Committee to draw up Instructions and Orders for the Recruiting Officers.

Ordered, That John Slingsby, James Work, Dougal Campbell, Hector McNeill, Daniel Treadway, Malcolm, McNeill. James Cooper, John Cox, James Collins, and Daniel Muse, have leave to retire from their further attendance on this Congress, and that certificates be issued for their passing unmolested.

On motion, Resolved, That a Resolve of yesterday, for appointing James Hogan Paymaster to the Third Regiment, Samuel Ashe, Paymaster to the First Regiment, Jacob Blount Paymaster to the Second Regiment, Hezekiah Alexander Paymaster to the Fourth Regiment, Thomas Benbury Paymaster to the Fifth Regiment, and Nathaniel Rochester Paymaster to the Sixth Regiment, be rescinded.

Resolved, That Jacob Blount, Esq., be appointed Paymaster to the Troops in this Province, and that he be allowed fifty dollars per month, (the pay of a Deputy Paymaster,) and that he enter into bond, with sufficient security, in the sum of one hundred thousand Pounds, for his faithful discharge of that office.

Resolved, That Robert Bignal be allowed the sum of fifty-four Pounds eight Shillings and eight Pence, Proclamation money, for one hundred weight of Gunpowder, and four hundred and thirty-three weight of Shot; that the Treasurers, or either of them, pay him the same, on his producing a receipt from Colonel Henry Irwin that the same is bona fide delivered.

The Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Friday, April 19, 1776.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Resolved, That Thomas Wade and David Love, for Anson; Henry Bonner and Joseph Blount, for Beaufort; Thomas Robinson and Thomas Brown, for Bladen; Zedekiah Stone and Jonathan Jacocks, for Bertie; Richard Quince, Jun., and Parker Quince, for Brunswick; Julius Nichols and Adkin Macklemore, for Bute; Christopher Neale and William Blount, for Craven; John Eason and Brice Williams, for Carteret; Samuel Jarvis and Solomon Perkins, for Currituck; Luke Sumner and John Baptist Beasley, for Chowan; Ebenezer Fulsome and John Blocker, for Cumberland; Mial Scurlock and Solomon Morgan, for Chatham; James Kenan and Richard Clinton, for Duplin; Benjamin Sheppard and Joseph Green, for Dobbs; Henry Horn and Jonas Johnston, for Edgecomb; Mcmucan Hunt and Thomas Banks, for Granville; Charles Bruce and Daniel Galaspee, for Guilford; Edward Hancock and William Russel, for Hyde; George Little and William Baker, for Hertford; Egbert Haywood and David Crawley, for Halifax; Needham Bryan and John Smith, for Johnston; David Rees and Thomas Harris, for Mecklenburgh; Francis Ward and Blake Baker Wiggins, for Martin; John Devane and Captain John Foster, for New-Hanover; William Eaton and Hezekiah Hough, for Northampton; William King and Thomas Johnston, for Onslow; John Butler and John Atkinson, for Orange; Benjamin Harvey, Jun., and Edmund Blount, for Perquimans; Isaac Gregory and Othniel Lassell, for Pasquotank; James Gorham and Benjamin May, for Pitt; Francis Locke and James Brandon, for Rowan; Robert Lanier and Jesse Walton, for Surry; Stevens Lee and Hezekiah Spruill, for Tyrrell; William Grimes and Robert Alexander, for Tryon; and Thomas Hines and Theophilus Hunter, for Wake County, be appointed to receive, procure, and purchase Fire-Arms for the use of the Troops; and that they observe the follow ing Regulations:

1. That they receive into their possession all such Arms as have been taken from the Tories, and keep them safely till they shall be demanded by persons hereafter to be appointed by this Congress for that purpose; and that they have power to give discharges upon such receipts to all persons entitled to them.

2. That they purchase all Fire-Arms which are good and sufficient, and fit for immediate use; and also such as may be repaired, and put in such order as to be made useful. Provided, that no guns fit for immediate use may be purchased from any Militiaman, whereby he may be able to plead such circumstance in excuse for not attending his duty as a Militiaman when called upon.

3. That such Arms as they shall purchase which are out of repair, they shall immediately put into the hands of workmen to make fit for use, and by every means in their power to expedite the same.

4. That the Arms so taken, when repaired, shall be valued by indifferent persons; and, after deducting the expense of the repairs, the surplus shall be paid to those from whom such were purchased; and as to those which are fit for immediate use, the value thereof, upon appraisement made by indifferent persons, shall be paid to the proprietors.

Resolved, That as there are a number of persons called Quakers, Moravians, and Dunkards, who conscientiously scruple bearing arms, and as such have no occasion for Fire-Arms, that they be informed that it is the sense and confident expectation of this Congress, that they will dispose of their Fire-Arms to the said Commissioners, they receiving the full value thereof; but that no compulsion be exercised to induce them to this duty.

Resolved, That the sum of three hundred Pounds be advanced to the draft of the said Commissioners, for each County, they giving bond and security for the due application of the same, and that such bond be to the President of this Congress; and that the Delegates of each County shall take care that such bond is given, and shall exert themselves to aid and assist the said Commissioners to carry these Resolves into execution.

Resolved, also, That the said Commissioners shall receive from those who now hold them in possession, all Swords, Dirks, Pistols, and all other implements of war, which have been taken from the Tories; and that they purchase as many Bayonets as can be procured which are already made.

Resolved, also, That if Armourers cannot be found in each County, sufficient for repairing such Arms, that they be sent into such publick Armory as shall be established hereafter by this Congress.

Resolved, That the said Commissioners shall be allowed a genteel and generous compensation for their service, in proportion to the fidelity and despatch with which they shall execute this trust.

Resolved, That the Colonels of the Continental Troops shall receive from the said Commissioners such Arms as they may collect, as soon as they are fitted for use, and shall deliver them out to the Recruits; and as soon as their respective Regiments are armed, the surplus in their hands to be delivered over to the Commissary of Stores, hereafter to be appointed.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the defenceless state of the Sea-Coast of this Province, do report, and humbly submit to the consideration of the Congress, the following as their opinion, viz: That the sea-coast from the Virginia line to Occacock-Inlet, as also the coast from Occacock to Bogue-Inlet, and from that Inlet to the South-Carolina line, is totally defenceless, and all the sea-banks covered with cattle, sheep, and hogs, and the few inhabitants living on the banks are chiefly persons whose estates consist in live stock, and exposed to the ravages of the small armed vessels and tenders; and that if the armed vessels and tenders are prevented from getting supplies of fresh provisions from the sea-coast, it will be impossible for the war to be of long continuance in this Province, as the seamen and soldiers will be afflicted with the scurvy and other diseases, arising from the constant use of salt provisions, and therefore be under the necessity of quitting the coast, and by that means save to the back inhabitants of this Province the very great trouble and heavy expense of frequently coming down to the assistance of their brethren on the sea-board.

Your Committee further submit to the consideration of the Congress the necessity there is of raising another Regiment, and stationing six Companies out of the same, on the sea-coast for its defence, in the following manner, viz: two Companies from the Virginia line to Occacock-Inlet, two Companies between Occacock-Inlet and Bogue-Inlet, and two Companies between Bogue-Inlet and the South-Carolina line; and that it be recommended to the Continental Congress to take the said Regiment into Continental pay, first fully assuring the Congress of the necessity of such a measure.