Mr. Thomas Smith moved, and was seconded by Mr. Leffertse, in the words following to wit:

I move that a Committee be appointed to draft a Letter to our Delegates, stating the present situation of this Colony, and the sense of this Congress on the measures necessary to be taken in the present alarming state of our publick affairs.

And the same being agreed, nem. con.,

Ordered, That Mr. Scott, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Thomas Smith, Mr. Gansevoort, Mr. Brasher, and Mr. Gilbert Livingston, be a Committee for that purpose, and that they report with all convenient speed.

Mr. James Beekman has leave of absence for the residue of this day.

A draft 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:

New-York, December 9, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: It must appear very obvious to you, that this Colony will require a fund to defray such expenses as have arisen, or may be incurred on its particular account. The last Congress, attentive to this, resolved to emit the sum of forty-five thousand pounds for that purpose. The bills are now ready for signing, but this Congress are apprehensive that the great variety of paper emissions now in circulation with the addition of such others as may be emitted, may endanger a depreciation, or prevent so extensive a circulation as may be necessary to answer the ends for which they were intended.

Those evils, they think, will be prevented by making all paper money to be issued for the defence of America, whether general or particular, Continental currency. They, therefore, request you to take the sense of Congress, whether they will lend this Colony the sum above-mentioned, for the sinking of which they are ready to engage the Colony. As this money is immediately wanted, and as our bills are ready for signing, we beg you to obtain the determination of the Congress on this matter as speedily as possible, and transmit it to us.

We are, with great truth and regard, your very humble servants. By order of the Congress.

To the Delegates for the Colony of New- York in Congress, at Philadelphia.

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

Resolved, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Congress of this Colony, be requested to enter in Bond to Nathaniel Wood hull, John Vanderbilt, Isaac Roosevelt, Jacob Cuyler, and Robert Van Rensselaer, Esqrs., in the sum of twenty thousand Pounds, New-York money, with such security as those gentleman shall approve of, with a condition faithfully to execute the said office of Treasurer, and to render accounts of all moneys by him received, when thereunto required.

And Resolved, That one hundred and fifty Pounds per annum, and at the same rate for any longer or shorter time, be allowed to him as a Salary for his trouble in executing the office of Treasurer, to be computed from the 8th day of July last, on which he was first appointed Treasurer.

A draft of a Letter to the Committee of Tryon County was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, December 9, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Congress have this day entered into the consideration of your letter of 28th October, and are of opinion that your application to Sir John Johnson, requesting an answer from him whether he would allow his tenants to form themselves into companies and associate with their brethren of your County, according to the resolves of the Continental Congress, for the defence of our liberties, was improper with respect to him, and too condescending on your parts, as it was a matter that came properly within your province, and to which we doubt not but you are competent, as you have a line of conduct prescribed to you by Congress. With respect to your second question to him, whether he would take any active part in the controversy at present subsisting between Great Britain and her Colonies, we conceive to be very proper, and thank you for your information on that head. As to the third question, we conceive that he can claim no title to the Court-house and Jail in your County, as we are credibly told that his father, Sir William Johnson, did, in his life time, convey the same to two gentlemen in trust for the use of your County; however, as an attempt to use the same for the purpose of confining persons inimical to our country may be productive of bad consequences, we beg leave to recommend to you to procure some other place which may answer the end of a Jail, and give you our advice not to molest Sir John as long as he shall continue inactive, and not impede the measures necessary to be carried into execution from being completed.

We are extremely sorry that Mr. White has, by his imprudent conduct, rendered himself justly obnoxious to you. The best advice we can give you in this unhappy affair is, that if you are of opinion that his exercising his office will be dangerous to your liberties and security, that you permit the office to be exercised by his Deputy, and that you draw up a petition, get as many persons of your County to sign it as possible, and present it to the Governour of this Colony, setting forth that it is very disagreeable to the people in general that he should execute that office, and praying that he may be displaced, and his place supplied by a person who would be acceptable to the people of your County.

We are, most respectfully, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servants,

To Nicholas Herkimer, Esqr., Chairman of the Committee of Tryon County.

P. S. The credentials from your County for Mr. Moore are not yet arrived, though several letters have been forwarded to you for that purpose.

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

Resolved and ordered, That Messrs. Jacobus Van Zandt, John Vanderbilt, and Comfort Sands, be a Committee to plan a voyage or voyages for at least two or more Vessels, to be laded and sent out on account of the Congress of this Colony, and for the benefit of this Colony, to procure Ammunition, Arms, and such other articles as will be necessary for the general defence of this Colony, and to procure proper Vessels for that purpose; and that the said Committee report such plan or plans as they shall think proper or propose, with all convenient speed.

The day being far advanced, the Congress adjourned till Monday next, at ten o'clock, A. M.

Die Lunæ, 10 ho. A. M., December 11, 1775.

The following gentlemen met pursuant to adjournment:

Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.

For New-York.—Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Hallett, Mr. Scott, Mr. Ray, Mr. Sands.

Albany.—Colonel Rensselaer, Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Gansevoort, Mr. Bleecker.

Dutchess.—Mr. G. Livingston.

Ulster.—Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. Cantine.

Westchester.—Colonel L. Graham, Colonel G. Drake.

Suffolk. —Colonel Woodhull, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Wickham, Mr. David Gilston.

Tryon.—Mr. John Moore.

Benjamin Lindsay, attending at the door, in obedience to the Order of the late Provincial Congress, when he obtained permission to lade his last Cargo for Rhode-Island, sent in a Certificate of Governour Cooke, in the words and figures following, to wit: