do take all possible means in their power to apprehend and seize the said Henry Dawkins, Israel Youngs, Isaac Youngs, Isaac Ketchum, and John Anderson, and bring them (together with all suspicious tools and other materials) before this Congress without delay; and the several Committees within whose neighbourhood the said suspected persons respectively reside, are hereby requested to give all the aid that shall be required of them by Captain Wool for the effectual execution of this order.

A Return, dated April 13th, 1776, signed by Jonathan Lawrence, Chairman of the Committee of Newtown, in Queen’s County, was read, whereby it appears that the following persons were chosen Officers of the Militia in the said Township, to wit:

Of a Company of Militia for the Southernmost Beat or District: Abraham Remsen, Captain; Benjamin Coe, First Lieutenant; Robert Furman, Second Lieutenant; Benjamin North, Ensign.

For the North Beat or District: Jonathan Lawrence, Captain; William Jacket, First Lieutenant; William Lawrence, Second Lieutenant; Jesse Warner, Ensign.

Troop of Light Horse: Richard Lawrence, Captain; Daniel Lawrence, First Lieutenant; Samuel Riker, Second Lieutenant; Jonathan Coe, Cornet; Pete Rapalye, Quartermaster.

Ordered, That Commissions issue to those gentlemen instantaneously; and they were issued accordingly.

Ordered, That Mr. Tredwell draft a Letter to the Committee of Queen’s County, recommending to them the forming and regulating the Militia of the said County, without delay.

Ordered, That Mr. Wynkoop, Col. Allison, and Col. Lewis Graham, be a Committee to consider of and report an amendment to the Militia Law, so far as the same respects the disarmed Non-Associators, with all possible speed.

Colonel Palmer applied for an order on the Treasurer. He informed the Congress that the Commissioners at the lower Fort, to wit: at Pooplopen Kill, borrowed one hundred and fifty-two Pounds of the Commissioners at the upper Fort; that the Commissioners at Pooplopen’s Kill are indebted for sundry articles; that they will have occasion for at least the sum of one thousand Pounds.

Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, advance to Colonel Thomas Palmer, as one of the Commissioners for erecting the Fortifications in the Highlands, the sum of one thousand one hundred and fifty-two Pounds, to be expended and applied for erecting the Fortifications in the Highlands, and take his receipt for the same on Continental account.

Henry Wisner, Jun., Esq., having applied to the Committee of Safety for the premium for erecting a Powder-Mill, is entitled to receive the same, on giving security, and entering into contract. Mr. Wisner also informed the Congress that there is a very considerable sum due to him from the Colony on the Resolution of the Provincial Congress for manufacturing of Gunpowder; that he intends to have his partner bound with him in the contract for erecting a Powder-Mill; that he requests the sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds from the Treasury on his Bond, for that sum in part of either of the sums above-mentioned:

Thereupon Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of this Congress, advance to Henry Wisner, Jun., Esq., the sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds on his Bond, payable the 1st day of July next.

Whereas frequent complaints have been made to this Congress that many of the male inhabitants have, at this critical season, withdrawn themselves from the Capital of this Colony, whereby its strength and powers of defence are much weakened, and the inhabitants who remain the more exposed:

On motion Resolved and Ordered, That every male inhabitant of the City and County of New-York, above the age of sixteen years, and under the age of fifty years, who has withdrawn himself from the same since the 1st day of June last past, be required, and is hereby required, to return without delay with his arms and accoutrements; and that every male inhabitant between the said several ages be henceforth prohibited, and is hereby prohibited, from departing this City and County, and absconding himself from the same for more than twenty-four hours, without leave of the Colonel or Commanding Officer of the Battalion or Regiment to which he belongs; and that the Committees in the neighbouring Counties and Colonies into whose District such inhabitants of this City and County have so withdrawn themselves be, and they are hereby requested to take effectual means to compel the said inhabitants, who have so withdrawn themselves, to return to their usual places of abode in the said City and County.

And Ordered, That this Resolution be published in all the publick Newspapers in this Colony.

Die Veneris, 4to ho. P. M., May 10, 1776,

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Scott, Colonel Lott, Mr. Bancker, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Prince, Colonel McDougall.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Bancker, Mr. Lawrence.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Glenn, Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Haring, Mr. Allison.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. De Witt, Colonel Palmer, Mr. Wisner, Jun.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Covenhoven.

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. Tredwell, Mr, Wickham.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel Joseph Drake, Colonel L. Graham, Mr. Paulding.

Directions for Captain Thomas Cregier, of the Armed Schooner General Putnam, were read, and approved, and are in the words following, viz:

Captain THOMAS CREGIER:

SIR: You are hereby directed to inform His Excellency General Washington that the armed schooner named the General Putnam, under your command, is fitted and ready to proceed to sea.

You are diligently to observe and follow such orders and directions as you shall from time to time receive from General Washington, until the further order of the Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety of this Colony.

A copy of the said Instructions, signed by the President, were delivered to the said Thomas Cregier, and he was directed to show them to General Washington.

Ordered, That Mr. Alderman Brasher, Captain Denning, Mr. John Van Cortlandt, Mr. Stoutenburgh, Mr. Prince, and Mr. Rutgers, be requested to attend this Congress precisely at nine o’clock, to-morrow morning, and that the Doorkeeper fail not to give notice to those gentlemen of this order without delay.

And Ordered, That every Member now present, who has not leave of absence, do attend at the same time with punctuality.

Die Sabbati, A. M., May 11, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Beekman, Colonel Brasher, Colonel McDougall, Captain Denning, Mr. Evert Bancker, Mr. Prince, Col. Stoutenburgh, Mr. Scott, Col. Lott.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt, Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Glen.

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

FOR KING’S.—Colonel Van Brunt.

FOR SUFFOLK.—General Woodhull, Mr. Wickham.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel Lewis Graham, Mr. Paulding, Colonel Joseph Drake.

FOR ORANGE.—Colonel Allison, Mr. Haring.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Evert Bancker.

Thomas Wooley, of Cow-Neck, Feltmaker, was brought, under a guard, before the Congress, pursuant to the order of the Committee of Safety, of the 8th instant. The examination of Thomas Mitchell was read to him. He denies the charges therein charged against him, and says he is Clerk to Colonel Blackwell’s Regiment.

Captain Sands says the charges are true, and first produced a certificate from Timothy Smith, Esq.

Isaac Smith, of Hempstead, in Queen’s County, Esquire, being examined, says, that he was talking with Captain Sands at Richard Smith’s; that Thomas Wooley came up to them in his brother’s, house, and told Captain Sands that he had