before Congress; and that the committee of the whole be discharged of the reports, so far as they relate to the cartel entered into between brigadier-general Arnold and captain Foster for an exchange of prisoners, and that the same be referred to the committee now to be appointed:

The members chosen, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Braxton, Mr. Paine, and Mr. Middleton.

Resolved, That this Congress will, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the reports to them referred.

Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, June 17, 1776.

A letter of the 7th of May from brigadier-general Armstrong, and one of the 6th of June from the committee of Ålbany, were laid before Congress, and read:

The board of war and ordnance, to whom the letter from governor Trumbull, of the 10th of June, was referred, brought in their report, which was taken in to consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the governor and assembly of Connecticut, to send the two battalions mentioned in the said letter as raised, one for Boston, and one for New-York, into Canada forthwith, as proposed in the said letter; and that a battalion of militia be sent to Boston, instead of the one intended for that place:

That blank commissions be sent to governor Trumbull, for the officers of the battalion intended for New-York; the present exigency requiring this measure, the same not to be drawn into precedent:

of

That 10,500 dollars be paid into the hands of the delegates of Connecticut, to be sent to that colony, to defray the expenses of raising the said regiment: That governor Trumbull be informed, that Congress are of opinion, that the provision made by the late act of assembly of Connecticut, for the purpose engaging one-third of the militia on the sea-coast, and one-fourth in the inte rior part of that colony, for the defence thereof, and of the neighbouring colonies, will, by no means, answer the object the Congress had in view by their resolution of the 3d of June; and request, that such steps may be taken by the assembly of that colony, as shall seem to them most likely to carry, into effect the said requisition.

Resolved, That commissions be granted to the officers appointed by the assenibly of Connecticut for the regiment ordered to be raised in that colony, for the service of the continent.

Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to sell two tons of gunpowder to the convention of New-Jersey, for the use of their militia.

The committee appointed to digest and methodize the resolutions entered into by the committee of the whole, having performed that service, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That an experienced general be immediately sent into Canada, with power to appoint a deputy adjutant-general, a deputy muster-master general, and such other officers as he shall find necessary for the good of the service, and to fill up vacancies in the army in Canada, and notify the same to Congress for their approbation; that he also have power to suspend any officer there, till the pleasure of Congress be known, he giving his reasons for so loing in the orders of suspension, and transmitting to Congress, as soon as possible, the charge against such officer: provided, that this power of suspending officers and filling up vacancies, shall not be continued beyond the first day of October next :

That general Washington be directed to send major-general Gates into Canada, to take the command of the forces in that province :

That no officer suttle or sell to the soldiers, on penalty of being fined one month's pay, and dismissed the service with infamy, on conviction before a court-martial:

That the baggage of officers and soldiers be regulated conformably to the rules in the British armies:

That all sales of arms, ammunition, clothing, and accoutrements, made by soldiers, be void :

That no troops employed in Canada be disbanded there; that all soldiers in Canada, ordered to be disbanded, or whose times of inlistment being expired, shall refuse to re-inlist, shall be sent, under proper officers, to Ticonderoga, or such other post on the lakes as the general shall direct, where they shall be mustered, and the arms, accoutrements, blankets, and utensils which they may have belonging to the public, shall be delivered up, and deposited in the public store :

That a deputy muster-master general be immediately sent into Canada: That the local commissaries and quarter-masters, appointed at the different garrisons or posts, shall make weekly returns to the general of the provisions and stores in the places at which they may happen to be stationed:

That the general officers, deputy quarter-master general, local commissaries, pay-master in Canada, and all other persons there, who have received public monies, be ordered, without delay, to render and settle their accounts; on which settlement, no general officer shall receive pay as colonel of a regiment, nor field-officer as captain of a company:

That general Schuyler be directed to make a good wagon-road from FortEdward to Cheshire's; to clear Wood-creek, and to construct a lock at Skenesborough, so as to have a continued navigation for batteaus from Cheshire's into Lake-Champlain; to erect a grand magazine at Cheshire's and secure it by a stockade fort; to erect a saw-mill at Scoon-creek; to order skilful persons to survey and take the level of the waters falling into Hudson's river near Fort-Edward, and those which fall into Wood-creek and interlock with the for mer, particularly Jones' run and Half-way brook, the latter of which is said. to discharge itself into Wood-creek at Cheshire's; that he be directed to have a greater number of boats and hands kept on Hudson's river, at the different stations between Albany and Fort-Edward, in order to save the expense of wagonage; that he be empowered to appoint proper officers to superintend the carriage by land, and transportation by water, of provisions, military stores, and other things into Canada, that neither waste or delay may arise therein; that he build, with all expedition, as many gallies and armed vessels as, in the opinion of himself and the general officer to be sent into Canada, shall be sufficient to make us indisputably masters of the lakes Champlain and George; and that, for this purpose, there be sent to him a master carpenter acquainted with the construction of the gallies used on the Delaware, who shall take with him other carpenters, and models also if requisite; and that it be submitted to general Schuyler, whether a temporary fortification or entrenched camp, either at Crown-point or opposite Ticonderoga, may be necessary:

