SATURDAY, November 11, 1775. Resolved, That it be recommended to such proprietors of tobacco warehouses, and tobacco houses in Virginia and Maryland, as cannot speedily have the earth of the floors of their houses worked for salt-petre, that they cause those floors to be soon dug up and left fine, loose, and light, at least six inches deep, suffering the tobacco stalks and trashy leaves to be spread thereon, and leaving the doors open, especially in dry weather, as often as convenience will permit, whereby the soil will be much the more impregnated with nitrous particles, the manufacture of salt-petre facilitated, and the quantity thereof greatly increased. Two petitions, one from Charles Wharton, the other from James Loughhead, each praying to be appointed commissary to the battalions raising in this colony, were read. Ordered, To lie on the table. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to contract with such person or persons as will undertake, at the cheapest rate, to supply such continental troops as are or may be in the barracks at Philadelphia, during their stay there, with the rations allowed by this Congress. The members chosen, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Allen. Resolved, That the recruiting officers in Pennsylvania, send the recruits they may enlist as soon as raised, to the barracks in Philadelphia. A letter from Volkert P. Douw, esq. dated 6th instant, was read. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to take into consideration the forc going letter, and the minutes of the treaty held with the Indians at Albany, by the Indian commissioners of the northern department, and report thereon. That the committee consist of five. The members chosen, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Duanc, and Mr. Cushing. Resolved, That the committee appointed to proceed to Ticonderoga and Canada, be directed to confer with the generals commanding in that department, on the propriety of sending the whole or any part of the army under their command, with proper artillery and ammunition, to Quebec, in order to second colonel Arnold's expedition, or to renew the attempt, should his have failed, and to give directions accordingly. Resolved, That the fortifications of Quebec, in case it comes into our hands, be repaired, and furnished with such provisions, arms, ammunition and artillery, as may be necessary for its security. Resolved, That in case any one of the foregoing committee be disabled or prevented from proceeding, the other two have full power to proceed and transact the business entrusted to them. The committee appointed to confer with Mr. Kirkland, brought in their report: Whereupon, Resolved, That 113 dollars be paid to the rev. Samuel Kirkland, for his past services, out of the continental treasury. Resolved, That for the propagation of the gospel amongst the Indians, and conciliating their affections to the United Colonies, and thereby preserving their friendship and neutrality, Mr. Kirkland be continued in his mission amongst them, and that for those important purposes, he be allowed and paid out of the continental treasury, for the support of himself and family the ensuing year, sixty-five pounds sterling, or 288 8-9 dollars, and that sixty pounds sterling, or 266 2-3 dollars be advanced to him, to be by him disposed of in such manner as may best promote the happiness of the Indians, and attach them to these colonies. Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed until the committee to whom Mr. Douw's letter, and the minutes of the late treaty are referred, shall have made their report. Resolved, That 3000 tin cartouch boxes be made and sent to the camp, or if tin sufficient to make them can be procured, that it be sent. Ordered, That the delegates of Pennsylvania execute this. Resolved, That the salt-petre committee be empowered to enter into a contract with persons who offer to go to Virginia on this business. Resolved, That 500,000 dollars be sent to the pay-master general, for the use of the army in Massachusetts-Bay. That 50,000 dollars be sent to the convention of New-York, to be accounted for by said convention. Ordered, That the delegates of Pennsylvania be a committee to count and forward the said sums under a guard. Resolved, That the guard do not exceed three or two of the light horse, and. a servant. Two petitions, one from Murray, Sansom and others, and the other from Jasper Griffing, were read. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to take into consideration the foregoing petitions, and report thereon to Congress. The members chosen, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Johnson. The order of the day being renewed, Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday. MONDAY, November 13, 1775. A letter from general Washington, with sundry papers enclosed, was read. Ordered, That the rules and regulations of the army be republished, with the additions and alterations lately made. