy commisVOL. II.

8

sary of artillery in the eastern department, be 33 dollars and 1-3d per month, and three rations a day.

Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole; after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. L. Morris reported, that the committee have had under consideration the letters to them referred, and come to a resolution thereon, which he was ordered to report:

The resolution being read, was agreed to, and is as follows:

Resolved, That gen. Washington be informed, that Congress cannot agree to any alteration in the resolve passed on the 6th of January, 1777. And, as to the complaints of col. Campbell, it was never their intention that he should suffer any other hardship than such confinement as is necessary to his security for the purpose of that resolve:

Ordered, That a copy of the above resolve, together with a copy of the letter from col. Campbell to gen. Washington, be sent to the council of Massachusetts-Bay:

Ordered, That a copy of the letter from col. Campbell to gen. Washington be sent to captain J. Bradford.

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

SATURDAY, March 15, 1777.

A letter, of the 2d, from general Wayne, with sundry papers enclosed,

was read:

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

Resolved, That 50,000 dollars be advanced to Mr. Carpenter Wharton; he to be accountable.

Resolved, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to Mr. James Mease, clothier-general; he to be accountable.

Resolved, That 5000 dollars be advanced to the state of Delaware; the said state to be accountable.

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

Resolved, That as Congress proceeded to the dismission of doctor Stringger, upon reasons satisfactory to themselves, gen. Schuyler ought to have known it to be his duty to have acquiesced therein :

That the suggestion in general Schuyler's letter to Congress, that it was a compliment due to him to have been advised of the reasons of doctor Stringer's dismission, is highly derogatory to the honour of Congress; and that the president be desired to acquaint general Schuyler that it is expected his letters, for the future, be written in a style more suitable to the dignity of the representative body of these free and independant states, and to his own character as their officer.

Resolved, That it is altogether improper and inconsistent with the dignity of this Congress, to interfere in disputes subsisting among the officers of the army; which ought to be settled, unless they can be otherwise accommodated, in a court-martial, agreeably to the rules of the army; and that the expression in general Schuyler's letter of the 4th of February," that he confidently expected Congress would have done him that justice, which it was in their power to give, and which he humbly conceives they ought to have done," were, to say the least, ill-advised and highly indecent.

Ordered, That an extract of those parts of general Schuyler's letter of the 4th of February, which relate to the state of the garrison of Ticonderoga, be transmitted by the board of war to gen. Washington.

Ordered, That the resignation of lieut. col. John Brown, of colonel Elmore's regiment, raised in the state of Connecticut, be accepted.

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

Resolved, That the commissioners in the northern department make an allowance to James Price, esq. for the time which he acted as deputy-commissary general in Canada.

Resolved, That there be advanced to Joseph Trumbull, esq. commissary general, 400,000 dollars by a warrant for 50,000 dollars on the commissioner of the loan-office, for the state of New-Hampshire; and by a warrant for $50,000 dollars on John Gibson, esq. auditor general:

That there be advanced to James Stevenson, esq. one of the commissioners of accounts for the middle department, 600 dollars by a warrant on the commissioner of the loan-office for the state of Connecticut, he to be accountable.

Resolved, That there be paid to Allen M'Donald, Alexander, Archibald, Reynold and Allen M'Donald, jun. for the allowance of two dollars per week, from the 18th of December to the 12th of March, being 12 weeks, 168 dollars.

Resolved, That 300 dollars be paid to the Rev. Mr. James Caldwell, of the state of New-Jersey, for extraordinary services.

A petition from William Bernard, was read, setting forth, "that he sailed from England, in the month of November last, as mate of the brigantine Hanover, bound for St. Augustine, commanded by John Pinkham, and that, in the passage, the said Bernard, with the crew, consisting of six persons, all inhabitants of these United States, seized the said brig, and carried her into North-Carolina, and praying that the said brig and cargo may be distributed among them :"

Ordered, That the said petition, with the papers accompanying it, be referred to the marine committee.

The marine committee reported, "that there are several very fine prizeships in the state of Massachusetts-Bay, very suitable for the service of the continent, and which may be fitted out at a small expense; and that capt. Daniel Waters, and capt. Samuel Tucker, who were early employed by general Washington in cruising vessels, and were very successful, and strongly recommended by the general and others, are, in their opinion, proper to be appointed to the command of two of them :" Whereupon,

Resolved, That the marine committee be empowered to give directions to the agents to purchase three ships, and order them to be immediately armed and fitted out for the service of the United States, to be under the direction of the marine committee.

Resolved, That Daniel Waters and Samuel Tucker be appointed captains in the navy of the United States, and that they have the command of two of the ships ordered to be purchased; and that the command of the other ship be given to captain John Paul Jones, until better provision can be made for him.

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

MONDAY, March 17, 1777.

Eight states only attending, the several matters to this day referred were farther postponed, and Congress adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, March 18, 1777.

Eight states only attending this day, the matters referred over were farther postponed, and Congress adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, March 19, 1777.

