TUESDAY, March 26, 1776.

The Congress being informed that Mr. Ward, one of the delegates of RhodeIsland, died yesterday,

Resolved, That this Congress will, in a body, attend the funeral of Mr. Ward, to-morrow, with a crape round the arm, and will continue in mourning for the space of one month.

Resolved, That Mr. Hopkins, Mr. S. Adams, and Mr. Wolcott, be a committee to superintend the funeral, and that they be directed to apply to the rev. Mr. Stillman, and request him to preach a funeral sermon on the occasion:

That the said committee be directed to invite the assembly and committee of safety of Pennsylvania, and other public bodies in Philadelphia, to attend the funeral.

Resolved, That the privates of the companies ordered from Maryland to Accomac and Northampton, be allowed the pay of the privates in the southern department, which is 6 2-3 dollars per calendar month.

Resolved, That if the convention or council of safety of North-Carolina shall judge it necessary for the common safety to raise one or two more battalions, the same, when armed fit for service and mustered, be taken into the pay of the continent.

Resolved, That commodore Douglass be ordered immediately to repair to the lakes, and take the command of the vessels on that station. Adjourned to ten o'clock on Thursday.

THURSDAY, March 28, 1776.

Resolved, That an order for 20,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of William Barrel, of Philadelphia, in full for tent-cloth sent by him to colonel Mifflin, for the use of the army under the command of general Washington; the money being paid in consequence of the general's letter of the 13th; to be charged to the account of the general.

Resolved, That the marine committee be empowered to purchase, on the most reasonable terms they can, the ship Molly, for the use of the continent, and to fit her out, with all possible expedition, to join captain Barry, on his cruize along the coast, between New-York and Virginia.

A memorial of Thomas Walker of Canada was presented to Congress, and read :

Two letters, of the 27th, from the committee of safety of New-Jersey, were read :

Resolved, That the president return an answer, and inform the committee of safety of New-Jersey, that the Congress see no reason to alter or countermand the requisition of the 15th, and that, therefore, they be requested to expedite the march of the troops to New-York, agreeable to the requisition of the commanding officer.

The Congress proceeded to the election of a colonel of the third battalion ordered to be raised in the colony of New-York; and, the ballots being taken, Rudolphus Ritzema was elected.

The committee appointed to confer with colonel Ritzema and Mr. Dugan, brought in their report, which was read.

Resolved, That an order for 1000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers in favor of Mr. Jeremiah Dugan, as a reward for his services in Canada.

Resolved, That Mr. Jeremiah Dugan be appointed a major, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, to command a body of three hundred rangers.

That the said rangers be divided into three companies, each to consist of one hundred men, and to be commanded by a captain and two lieutenants: That the captains and lieutenants be recommended by lieutenant-colonel Dugan to the commissioners going to Canada for their approbation; and that, if they approve the gentlemen recommended, they grant them commissions.

Resolved, That Mr. William Finney be appointed a deputy quarter-master in the southern department.

Resolved, That two engineers be employed for the southern department. Resolved, That an order for 20,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers in favor of Mr. James Mease, for the use of the Pennsylvania battalions, he to be accountable.

Information being given to Congress that some prisoners in the gaol of Philadelphia have meditated an escape, and are near carrying their plan into execu

tion:

Resolved, That the gaoler be directed to confine John Connolly, J. Smith, and Moses Kirkland, in separate apartments, and suffer no person to converse with any of them, without special orders of Congress.

Resolved, That the sheriff of the city and county of Philadelphia be directed, by Mr. McKean, to call to his assistance a guard of fifty men from the barracks for the defence of the gaol; and that the sheriff be farther directed to keep secret any intimation given him of a design to rescue his prisoners, and to employ every means to discover and apprehend those concerned in such design.

Resolved, That an order for 1000 dollars be drawn on the treasurers in favor of Mr. Samuel Fairlamb, for the use of the fourth Pennsylvania battalion, he to be accountable.

The matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, March 29, 1776.

Sundry letters were laid before Congress, and read:

Two from general Schuyler, of the 19th and 21st, with a copy of the treaty

held with the Indians at Albany, &c.

One from the convention of New-York, of the 26th :

One from Allan M'Donald.

Resolved, That the letter from Allan M'Donald be referred to the committee on prisoners.

That the other letters, with the papers enclosed, be referred to Mr. Wythe, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. S. Adams.

Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to deliver to Mr. William Henry, and Co. 15 lbs. of powder, to prove the muskets he has contracted to make for the continent.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the means of supplying the troops in Canada: Whereupon,

Resolved, That a deputy commissary-general of stores and provisions be appointed for the army of the United Colonies in Canada.

