And on a division, the said question carried in the negative.

Dissentient.—Mr. Scott, Mr. Sackett, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Allison, Mr. Silvester, Mr. Henry Williams, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Marsh, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Tom, Mr. Van Rensselaer, and Doctor John Williams.

The draught of a Letter to the Agents for superintending the removal of the Cannon and Stores from Ticonderoga, was read and approved; and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, May 25, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: By the recommendation of the Continental Congress respecting Ticonderoga, already forwarded to the Committee of your County, and by our Resolution thereon, you will readily perceive the expediency of appointing proper persons to superintend the business therein mentioned, who will undertake it with cheerfulness, diligence, and despatch. This Congress being convinced that persons in the vicinage of Albany would be most proper to put in execution the directions of the Congresses, left it to the Deputies of your County, now here convened, to propose some fit men for the approbation of this Congress; and you, gentlemen, were accordingly nominated and appointed. We hope, therefore, that you will not hesitate, but enter upon what is enjoined you by both Congresses with all expedition; and in doing of which, you will please to have regard to the enclosed Instructions for your better government.

We are, gentlemen, your most humble servants.

To Messrs. John N. Bleeker and Henry J. Bogert, of the City of Albany, and George Palmer and Dirck Swart, of Stillwater, and Peter Lansing, of Saratoga, in the County of Albany.

N. B. You will please to be as secret as the nature of this work will allow you.

The draught of Instructions to the said Agents was also read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

Instructions for John N. Bleeker, Henry J. Bogert, Dirck Swart, George Palmer, and Peter Lansing, Commissioners or Agents to superintend and put in execution the recommendation of the Grand Continental Congress, of the 18th of May, 1775, relative to Ticonderoga, &c.

1st. You will immediately endeavour to have a meeting together, if possible, and see which of you it will suit best, and can most conveniently, reasonably, and expeditiously discharge this trust reposed in you.

2d. After that is fixed upon among yourselves, that you will then immediately repair to those places, either by yourselves, or such fit persons as you know can and will complete the business effectually and reasonably.

3d. It will be necessary that you have an Armourer or Engineer, whose skill ought to determine which of the cannon are useless, that such may remain where they be, and no expense arise from them.

4th. One at least of you ought to attend from time to time at the different stations, as occasion may require.

5th. You will please, whenever you employ labourers, wagoners, or others in this service, that you engage none, if it possibly can be avoided, but industrious and sober men, and such as have or will sign the Association.

6th. You will agree with every man for the sum to be allowed him for his wages, and show the resolution of this Congress of yesterday respecting the mode of payment, that no person may be ignorant of that point. You will also keep books of accounts, and make exact entries, and take just and true vouchers of all the expenses and proceedings, so that you may be able to swear as to the rectitude of your conduct for the satisfaction of the publick, when thereunto required.

7th. You will endeavour, as much as in you lies, to cultivate harmony and friendship between the New-England Troops and all others that are or may be engaged by the Northern Governments in those services, and such persons as are or may be employed by this Government.

8th. That you will keep exact lists and inventories of all such artillery, ordnance, and stores, likewise their condition, as you may find on your arrival at those posts, viz: Ticonderoga and Lake George, of all such things as may be left there or removed from there.

9th. You will be also careful in providing boats and materials for water-carriage, in transporting such cannon as should, upon examination, be thought useful, to the south end of Lake George.

10th. It may be necessary to inform you that there are lately sent up from this City, for the use of the people at the garrison, and others engaged in these services, one hundred barrels of pork, and some stores and materials, of which an inventory will be handed to you. You will take all these things under your care, direction, and inspection, and see that they are forwarded and properly used and applied, according to the true intention; and also procure such other provisions, materials and things, as may be deemed by you absolutely necessary to fulfil the design the Grand Continental and this Congress have in view.

11th. It is the determination of this Congress not to countenance any person to make any incursions into Canada; and in order to prevent, as much as in us lies, any projects of that kind, you are hereby directed to withhold any succours or support from any person or persons whomsoever for such an expedition.

Ordered, That the said Letter and Instructions be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted with all convenient speed.

Benjamin Kissam, Esq., dissented to the said Letter and Instructions, and desired that his dissent might be entered on the Minutes.

The Congress then adjourned till five o’clock, P. M.

5 ho. P. M., May 25, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

For the City and County of New-York.—Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esquire, President; Isaac Low, Alexander McDougall, Abraham Walton, Isaac Roosevelt, John De Lancey, Samuel Verplanck, Richard Yates, David Clarkson, Thomas Smith, Benjamin Kissam, John Morin Scott, Jacobus Van Zandt, John Marston, and Walter Franklin.

For the City and County of Albany.—Volkert P. Douw, Esq., Vice-President; Robert Yates, Abraham Yates, Jacob Cuyler, Peter Silvester, Dirck Swart, Walter Livingston, Robert Van Rennselaer, Henry Glenn, Abraham Ten Broeck, and Francis Nicoll.

For Dutchess County.—Anthony Hoffman, Zephaniah Platt, Richard Montgomerie, Gilbert Livingston, Jonathan Landon, Melancton Smith, and Nathaniel Sackett.

For Ulster County.—Col. Johannes Hardenbergh, James Clinton, Egbert Dumond, Christopher Tappen, John Nicholson, and Jacob Hornbeck.

For Orange County.—John Coe, David Pye, Peter Clowes, William Allison, and Abraham Lent.

For Suffolk County.—Colonel Nathaniel Woodhull, John Sloss Hobart, Thomas Tredwell, John Foster, Ezra L’Hommedieu, Thomas Wickham, and Selah Strong.

For Westchester County.—Gouverneur Morris, Lewis Graham, Stephen Ward, Joseph Drake, Philip Van Cortlandt, James Holmes, David Dayton, John Thomas, Junior, and William Paulding.

For King’s County.—Johannes E. Lott, Henry Williams, Jeremiah Remsen, Theodorus Polhemus, John Leffertse, Nicholas Covenhoven, and John Vanderbilt.

For Richmond County.—Paul Micheau, John Journey, Aaron. Cortelyou, and Richard Conner.

For Queen’s County.—Colonel Jacob Blackwell, Jonathan Lawrence, Zebulon Williams, Samuel Townshend, Joseph Robinson, and Nathaniel Tom.

For Charlotte County.—John Williams, William Marsh.

The Committee appointed this morning to prepare a draught of a Letter to the inhabitants of the Northern Counties, to the same purport as the postscript to the Letter to the Governour and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, reported such draught; and the same being taken into consideration, and amended, was unanimously changed into a Resolution, in the words following, to wit:

Whereas, the enemies of American liberty are indefatigable in their endeavours to disunite these Colonies; and in the prosecuting of this measure, evil-minded persons may insinuate that the Northern Colonies have hostile intentions against our fellow-subjects in Canada: