Die Veneris, 4 ho. P. M., May 31, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Scott, Mr. Jay, Colonel Stoutenburgh, Mr. Peter Van Zandt, Colonel Broome, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Van Cortlandt.

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

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

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

FOR ULSTER.—Colonel Hasbrouck, Major Parks.

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

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Harper.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Mr. Webster.

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

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

FOR QUEEN’S.—Mr. Samuel Townshend, Mr. James Townshend, Captain Lawrence, Mr. Van Wyck.

General Putnam’s Aid-de-Camp returned to the President the several Affidavits relative to Mr. Hubbard Latham, who was fired at and wounded by a Sentinel on the wharf, which which were sent to him this morning.

The President informed the Congress that the said Aid-de-Camp informed him that the Sentinel is committed to the main guard; and that the General refers the matter to Congress whether the criminal shall be tried by a Court-Martial or by the civil authority.

Thereupon, Resolved, That the Courts of Judicature in this Colony being as yet held by authority derived from the Crown of Great Britain, are, for that reason, incompetent to the full and impartial trial of the said Sentinel for the offence wherewith he stands charged; and therefore that he must, of necessity, be tried by a Court-Martial only.

Ordered, That one of the Secretaries wait on General Putnam with a copy of the foregoing Entry and Resolution, and return to the General the Affidavits therein mentioned.

Mr. Scott, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Haring, the Committee to whom was referred the Report accepted on the 27th, with instructions to frame the same into Resolutions to be published, reported said Resolutions: which, being considered, were adopted, in the words following:

Whereas the present Government of this Colony, by Congress and Committees, was instituted while the former Government, under the Crown of Great Britain, existed in full force, and was established for the sole purpose of opposing the usurpation of the British Parliament, and was intended to expire on a reconciliation with Great Britain, which it was then apprehended would soon take place, but is now considered as remote and uncertain:

And whereas many and great inconveniences attend the said mode of Government by Congress and Committees, as of necessity, in many instances, Legislative, Judicial and Executive powers have been vested therein, especially since the dissolution of the form of Government by the abdication of the late Governour, and the exclusion of this Colony from the protection of the King of Great Britain:

And whereas the Continental Congress did resolve as follows, to wit.:

“Whereas his Britannick Majesty, in conjunction with the Lords and Commons of Great Britain, has, by a late act of Parliament, excluded the inhabitants of these United Colonies from the protection of the Crown; and whereas no answer whatever to the humble Petition of the Colonies for redress of grievances and reconciliation with Great Britain has been, or is likely to be given, but the whole force of that Kingdom, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be exerted for the destruction of the good people of these Colonies; and whereas it appears absolutely irreconcilable to reason and good conscience for the people of these Colonies now to take the oaths and affirmations necessary for the support of any Government under the Crown of Great Britain, and it is necessary that the exercise of every kind of authority under the said Crown should be totally suppressed, and all the powers of Government exerted under the authority of the people of the Colonies, for the preservation of internal peace, virtue, and good order, as well as for the defence of our lives, liberties, and properties, against the hostile invasions and cruel depredations of our enemies: Therefore,

“Resolved, That it be recommended to the respective Assemblies and Conventions of the United Colonies where no Government sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs has been hitherto established, to adopt such Government as shall, in the opinion of the Representatives of the People, test conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general.”

And whereas doubts have arisen whether this Congress are invested with sufficient power and authority to deliberate and determine on so important a subject as the necessity of erecting and constituting a new form of Government and internal police, to the exclusion of all foreign jurisdiction and dominion and control whatever: And whereas it appertains of right solely to the people of this Colony to determine the said doubts: Therefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Electors in the several Counties of this Colony, by election, in the manner and form prescribed for the election of the present Congress, either to authorize (in addition to the powers vested in this Congress) their present Deputies, or others in the stead of their present Deputies, or either of them, to take into consideration the necessity and propriety of instituting such new Government as in and by the said Resolution of the Continental Congress is described and recommended; and if the majority of the Counties, by their Deputies in Provincial Congress, shall be of opinion that such new Government ought to be instituted and established, then to institute and establish such a Government as they shall deem best calculated to secure the rights, liberties, and happiness, of the good people of this Colony, and to continue in force until a future peace with Great Britain shall render the same unnecessary.

And Resolved, That the said Elections in the several Counties ought to be had on such day, and at such place or places as by the Committee of each County respectively shall be determined; and it is recommended to the said Committees to fix such early days for the said Election as that all the Deputies to be elected have sufficient time to repair to the City of New- York by the second Monday in July next; on which day all the said Deputies ought punctually to give their attendance.

And whereas the object of the aforegoing Resolutions is of the utmost importance to the good people of this Colony:

Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby, earnestly recommended to the Committees, freeholders, and other elector, in the different Counties in this Colony, diligently to carry the same into execution.

Ordered, That the aforegoing Resolutions be published in all publick Newspapers in this Colony, and in handbills, to be distributed in the Counties.*

Die Saturni, 9 ho. A. M., June 1, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Brigadier-General Woodhull, President.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Jay, Colonel Broome, Mr. Randall, Colonel Stoutenburgh, Mr. Denning, Mr. Bancker.

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

FOR ULSTER.—Colonel Hasbrouck, Major Parks.

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

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

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

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Harper.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Mr. Webster.

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

FOR DUTCHESS.—Mr. P. Schenck, Mr. De Lavergne, Mr. Livingston.

FOR QUEEN’S.—Colonel Blackwell, Mr. Samuel Townshend, Mr. James Townshend, Mr. Van Wyck.

A Letter from Thomas Hicks, Esq., lately elected one of the Deputies of Queen’s County, and dated the 28th of May, was read, and filed. † Mr. Hicks therein shows, for

*NEW-YORK, June 20, 1776.—Yesterday, agreeable to a Resolve of the Provincial Congress, of the 31st of March last, were elected for this City and County, the following gentlemen to serve in Congress the ensuing year, with the additional power of forming a new Government for this Colony. They, with the Deputies for the other Counties, are to meet in Congress here on the second Monday in July next.

† LITTLE-NECK, May 21, 1776.

SIR : I received yesterday an extract from the Minutes of the Congress, by which I am ordered to attend and take my seat, or show the cause of my neglect. The ill state of my health, sir, and the extreme weakness of my constitution, render me utterly incapable of performing