people, we afk and defire you to love peace and maintain it, and to love and sympathize with us in our troubles; that the path may be kept open with all our people and yours, to pafs and repafs, without moleftation. Brothers! we live on the fame ground with you. The fame island is our common birth-place. We defire to fit down under the fame tree of peace with you: Let us water its roots and cherifh its growth, till the large leaves and flourishing branches fhall extend to the setting fun, and reach the fkies. Brothers, obferve well! What it is we have asked you!-Nothing but peace, notwithstanding our prefent disturbed fituation-and if application fhould be made to you by any of the King's unwife and wicked minifters, to join on their fide, we only advise you to deliberate with great caution, and in your wisdom look forward to the confequences of a compliance. For if the King's troops take away our property, and destroy us who are of the fame blood with themselves, what can you, who are Indians, expect from them afterwards? Therefore we fay, Brothers, take care-hold faft to your covenant chain. You now know our difpofition towards you, the Six Nations of Indians and your allies. Let this our good talk remain at Onondaga, your central council-house. We depend upon you to fend and acquaint your allies to the northward, the feven tribes on the river St. Lawrence, that you have this Talk of ours at the great Council-Fire of the Six Nations. And when you return, we invite your great men to come and converse farther with us at Albany,where we intend to re-kindle the Council-Fire, which your and our anceftors fat round in great friendship. Brothers, and Friends! We greet you all, Farewell. (The (The large Belt of Intelligence and Declaration.) We have faid we wish you Indians may continue in peace with one another, and with us the White people. Let us both be cautious in our behaviour towards each other at this critical ftate of affairs. This ifland now trembles, the wind whiftles from almoft every quarter; let us fortify our minds and shut our ears against false rumours; let us be cautious what we receive for truth, unless spoken by wife and good mén. If any thing difagreeable should ever fall out between us, the Twelve United Colonies, and you the Six Nations, to wound our peace, let us immediately feek measures for healing the breach. From the present fituation of our affairs, we judge it wife and expedient to kindle up a small Council-Fire at Albany, where we may hear each others voice, and difclofe -our minds more fully to one another. (Afmall Belt.) Ordered, That a fimilar talk be prepared for the other Indian Nations, preferving the tenor of the above, and altering it fo as to fuit the Indians in the feveral depart ments. The Congrefs then proceded to the choice of Commiffioners for Indian affairs, and after fome debate, agreed that the nomination of Commiffioners for the fouthern department be poftponed till Tuesday next. Mr. Franklin, Mr. Henry, and Mr. Wilson, were unanimoufly elected for the middle department. The Congrefs then proceded to elect the Commiffioners for the northern department, and the following Gentlemen were chofen, viz. Major-General Philip Schuyler, Major Jofeph Hawley, Mr. Turbot Francis, Mr. Oliver Woolcot, and Mr. Volkert P. Douw. Adjourned till to-morrow at eight o'clock. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1775. Met according to adjournment. The Congress refumed the confideration of the report of the committee on the militia, and after debate, the fame was referred for farther confideration. Adjourned till to-morrow at eight o'clock. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1775, Met according to adjournment. On motion made, The Congrefs came to the following refolution: Whereas the government of Great-Britain hath prohibited the exportation of arms and amunition to any of the Plantations, and endeavoured to prevent other nations from fupplying us, Refolved, That for the better furnishing thefe Colonies with the neceffary means of defending their rights, -every veffel importing gun-powder, falt-petre, fulphur, provided they bring with the fulphur four times as much falt-petre, brafs field-pieces, or good mufkets, fitted with bayonets, within nine months from the date of this refolution, fhall be permitted to load and export the produce of these colonies, to value of fuch powder and stores aforefaid, the Non-Exportation Agreement notwithftanding; and it is recommended to the Committees of the feveral Provinces, to infpect the military ftores fo imported, and to estimate a generous price for the fame, according to their goodnefs, and permit the importer of fuch powder and other military ftores aforefaid, to export the value thereof and no more, in produce of any kind. Sundry intercepted letters, were laid before Congress and read. The The talk to the Stockbridge Indians was then taken up, and the fame being debated, was agreed to. On motion, Refolved, That the Congrefs will, on Thursday next, attend Divine Service in a body, both morning and afternoon. Ordered, That Mr. Lynch and Mr. Dickinson, wait on Mr. Duché and Doctor Allison, and requeft Mr. Duché to preach before the Congress on Thursday next, in the morning, and Doctor Allifon in the afternoon. Adjourned till Monday at eight o'clock. MONDAY, JULY 17, 1775. Met according to adjournment. A letter from General Schuyler being laid before the Congrefs, was read, and the fame being taken into confi deration, Refolved, That a Commiffary of ftores and provifions be appointed for the New-York department during the prefent compaign. Walter Living fton, Efq. chofen to that office. Refolved, That a Deputy Quarter-Mafter General be appointed for the faid department. Donald Campbell, Efq. elected to that office. Ordered, That Mr. D. Campbell have the rank of Colonel in the army. Refolved, That a Deputy Mufter-Master be appointed for the faid department. Gunning Bedford, Efq. elected to that office. Refolved, That the Convention of New-York be defired to recommend to General Schuyler a proper perfon for a Deputy Adjutant General or Brigade Major for the army in the New-York deparment. Adjourned till to-morrow at eight o'clock. TUES TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1775. Met according to to adjournment. The Congress again refumed the confideration of the report of the Committee for putting the militia into a proper ftate for the defence of America, and the fame being debated by paragraphs, was agreed to as follows: Refolved, That it be recommended to the inhabitants of all the United English Colonies in North-America, that all able-bodied effective men, between fixteen and fifty years of age in each Colony, immediately form themfelves into regular companies of militia, to confift of one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Enfign, four Serjeants, four Corporals, one Clerk, one Drummer, one Fifer, and about fixty-eight Privates. That the officers of each company be chofen by the refpective companies. 'That each foldier be furnished with a good mufket, that will carry an ounce ball, with a bayonet, fteel ramrod, worm, priming wire and brush fitted thereto, a cutting fword or tomahawk, a catridge box, that will contain twenty-three rounds of catridges, twelve flints and a knapfack. That the companies be formed into regiments or battallions, officered with a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, two Majors, an Adjutant or Quarter-Mafter. That all officers above the rank of a Captain be appointed by the respective Provincial Affemblies or Conventions, or in their recefs by the Committees of Safety appointed by faid Affemblies or Conventions. That all officers be commiffioned by the Provincial Affemblies or Conventions, or in their recefs, by the Committees of Safety appointed by faid Affemblies or Conventions. That |