his contract with Captains Shee, Wilcocks, and Cadwallader. That those gentlemen take proper security from the said Wigfal, and draw an Order on this Committee for said sum of one hundred Pounds.

On motion made, Resolved, That the following Resolve of Congress be entered on the Minutes of this Committee:

“In Congress, Monday, November 27, 1775.

“On motion made, Resolved, That the Troops in the service of the Continent be supplied with Fuel and Bedding, at the expense of the Continent.

“Extract from the Minutes:

“CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.”

The Committee of Safety are of opinion that it is not improper for Mr. James Innis to purchase any secondhand Arms which he may find in the hands of individuals of this Province, and therefore have no objection of his buying them; but as they have employed and are endeavouring to employ all the artificers that can be procured, in making new Arms for the publick, they apprehend any application by Mr. Innis to such artificers will be attended with bad consequences to the general cause, by enhancing the price of Arms; and that, as fast as Arms come into the hands of this Board, they will readily spare such proportion of them, for the use of the Colony of Virginia, as the necessities of this Province will admit.

A Letter was this day wrote to Colonel Thomas Mifflin, enclosing Lieutenant Symes’s Order on Major Small for fifty Pounds sterling, which Colonel Mifflin is desired to receive, and inform this Board when he is in Cash, and when this Board receives an account of said Bills being paid, they will pay the amount to Lieutenant Symes.

Resolved, That Mr. Clement Biddle be notified that his contract for supplying the men belonging to the Armed Boats with Provisions will terminate on the 10th of December next.

That the following Advertisement be put in the Newspapers, requesting every person desirous of undertaking the Contract to send in their proposals to this Committee by the 6th of December next:

All persons who are willing to supply the Officers and men employed in the Armed Boats with the following Rations, viz: seven pounds of Bread per week, or six pounds of Flour; ten pounds of Beef, Mutton, or Pork; the value of six Pence per week in Roots and Vegetables; three and a half pints of Rum, or Beer in proportion—are desired to send in their proposals to this Committee on or before the 6th day of December next, when the same will be considered; the contract to commence on the 11th December, and to continue for the space of three months, if the men are not sooner discharged.

Upon application of Captain Harmar, an Order was drawn on Messrs. Mease and Caldwell for three Pounds, being for the payment of a Firelock purchased for the use of his Company in the Pennsylvania Battalion, in the service of the United Colonies.

Upon application of Mr. Mease, the Order of Congress for three thousand Dollars received by this Board, as per Minutes of the 28th instant, was delivered and endorsed by John Nixon, Chairman.

Resolved, That Messrs. Mease and Caldwell be directed to provide sufficient Beds, Lodging, and Fire-Wood, for the Battalion now in the Barracks, according to the provision that has been usually made for the Troops in the same Barracks.

NEW-JERSEY ASSEMBLY.

At a sitting began at Burlington, Wednesday, November 15, 1775, and continued until the 6lh day of December following; being the second sitting of the Fourth Session of the Twenty-Second Assembly of New-Jersey.

NAMES OF THE REPRESENTATIVES.

City of PERTH -AMBOY: Cortland Skinner, Speaker, John Combs.
MIDDLESEX: John Wetherill, Azariah Dunham.
MONMOUTH: Edward Taylor, Richard Lawrence.
ESSEX: Stephen Crane, Henry Garritse.
SOMERSET: Hendrick Fisher, John Roy.
BERGEN: Theunis Dey, John Demarest.
MORRIS: Jacob Ford, William Winds
City of BURLINGTON: James Kinsey, Thomas P. Hewlings.
County of BURLINOTON: Henry Paxson, Anthony Sykes.
GLOUCESTER: John Hinchman, Robert F. Price.
SALEM: Grant Gibbon, Benjamin F. Holme.
CAPE MAY: Jonathan Hand, Eli Eldridge.
HUNTERUON: Samuel Tucker, John Mehelm.
CUMBERLAND: John Shepperd, Theophilus Elmer.
SUSSEX: Nathaniel Pettit, Joseph Barton.

Burlington, Wednesday, November 15, 1775.

Pursuant to his Excellency’s several prorogations of the General Assembly from time to time till this day, several Members met, and, for want of a sufficient number to make a House for business, adjourned till to-morrow morning, ten o’clock.

Thursday, November 16, 1775.

The House met, and, for want of a sufficient number of Members to make a House, adjourned to three, P. M.

The House met.

Ordered, That Mr. Fisher and Mr. Paxson do wait on his Excellency, and acquaint him that a sufficient number of Members to proceed to business are met, and ready to receive any thing he may please to lay before them.

Mr. Deputy Secretary laid before the House the several prorogations of the House since last session, which were read.

Mr. Fisher reported that Mr. Paxson and himself waited upon the Governour, according to order, who was pleased to say the House should hear from him presently.

A Message from the Governour by Mr. Deputy Secretary Pettit:

Mr. SPEAKER: His Excellency is in the Council Chamber, and requires the immediate attendance of the House.

Whereupon, Mr. Speaker quitted the chair, and, with the House, went to wait upon the Governour; and being returned, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and reported that the House had waited on the Governour, who was pleased to make a Speech to the Council and this House, of which Mr. Speaker said he had, to prevent mistakes, obtained a copy. And the same, by order of the House, was read, and is as follows, viz:

Gentlemen of the Council,

and Gentlemen of the Assembly:

I have called this meeting that you might have an opportunity of transacting such business as the publick exigencies of the Province require.

Having lately said so much to you concerning the present unhappy situation of publick affairs, and the destructive measures which have been adopted in the Colonies, under the pretence of necessity; and as I do not yet see that the urging any more arguments on that head has a chance of producing any good effect, I shall not endanger the harmony of the present session by a further discussion of the subject.

It is necessary, however, that you should be informed, “that His Majesty laments to find his subjects in America so lost to their own true interests as neither to accept the Resolution of the House of Commons of the 20th of February, nor make it the basis of a negotiation, when, in all probability, it would have led to some plan of accommodation; and that, as they have preferred engaging in a rebellion which menaces to overthrow the Constitution, it becomes His Majesty’s duty, and is his firm resolution, that the most vigorous efforts should be made, both by sea and land, to reduce his rebellious subjects to obedience. But it is hoped that, unfavourable as the prospects are at present, the time will come when men of sense and friends to peace and good order will see the fatal consequences of the delusions which have led to the measures the people