enemies shall invest us by land and sea;—we say, if you can adopt our sentiments, by all that is dear to true, zealous sons of liberty, we beg you will not compel us to flee before our enemy, but detach to our defence such ample number of troops, sufficient, in conjunction with our own, to answer this important purpose, and in your wisdom continue, and confirm the above-mentioned embargo.

“By order of the Committee:

“Maltby Gelston, Chairman.

“P. S. The desire of this part of the County is, that some method be fallen upon to establish a post from New-York to the east end of this Island, that we may be favoured with the earliest intelligence.”

Ordered, That Mr. L’ Hommedieu call on Mr. Hazard, the Postmaster, and endeavour to ascertain what Revenue will arise from a Post-rider on Nassau-Ishnd, and what will be the expense to the publick of such Post-rider.

3d ho. P. M. Die Luna, February 19, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Beekman, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Sands, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Scott.

FOR ALBANY.—General Ten Broeck, Colonel Nicoll, Abraham Yates, Jun., Mr. Gansevoort.

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

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

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Dr. Graham, Mr. Paulding, Major. Lockwood.

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

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Dr. Williams.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

Colonel Hay having received advice that one of his children is so indisposed that his life is despaired of, obtained, on that account, leave of absence.

The Petition of William Cock and Thomas Cock, of Oyster-Bay, in Queen’s County, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“To the Honourable Provincial Congress of NEW-YORK, The Petition of WILLIAM and THOMAS COCK, of OYSTER-BAY, in QUEEN’S County, humbly showeth:

“That we, your Petitioners, are inhabitants of said County, and that at the last election of Deputies for the Provincial Congress, we opposed the election of Deputies for said County; since which we are convinced of our error, and think it was absolutely necessary that there should be a representation of said County in the Provincial Congress; and that your Petitioners did not oppose the choice of said Deputies from any desire or inclination of injuring this country, but was owing entirely to error of judgment; and that your Petitioners are ready to obey all orders and recommendations of the Continental and the Provincial Congress. Your Petitioners, therefore, desire that your honourable body will take our case into consideration, and grant us such relief in the present case as to you shall seem meet.

“WILLIAM COCK.
“THOMAS COCK.

“New-York, February 19, 1776.”

On hearing the said Petition read, and upon due consideration thereof, and considering that any former Resolves of this Congress against the Delinquents of Queen’s County were only intended to convince them of their error, and bring them to a just sense of their duty to the publick:

Ordered, That the said Petitioners be restored to the state and condition in which they were before the passing of these Resolves, during their respective good behaviours.

Ordered, That the Petitioners have their Petition and this Order published in the Newspapers.

A Return of Field-Officers for the First Regiment in Charlotte County, signed by their Clerk, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“At a general meeting of the County Committee of Charlotte, January 25, 1776: It was unanimously agreed that Dr. John Williams be recommended to the Provincial Congress in New-York for Colonel of the First Battalion of Militia for this County; Mr. Alexander Campbell, of Argyle Township, for Lieutenant-Colonel; Messrs. Timothy Bewell, of Fort Miller, and Alexander Webster, of Black-Creek, for Majors; Mr. Jonathan Baker, of Black-Creek, for Adjutant, and Mr. Samuel Fuller, of Skenesborough, Quartermaster.

“A true eopy from the Minutes:

“ALEXANDER WEBSTER, Clerk.

“Precinct of Granville: Joseph Ingles, Captain; Gideon Squire, First Lieutenant;. . . . . . . . . Second Lieutenant.

“Black-Creek Precinct: John Hamilton, Captain; George McKnight, First Lieutenant; James Wilson, Second Lieutenant.

“Blank Commissions for a Captain in Argyle Township.”

Ordered, That Commissions issue for those gentlemen agreeably to the Return.

Ordered, That the nomination and recommendation to the Continental Congress of gentlemen proper to be Field-Officers of the four Battalions to be raised in this Colony, be taken into consideration on Thursday next.

A Certificate of John Child and Peter Tappen, two of the Committee of Poughkeepsie, was read and filed.

They thereby certify, that John Tappen was duly elected Ensign in Captain John Schenck’s associated Company of Militia of Foot, of Poughkeepsie Precinct, in Dutchess County, in the place of Matthew Van Keuren, who has resigned.

Ordered, That a Commission issue for John Tappen accordingly.

Mr. Sands informed Congress that, in their recess, four other members of the Committee of Safety and himself had advised and directed a boatman, from Queen’s County, to sell three-fourth parts of the wood in his boat; that quantity being the property of Whigs, and to carry back the other fourth part, as being the property of a Tory. That Christopher Duyckinck had taken Mr. Sands’s watch and detained it, on pretence that he had a right to have seized the said one-fourth part of the said wopd, which he alleges was of the value of forty shillings and six pence.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Mr. Christopher Duyckinck immediately attend the Provincial Congress, now sitting in the Assembly Chamber in the City-Hall of the City of New-York.

Mr. Christopher Duyckinck attended. He agreed with Mr. Sands in all the material facts stated to the Congress, and endeavoured to justify his conduct on the fourth and fifth Resolves of this Congress against the Delinquents in Queen’s County. After some considerable time spent in this business, Mr. Duyckinck alleged that he was not fully prepared to answer the subject, as the message of the House was unexpected.

Therefore, Ordered, That the further consideration of this matter be postponed till Friday next, at eleven o’clock, and that Mr. Duyckinck attend again at that time.

Die Martis, 10 ho. A. M. February 20, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Beekman, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Sands, Mr. Thomas Smith, Mr. Roosevelt, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Scott, Mr. Van Zandt, (who immediately departed on business.)

FOR ALBANY.—General Ten Broeck, Colonel Nicoll, Mr. Yates, Mr. Gansevoort.

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

FOR DUTCHESS.—Mr. .G Livingston, Major R. G. Livingston, Colonel P. Ten Broeck, Mr. Schenck.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Thomas, Major Lockwood, Mr. Paulding.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Dr. Williams.

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Allison, only.

A Letter from Major-General Lee, of this day, was read and fited, and is in the words following, to wit: