letter to the American Congress, and hope that the Colony of Pennsylvania may be able to succour you, though we cannot. You have our warmest wishes in the great cause of American liberty, and we pray you to believe that we are firmly resolved to withstand the encroachments of Ministerial tyranny to the utmost of our abilities, and to labour for the restoration of that harmony between these Colonies and the parent State, which is essential to the peace, the glory, the existence of the whole British Empire.

We are, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servants,

To the Hon. Artemas Ward, General of the Massachusetts Army; Joseph Warren, Chairman of the Committee of Safety; Moses Gill, Chairman of the Committee of Supplies, at Cambridge, Massachusetts-Bay.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, signed, and transmitted.

The President, with the leave of the Congress, left the Chair, and went to Elizabethtown, to confer with the Committee there on the above-mentioned Letter from General Ward; and the Vice-President took the Chair.

A draught of a Letter to the honourable the Continental Congress, to attend a copy of the above-mentioned Letter from General Ward and Messrs. Warren and Gill, was read and approved.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, signed by the Vice-President, and transmitted.

Whereas, by an Order of the Continental Congress of the 15th of May ultimo, and the explanation of the Continental Delegates of this Colony accompanying the said Order, it appears that the inhabitants of this City are directed not to remove any Military Stores belonging to the Crown: And whereas, this Congress is well informed that some persons have lately seized and removed the Military Stores belonging to the Crown at Turtle-Bay, this Congress doth Resolve, That such a step is a direct breach of the Continental Order, and tends to destroy the weight of their and our authority, is inimical to the true interest of the Colonies, and tends to involve this City in the utmost confusion and distress: and also,

Resolved, That Messrs. Isaac Roosevelt, John Van Cortlandt, Alexander McDougall, David Clarkson, Joseph Hallett, Benjamin Kissam, Gouverneur Morris, and Isaac Low, be a Committee to repair immediately to Turtle-Bay, to signify this Resolution to the persons that may be assembled there for the purpose aforesaid, and to order them immediately to disperse, and desist from the further execution of the said measure.

And Resolved also, That such of the said Stores as may have been removed, be immediately replaced.

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

Die Jovis, 4to ho. P. M., June 8, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

Volkert P. Douw, Esq., Vice-President.

For the City and County of New-York.—Isaac Low, Alexander McDougall, Joseph Hallett, Isaac Roosevelt, John De Lancey, James Beekman, Samuel Verplanck, David Clarkson, Benjamin Kissam, John Morin Scott, Jacobus Van Zandt, and John Marston.

For the City and County of Albany.—Robert Yates, Abraham Yates, Jacob Cuyler, Peter Silvester, Walter Livingston, Robert Van Rensselaer, and Henry Glenn.

For Dutchess County.—Dirck Brinckerhoff, Anthony Hoffman, Ephraim Payne, Gilbert Livingston, Jonathan Landon, Gysbert Schenck, and Nathaniel Sackett.

For Ulster County.—James Clinton, Christopher Tappen, and John Nicholson.

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

For Suffolk County.—Nathaniel Woodhull, John Sloss Hobart, Thomas Tredwell, Ezra L’Hommedieu, and Thos. Wickham.

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

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

For Richmond County.—John Journey, Richard Conner, and Richard Lawrence.

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

For Charlotte County.—John Williams, William Marsh.

Mr. Scott, seconded by Mr. McDougall, moved in the words following, to wit:

Mr. President, as I am of opinion that it is absolutely necessary to dismantle the fort, and to secure certain implements and other accommodations for war in this City, to the end that they may not be hostilely used against us, I move that application be immediately made to the Continental Congress, to authorize this Congress to exercise a discretionary power with respect to every measure that may appear to us necessary to prevent the said fort and other fortifications, implements, and accommodations for war in this City, from being offensively used against it.

Debates arose on the said motion, and the question being put thereon, it was carried in the negative, in the following manner, to wit:

Mr. McDougall, Walter Livingston, Colonel Hoffman, dissentients against the vote of the Counties they respectively represent.

Mr. Kissam, from the Committee who went to Turtle-Bay, reported, that the Committee went to Turtle-Bay, and found no person there; that having been informed that sundry persons were at the house of David Devore, the Committee went there, and found some persons there armed; that upon informing them of the Resolve of this Congress, in consequence of which the said Committee, was appointed, the persons there armed acknowledged that some Military Stores had been removed from Turtle-Bay; and they did engage that the said Stores should be returned, if carts were sent up to Turtle-Bay for that purpose. And Mr. Kissam farther reported, that Mr. Low and himself had sent up cartmen with carts to Turtle-Bay, to carry back and replace the said Stores.

The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee who were appointed to examine the list of the Goods retained by the Merchants, at the request of the Committee of the City of New-York; and, after some time spent therein, it was deferred till to-morrow morning.

Thomas Wickham having the care of Gardner’s Island, which is much exposed to having the stock taken off by armed vessels for the use of the King’s Troops at Boston, or elsewhere; and the said Island being in a defenceless state, desires the advice of this Board, whether he be permitted to take pay for said stock, in case it is not in his power to prevent their taking the same.

After some time spent in consideration thereof, it was deferred for further consideration.

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

Die Veneris, 9 ho., June 9, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Opened with prayers by the Rev. Dr. Auchmuty. Present:

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

For the City and County of Albany.—Volkert P. Douw, Esq., Vice-President; Robert Yates, Abraham Yates, Jacob Cuyler, Peter Silvester, Walter Livingston, Robert Van Rensselaer, and Henry Glenn.

For Dutchess County.—Dirck Brinckerhoff, Anthony Hoffman, Richard Montgomerie, Ephraim Payne, Gilbert

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