prohibited Goods shall be stopt on the Spot, before the same be put on board the Ships or Vessels of the respective State: Nor shall either the Persons or Goods of the Subjects of His most christian Majesty or the United States be put under any Arrest or molested by any other Kind of Embargo for that Cause; and only the Subject of that State by whom the said Goods have or shall be prohibited, and shall presume to sell or alienate such sort of Goods, shall be duly punished for the Offence.

The Form of the Sea Letters and Passports, to be given, to Ships and Vessels, according to the twenty-eighth Article

To all who shall See these Presents Greeting: It is hereby made known, that Leave and Permission has been given to Master and Commander of the Ship called

Burthen

Haven of

of the Town of

and laden with

Tons or thereabouts, lying at present in the Port and

and bound for

after that his Ship has been visited, and before Sailing, he shall make Oath before the officers who have the Jurisdiction of maritime Affairs, that the said Ship belongs to one or more of the Subjects of the Act whereof shall be put at the End of these Presents; as likewise that he will keep and cause to be kept by his Crew, on board, the Marine ordinances and Regulations, and enter in the proper Office a List signed and witnessed of the Crew of his Ship, and of all who shall embark, on board her, whom he shall not take on board without the Knowledge and Permission of the officers of the Marine; and in every Port and Haven where he shall enter with his Ship, he shall shew this present Leave to the officers and Judges of the Marine, and shall give a faithfull account to them of what passed and was done during his Voyage, and he shall carry the Colours, Arms, and Ensigns of during his Voyage.

In Witness whereof, We have Signed these Presents, and put the Seal of our Arms thereunto, and caused the Same to be countersigned by

We

at

the Day of

A. D.

The Form of the Act containing the Oath

of the Admiralty of do certify that Master of the Ship named in the above Passport, hath

taken the oath mentioned therein.

The Form of the Certificate to be required of and to be given by the Magistrates or officers of the Customs of the Town and Port in their respective Towns and Ports, to the Ships and Vessells, which Sail from thence, according to the Directions of the 28th Article of this present Treaty

Magistrates (or officers of the Customs) of the Town do certify and attest, that on the Day of the in the Year of our Lord personally appeared before and declared by a Solemn Oath, that the Ship or Tons whereof

of about

of

his usual Place of Habitation, is Master or Commander, does rightfully and properly belong to him and others Subjects of and to them alone: That She is now bound from the Port to the Port of laden with the Goods and Merchandizes hereunder particularly described and enumerated, that is to Say,

of

In Witness whereof we have Signed this Certificate, and Sealed it with the Seal of our office. Given the day of the Month of in the Year of our Lord

During the debate a letter, of the 16, from General Washington, being received was read.1

After reading the letter, Congress resumed the consideration of the matter in debate: But not having time to finish. The same were agreed to.

Resolved, That the farther consideration of the instructions to be given to the agents to foreign states, be referred till to Morrow.

Resolved, That one thousand and sixty six and two thirds of a dollar be advanced to Robert Erwin, waggon master general.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed, after arming the German batallion, to arm the Maryland company on its march to New York with the remainder, or

1This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 555. It is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), IV, 406.

with as many arms as shall then be in their possession, belonging to the Continent.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1776

A letter of the 16, from Richard Dallam, was laid before Congress, and read.1

The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That if rations be received by the officers or privates in the continental army, in money, they be paid at the rate of eight ninetieths parts of a dollar per ration:

That Monsieur Jacque Paul Govert have the rank and pay of a captain lieutenant of artillery in the continental army, and that his commission be given to him accordingly:

That altho' this Congress cannot approve of the Behavior of Brigadier General Arnold towards the Court Martial of which Col. Poor was

postpon'd

the President held at Ticonderoga for the Trial of Col Hazen in July last, and altho the Resolution of the Court Martial in Support of their Dignity deserves Applause, yet the Conduct of General Gates in putting an End to so dangerous an Altercation (which appears to have been too warm on both Sides) at a critical Time by dissolving the Court Martial, was prudent and highly deserves the Approbation of this Congress.

That the Vigilance Prudence and Activity of General Gates since he had the Command of the Northern Army, in general, and especially in composing Differences, removing Jealousies and Animosities and exterminating the Small Pox from that Army deserves the Thanks of Congress and that the Thanks of Congress be accordingly transmitted him by the President.

postpon'd

'This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 63.

That the Medical Committee send an assortment of proper medicines to the northern army:1

of a

That Monsieur de Vermonet have the rank and pay major by brevet, he being a gentleman of considerable military abilities:

That the bounty and grants of land offered by Congress, by a resolution of the 16 instant, as an encouragement to the officers and soldiers to engage to serve in the army of the United States during the war, shall extend to all who are or shall be inlisted for that term; the bounty of ten dollars, which any of the soldiers have received from the continent on account of a former inlistment, to be reckoned in part payment of the twenty dollars offered by the said resolution:

That no officer in the continental army be allowed to hold more than one commission, or to receive pay but in one capacity at the same time: ||2

Resolved, That the remainder of the report be postponed.

Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to bring in the form of an Oath, to be taken by the soldiers on their being inlistment, and also prepare a resolution for enforcing and perfecting discipline in the army.

Resolved, That the treasurer be directed to pay John Bonfield, four hundred and sixty nine pounds, seven shillings, lawful money, in specie, the same being in full of Brigadier General Arnold's note of the 11th of May last: and that the same be charged to the account of the said Brigadier General B. Arnold.

Resolved, That an order for one thousand dollars be drawn on the treasurer in favour of the Cannon Committee; they to be accountable:

This report, dated "at a Board of War, Sept. 14th, 1776" and in the writing of Richard Peters, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 5. It is indorsed: "partly agreed to. Two paragraphs postpon'd, Septr. 18, 1776."

'Printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette, 25 September, 1776.

That the Secret Committee be directed to furnish the Cannon Committee with two barrels of powder for the purpose of proving cannon.

Resolved, That Captain M'Kenzie, a prisoner in the gaol of Philadelphia, be liberated on his parole, the state of his health requiring air and exercise; and that he be ordered to Reading, in Pensylvania, there to reside under the same restrictions as other officers on their parole.

The Committee of Treasury brought in a report on the ways and means of raising five millions of dollars, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table.

Congress then took into consideration the instructions to the Agents, and after debate,

Resolved, That the further consideration thereof be postponed.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1776

The Board of Treasury reported, that they have examined the vouchers brought into their office by Joseph Hewes, Esq one of the Naval Committee, by which it appears, that the Naval Committee have expended the sum of one hundred and thirty four thousand three hundred and thirty three dollars and 27/90 of a dollar in fitting out eight armed vessels.

Resolved, That the same be allowed and passed to the credit of the said committee.

The Naval Committee having laid before Congress an account of sundry outstanding debts, and of sundry goods by them purchased, and put into the hands of different persons who have not yet accounted for the same,