supplies of provisions, he would give the necessary orders to the port guard, provided that no person from the shore should be allowed to go on board the said ships, nor any person to come on shore from the same, as he could not permit a personal communication to be any longer kept up. And as to the firing on the boats, he assured the Committee that it was entirely owing to a misconstruction of his general orders. That if Congress, or any individual, would draw up a set of instructions for the direction of the port guard that shall effectually prevent such inconvenience for the future, he would readily sign it.”

A part of a Letter from Mr. William Bedlow, one of the Commissioners at the Fortifications in the Highlands, to Mr. John Berrien, was read.

Mr. Bedlow thereby informs that they are in want of cash to pay wages and discharge some of the debts of last year, and to purchase necessaries; and requesting the sum of five hundred Pounds, to be expended for the use of the said Fortifications on Continental account.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Peter V . B . Livingston, Esq., the Treasurer of this Congress, deliver to Mr. John Berrien, as Commissary to the Commissioners for erecting Fortifications in the Highlands, and one of the said Commissioners, the sum of five hundred Pounds, on Continental account, towards the expense of erecting the said Fortifications, and that the Treasurer take Mr. Berrien’s receipt for the same.

Nicholas Bayard, Esq., this morning attending, was admitted. He informed the Congress that a Grenadier Company of Colonel Lasher’s Regiment had been the guard of the Records of this Colony since they have been at his house; that he has been informed it is to be changed, and their place supplied by another Company; that the said Grenadier Company have behaved so prudently, that it would oblige him to have them continued.

The Congress took the same into consideration, and

Thereupon, Ordered, That Mr. Smith, Colonel Lott, and Mr. Roosevelt, be a Committee to speak to Colonel Lasher, and with him determine on what guard will be proper and necessary for a guard to the said Records at Mr. Bayard’s.

Colonel McDougall informed the Congress that it was necessary to have arms for the men of the different Companies now inlisting in this City, that they may have arms if called to service, and that they may become inured to the use of arms.

Ordered, That Richard Norwood, Commissary of this Colony’s Stores, deliver to Colonel McDougall, or his order, such Arms and Accoutrements from time to time, in store, as he shall direct for the Troops, and take the receipts of such Captains to whom such Arms and Accoutrements are or shall be delivered.

Mr. Prince, one of the Members appointed to forward the Continental Powder to Cambridge, informed this Congress that the wagoners here employed in the Continental service, going to Cambridge with the Continental Powder, said they could not proceed without some money to defray their expenses. That he had advanced to the three wagoners who went off with loaded wagons this morning twenty Pounds on account, in part of their pay; that the other three wagoners who are to set off this afternoon, expect to receive the like sum in advance.

Therefore, Ordered, That Peter V . B . Livingston, Esq. advance to Mr. Samuel Prince the sum of forty Pounds on account, in part of the hire of the wagoners carrying Continental Gunpowder to Cambridge, and that the Treasurer take Mr. Prince’s receipt for the same, and charge it to Continental account.

The Congress were informed by Colonel McDougall that General Lee has received Letters from General Washington and General Greene, in substance giving information that General Howe is removing their spare and heavy cannon and howitzers from Bunker’s Hill on board of transports; that the transports are drawn up to the wharves; and that the officers baggage are taken on board of the transports; and that it is probable that the Ministerial Troops will soon leave Boston . Colonel McDougall is requested to obtain extracts in writing from Major-General Lee, of such parts of the said Letters as may be necessary to be considered by Congress; and that Mr. Smith, Colonel Lott, Mr. Hobart, and Colonel Van Cortlandt, be a Committee to take such extracts into consideration, and report thereon to this Congress what they shall think necessary to be done, and that they report with all convenient speed.

Die Lunæ, 3 ho. P. M., March 4, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Bancker, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Hallett, Mr. Rutgers, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Stoutenburgh, Colonel Lott, Mr. Smith, Mr. Prince, Captain Denning, Colonel McDougall.

FOR ALBANY.—General Ten Broeck, Mr. Yates, Colonel Nicoll; (on service.)

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. Gelston, Mr. Hobart.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. A . Bancker.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Rhea, Mr. Lefever, Colonel Palmer, (on service.)

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel G . Drake, Major Lockwood.

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

FOR KING’s.-Mr. Polhemus.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel William Williams.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Colonel John Williams.

The Report of the Committee to consider of and report a plan for a further emission of Paper Currency, was taken into further consideration, and read; and, being again read paragraph by paragraph, was in many instances altered and amended, and, those amendments agreed to, it was ordered to remain for further consideration until to-morrow morning.

Mr. Yates reported that Captain Denning and himself, with the assistance of Dr. Treat, had viewed the house on Freshwater-Hill, where John Fowler lately dwelt, with two barns adjoining; that Dr. Treat highly approved of the said house and barns for an Hospital; that they had contracted for the said house and barns, &c., for the rent of seventy Pounds from the 1st day of May next; the said rent to be paid quarterly to the present tenants, or their order.

This Congress hereby approves of and ratifies the said contract, and assumes the same as the contract of this Congress.

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

“March 4, 1776.

“SIR: The letters I received last night from the Commander-in-Chief and General Greene, were unfortunately thrown into the fire. But, according to my best recollection, the reasons given by the Generals for surmising, or rather concluding that it was the intention of the enemy to evacuate Boston, were these: That they had withdrawn their mortars and heavy cannon from Bunker’s Hill and Charlestown; that their transports were hauled into the wharves; that some people who had left the town lately, declared that the officers’ baggage was sent on board; in short, it is from every circumstance concluded, by those who are before the place, and those who have lately left the place, that they are soon to abandon Boston, and that, consequently, they will attempt to establish themselves here.

“May I, sir, take the liberty to express my uneasiness on a subject which is more properly a matter of consideration for the Congress—the liberation of the notorious enemies to liberty and their country, on giving bonds for their good behaviour, appears to me, in our present situation, extremely ill imagined. It is so far from a security, that it is rather adding virus to their malignancy. The first body of troops that arrives will cancel those bonds. Some vigorous, decisive mode must now be adopted, of discovering on whom you may depend, on whom not. The crisis will admit of no procrastination. I cannot, therefore, help wishing, for the common safety and the honour of this Province in particular, that some test may be immediately offered, that we may be enabled to distinguish our friends from our foes.