consequence whereof, Colonel Maxwell's Battalion is ordered to march forthwith, and the Continental Congress have applied to our body, urging the greatest despatch in procuring arms and necessaries for this expedition. Therefore, in pursuance of the aforesaid application, we request you, gentlemen, to use the utmost diligence and activity in collecting all the publick arms belonging to your County, being your proportion of the Provincial arms unsold. Despatch, in this case, is quite necessary. As, no doubt, the arms are distributed in the hands of the Associators, it will be necessary that every officer do his part. The value of the arms will be paid in money, or the number be replaced; and the expenses of collecting and forwarding them punctually discharged. We put you to this trouble with regret; but the necessity of the measure must apologize. You will have the arms collected in your County, valued by good men, and sent to Burlington or Trenton, under the care of such officer of Colonel Maxwell's Battalion as may be the bearer hereof.

Adjourned till this afternoon, three o'clock.

The question being put, whether any Officer in the Battalions already raised in this Province shall be advanced, or appointed to any command in the Battalion now to be raised ? It was carried in the negative.

Resolved, That this Congress shall on Monday next, go into the appointment of Officers for the Third Battalion of this Province.

The Proceedings of the Committee of Hillborough, in the County of Somerset, against Peter Vroom, of Piscataivay, in the County of Middlesex, being transmitted to this Congress, and read, Ordered, That the charge against said Vroom be now considered.

Peter Vroom being ordered to be brought before this Congress, attended accordingly, and the proceedings of the Committee of Hillsborough were read in the presence of said Vroom, who confessed the charge therein exhibited, and having offered matter in mitigation, was ordered to withdraw.

Resolved, That the determination of the charge exhibited against Peter Vroom be deferred to some future day in the present Session, and that in the mean time he be committed to the common Jail of the County of Somerset, the keeper of which is hereby required to receive and keep him in close confinement, until this Congress take further order therein.

The Memorial of the Commissioned Officers in the Western Battalion of this Province, stationed at Burlington, respecting the equipment of the men under their command, was read, and ordered a second reading.

Ordered, That. Mr. Fisher, Mr. Dennis, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Pope, be a Committee to prepare a draft of an Ordinance for appointing Barrackmasters in this Colony, and making provision for defraying the expense of repairing said Barracks.

Ordered, That Mr. Hart, Mr. Mehelm, Mr. Ogden, and Mr.. Brown, be a Committee to prepare a draft of an Ordinance for erecting a Court of Admiralty in this Province.

Ordered, That the Blankets belonging to the Barracks in New-Brunswick, be appropriated to the use of the Continental Forces; and that Mr. John Schuurman and Mr. William Applegate, of the Town aforesaid, be requested to ascertain the value of the said Blankets, and to transmit an account thereof to John Dennis, Esquire, the Eastern Treasurer.

Ordered, That the Blankets belonging to the Barracks in Elizabethtoun, be appropriated to the use of the Continental Forces; and that Mr. Edward Thomas and Mr. Isaac Woodruff, of the place aforesaid, be requested to ascertain the value of the said Blankets, and to transmit an account thereof unto John Dennis, Esq., the Eastern Treasurer.

Ordered, That the Blankets belonging to the Barracks in Trenton, be appropriated to the use of the Continental Forces; and that Mr. Abraham Hunt and Mr. Alexander Chambers, of the Town aforesaid, be requested to ascertain the value of said Blankets, and to transmit an account thereof to John Dennis, Esq., the Eastern Treasurer.

Ordered, That John Dennis, Esq., do receive of the Commissary the Money arising from the sale of the Blankets belonging to the Barracks in this Province, and do account with the Congress for the same.

On application of Captain Peter Ten Eick, in favour of Peter Vroom, and from the family circumstances of said Vroom, it is

Resolved, That the former Order of Commitment be remanded; and that the aforesaid Peter Vroom be committed to the custody of Captain Peter Ten Eick, who has pledged his parole of honour to bring said Vroom before this Congress whenever required.

Adjourned to nine o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Saturday, February 3, 1776.

Congress met according to adjournment.

Ordered, That the Blankets belonging to the Barracks in Perth-Amboy be appropriated to the use of the Contnental Forces, and that Mr. Samuel Sergeant and Mr. Jonathan Deare, of the City aforesaid, be requested to ascertain the value of said Blankets, and to transmit an account thereof to John Dennis, Esq., the Eastern Treasurer.

Samuel Tuthill, Esq., holding the Cornmission of Lieutenant-Colonel of a Regiment of Light-Horse in this Province, resigned the same.

Ordered, That the said resignation be accepted.

Jacobus Post, Esq., holding the Commission of a Major of a Regiment of Light-Horse in this Province, resigned the same.

Ordered, That the said resignation be accepted.

Ordered, That Abraham Ogden, Esq., be Lieutenant-Colonel, and William Barnet, Esq., be Major of the Regiment of Light-Horse in the Eastern Division of this Province; and that Commissions be made out accordingly.

The Petition and Remonstrance of the Committee of the County of Bergen, respecting the seizure of Arms belonging to said County, by a detachment of Continental troops in the First Regiment raised in this Province, Was read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition of sundry Inhabitants of. Somerset, praying that Freeholders only may elect Delegates in this Province, was read and ordered a second reading.

Lord Stirling, the Colonel of the First Regiment of Militia in the County of Somerset, being appointed to a'command in the Continental Army; therefore,

Ordered, That Stephen Hunt, Esq., be Colonel; Abraham Ten Eick, Esq., Lieutenant-Colonel; James Linn, Esq., First Major; and Derrick Meddagh, Esq., Second Major of the said Regiment, and that Commissions be made out accordingly.

Adjourned till two o'clock.

Met according to adjournment.

The Monmouth County Committee having nominated Mr. Thomas Barber, a Surgeon of the First Regiment of Foot-Militia, in the County of Monmouth, Ordered, That a Commission be made out accordingly.

Resolved, unanimously, That it is the opinion of this Congress, that the money in the Eastern Treasury of this Province, and the Bonds, Securities, and other Writings, belonging to said Treasury are, at present, from their local situation, very insecure, and exposed to danger; and that, therefore, the same be immediately removed to New-Brunswick until this Congress take further order therein; and that Mr. Hart, Mr. Martin, Mr. Drummond, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Pope, be a Committee to wait on the Treasurer with a copy of the above Resolve, and to carry the same into effect.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Records in the Secretary's Office, at Perth-Amboy, be immediately removed to New-Brunswick, until this Congress take further order therein, and that Mr. Hart, Mr. Martin, Mr. Drummond, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Pope be a Committee to wait upon Mr. Pettit with a copy of this Resolve, and to carry the same into effect.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Committees, if they should find it necessary, take to their assistance Colonel Winds, or other Officers at Amboy, with the Troops under