more of them, be fully authorized to open and enter into any uninhabited Houses in this City, which they shall think proper for that purpose; that they, or either of them, be empowered, where necessary, to take any goods or effects out of any such House or Houses as they may think proper to have used for placing Soldiers, and have the same safely stored; that the said Committee be authorized to take to their assistance any Freeholders or Inhabitants of the said City they shall think proper; and that the Barrackmaster of the City of New-York for the time being, subject to the directions of the Committee before named, be, and hereby is, authorized to place Troops in all such Houses as the said Committee, or any one or more of them shall direct.

Die Jovis, P. M., February 15, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Scott, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Sands, Mr. Beekman, Mr. T. Smith, Colonel McDougall.

FOR ALBANY.—General Ten Broeck, Mr. Abraham Yates, Colonel Rensselaer, Colonel P. R. Livingston, Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. Gansevoort.

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

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Allison, Mr. Herring, Colonel Hay.

FOR TRYON.—For Tryon.-Mr. Moore, Mr. Wills.

FOR DURCHESS.—Colonel M. Graham, Colonel P. Ten Broeck, Mr. G. Livingston, Mr. Everson, Major R. G. Livingston.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Doctor Graham, Colonel G. Drake, Mr. Ward, Colonel L. Graham.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Covenhoven.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Doctor Williams.

A Letter from Colonel Curtenius was read and filed. He therein mentions, that the Quartermaster of Colonel Drake’s Regiment, had applied to him for Provisions; that he had none in store; that his other engagements in the publick business will not admit of his attending to that matter; and requesting the Congress to appoint a person pro tem., until a Deputy Commissary arrives here.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Graham, of Colonel Drake’s Regiment, now in Congress, offered to procure Provisions for the said Regiment, until the Quartermaster can provide for them:

Thereupon, Ordered, That Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Graham be enabled, and he is hereby empowered and requested, to purchase Provisions for Colonel Drake’s Regiment for the present, and to direct the Quartermaster to take care of and distribute the same, agreeably to Continental allowance; and that he bring in an account for the same.

The Committee appointed to consider of the Resolves of Congress relating to the ensuing Campaign, delivered in their Report in the words following, to wit:

Your Committee beg leave to report the following Resolves:

1st. That, for the more expeditiously completing the inlistment of the four Battalions to be raised for the defence of this Colony, it is necessary that a proportionable number of men be allotted to each County.

2d. That a sufficient number of officers be appointed in each County to command the men to be raised in the same.

3d. That, in the appointment of such officers, those who have served their much injured country in the last campaign ought to have the preference.

4th. That, when, there are not a sufficient number of old officers who choose to serve in any one County, the deficiency ought to be made up out of those who are recommended by the respective County Committees.

5th. That a letter be written to the several County Committees, enclosing the third and fourth of these resolves, together with blank warrants for the officers to be appointed in each respective County.

6th. That two gentlemen be held up by this body, to the Continental Congress, to fill each place as Field-Officers in the four Battalions to be raised in this Colony, and that such Field-Officers as have not been in actual service, be chosen from the several Counties where the men are raised, in as equal proportions as may be.

7th. That the Colonel of each Regiment appoint the Adjutant and Quartermaster.

8th. That the Chaplains, Surgeons, and Surgeons’ Mates, be appointed by this Congress.

All which is humbly submitted.

The said Report being read, was ordered to be read a second time; and, being again read, paragraph by paragraph,

The Congress agrees with their Committee in their said Report.

Mr. Covenhoven dissents.

A Letter from Robert R. Livingston, Esq., was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Claremont, February 3, 1776.

“SIR: I had the honour of your letter, with your polite condolence on the death my father, and am extremely obliged by your favourable mention of him. As his life was a continued endeavour to deserve the good opinion of his country, so the most grateful offering to his memory is the commendation of free and good men.

“The sentiments you are pleased to express of me, require my most grateful acknowledgments, and will, I hope, animate me to merit your apprabation—a reward adequate to the worthiest actions.

“My brother John has finished the powder-mill, and will be obliged to you for procuring him the necessary materials, to render it as useful as I wish it to be.

“I am, sir, yours and the Committee’s most obedient

servant,

“ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

“To Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of Safety, New-York .”

Mr. L’Hommedieu, from the Committee appointed to draw an answer to the Letter of the Commissioners at the Fortifications in the Highlands, accordingly reported a draft, which was read.

Ordered, That the consideration of the said Draft be postponed till to-morrow, and that, in the mean time, Mr. Thomas Grenell be requested to attend this Congress to-morrow, to give information relating to the breadth of the foundation of the parapet of the Battery now erecting, and such other information as may be necessary.

A Petition of nine Soldiers of Captain Johnson’s Company,* praying that their Under Clothes might not be deducted out of their Pay, and they be allowed their expenses returning from Albany, was read and filed.

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be deferred until Colonel McDougall shall receive an answer to a Letter he wrote to General Schuyler on that subject.

Colonel McDougall, from the Committee appointed yesterday to report on Major-General Lee’s Letter, relating to the appointment of a Commissary for the Continental Artillery Stores, and the appointment of a Company of Artificers, delivered in their Report; which was read, and is in the words following, to wit:

The Committee appointed to consider of, and report on, the subjects recommended to Congress by General Lee’s Letter of the 14th instant, do report:

That a Commissary is necessary to take the charge of the Continental Stores in this city and the neighbourhood; and that they recommend Mr. Hugh Hughes for that office; and that a letter should be written to the Continental Congress informing them of this appointment, and requesting them to determine what pay he shall have.

*To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of New-York. The humble Petition of us, returned from the North-ward, under the command of Captain JONSHON, showeth:

That your Petitioners having been a campaign, in this inclement sea-son, as long as they were required, to the Northward, and were willing to continue or reenter in the service; but understand now, since our return to this city, not only that the said Captain Johnson intends making a large deduction of our wages (which we presume dearly earned) for our clothing, (which we conceived to be given as a bounty,) but also of stopping our pay from the 27th of January, then in Albany; since which we have been at great cost and time to come down, and are now on expenses, though not properly discharged. Wherefore your Petitioners pray this honourable Board to take their case into consideration, and give directions to said Captain Johnson for the payment of our arrears, without deduction, and for our subsistence and pay till discharged; which will give resolution and activity to your Petitioners to persevere in the defence of the liberties of America, until the same be permanently established. And your Petitioners shall ever pray.