Resolved, That it be recommended, and it is hereby accordingly recommended, to all the Counties in this Colony (who have not already done it) to appoint County Committees, and also Sub-Committees, for their respective Townships, Precincts, and Districts, without delay, in order to carry into execution the Resolutions of the Continental and this Provincial Congress. And that it is also recommended to every inhabitant of this Colony who has hitherto neglected to subscribe the General Association, to do it with all convenient speed. And for these purposes, that the Committees in the respective Counties in which Committees have been formed do tender the said Association to every inhabitant within the several Districts in each County. And that such persons in those Counties or Districts who have not appointed Committees as shall be appointed by the Members of this Congress, representing such Counties and Districts respectively, do make such tender as aforesaid in such Counties and Districts respectively; and that the said Committees and persons respectively do return the said Association, and the names of those who shall neglect or refuse to sign the same, to this Congress by the fifteenth day of July next, or sooner, if possible.

The draft of a Letter to attend the said Resolution, and recommending to carry the measures therein mentioned into execution, was also read, amended, and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

New-York, May 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: You will see by the enclosed Resolution of this Congress that it is recommended to such of the Counties as have not already formed Committees, to do it without delay; and that such of the inhabitants of this Colony as have hitherto neglected to subscribe the General Association, to do it, so as to enable you to make a return within the time limited in the Resolution.

As the execution of this Resolve is committed to your care, we request you to use your best endeavours to see that this recommendation be complied with. It may, nevertheless, be proper to inform you, that it is the sense of this Congress that no coercive steps ought to be used to induce any person to sign the Association. The propriety of the measure, the example of the other Counties, and the necessity of maintaining a perfect union in every part of this Colony, it is presumed are sufficient reasons to induce the inhabitants of your County to comply with this requisition.

Ordered, That five hundred copies of the said Resolve and of the said Letter be printed, and that as many copies of the said Letter as may be necessary be signed by the President, and delivered, with the copies of the said Resolve, to the Members of this Congress, to be by them directed.

The Congress adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Die Martis, 9 ho. A. M., May 30, 1775.

The Congress met, pursuant to adjournment, and opened with prayers by the Rev. Mr. Gano. Present:

For the City and County of New-York.—Peter V. B. Livingston, Esquire, President; Isaac Low, Alexander McDougall, Leonard Lispenard, Joseph Hallet, Abraham Walton, Abraham Brasher, Isaac Roosevelt, John De Lancey, Jacobus Van Zandt, James Beekman, Samuel Verplanck, Richard Yates, David Clarkson, Thomas Smith, Benjamin Kissam, John Morin Scott, John Van Cortlandt, John Marston.

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

For Dutchess County.—Dirck Brinckerhoff, Anthony Hoffman, Zephaniah Platt, Richard Montgomerie, Ephraim Payne, Gilbert Livingston, Jonathan Landon, Gysbert Schenck, Melancton Smith, Nathaniel Sackett.

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

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

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

For Westchester County.—Gouverneur Morris, Lewis Graham, James Van Cortlandt, Stephen Ward, Philip Van Cortlandt, James Holmes, Robert Graham, William Paulding.

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

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

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

For Charlotte County.—John Williams, William Marsh.

The mode of taking the Votes of this Congress for the present, and the Rules, were read.

The Order for the business of the Day being read, the Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee on the expediency of a Continental Paper Currency; which Report is in the words following, to wit:

Your Committee do most humbly report, that having made the best inquiry which the short time would admit of, they find that the proportion of Gold and Silver in this Colony, compared with her sister Colonies, does vary according to the price of Bills of Exchange in the several Colonies, (owing to the relative quantity of Paper Money circulating amongst them, their several debts, and the several balances of their trade,) but that upon the whole there is a smaller proportion of Gold and Silver in this Colony than in several others. That as to the mode of raising money for the exigency of our affairs, it will be impossible to collect a sufficient sum without issuing a Paper Currency of some sort or other. That the neighbouring Colonies of Connecticut and New-Jersey are indebted to this Colony in very considerable sums. That in the prosecution of measures necessary for our defence, large sums of the money levied or issued for that purpose must undoubtedly centre in this Colony, as an exchange for the necessaries of life and other articles which this Colony must furnish. That considering the two facts last mentioned, it follows clearly that this Colony will at first possess a much greater proportion of the general Paper Currency than her sister Colonies. That of consequence it is necessary that the utmost precaution be used to give the highest credit to such emission, in order to prevent the depreciation of it. That it is also necessary the Paper Currency, when emitted, should be as much as possible general, that it may at once answer the purpose for which it is instituted, and with greater ease flow from one Colony to another, and preserve the commercial equality of money. That the emission of Paper Currency in any considerable quantity will necessarily tend to exclude from commercial circulation the Gold and Silver now current, either by sending it to Britain for payment of debts there, or by encouraging private persons to secrete it. That if the emission be very great, then exchange will undoubtedly rise, and consequently the Paper Money be depreciated. That these considerations will abate the disposition of the inhabitants of America to receive such Paper Money. That, therefore, whether it be a currency or not, will depend upon the security which can be given for the repayment of it. That the Gold and Silver being excluded, as is above mentioned, a general Paper Currency will naturally supply the place of it, provided it can obtain a general credit.

After premising these things, your Committee proceed to observe, that a Paper Currency being necessary, there are but three modes by which it can be issued:

First. That every Colony should strike for itself the sum apportioned by the Continental Congress;

Secondly. That the Continental Congress should strike the whole sum necessary, and each Colony become bound to sink its proportionable part; or,

Thirdly. That the Continental Congress should strike the whole sum, and apportionate the several shares to the different Colonies, every Colony become bound to discharge its own particular part, and all the Colonies to discharge the part which any particular Colony shall be unable to pay.