The ballots being taken and examined,

Mr. J. Price was elected.

Resolved, That the last paragraph of the report be recommitted for further enquiry and examination.

A letter from the committee of safety of New-Jersey, and one from captain John Macpherson, were received, and read.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, March 30, 1776.

Resolved, That 60 dollars be advanced to captain Arundel, tobe deducted out of his pay, and that he be directed immediately to repair to the southern department, and put himself under the command of general Lee.

Resolved, That Monsieur Dechambault, and his companion, be permitted to come to Philadelphia and transact his business, and then return to Bristol. The Congress proceeded to the election of two engineers for the southern department; and, the ballots being taken,

John Stadler and Monsieur Massenback were elected.

The Congress took into consideration the letter from the committee of safety of New-Jersey: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the minute-men employed by yongress under the command of colonel Heard, in the expedition to Long-Island, be allowed, while on that service, the same pay and rations as the continental troops in the middle department.

Resolved, That the delegates of New-York prepare an answer to the committee of safety of New-Jersey, and assign the reasons of the foregoing re

solution.

The committee of claims reported, that there is due,

To William Tricket, for stationary, the sum of 41.7 dollars:

To Philip Apricht for provisions to general Lee's guard, the sum of 4.7 dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Adam Kimmel :

To sundries, on certificates for necessaries furnished to the rifle companies, the sum of 42.2 dollars, and that 2.5 dollars, part of said sum, be charged to captain Cressop's company.

To sundries on certificates for rifles, shirts, &c. furnished to captain Cluggage's company, the sum of 81.1 dollars, which ought to be paid to John Montgomery, esq. and charged to said company.

To Robert Erwin, wagon-master, on an account now settled, the sum of 409.3 dollars.

To Sacheverel Wood, for provisions furnished by him to several prisoners in the gaol of Philadelphia, the sum of 137.6 dollars:

To Thomas Dewees, for provisions for Connolly, Cameron, Smith, and Kirkland, the sum of 57.8 dollars.

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

The committee appointed to confer with major Wrixon, brought in their report, which was read:

Resolved, That each regimental surgeon be allowed a mate:

That the pay of a surgeon's mate be 18 dollars a month.

Resolved, That suitable chirurgical instruments be purchased with each medicine chest.

Resolved, That each brigadier-general, when on command, be empowered to appoint a brigade-major.

Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, April 1, 1776.

Resolved, That captain D. Arundel be allowed 48.5 dollars, in full for pay and subsistence from the 8th of February, the time he was recommended to general Schuyler, to the 19th of March, when he received his commission.

Resolved, That Mr. J. Mease be directed to advance captain Romans one month's pay for himself and the officers and men of his company, and also subsistence money to Albany.

The committee to whom the petition of captain White-Eyes was referred, brought in their report, which was read:

Resolved, That the same be taken into consideration to-morrow.

The Congress having, on the 17th of February last, appointed a standing committee for superintending the treasury, with power, among other things, to employ and instruct proper persons for liquidating the public accounts; and the said resolutions not being sufficiently explicit, with respect to the manner and place of settling, those accounts, and it being a matter of great consequence, that the public accounts should be regularly stated and kept, and justly liquidated and settled;

Resolved, therefore, That a treasury-office of accounts be instituted and established, and that such office be kept in the city or place, where Congress shall, from time to time, be assembled and hold their sessions:

That the said office of accounts be under the direction and superintendence of the standing committee for the treasury :

That an auditor-general, and a competent number of assistants and clerks, be appointed by Congress, and employed, for stating, arranging, and keeping the public accounts:

That all accounts and claims against the United Colonies, for services or supplies, where the rates or prices have not been ascertained by Congress, shall be presented to the committee of claims, liquidated by them, and reported to and allowed by Congress, previous to their being passed at the treasuryoffice; that all other accounts and claims, consisting of articles, the price or value of which shall have previously been fixed by contract, or otherwise ascertained by Congress, shall be liquidated and settled at the treasury-office, and reported for the allowance of Congress, by the committee for superintending the treasury, and then passed and entered at the treasury-office.

