The Committee took into consideration the Letter from Samuel Tucker, Esq., President of the Committee of Safety of New-Jersey, dated the 20th of April; and the examination of Henry Smith, on the —— of April, relating to the persons therein mentioned to have been employed in inlisting men for the Ministerial Army.

Thereupon Ordered, That the Secretaries prepare and certify copies of the said Letter from Mr. Tucker, and examination of Henry Smith, and enclose one copy of each to the Chairman of the County Committee of Weschester County, another copy of each to the Chairman or Committee of Correspondence of Dutchess County, and a third copy of each to the Chairman of the Precinct Committee at Fish-kill.

That each of the said County Committees, and the Committee of Fishkill, respectively, be requested to give the most pointed directions and use every means in their power to have Thomas Gibson and Robert Hamilton seized and taken; that they cause both, or either of them that may be taken, to be immediately confined in close Jail, in such manner as to prevent an escape, or any conference with any accomplice, until he or they respectively can be brought to trial, or until the further order of the Provincial Congress, or of the Committee of Safety of this Colony; and that each of the said Committees give such prudent directions as to prevent the said Thomas Gibson or Robert Hamilton from having any notice of this order, or of any proceedings thereon that may occasion their flight.

Lieutenant-Colonel Livingston attended, and produced his orders from General Washington. He is thereby directed to apply to the Committee of Safety to procure Arms for the Soldiers of Colonel Clinton’s Regiment.

Thereupon Ordered, That the Committees of the Counties of Dutchess and Ulster, and the Committees of the respective Districts in those Counties, deliver to Lieutenant-Colonel Livingston, or to such Captains in that Regiment as shall have Lieutenant-Colonel Livingston’s order, so many good Arms, fit for use, out of those collected by disarming disaffected persons in their respective Counties and Districts, as may be necessary to complete the arming of the Companies of that Regiment, now stationed at the Fortifications in the Highlands; that the Committees take care to have the said Arms marked and appraised, and an account of the value, mark, and appraisement of each kept, before the same are delivered: and that the Captain of each Company take care to keep a roll of the value of each Gun, Musket, or Firelock, which shall be delivered to him, and of the name of the Soldier to whom each such Gun, Musket, or Firelock, shall be so delivered; and that he deliver one copy of such Roll and value of the Arms of his Company, to the Colonel or Commanding Officer of the Regiment, and another copy to the Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety of this Colony.

And Ordered further, That the Committees in Suffolk County do, in like manner, provide and deliver Arms to the Captains of the three Companies of the Second Regiment, which were raised in that County; and that those Captains keep and return the like Rolls of the value of the Arms they may so receive, and of the names of their respective Soldiers to whom delivered, in such manner that each Soldier may be accountable for the Arms delivered to him, or the value thereof; that the same may be accounted for to the publick.

And Resolved, That any Captains or Officers by whose neglect or default the value of any one or more such Arms shall be lost to the publick, shall be accountable for the value thereof.

Die Lunæ, 10 ho. A. M, May 6, 1776.

The following Members met pursuant to adjournment:

Present: Dirck Wynkoop, Esq., Chairman.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Captain Denning, Mr. Bancker.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Wynkoop, Doctor De Witt, Colonel Palmer.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Allison, (who is not a member of the Committee, though a member of Congress.)

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. Tredwell.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

Near one o’clock, for want of a sufficient number of Members to form a Committee the gentlemen present adjourned to four o’clock.

All persons attending on the Committee on matters of business, were directed to attend again at five o’clock.

4to ho. P. M., May 6, 1776.

The following Members met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Dirck Wynkoop, Jun., Esq., Chairman.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Colonel Lott.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. Wisner, Mr. DeWitt, Colonel Palmer.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Allison, (of the Provincial Congress, but not of the Committee of Safety.)

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Lawrence, (late.)

The gentlemen present, for want of a sufficient number of Members to form a complete quorum, could not do any final act as a Committee; but Mr. Peter Puillon, who was apprehended at the Narrows, and Joseph Blanchard, arrested by order of General Washington, and sundry military gentlemen who are witnesses, and necessarily obliged to return to King’s County, where they are stationed, being attending, it was thought absolutely necessary to examine.

Thereupon, the Letter received from General Washington this morning, was read. The General thereby informs that Peter Puillon was yesterday apprehended for having supplied persons on board of the King’s Ships with Provisions, in violation of, and contrary to, the regulations which have been adopted for preventing such practices; and that Joseph Blanchard was apprehended for carrying on a correspondence with persons on board.

“New-York, May 6, 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: I beg leave to refer to your examination Joseph Blanchard and Peter Puillon, who were yesterday apprehended, the former on suspicion of carrying on a correspondence with persons on board the King’s ships, the latter of having supplied them with some provision, in violation of, and contrary to, the regulations which have been adopted for preventing such practices. There are witnesses against both, which are ordered to wait on you; and also some papers found in possession of Mr. Blanchard, which, though previous to your resolves in point of date, indicate an intimacy between him and Colonel Fanning, the Secretary, to whom, I am told, he has written since their publication, and his knowledge of them.

“I am, gentlemen, with great esteem, your most humble servant,

“GEORGE WASHINGTON.

“P. S. Captain Gibbs will deliver the papers.”

Captain Derby says that on Friday evening last he was in company with Mr. Joseph Blanchard; that Joseph Blanchard said that the communication was not entirely cut off with the ships below; that he had lately received letters from thence; and that on the then last Monday he had written a letter to Colonel Fanning, and delivered it to a friend to convey it, and that he was informed and believed it was sent on board. Mr. Blanchard says he believes his letter did go on board. Captain Derby further says, that yesterday he went into Mr. Fisher’s after he left the General’s; that Mr. Blanchard there said several disagreeable things; intimated that he thought Captain Derby would take away his life; spoke in reflecting terms of the Army, and said they were bought Whigs, and that it was not in the power of the Army to cut off the communication with the ships.

Joseph Blanchard says: That he did not mean to reflect on the Army in general; but said he was a Whig from principle, but that they were bought Whigs, (meaning the company then present.)

Captain Derby says that Mr. Blanchard said if he had been treated like a gentleman it was in his power to have found out the person who had conveyed the letters, but that it was now too late, as he did not know that he could now discover. Colonel Prescott confirms what Captain Derby says as to what passed at Fisher’s; and says that, if it had not been with an expectation of getting further intelligence, he should not have borne the insults thrown out against the Whigs, and the insults offered to Captain Derby. That the