ART. LXVIII. When any Commissioned Officer shall happen to die, or be killed in the service of the United Colonies, the Major of the Regiment, or the Officer doing the Major’s duty in his absence, shall immediately secure all his effects or equipage, then in Camp or Quarters; and shall, before the next Regimental Court-Martial, make an inventory thereof, and forthwith transmit to the Office of the Secretary of the Congress, or Assembly of the Province in which the Corps is stationed or shall happen to be at the time of the death of such Officer; to the end that his Executors may, after payment of his debts in quarters, and interment, receive the overplus, if any be, to his or their use.

ART. LXIX. When any Non-Commissioned Officer or private Soldier shall happen to die, or be killed in the service of the United Colonies, the then Commanding Officer of the Troop or Company, shall, in the presence of two other Commissioned Officers, take an account of whatever effects he dies possessed of, and transmit the same, as in the case above provided for, in order that the same may be secured for, and paid to their respective representatives.

Ordered, That Mr. Deane, Mr. Cushing, and Mr. Hewes, be a Committee to examine the Rules and Articles of War agreed to by the Congress, and get them printed as soon as possible.

Upon motion, Resolved, That this Congress will, on Monday next, take into consideration the Trade of America.

Upon motion, Resolved, That the Committee for Indian Affairs do prepare proper Talks for the several Tribes of Indians for engaging the continuance of their friendship to us, and neutrality in our present unhappy dispute with Great Britain.

The Order of the Day put off, and adjournment made till to-morrow.

Saturday, July 1, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

On motion, Resolved, That in case any Agent of the Ministry shall induce the Indian Tribes, or any of them, to commit actual hostilities against these Colonies, or to enter into an offensive alliance with the British Troops, thereupon the Colonies ought to avail themselves of an alliance with such Indian Nations as will enter into the same, to oppose such British Troops and their Indian allies.

The Congress then took into consideration the Report of the Committee on Indian Affairs.

During the debate Letters were received by express from General Schuyler, which requiring an immediate answer, the same were taken into consideration:

Resolved, That General Schuyler be directed not to remove General Wooster, or the Troops under his command, from New-York; but that he raise as many of the Green Mountain Boys, under such Officers as they shall choose, with such other men in the vicinity of Ticonderoga as will be necessary to carry into execution the Resolutions of the Congress, of the 27th of June last, transmitted to him.

Ordered, That this be transmitted to General Schuyler by the President.

On motion, made, Resolved, That Lieutenant Patrick Moncrief have liberty to return to England, on giving his parole of honour, that he will not act against the Americans in the present controversy between Great Britain and these Colonies.

The Order of the Day being put off, the Congress adjourned till Monday next at nine o’clock.

Monday, July 3, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Sundry Letters from the Convention of New-York, General Schuyler, and a certified copy of a Letter from Thomas Gage to Governour Martin, were laid before the Congress, and read.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the trade of America. After some time spent therein the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Ward reported that the Committee had come to a Resolution, which they ordered him to report; but not having finished, they had desired him to move for leave to sit again.

The Report from the Committee being read, the final determination of it was, at the request of the Colony of South-Carolina, deferred till to-morrow.

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

Adjourned till to-morrow, at nine o’clock.

Tuesday, July 4, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

And having taken up the consideration of the Report from the Committee, came to the following Resolution:

Resolved, That the two Acts passed in the first session of the present Parliament, the one intituled “An Act to restrain the Trade and Commerce of the Province of Massachusetts-Bay and New-Hampshire, and the Colonies of Connecticut and Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, in North-America, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in the West-Indies; and to prohibit such Provinces and Colonies from carrying on any Fishery on the banks of Newfoundland or other places therein mentioned, under certain conditions and limitations:” the other, intituled “An Act to restrain the Trade and Commerce of the Colonies of New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and South-Carolina, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in the West-Indies, under certain conditions and limitations,” are unconstitutional, oppressive, and cruel; and that the commercial opposition of these Colonies, to certain Acts enumerated in the Association of the last Congress, ought to be made against these, until they are repealed.

Ordered, That the above be immediately published.

The Congress then took into consideration the Letter of General Schuyler of 28th ultimo, and,

Ordered, That the Delegates of the Colony of Pennsylvania procure Letters from the German Clergy, and other respectable persons of that nation in this City, to their friends and countrymen in the Colony of New-York, and also to their countrymen in North-Carolina.

Resolved, That the Committee for Indian Affairs be so far released from the obligation of secrecy as to have liberty to inquire of proper intelligent persons, the situation and condition of the Indian Nations.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the Petition to the King. After some debate, the further consideration of it was postponed till to-morrow.

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

Adjourned till to-morrow, at nine o’clock.

Wednesday, July 5, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Several Letters, from General Schuyler, of the 2d and 3d of July, were received and read.

It appearing that Governour Philip Skene and Mr. Lundy have designs inimical to American liberty:

Therefore, on motion, It is recommended to the Delegates of the Colony of Pennsylvania, to have the order of Congress of the 27th of June last, respecting the sending Governour Skene to Hartford, in Connecticut, immediately carried into execution.

On motion, Resolved, That Mr. Lundy be sent under guard along with Governour Skene to Hartford, in Connecticut, there to be confined in the same manner as is ordered with respect to Governour Skene, until farther orders from this Congress.

Resolved, That such provision be made for the support of Governour Skene and Mr. Lundy as Governour Trumbull shall think proper, which the Continent will take care to pay.

Ordered, That the President write to Governour Trumbull on this subject, and enclose him the above Order and Resolves.