That all contracts, securities, and obligations, for the use and benefit of the United Colonies, shall be lodged and kept in the treasury-office of accounts; and that all persons to whom public monies have been or shall be advanced or paid, shall be charged with the same in the books of the said office, for which every warrant on the treasury, which shall issue after the said office shall be opened, shall, previous to its being paid, be entered at the treasury-office, and the entry certified on the warrant, by one of the committee on the treasu ry, the auditor-general, or one of his assistants or clerks; provided, however, that all orders or warrants issued by committees appointed and authorized by Congress to draw on the treasurers for particular purposes, shall be paid and charged to the account of the said committee respectively, until they shall settle and have their accounts passed by Congress, when the debits against them shall be discharged in the treasury-office, by such credits as Congress shall agree to and allow:

That all assemblies, conventions, councils, or committees of safety, commissaries, pay-masters, and others, entrusted with public monies, shall, within a reasonable time, after being called upon for that purpose by the committee of the treasury, produce their accounts and vouchers at the treasury office, in order to their being settled and adjusted in the manner before directed:

That the committee for superintending the treasury shall be authorized to apply to the commanding officers and others, in the continental service, for such materials and information, as the committee may judge to be useful, for stating, explaining, or checking the public accounts, in order to their being fairly and justly settled:

That the auditor-general and his assistants or clerks, before entering upon their offices, shall, respectively, take an oath, to be administered by one or more of the committee of the treasury-office (a certificate whereof shall be filed in the treasury-office) well and faithfully to execute the trust reposed in them, as auditor, assistant, or clerk, (as the case may be,) of the office of accounts, established by Congress, according to the best of their skill and judgment, and to disclose no matter, the knowledge of which shall be acquired in consequence of such their office, which they shall be directed to keep secret: That the committee for superintending the treasury shall be authorized to hire suitable places, and procure books of accounts and other necessaries at the public expense, for the establishing and doing the business of the said office.

Resolved, That major James Hewes, a prisoner at Elizabethtown, be allowed and ordered to come to Philadelphia for the benefit of his health, and there to wait on the committee for prisoners, and take their directions with respect to the place of his future residence.

1

Resolved, That Mr. M'Kean and Mr. Paine be directed to examine the gaol of Philadelphia, and particularly the apartments where Kirkland, Connolly, Smith and Cameron are confined, and report what is necessary to be done to have them safely and securely kept.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with James M'Knight, and examine his account, and the nature of his claim, and report thereon to Congress.

The members chosen, Mr. R. Morris, Mr. M'Kean, and Mr. De Hart.

The committee on qualifications having recommended Jacob Kemper, jun. to be appointed an ensign in captain Howell's company in the first New-Jersey battalion, in the room of Cyprus De Hart, who has resigned,

Resolved, That he be appointed, and that a commission be granted to him accordingly.

Resolved, That the president, in his next letter to general Schuyler, desire him to send an account of the lead at Ticonderoga.

A letter from Alexander M'Donnald, George Gillespie, and J. W. Saunders, of the 12th of March, was presented to Congress and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to Mr. R. Morris, Mr. McKean, and Mr. De Hart.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, April 2, 1776.

A letter from general Washington, of the 24th of March, with five papers enclosed, was laid before Congress and read.

The committee appointed to prepare the form of a commission, and instructions to commanders of private ships of war, brought in the same, which were read.

The commission, being agreed to, is as follows:

of the

to

called.

of the burden of

The delegates of the United Colonies of New-Hampshire, &c. to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Know ye, that we have granted, and, by these presents, do grant, license and authority to mariner, commander tons, or thereabouts, belonging of in the colony of mounting carriage guns, and navigated by men, to fit out and set forth the said in a warlike manner, and by and with the said and the crew thereof, by force of arms, to attack, seize and take the ships and other vessels belonging to the inhabitants of Great-Britain, or any of them, with their tackle, apparel, furniture, and lading, on the high seas, or between high and low water marks, and to bring the same to some convenient ports in the said colonies, in order that the courts which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine causes, civil and maritime, may proceed, in due form, to condemn the said captures, if they be adjudged lawful prize; the'said having given bond, with sufficient sureties, that nothing be done by the said or any of the officers, mariners, or company thereof, contrary to, or inconsistent with the usages and customs of nations, and the instructions, a copy of which is herewith delivered to him. And we will and require all our officers whatsoever to give succor and assistance to the said in the premises. This commission shall continue in force until the Congress shall issue orders to the contrary.

Attest,

By order of Congress.

President.

The Congress then took into consideration the draught of instructions ; and, after some time spent thereon,

Resolved, That it be recommitted, and that it be an instruction to the committee, to fill up the blanks in said draught as they shall think best.

The committee appointed to prepare a letter of thanks to general Washington, and the officers and soldiers under his command, brought in a draught, which was read and agreed to :

Ordered, That it be transcribed, signed by the president, and forwarded.
The committee on prisoners, to whom the letter from M. Belletre, of the 16th,