Saturday afternoon, June 29, 1776.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: John Hating, Esq., President pro tem.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Gansevoort, Colonel Rensselaer.

FOR SUFFOLK.—Mr. Wickham, Mr. Tredwell.

FOR ULSTER.—Colonel Hasbrouck, Major Parks.

FOR DUTCHESS.—Mr. Schenck, Mr. De Lavergne, Colonel M. Graham.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Haring, Mr. Pye, Colonel Allison.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel L. Graham, Mr. Paulding.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR TRYON.—Mr. Moore, Mr. Harper.

FOR CHARLOTTE.—Mr. Webster.

FOR CUMBERLAND.—Colonel Marsh.

The Committee appointed to confer with General Washington relative to the stock on Long and Staten Islands, reported in the words following, to wit:

At a Conference of the General Officers of the Army, and a Committee from the honourable Provincial Congress of New-York, at Head-Quarters, June 28, 1776:

The. Committee attending, in consequence of a request from the General to the Congress that the stock of Cattle and Sheep should be removed from Long-Island and Staten-Island, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy; after much consideration, it was unanimously agreed:

That all the Cattle, Horses, and Sheep, on Staten-Island (except such as those hereafter mentioned) be removed with all expedition. But as some milch Cows and Horses are indispensably necessary for the subsistence of the inhabitants, it was agreed that two hundred Horses be left for the use of the inhabitants, no one person keeping more than two. That milch Cows be kept in the following proportions, and not to be exceeded, viz: three for a large family, two for a middling family, and one for a small family. No person to be permitted now to keep a Cow who has not done so for two months past. It was also further agreed, that in case the enemy should make a descent on Staten-Island, with an intention to seize the cattle or stock, in that case they be destroyed, and the owners to be compensated by the publick.

With respect to the Cattle, &c., on Long-Island, it was agreed that those in Queen’s and King’s Counties should be driven to the Bushy Plains, beyond the Ridge which runs from Hempstead Plains along the north side of Jamaica, and so on towards New-York Ferry, (milch Cows and Horses excepted as above;) and in all other respects the same regulations, in case of descent by the enemy, and the same compensation to be made.

The Members of this Congress from Richmond. County took extracts of such parts of said Report as related to their County, and obtained leave to go home and attend to the securing of the Stock.

Ordered, That Captain Theophylact Beekman have leave to speak to David Matthews, Esq., on private business, in the presence and hearing of William Paulding, Esquire, a member of this House.

A Return of the Officers chosen in the Second Company of the Third Battalion of Militia in Suffolk County, to wit: Edmund Howell First Lieutenant, Selah Reve Second Lieutenant, and James Wells Ensign, was read and filed.

Ordered, That Commissions issue to those gentlemen. And they were issued accordingly.

Mr. John Ramsay applied, through a Member, for the opinion and direction of Congress relative to a quantity of Flax which he has purchased for the purpose of employing the poor of this City, pursuant to an order of the Congress of this Colony, and which he has now in store in this City.

Thereupon, Resolved, as the opinion of this Congress, That Mr. John Ramsay ought, without delay, to remove out of this City, and cause to be conveyed to the store of P.& S. Schenck, at Poughkeepsie, all the Flax which he has purchased on account of, and by order of, the Congress of this Colony, except such part thereof as may be required for the immediate employment of such of the poor inhabitants of this City as are still remaining therein; that such of the said Flax as shall be sent to the said store at Poughkeepsie be delivered to the care of Messrs. P. & J. Schenck, subject, however, to the direction and order of Mr. Ramsay, who is authorized and empowered to order back to this City, or elsewhere in this Colony, such quantities thereof for the purpose of getting the same manufactured.

Mr. Jay asked for, and obtained leave to go to Elizabeth town, and is to return on Monday morning.

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

Saturday afternoon, New-York, June 29, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: At a conference held yesterday between General Washington, with the other General Officers, and a Committee for the purpose appointed by this Congress, it was agreed and determined that the stock be immediately removed from Staten-Island to New-Jersey. As the inhabitants of the Island will require aid herein, and our troops will, in all probability, be necessarily engaged in other business, we doubt not the readiness of your Committee (which you have so fully shown on former occasions) in giving them every assistance in your power, as well in removing said stock as in providing proper places for their reception.

We are, very respectfully, gentlemen, your most obedient servants.

To the Committee of Elizabethtown.

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

Whereas it has been represented to this Congress that Lead will speedily be wanted for the use of the Army in the defence of this City and Colony:

Therefore, Resolved, That Messrs. DanielDunscomb and Samuel Prince be requested and authorized, and they are, and each of them is, respectively, hereby authorized and empowered and requested to take to their assistance such persons as they may think proper, and forthwith to cause all the Lead of the windows in this City, and also all the leaden weights, (except such small weights as are in use in the course of trade,) to be collected and delivered to Peter T. Curte-nius, Esq., for the use of this Colony, taking his receipt for the same; that a particular account be kept of the Lead taken out of each house, in order that the respective proprietors may receive compensation for the same.

20 cutlasses; 20 spears; 70 rounds of powder for each gun, with a proportion of ball. Stewart Deane, Master; John Haster, first Mate; John Smedran, second Mate; 20 men to be shipped at New-London.

The warlike stores of the Brigantine Enterprise, with the names o the Officers, viz: 10 carriage-guns, four pounds; 12 blunderbusses; 20 cutlasses; 20 spears; 7 rounds of powder, with ball. Joseph Dwight, Commander; Moses Lynn, Mate; Harman Courter, second Mate; John Merrit, Carpenter; John Thompson, Gunner; Robert Mercer, Boatswain; 20 men.

GENTLEMEN: I do hereby request a Commission as a letter of marque or the above Brigantine.

JOSEPH DWIGHT.

June 29, 1776.

To the Honourable Congress of New-York.

Know all men by these presents, That we, Stewart Deane, of the City of New-York, Mariner, James A. Stewart, of the said City, Merchant, and Isaac Sears, of the said City, Merchant, are held and firmly bound to John Hancock, Esq., President of the Congress of the United Colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North- Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, in the sum of five thousand dollars, to be paid to the said John Hancock, or his certain attorney, executors, administrators, or assigns, in trust for the use of the said United Colonies. To which payment well and truly to be done, we do bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals. Dated the 29th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1776.

The condition of this obligation is such, That if the above bounden Stewart Deane, who is Commander of the Sloop called the Beaver, belonging to James A. Stewart & Company, of the City of New-York, in the Colony of New-York, mounting six carriage-guns, and navigated by twenty-five men, and who hath applied for a commission or letters of marque and reprisal, to arm, equip, and set forth to sea the said sloop as a private ship of war, and to make captures of British vessels and cargoes, shall not exceed or transgress the powers and authorities which shall be contained in the said commission, but shall in all things observe and conduct himself, and govern his crew, by and according to the same, and certain instructions therewith to be delivered, and such other instructions as may hereafter be given to him, and shall make reparation for all damages sustained by any misconduct or unwarrantable proceedings of himself, or the officers or crew of the said Sloop Beaver; then this obligation shall be void, or else remain in force.

Sealed and delivered in the presence of us; the words, “in the sum of five thousand dollars,” in the obligation, interlined.

(Similar Bond given for the Brigantine Enterprise, Joseph Dwight Commander.)