A letter, from W. Atlee, of Lancaster, enclosing a plan of the stockaded barracks in that place; one, of the 4th, from general Ward, at Boston;

and three, from French gentlemen; two from governor Livingston, of NewJersey; one, from general Mifflin; and one from Henry Fisher, at Lewistown, to the council of safety of Pennsylvania; and one, of the 14th, from general Washington, were read:

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

A memorial from Jonathan Hastings was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table until the report on the post-office is taken into consideration.

A letter, of the 2d and 9th, from colonel Morgan at Fort-Pitt, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:

Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee on Indian affairs. A petition from Thomas Henegan was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the salt-petre committee.

Resolved, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to the state of New-Jersey ; the said state to be accountable.

Resolved, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to the state of Pennsylvania; the said state to be accountable.

Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into the state of the French officers, and that all applications of foreigners for service in the army be referred to them:

The members chosen, Mr. Lovell, Mr. Heyward, and Mr. Roberdeau. The board of war reported, 66 that there should be advanced to colonel William Grayson, 10,000 dollars, according to his request, in his letter of the 7th, to the secretary of the board; and that the same be sent by the hands of Mr. Thompson, as desired in the said letter; colonel Grayson to be accountable :"

Ordered, That the said sum be advanced.

In consequence of a farther report from the board of war,

Resolved, That the baron de Arendt be appointed to the command of the German battalion in the room of colonel Haussegger.

Ordered, That the committee of secret correspondence write a respectful letter to the baron de Kalb, thank him for his obliging offer, and decline accepting it at present.

Resolved, That general lord Stirling be informed, that, as no losses sustained by officers have hitherto been repaired by the public, Congress cannot grant his request, lest a dangerous precedent should be established.

Ordered, That the part of general Schuyler's letter of the 15th of February last, relating to ship-carpenters wanted in the northern department, be referred to the marine committee.

Ordered, That an extract from general Schuyler's letter of the 4th of February, relating to stores wanted from the eastern department, be transmitted to general Washington, and that he be directed to give orders for the supply of such stores as are wanted in the northern department, and which can be procured from the eastward, and are not already appropriated.

Resolved, That John Schrop be appointed second-lieutenant, and Bartholomew Van Herr, adjutant, in the corps commanded by major Ottendorf. A petition from William Garnet, George Patton, and Robert Brown, was read, praying for leave to return to some of the West-India Islands : Ordered, That the prayer of the petition be granted.

Ordered, That Mr. Sergeant be excused from serving on the marine committee, and that Mr. Clark be added to the said committee in his stead.

Ordered, That an extract of Mr. Deane's letter, relative to Dr. Williamson, be referred to a committee of five, and that they be empowered to send for Dr. Williamson and examine him:

The members chosen, Mr. Witherspoon, Mr. Smith, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Heyward.

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

THURSDAY, March 20, 1777.

A letter, of the 3d, from governor Trumbull, at Lebanon, and two, of the 10th, enclosing an intercepted letter from governor Wentworth; and one from J. Cockran, were read :

Ordered, That the letter from governor Trumbull be referred to the marine committee; and that the intercepted letters be referred to the committee of intelligence.

A letter from Mons. Bordes; one, from general Gates, respecting colonel John Trumbull; and one, of the 17th, from general Putnam, at Princeton, were read:

Ordered, That the letter from Mons. Bordes be referred to the committee on foreign applications.

A letter, of the 18th, from general Washington, brought by general Green, was read:

Ordered, That general Green attend Congress to-morrow, at 11 o'clock. Ordered, That Mr. J. B. Smith be excused from serving as manager of the lottery, he being appointed a member of Congress.

Ordered, That three managers be added to those already appointed, and that to-morrow be assigned for electing them.

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

FRIDAY, March 21, 1777.

Resolved, That £ 625, Pennsylvania currency, equal to 1666 60 dollars, be paid to Gam. Dowdell, and charged to the account of colonel Morgan, of the Virginia forces, the same being in full of colonel Morgan's bill on the president, dated February 24, 1777, in favor of the said Gam. Dowdell, for the pay of the troops under his command.

Ordered, That 1600 dollars be advanced to Thomas Butler, continental armourer; he to be accountable:

That 13 30 dollars be paid to Timothy Shuler.

A petition from Levy Marks, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the clothier-general.

A petition from George Folger, Seth Jenkins, and Alexander Coffin, was read, setting forth, that some hard money, and other articles, have been detained from them by the owners of the privateer Congress:

Ordered, That it be dismissed; the matter belonging to the court where the judgment was given.

A letter from colonel Stewart to the committee on the affairs of the northern department, was laid before Congress :

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

Ordered, That the committee appointed on the 13th to confer with general Gates, do also confer with general Green on the several matters given in charge to him by general Washington, and that three members be added to

the committee:

The members chosen, Mr. Wilson, Mr. S. Adams, and Mr. Witherspoon. The committee on foreign applications, brought in a report, which was read and considered; Whereupon,

Resolved, That a copy of the resolve of the 13th, with a certificate signed by the secretary, setting forth, "That it is wholly and only upon the grounds mentioned in the said resolve, that the bearer is not employed by these United States," be given to the chevalier de Bourneuf, Mons. de Bordes, Mons. de Luce, Mons. de Baury, Mons. Devermond, Mons. de Vernis, the