request the House to appoint a short day for hearing them in support of the allegations contained in their said publication, and in answer to the evidence given on the part of the Committee of Safety.

Ordered to lie on the table.

The Committee appointed to prepare and draw up Resolves for rendering naturalization and the oaths or affirmations of allegiance unnecessary, &c, reported a draft of Resolutions for that purpose; which was read, and referred to further consideration.

The House, taking into consideration the Resolve of Congress of the 6th of April last,

Resolved, That George Bryan, Esq., be, and he is hereby, appointed the officer for taking bonds for observing the regulations made respecting trade, and for entering and clearing out vessels in and for the Port of Philadelphia.

Resolved, That Alexander Power be, and he is hereby, appointed Quartermaster, in the room of Frederick Moli-neux, who hath resigned.

The Resolves of Congress, laid before the House this morning, were again read; and, after a debate of some length, referred to further consideration.

The House adjourned to ten o’clock to-morrow morning.

Thursday, June 6, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment.

A Petition of Joseph Brownlee, praying to be appointed to a Lieutenancy in Captain Irvin’s Company of Riflemen, in the room of Edward Thompson, was presented to the House, and read.

Ordered to lie on the table.

A Petition of John Hollenback, trader, respecting some goods taken from him in Northumberland County, and some abuses he received in the town of Sunbury, was presented to the House, and read.

Ordered to lie on the table.

The Petition from the Committee of Inspection of Westmoreland County, presented yesterday, was read a second time, and, upon consideration thereof,

Resolved, That the Company of men raised by Vann Sweringen, Esq, mentioned in the said Petition, be increased to the number of one hundred men, officers included, and kept in the pay of this Province.

The Committee appointed to draw up and bring in a draft of Instructions to the Delegates of this Province in Congress, reported an essay for that purpose; which was read by order, and referred to further consideration.

The Committee appointed to examine the works already made for the defence of this Colony, and inquire what other Fortifications are necessary, and the proper places for erecting the same, and for requesting the General Officers and Engineers of the Continental Army to afford them their advice and assistance therein, made a Report in writing; which was read by order, and follows in these words, viz:

We, the Committee appointed to attend the General Officers of the Continental Army, and other gentlemen of skill, on a survey of the shores of the river Delaware, in order to erect some further fortifications for the safety and defence of this Colony, beg leave to report:

That, pursuant to your order, we attended the said gentlemen, who surveyed the shores accurately as far as Billingsport, about eleven miles down the river, and who all concurred in the opinion that it was not advisable to lay out the publick money on works nearer the city than Fort-Island, but that it would be proper to complete the works there on the plan now fixed; and upon a view of the shore at Billingsport, on the Jersey side, they agreed in opinion that it was a strong and favourable post to erect a redoubt with proper faces; the ground being well adapted by nature, and the whole channel within a commanding distance.

They further recommend to your Committee the fixing a boom, or some other obstruction, in the passage; as, with a leading gale and a strong tide, a vessel may soon pass any fortification, however strong, unless prevented by a casual shot.

Your Committee are sorry to add, that the wind and tide being very strong against them, they were unable to prosecute the survey lower down the river, or to get to Chester; from whence they proposed to have come up by land, and viewed the ground between Chester and this city—a measure which they think highly necessary, and recommend to be adopted with all convenient expedition

THOMAS POTTS,
GEORGE GRAY,
GEORGE ROSS,
DAVID RITTENHOIJSE,
JOSEPH REED,
GEORGE CLYMER.

The House adjourned to three o’clock in the afternoon.

The House met pursuant to adjournment.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the conduct of the Committee of Safety, Sic, presented their report in writing to the House.

Upon motion, Ordered, That the Committee appointed by this House to inquire into the conduct of the Commanders of the Galleys in the service of this Colony, during the late engagements of the Galleys with the Roebuck and Liverpool men-of-war, on the 8th and 9th days of the last month; and that John Haney, James Gibbons, John Jacobs, Thomas Smith, and John Proctor, be added to the said Committee.

Upon motion, Resolved, That this House will, on Saturday next, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to take into consideration the state of this Province.

The House adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Friday, June 7, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment.

An Address and Remonstrance, signed by a number of inhabitants in Chester County, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth that they are informed a Paper has been presented to the House, styled “the Protest of divers Inhabitants of this Province, ” said to be in behalf of themselves and others; the purport of which is to subvert and change the Constitution of this Government. They therefore think it their duty to inform the House that they disapprove of the said Protest, the same being gone into without their consent or knowledge; and that they look upon such a change in Government to be of hurtful and dangerous consequences, and which they cannot consent to; but do earnestly desire that the Charter and good Constitution of this Province may be preserved inviolably.

Ordered to lie on the table.

A Memorial of several inhabitants of Northumberland County was presented to the House, and read, setting forth that their grievances, which they represented to the House at their last sitting, still remain unredressed, though they have made application according to the direction of the Assembly. They therefore pray the House to keep in memory their distresses, and grant them such relief as may be thought proper.

Ordered to lie on the table.

The House resumed the consideration of the Instructions to the Delegates of this Province in Congress; and, after a debate of a considerable length, adjourned to three o’clock in the afternoon.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and resumed the consideration of the Instructions to the Delegates of this Province in Congress; and, having made some progress therein, adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow morning.

Saturday, June 8, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment; and the Order of Thursday last being read,

Resolved, That this House will on Tuesday next resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to take into consideration the state of this Province.

The House resumed the consideration of the Instructions to the Delegates of this Province in Congress; which, being gone through, and approved of, were ordered to be transcribed.

A Member proposed to the House, and read in his place, a Resolution, as a further Instruction to the Delegates; which, being seconded, was postponed to Tuesday next for consideration.