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

THURSDAY, May 16, 1776.

The following letters were laid before Congress, and read: One of the 1st, from the commissioners of Congress in Canada: One of the 10th, from major-general Schuyler, and one, without date, from general Washington, enclosing a letter to him from Dr. Stringer.

Resolved, That the letter from Dr. Stringer to general Washington, be referred to the committee appointed to prepare medicine chests:

That the other letters be referred to Mr. W. Livingston, Mr. Jefferson, and Mr. J. Adams.

Resolved, That the president write to general Washington, requesting him to repair to Philadelphia as soon as he can conveniently, in order to consult with Congress upon such measures as may be necessary for the carrying on the ensuing campaign.

Resolved, That George Morgan, esq. be empowered to draw for a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars, to pay for the goods he is ordered to purchase, and for defraying incidental charges; the same to be paid out of the ten thousand dollars voted for the commissioners of Indian affairs in the middle department.

Whereas captain Richard Butler, by accepting the office of agent in the middle department of Indians, has lost the opportunity of being appointed a captain in the continental service;

Resolved, That Congress will, as soon as possible, compensate for that disappointment to him, by some promotion in their service.

Congress then proceeded to the election of a major-general and brigadiergeneral in the continental army; and, the ballots being taken and examined, Horatio Gates, esq. was elected major general; and,

Thomas Mifflin, esq. brigadier-general.

Resolved, That Mr. Duane be added to the standing committee for Indian affairs.

A petition from Joseph Carson and Joseph Donaldson, was presented to Congress, and read: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to sell to the petitioners 50 lb. of powder.

Resolved, That two of the additional battalions, ordered on the 14th to be raised in the eastern department, be raised, one in Massachusetts-Bay, and the other in Connecticut:

That it be recommended to the general assemblies of Massachusetts-Bay and Connecticut, to endeavor to have the battalions inlisted for two years, unless sooner discharged by Congress; in which case, the men to be allowed one month's pay on their discharge; but, if the men cannot be prevailed on to inlist for two years, that they be inlisted for one; and that they be ordered, as soon as raised and armed, to march immediately to Boston.

The committee, to whom the letters from general Washington of the 25th and 26th of April, and the case of Alexander Ross, and the letter from general Lee, were referred, brought in their report, which was read.

The committee to whom the letter from general Washington of the 11th, and the letter from general Schuyler of the Sd, and that from captain Robertson of the 9th, with other papers, were referred, brought in their report, was read.

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

which

SATURDAY, May 18, 1776.

A letter of the 17th from general Washington, and three from the commissioners in Canada, of the 6th, 8th and 10th, were laid before Congress and read. Resolved, That the committee, to whom the former letter from the commissioners was referred, be augmented to the number of eight; and, that these letters be referred to them:

The additional members chosen, Mr. R. Morris, Mr. Duane, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Rutledge, and Mr. R. R. Livingston.

The committee to whom was referred the consideration of general Lee's letters of the 19th of April and 7th of May, brought in their report, which was agreed to: Whereupon,

Resolved, That general Lee's scheme of sending through the colony of Virginia to purchase rifles, be, and is, approved:

That, as the colony of Virginia is intersected with many navigable rivers, six gallies be built for the protection of the troops in their transportation across the said rivers, at the continental expense, on as cheap terms as the business for which they are intended will admit of; that such other defence of the rivers and bays, as shall be requisite for the colony, be at the particular charge of the inhabitants thereof; And, that general Lee, or the commanding officer in Virginia, transmit to Congress, as early as possible, an account of the expense which shall be incurred in consequence of this resolution:

That general Lee, or the commanding officer in Virginia, be directed to set on foot the raising of two companies of carpenters, to consist of house and ship builders:

That general Lee be permitted to order rations and forage for such volunteers of horse, not exceeding 500, as shall think proper to attend the service of their country in the continental army, agreeable to general Lee's request and proposal:

That captain Dohicky Arundel's journey, to Virginia, be at his own, not continental expense:

That the pay of the deputy-engineers be raised to 30 dollars a month, and that they be allowed rations for themselves, and forage for their horses, when in camp, or necessarily absent on continental duty:

That a continental hospital be established in Virginia, and a director to the same immediately appointed by Congress:

That the scheme of adding two subalterns and forty privates to the company of artillery, be adopted:

