Colony to which he belongs be empowered to nominate one of their Members to act in the stead of the absent Member, until his return.

A number of Letters and Papers, being received, were read, viz:

A Letter from the Convention of New-York, dated 28th February, enclosing a recommendation of gentlemen for Field-Officers of the four Battalions ordered to be raised in that Colony.

Resolved, That the same be referred for consideration till to-morrow.

A Memorial from sundry Merchants in Montreal, respecting Indian Trade;

A Resolution of the Committee of Inspection for the County of Accomack;

Two Letters from Brigadier-General Wooster, of the 11th and 13th February, with seven papers enclosed;

Two from Brigadier-General Arnold, one of the 1st, and the other of the 12th, of February;

Four from General Schuyler, dated the 15th, 20th, 21st, and 23d, of the same month;

One from General Lee, of the 29th;

One from the Convention of New-Hampshire, of the 8th;

And one from the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania; were read, and referred till to-morrow for consideration.

Resolved, That the Memorial from the Merchants of Montreal be referred to a Committee of five:

The Members chosen, Mr. Wilson, Mr. J. Adams, Mr. W. Livingston, Mr. L. Morris, and Mr. Tilghman.

That the Resolution from the Committee of Accomack, be referred to the Committee of the whole Congress.

That the Letters from Major-Generals Lee and Schuyler, and from Brigadier-Generals Wooster and Arnold, be referred to the Committee appointed to prepare Instructions for the Commissioners going to Canada.

That the other Letters be referred for consideration till to-morrow.

The Committee appointed to examine and report the number and circumstances of the Permits granted for exporting produce, &c., brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration:

Whereupon, Resolved, That the restraint be taken off, which, by a resolve of the 26th of last month, was laid upon Vessels loading or loaded with produce for Great Britain, Ireland, or the British West-Indies, in consequence of permissions granted for Arms and Ammunition, imported into these Colonies.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed, with all possible expedition, to send, under a guard, ten tons of Powder to Cambridge, for the use of the Army under the command of General Washington.

The Committee, to whom the Memorial from sundry inhabitants of Northumberland, and the Petition from the inhabitants near Pittsburgh, were referred, brought in their Report, which was read:

Ordered, To lie on the table for the perusal of the Members.

Resolved, That Colonel Beslestre, Major Longeuil, and Captain Lotbiniere, three of the Canadian Prisoners who are at Bristol, in Pennsylvania, be permitted to come to Philadelphia, to confer with the Committee on Prisoners, and there wait the orders of Congress.

The Order of the Day being renewed, Adjourned to tea o’clock, to-morrow.

Tuesday, March 5, 1776.

Sundry Letters being received, were read, viz:

Two Letters from General Schuyler, dated the 26th and 27th of February, with four papers enclosed, among which was a Letter from James Deane to General Schuyler, dated the 24th of the same month.

Resolved, That the Letter from James Deane be referred to a Committee of three.

The Members chosen, Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Wythe, and Mr. W. Livingston.

A Letter from General Wooster, 21st of February, 1776.

The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee to whom was referred, among other things, the Memorial of a number of inhabitants of the County of Northumberland.

Whereupon, Resolved, As the said Memorial relates merely to disputes between the Memorialists and other inhabitants of said County, and to complaints against Justices of the Peace of the said County, and as the common Courts of Judicature, and especially the Legislature of the Colony of Pennsylvania, are altogether competent for remedying the grievances complained of, that the said Memorial, with the papers therewith delivered, be transmitted to the Assembly of said Colony.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the Letter from General Washington, of the 14th of February, and the Letter from Lord Drummond to General Robertson enclosed; and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee have taken into consideration the Letter and papers to them referred, but have come to no resolution thereon.

Resolved, That the Letter from General Washington, so far as it has not been considered by the Committee of the Whole, be referred to the Committee to whom his other Letters, of the 24th and 30th of January, were referred.

The Order of the Day being renewed, Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Wednesday, March 6, 1776.

A Letter from General Washington, of the 26th of February, was read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee to whom his other Letters are referred.

A Letter from J. Palmer, enclosing a Report of a Committee of the General Assembly of Massachusetts-Bay, respecting Lead, was read:

Resolved, That the Committee appointed on the 31st of July last, to inquire in all the Colonies after virgin Lead, Leaden Ore, and the best method of collecting, smelting, and refining it, and also the cheapest and easiest methods of making Salt in these Colonies, be discharged, and that the business of the said Committee be referred to the Committee appointed on the 23d of February last, to consider of further ways and means of promoting and encouraging the manufacture of Saltpetre, &c.

Resolved, That the Letter from J. Palmer, with the enclosed Report, be referred to the last-mentioned Committee.

A Letter from General Washington, dated 18th and 21st of February last, enclosing the Proceedings of a Council of War, was read.

Resolved, That Brigadier-General Thomas be appointed to the command of the forces in Canada, and that General Washington be directed to order him immediately to repair to that Province.

Resolved, That Brigadier-General Thomas be promoted to the rank of a Major-General, and that a Commission be sent to him accordingly.

Ordered That the President acquaint General Washington, by express, of this arrangement.

Resolved, As several members of the Marine Committee are absent, that their places be supplied by Mr. Huntington, for Connecticut, Mr. Sergeant, for New-Jersey, Mr. Harrison, for Virginia, and Mr. E. Rutledge, for South-Carolina.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to send five tons of Powder to New-York, for the use of the Continental Troops there, and five tons of Powder to the Southern Department for the use of the Continental Troops in the said Department.

That the said Committee be directed to return to the Colony of Maryland the Powder borrowed by Mr. Harrison, and to the Colony of New-York, and to the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, the Powder borrowed of them.

That the said Committee be directed to deliver to the Delegates of the Delaware Government one ton of Powder, for which they are to be accountable; to return to the Colony of New-York the Powder borrowed of that Colony; and to the Delegates of New-Jersey one ton of Powder, for which the Colony of New-Jersey is to be accountable.