Mr. Scott then moved, and was seconded, in the words following, to wit:

MR. PRESIDENT: I move that a Committee be appoint­ed immediately, to take into consideration those matters which the Continental Congress have recommended for exe­cution to this Congress, or the Committee of Safety, in rela­tion to the ensuing campaign; and that, to this end, they have power to send for all the papers which have reference to that subject, whether in the hands of this Congress or the Committee of Safety; and that the said Committee to be appointed for the purpose aforesaid, do make report upon each respective branch of the subject to be committed to their consideration, with all possible speed.

The same being unanimously agreed to,

Ordered, That Mr. Hobart, Mr. Gilbert Livingston, and Mr. Gansevoort, be a Committee for that purpose, and that they make report with all convenient speed.

A Member suggested that the time in which Robert Boyd was to have completed his contract for Arms is nearly expired, that he has as yet delivered a very few Musket-barrels, &c., agreeable to his contract.

Ordered, That a Letter be written to the said Robert Boyd, directing him to send down all the Gun-barrels he has made, and desiring him to inform the Congress when he can complete his contract.

Watkeys, the Gunsmith, was sent for, and charged to finish the Gun-barrels now in his custody. He says he can finish them in seven days. He is charged to finish them in ten days, at all events.

A draft of a Letter to Robert Boyd, on the subject of Arms, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, February 12, 1776.

SIR: It is now a considerable time since we have had any intelligence from you respecting the completing the contract made with you by the last Congress. The season is near when we shall want all the arms that can be pro­cured. We therefore desire that you advise us, without de­lay, how many barrels, and bayonets, and steel ramrods, you have made, and to send down steel ramrods for the bar­rels sent down last autumn. And as the time in which the arms were to be made is now expired, we wish to be ad­vised whether you mean to go on in making arms upon the strength of that contract; and if you do, to inform us what number you can complete before the 1st day of April.

We are, sir, your very humble servants.

By order.

To Mr. Robert Boyd, New-Windsor.

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

Ordered, That Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, and John Van Cortlandt, Esq., be a Committee to wait on Major-General Lee, and inform him that the Provincial Congress is now formed; that if he has anything relative to the publick service or safety to propose, they are ready to take the same into consideration; and that they are ready to give him any necessary aid in the publick service.

A Petition of John Willett, and fourteen other persons, inhabitants of Queen’s County, now prisoners under a guard in the City of New-York, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of the Colony of NEW-YORK, convened in the City of NEW-YORK, the Petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of QUEEN’s County, on NASSAU-ISLAND, humbly showeth:”

“That your Petitioners have been obliged to attend the honourable the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, in obedience to an order from that body, as verbally delivered by Colonel Heard. That they have been at great expense in their journey to and from Philadelphia, and are now con­fined in this city at their own expense, and denied the plea­sure of visiting their families. That when they left their several homes to attend the honourable the Continental Congress, they were admitted to go and return to this Con­gress on parole of honour. That they are ready and wil­ling to pledge their honours to observe such orders as this honourable body shall direct, respecting their appearance, provided they are admitted to go at large; or, if bail should be required, they are ready and willing to give such reason­able security as to this honourable body shall seem meet, for their appearance whenever required. The Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that this honourable body will give them Such relief in the premises as to them shall seem meet. And the Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.

“NEW-YORK, February 12, 1776.”

After reading the said Petition and prayer thereof, Mr. Scott moved, and was seconded, that the prayer thereof be granted.

Debates arose upon the said motion, and the question being put thereon, it was carried in the negative by a great majority.

Mr. Vanderbilt requested a permit to complete the lading of the Brig Defiance, John Waldron, master. Thereupon an order was made in the words following, to wit:

Mr. John Vanderbilt is hereby permitted to complete the lading of the Brigantine Defiance, whereof John Waldron is master.

Die Martis, A. M, February 13, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Colonel McDougall, Mr. Sands, Mr.Ray, Colonel Brasher, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. eekman, Mr. Scott.

FOR ALBANY.—Colonel Rensselaer, Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. Gansevoort.

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. L’Hommedieu, Mr. obart, Mr. Wickham.

FOR DUTCHESS.—Colonel . Ten Broeck, Major Livingston, Mr. G. Livingston, Colonel M. Graham.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Lefever, Mr. Dewitt, Mr. Rhea.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Herring, Mr. Allison.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel Joseph Drake, Colonel G- Drake, Dr. Graham, Mr. Ward.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Wills.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Leffertse.

A certified extract of the Proceedings of the Committee of lster County, dated New-Paltz, January 19, 1776, and signed by J. Bruyn, Chairman, whereby the said Com­mittee do recommend for Field-Officers in the Northern Regiment of said County, Mr. Abraham Hasbrouck, for Colonel; Johannes Snyder, Lieutenant-Colonel; Jonathan Elmendorf and Adrian Wynkoop, Majors; Abraham A. Hasbrouck, Adjutant, and John Van Duesen, Jun., for Quartermaster, was read and filed.

Ordered, That Commissions be issued for the above Officers immediately.

A Letter from Severyn T, Bruyn, dated Ulster County, Bruynswick, February 15, 1776, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Ulster County, Bruynswick, February 5, 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: I herewith return to your Honours a commission which was handed to me, to be Adjutant of the Regiment of Minute-men of the southern part of the County of Ulster, of which Thomas Palmer, Esq., is the Colonel, whereof I must acquaint your Honours I cannot, in justice to myself, accept, as I was informed some time last fall I was recommended to your House (by two of the Deputies of this County then in Congress) to be First Major of a Regiment of Minute-men, of which George Clinton, Esq. was to be Colonel; which was resolved on, and entered in your Minutes; which proceedings were communicated to me, and I accepted, to serve my country in that capacity; which was made publick at sundry meetings of officers, and particularly at a meeting of the Field-Officers of this County for the choosing or nominating a Brigadier-General, where I was desired to meet, and accordingly did, and gave my vote as a Major. And now, to be tossed out, and put into a lower commission, I cannot accept thereof, without de­grading myself to the lowest degree. However, I still can serve the country as a private, and not be dependant for my living on a commission.

“I am, gentlemen, your most humble servant,

“SEVERTN T. BRUYN.

“To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of New-York.”