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That there is due to the hon. Roger Sherman, esq. for money advanced by him to Andrew Gillman, to pay the expenses of the Penobscot Indians, who joined general Washington, 48.30 dollars, the said Gillman to be accountable:

That there is due to the hon. Samuel Chace, esq. the sum of 400 dollars, 200 of which sum was advanced by him to capt. Levin Winder, for the expense of conveying the North-Carolinia prisoners to Baltimore, and 200 dollars advanced to Mourtjoy Baily, for the expense of Jersey prisoners from Philadelphia to Fredericktown; the said Winder and Baily to be accountable. Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

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

THURSDAY, January 9, 1777.

Resolved, That Udny Hay, esq. be appointed a lieutenant-colonel by brevet, and assistant deputy quarter-master general, and stationed at Ticonderoga:

That William Claijon, secretary to general Gates, be appointed interpre ter for the northern department, and that there be allowed him, as secretary and interpreter, the pay of 66 dollars per month:

The committee, to whom the petition of the North-Carolina prisoners was referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon, Resolved, That a good and convenient house, if possible, be provided for their reception; that they be put upon their parole, and that an oath be administered to them, after the manner used in Scotland; and, at the same time, that a serjeant's guard be kept at the house, to prevent all suspicion of improper intercourse with them:

That capt. John Mackenzie, who was enlarged upon his parole several months ago, and has since resided in Donnegall, in Pennsylvania, be permitted to go home to his family, he giving his oath to do nothing to the prejudice of the American states, or any of them, and finding security in the sum of £.500, to observe this engagement, as also, that he, himself, shall present this resolution to the executive powers of North-Carolina, for their con currence, and be entirely subject to their directions.

Resolved, That 266.60 dollars be advanced to captain Lee for the use of the light-horse under his command, on their march from Virginia to join general Washington; the said captain Lee to account with the pay-master general for the expenditure.

Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the medical committee; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Dr. John Morgan, director-general, and Dr. Samuel Stringer, director of the hospital in the northern department of the army of the United States, be, and they are hereby, dismissed from any farther service in said offices:

That the directors of the military hospitals throughout the army, with the assistance of the hospital and regimental surgeons in each department, make returns to Congress, as soon as possible, of the kind and quantity of medicines, instruments, and hospital-furniture that remain on hand.

A letter, of the 6th, from the committee of Congress at Philadelphia, enclosing one, of the 5th, from general Putnam, at Bristol, and a copy of one, of the 4th, from major A. Hubley at Bordentown, were read, and referred to the committee of intelligence;

One, of the 18th of December, 1776, from the council of MassachusettsBay, was read, and referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That the president be desired to write to the executive powers of the different United States, requesting that they will, as soon as possible,

inform Congress, what success the officers in their respective states have met with, in raising the troops, required by the resolve of the 16th of September last.

The delegates from the state of Massachusetts-Bay, laid before Congress credentials of their appointment, which were read as follows:

"IN COUNCIL, December 10, 1776.

"Whereas John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, Francis Dana, and James Lovell, esqrs. have been chosen, by joint ballot of the two houses of assembly, to represent the state of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, in the American Congress, until the first day of January, 1778:

"Resolved, That they, or any three or more of them, are hereby fully empowered, with the delegates from the other American States, to concert, direct and order such farther measures, as shall to them appear best calculated for the establishment of right and liberty to the American states, upon a basis permanent and secure against the power and art of the British administration; for prosecuting the present war, concluding peace, contracting alliances, establishing commerce, and guarding against any future encroachments and machinations of their enemies, with power to adjourn to such times and places, as shall appear most conducive to the public safety and advantage. And the secretary is hereby directed, as soon as may be, to signify to each of those gentlemen their appointment, with an attested copy of this resolve.

"Sent down for concurrence.

"IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 10, 1776.

"Read and concurred,

"JOHN AVERY, Dep. Secretary."

"SAM. FREEMAN, Speaker pro. tem.

JOHN AVERY, Dep. Secretary."

"Consented to by the major part of the council.

"A true copy,

Resolved, That Mr. Brownson be appointed a member of the marine committee:

That two members be added to the committee for regulating the several · boards of business:

The members chosen, Mr. Sherman and Mr. Heyward.

