Congress to be aside from the path of duty. We herewith send you three persons, who not only possess principles very inimical to the grand cause in which we are embarked, but whose conduct, ever since the first of these unhappy times, have been such as to disturb the publick tranquillity and destroy that unanimity so necessary for the preservation of our liberties. Their names are John Morrell, Adam Patrick, and Isaiah Purdy. Herewith, you, gentlemen, will also receive several depositions, taken before John Nicoll, Esq., relative to the matter, which is all we have time to take at present; these we submit to the judgment of the honourable Congress, whether either or all of these persons accused be worthy of confinement or not. On the supposition that the Congress shall judge it expedient that either or all of them should be liberated, in that case we humbly conceive it to be necessary that such security be taken of them as shall render those easy in their minds who are afraid of their persons and property. We would only add, gentlemen, that as we are contending for liberty, it is with the greatest reluctance that we would offer to deprive the meanest of our brethren of that inestimable blessing in the least degree; but in this instance, the safety of our Country, and that first and strongest of laws, self-preservation, calls us to this act of disagreeable duty.

We are, Gentlemen, in behalf of the Committees for the Precincts of Newburgh and New-Windsor, your most obedient humble servants.

WOLVERT ECKEK, Chairman.

Samuel Brewster, Chairman.

Sundry Affidavits in writing, taken before John Nicoll, Esq., of the threatenings and ill conduct of John Morrell, Adam Patrick, and Isaiah Purdy, in opposition to the liberties of the American Colonies, were read and filed; and the said three persons being brought in the custody of an officer and a guard of armed men, were examined, and confessed many of the matters wherewith they were charged by the said affidavits to be true. Thereupon,

Ordered, That Colonel McDougall receive the bodies of John Morrell, Adam Patrick, and Isaiah Purdy, at the Barracks, and keep them in safe custody until the further order of the Committee.

And Ordered, That a copy of this order be delivered to Colonel McDougall.

A Letter from the Committee of Elizabethtown to the Chairman of the Committee of New-York, acquainting him of the arrival of Gunpowder from Philadelphia, and that it would be at Dobbs’s Ferry by nine o’clock this morning, was read and filed.

Mr. Pye offered to go up Hudson’s River, and get the said Gunpowder put on board of a Sloop for Albany; and thereupon, a draught of a Letter to the Committee of Albany was read, and is in the words following, to wit:

Committee of Safety, New-York, July 18, 1775.

SIR: With this you will receive four hogsheads, said to contain fifty-two quarter-casks of Gunpowder; it is sent by the Continental Congress to go to Ticonderoga. Pray inform General Schuyler of it, and forward it to Ticonderoga with all possible despatch.

We are, Sir, your humble servants.

To Samuel Stringer, Esq., Albany.

Mr. Beekman came into Committee, and reported, that he had been with Gen. Wooster and his first Field Officer to Harlem; that John Sickles demanded such an exorbitant price for his ground, that they could not agree with him; but that they had agreed with Arent Bussing for a proper Field for an Encampment, at the rate of four Pounds per month; and that General Wooster, with his Troops, are all removed.

John Morin Scott, Esq., came into the Committee of Safety, and brought in the Report of the Committee on Indian Affairs; and also the proposed draught of a Speech to the Indians; which were read.

Thereupon, a draught of a Letter to the Delegates of this Colony was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

GENTLEMEN: We have had a Congress with the Five Nations in contemplation. A Committee was appointed to prepare the necessary papers to be laid before your body; but the necessities of the season required an adjournment of the Congress till next Tuesday, and we now sit only in a Committee of Safety. The proceedings on the subject we send you, imperfect as they are in draught, that if the Continental Congress think they may be of any use, they may have the materials in their possession.

We are, Gentlemen, your very humble servants.

By order of the Committee of Safety.

To the Delegates of the Colony of New-York at Continental Congress, Philadelphia.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted to the Delegates of this Colony at Continental Congress, together with the draughts therein mentioned.

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

Die Mercurii, 9 ho. A. M., July 19, 1775.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

For KING’S COUNTY, Henry Williams, Esq., Chairman and Commissioner.

For NEW-YORK CITY AND COUNTY, Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Colonel Lispenard, Colonel McDougall, Joseph Hallett, Abraham Brasher.

For ALBANY CITY AND COUNTY, Gouverneur Morris.

For DUTCHESS COUNTY, Jonathan London.

For ULSTER COUNTY, Egbert Dumond.

For ORANGE COUNTY, David Pye.

For SUFFOLK COUNTY, Abraham Brasher.

For WESTCHESTER COUNTY, Gouverneur Morns.

For RICHMOND COUNTY Aaron Cortelyou.

For QUEEN’S COUNTY, Col. McDougall.

For TRYON COUNTY, Peter V. B. Livingston.

For CHARLOTTE COUNTY, David Watkins.

A Letter from Jacob Bayley, Esq., at Newbury, in Gloucester County, dated June 29, 1775, was read and filed.

A draught of a Letter to Jacob Bayley, Esq., at Newbury, Gloucester County, in answer to his of the 29th of June ult., was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

SIR: It gives us great pleasure to hear of your appointment to represent the County of Gloucester. The raising of troops in your County to serve in the Continental pay, is that we cannot authorize, nor indeed would it be at all useful to yourselves, but rather the contrary, inasmuch as they might be ordered at a distance from you on other service, and thereby weaken your security. For these reasons, we think it would be much more expedient to arrange your able-bodied men into a respectable militia, and let one or two hundred of them be embodied by turns weekly, whereby you will always have a body of men ready to repel injuries; and at the same time, by assembling your County at large, return any insults you may receive in kind.

We cannot express our concern to you, being obliged to Inform you, that at present neither arms nor ammunition can be expected from us, as we have not so many as to serve the Troops raised by our Colony, and intended for the defence of our Northern and Eastern frontier. But we have done every thing men could do: we have advanced money for and established a manufactory of arms, and contracted for a considerable number; we have contracted with merchants for a great number of them; we have taken measures to procure manufacturers; and we have written to Philadelphia for as many as are necessary for our Troops. Similar measures we have taken to procure powder; and depend, Sir, that for your sakes, as well as our own, we shall use every precaution to enable you to provide the means of defence; and at the same time, to prevent you the necessity of using those means.

“We are, Sir, your very humble servants. By order.

To Jacob Bayley, Esq., at Newbury, Gloucester County.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, signed by the Chairman, and transmitted by Mr. Harvey.

A Letter from Egbert Benson, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of Dutchess County, covering the returned