Thereupon, Ordered, That the Officers of the Guard appointed to guard the Prisoners charged with counterfeiting the Continental money be authorized and requested to permit the wives of those Prisoners to visit and converse with their husbands in the presence and hearing of the Officer of the said Guard till further order.

Messrs. Samuel and James Townshend, Deputies from Queen’s County, were sworn to the general oath of secrecy.

An Information, signed by Aaron Stockholm, Samuel Prince, John Bogart, and Thomas Gardner, referred to this Congress by the General Committee of the City of New-York, charging Peter McLean, Samuel Galsworthy, Francis Delaroche, and a young man in military clothing of their acquaintance, with uttering sentiments highly inimical and dangerous to the cause of America, was read and filed.

Ordered, That their names be added to dangerous disaffected persons to be apprehended.

The Affidavit of Amasa Mills, Ebenezer Sumner, Henry Champion, and Robert Warner, and the substance of the Affidavit of Samuel Richards, Ensign of Captain Mills’s Company, charging Amos Bull with expressions inimical to the Colonies, both dated 30th May, were read. Referred to the Committee of Examination and Inquiry.

Mr. Smith and Mr. Haviland have leave of absence, their Counties being fully represented.

Die Veneris, 9 ho. A. M., May 31, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Bancker, Major Van Zandt, Mr. Randall, Colonel Stoutenburgh, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Scott.

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

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Haring, Mr. Van Houten, Mr. Little.

FOR ULSTER.—Colonel Hasbrouck, Major Parks.

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

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

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

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

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Harper.

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

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Mr. Webster, Colonel Malcom.

A draft of a Letter to the County Committee of Ulster County was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

GENTLEMEN: The Deputies from your County have produced to this Congress two credentials signed by your Chairman, bearing the same date, but contradicting each other as to the powers given to your Deputies for the election of Continental Delegates. Although this Congress is fully authorized to elect Delegates at their pleasure, even if your County should not join in the choice, but remain represented there, yet Congress would choose to be informed how far the good people of your County have authorized, or intended to authorize, their Deputies to join in such election of Delegates if it should take place, and by what means returns so very different in themselves have been made, and to have a true state of the proceedings of your Committee on that subject.

Copies of your different Returns, and of the order of this Congress thereon, are herewith enclosed for your examination. We are, gentlemen, your very humble servants.

By order.

To the Chairman and Members of the County Committee, Ulster County.

One of the Members informed the Congress that some of Captain Hamilton’s Company of Artillery are deserted, and he sees some reasons to suspect that they are on board of the Continental ship or vessel in this harbour under the command of Captain Kennedy.

Ordered, That Captain Alexander Hamilton, or any or either of his Officers, be, and they are hereby, authorized to go on board any ship or vessel in this harbour, and take with them such guard as may be necessary, and that they make strict search for any men which may have deserted from Captain Hamilton’s Company.

It was suggested to the Congress by the President, that Mr. Nathaniel Williams has hopes that some discoveries may be made of a large sum of money which he has lost, if Mr. John Carpenter could be permitted to have a private conference with Isaac Ketcham, now a Prisoner in the City-Hall.

Ordered, That the Officer commanding that Guard be desired to permit Mr. John Carpenter to have a private conference with the said Isaac Ketcham, either in the room where the Prisoners now are, or any other room in the City-Hall. That the Officer place one or more Sentries at the door of the room where Mr. Carpenter and the said Prisoner may go to confer while they are together. And the Officer of the Guard is requested to keep the substance of this order and its design a secret from the Guard.

Mr. Van Houten, one of the Deputies from Orange County, attending and having taken his seat, came up to the Chair and took the general oath of secrecy, which has been administered to the other Members.

Ordered, That Mr. Norwood, the Commissary of Colony-Stores, deliver to Colonel Ritzema, or his Order, all the Muskets or Fire-locks fit for use, which now are or may come into the Store for the course of three weeks from last Monday, the Arms collected in King’s County excepted.

A Return from John Jackson, Chairman of the Committee of Goshen Precinct, dated the 28th instant, was read and filed. It is thereby returned that the following persons are elected Officers of the Company in Colonel Hawthorn’s Regiment, called the Pond Company, viz: Peter Bertolf Captain, John De Bow First Lieutenant, Anthony Finn Second Lieutenant, Joseph Jewell Ensign.

And that the said Election was made in the presence of Henry Wisner and John Minthorne, two Members of the Committee of Goshen Precinct.

It is further thereby returned, that a new Company is formed in Goshen Precinct, and added to that Regiment, by the name of the Stirling Company. And that the following gentlemen were elected Officers of that Company in the presence of Henry Wisner and Nathaniel Ketchum, two Members of the Committee, viz: John Norman Captain, Solomon Finch First Lieutenant, William Fitzgerald Second Lieutenant, and Elisha Bennet Ensign.

Ordered, That Commissions issue for those eight gentlemen as Officers of those two Companies in the rank to which they have been respectively elected.

And they were issued accordingly.

Mr. Gelston reported that the Committee appointed for that purpose had obtained the Affidavits of———Latham and two other persons; that the said Latham was shot and wounded by a Sentinel on one of the wharves of this City in coming in in the night with his vessel, though he endeavoured to comply with the demands of the said Sentinel.

The said Affidavits were read.

Ordered, That Mr. Gelston and———wait on General Putnam with the said Affidavits, and deliver the Affidavits to the General.

Mr. Ten Broeck informed the Congress that, by reason of many changes and resignations of the Officers in the Regiments of Militia in the County of Albany, many new Commissions for Officers are wanted in that County; and moved that one hundred blank Commissions be sent to the County Committee of Albany, to supply vacancies.

Several other gentlemen moved for Commissions to be sent to their respective County Committees.

Ordered, That seventy blank Commissions be sent to the Committee of the County of Albany. That blank Commissions be also sent to the County Committee of any other County represented in the Congress, on request made by the Members from any such County; the County Committee of every such County to be accountable for the number of blank Commissions which may be sent to them, and from time to time to make true and perfect returns to this Congress of all such Commissions as shall be issued by such Committee, with the times of elections, the names of the Committee-men presiding therein, the names and rank of the respective Officers, with the dates of their Commissions, and in what Regiment appointed.

Mr. Haring and Mr. Tompkins respectively obtained leave of absence.

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