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you to cause the son of Lownsberry to be apprehended, and examined before some Committee, or members of your Committee; and that you cause Purdy, the blacksmith, and all other suspicious persons in that part of your County, to be critically examined, and endeavour to have such discoveries made as to find out and fix on all the persons who were concerned in spiking up the cannon beyond and near King's Bridge; and secure all such persons against whom you shall obtain evidence, and send to us all the information that may be obtained in the premises.
We are, respectfully, sir, your humble servants.
By order of the Committee.
To Colonel Joseph Drake, New-Rochelle.
Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted.
Joseph French, Esq., of Jamaica, attended this Committee, and informed that he had been told that a citation had issued for him to appear before this Committee, and that he had engaged to Colonel Heard to attend; and Mr. French requested to know if there was any charge against him.*
Thereupon, a Certificate was given to Mr. French, in words following, to wit:
Joseph French, Esq., attended on this Committee, and informs that he has engaged to Colonel Heard to attend this Committee. This is to certify, that this Committee hath not issued any citation for Mr. French, and that no evidence has been offered to this Committee, not to the Provincial Congress, against Mr. French. But as the case of the inhabitants of Queen's County is not before us, but before the Continental Congress, this certificate is not to be understood to interfere with any directions Colonel Heard may have from the Continental Congress, or from any other person under their authority.
Messrs. James Reid, Robert Leonard, Francis Cunningham, John Burns, and Francis Dominick, all of the City of New-York, personally appeared before the Committee, and engaged jointly and severally for Lawrence Hartwick, that the said Lawrence Hartwick will, from time to time, personally appear before the Provincial Congress of this Colony, or this Committee of Safety, when thereunto requested, and in the mean time that the said Lawrence Hartwick will demean himself peaceably, and be of good behaviour towards all the friends of liberty in this city, and not do any act contrary to the measures directed by the Continental Congress, or the Provincial Congress, or the Committee of Safety of this Colony.
Ordered, That the said Lawrence Hartwick be discharged, and it is recommended to all friends of liberty, that the said Lawrence Hartwick be not molested in his person or property, while he complies with the above-mentioned engagements.
The Committee took into consideration the subject of the second matter mentioned to them this morning by the sub-Committee of this city, and after consideration thereof, this Committee do hereby appoint Captain William Merrier to superintend and inspect the lading of all such Vessels, as shall lade in this port; and,
Ordered, That Captain Mercier be empowered, and he is hereby empowered, to inspect all permits to Vessels to lade in this port, and see that all such Vessels lade only agreeable to the resolves of the Continental Congress, and with such matters or produce only as may be agreeable to the said resolves, and their permits from the Provincial Congress, and Committee of Safety of this Colony; and, from time to time, to report to this Committee, or the Provincial Congress of this Colony, what Vessels are lading, or shall have laded, and with what particular commodities, and by what authority.
And whereas, this Committee of Safety have authorized Colonel McDougall to have Carriages made for Cannon, in order to prevent any impositions on the publick, by any person employed in making the same,
Ordered, That Captain Mercier be appointed, and he is hereby appointed to superintend the making of those Carriages, so as to see that they are made of good timber, and that the iron work be well made, and to see it weighed, and to take every other necessary caution to prevent any imposition on the publick in that business; and,
Ordered and agreed, That Captain Mercier be allowed twenty Dollars per month, as pay, while continued in this, and the service of inspecting the lading of Vessels in this port.
Ordered, That the Secretaries prepare and certify copies of all the Resolves and Letters this day received from the Continental Congress, and forward the same to Major-General Schuylet, tomorrow morning, by post.
Die Jovis, 10ho. A.M., January 25, 1776.
The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.
Present: Mr. Joseph Hattett, Chairman, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Scott, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Sands.
Francis Lewis, Esq., came into the Committee of Safety, and informed them that the schooner Success, Jonathan Bowne, Master, was laded by his order on Continental account, and requested a permit for hereto sail; thereupon, a Certificate was given to Colonel McDougall in the words following, to wit:
The schooner Success, whereof Jonathan Bowne is Master, being laded on Continental account, by order and under the direction of some of the Continental Delegates, is hereby permitted to sail to sea.
Philip Livingston, Esq., John Alsop, Esq., and Francis Lewis, Esq., came into the Committee of Safety, and delivered in their respective Accounts of the time they have attended Continental Congress. And Mr. Philip Livingston, also, delivered in the Account of John Jay, Esq. The said Accounts were delivered to Colonel Brasher to be audited.
On reading the Resolve of Congress for payment of the Delegates of this Colony, are of opinion that they are not authorized, nor their Auditors authorized, to audit or order payment to any of the Delegates while at their places of abode, respectively, though then employed in the service of the Continent, and by order of Continental Congress.
A certain Jonathan Booth attended at the door, and complained to some members of the Committee that a drove of cattle, which he was driving to New-York market, was detained by the Committee of Bedford, in pursuance of an order of the Committee of Bedford, Poundridge, and Salem, and the said order of the Committee of Bedford, Pound-ridge, and Salem, being printed in Holt's newspaper, was read and taken into consideration; there-upon, this Committee came to a Resolution in the words following, to wit:
Whereas, by a publication in Mr. Holt's newspaper, (the New-York Journal,) of the 25th of January, 1776, dated at Poundridge, (he 10th of the same month, it is purported that the Committee of Observation for the united Town of Bedford and Precincts of Poundridge and Salem, in Westchester County, conceiving that bad consequences do arise to this distressed County from supplying the markets at New- York, on supposition that the common enemy may by that means be furnished with Provisions, have
"Resolved, That from and after the date thereof, the said Committee do thereby strictly forbid any of the Inhabitants of the said Town and Precincts, directly or indirectly to carry, or cause to be carried, by land or water, Provisions of any kind to the said market, and do thereby direct the Minute-Men and all others that are friends to their country, to do their utmost to stop all drovers of Fat Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, Poultry, or any other Provisions whatsoever, and from being drove or carried through either said Town or Precinct for the purpose aforesaid, without leave
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