Ordered, That Mr. Low, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Verplanck, and Mr. Brasher, be a Committee to consider of and devise ways and means for the safety of the women and children in this City, in case of necessity, in obedience to the order of the Continental Congress of the . . . day of . . . . . last past, and report thereon with all convenient speed.

The Congress, taking into further consideration their Resolutions and recommendations of the 18th instant, touching the election of a future Provincial Congress, and convinced that many persons interested for the fate of this Country, in the present unhappy controversy, may be deprived of the privilege of a representation by the said Resolutions and recommendations, do further recommend that all tenants possessed of lands or tenements, within this Colony, of the value of eighty Pounds, be permitted to vote in the said election.

Colonel Hardenbergh, from the Committee appointed yesterday, to consider of a provision to be made for the Delegates of this Colony at the Continental Congress, and report thereon, delivered in their Report, which was read and filed.

Ordered, That the said Report be taken into consideration on Friday next.

An anonymous Letter, * said to be delivered by John Suffern to David Pye, Esq., a member of this House, and by him delivered to John Coe, Esquire, a member now here, was read and filed. The said Letter informs that there is a conspiracy of a great number of people, from Haverstraw to Hackensack, to join the King’s Troops,

Thereupon, a draught of a Letter to the Committee of Haverstraw Precinct was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, October 25, 1775.

SIR: You will see, by the copy of a letter which you have enclosed, that there are apprehensions of a conspiracy having been formed against the Congress and Committee. The Congress, therefore, recommend it to your Committee, to inquire without delay into the truth of the subject-matter of that letter, and report the result thereof to them with all convenient speed. They also recommend that this inquiry be made with as much regularity and as little violence as the nature of it will permit.

To Johannes Blawvelt, Chairman of the Committee of the Precinct of Haverstraw.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and, together with a copy of the said anonymous Letter, delivered to Mr. Coe, to be transmitted.

A Letter from Gilbert Drake, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of Westchester County, was read and filed.

A list of Officers, therein enclosed in the said Letter, was read and filed.

Ordered, That Commissions be issued for the Field-Officers, and the other Officers of the two Companies of Minute-Men therein mentioned, and that blank Commissions be also sent up to the said Committee for the two Companies of Minute-Men in the Manor of Cortlandt.

The Congress then proceeded to hear the Proceedings of the Committee of Safety, on the afternoon of the 19th, and on the 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, and 25th days of September last, and approved thereof.

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

Die Jovis, 10 ho. A. M., October 26, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present: Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.

Mordecai Lester, at his request, being permitted to attend the Congress, and attending at the door, was ordered to be admitted.

The principal charges against the said Mordecai Lester were read to him, and he was heard in his defence, and ordered to withdraw.

A determination on his case was drawn up and agreed to, in the words following, to wit:

The Congress, taking into consideration the proofs exhibited against Mordecai Lester, Esq., of Dutchess County, and having heard what he had to offer in his defence, are of the opinion that the said Mordecai Lester bath behaved inimical to the liberties of this Country, and thereby exposed himself to the resentment of the publick. But as the said Mordecai Lester hath promised to behave himself in a peaceable and orderly manner for the future, and signified his desire to return to his family in Dutchess County:

Resolved, That the said Mordecai Lester be reprimanded by the President for his past conduct, and discharged; and it is recommended to the inhabitants of this Colony to permit the said Mordecai Lester to remain in peace, he behaving in a peaceable and orderly manner, and complying with such orders and directions as shall be given by this or any future Congress of this Colony.

Ordered, That a certified copy of the determination of this Congress be delivered to the said Mordecai Lester. And he, being reprimanded from the Chair, was discharged.

Ordered, That the Secretaries get a sufficient number of the Letters to the Colonels of the Militia printed on good paper, and signed by the President.

The Congress then proceeded to hear the Proceedings of the Committee of Safety, on the 26th, 27th, 28th, and on the morning of the 29th days of September last, and approved thereof.

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

Die Veneris, 10 ho. A. M., October 27, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present: Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.

The Congress proceeded to hear the residue of the Minutes of the Committee of Safety; and having read that part of the Minutes of the said Committee, to wit: the Minutes of the Committee on the 30th of September last, which relate to Bernard Romans, and also his Memorial since delivered to this Congress—a draught of a Letter to the Continental Congress, on that subject, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, October 27, 1775.

SIR: The Committee of Safety, during the recess of the Provincial Congress, held a conference with Mr. Bernard Romans, and engaged his services as an engineer, in building the fortifications on Hudson’s River. He objected to them, that his pension from the Crown, of about fifty Pounds sterling per year, as botanist for one of the Floridas, might be taken away when it was known that he had assisted this Colony, and therefore prayed that he might be engaged as an engineer in the Continental service. The Committee thereupon promised him the pay of fifty dollars per month for the present, and informed him that it was probable his services would be wanted. We are not competent to the perfecting this business, and therefore pray that the Congress will make some order in the premises. As to the quantum of his pay, if fifty dollars is thought too little, the Congress will be pleased to fix upon the sum which they think adequate to the duties he has to perform.

We are, Sir, respectfully, your most obedient and humble servants. By order:

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

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

The Congress then proceeded to hear the residue of the

*DEAR SIR: I, with a trembling hand at the consequences, let you know what I have heard by the by. There is more than a thousand signed a sure writing made and sent by some of the Tories in New-York, to disavow of the Congress and Committees. And as soon as these troops come in, they are to join the King’s Troops, and take up the Committees and Congress man, and deliver them up. And they are joined and signed from here to Hackensack, and from here to Topon—all in general in this company. My neighbour, John Conte, they have mentioned for one of their commissions, and Rynear Quackenbush. Mr. Anderson, of Oldbridge, told me he had found them out last night. The Lieutenant of the man-of-war was a whole week at Slotterdam, and the Ministry’s tools have liberty to go through the Country, and as long as one does, we will never have peace. Unless you disarm these people, before the soldiery come, you will see such a time as you and I have never seen. No powder must be let any man have in Town or Country, but what has a certificate from the Committee.

NEW-ANTRIM, October 12, 1775.