Wednesday, October 11, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The Petition from Morris County, praying this Congress to appoint Field-Officers, &c., was read a second time; and Captain Bates attending at the door, and desiring to be heard in support of this Petition,

Resolved, That Captain Bates be heard relative to the prayer of the said Petition.

And Captain Bates having been heard accordingly, and the Congress having debated the same,

Resolved, That this Congress think it is most expedient to wait for further information before they proceed to the appointment of Officers; and that the Captains and Subalterns of the said Regiment be directed to recommend proper persons for Field-Officers; such recommendation to be certified by the Chairman of the County Committee.

A Petition from Stephen Burrows, relative to the making of Cartouch-Boxes, was read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from the Committee of Amwell, praying that the Third Regiment of the Militia of Hunterdon County may continue, but that the commissions of the Field-Officers be vacated, and that the Captains and Subalterns may be allowed to choose Field-Officers, was read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from a number of the Inhabitants of the lower part of Amwell, praying that the Third Regiment, in the County of Hunterdon, may be united to the First Regiment, commanded by Colonel Smith, was read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from the Inhabitants of the upper part of Amwell, praying that, if any alteration be made in the Third Regiment of the Militia of Hunterdon, the petitioners may be united to the Fourth Regiment, and not to the First Regiment, was read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from Captain Imlay and Captain Gray, praying that the Field-Officers of the Third Regiment of Militia of Hunterdon may be continued, was read, and ordered a second reading.

On motion made, Ordered, That Mr. Fisher, Mr. Abraham Clark, Mr. Dennis, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. Ellis, be a Committee to prepare the draught of an Ordinance for the further regulating of the Militia of this Colony, and make report thereof to this Congress.

This Congress having received information that a few days since a small Vessel, supposed to be a tender to some Man-of-War, was taken near Barnegat, with three persons on board; and this information appearing to be true, this Congress think it proper that the said Vessel be detained for the present, and that the persons taken on board be secured in some safe place in the County of Monmouth, until this Congress can obtain satisfactory information respecting those persons, their business and destination. And this Congress request the Committee of Monmouth to make diligent inquiry into the above matter, and to report to this Congress whatever discovery they may be able to obtain, of which the Secretary is ordered to give the said Committee notice.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the Petition from the County of Monmouth, suggesting that the Deputies returned for that County were not duly elected, and praying that the late election may be vacated, and a new one granted; and the parties for and against the Petition attending, were called in and heard, pursuant to the order of the day; and desiring a further hearing thereon,

The Congress adjourned to four o’clock, P. M.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The Congress resumed the further consideration of the Petition from Monmouth, respecting the election of Deputies; and the parties again attending, were called in and heard, and then withdrew.

The Deputies from Monmouth having desired leave to withdraw during the debate,

Ordered, That leave be granted; and the Deputies withdrew accordingly.

Whereupon, after debating the question, on motion made,

Resolved, That the determination of the question be postponed until tomorrow morning.

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

Thursday, October 12, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the Petition from Monmouth County, relative to the election of Deputies; and, after debating the same, the question being put, whether the election was regular or not, it passed in the affirmative.

Ordered, That the Deputies from Monmouth County be called in, and that they take their seats.

The Committee appointed to prepare the draught of a Resolution for apprehending of Deserters from the Continental Troops, reported a draught of such Resolution, which was read, and ordered a second reading.

Mr. Hart, from the Committee appointed to prepare an estimate of the expense necessary to put this Colony into a state of defence, reported the draught of such an estimate, which was read, and ordered a second reading.

The Petition from the Committee of Hackensack, recommending Militia Officers for that Precinct, was read, and ordered a second reading.

On motion made,

Resolved, That the question relative to the state of the Provincial Fund be postponed till the afternoon, to be then taken into consideration.

The Petition from the Committee of Hackensack, recommending Militia Officers for that Precinct, was read a second time.

Ordered, That Commissions do issue, pursuant to the prayer of the said Petition.

A Petition from the Township of Kingwood, and a Petition from the Township of Alexandria, in the County of Hunterdon, praying that Householders and others, not Freeholders, who pay their proportion of Taxes in this Colony, may be admitted to vote for Deputies to serve in Provincial Congress at future elections, were read, and ordered a second reading.

Two other Petitions, from the Townships of Greenwich and Mansfield Woodhouse, in the County of Sussex, both of the same purport as above, were also read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from the Officers of the United Regiment of Freehold and Middletown, praying that the Officers therein named may be commissioned, was read.

Ordered, That Commissions do issue accordingly.

The Congress adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Pursuant to the Order of the Day, the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, and chose Mr. Fisher Chairman, upon the estimate of the expense necessary to put this Colony into a state of defence at this time, and also upon the ways and means necessary to be adopted to provide a sufficient fund to defray that expense; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Fisher, Chairman of the Committee, reported that the Committee had made some progress in the business to them referred, and desired leave to sit again; to which the Congress agreed.

A Letter from James Kinsey and William Livingston, Esquires, two of the Members of the Continental Congress, recommending to the consideration of this Congress to raise two Battalions in this Colony immediately, was read, and ordered a second reading.

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