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare a declaration, in answer to sundry illegal ministerial proclamations that have lately appeared in America The members chosen, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. W. Livingston. Resolved, That Thursday, the 23d instant, be assigned for electing a brigadier-general. The several matters to this day referred being postponed, and the order of the day renewed, adjourned to ten o'clock to morrow, and from thence to ten o'clock on Wednesday. WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1775. An express having arrived with an account of the surrender of fort St. John's, the letters from general Schuyler and general Montgomery, were read. Resolved, That an order for 542 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of captain Thomas Price, on account of his rifle company, he to be accountable for the same. The committee to whom the petitions from Jasper Griffing, and Murray, Sansom and company and others, were referred, brought in their report, which was read, and agreed to as follows: Your committee on the memorial of Jasper Griffing, are of opinion, that the examination of the facts, set forth in that memorial, ought to be referred to the committee of observation, for Guilford, and that the same being sufficiently proved, the schooner Betsey, mentioned in said memorial, ought to be permitted to proceed on her voyage, with the cargo purchased and provided for her before the 10th day of September last, the master and owner of the vessel previously making oath, that they will use their best and utmost endeavours, that the said cargo shall be landed in some foreign port. On the memorial of Murray, Sansom and company, Jacob Watson, and Frederick Rhinelander, of the city of New-York, your committee having examined as far as they could, into the conduct of the parties concerned, find no ground to suspect that the owners of the cargo intended it should be landed or disposed of in any other manner than set forth in the said memorial, but your committee think there is just ground to suspect, that William Barron, the master of the ship Peggy, would not be very solicitous to prevent the cargo, which might be useful to the ministerial army, from falling into the possession of the men of war, he having been before taken in the same ship, in RhodeIsland, with a cargo from Chesapeake-Bay, for Europe, nor can your committee approve the conduct of the owner of the ship who continued the captain afterwards. Your committee are therefore of opinion, that another master ought to be appointed to the said ship, who shall be approved by the committee of Norwich, and that the time of her sailing, as well as her track be appointed by that committee, and the master sworn to use his best endeavours to prevent the said ship falling into the possession of any man of war or cutter, and to pursue as far as he can, the orders of the said committee in navigating the said ship, on which terms your committee are of opinion, the said ship ought to be permitted to proceed with her cargo. A proposal, from Nathaniel Sackett, for making a quantity of salt-petre, being received and read, Ordered, That the same be referred to the salt-petre committee. The order of the day being renewed, Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow. THURSDAY, November 16, 1775. Resolved, That two small swift sailing vessels be provided for packets, to be under the direction of Congress. Ordered, That Mr. Morris be appointed to provide said vessels, and that he be directed to get one ready to sail as soon as possible, and the other in a month hence. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to devise ways and means. of employing these vessels to the best advantage. The members chosen, Mr. Lynch, Mr. R. Morris, and Dr. Franklin. The assembly of Pennsylvania having, by a resolution of their house, recommended three gentlemen for field officers to the battalion raising in said colony, the same, together with applications from sundries, to be appointed adjutant and quarter-master to said battalion, were read. Sundry papers from the general assembly of the colony of MassachusettsBay, being laid before Congress and read, Resolved, That these be referred to a committee of seven. The members chosen, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Sherman, Mr. W. Livingston, Mr. Ward, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Hooper, and Mr. Harrison. Resolved, That the committee appointed on the 11th instant, to contract for supplying the troops in the barracks in Philadelphia, be empowered to contract for supplying the same wherever sent, for twelve calendar months, provided they are so long continued in the continental service, to commence next Monday. The committee of claims reported, that there is due to Henry Rankin, for provisions to captain Ross's company, 161.9 dollars. To John Hider, for carrying powder to Trenton, 10.6, dollars. This to be paid per order to Joseph Jewell. To Francis Lee, for horse-hire for expresses, 20 dollars. To John Little, for entertainment of sundry expresses, 16.8 dollars. The said committee also reported an account of Major Coates and captain Copperthwaite, which being read, Ordered, That the same lie on the table for the perusal of the members. Resolved, That the delegates write to their colleagues, who are absent, and inform them that the Congress expect their immediate attendance. Resolved, That for the future, no member absent himself from Congress without leave of Congress, Resolved, That it be a rule of this Congress, that every member remain in his seat whilst any paper is reading or question putting. The order of the day being renewed, FRIDAY, November 17, 1775. A letter from general Washington, enclosing a letter and journal of colonel Arnold, and sundry papers, being received, the same were read: Whereupon, Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed, to take into consideration so much of the general's letter as relates to the disposal of such vessels and cargoes belonging to the enemy, as shall fall into the hands of, or be taken by, the inhabitants of the United Colonies. The members chosen, Mr. Wythe, Mr. E. Rutledge, Mr. J. Adams, Mr. W. Livingston, Dr. Franklin, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Johnson. Resolved, That the prisoners taken at Chambly and St. John's, be sent to, and kept in, the towns of Reading, Lancaster, and York, in the colony of Pennsylvania. That the committee appointed the 11th instant, to contract for supplying the battalion, raised in Pennsylvania, be empowered to distribute the said prisoners in the towns aforesaid, and contract for their support or subsistence. That the rations of the privates be the same as are allowed the privates in the continental army. That orders issue to the officer who has the charge of conducting the prisoners, to march them by the nearest road to Reading, in the colony of Pennsylvania, and that the deputy commissary-general be directed to supply them with provisions for their march, agreeable to the rations supplied the continental army. That the said commissary be directed, if the prisoners agree to it, to send the women, children and baggage by water to Amboy, from thence to be sent across to Bordentown, and from thence by water to Philadelphia, from which last place they will be sent to join the garrison in the towns allotted to them, this being judged the safest, cheapest, and most commodious way of conveying them. Whereas it is become necessary to appoint a colonel of the regiment of artillery, in the room of colonel Gridley, on account of his advanced age, Resolved, That this Congress will indemnify colonel Gridley for any loss of half-pay, which he may sustain in consequence of his having been in the service of the United Colonies. The Congress then proceeded to the choice of a colonel of the regiment of artillery, and Henry Knox, esq. was unanimously elected. Resolved, That the commissioned officers, taken in the forts of Chambly and St. John's, be put upon their parole of honour, that they will not go into or near any seaport town, nor farther than six miles distant from the respective places of their residence, without leave of the Continental Congress, and that they will carry on no political correspondence whatever, on the subject of the dispute between Great-Britain and the colonies, so long as they remain prisoners. Whereas the officers taken at fort Chambly, have been permitted by general Schuyler, to make choice of, and to reside in Trenton, in New-Jersey, and the disposition of the prisoners by him made, has been approved by Congress, VOL. I. 23 Ordered, That a copy of the foregoing resolution be sent to the committee of Trenton, and that the said committee be desired to get the same signed by the officers there. Resolved, That the officers taken at St. John's, be sent to Windham and Lebanon, in the colony of Connecticut, provided general Schuyler has not given his word for another disposition of them. The several matters to this day referred being postponed, and the order of the day renewed, Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday. MONDAY, November 20, 1775. Sundry letters from general Washington and governor Trumbull, with papers enclosed, among which were intercepted letters from Cork, were read. Two petitions, one from Godfred Fehr, the other from Melchior Neff, were presented to Congress and read. Capt. John Hulbert, who was sent by general Schuyler to conduct the officers, who were taken prisoners at Fort Chambly, to Trenton, attended and made report of his proceedings. Resolved, That the sum of 16,669 1-5 dollars be put into the hands of Mr. Thomas Lowry, of New Jersey, for the purpose of furnishing the two battalions raised in said colony with the articles allowed them, in lieu of bounty, and for one month's pay of said battalions, he to give security for the disposal of said money, and to render account to Congress. Ordered, That Mr. R. Morris confer with Mr. Lowry, and receive proposals with regard to the recompence he will expect for this service. Resolved, That the committee appointed to contract for supplying the battalions raised in Pennsylvania, be empowered to advertise and receive proposals, and contract for supplying the above two battalions with the rations allowed them. The Congress then proceeded to the choice of an adjutant for the battalion. under the command of colonel lord Sterling, raised in the eastern division of New-Jersey, and Alexander Clough was elected. Resolved, That general Schuyler be directed to make further search in the places where the lead was found at Crown-Point and Ticonderoga, and that he send as much lead as can be spared to the camp at Cambridge. Resolved, That the secret committee be empowered to contract for the importation of an hundred tons of lead. Resolved, That the intercepted letters be referred to the committee of seven, appointed the 17th instant, in order to select such parts of them as it be proper to publish, and that they lay the extracts before Congress. The orders of the day being renewed, Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow. TUESDAY, November 21, 1775. may Mr. Morris, who was appointed to confer with Mr. Lowry, having made his report, and the same being considered, Resolved, That Mr. Lowry be allowed one and a quarter per cent. in full of all charges, for the money passing through his hands. The Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the petitions from Bermuda, to them referred, and after some time spent therein, the president resumed, the chair, and Mr. Ward reported, that the committee had taken into consideration the petitions to them referred, and had come to certain resolutions thereon, which he read in his place, and then delivered in. The report of the committee being again read, Ordered, That the same be considered to-morrow. |