Resolved, That Monsieur Mesplet, Printer, be engaged to go to Canada, and there set up his Press, and carry on the Printing business; and the Congress engage to defray the expense of transporting him and his family, and printing utensils, to Canada, and will, moreover, pay him the sum of two hundred Dollars.

A Letter from the Convention of New-Jersey, dated February 24, 1776, was read.

Resolved, That the same be referred to the Committee to whom the Letter from General Lee was committed.

Resolved, That an Order be drawn on the Treasurers, in favour of the Delegates of Maryland, for the sum of twenty-two thousand Dollars, to be by them exchanged for Gold and Silver, and paid back into the Treasury.

The Order of the Day being renewed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow.

Tuesday, February 27, 1776.

Resolved, That Monsieur Rigauville be permitted to go to Bristol, and spend a week with his relation's there; and that, after that, he return to this city.

Resolved, That the sum of one hundred Dollars be paid to Monsieur Dugan, for his services in the cause of the United Colonies, in Canada; and that it be recommended to the Commanding Officer of the Forces of the United Colonies in that Province to advance him to a post in the Army suitable to his merit and services.

The Committee to whom the Letters from Christopher Leffingwell and others, concerning the Brig Nancy, commanded by Thomas Davis, and her cargo, were referred, brought in their Report, which being taken into consideration,

Resolved, That the case of the said Brig and Cargo pertaineth to the Judicature established in the Colony of Connecticut for hearing and determining matters of the same kind.

The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee appointed to consider into what Departments the Middle and Southern Colonies ought to be formed, &c.; whereupon,

Resolved, That New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the lower Counties on Delaware, and Maryland, be put into one Department, under the command of the Major-General, and two Brigadiers-General, with proper Staff.

That Virginia, North and South-Carolina, and Georgia, be put into one other Department, under the command of one Major-General and three Brigadiers-General, with proper Staff.

Resolved, That Friday next be assigned for the election of the Majors-General, Brigadiers-General, and Staff-Officers, in the foregoing Departments.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Convention of New-Jersey, to have the cargo of the transport, Blue-Mountain-Valley, landed, and secured in some safe place till further orders of Congress.

The Order of the Day being renewed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow.

Wednesday, February 28, 1776.

Resolved, That a Letter be sent to General Lee, desiring him not to set out for Canada until he received further orders from Congress.

The Committee to whom the Letters from General Lee and the Convention of New-Jersey were referred, brought in their Report, which was read.

Ordered, That the same be referred till to-morrow.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to return to the Delegates of North-Carolina the four hundred pounds of Powder borrowed of that Colony.

The Committee on Prisoners, to whom the Letter from the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania was referred, brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration; and, thereupon,

Resolved, That the Committee of Inspection and Observation for the County of Berks, in Pennsylvania, be requested and authorized to contract, upon reasonable terms, for the subsistence of such of the Prisoners, now in Reading, as are not supplied by Mr. Franks, together with the women and children belonging to all the Prisoners there, and for supplying them with Fire-Wood, and other things absolutely necessary for their support.

That the Committees of Inspection and Observation for the Counties, Districts, or Towns, assigned for the residence of Prisoners, be empowered to superintend their conduct, and, in cases of gross misbehaviour, to confine them, and report to Congress the proceedings had on such occasions.

Ordered, That the foregoing Resolve be published.

Resolved, That the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, agreeable to the offer made by them of their service, of which Congress have a proper sense, be authorized to distribute the Officers, prisoners in Lancaster, in such places, within the Province of Pennsylvania, as to that Committee shall seem most proper, taking their parole, which, if they refuse to give, the said Committee are em-powered and directed to confine them; and that, in executing this Resolve, the said Committee have regard to the Resolutions heretofore made by Congress With respect to Prisoners, and their residence.

A Petition of Anthony Marmajou, master and owner of the Brig Little-Polly, of the Island of Martinique, was presented to Congress and read.

Resolved, That Monsieur Marmajou be permitted to load the Brigantine Little-Polly, in which he imported a small quantity of Powder and Arms, with the Produce of these Colonies, (Horned Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, Poultry, and Lumber for making Casks excepted,) and export the same to Martinique; and that the said Anthony Marmajou, do take every possible precaution to avoid all British men-of-war and cutters on his voyage, and that he use his utmost endeavours to import into these Colonies the Powder and Arms mentioned in his Petition.

Resolved, That an Order be drawn on the Treasurers, in favour of Mr. J. Mease, for the sum of twenty thousand Dollars, he to be accountable.

The Committee to whom the Letters from General Schuyler, dated the 10th and 13th of this instant, February, and the papers therein mentioned, were referred, brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration; and, thereupon,

Resolved, That a sufficient quantity of Steel be sent to Major-General Schuyler, or the Commanding Officer at Albany, for the Armourers and the Blacksmiths who are appointed to go and work for the Indians, and that the Delegates of New-Jersey be desired to provide and forward the same.

That an account of the Money paid to the Pennsylvania Troops, who have marched to Canada, be sent to General Schuyler.

That the Deputy Mustermaster-General, Gunning Bedford, Esq., be directed to repair forthwith to his post, in the Northern Army, in Canada, and that be muster the Troops once in every month, and make returns to Congress and the Commanding Officer.

That the Orders given by Major-General Schuyler, in his Letter of the 12th day of this instant, to Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, be approved.

Adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow.

Thursday, February 29, 1776.

The Colony of New-Hampshire having appointed Delegates for the present year, William Whipple, Esq., one of the said Delegates, attended, and produced the Credentials of their appointment, which were read, as follows:

"Colony of New Hampshire, in the House of Representatives,

January 23, 1776.

"Voted, That Josiah Bartlett, John Langdon, and William Whipple, Esquires, be, and hereby are appointed Delegates to represent this Colony in the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, for the term of one year from this time, any one of them, in the absence of the others, to nave full power to represent this Colony, and that not more than two of them attend at one time. Sent up for concurrence.

P. WHITE, Speaker."

"IN COUNCIL, eadem die: Read, and concurred.

"E. THOMPSON, Secretary."

"A true copy from the Journal of Council:

"Attest:

E. THOMPSON, Secretary."