A Letter from John Thomas Palmer.

A Letter from William Ellsworth, Chairman of the Committee of Safety and Observation of the Town of Kingston, setting forth that they, on the 29th day of February last, had written to General Schuyler, informing him of the inclination of Captain Elias Hasbrouck to be continued in service, and recommending said Hasbrouck for Captain, Moses Yeomans for Second Lieutenant, and Petrus W. Meyer for Ensign, in one of the four Regiments to be raised, was read and filed.

A Letter from General Schuyler to William Ellsworth, Chairman of the Kingston Committee, in answer to theirs of the 29th ultimo, respecting Captain Elias Haasbrook, and enclosed in before-mentioned Letter, was also read and filed.

Die Lunæ, 10 ho. A. M., March 11, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Randall, Mr. Bancker, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Smith, Mr. Denning, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Sands, Mr. Rutgers, Mr. Scott, Colonel Brasher .

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

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

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

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Col. Gilbert Drake, Mr. Thomas, Colonel Lewis Graham.

FOR DUTCHESS.—Colonel P. Ten Broeck, Major Schenck.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Polhemus, Mr. Leffertse, Mr. Covenhoven.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel William Williams.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Colonel John Williams.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

General Ten Broeck informed Congress that Elizabeth Dougherty was neglected to be added to the Fist of soldiers’ wives whose husbands are now in Canada in the Continental service, and who had money advanced them on account of their husbands pay.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius pay to the said Elizabeth Dougherty the sum of five Pounds three Shillings and four Pence, On account of her husband’s pay, and transmit an account of the same to General Schuyler immediately.

Mr. John Vanderbilt, a Member of this Congress, having occasion to go into the Colonies of New-Jersey and Pennsylvania, on publick business,

Ordered, That he be permitted to go into those Colonies, and that it be, and it is hereby, recommended to all persons, to let him pass unmolested.

A Member informed the Congress that a very large Mail, with Letters for many of the inhabitants, which came by the Packets, is on board of his Majesty’s Ship Asia; and that his worship the Mayor, who attended for the purpose, had informed him that Mr. Foxcroft could not safely go on board of the said Ship Asia and bring the said Mail on shore, without the permission of this Congress.

Ordered, That John Foxcroft, Esq., be, and he is hereby, permitted to go to the Ship Asia, in company with the Port-Master, to receive the Mail lately arrived from England in the Packet, and to bring the same to his office in this City, in order to deliver out the Letters.

From the Doorkeeper of the Council at the door, the Congress was informed by one of the Secretaries, through the President, that his Majesty’s Council are summoned to meet this day on board of his Excellency’s Ship, and requests such directions as will enable them to go on board of the Governour’s Ship without molestation.

Debates arose on the said request; and the question being put, whether any such permit shall be given? It was carried in the affirmative, in manner following, to wit:

Therefore, Ordered, That the honourable Members of his Majesty’s Council, and Samuel Bayard, Jun., Esq., the Deputy Secretary of this Colony, or any one of his stated Clerks, be permitted to go on board of his Excellency Governour Tryon’s Ship, without interruption.

In order to give despatch to the payment of Moneys that are payable by this Congress, and to prevent the time of the Congress from being so often consumed on matters of account, the following Resolution was unanimously agreed to:

A. M., March 11.

Ordered, That Mr. Van Zandt, Captain Denning, Mr. Beekman, Colonel Brasher, and Mr. Sands, be a Committee to compose a Pay-Table for the purpose of auditing all the accounts against the Treasury of this Congress; that they, or any three of them, do endorse every account they shall pass; and that such endorsement be a sufficient voucher to the Treasurer for the payment of such account. That the said Committee do enter in a Book or Books, to be by them kept for the purpose, a regular account of all the accounts by them passed. That they be empowered to hire and employ one able and sufficient clerk, and a room for the purpose; and that this Congress will make provision for the payment thereof. That they be directed to make a separation in the Treasurer’s Accounts, between those that are of a Continental nature, and those that are merely Provincial, and keep them in a proper state to be transmitted to the Continental Congress when thereunto directed by this Congress, or the Committee of Safety. That they lay before this Congress, or Committee of Safety, a state of the accounts of this Colony, from time to time, as they shall be thereunto required. That the said Committee be allowed a reasonable compensation for their services.

Ordered, That Colonel Brasher, General Ten Broeck, Mr. Scott, and Colonel John Williams, be a Committee to consider of the powers of the Committee of Safety, and report to this Congress what alterations therein, or additional powers thereto, may be necessary; and that they report thereon with all convenient speed.

The Committee of King’s County having this day met, they recommended the following gentlemen to be appointed the Field and Staff-Officers of their Regiment of Militia, viz: Rutger Van Brunt, Colonel; Nicholas Covenhoven, Lieutenant-Colonel; Johannes Titus, First Major; John Vanderbilt, Second Major; George Carpenter, Adjutant; and Nicholas Covenhoven, Quartermaster.

Ordered, That Commissions issue for those gentlemen in the offices to which they were respectively elected, and that they be delivered to John Leffertse, Esq., agreeable to his request.

Sundry matters were proposed to Congress as useful and necessary to be done at and beyond Sandy-Hook, for the protection of trade. The Congress were unanimously of opinion that those matters will be most properly and beneficially managed by a Marine Committee appointed out of this Congress.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Mr. Randall, Mr. Rutgers, Captain Denning, Mr. Van Zandt, and Mr. Hallett, be, and they are hereby, appointed a Marine Committee, with full powers to take such measures, and give such directions, and employ such persons for the protection or advantage of trade, as they may think proper, useful, or necessary. That they apply to this Congress when they may be in doubt, or want advice or directions. That they be empowered to keep such matters secret as they think necessary, until they are executed. And that the said Marine Committee have the charge, care, and direction of fitting out the Sloop Bishop, according to the order made on the . . . instant. That they be also authorized to give directions as to all imports already arrived, or that may arrive in any of the Colonies on the account of this Colony; and that any three or more of them be a quorum for the purposes aforesaid.

The Congress resumed the consideration of a draft of sundry Resolves for an election of Deputies for a Provincial Congress. The same were read; and being read again by paragraphs, debates arose on that part of the draft which proposes that Associators only shall have a vote. After some