Resolved, That 300,000 dollars be transmitted to the president of the state of Pennsylvania, to enable the commissioners appointed under the law of that state for purchasing provisions for the army, to execute their commission, and that they account to the board of treasury for the expenditure thereof. THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

The committee on the treasury, to whom was referred a letter from the board of war, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration : Whereupon,

Resolved, That a proper person be appointed to act as secretary of ordnance, and pay-master to the board of war and ordnance:

That his salary shall be 90 dollars a month:

That the said pay-master shall answer all warrants drawn on him by the board of war and ordnance, out of the money which he shall receive by orders of Congress, and shall keep fair accounts of his payments, and make monthly returns thereof to the board of treasury: he shall also transmit returns once a month, or oftener, to the pay-master general, or other proper officer or officers, of all advances made to continental troops, or militia, in actual service, in order that proper stoppages may be made:

That the board of war and ordnance shall, from time to time, make out the proper estimates of money to be advanced for the use of their department, and lay the same before Congress; and all monies granted by Congress, on their application, shall be applied to the purposes set forth in the said estimate. Congress proceeded to the election of a secretary of ordnance, and paymaster to the board of war and ordnance, and, the ballots being taken, Joseph Nourse, esq. was elected.

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer for 316 dollars, in favor of captain Reuben Lipscomb, for the extra month's pay granted to the army under general Washington, by the resolution of the 29th of December last, and which is due to 40 men of the 7th Virginia regiment now on their way to Virginia, who were regularly discharged on the 2d of February, and mentioned in a list signed by brigadier Woodford, and also to captain Lipscomb, who conducts them; he to give a receipt for the money, and to account for the same.

The letter, of the 9th of January from gen. Washington, being sent for from the board of war, the same was read; and, a motion being made thereon, Ordered, That the letter, with the motion, be referred to a committee of three: the members chosen, Mr. Clark, Mr. Dyer, and Mr. Ellery.

Resolved, That the board of war and ordnance be directed to be very cautious in recommending or giving any encouragement to foreign officers who have come of their own accord to seek employment in the army of these United States; that if the board shall find, among such foreigners, any of eminent abilities and merit, who by their knowledge and experience, can, in the opinion of the board, render essential service to these states in such way as the board shall be able to point out, Congress expect the board will recommend them and if any foreigners of rank and eminence in their own country should offer their services, it is also expected that the board will report specially respecting them: but, as to all others, the board are directed to thank them for their offers of service, without suffering them to wait, and thereby incur expense by unnecessary attendance.

:

Resolved, That 300,000 dollars ordered to be advanced to the president of Pennsylvania, be paid to the delegates of that state, to be by them transmitted to the said president.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, February 13, 1778.

A letter from Jonathan Hudson, at Baltimore, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the board of treasury.

The committee to whom was referred the letter of W. Aylett, esq. deputy commissary-general of purchases in Virginia, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:

Whereas, there is great danger of the armies of the United States being very much distressed, if the exportation of beef and pork from the state of North-Carolina be not immediately prohibited; therefore,

Resolved, That the legislative and executive powers of the state of NorthCarolina be earnestly requested immediately to lay an embargo on all beef and pork, except so much as may be necessary for the vessels use for the voyage, and to take the most effectual measures to prevent the embargo from being evaded.

A letter, of this day, from the board of war, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three: the members chosen, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Clark, and Mr. F. L. Lee.

The committee on the treasury brought in a report: Whereupon,

Ordered, That the 10,000 dollars ordered to be advanced to the board of war and ordnance, for contingent expenses, on the 26th day of January last, be paid to Joseph Nourse, esq. pay-master of the said board, for the purpose before mentioned; the said Joseph Nourse to be accountable.

The committee appointed to examine into the circumstances of the French officers who have been detained under a promise of having their expenses borne, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Ordered, That 910 dollars be paid to Mons. de la Balme, in full of all claims and demands against the United States, and that the committee on foreign applications inform Mons. de la Balme that Congress have no farther occasion for his services:

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That 100 dollars be advanced to Charles Cist, to defray his expenses to Baltimore, and to a paper-mill on Gunpowder river, on the public account; he to be accountable.