That the circumstances of affairs in the middle and eastern department will not admit of Mr. Smith being sent to general Lee :

That Thomas Bullet, esq. the deputy adjutant-general in Virginia, be advanced to the rank of colonel:

That from the uncertainty of the enemy's design, and the number of regiments already sent into Canada, it will be inexpedient, at present, to order any of the troops, raised in Pennsylvania, or the colonies eastward thereof, to the southern department; nor, can Congress, at present, supply such troops as are raised in Virginia, with fire arms; but, that general Lee's application, on this subject, be attended to so soon as an importation, sufficiently considerable, will admit of his being supplied; and, that he be assured, Congress will cooperate and aid him with their power, to render effectual his laudable endeavors to establish the rights and liberties of the good people of this continent. The Congress then proceeded to the election of a director of the hospital in Virginia; and, the ballots being taken,

William Rickman was elected.

Resolved, That the hospital in Virginia be on the same establishment, and the pay of the officers thereof, the same, as the hospital established in the eastern department:

That two surgeons, one apothecary, six mates, one clerk, one store-keeper, and a nurse to every ten sick, with labourers occasionally, when necessary, be allowed to the hospital in Virginia:

That the director be empowered to nominate the surgeons and apothecary: That the mates be appointed by the surgeons, and that the number of the mates be diminished as circumstances will admit; for which reason, the pay is fixed by the day, that they may only receive pay for actual service.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the convention of Virginia, to raise a battalion of riflemen, on the same terms as the other battalions raised in that colony; to be taken into the pay of the continent, when armed and mustered.

Resolved, That general Washington be directed, if the service will permit, to station a battalion at Amboy.

A petition from Jos. Trumbull, commissary-general, was presented to Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the committee for superintending the treasury.

The secret committee having informed Congress of the arrival of one of the vessels fitted out at the expense of the continent, and that she has brought her returns in cash,

Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to give orders for sending the said cash, with all convenient despatch, to the commissioners in Canada: That the hard money in the treasury be immediately forwarded to general Schuyler.

The secret committee laid before Congress a letter from Mr. Langdon; and, the same being read,

Resolved, That it be referred to the committee of secret correspondence, and that the said committee be directed to apply to the marine committee for the use of one or more of the continental fleet; and that they send the same to the French West-India islands, in order to procure, if possible, a number of muskets, not exceeding 10,000.

A petition from Ignace Irabal was presented to Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the commissioners for Indian affairs in the middle department, who are directed to examine his claim, and pay him out of the money put into their hands, what they shall judge justly due to him.

Resolved, That Mrs. Connolly be directed not to leave Philadelphia till father orders of Congress.

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

MONDAY, May 20, 1776.

Lyman Hall and Button Gwinnett, esqrs. two of the delegates from Georgia, attended, and produced their credentials; which were read as follows:

"In Congress, Savannah, February 2, 1776. Resolved, That five persons be elected to represent this province in the Continental Congress, for the term of nine months. Resolved, That it be recommended, that three of the delegates do proceed, with all possible despatch, to Philadelphia, and that they be a quorum: Provided, nevertheless, that in case three shall not attend, by sickness or otherwise, one or more of the delegates being present, shall be competent to represent this province, notwithstanding. The Congress proceeded to ballot for the election of delegates, when, on closing the poll, it appeared that Archibald Bullock, John Houston, Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett, and George Walton, esqrs. were duly elected, and were accordingly declared as fit persons to represent this province in the grand Continental Congress.

A true copy:

EDWARD LANGWORTHY, Secretary."

A letter, of the 10th, from major-general Lee, at Williamsburg, with three papers enclosed, was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That the same be referred to a committee of five:

The members chosen, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Paine, and Mr. Wolcott.

Certain resolutions of the convention of South-Carolina, respecting the battalions raised in that colony; also, certain resolutions passed by the general assembly of the said colony, respecting the manner in which commissioners, coming from England, are to be received and treated in that colony, were laid before Congress, and read.

Resolved, That the resolutions respecting the battalions, be referred to a committee of five:

The members chosen, Mr.John Adams, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Floyd. Mr. W. Livingston, and Mr Morton.

The proceedings of the committee of secret correspondence were read. Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the state of the United Colonies; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the committee had taken into their farther consideration the matter referred to them; but, not having come to a conclusion, desired him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That Congress will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the state of the United Colonies.