The committee appointed to take into consideration the letter from the committee of Congress at Philadelphia, relative to the means of procuring provisions in the middle and southern states, for the supply of the continental army, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That it be most earnestly recommended to the executive powers of Georgia, South-Carolina, North-Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, immediately to appoint suitable persons, to purchase and collect such quantities of beef and pork as they have or can obtain salt to cure; that each state, shall make use, not only of the salt within its own limits, but shall have recourse to its neighbors, either by bringing salt from them, or sending their live hogs and cattle to be killed and salted there. That the persons employed to execute this business, be directed to make use of the utmost economy, and cautiously avoid bidding upon each other, whereby great injury hath already been done to the public.

That in the opinion of Congress, the executive powers of the several states, above-mentioned, would do well to limit the prices of the said articles, and not suffer persons employed in purchasing, to exceed them; and that the purchasers should be paid a reasonable commission upon the purchases, in order to stimulate them to be active and industrious :

That the provisions be stored in secure magazines, convenient for transportation; and that the several states, whom this resolve is intended particularly to effect, may more effectually co-operate to accomplish this important purpose, it is recommended to the said executive powers, that they confer together by epistolary correspondence, or such other manner as they may think best, in order to pursue some general and beneficial plan, in which they may be mutually useful to each other:

That the president communicate to Joseph Trumbull, esq. commissarygeneral, such part of the committee's letter as relates to Carpenter Wharton: That it be recommended to the secret committee to fall upon some expedient immediately, to supply the state of North-Carolina with salt, for the purpose of carrying the foregoing resolution into effect.

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

FRIDAY, January 10, 1777.

A petition from William Goddard, and one from Elisha Painter, were read and referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That 60,000 dollars be advanced to the state of Maryland for public services, the said state to be accountable.

Resolved, That 300,000 dollars be sent to Ebenezer Hancock, esq. deputy pay-master general in the eastern department, for the purpose of paying the bounties and defraying the expenses of raising the new levies in that department.

Resolved, That 16,666.60 dollars be advanced to the delegates of Georgia, for the use of that state, which is to be accountable.

Resolved, That John Dorsey and Edward Gater be appointed signers of the bills of credit, in addition to those already appointed.

Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matters referred to them, but not having come to a conclusion, desired leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into further consideration, the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency: That 600 dollars be advanced to major Ottendorf, for the purpose of recruiting his independent company of 150; he to be accountable. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, January 11, 1777.

Resolved, That the determination on the sentence of the court-martial, passed on colonel Donald Campbell, be referred to general Gates for his approbation or disapprobation; any thing in a former resolve, referring it to general Schuyler, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

Resolved, That 266 60 dollars be advanced to captain John Jamison, and 266 60 dollars to major Theodorick Bland, both of the light-horse from Virginia, for defraying the expense of the troops under their command; they to be accountable.

That 1066 60 dollars be advanced to Henry Hollingsworth, for the purpose of supplying the troops from Virginia on their march to Philadelphia; he to be accountable.

It being represented to Congress, that several persons, disaffected to the American cause, have, through inadvertence, been employed as deputy postVor. II.

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masters and post-riders; which, if true, must be attended with the most mischievous effects;

Resolved, That the post-master general be, and he is hereby directed to transmit to Congress, a list of names of the persons so employed, and by whose recommendation they were introduced, that Congress may consider, and, if necessary, take order therein; and that he assign reasons why the late resolves of Congress, for regulating the post-office, are not carried into execution.

Resolved, That an agent be appointed for transacting business between the United States and the several Indian nations and tribes in Nova-Scotia, and the country to the northward and eastward thereof; and that Tuesday next be assigned for electing one.

Resolved, That a committee of four be appointed to prepare a resolution for regulating the impressing of wagons and horses for the public service: The members elected, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Witherspoon and Mr. Adams.

An appeal being lodged against a sentence passed in the court of admiralty for the state of Rhode-Island, on the libel of Job Pierce vs. the brig Phoenix: Ordered, That the hearing and determining the said appeal be referred to the committee appointed on the 4th instant.

