2d. You will permit all vessels from the southward to pass by unmolested, unless you shall have good reason to suspect that they are prosecuting designs inimical to the general cause; and in such case, you will prevent them from proceeding, until you shall be satisfied that they have no such designs.

3d. We recommend it to the Superintendents of the fort, and also to the inhabitants of the Colony, by their general conduct to use their endeavours to cultivate a good understanding with each other; being confident that the Superintendents will not permit those employed under them to use illiberal language to persons navigating the river, and that they will, in the exercise of their office, give as little trouble to the inhabitants of the Colony as is possible.

We are, respectfully, Gentlemen, your very humble servants. By order:

To the Commissioners at the Fortifications in the Highlands.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.

Ordered, That Timothy Doughty, and all the other prisoners now in the Jail, by order of the Committee of Safety, be brought down before the Congress to-morrow morning to be heard; and that Colonel McDougall be requested to furnish a sufficient Guard for that purpose.

The Congress then proceeded to hear the Proceedings of the Committee of Safety on the 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and part of the 15th days of September last; and on reading that part of the Minutes of the Committee of Safety which relates to John Cornell and George Nicholson,

Resolved, unanimously, That John Cornell be at liberty to prosecute George Nicholson, or any other person he thinks proper, for a certain Horse said to be let to the said George Nicholson, or for the Hire of the said Horse.

The Congress then proceeded to hear the residue of the Minutes of the Proceedings of the said Committee of Safety, as far as the end of their Proceedings on the morning of the said l5th day of September last.

A Letter from the Committee of Newport, dated October 12th, and signed by Samuel Dyer, Chairman pro tempore, was read, setting forth the distresses of the said Town, through the want of Bread, and praying that Captain John Andrews and Mr. Nathan Beebee may be permitted to purchase a load of Flour, for the use of the inhabitants of the said Town of Newport.

Ordered, That Captain John Andrews and Mr. Nathan Beebee be allowed to purchase and lade on board of their vessel a cargo of Flour, for the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Newport, upon condition that the said John Andrews and Nathan Beebee do deliver a manifest of the said Flour to the Secretary of this Congress, and within three months return to the said Secretary a certificate from the Chairman of the Committee of Newport, that the said Flour was reported to and under the direction of the said Committee, (the dangers of the seas and seizures excepted;) and if the said John Andrews and Nathan Beebee do not comply with the condition aforesaid, that then they shall be deemed guilty of an infringement of the Resolution of this Congress, and enemies to this Country.

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

Die Veneris, 9 ho. A. M., October 20, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.

A Letter from the Delegates of this Colony at Continental Congress, dated Philadelphia, the 16th instant, was read, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Philadelphia, October 16, 1775.

“GENTLEMEN: Four of your Delegates being absent on publick business, and another detained by ill health, we are at present reduced to five, less than which number are insufficient to form a representation; so that in case of sickness, or the necessary absence of any one of us, our Province remains unrepresented.

“We submit it, therefore, to your consideration, whether a delegation of the power to three, when the rest are absent, would not be advantageous to the Colony.

“We beg leave to be favoured with your answer to this as soon as possible; and have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, your most obedient humble servants,

“The Hon. the Provincial Congress of New-York.”

A draught of a Letter to the Delegates of this Colony at Continental Congress was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, October 20, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Although we do much regret the chance which you mention, that our Colony may perhaps be unrepresented, yet it is our misfortune to conceive ourselves incapable of complying with the mode you have pointed out to prevent this untoward circumstance. Although we should not hesitate to confer the important trust with which you are invested upon five gentlemen, or any three of that five, upon the supposition that it was now a question to nominate our trustees de novo, and although we have no apprehensions but that five such gentlemen might at once be named from among those who now represent us, yet when we consider that twelve were originally designated, of whom five to be a quorum, we necessarily supposed that this last number was particularly pointed out with a general view to the several members, and in the confidence that every five of them would be amply sufficient for that beneficial purpose. We cannot pretend, therefore, to lessen that number, unless indeed upon the most cogent necessity, and perhaps not then.

We are, with great respect, Gentlemen, your most obedient and humble servants. By order:

To the New-York Delegates in Continental Congress.

P. S. We should be glad to be informed of the determination of Congress on the application lately made by us with relation to the commerce of this City.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.

A draught of a Letter to the Hon. Robert R. Livingston, in answer to his of the 9th instant, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, October 20, 1775.

SIR: Your favour of the 9th instant has been laid before our Congress. They are happy to learn that one thousand and twenty pounds of very good powder has been made and sent up to Albany, out of the wet powder sent you for that purpose. With regard to the two hundred pounds of powder sent to the Committee at Albany, the Congress think it highly reasonable that you should receive twenty-five Pounds per hundred weight for it, the same as you get from other purchasers at your mill; and you will, besides, be entitled to the premium of five Pounds per hundred weight, agreeable to the resolution of this Congress of the 9th of June last, for all powder which you have manufactured or shall manufacture in this Colony within one year from the date of the said resolution. The nine hundred pounds of saltpetre sent from Connecticut, by Mr. Hamlin, and the four hundred pounds from the Committee at Albany, you will be pleased to have worked up, and kept at your mill until further orders, for the use of this Colony. The Congress cheerfully agree to your proposal of being allowed the same price for manufacturing it as is given to the powder makers in Pennsylvania.

We are, respectfully, Sir, your very humble servants. By order:

To the Hon. Robert R. Livingston.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.

A Letter from Mr. John Berrien, dated this day, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“New-York, October 20, 1775.

“GENTLEMEN: The Commissioners at the post have wrote me that they are in want of a sum of money to answer the demands of the country workmen and labourers, and to