A draught of a Letter was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

GENTLEMEN: A stranger, who calls himself Dr. George Nicholson, is now in this City. He has given some important intelligence, which has raised him some enemies here. He tells us, gentlemen, that you are acquainted with him, and he has requested us to write to you for his character. As we would choose to be well informed with respect to this gentleman’s character, that his information may have its proper weight, we therefore pray you to let us know, by a line, his true political character, and what dependance we may have on his veracity.

We are, Gentlemen, with great respect, your most obedient humble servants.

By order of the Committee.

To Thomas Johnson, William Paca, and Samuel Chase, Esquires, Delegates from the Colony of Maryland, at Congress, Philadelphia.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman of the Committee, and transmitted.

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

Die Sabbati, 9 ho. A. M., September 16, 1775.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment: Present:

John Haring, Esq., Chairman, and Commissioner for Orange County.

For NEW-YORK, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. McDougall, Mr. Roosevelt.
For ALBANY, Major Nicoll.
For DUTCHESS, Gilbert Livingston.
For WESTCHESTER, Mr. Paulding.
For ULSTER, Isaac Roosevelt.
For RICHMOND, Colonel Cortelyou.
For KING’S, Henry Williams.
For SUFFOLK, John Foster, John Sloss Hobart.
For CHARLOTTE, David Watkins.
For CUMBERLAND, William Williams.

Ordered, That Peter T. Curtenius call on Captain Beauman, and receive from him five Small-Arms, which were taken from on board of the North River Sloop seized by Colonel Lasher; that he have them valued, and put in proper order for the use of the Troops raised by this Colony.

A Letter from Brigadier-General Wooster, of this day, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Camp at Harlem, September 15, 1775.

“SIR: I have before me the order of the Provincial Congress of the 13th instant, directing me to order a full Company of the Troops under my command to proceed to the Fortifications erecting on the banks of Hudson’s River, in the Highlands, to be employed there in erecting and guarding the same. In obedience to the order of the Continental Congress, &c., I have lately received instructions from General Washington, consistent with which I cannot disperse my Troops, unless ordered by him or the Continental Congress; therefore, think it necessary that the order of the Continental Congress, upon which yours is predicated, should be sent to me, before I can determine whether to order a Company to the Highlands or not. I have no objections to employing my Troops in any service that shall be judged of publick utility, consistent with my orders.

“I am, Sir, with truth and regard, your most obedient humble servant,

“DAVID WOOSTER.

“To Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq.

A draught of a Letter to Brigadier-General Wooster was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

SIR: In answer to your favour of yesterday, we enclose you the order of the Continental Congress respecting the marching of the Troops under your command into this Colony, and the dispersion of them after their arrival; by which you will see that it was expected that those Troops should occupy such posts in the Colony as the Provincial Congress should judge necessary to be taken.

We are, with great respect, Sir, your most humble servants.

By order of the Committee of Safety.

To Brigadier-General Wooster.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and, together with a certified copy of the Resolutions of the Continental Congress of the 16th of June last, be delivered to the General’s Secretary, now in waiting.

Whereas a great number of the men enlisted in the Continental service in this Colony are destitute of Arms, and, in order to carry into execution the Resolutions of the Continental Congress, it is absolutely necessary to have those Troops armed; and whereas every method to hire or purchase Arms, hitherto attempted, has failed to procure a sufficient number of Arms for the said Troops, and the only method remaining is to impress Arms for their use:

Resolved, therefore, That all such Arms as are fit for the use of the Troops raised in this Colony, which shall be found in the hands or custody of any person who has not signed the General Association in this Colony, shall be impressed for the use of the said Troops.

And Ordered, That the person or persons who shall have the charge of the carrying this Resolution into execution in each County, shall direct all the Arms, that shall be so impressed, to be collected at some place in the County where they are impressed, and there valued and appraised by three indifferent men of reputation of the County; any two of whom agreeing, shall be sufficient to ascertain the price. That an account be kept from whom every Musket, Gun, or Firelock, so impressed, shall have been taken, and each such Gun, Musket, or Firelock, caused to be marked with the initial letter of the name of the County where it is impressed, and numbered—the numbers follow each other successively; and that the same be entered in a book provided for that purpose, with the name of the owner opposite to the number marked on each Musket, Gun, or Firelock, respectively.

And Ordered, That a Certificate, specifying the value and the mark of the Musket, Gun, or Firelock, so impressed, appraised, and marked, shall be signed by the appraisers and impressers, which shall entitle the owner thereof to receive the appraised value from the Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony; provided the same be not returned at or before the conclusion of the present unhappy controversy between Great Britain and the United Colonies. And that an Account, signed by the said appraisers and impressers, of all such Muskets, Guns, and Firelocks, so impressed, shall be sent forthwith to the Secretaries of the Provincial Congress, or either of them, to be filed; and that all the Muskets, Guns, and Firelocks, so impressed, on Nassau-Island, be delivered, without delay, to Peter T. Curtenius, the Commissary of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, and those that shall be impressed in the other Counties of this Colony, to be deposited with their respective Committees, subject to the order of the said Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety.

And Ordered, That the said Captains of the respective Companies of the Third Regiment of the Troops of this Colony, who are now in Suffolk County, be authorized to carry these Resolutions into execution in Queen’s County. That Col. Lasher be requested to send two or more Companies of his Battalion, to give such assistance in Queen’s County as may be necessary, at such time, and to such place or places, as Colonel McDougall and John Sloss Hobart, Esq., shall direct or advise.

And Ordered, farther, That the Chairman of the Committee and Captain Dutcher, with such draughts from the Militia as he shall think necessary, or with the assistance of some of General Wooster’s Troops, be enabled to carry the said Resolutions into effect in Westchester County; and that these Resolutions be carried into execution in every other County by the Chairman of the County Committee, with the assistance of the Militia Officers, who are hereby ordered to be aiding therein with such parts of the Militia as each such Chairman shall think necessary.