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

MONDAY, January 18, 1777.

A letter, of the 5th, from general Washington, at Pluckemin, in NewJersey; one, of the 7th and 8th, from the committee of Congress at Philadelphia; one, of the 30th December, 1776, from general Schuyler at Albany; one, of the 21st of the same month, from Richard Varick, with the returns of the garrisons at and near Ticonderoga; one, of the 28th of the same month, from the convention of New-York, with sundry papers enclosed; one, of the 6th instant, from the council of safety of Pennsylvania; one, of the 1st from J. Trumbull, junior; and one of the 23d of December, from governor Trumbull, were laid before Congress, and read:

Ordered, That the letter from general Schuyler be referred to the committee on the northern army:

That the letter from the council of safety of Pennsylvania, be referred to the cannon-committee:

That the letter from J. Trumbull, jun. be referred to the board of treasury : That the rest be referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That 40 blankets be delivered by the secret committee to lieutenant Alexander Spotswood Dandridge, of captain Lewellin Jones's troop of Virginia horse, for the use of the said troop.

Resolved, That 100 dollars be paid to Walter Cruise, and 100 dollars to Richard Carpenter, who have been long detained prisoners by the enemy, and cruelly treated by them; and that they be recommended to general Washington to be employed in the service of the United States, in such way as he shall think proper.

Resolved, That the committee of Congress at Philadelphia, be empowered to purchase the prize sloop of war, taken by the Andrew Doria, with her guns, apparel and furniture, and fit her out as a continental cruizer.

Resolved, That a member be added to the board of war:

The member chosen, Mr. S. Adams.

Ordered, That a copy of the resolutions, lately passed respecting the northern army, be made out, and delivered to general Gates, to be by him carried to general Schuyler.

Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into further consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting

the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matter to them referred, and have made farther progress, but not having come to a conclusion, desired leave to sit again.

Resolved, That Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration, the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency.

Resolved, That the board of war be directed to send the prisoners, who are at the guard-house, to Leesburg, in Virginia, there to be delivered to the committee of that town, who are desired to have them securely confined till farther orders.

Resolved, That the committee lately appointed to hear appeals, be empowered to take the deposition of Coffin, who is obliged to go to sea this evening, there being no magistrate in this town to take his deposition. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, January 14, 1777.

Resolved, That William Young and George Patterson be appointed signers of the bills of credit in addition to those already appointed.

The committee to whom the letter from general Schuyler was referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Messrs. Morris, Clymer, and Walton, be directed, with all possible despatch, to procure, in the state of Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, and send to Albany, three tons of steel and five tons of nail rods, for the use of the army in the northern department:

That Congress approve of general Schuyler's design of building five or six flat bottomed boats, of considerable force, for the guard of lake George, so contrived as to carry flour, and other provisions, as occasion may require : That general Schuyler, or the commanding officer of the northern army, give such instructions to the regimental pay-masters as he shall judge necessary, and transmit a copy thereof to Congress.

That the medical committee provide a suitable assortment of medicines, and send them to the hospital in the northern army, with all possible despatch, together with other necessaries for the sick; and that the list mentioned by Dr. Stringer, in a paper, No. 1, enclosed in general Schuyler's letter, be committed to them:

That Dr. Potts be directed to repair to Ticonderoga without delay:

That Dr. Stringer be directed to deliver to Dr. Potts, such medicines, and other medical stores, as may be in his hands belonging to the continent. Resolved, That the light horse from Virginia be taken into continental pay, and put upon the continental establishment; that their pay commence from the 25th of November last; and that the state of Virginia be reimbursed for the horses and furniture of the said troops :

That 266.60 dollars be advanced to Theodorick Bland, esq. major of the squadron of light horse from Virginia, for the use of the said squadron, he to be accountable:

That 1000 dollars be advanced to Gerard Hopkins, son of Richard, quarter-master, for the public service; he to be accountable.

Agreeably to the order of the day, Congress proceeded to the election of an agent for the Indians, in Nova-Scotia, and the tribes to the northward and eastward thereof; and, the ballots being taken,

John Allen, esq. was elected.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare instructions for Mr. Allen:

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