leave, by your means, to receive the sense of the Committee of Safety on this matter, to serve as a guide in future applications of the same nature.

"A Mr. Serle applied last evening to the City Committee for a pass to go on board the Dutchess of Gordon, under pretence of procuring a patent for lands, but on examining him, he discovered an intimate knowledge of Colonel Warner's proceedings in raising men to march into Canada, and the proceedings of the townships in the northern parts of this and Boston Governments. He is to call for an answer this day, and many of our Committee were of opinion that it was not advisable to grant him a permit without leave from our superiors.

"I am, respectfully, sir, your most obedient servant,

"HENRT REMSEN.

"To Joseph Hallett, Esq.

"P. S. I cannot wait on you in person, being detained by several people."

A draft of an answer to Henry Remsen, Esq., was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

SIR: We are, this morning, favoured with your letter. We are much at a loss to conjecture by whose means an application was made to you for supplying the ship Asia with the stores mentioned in your letter, as all supplies for the ships stationed here have hitherto been made by order of the Provincial Congress, or the Committee of Safety in pursuance of their order, and through Abram Lott, Esq.

We could more readily form a judgment on this matter if we knew by whom the application was made. We, therefore, delay giving our sentiments on this subject until we hear further from you.

We highly approve of your having refused permission to Mr. Serle to go on board of the Dutchess, and we wish the City Committee would give such effectual directions as that he might be prevented from going on board.

We are, most respectfully, sir, your most obedient, humble servants. By order of the Committee.

To John Remsen, Esq., present.

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

Mr. John Cozine, Deputy to Augustus Van Cortlandt, Esq., the Town Clerk, on behalf of Mr. Van Cortlandt, waited on the Committee of Safety. He informed the Committee that all the Records of the Town Clerk's office, are, for the present, removed to a proper place for that purpose, at the Yonkers, in Westchester County; which is satisfactory to the Committee of Safety.

4 ho. P. M., February 7, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Joseph Hallett, Esquire, Chairman, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Van Cortlandt, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. Sands. Mr. Scott, a little before the Committee adjourned.*

Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius, as Commissary of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, procure three Medicine-Chests for the Regiments to be raised in this Colony, and that Doctor John Jones and Doctor Treat be requested to give an inventory of the Medicines and Instruments necessary for each of the said Medicine-Chests, and that those gentlemen be further requested to give proper directions that the said Instruments be good, and such as they shall approve of, and to see that the said Instruments and Medicines, respectively, be good of their kinds and qualities.

A Return of Gilbert Potter, Chairman of the Committee of Huntington, was read and filed.

It is thereby certified that Stephen Kelly and Ebenezer Plait, two of the Committee, had inspected the election of Officers, at Cow-Harbour, the Fifth Company of Huntington. That Plait Veal was chosen Captain; Michael Heart was chosen First Lieutenant; Isaac Dennis, Second Lieutenant, and Jacob Concklin, Ensign.

Another Return, of Thomas Weeks and Jesse Brush, two of the Committee of Huntington, was read and filed.

They thereby certify that, upon due notification, the following gentlemen were duly elected, according to the Resolves of Congress, to wit: John Buffett, Captain; Isaac Thompson, First Lieutenant; Zebulon Ketchum, Second Lieutenant, and Joseph Ketchum, Ensign.

Commissions issued accordingly.

A. M., February 8, 1776.

Present: Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq., Chairman, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Sands, Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. M. Graham.

Samuel Bayard, Jun., Esq., agreeable to the proposal of yesterday, that he should consider of removing the Records, consult his friends, and the Governour and Council, if he thought necessary, and report the result this day at noon, called on the Committee. Mr. Bayard informed the Committee that he had wailed on Governour Tryon yesterday, and informed him that the Committee were of opinion that the Records of the Colony were unsafe in their present situation, and ought to be removed to a place of safety, and were willing that his Excellency should give order therein for their removal to a place of safety. That his Excellency replied, that he did not conceive the Records were in any danger, unless there was an intention to annoy His Majesty's ships in the harbour, or remove the artillery, but that if either of these matters were in contemplation, his Excellency was willing to charter any ship in the harbour, and deposit the records therein, and that they should be kept there in safety for the publick, and should not receive any injury from the King's ships; but that he would not assent to their removal from their present situation, to any place on shore, as he did not conceive there was any other place of greater security.

4 ho. P. M., Die Jovis, February 8, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq., Chairman, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Sands, Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. M. Graham.

The Committee were informed by a Member that Major-General Lee stands in present need of some cash for the Continental Troops, and requests the Committee of Safety to advance him some money on Continental account.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this

That your petitioner has been under the necessity of removing his family (of which he has a large one) out of this city at this critical juncture; that his wife is in a poor state of health, and cannot dispense with his presence, as she is incapable to provide for herself and family among strangers, without your petitioner. This is, therefore, to beg of this honourable Board, that they will permit their petitioner to take with him a small parcel of salt, which he has on hand, about three or four hundred bushels, as it will be attended with great inconvenience and expense to your petitioner, to attend the sale of so inconsiderable a quantity of salt, you petitioner having no other business in this city at present

JOHN PELL.

NEW-YORK, February 7, 1776.

To the Honourable the Committee of Safety for the City of NEW-YORK, the humble Petition of MARGARET GRAHAM, of the said City, humbly showeth:

That your petitioner's husband now lies a prisoner in the Barracks of this city, afflicted with a most inveterate indisposition of body; add to this, his being surrounded with a part of His Honour General Lee's troops. Your Honours well know his situation renders him obnoxious to severe and sharp invectives from them. What from his company, and from his weakly and disordered habit of body, he is now brought to a truly deplorable state—to a state of the most striking and poignant despondency! His indisposition of body can be evinced to your Honours by Doctor William Brownjohn, if necessary. Indeed, his case is truly affecting! His life is now almost insupportable to him. I daily convey provisions to him, but am prohibited from any conference with him; however, I sometimes bronk through bounds, impelled by conjugal affection, and endeavour to sooth his affliction. But, alas! it is nil in vain! He raises his head, views ms with wild anxiety—with horror and despair imprinted on his face. I am ordered away, severely reprimanded, my heart rent with anguish, to see the partner of my life reduced to—good God, I cannot describe to what—I want words—sorrow drowns me. Your Honours, in alleviating the distress which now envelopes my poor emaciated husband, and myself, by either ordering him to be removed to the common jail of this city, or admitting him to bail, will ever have the prayers of a distressed woman, the plaudits of all the great and good, the admiration of the humane, and the approbation of the just God, who delighteth in mercy. I can assure your Honours, that if my poor husband is not soon relieved from his complicated calamities, he cannot, in my opinion, survive many days. In such case, your petitioner would be miserable beyond description.

Your Honours, in taking the premises into consideration, and granting the prayer of your petitioner, will lay your petitioner, and her poor husband, under the greatest of obligations possible And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall forever pray.

MARGARET GRAHAM.

NEW-YORK, February 7, 1776.