Resolved, That Mr. Rutledge, at his request, be discharged from serving on the marine committee, and that Mr. Middleton be a member of the said committee in his stead.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, May 21, 1776.

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

Three letters from general Washington, of the 18th, 19th and 20th, enclosing sundry letters and papers of intelligence from England, and a copy of the treaties made by his Britannic majesty with the duke of Brunswick, for 4,084 of his troops; with the landgrave of Hesse Cassel, for 12,000 of his troops; and with the count of Hanau for 668 of his troops:

A letter from William Palfrey, with a copy of his weekly account :

A letter from John Langdon to general Washington:

A petition from Samuel Austin, John Rowe, S. Pattridge, Samuel Dashwood, and John Scolly, of Boston:

Resolved, That the said letters, and papers and petition, be referred to a committee of five; that the said committee be directed to extract and publish the treaties, and such parts of the intelligences as they think proper; also, to consider of an adequate reward for the person who brought the intelligence; and that they prepare an address to the foreign mercenaries who are coming to invade America :

The members chosen, Mr. J. Adams, Mr. W. Livingston, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. R. H. Lee, and Mr. Sherman.

Congress took into consideration the report respecting prisoners, which was agreed to as follows:

Resolved, That all persons taken in arms on board any prize, be deemed prisoners, to be taken care of by the supreme executive power in each colony to which they are brought, whether the prize be taken by vessels fitted out by the. continent, or by others:

That such as are taken, be treated as prisoners of war, but with humanity, and be allowed the same rations as the troops in the service of the United Co

lonies; but that such as are officers supply themselves, and be allowed to draw bills to pay for their subsistence and clothing:

That officers made prisoners in the land service, be allowed the same indul

gence:

That the officers be not permitted to reside in or near any seaport town, nor public post-road; and that the officers and privates be not suffered to reside in the same places:

That in case the officers cannot draw or sell their bills, the Congress will allow for each of them, two dollars a week for board and lodgings, to be repaid by said officers before they are released from their captivity:

That no tavern-keepers supply any officers, who are prisoners, on the credit of the continent:

That the capitulations entered into with prisoners, at the time of their surrender, be punctually observed:

That such officers as surrender prisoners of war, be put on their parole, unless Congress shall otherwise direct:

That the form of the parole be as follows:

I - being made a prisoner of war by the army of the thirteen United Colonies, in North-America, do promise and engage, on my word and honor, and on the faith of a gentleman, to depart from hence to in the province of- -, being the place of my destination and residence, and there, or within six miles thereof, to remain during the present war between GreatBritain and the said United Colonies, or until the Congress of the said United Colonies, or the assembly, convention, or committee, or council of safety of the said colony, shall order otherwise; and that I will not, directly or indirectly, give any intelligence whatsoever to the enemies of the United Colonies, or do or say any thing in opposition to, or in prejudice of the measures and proceedings of any Congress for the said colonies, during the present troubles, or until I am duly exchanged or discharged. Given under my hand, this day of

A. D. 1776.

That the said parole be signed by the officers:

That such as refuse to subscribe the parole, be committed to prison:

That David Franks, esq. agent to the contractors for victualling the troops of the king of Great-Britain, be permitted to supply the prisoners with provisions and other necessaries, and to sell his bills for such sums of money as are necessary for that purpose:

And, to enable him to do this to the satisfaction of his employers, that a commissioned officer be permitted, once a month, to visit the prisoners so victualled and supplied, in order to count their numbers and certify the rolls:

That such of the prisoners as are not supplied by Mr. Franks, be furnished with provisions not exceeding the rations allowed to privates in the service of

the continent.

That the women and children belonging to prisoners, be furnished with subsistence, and supplied with firing and other things absolutely necessary for their support:

That no prisoners be inlisted in the continental army:

That the prisoners be permitted to exercise their trades, and to labor, in order to support themselves and families:

That the committees of inspection and observation, for the counties, districts, or towns, assigned for the residence of prisoners, be empowered to superintend their conduct, and, in cases of gross misbehavior, to confine them, and report to their respective assemblies, conventions, or committees, or councils of safety, the proceedings had on such occasions:

That a list of the prisoners in each colony be made out by the committees of the counties, towns, or districts where they reside, and transmitted to the assembly, convention, or council or committee of safety of such colony, respectively, who shall send a copy thereof to Congress.