11th. A power, during the recess of this Congress, to open and answer all letters directed to this Congress, or the President thereof,

12th. A power to comply as far and as often as they shall think proper, with any requisition by the Generals of the Continental forces, or any or either of them.

A power to take up and examine persons suspected to have broken the resolutions of the Continental or this Con gress, and, according to their discretion, to discharge or send such persons to the General Committee of the County, lo whom it belongs to determine the matter.

A power to carry into execution a settlement of ac counts with the Continental Congress.

A power to carry into execution, if necessary, the resolutions of the late Congress for the emission of paper currency, subject however to such alterations as this Congress shall think proper to make.

A discretionary power to purchase arms and ammunition, and apply the same to the publick service.

A power, in case of deficiency of the Provincial Treasury, to answer the appropriations and applications here by intrusted, to the Committee; to supply such deficiency, as often as it may happen, by a vote of credit, to be made good by provision hereafter to be made by Congress.

A power to settle and determine all questions to be put to them by the Committee of Accounts, arising in their department.

Resolved, That the Committee of Safety, hereby appointed, do continue to be invested as a body, distinct from Congress, with all the powers above-mentioned, until the said Committee shall be dissolved by order of this Congress, or until the second Tuesday of June next, unless a future Congress of this Colony shall be sooner convened.

Dissentients to that part of the last Resolution contained in the words "or until the second Tuesday of June next:" Colonel Rensselaer, Mr. Gansevoort, Captain Cuyler, Colonel Brasher, Colonel Graham, Mr. Schenck.

Mr. Gansevoort, seconded by Mr. Rensselaer, moved in the words following, to wit:

That if it should ,so happen that any member, appointed as one of the. Committee of Safety, should be prevented, either by sickness or other unforeseen accident, from at tending the said Committee, whereby the publick business may be delayed, that his place may be supplied by one other of the Deputies of the County where such member of the Committee of Safety resides, to be appointed by the General Committee of the same County.

Debates arose on the said motion; and the question being put thereon, it was carried in the negative, in the manner following, to wit:

For the Negative.

Albany equally divided.

Ordered, therefore, That the said motion be rejected.

Resolved, That the Committee of Safety be, and here by are fully empowered to issue orders to the respective Counties in this Colony, to elect Deputies for a Provincial Congress of this Colony, to meet on the second Tuesday in May next; the said Committee, by their order, appointing the day of election in each County to be at least twenty-one days before the said second Tuesday in May next.

The Congress then proceeded to take into consideration the emission of the Paper currency agreed to be issued by the late Congress; and after a considerable time spent there in, the following Resolutions were unanimously agreed to, to wit:

Resolved, That the periods of sinking of one hundred and twelve thousand five hundred Dollars, by two payments—the first of fifty-six thousand two hundred and fifty Dollars on the first day of March, 1776, and the remaining fifty-six thousand two hundred and fifty Dollars the first day of March, 1777, agreeably to the Resolve of the late Provincial Congress of the second day of September last past—he altered; and that the said first sum of fifty-six thousand two hundred and fifty Dollars be sunk on the first day of March, 1777, and the remaining fifty-six thousand two hundred and fifty Dollars on the first day of March, 1778.

And whereas, the late Provincial Congress directed that the Bills, by them ordered to be emitted, should be signed by at least three persons, and it appears that there is not room sufficient on each of the said Bills for three signers; therefore,

Resolved, That any two of the said signers be sufficient to sign each of the said Bills.

And whereas, this Congress have applied to the Continental Congress to lend this Colony the sum of one hundred and twelve thousand five hundred Dollars; if the Continental Congress shall make that loan to this Colony,

Resolved, That in such case the Committee of Safety are not to take any measure towards issuing the Money above-mentioned; and that the sum so lent shall be sunk in equal moieties at the respective periods last above-mentioned.

Die Lunæ, 10 ho. A. M., December 18, 1775.

Present: John Herring, Esq., President, pro tem.

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

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

Dutches.—Mr. Humphreys, Mr. Schenck.

Suffolk. —Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Wickham, Mr. Gelston,

Orange.—Mr. Hay, Mr. Herring, Mr. Clowes.

Ulster.—Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. Cantine, Mr. Palmer.

Westchester.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Lockwood.

Tryon.—Mr. J. Moore.

No other Members appearing, and Dutchess and West chester not being a quorum, the Congress could not proceed to business, and adjourned till three o'clock this after noon.

Die Luna;, 3 ho. P. M., December 18, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: John Herring, Esq., President, pro tern. For New-York.— Mr. Sands, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Ray, Mr. Rutgers, Mr. Imlay, Mr. Scott, Colonel Brasher.

Albany.—Colonel Rensselaer, Capt. Cuyler, Mr. Ganse voort, Mr. Bleecker.

Dutchess.—Mr. Humphreys, Mr. Schenck.

Suffolk.—Mr. Wickham, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Gelston.

Orange.—Mr. Herring, Colonel Hay, Mr. Clowes.

Ulster.—Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. Cantine, Mr. Palmer,

Westchester.—Dr. Graham, Mr. Lockwood, Mr. Paulding.

Tryon.—Mr. J. Moore.

King's.—Mr. Vanderbilt.

Mr. Palmer, from the Committee who went up to the Fortifications in the Highlands, delivered in the Report of the said Committee, together with a Draft or Plan to ex plain the same.

The said Report was read; and being read a second time, is in the words following, to wit:

"Fort-Constitution, December 14, 1775.

"The Committee appointed by an order of the Provincial Congress, bearing date the 7th instant, to repair to the fortifications in the Highlands, and endeavour to accommodate the difference subsisting between the Commissioners for erecting said fortifications and the Engineer—and in case they should not be able to accommodate the said difference, to give such directions as they should think necessary for expediting the works of the said fortifications, such manner as they should judge best for the publick service, and make report as well of the true cause of such difference as of all necessary facts relating to the same, and of such directions as they shall have given for expediting the said work—do Report:

"That after examining into the matters of complaint from both parties, they are of opinion that Mr. Romans must either have mistaken the charge committed to him by the honourable Committee of Safety, by request of the Com missioners, or, as appears from his conduct, has assumed powers with which he knew he was not intrusted; as it appears that the Commissioners objected to the manner of erecting some works that are nearly finished, and refused