story, “that the Indians have been invited by Governour Penn to come to Philadelphia,” be sent to General Schuyler;* and that General Schuyler be directed to cause the person to be arrested who pretended to have carried such invitation to the Indians.

The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,

For the expenses of General Lee’s Guard, the sum of 10.8 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Timothy Matlack;

On a draft drawn by Ephraim Blaine, Esquire, on the Commissioners for Indian Affairs in the Middle Department, in favour of Samuel Semple, the sum of 77 Dollars, for expenses of the said Commissioners, and that the said sum ought to be paid to Robert Miller, Esquire, of the County of Cumberland;

For the subsistence of A. Hill Brice, Captain of the Seventh Regiment of Foot, or Royal Fusileers, the sum of 39.5 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Thomas McKean, Esquire, and charged to the said Captain.

Ordered, That the said Accounts be paid.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Letter from General Washington, of the 27th March last, and the papers therein enclosed; and, after some time, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee had come to a Resolution on the matter referred to them; which he read and delivered in.

The Report being again read,

Resolved, That the consideration thereof be postponed.

Information being given to Congress, that Allan Cameron, who is confined in Jail, is in such a state of health as to require the attendance of a Physician, and that he is desirous of the assistance of Dr. Cadwallader:

Resolved, That Dr. Cadwallader have leave to attend him.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Friday, April 26, 1776.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to settle and pay to the Colony of Connecticut the Powder lent by the said Colony to General Washington, for the use of the Continent, and to act as they shall judge best for the publick service, and the benefit of Connecticut, in exchanging the Powder which said Colony has in Philadelphia, for Powder in the Eastern Ports belonging to the Continent.

Resolved, That the sum of 50,000 Dollars be sent to the Committee of Safety of Virginia, and that the President write to the said Committee, and request them to use their utmost endeavours to have it exchanged for Specie, and remit the same to the Continental Treasurers; and, in case they can procure more Specie, that they send it, and draw for the amount on the Paymaster in Virginia, who is ordered to pay such drafts.

Resolved, That the sum of 250,000 Dollars be sent to the Paymaster in Virginia, for the use of the Continental Troops, he to be accountable.

A Letter from Dr. Cadwallader was laid before Congress, and read, giving an account of A. Cameron’s state of health. Whereupon,

Resolved, That the said A. Cameron be allowed the benefit of air in his room, and of walking an hour every morning in the yard, in company or presence of the Jailer, and that his uncle, Dr. McClean, from New-York, who is now in Philadelphia, be allowed to converse with him in presence of the Jailer.

Edmund Randolph, who was appointed Deputy Mustermaster-General of the Southern Department, having been chosen by the citizens of Williamsburgh to represent them in Convention, and an Ordinance having been passed, excluding all persons holding any military post of profit from a seat therein, begged leave to resign his office:

Resolved, That the resignation of Mr. Randolph be accepted.

Resolved, That a Committee of five be appointed to take into consideration the state of the Eastern Department, and report thereon.

The Members chosen, Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. Duane.

The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,

To Dr. Robert Johnson, for attendance on the Sixth Battalion, and for Medicines, the sum of 53.1 Dollars.

Ordered, That the said Account be paid.

The Committee to whom the Letters from General Washington of the 22d and 23d instant, were referred, brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the pay of the Aids-de-Camp of the Commander-in-Chief be raised to forty Dollars a month.

Resolved, That none of the Troops already raised be, for the present, disbanded for want of Arms; and that the General apply to the Convention and Committee of Safety of New-York, for such Arms as may have been collected under the resolve of Congress for disarming Non-Associators and disaffected persons, or any other Arms they can supply, and that they be delivered to the New-York Troops.

Resolved, That Mr. Baldwin, the Assistant-Engineer, ordered to Canada, be allowed, in consideration of his merit, the pay and rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on the Continental establishment.

Resolved, That the respective Governments from whence Militia have come for the defence of the City of New-York, be desired speedily to transmit to Congress authenticated Muster-Rolls, and accounts of Moneys due to such respective Militias, in order to their being immediately settled and discharged.

Resolved, That Congress approve the assistance given by the General to Commodore Hopkins.

Resolved, That the further consideration of the Report be postponed till to-morrow.

The Congress then took into consideration the Report of the Committee on the Petition of Colonel James Easton: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the claims of the persons concerned in the surprise and reduction of the Fortress of Ticonderoga, having already been submitted by Congress to the Committee of Albany, the Petitioner be referred, to the said Committee of Albany for a settlement of his demand on that account.

As from the testimonials produced by the Petitioner, it appears that he and his Battalion behaved with great diligence, activity, and spirit in the successful enterprise against General Prescott, and the Vessels and Troops under his command, in the River Sorel, in which important service they were joined by Colonel Bedel and a part of his Regiment; that to encourage the party employed in that important service, the late Major-General Montgomery promised them all the publick Stores which should be taken in the Vessels under General Prescott’s command, excepting Ammunition and Provisions; and as the Petitioner alleges that no part of those Stores was delivered, nor any composition made to the Troops concerned in the acquisition: Therefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the General commanding in Canada, to appoint Commissioners to estimate all the publick Stores taken with General Prescott, (excepting Ammunition and Provisions,) and pay the value thereof among the officers and men employed in that service, in such proportions as the Commissioners shall determine.

As the Petitioner’s account of moneys received, and disbursements made by him for the use of his Regiment, on which he claims a balance, can, for want of proper vouchers and information here, only be adjusted in Canada, where the business was transacted,

Resolved, That the same be referred for settlement in such mode as the Commissioners from Congress, in that

* Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the truth of the report respecting Governour PENN’S inviting the INDIANS to PHILADELPHIA.

The Committee to whom Mr. Deane’s letter to General Schuyler was referred, beg leave to report, that they have taken the only step which, in their opinion, could lead to an investigation of the subject therein contained, by waiting on his Honour Govemour Penn, who has assured them that his name has been used without his consent or privity; that he has sent no message whatever to the Six Nations, nor had he ever a thought of desiring the Six Nations to come to Philadelphia.