if, on a survey of our river and city, it appears to them that we are sufficiently secured against all attempts of the enemy, and that a number of half-disciplined Battalions, which have never seen an action, hastily called together, on an open and naked beach, without regular order, subordination, or head to direct them, and under the sense of being oppressed by the very men whose lives, liberties and estates they are called out to defend, are sufficient to the exigency of our affairs, we shall reluctantly submit, until that fatal day shall arrive in which it will appear that the present opposition to our request proceeds more from a desire to keep the way open for our enemies, than from any attachment to the cause of liberty. We rest the success both of our present and former applications on their justness and necessity, begging leave to retire, after returning our warmest thanks to this honourable House for promoting our favourite fellow-citizen General Mifflin, on whom we earnestly wish to see the chief command in this Province speedily devolve.

Signed on behalf of the Committee of Privates:

SAMUEL SIMPSON, President.

MAJOR PRESTON (PRISONER) TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Reading, June 3, 1776.

SIR: I hope you will forgive the liberty I have taken in enclosing a letter to you for Captain Crawford, Paymaster to the Twenty-Sixth Regiment. As the Congress has granted permission for an officer to visit the quarters of the men, I hope they, or the Committee of Safety, will have no objection to Captain Crawford’s being the person, as it is his business to furnish both officers and men with money, and to keep all the accounts. 1 should be happy if Captain Crawford is permitted to make this the place of his residence, as his family can be very well accommodated here; if not, that the Congress would grant me permission to go to Philadelphia for a day or two, to settle the accounts as Paymaster, that they may be made up for the agent.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

CHARLES PRESTON.

To the Hon. John Hancock, Esq.

JONATHAN ELMER TO THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

[Read June 5, 1776.]

Greenwich, Cumberland County, N. J., June 3, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Major Thomas Ewing, the bearer hereof, one of the Committee of Cumberland County, in New-Jersey, will inform your Honours of the particulars respecting the sloop Betsey & Ann, Benjamin Tucker master, from Bermuda, laden with salt, &c. The owner, Mr. Lightburn, informs us that his intention is to sell his salt, and take in a cargo of corn; and we not being clear that it is our duty either to let him sell or buy, he being professedly a subject to the King of Great Britain, thought it necessary to have the instructions of the honourable Congress on this matter. We hope your Honours will favour us with your advice in writing, by Mr. Ewing, so that we may know how to act, both on this and in like cases for the future. By order of the Committee:

JONATHAN ELMER, President.

To the Honourable the Continental Congress, at Philadephia.

In Committee at Greenwich, in Cumberland County, in New-Jersey, June 3, 1776:

Personally appeared before the Committee Mr. Joseph Lightburn, owner of the sloop Betsey & Ann, Benjamin Tucker master, from Bermuda;and on examination, says, that his sloop, now lying at Greenwich, was laden at, and cleared from, Turk’s Island, with seventeen hundred bushels of salt and two puncheons of rum, (as appears per cocket;) that their design is to exchange the cargo for corn, &c. By examining the papers of the master, they nearly correspond with what Mr. Lightburn relates. He further says, on examination, that the people of Bermuda are in the greatest distress for want of provisions; that many hundreds must inevitably die by hunger if not speedily relieved; that he had heard nothing of any prohibition of trade between the United Colonies and Bermuda when he left that place.

On motion, it was Ordered, That the Secretary immediately wait on the honourable the Continental Congress, and request their advice and directions on the matter.

A true extract from the Minutes:

JONATHAN ELMER, President.

WILLIAM PALFREY TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read June 4, 1776. Referred to Mr. J. Adams, Mr. W. Livingston, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. R. H. Lee, and Mr. Sherman.]

New-York, June 3, 1776.

SIR: I send you herewith a state of my accounts, to the 31st of May, which completes one month. You would oblige me greatly by acquainting me whether the honourable Congress have come to any determination on the subject of my application respecting the payment of the troops at Boston, as 1 am still at a loss how to proceed. Mr. Duane, who arrived here yesterday, acquaints me that Boston is to be considered as within my department, and that I am to employ a clerk or deputy there. He also informs me that my accounts are to be audited at Philadelphia. I shall be extremely glad to receive regular information from you, that I may proceed accordingly. My accounts are all ready, but I cannot leave my department until Mr. Winthrop arrives, or I can procure another clerk.

I have the honour to be, with the utmost respect, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

WILLIAM PALFREY.

To John Hancock, Esq., President of Congress.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL PUTNAM.

Fort George, June 3, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: Your favour of the 1st instant was delivered me yesterday afternoon. The powder arrived on Wednesday, and was immediately sent on; part of the intrenching tools and cannon are also arrived and embarked. Pray let the pork be constantly forwarded to Albany, for although upwards of two thousand barrels are already sent since the 13th ultimo, exclusive of twelve days at least with which every corps was victualled here, yet as our Army are not the best economists, it will soon be expended.

The Commissary-General should not be apprehensive of laying in too great a stock at Albany. The difficulty of sending fat cattle into Canada is very considerable. Would it not be prudent to expend as little pork at New-York as possible?

I have employed persons at Albany to purchase whatever necessaries for our naked Army in Canada they can procure; but after all, what they may get will be very trifling. I wish, therefore, to have all kinds of clothing sent up the soonest possible.

Colonel Bedel’s and Major Butterfield’s conduct is universally condemned in Canada. If common fame says true, they have certainly behaved in the basest and most cowardly manner. General Arnold again marched to the Cedars and I trust he will give a good account of the enemy.

I am under a necessity of hastening to Albany, to take measures for securing the western frontiers of this Colony, which are threatened by the Indians, and believe I shall be obliged to order Colonel Dayton to take post at the place where Fort Stanwix was; if so, I shall want more intrenching tools, which you will therefore please to send up. But before I order Colonel Dayton to take post there, I wish, if time will permit, to hear from General Washington on the subject, and have therefore enclosed my letter to Congress, that if the General should be at New-York, he will please to consider it as directed to himself and give me his orders.

I hope soon to see an Engineer to repair Ticonderoga, if it is resolved to keep that place; but, in my opinion, a post on the ground opposite to it would more effectually secure us against the enemy, should they oblige our Army to retreat as far as that, which, however, I trust will not be the case.

We shall want an Engineer to send with Colonel Dayton, and if one can be spared, pray order him up.

I am, dear General, very sincerely, your most obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To General Putnam, or Commanding Officer at New-York.