The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the Ordinance for the further regulation of the Militia Forces of this Colony; and, after some time spent therein,

Ordered, That the said Ordinance be committed to Mr. Stewart, Mr. De Hart, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Pope, and Mr. Brown, who are to report their proceedings thereon.

The Certificate of the election of Field-Officers for the First Regiment of Sussex County, was read.

Ordered, That Commissions do issue to the Officers therein named.

The several Petitions from Hunterdonand Sussex, praying that Householders may be permitted to vote at future elections of Deputies to serve in Congress, were read a second time; and, after some time spent therein,

On motion made, Resolved, That the further consideration of the above Petitions be postponed until Wednesday next.

The Congress adjourned until to-morrow morning.

Saturday, October 21, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The Petition from the Farmers of Essex, praying that Money at interest, Lawyers, and Mechanics, may be taxed; the recommendation of the Committee of Newark thereon; and the Petition from Hunterdon County, praying that Money at interest may be taxed; were all read a second time, and referred to further consideration, when this Congress shall find it necessary to raise Taxes in this Colony.

On motion made, Resolved, That this Congress will take up the further consideration of the estimate of expenses, and the Provincial Fund, on Monday next.

On motion made, Ordered, That the following Letter be engrossed, and despatched immediately to the Continental Congress, signed by the President:

In Provincial Congress, Trenton, October 21, 1775.

SIR: Since the resolutions of the Continental Congress, for raising two Battalions in this Colony, were communicated to us, great numbers of gentlemen have applied for commissions, or warrants, to recruit: but this Congress, expecting hourly to hear from you on the subject of appointing the field-officers, have, as yet, forbore either to grant commissions or issue warrants, and therefore are very anxious to have your resolution on the subject of our letter of the 13th instant.

This Congress desire me to assure you that, from every appearance, the Battalions will speedily be completed, if your honourable House shall think proper to comply with the purport of our letter of the 13th instant.

To expedite this important service, I am to request the favour of you, Sir, to transmit to us the resolutions of the Continental Congress, by the bearer, Thomas Potts, Esq., one of our members. By order of Congress.

Your most humble servant,

SAMUEL TUCKER, President.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress, Philadelphia.

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

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Joseph Salter, Esq., having returned his Commission of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Regiment of Militia, for the County of Monmouth, and desired leave to resign the same,

Resolved, unanimously, That his resignation be accepted.

The Committee appointed to prepare the draught of an Ordinance for compelling the payment of the Ten Thousand Pound Tax, from such persons as have refused to pay their quotas, reported the draught of such Ordinance; which was read, and ordered a second reading.

The Congress adjourned until Monday morning next.

Monday, October 23, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

The draught of an Ordinance for compelling the payment of the Ten Thousand Pound Tax, from such persons as have refused to pay their quotas, was read a second time, paragraph by paragraph; and, after deliberating thereon,

Ordered, That the same be engrossed.

Mr. Fisher, from the Committee appointed to examine what matters were referred over to this Congress by the late Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety, reported, that an application to the late Congress to encourage the making of Saltpetre in this Colony, and some Petitions from the County of Somerset, respecting Colonel McDonald’s appointment to the command of the Battalion of Minute-Men in that County, were all the matters referred to this Congress.

The Congress adjourned till 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, 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 to provide a Fund to defray the expenses of the same; 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 further progress in the matters referred to them, and desired leave to sit again; to which the Congress agreed.

The Congress adjourned till nine o’clock, tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, October 24, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

A Petition from several persons of Captain Harrison’s Company of Light-Infantry, praying that the Petitioners may be indulged in continuing in that Company, notwithstanding the late Resolution of this Congress, was read, and ordered a second reading.

The following engrossed Ordinance, for compelling the payment of the Ten Thousand Pound Tax, from such persons as have refused to pay their quotas, was read, approved, and, on the question being put,

Resolved, That the same do pass.

Whereas it was resolved and directed, by an Ordinance of the late Congress, that the sum of Ten Thousand Pounds, Proclamation Money, should be apportioned and raised for the use of this Colony, and it appearing that the whole of that sum hath not been collected pursuant thereto; and whereas it is necessary, from the publick exigencies of this Colony, that the same should be collected, and that some equitable mode be ascertained for this purpose:

1. It is therefore Resolved and Directed, That the Collector of every Town and Precinct, appointed or to be appointed pursuant to the above recited Ordinance, shall and do make demand, on or before the 20th day of November next, of every person within his District, who hath neglected or refused paying the sum assessed in virtue of said Ordinance, or give notice thereof at his usual place of abode, and inform such person, or give notice as aforesaid, that if the said Assessment be not paid into the hands of the said Collector, within fifteen days after the said 20th day of November next, in such case, the name of the delinquent will be returned to the Committee of the County where such delinquent resides; and such County Committee are hereby ordered to direct their Chairman, or Deputy Chairman, to issue an order to some proper person or persons, to be by them appointed for that purpose, to make distress on the goods and chattels of the said delinquent, and make sale thereof at publick vendue, giving five days’ notice thereof, by advertisement, in such Town or County, who shall pay the Assessment, for which such distress shall be made, into the hands of the said Town Collector, to be by him paid unto the Collector of the County, in the same manner as the other assessments collected by the Ordinance aforementioned are, by an order of the late Congress, directed to be paid; and the person or persons so as aforesaid appointed, or to be appointed, to distrain, after payment made, shall and may retain one Shilling and six Pence for each distress and sale: Provided always, that after payment of the sum so distrained for, and the costs of such distress, the overplus, if any, be returned to the owner or owners of the goods so distrained as aforesaid.

2. And it is farther Resolved and Directed, That in