That the commissary-general be directed to supply the army in Canada with provisions, and to appoint proper officers under him to receive and issue the same at the several posts, taking the directions of the general; that he be empowered to contract with proper persons in Canada for supplying the army there with fresh provisions; that he be directed to purchase for them a quantity of Albany peas, and to furnish as much biscuit as may be necessary; and that his pay be raised to 150 dollars a month;

That the quarter-master general be directed to provide and forward such tents, clothing, and utensils as are wanted for the army in Canada, subject to the direction of the commander in chief:

That general Washington be directed to send into Canada, such small brass or iron field-pieces as he can spare; that he be instructed to issue orders that no certificates be given in future by any but brigadiers, quarter-masters and their deputies, or a field-officer on a march, or officer commanding at a detached post:

That letters be written to the conventions of New-Jersey and New-York, and to the assembly of Connecticut, recommending to them to authorize the commander in chief in the colony of New-York, to call to the assistance of that colony, when necessity shall require it, such of the militia of those colonies as may be necessary; and to afford him such other assistance as the situation of affairs may require ; and, that it be further recommended to the convention of New-York, to empower the said commander in chief to impress carriages and water-craft, when necessary for the public service, and also to remore ships and other vessels in Hudson's and the East rivers, for the purpose of securing them from the enemy:

That the companies of riflemen from Virginia and Maryland be regimented, and that the regiment be completed to the original number of the Pennsylva nia battalion :

That the Pennsylvania battalion of riflemen be completed to their original establishment:

That two companies of the forces now in the Delaware government be ordered to Cape-May:

That the committee, appointed to contract for cannon, be directed to procure a number of brass or iron field-pieces, to be made or purchased immediately:

That the committee, appointed to provide medicines, be directed to send a proper assortment of medicines to Canada:

That Mr. James Mease be directed to purchase and forward to the quartermaster general in New-York, as much cloth for tents as he can procure:

That the committee appointed to provide stockings and shoes for the troops in Canada, be directed to purchase such other articles as may be wanted for the use of the soldiers in Canada, and send the same to Albany, that they may be forwarded to the army in Canada, and that they be particularly attentive to provide, in time, a sufficient number of leathern breeches and under waistcoats, and such other winter clothing as may be necessary for them:

That the said committee be directed to forward, with all expedition, to the quarter-master in Canada, such shoes as are already provided:

That prisoners, taken by continental forces, be not exchanged by any authority but the Continental Congress :

That all vessels which sailed from the port or harbour of Boston, while the town of Boston was in possession of the enemy, having on board effects belonging to the enemies of America, and which have been or may be seized, be liable, together with the said effects, to confiscation, in the same manner and proportions as have been heretofore resolved by Congress :

That the continental agents in the respective colonies, where no courts have been established for the trials of captures, have power, and be directed, to dispose, at public sale, of such articles of a perishable nature, as shall be taken from the enemies of America, and that the money arising from such sale, be liable to the decree of such court whenever established:

That the inventory of the ordnance stores, taken by captain Manly, be sent to general Washington, and that he be requested to appoint a person on the part of the colonies, to join one on the part of captain Manly and his crew, who, having first taken an oath for that purpose, shall proceed to value the same, and if they cannot agree in the value, they shall call in a third person to determine the same; that the report of such persons be returned to Congress so soon as may be, and the value of the stores belonging to captain Manly and his crew, be thereupon transmitted to them.

Resolved, That it be referred to the delegates of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New-Jersey, and New-York, to devise the mode of raising the battalion of Germans voted the 25th of May last.

Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed till to

morrow.

The committee, to whom was referred, the cartel between brigadier-general Arnold and captain Foster, for the exchange of prisoners, and the several papers relating thereto, brought in their report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table.

The committee on the petition of colonel Turbutt Francis reported, that they had met on the business referred to them; that the Indians refused to be examined, or to give evidence on the matter, which prevented their proceeding, wherefore they desired to be discharged:

Resolved, That they be discharged.

The committee on spies brought in their report, which was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.

The committee to whom the letter from William Palfrey, esq. pay-master general, were referred, brought in their report, which was read: Whereupon, Resolved, That the said letters, with the weekly returns enclosed, be delivered to the superintendents of the treasury, to be filed in the auditor-general's office.

