respects with our own, and determined that it be carried or under the, following regulations:

“1. That none of us shall, directly or indirectly, purchase any slave imported at Savannah, (large numbers of which we understand are there expected,) till the sense of the Congress shall be made known to us.

“2. That we will not trade at all with any merchant at Savannah, or elsewhere, that will not join in our associating agreement, otherwise than under the inspection of a Committee, for that purpose appointed, and for such things only as they shall Judge necessary, and when they shall think there are necessary reasons for so doing.

“A Committee was then nominated and appointed to sit weekly on Thursdays, for the purposes aforesaid.

“It was then resolved, that a Delegate be sent from this Parish to the Congress, to be held at Philadelphia in May next, and that Tuesday, the twenty-first of March, be appointed for choosing one.

“On the said twenty-first of March, at a full meeting, Lyman Hall, Esq., was unanimously chosen to represent and act for the inhabitants of this Parish as a Delegate at the General Congress, to be held in Philadelphia in May next, who are determined faithfully to adhere to, and abide by the determination of him and the other honourable members of the same.

“Signed by order of the Inhabitants, by Daniel Roberts and twenty others, members of the Committee.”

“Midway, St. John’s Parish.

In the Province of Georgia, April 13, A. D. 1775.”

A Petition from the County of Frederick, in Virginia, addressed to the Congress, was presented and read.

Agreed, That it be referred to the Committee of the Whole, which is to sit on Monday.

Monday, May 15, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Mr. Wisner, Mr. Schuyler, Mr. Clinton, Mr. L. Morris, and Mr. R. R. Livingston, from New-York; Mr. James Wilson, from Pennsylvania, Mr. R. Goldsborough, from Maryland, appeared, and took their places as Members of the Congress. Upon motion,

Agreed, That the Secretary be allowed to employ Timothy Matlack as a Clerk, he having first taken an oath or affirmation to keep secret the transactions of the Congress that may be entrusted to him, or may come to his knowledg.

The President informed the Congress that he had put into his hands this morning a Letter from Robert and John Murray, containing a number of papers, which he was desired, to lay before the Congress; the purport of them he did not know, as he had not had an opportunity of reading them.

Ordered, That the President look them over before they are laid before the Congress.

The Order of the Day was then read. After some debate, Resolved, That the Order of the Day be postponed.

Resolved nemine contradicente, That the Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the state of America.

The City and County of New-York having, through the Delegates of that Colony, applied to Congress for advice how to conduct themselves with regard to the Troops expected there, the Congress took the matter into their consideration. During their deliberations, it became necessary to take the opinion of the Congress by Colonies; upon which a question arose, whether the Delegate from the Parish of St. John’s, in the Colony of Georgia, could be admitted to vote. After some debate on this question, the Delegate from that Parish arose, and after observing that the present distressful situation of American affairs had induced a necessity of this Congress, which was composed of Delegates representing whole Colonies; that as he did not represent a Colony, but only a part, he did not insist on giving a vote as a Colony, but was contented to hear and assist in the debates, and to give his vote, in all cases, except when the sentiments of the Congress were taken by Colonies.

The Congress then resumed the consideration of the matter first under debate. During the debate, Sam’l Ward, Esq., one of the Delegates from Rhode-Island, appeared, and produced his Credentials, which being read, were approved, and are as follow:

“By the Honourable the General Assembly of the ENGLISH Colony of RHODE-ISLAND and PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, in NEW-ENGLAND, in AMERICA.

“To the Honourable STEPHEN HOPKINS, Esq., and the Honourable SAMUEL WARD, Esq., Greeting:

“Whereas, the General Assembly of the Colony aforesaid, have nominated and appointed you, the said Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward, to represent the people of this Colony in a General Congress of Representatives, from this and the other Colonies, to be holden in the City of Philadelphia on the tenth May instant: You are therefore hereby authorized to repair to the said City of Philadelphia, and there, in behalf of this Colony, to meet and join with the Commissioners or Delegates from the other Colonies, in consulting upon proper measures to obtain a repeal of the several Acts of the British Parliament, for levying taxes upon His Majesty’s subjects in America without their consent, and, upon proper measures, to establish the rights and liberties of the Colonies upon a just and solid foundation, agreeable to the instructions given you by the General Assembly.

“By virtue of an Act of the General Assembly, I, Henry Ward, Esq., Secretary of the said Colony, have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Colony, this seventh day of May, A. D. 1775, and in the fifteenth year of the reign of his most sacred Majesty George the Third, by the grace of God King of Great Britain, &c.

“HENRY WARD.”

The matter under consideration being resumed, the Congress

Resolved, That it be recommended, for the present, to the inhabitants of New-York, that if the Troops, which are expected, should arrive, the said Colony act on the defensive, so long as may be consistent with their safety and security; that the Troops be permitted to remain in the Barracks so long as they behave peaceably and quietly, but that they be not suffered to erect fortifications, or take any steps for cutting off the communication between the town and country, and that if they commit hostilities, or invade private property, the inhabitants should defend themselves and their property, and repel force by force; that the warlike stores be removed from the town; that places of retreat, in case of necessity, be provided for the women and children of New-York; and that a sufficient number of men be embodied, and kept in constant readiness, for protecting the inhabitants from insult and injury.

Two Memorials, one from Samuel Shoemaker, the other from James and Drinker, merchants of this City, respecting some cargoes purchased by them, and intended for Newfoundland, but which are stopped by the Committee of this City, were laid before the Congress and read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider what Posts are necessary to be occupied in the Colony of New-York, and by what number of Troops it will be necessary they should be guarded.

Upon motion, Resolved, That Mr. Washington, Mr. Lynch, Mr. S. Adams, and the Delegates from New-York, be the Committee for the above service, and that they be desired to report as speedily as possible.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the state: of America:

Adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow.

Tuesday, May 16, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

A Memorial from Robert and John Murray, of New-York, was laid before the Congress, and read.

Ordered, To lie on the table.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the state of America. After some time spent therein, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Tilghman reported from the Committee, that they had taken