necessary for the troops now in your County, with as much despatch as possible.     I am, &c.    By order.

To William Smith, Esq.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, signed by the President, and transmitted.

A Letter from Alexander Moncrief, Keeper of the Congress Jail, was read. He therein informs Congress that his bad state of health renders him incapable of executing the office of Jailer any longer; therefore prays to be discharged from his said office, and recommends Daniel Goldsmith to succeed him.

Thereupon, Agreed and Ordered, That Daniel Goldsmith be, and he is hereby, appointed Keeper of the Jail set apart for the reception and confinement of all such persons as shall, or may from time to time, be committed to close custody by order of this Congress, their Committee of Safety, or of the General Committee of the City and County of New-York; that the said Mr. Goldsmith keep no Prisoners in his custody at the expense of this Colony (as to Provisions) but such as shall be committed by order as aforesaid; and that Mr. Goldsmith be allowed at the rate of four Pounds per month for his services while employed as Jailer as aforesaid.

It being suggested in Congress that there is an absolute necessity of imposing some penalty on persons convicted of violating the Resolution of the Provincial Congress prohibiting the practice of inoculating for the Small-Pox in this Colony till the further order of Congress,

Ordered, That Mr. Ten Broeck, Mr. Van Cortlandt, and Mr. Livingston, be a Committee to prepare some Resolutions imposing a penalty on persons who shall presume to inoculate for the Small-Pox in this Colony, and that they report the same with all convenient speed.

A Petition of Charles Loosly and Thomas Elms, Paper-Makers, praying to be exempted from military duty.

Ordered to lie on the table.

John Moore, the person sent by the Committee of Newtown to this Congress under guard, for suffering a Flag in imitation of a Royal standard to be hoisted on his land, requesting permission to return home on his parole :

Ordered, That he be permitted to return home on his promise parole to attend this Congress whenever he shall be summoned to appear.

Colonel Malcom brought into Congress a Draft containing the soundings of the depth of water between Red-Hook and Bedlow’s Island.

Ordered, That Mr. Morris, Mr. Randall, and Colonel Malcolm, be a Committee to take the same into consideration, and report their opinion thereon as soon as possible.

Die Jovis, 9 ho. A. M., May 30, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Colonel Broome, Mr. Sands, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Jay, Mr. Randall, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Scott.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr.Ten Broeck, Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Glenn.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Haring, Mr. Little.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Covenhoven.

FOR ULSTER.—Mr. Cantine, Colonel Hasbrouck.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Morris, Mr. Paulding, Mr. Tompkins, Mr. Haviland.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Journey, Mr. Cortelyou.

FOR SUFFOLK.—Gen. Woodhull, Mr. Wickham, Mr.Gelston.

FOR DUTCHESS.—Mr. De Lavergne, Mr. Livingston, Major H. Schenck.

FOR QUEEN’S.—Mr. Smith, Colonel Blackwell, Mr. Samuel Townshend, Mr. James Townshend, Captain Lawrence.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Harper.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Mr. Webster, Colonel Malcom.

Colonel Hasbrouck, from the Committee appointed to take into consideration the Letter from Captain Petrus Schoonmaker, complaining that the Committee have done him injustice in settling the rank of the Companies in Colonel Pawling’s Regiment, in Ulster County, reported as their opinion, that a Letter be written to the County Committee, directing them to settle the arrangements of said Regiment with Captain Schoonmaker; and if he is dissatisfied with such arrangement, that they give orders to the Company commanded by the said Petrus Schoonmaker to elect other Officers in the room and stead of such Officers who refuse to serve, and that their names be transmitted, to be commissioned without delay.

The said Report being read, was approved.

A draft of a Letter to the Committee of Ulster County, agreeable to the said Report, was read and approved.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be signed by the President, and transmitted.

A Letter from General Putnam was read. He informs Congress that the ladies visit the Tory gentry confined in Jail, and that some bad fellows daily visit women of the same character in Jail; and refers the matter to the consideration of the Congress.

Ordered to lie on the table for further consideration.

The Petition of Amos Bull was read. He prays to be heard and tried before this Congress for the charges of supplying, or aiding others in supplying, the Ships-of-War with Provisions, of which he is entirely innocent.

Ordered to be referred to the Committee appointed to examine and take examinations of persons committed to custody by order of Congress, who are directed to report thereon without delay.

The Congress were informed by a Member that one Mr. Latham was unmercifully fired at and wounded by a Continental of Colonel McDougall’s Regiment.

Ordered, That Mr. Gelston and Mr. Schenck be a Committee to make inquiry into this matter, take the necessary examinations, and make report thereon to this House.

The Memorial of Samuel Louden (presented to the Committee of Safety of the late Congress) against Christopher Duyckinck and others, for entering his house without any authority, and burning and destroying printed copies of the Pamphlet entitled “The Deceiver Unmasked,” with his remarks on the subject, were read.

Ordered, That the Memorial of Samuel Louden be taken into consideration on Tuesday next, and that the Doorkeeper summon Samuel Louden to attend with his witnesses on that day, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, and that the Doorkeeper also summon Christopher Duyckinck, John Gilbert, Thomas Pratt, John Buchanan, the Innkeeper, Brower, the Carpenter,———Bicker, now or late an Officer, and Malcolm McEwen, Pewterer, to attend this Congress at the same time, to answer to the charge of entering the house of the said Samuel Louden, unwarrantably, and without proper authority, destroying a number of Pamphlets, as the same is set forth more particularly in the said Memorial.

The Congress, taking into consideration the dangers to which this City and Colony will be exposed should the Ministerial Troops speedily arrive,

Resolved, That two Battalions be taken into the service and pay of this Colony for three months.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to take into consideration, and report to this Congress their opinion of the number of which the said Battalion shall consist, what pay shall be given them, whence they shall be procured, and by what regulations governed, together with such other matters relative to the same as they may think proper and necessary.

And Ordered, That Mr. James Livingston, Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Jay, Mr. Morris, and Mr. Samuel Townshend, be the Committee.

A Petition from the Vestrymen of the City and County of New-York, setting forth the distresses which must unavoidably attend the poor of the said City and County for want of money in the hands of the Church-Wardens to defray the expenses attending the maintenance of the City Alms-House, and praying the loan of five thousand Pounds for that purpose, was read and filed.

Ordered, That Mr. Scott, Mr. Rutgers, Mr. Beekman, and Mr. Paulding, be a Committee to take the said Petition into consideration, and inquire into the state of the Corporation funds.

A Letter from Mr. Beck, confined in Jail by order of the General Committee for supplying our enemies, referred to the Committee appointed to take examinations and try persons charged with offences.

Mrs. Youngs, wife of one of the Prisoners confined for counterfeiting Continental money, attending, prays that she may be permitted to visit her husband.