City, armed and accoutred in the best manner possible, who shall be entitled to receive the same pay and provisions as the other Continental forces in this Colony.

7thly. Resolved and Ordered, That Colonel Joseph Drake and Colonel Thomas Thomas, of Westchester County, do draft out of their Regiments two hundred men, in the following proportions, to wit: Two companies of sixty-five privates each, besides the Captains and other inferior officers, out of Colonel Joseph Drake’s Regiment, and one company of sixty-five privates, with the Captain and other inferior officers, of Colonel Thomas’s Regiment, and as many more men out of those two regiments as will turn out volunteers for that service, to be immediately sent to the City of New-York, armed and accoutred in the best manner possible, and to be joined to Colonel Samuel Drake’s Regiment, and to receive the same pay and provisions as the other Continental forces in this Colony.

8thly. Resolved and Ordered, That the respective commanding Officers be directed, pursuant to the regulations made for the Militia of this Colony, to levy and collect a fine of ten Shillings upon each of those who do not appear according to the above order, and carefully reserve the same for the disposition of this Congress or Committee of Safety.

9thly. Resolved and Ordered, That the Officers be in the proportion of one Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel, one Major, one Adjutant, and one Quartermaster, to each Regiment, consisting of six hundred and fifty men; and one Captain, two Lieutenants, and one Ensign, for every sixty-five privates, and non-commissioned officers in the same proportion; that the officers and soldiers so employed be allowed the Continental pay, and ten Pence half-Penny per day instead of provisions for each day they shall do work.

10thly. Ordered, That the Officers commanding the parties upon fatigue do make an exact return of all the men so employed to the Provincial Congress, or Committee of Safety, every night.

Ordered, That the Secretaries deliver out Copies to the Colonels of the respective Regiments in the before written Resolutions mentioned, of the said Resolutions, as may be necessary for them respectively.

Captain John Warner, of the Militia of New-York, attending at the door, sent in a Warrant from Lord Stirling, as commander of the Continental forces at present of this City, authorizing the said John Warner to proceed to Richmond County, and take the person of James Boyd, and bring him before the Provincial Congress, or Committee of Safety, with such evidence as he had against him. The said John Warner was called in and heard.

Joseph Welpley, a witness against John James Boyd, of Richmond County, was called in and examined, and his examination taken down in writing, and filed.

The Congress considering the evidence offered, are of opinion that the said John James Boyd is so unimportant and insignificant a person in the community, as not to deserve the expense or trouble of apprehending him without further testimony of some overt acts inimical to the American Colonies, and therefore dismissed Captain Warner and Joseph Welpley, with commendations of their vigilance and readiness, and directed them to inform the Congress, or Committee of Safety, if they should know of any future ill behaviour of the said John James Boyd.

The Congress took into consideration the late Letter of William Leary, Town-Major, setting forth his great share of hard duty and his small means to support himself and his family without pay.

Thereupon, a motion was made and seconded, that William Leary, Town-Major, be allowed the pay of a Captain on the present Continental establishment, from the 8th day of December last to the 8th day of April next, one of these days included.

The question being put thereon, it was determined in the affirmative in manner following, to wit:

Orange divided.

Therefore, Resolved, That William Leary, Town-Major, be allowed the pay of a Captain on the present Continental establishment, from the 8th day of December last, to the 8th day of April next, one of those days included.

Oliver Templeton, of the City of New-York, Merchant, at the door, was admitted. He informed this Congress that a Ship, laded under his direction by order of the Continental Congress, bound for Ireland, is ready to put to sea. That as the said Ship, or the greater part of her, is owned in Britain, and the lading consigned for the payment of British debts, as appears by the papers relative thereto, he is in hopes to prevail on Captain Parker to permit the said Ship to pass him and go to sea, and therefore requests permission to go on board of Captain Parker’s Ship for that purpose.

The said Oliver Templeton having in Congress taken the oath usually administered to persons going on board of Ships-of-War in this harbour, a permit was given to him in the words following, to wit:

Ordered, That Mr. Oliver Templeton be, and he is hereby, permitted to go on board his Majesty’s Ship Phenix, with the Port-Master, and to return, he having been sworn that he will convey no intelligence relative to the Fortifications erecting in or near this City.

Die Veneris, 9 ho. A. M., March 15, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Sands, Mr. Randall, Mr. Van Cortlandt, Mr. Rutgers, Captain Rutgers, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Evert Bancker, Colonel Lott.

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

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

FOR DUTCHESS.—Col. Ten Broeck, Colonel M. Graham. Major R. G. Livingston,

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Adrian Bancker.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Paulding.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Colonel John Williams.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel William Williams.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

The Congress were informed that Mr. Jacob Le Roy says Dr. William Farquhar told him he might depend on it that the Ministry would exert their utmost force against the Colonies, and that sixty thousand foreign Troops were coming over.

Ordered, That Mr. Pettit, the Doorkeeper, call on Jacob Le Roy, Esq., and Dr. William Farquhar, and request them respectively to attend at the Congress Chamber, in the City-Hall, immediately.

Mr. Abraham Livingston attending, was admitted. He produced a draft of a Contract for victualling the Troops to be employed in this Colony, which was read. Mr. Livingston then requested to know what sum of money this Congress would advance him to enable him to carry on the contract, and what sum per month they will agree to pay him; and Mr. Livingston withdrew.

Debates arose on the said request. The sums proposed were five thousand Pounds, as soon as Mr. Livingston shall have given security to perform his contract, and five thousand Pounds per month, if the supplying of the Troops shall require that sum.

The question being put thereon, it was carried in the affirmative, Captain Rutgers only dissenting from the vote of his County.

Resolved, therefore, That this Congress will advance to Mr. Abraham Livingston five thousand Pounds, as soon as he shall have given security to perform his contract, and pay him five thousand Pounds per month, if the supply of the Army stationed in the Colony of New-York shall amount to that sum, or require it.

Ordered, That Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Gansevoort be a Committee to examine the said draft of the Contract, and report thereon this afternoon.