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

TUESDAY, June 18, 1776.

Sundry letters were laid before Congress, and read, viz.

One from general Washington of the 16th, enclosing one from general Ward of the 9th, and one from Wm. Palfrey of the 16th.

Three from general Schuyler of the 11th and 12th:

Two from brigadier-general Sullivan of the 5th and 6th; and

Two from brigadier-general Arnold of the 5th and 6th:

Resolved, That these be referred to the board of war and ordnance.
A letter from W. Palfrey, with a weekly return, was read:
Ordered, To be delivered to the superintendents of the treasury.

A letter from J. Trumbull, commissary-general, of the 17th, informing, that he has found it necessary to order a quantity of flour to be purchased in Philadelphia, and that to pay for the same, he has drawn on the president in favor of Mr. Matthew Erwin, for 60,000 dollars, and, as he shall be under the necessity of giving orders for purchasing pork and flour in Philadelphia, desiring to know whether he may, from time to time, continue to draw on the president for the payment of those articles.

Resolved, That the president pay such bills as are or may be drawn by Joseph Trumbull, esq. for the purposes abovementioned, and that the same, as paid, be charged to his account.

A letter from the committee of safety of Pennsylvania, requesting the opinion of Congress, whether persons taken on board merchants' ships and river-craft, ought to be exchanged for seamen taken from the enemy's ships

of war?

Resolved, That the president inform the committee of safety that the Congress judge it improper that such exchange be made.

Resolved, That Gunning Bedford, esq. deputy muster-master general, be promoted to the rank of muster-master general, and that he be directed immediately to repair to head-quarters at New-York.

Resolved, That general Washington be empowered and directed, to nominate and send a deputy muster-master general to Canada.

Resolved, That two members be added to the committee for superintending the treasury:

The members chosen, Mr. Hewes, and Mr. McKean.

A memorial from Dr. John Morgan, director-general and chief physician of the hospital, was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the committee appointed to provide medicines.

The committee to whom the report on the resolutions of the convention of South-Carolina, respecting the battalions raised in that colony, were recommitted, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, the Congress came to the following resolutions:

Whereas the Congress, on the 4th day of November last, resolved, that for the defence of South-Carolina, there be kept up in that colony, at the continental expense, three battalions of foot; each battalion to consist of the same number of men and officers, to be upon the same pay, and under the same regulations as the continental army; and, on the 25th day of March last, resolved, that the convention, or council of safety of South-Carolina, be permit ted to raise and embody two other battalions, and that they be on the pay, and at the expense of the continent, as soon as they shall be armed fit for service, and accordingly mustered; and whereas the convention of South-Carolina, on the 22d day of February last, ordered that their council of safety return the thanks of that colony to the Congress for their attention to its security; that they state the peculiar circumstances and the heavy expenses which have been and will be incurred by that colony in the measures necessary for its defence, and that they request the Congress to allow that colony so much money as the expenses of three battalions, upon the continental establishment, would amount to for one year, and to give continental rank to the officers of the three regiments raised in June, and of the regiment of artillery raised in November, from the dates of their respective commissions, or at least from the fourth day of November, when they resolved to allow that colony three battalions; and whereas, the delegates from that colony in Congress, have represented the peculiar circumstances and heavy expenses of that colony; and that the troops raised in it were inlisted for three years, upon a different establishment of and under different articles of war, so as to render it inconvenient to place them, in all respects, upon the continental establishment; therefore,

pay,

Resolved, That the battalion of artillery, and the two battalions of foot, raised in South-Carolina, and kept up in that colony for the defence of the same, be considered as continental forces, and allowed the same pay, rations and

disbursements as other forces on the continental establishment:

That the two battalions, under the command of colonels Gadsden and Moultrie, be allowed all the advantages of the continental establishment, from the 4th of November last, and the regiment of artillery, from the time when the same was ordered to be raised by the convention of South-Carolina:

That the two battalions of riflemen, raised in and for the defence of the said colony, be considered as continental troops from the 25th day of March last, and be entitled to all the advantages of the same:

That all the above mentioned troops be liable to the articles for the government of the forces in the said colony:

That the said forces be continued on the continental establishment until the expiration of their inlistment, unless they shall be sooner disbanded by Congress:

That not more than one-third of the effective men of the abovementioned forces be ordered out of the said colony, without the express order of Congress or the consent of the president of that colony.

Resolved, That Mr. Heyward, and Mr. Hall be added to the committee for providing medicines..

Resolved, That Mr. Rodgers, be appointed a member of the marine com

mittee.