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

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

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

FOR DUTCHESS.—Colonel Ten Broeck, Colonel Morris Graham, Mr. Gilbert Livingston, Major Schenck.

For Orange.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Thomas, Colonel Gilbert Drake, Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt, Major Lockwood, Colonel Joseph Drake.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Adrian Bancker.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel William, Williams.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Colonel John Williams.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

Colonel John Williams moved, and was seconded by Colonel William Williams, in the words following, viz:

“I move that one hundred weight of Gunpowder and three hundred weight of Lead be sent to Charlotte County, to be given in charge of the County Committee, and to be distributed to the Minute-men or Militia, when a case of emergency shall require it.”

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be deferred for the present.

Mr. Van Zandt, seconded by Mr. Sands, moved in the words following, viz:

“I move that a Letter be wrote to the Continental Congress, giving them a true account of the situation of this City and Colony, occasioned by the stoppage of Provisions to the Ships-of-War by order of General Lee.”

The same being considered and unanimously agreed to,

Ordered, That Mr. Smith, Mr. Van Zandt, and Mr. Gansevoort, be a Committee to prepare and report a draft of such Letter with all convenient speed.

Mr. Jacobus Van Zandt informed the Congress that the money he has already received towards lading the Ship Rosamond on Provincial account, is insufficient for the purpose; and that he wants the sum of one hundred and sixty-seven Pounds nineteen Shillings to complete the lading of the said Ship.

Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of this Congress, advance to Mr. Jacobus Van Zandt the sum of one hundred and sixty-seven Pounds nineteen Shillings, to complete the lading of the Ship Rosamond, Wright Southgate Master; and that the said Treasurer take Mr. Van Zandt’s receipt for the same.

Samuel Benson (a person employed to bring Salt from Staten-Island ) being at the door, was admitted. He says that Thomas Vernon, the Hatter, has threatened that he will take his ears off, and that he will do it for him in four or five days.

Ordered, That Samuel Benson apply for redress to the Committee of the City.

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

“New-York, March 6, 1776.

“SIR: I have just received an uncertified paper, the purport of which seems to imply that the men-of-war and Governour Tryon are to be supplied as formerly with provisions. Subsequently to this order of the Provincial Congress, the Continental Congress had instructed me to put the city in the best state of defence possible. I am so unfortunate as not to be able to discover how furnishing the enemy with the necessaries of life can contribute to this end. It certainly must open the means of their receiving every sort of intelligence which ought to be withheld from them; for I cannot myself conceive that the oath of the Port-Master should bind his boat’s crew. It is true they are to be restrained from going on board; but I defy human cunning to prevent, when they are once alongside, the conveyance of a letter. I must entreat, sir, that the Congress will not suppose that I am aiming at an authority superior to theirs in thus giving my opinion, and raising objections to anything they have resolved. I respect them as the true representatives of the people and proper legislature of the Province; but, sir, the information I have received from Cambridge, and the orders I have received from the Continental Congress, will justify me in most humbly entreating the Congress not to enjoin me to assent, so much against my conscience, to any intercourse of any kind with Mr. Tryon, who must be considered as a most dangerous enemy.

“There is one thing further I would submit to the wisdom of the Congress: Whether it will be prudent to suffer a single man, in our present circumstances, to remain in the city, who will not enter into an engagement to take up arms in defence of the common rights? I took the liberty to address a letter to you, hinting a measure somewhat related to this scheme, but was not honoured with an answer.

“I am, sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,

“CHARLES LEE.

“To the President of the Provincial Congress at New-York.

“P. S. I have this instant received your favour relating to Mr. Gale, who was apprehended and conveyed into Connecticut. I agree, sir, entirely with you, that the apprehension, trial, and punishment of citizens, is not my province, but of the Provincial Congress. But, irregular as it was, I had the assurance of many respectable men that he was a most dangerous man, and ought not to be suffered to remain on Long-Island, where an enemy is perhaps more dangerous than in any other spot of America. However, their assurances and my opinion form no excuse; and I heartily repent that I did not refer him to you, his proper judges.

“I must now inform you, sir, that, in consequence of the last instructions from the Continental Congress, to put this city and its environs in a state of defence, I have ordered Colonel Ward, as a previous measure, to secure the whole body of professed Tories in Long-Island. When the enemy is at our door, forms must be dispensed with. My duty to you, to the Continental, Congress, and to my own conscience, have dictated the necessity of the measure. If I have done wrong, (and I confess the irregularity,) I must submit myself to the shame of being reputed foolish, rash, and precipitate. I must undergo the censure of the publick; but I shall have the consciousness in my own breast, that the most pure motives of serving the publick cause, uncontaminated by pique or resentment to individuals, have urged me to the step.

“There is now a ruffian under guard, one John Gregg, who attempted to murder the sentinels on their posts the other night. I beg to know your pleasure on the subject. As to the affair of the sentries firing on the boats, I never heard till this moment that they had repeated a misdemeanour so contrary to the orders they had received. I can only say that I am very sorry that my orders have been so little respected, and that if I can find out the culprits, they shall be severely punished.

“I am, sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient and humble servant,                                      C. L.”

Colonel McDougall, who brought in the Letter from Major-General Lee, informed the Congress that he had some conversation with Lord Stirling, on the subject of keeping up a uniformity and preventing any interfering in the orders given by this Congress and the Commander of the Troops stationed here; and that his Lordship was ready and desirous, as soon as Major-General Lee was departed, to confer frequently with a Committee of this Congress for that purpose.

Ordered, That Mr. Smith, Mr. Yates, Mr. Van Zandt, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Hobart, Colonel Van Cortlandt, Mr. Gansevoort, and General Ten Broeck be a Committee to confer with Lord Stirling on the subject of a communication between the Ships and the shore, the firing of the Sentries on the Boats passing and repassing, and the subject of apprehending and sending into confinement in this and another Colony, sundry Inhabitants of this City and Colony, without the knowledge of, or application to any Committee or this Congress.

The Congress took into further consideration the scarcity of Salt in this Colony, and the frequent exportations thereof into the neighbouring Colonies, and came to the following determination, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, March 7, 1776.

This Congress, taking into consideration the inconveniences that may arise to the inhabitants of this Colony from the want of a sufficient supply of Salt, and being informed that this necessary article is daily exported in great quantitie