A Letter from Brigadier-General Nathanael Greene, dated in Camp on Long-Island, this day, was received and filed.* He therein requests that his brother, Jacob Greene, be permitted to be inoculated for the Small-Pox; and, also, that the said Jacob have permission to purchase some Guns suitable for a Privateer.

Ordered, That Philip Livingston, Esq., delay his return to the Continental Congress, and attend the business of this Congress until further order.

Ordered, That Mr. Philip Livingston be, and he is hereby, appointed a Member of the Committee constituted by this Congress for the hearing and trial of disaffected persons, and persons of equivocal character, according to the Resolution of this Congress of the 5th of June instant.

Ordered, That the administration of the Oath to be taken by the Members of the Committee above-mentioned, be postponed until this afternoon.

Resolved, That the Publick Records of this Colony, now at the house of Nicholas Bayard, Esq., be forthwith removed to Kingston, in Ulster County.

That Samuel Bayard, Esq., the Deputy Secretary, be ordered and requested to go and remain with the said Records, and continue to exercise his office till the further order of this House.

That Dirck Wynkoop, Esq., Colonel Abraham Hasbrouck, Joseph Gusherie, and Christopher Tappan, be, and they are hereby, authorized and directed to provide a proper place for the said Records, and proper accommodations for the said Deputy Secretary.

That they have the general superintendence of the said Records, and by guards, or otherwise, provide for their safety and security.

That the said Deputy Secretary leave the Seal of the Supreme Court with a Deputy or one of his Clerks, and direct him to seal Writs and do the common and ordinary business of the said Court.

That Mr. Robert Benson, together with Mr. Bayard, have the direction of the removal of the said Records on board of a Sloop provided by Mr. James Beekman.

And that Mr. Beekman, with Mr. Bayard, take care of them during the passage, and see them safely landed at Kingston, and committed to the direction of the aforesaid Dirck Wynkoop, Esq., Colonel Abraham Hasbrouck, Joseph Gusherie, and Christopher Tappan.

Ordered, That if any persons committed to any Jail in this Colony by order of this House, or any Committee thereof authorized to make such commitment, or any of the County Commissioners, escape from the custody of the Jailer, by design or negligence of the said Jailer or Jailers to whom they may respectively be committed, the said Jailer or Jailers shall receive the treatment due to the offences whereof the persons so escaping stood charged.

And to the end that the said Jailer may have all necessary assistance in securing their said Prisoners,

Resolved, That the County Committees of the several Counties be, and they are hereby, authorized and required to inspect and cause the Jails in the several and respective Counties to be made safe and secure, and that this Congress will pay the expense thereof, and charge it to the account of said County.

Ordered, That the foregoing Resolution be published.

On motion of Mr. Jay,

Ordered, That Colonel Brasher and Mr. Van Zandt, the Committee to whom was referred the Petition of Mangle Minturn, report thereon this afternoon.

The Petition of Azor Betts, confined in the new Jail for contravening a Resolution of this Congress by inoculating some Officers with the Small-Pox, praying to be discharged, was read.*

*CAMP ON LONG-ISLAND, June 14, 1776.

SIR: I have a brother here from Rhode-Island, (Mr. Jacob Greene,) that has an inclination to have the small-pox by inoculation. He is much exposed often in the execution of the publick business. He purposes to go upon the Hospital Island, and there be inoculated, and stay till he is properly cleansed. If the Congress can grant him this favour without injuring the publick, shall esteem it a peculiar kindness.

My brother also wants to purchase a few small cannon for a privateer. He begs the Congress permission for the same. The proprietors of the cannon think it necessary to obtain your consent before they dispose of them, notwithstanding they are private property. You will be kind enough to favour me with the resolution of the Congress upon the above requests, which will oblige your most obedient humble servant,

NATHANAEL GREENE.

To N. Woodhull, Esq., President of the Congress.

Ordered, That it lay on the table.

