one in the last Packet for England, the other now said to be in some part of the Jerseys.

Colonel Livingston, from the Committee appointed to revise the Militia Laws of this Congress, delivered in their Report, which was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

Your Committee having taken under their consideration the Rules and Orders for Regulating the Militia of this Colony, published by this Congress the 22d August, 1775, and the Appendix thereto, published the 20th December, 1775, beg leave to report:

That the following clause be added under the third Resolve, viz., after the word “Officers,”—“But in case any Company, when met, should refuse to elect Officers, agreeable to the above Resolution, that then, and in that case, the Field-Officers of the Regiment or Regiments in that District or Precinct, together with the Committee of said District or Precinct, are hereby directed to recommend such persons for Officers for such Companies so refusing to elect as they, or the majority of them, shall think capable.”

That the words,“or recommended,” be added in the above Resolve, after the word “chosen.”

That the second clause of the Appendix be added to the sixth Resolve of the Rules and Orders.

That after the sixth clause in the Rules and Orders, the seventh of the Appendix be added at the word “and.”

That after the seventh clause in the Rules and Orders, the fifth in the Appendix be added.

That after the ninth clause in the Rules and Orders, the eighth in the Appendix be added.

That the following be added to the tenth in the Rules and Orders, after the words“forfeit the sum of forty Shillings,”—“to be levied on the goods and chattels of the offender, by warrant from the Captain, directed to a Sergeant of his Company; and for want of the goods and chattels, to take the body of the offender, and him keep in safe custody until such fine, together with the charges, be paid, or for the space of one calendar month.”

That the ninth clause of the Appendix be incorporated into the twelfth of the Rules and Orders.

That the additional clause, at number eight, in the Rules and Orders, be left out, and the following substituted in the room of it, viz:

“The moneys arising by the fines in any Company to be applied by the Captains (who are to keep regular accounts of the same, and annually to render said accounts, signed by them, unto the Commanding Officer, after paying for drum, colours, and fife) towards purchasing Anns, Ammunition, and Accoutrements for such persons in such Company as are unable to furnish themselves; and the moneys arising by the fines of the Field-Officers, to be equally divided between the several Companies for the above-mentioned use.”

In addition to the exceptions in the thirteenth clause of the Rules and Orders, viz:

“All Commissioned Officers that have served in the Continental service, Members of the General Assembly, a Founder and three hands to each Furnace, and two men to each Forge, and the people called Quakers, upon their producing a certificate from the Meeting.”

That the tenth clause of the Appendix be incorporated into the fourteenth of the Rules and Orders.

That the twenty-first clause of the Rules and Orders, at the word “against”, the words “disaffected persons” be put in.

That in the eleventh clause of the Appendix, after the word “Officer,” the words, “of Minute-men or Militia,” be added.

That the following new clauses be added, to wit:

“That the Committee in every District, or Precinct, are hereby empowered to call in to their aid, when they shall think it necessary, any Company or Companies of Minute-men or Militia, in their respective Districts, or Precincts, who shall obey the order of their Chairman as fully and as effectually as if the same came from the Commanding Officer, subject to such penalties for neglect, or refusal of obeying their orders, as are provided for refusal and neglect of obeying the orders of such Commanding Officer.”

“That the Field-Officers and Committees in each District and Precinct have power, and are hereby requested to call out the Regiment or Regiments in such District or Precinct, as often as they shall see fit for the good of the service, and all persons refusing to attend, being duly warned, or, attending, shall refuse to obey the orders of the Commanding Officer and Chairman, shall, for each offence, forfeit the sum of twenty Shillings, to be levied and recovered as is directed in the tenth clause of the Rules and Orders.” That then the fourth clause of the Appendix be added.

All which is humbly submitted to the consideration of the Board by your Committee.

Ordered, That the said Report be taken into consideration on Tuesday next; and, in the mean time, that the same lay on the table for the perusal of the Members.

Colonel Lasher being sent for, attended. He was requested to make out an account of the pay and subsistence of the several guards, who have been on duty, guarding the Prisoners from Queen’s County, and was requested to attend and receive the money from the Prisoners before they are discharged.

The Congress finding their more urgent business frequently interrupted and their time consumed in applications of a Military nature, which might more easily be despatched by a Committee for that purpose, and, at the same time, less impede other publick business: therefore,

Resolved, That Colonel P. TenBroeck, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Yates, and Mr. Hobart, be a Committee of War, to whom the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Troops in this City may apply for such advice, direction, or assistance as he may, from time to time, have occasion for from this Congress; and that they, with all convenient speed, take effectual measures, in concert with Major-General Lee, to prevent persons having the permission of this Congress or the Committee of Safety to go on board any ship in this harbour, from being obstructed by the Port-Guard.

Ordered, That General Ten Broeck, Mr. Scott, Mr. Gansevoort, and Mr. Gilbert Livingston, be a Committee to prepare a draft of Instructions for the said Committee of War; and that they report with all convenient speed.

Messrs. William Wilcox, Nicholas Fish, Captain John Roosevelt, and Lieutenant Dixon, of the First Battalion, waited on Congress, as by authority from the said Battalion, to offer to the Congress their service, to be taken into pay as Minute-men in this City. Those gentlemen asked sundry questions of the Congress; to all which they received answers, and withdrew.

Congress was informed, by a Member, that Micajah Fuller, First Lieutenant, and Deliverance Brown, Third Lieutenant, in Captain Steenrod’s Company, in Colonel Drake’s Regiment, have had the misfortune to lose their Commissions, and request the favour of new Commissions.

Ordered, That new Commissions be made for those gentlemen.

A draft of an answer to the Letter received from Colonel Heard yesterday, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, February 17, 1776.

SIR: The Congress hereby acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant; and, in answer thereto, inform you that, as the danger which was suspected of depredations being made on Staten-Island is now removed, they sincerely thank you for the services you have, with so much alacrity, devoted to your country, and therefore dismiss you from that duty.

Please to send us, by the first convenient opportunity, such information as you have had respecting any person or persons who have supplied the barges with live-stock, and of the threats you intimate as thrown out by others.

We are, most respectfully, &c.

To Colonel Heard.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted by Captain Barron, of Colonel Heard’s Regiment.

On motion of Mr. Hobart,

Resolved, That the Committee appointed yesterday to settle the quota of Men and Officers to be raised in the respective Counties of this Colony, to complete the four Battalions to be raised in this Colony, be dissolved, and a new Committee for that purpose be appointed. And,