In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to Dr. John Witherspoon, for hay for the army, and wood for the hospital at Princeton, as appears by the certificate of Enos Kelsey, acting in the quarter-master's department, 429 30.90 dollars:

To Belcher P. Smith, for his services as clerk in the secretary's office, from the 6th of November to the 5th of February, inclusive, being three months, and for some necessaries purchased for the office, 197 60.90 dollars:

To John Dunlap, for printing sundry resolves of Congress from the 31st of October, 1776, to the 10th of Sept. 1777, a balance of 1174 69.90 dollars: To the Rev. Mr. Lotbinier, as chaplain in col. Livingston's Canadian regiment, from the 11th of January to the 10th February, 1778, inclusive, for his pay, exclusive of rations, 40 dollars:

To the estate of John Hart, deceased, for 71 meals victuals, supplied the York county militia, which ought to be paid to his legal representatives, 7 9.90 dollars:

To Andrew Nabinger, of the town of York, for victualling general Lee's guard in 1776, 44 59.90 dollars:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

Ordered, That the letter of the 29th of January from Mr. Aylett be referred to the committee of commerce and to the marine committee.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon, Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of the pay-master of the board of war and ordnance, for 25,000 dollars, to be by him trans

mitted to Benjamin Harrison, esq. deputy pay-master-general in the southern department; for which the said B. Harrison is to be accountable.

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of William Govet, for 1000 dollars, for the purpose of paying expresses and incidental expenses at the treasury office; for which he is to be accountable.

Resolved, That the treasurer be directed to pay to Mr. Joseph Nourse, pay-master to the board of war and ordnance, the warrant for 350,000 dollars, dated the 14th of January last, and drawn by the president of Congress, in favor of the board of war; 100,000 of which to be transmitted to Ebenezer Hancock, esq. deputy pay-master-general in the eastern department, and 250,000 to his assistant in the state of Rhode-Island; and also another warrant, dated the 2d instant, drawn in favor of the said board, for 100,000 dollars, to be by him transmitted to the said Ebenezer Hancock, who is to be accountable for both sums.

Resolved, That a warrant issue in favor of Charles Thomson, esq. for 3500 dollars in consideration of his faithful services, from the 10th of May, 1776, to the 10th of February 1778, as secretary to the United States. The committee on the state of Georgia brought in a report which was read: Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow. Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, February 14, 1778.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to revise the rules and orders for regulating the conduct of Congress in transacting business, and report such farther rules and regulations as they may judge proper: the members chosen, Mr. Lovell, Mr. Witherspoon and Mr. McKean.

The committee to whom the letter from the board of war was referred, report," that they have prepared sundry resolutions for forwarding the laying up magazines for the supply of the army, and preventing any interference between the commissioners appointed for that purpose by an act of the general assembly of Pennsylvania and the superintendents appointed by the board of war," and that it" is their desire that these resolutions, if agreed to by Congress, supersede the report of the committee on the letter of the Sd from the executive council of Pennsylvania, and the proceedings of the board of war on the resolution of the 15th of January, except what relates to the grant of 300,000 dollars, to the president of the state of Pennsylvania:" The resolutions being read, were agreed to as follows:

Whereas it is expedient and necessary to lay up magazines of provisions for the support of the army, and, for that purpose, Congress have directed 12,000 barrels of flour to be deposited at or near Lancaster, 8000 barrels at or near Reading, 6000 barrels at or near Bethlehem, 2000 barrels at Downings-town, and 2000 barrels at Pottsgrove; and, whereas, in consequence of the recommendation of Congress, the general assembly of Pennsylvania have, by a law, appointed commissioners in each county within their state, to purchase or seize wheat, flour and other provisions, &c. for the supply of the army, pursuant to such orders as they shall receive from Congress;

Resolved, That the president and executive council of the state of Pennsylvania be desired to issue the money, with which they have been or shall be furnished by Congress, to the said commissioners, in such proportions as they shall think fit; that they instruct the commissioners on the east side of Susquehanna, without delay, in the execution of the trust reposed in them; and that they instruct them to which of the above-mentioned places they shall convey the flour and other provisions which they shall purchase or seize, in order to form the magazines aforesaid:

That the said executive council be authorized and requested to appoint a suitable person at each of the above places, with such a salary as they shall

judge reasonable, to inspect, receive, store and take care of the provisions aforesaid, and to issue the same upon the orders of the board of war, until Congress shall appoint other store-keepers in their stead:

That the president and council aforesaid be requested to cause a weekly return to be made to the board of war of the quantity of provisions stored at each of the places above-mentioned:

That the board of war give directions and orders to the commissioners appointed by the aforesaid law, in the several counties on the west side of Susquehanna, respecting the quantity of provisions to be purchased or collected by them, and the places to which the same shall be conveyed; and that the said board appoint a suitable person at each of the places they shall fix on, with such a salary as they shall judge reasonable, to inspect, receive, store and take care of the said provisions, and to issue the same upon the orders of the board of war:

That the commissioners aforesaid be authorized to purchase every kind of provisions and forage wanted for the army, not confining themselves to the article of flour; that the said commissioners deliver the live-stock, by them purchased, to the order of the deputy commissary-general of purchases, or his assistants, and the forage, to the order of the commissary of forage, or his assistants, to whom severally they are directed to send immediate notice, when such purchases are made, and to take duplicate receipts upon the delivery, one of which they shall transmit to the board of war:

That the board of war be directed to correspond, from time to time, with the president and council of Pennsylvania, respecting the business aforesaid, and if, from the circumstances or situation of affairs, they shall judge it proper or necessary to lessen the quantity of provisions to be laid up between Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, or to change the places of the magazines, that they communicate the same to the president and council, who are requested to attend thereto, and to issue orders to the commissioners to govern themselves accordingly.

And, whereas, the board of war have judged it expedient and necessary, that a greater quantity of flour and other provisions, than was directed by the resolution of Congress of the 15th of January, should be purchased, and other magazines formed, besides those above-mentioned; and have, agreeably to the powers vested in them by the said resolution of the 15th of January, employed superintendents for the purchase of flour, &c.

Resolved, That the board of war proceed in that business, and that they direct their superintendents, to purchase such farther quantities of flour and provisions, and have them conveyed to, and secured in, such places as the board shall direct; and that they instruct such of their superintendents as may purchase in Pennsylvania, to avoid clashing with the commissioners appointed by the law of that state, in the execution of their duty:

That the said board be empowered to appoint a suitable person at each of the new magazines, which they shall establish, with such a salary as they shall judge reasonable, to inspect, receive, store and take care of the provisions purchased and conveyed thither by the said superintendents, and to issue the same upon the orders of the board of war:

That the superintendents, appointed by the board of war, be allowed a commission, not exceeding 24 per cent. on all purchases by them made, in full for their trouble and expenses therein; and that, in purchasing, they do not exceed the prices established by the laws of the states in which the purchases are made.

While this last was under debate, it was moved, and, by a vote, carried, that a question be first taken on the following addition:

"And that the president and council of Pennsylvania be empowered to settle the pay, or allowance, to be made to the commissioners appointed by

the law of their state, for their trouble and expense in purchasing, seizing and collecting provisions and forage, not exceeding 24 per cent. on the provisions and forage by them so purchased, or seized, for the army :"

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

The question was then put to agree to the resolution to which the last was

moved as an addition;

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, February 16, 1778.

Mr. Huntington and Mr. Wolcott, two of the delegates from Connecticut, attended, and produced the credentials of their appointment, which were read as follows:

(L. S.) "At a general assembly of the governor and company of the state of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, by adjournment on the 11th of October, Anno Domini 1777 :

"Resolved, by this assembly, That Roger Sherman, Eliphalet Dyer, Samuel Huntington, Oliver Wolcott, Titus Hosmer, Oliver Ellsworth, and Andrew Adams, esqrs. be, and they are hereby appointed delegates to represent this state at the general Congress of the United States of America, for the year ensuing, and until new be chosen and arrive in Congress, if sitting; and one or more of them who shall be present in said Congress are hereby fully authorized and empowered to represent this state in said Congress, to counsel, and advise, and resolve upon measures necessary to be taken and pursued for the defence, security and preservation of the rights and liberties of the said United States, and for their common safety: and of such their proceedings and resolves they do transmit authentic copies, from time to time, to the general assembly of the state.

"A true copy of record, examined by

"GEORGE WYLLYS, Secretary." A letter, of the 3d, from James Wilkinson, at Albany, and one of the 27th, from general Heath, at Boston, and one of the 26th of January from gen. Schuyler, at Albany, with two papers enclosed, were read. Ordered, That they be referred to the board of war.

A letter. of the 20th, and one, of the 25th of January, from Jonathan Trumbull, esq. pay-master in the northern department, were read: Ordered, That they be referred to the board of treasury.