Ordered, That the Officer commanding the Guard at the City-Hall be requested to permit George Youngs to speak to his sons in custody this afternoon, but only in the presence and hearing of the Officers of the Guard, at such time as it may be convenient to the Officer.

A Letter from John W. Livingston, confined in Jail, declaring his willingness to comply with the Resolve of Congress, and praying to be discharged, was read and filed.†

Also a Letter from Renter Van Hoese, imprisoned in the City-Hall, and praying to be liberated, was read.‡

Ordered, That the said Letters be referred to a Committee to consist of Mr. Gansevoort and Mr. Lawrence.

Mr. Hallett, from the Committee appointed to call on Colonel Trumbull, Commissary-General, reports: That the said Committee waited on Colonel Trumbull, who informed them that no person was authorized to receive the Pork in question or pay for it; that therefore the holders sold it.

Mr. Abraham Livingston, being called in and examined, says: That on being consulted by Colonel Trumbull relative to the article of Pork, he informed Mr. Trumbull that there was, in his opinion, considerable quantities on Long-Island; that he thought, and was confident in his own mind, that the reason why it was not disposed of, was from a dislike many persons here had to receiving Continental money, added to a desire of serving the British Fleet and Army; that those persons, he believes, chiefly reside in Queen’s and Suffolk Counties.

Mr. Livingston further informed the Congress that he has reason to believe there is at least sixty head of horned fat Cattle on Sandy-Hook, and about one hundred more at or near the Neversinks—the whole of which he supposes to be the property of Messrs. Hartshorn.

Ordered, That Mr. Livingston’s information relative to the Cattle on Sandy-Hook and the Neversinks, be communicated to the Congress of New-Jersey and General Washington.

* To the Honourable Provincial Congress of the Province of NEW-YORK, now sitting in the City of NEW-YORK.

The Petition of AZOR BETTS most humbly showeth:

That your Petitioner hath been for some time past confined in the new Jail of the City of New-York.

That the cause of his confinement is, that he hath violated a resolve of the honourable Provincial Congress, he having inoculated some officers in the service of this country.

That your Petitioner meant not to injure those gentlemen who were inoculated, nor to show any contempt to your worshipful House, but ardently wished to render his best services to those who had the command in relieving them from those fears which people in general have who are subject to that disorder.

That your Petitioner is extremely sorry for the offence he hath given his countrymen, and your honourable body in particular, and prays that he may be released from his confinement, and suffered to go at large. And your Petitioner doth hereby promise and engage that he will not for the future, by word or deed, counteract the orders of your honourable House.

And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

To the Chairman of the Provincial Congress of the City of New-York.

†NEW JAIL, June 14, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I am ready to comply with the orders of your House, and beg to be released from my imprisonment.

I am, gentlemen, your very humble servant,

JOHN WM. LIVINGSTON.

To the Provincial Congress.

‡NEW CITY-HALL, June 14, 1776.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HONOURABLE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK: SIRS: These are to inform you that I have been confined here a great while—the space of five months almost. I am in a sickly state of health at present, and just heard from my family that my wife is in a very melancholy state likewise, and should be willing to give any satisfaction in this life to have the liberty to return to my family with your Honours’ leave. Sirs, if I understand the crime alleged against me, it is for being on board of his Majesty’s ship Ross, which is true. I was pressed on board in Rhode-Island, and went down to Boston, and upon my return to Nantucket I made my escape from them, and have been with my family since, till I was taken and put in jail; and now, gentlemen, I must beg that you will discharge me if you can see it in your way, and I shall take leave to subscribe myself your humble servant,

RYNER VAN HOESE.

P. S. GENTLEMEN: It was some time in February that I was in Boston, in 1775, and I did not know that I was committing a crime worthy of four or five months’ imprisonment at that time; and now, gentlemen, I beg with submission that you will let me go home to my family once more while I am alive, for I am afraid that I shall not continue a great while in this place.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress.