the utmost harmony between this and the Province you represent; and you may be assured nothing shall be wanting on our part to restore and effect the same.

“Your candour in imputing the intrusion of a number of our people into your capital (in the manner they did) to an imprudent, though well-intended, zeal for the publick cause, gives me real pleasure, and can give you the strongest assurance that this Colony by no means approve their conduct; yet a severe censure at this time upon them, in this unhappy and enervated state of Government, might be attended with such inconveniences as you will readily apprehend, and would be needless for me to point out, and which, I dare say, will suggest to you at once a satisfactory excuse for our not taking such measures as might have been expected in times of peace and quiet, though, in such happy seasons, the proper resort for the private injury must have been to the courts of law, which are the only jurisdiction who can legally take notice of violences of this kind. As to the pub-lick insult, you candidly extenuate by saying that it was noonday, not in the darkness of night, which would be accompanied with terror, though we by no means approve or justify the people of this Colony taking any part therein; but the same candour you have expressed in your letter, I presume, will induce you to view the matter, so far as it respects this Colony, or any of our people being concerned therein, in a still more favourable light, when you reflect that the head or leader of the whole transaction was a respectable member of your City and Congress, whom we consider as the proper person to whom the whole transaction is imputable, and who belongs and is amenable to your jurisdiction alone, and therefore the affair cannot be considered as an intrusion of our people into your Province, but as a violence or disorder happening among yourselves, and not an intrusion from another Colony; and you have the power to compel the gentleman we point out to return and restore that property which was taken away by such methods as you think most proper. Care was taken that the person of Mr. Seabury, who was brought into this Colony, was released and set at liberty.

“Your desire signified to us to prevent any of the people of this Colony from entering into yours for the like purposes, unless invited by your Provincial Congress or Committees, we esteem very reasonable, and you may rely upon it we do and shall discountenance and endeavour to prevent any such like incursions.

“The approbation you express, in your other letter of the same date, of our people on request affording you their assistance in Westchester County, and which came to hand at the same time, gives us much pleasure, and shall be ready at all times to afford every friendly aid.

“We hope what is said on the subject of your letter will prove satisfactory, both as to the matter and the occasion of delay in not sooner giving you an answer; and we hope every jealousy may be removed, and that the most friendly harmony and intercourse may be renewed and kept up between this Assembly and your Provincial Congress, and with whom we sincerely wish to hold the most free and amicable correspondence, especially at this time of common danger and oppression; and am, with esteem and regard, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

“JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

“To the Honourable Nathaniel Woodhull.”

Ordered, That Mr. Sands and Captain Denning be a Committee to wait on General Washington, and ascertain whether he will have further occasion for the attendance of five Commissioners now at the posts in the Highlands; and also, whether the Company of Minute-men, from Orange County Militia, now at those Fortifications, may not be discharged.

And whereas it is represented to this Congress that the men of Colonel Ritzema’s Regiment cannot procure their pay, and that they are mutinous for want of it:

Therefore, Ordered, That Captain Denning and Mr. Sands be a Committee to call on Colonel Ritzema to know why his men are not paid.

Four Fishermen were, by request, admitted. They stated that they have permission from the people of Islin, in Suffolk County, to fish in their Bay; but that the people of Huntington hinder them from bringing their fish down the Bay, or crossing towards New-York. The President, therefore, advised the said Fishermen to procure certificates from Queen’s County Committee, which would protect them from any further interruption.

A Petition of Mangle Minthorne, who was advertised, praying to be restored, * was read:

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to Alderman Brasher and Mr. Peter P. Van Zandt.

On request of Colonel McDougall,

Resolved, That Mr. Israel Evans be, and he is hereby, appointed Chaplain to Colonel McDougall’s and Colonel Ritzema’s Regiments.

Resolved, That if Mr. William Tapp shall inlist twenty men in twenty days for Captain Van Wyck’s Company, he shall thereupon be entitled to and receive the appointment of Second Lieutenant.

Colonel McDougall produced to Congress an Order of the General, that Recruiting Officers should have l 1/3 Dollar for recruiting fees, and requested to know whether this Congress will grant a like allowance to the Officers of his Regiment, and direct the Auditor accordingly.

Colonel McDougall also made a Report of the First Regiment of Troops raised in this Colony for the Continental service under his command; which was read and filed.

Ordered, That Mr. Jay and Mr. Hobart be, and they are hereby, appointed two of the Members of the Committee appointed by this Congress to execute certain Resolutions of this Congress of the 5th instant, relative to persons dangerous and disaffected to the American cause, and to persons of equivocal character; and that Colonel Remsen, whose necessary attention to the affairs of his Battalion engrosses the greater part of his time, be discharged from the said Committee.

And it is further Ordered, That all the Members of the said Committee do attend this Congress to-morrow morning, and take the oaths in and by the said Resolution prescribed.

A sub-Committee from the Committee of the City and County of New-York, attending, requesting permission to inspect the Minutes of Congress: †

Ordered, That Mr. McKesson furnish the said sub-Committee with an abstract of the information they require.

A Letter from his Excellency General Washington was received and read, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Head-Quarters, June 13, 1776.

“SIR: I am informed that a number of persons on Long-Island (by character not the most friendly to the cause of the United Colonies) have in their hands considerable quantities of pork and other provisions, which they refuse to part with for Continental bills. They may have other reasons for their conduct still more detrimental; and therefore I must beg the interposition of your Congress in this matter, so as to prevent the evils which are much to be apprehended.

* To the Provincial Congress in the Province of NEW-YORK.

The Memorial of MANGLE MINTHORNE humbly showeth:

That some short time before the publication of a Resolve of the Continental Congress, regulating, among other articles, the price of Bohea tea, and fixing the same at six shillings the pound, he purchased a quantity of Bohea tea of Captain Deal; that the said tea cost him more than the price affixed as aforesaid by the Continental Congress; that said Minthorne has sold the said tea at a higher price (since the publication of the resolve of the Continental Congress, which took away the power from the several respective Committees of regulating any articles except green tea) than was stipulated by said Congress; that in so doing ho looked upon himself as only acting similarly to others, and not the leas-degree inimical to his country; that he professes the highest respect for the Continental Congress; and as he has, by the Committee of this City, been advertised in the publick Gazette as an enemy to this country for selling said tea as aforesaid, (a stigma which he would ever wish to avoid,) he hereby declares that he is sorry for the same; that he did it ignorantly; and that he humbly hopes this Congress will, by reinstating him in the good opinion of his fellow-citizens, put it once more in his power to convince them how much he is a friend to the liberties and privileges of America.

MANGLE MINTHORNE.

† IN COMMITTEE-CHAMBER, NEW-YORK, June 13, 1776.

The General Committee for this City and County request the favour of the honourable Provincial Congress to permit them a sight of their Minute-Book or Journal since the second Tuesday in May last, which shall be safely returned in a few minutes. The Congress, if necessary, will be pleased to send the same by a messenger from their own body, who will have it in his power to prevent the Committee from seeing such Minutes as the Congress may think proper to conceal.

By order of the Committee:

ROBERT HARPUR, Deputy Chairman.

To the Hon. the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New-York.