Mr. Jacob Le Roy attending, was admitted. Jacob Le Roy, Esq., says, that Dr. William Farquhar told him he might depend on it the Ministry would do what they could by force; that there were sixty thousand foreign Troops coming over, among which were twenty thousand Russians; that on his asking Dr. Farquhar how he knew that, he answered Mr. Temple had said so; that he (Mr. Le Roy) then offered that he would lay a beaver hat with Mr. Temple that it was not true; that Dr. Farquhar offered to lay him a beaver hat of the truth of it; that he (this examinant) refused to take the advantage of him, but said he was ready to lay the wager with Mr. Temple; that he (this examinant) then told Mr. Farquhar that he should make use of the intelligence he had given him, and that he must give him leave to call on him as the author.

Dr. William Farquhar attending, was admitted. Dr. William Farquhar says that he heard some countrymen, at the Ferry, say that Mr. Temple had said that thirty thousand foreign Troops were coming over here. Having heard Mr. Le Roy’s examination read, says that he did not inform him of sixty thousand, but of thirty thousand; that he told Mr. Le Roy that he wondered at the different reports—that Mr. Temple should have told some that no Troops were coming over, and has told Others that large numbers were coming over; that he does not know the persons of whom he heard the report at the Ferry.

A Permit was given to Robert Murray and Ichabod B. Barnet, after being sworn, in the words following:

Ordered, That Robert Murray and Ichabod B. Barnet be, and they are hereby, permitted to go on board his Majesty’s Ship Phenix and Governour Tryon’s Ship, in company with the Port-Master, and he return; they having been sworn that they will give no intelligence relative to the Fortifications erecting for the defence of this Colony.

Ordered, That the General Committee of the City of New-York assist Mr. Garret Roorback, the Barrackmaster, to provide Quarters, without delay, for the following Troops, expected soon to arrive in this City, to wit: For six Companies of Pennsylvania Regulars; for eight Companies of Jersey Regulars; for one thousand Jersey Militia; and for at least three hundred Militia from different Counties in this Colony; and that the Troops of the respective corps be placed as near each other as possible.

A Letter from the Committee of Suffolk County was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Suffolk County, March 1, 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: In pursuance to your recommendation, the Committee of this County have ordered that no wheat or flour that shall be made after this date, nor any barrel pork or beef, be exported from this County until the 1st day of April next, unless the Provincial Congress or this Committee shall otherwise order. As this County stands in need of a considerable sum of money to defray their past expenses and to pay their Deputies for their attendance on Congress for the present year, we beg the favour of a loan of five hundred pounds; which this County will repay as soon as it will be in their power to collect the same; and desire the Deputies from this County may receive the money, they having our order for that purpose.

“We are, with the greatest respect, your humble servants. By order:

“WILLIAM SMITH, Chairman.

“To the Honourable Provincial Congress in New-York.”

On reading the said Letter, the Congress agreed to lend or advance to the Deputies of Suffolk County, on their bond, or the bond of those present, four hundred and sixty Pounds.

Whereupon, the said entry of that matter, and order thereon, was read, and agreed to, in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, March 15, 1776.

The Committee of the County of Suffolk having, by letter dated the 1st instant, requested the loan of a sum of money, which they therein say their County will repay as soon as it is in their power to collect the same; and whereas the Provincial Congress of this Colony, by their resolution of the 13th day of March, instant, resolved to advance on loan, out of the Treasury of this Congress to each County Committee, a sum of money not exceeding the sum for that purpose therein mentioned, and, amongst others, to the Committee of Suffolk County the sum of four hundred and sixty Pounds, payable to the Chairman of the County Committee, or his order; and whereas the Deputies of the said County of Suffolk, for want of such order, have requested that the said sum of four hundred and sixty Pounds may be advanced to them on the bond of Nathaniel Woodhull, John Sloss Hobart, and David Gelston, Esquires, to Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esquire, Treasurer of this Congress, until such certificate from the County Committee shall be produced to entitle them to have the said bond returned, to which request this Provincial Congress unanimously agrees, and the said bond is executed accordingly:

Therefore, Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., Treasurer of this Congress, pay to the said Npthaniel Woodhull, John Sloss Hobart, and David Gelston, or any one or more of them, the sum of four hundred and sixty Pounds, and take a receipt of the pay for the same; and that he receive the Bond before-mentioned for that money, and retain the same until such Certificate as aforesaid from the said County Committee shall be delivered to him in lieu thereof, or until the further order of the Provincial Congress, or of the Committee of Safety.

Die Veneris, 4 ho. P. M., March 15, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

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

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

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. Gelston.

FOR DUTCHESS.—Colonel P. Ten Broeck, Major R. G. Livingston, Colonel Morris Graham.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Paulding.

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

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Hay, Colonel Allison.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Adrian Bancker.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel William Williams.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore.

Colonel Hay, from the Committee appointed to examine Thomas Vernon, delivered in their Report, and the Examination of the said Thomas Vernon, which was read and filed.

It thereby appears that the said Thomas Vernon is a worthless fellow, of no consequence. That no dependance is to be put on his information. As to Craig, the said Committee gave it as their opinion that he ought to be separated from Vernon, and not confined in the same place with him.

The Congress then resumed and read the Constitution and powers for a Committee of Safety during their recess. The whole were read, sundry amendments made thereto, and, the same being finally determined, resolved on, and agreed to, are in the words following, to wit:

Resolved, That the Committee of Safety for this Colony, appointed by this Congress on the 16th day of December last, be, and is hereby, entirely dissolved; and that a Committee of Safety for this Colony shall, notwithstanding any former order or resolve, be formed, and is hereby formed, in the manner and with the powers hereinafter mentioned; and that a quorum thereof shall consist of seven Counties represented in Committee.

That any three or more of the Members for the City and County of New-York be a quorum, to represent that City and County in the said Committee of Safety.

That Peter R. Livingston, Robert Yates, and Jacob Cuyler, for the City and County of Albany; Dirck E. Wynkoop, Esquire, Samuel Brewster, and Henry Wisner, Jun., for the County of Ulster; Morris Graham, Jacob Everson, or any other Member for the County of Dutchess Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt, Colonel Gilbert Drake, and Mr. Paulding, for the County of Westchester; Jeremiah Clarke and Tennis Cooper, for the County of Orange; Mr. Polhemus, Mr. Leffertse, Mr. Vanderbilt, and Mr. Covenhoven, for King’s County; Thomas Treadwell,