respecting the removal of the Stock on the sea-coast, &c.; read, and ordered a second reading.

John Carey, Esq., and Mr. Ephraim Lloyd, from the County of Salem, presented a Remonstrance to this Convention (being duly authorized for that purpose) against the Resolution which passed this House the 15th day of July last, directing that the election in that County be by ballot, and that it be held at the Court-House in the Town of Salem, without removing from place to place, &c., and requesting that the said Resolution be rescinded; read, and ordered a second reading.

Letter from General Dickenson, read.

Agreeable to Certificate of Election,

Ordered, That Abraham Johannes Blauvelt be Captain, Cornelius D. Blauvelt First Lieutenant, Guilliam Bogart Second Lieutenant, and John Logier Ensign, of a Company of Foot Militia in the Township of Harrington and County of Bergen.

Letter from the County Committee of Bergen, informing that some of the Powder lately sent to that County by this Convention was damaged and wholly unfit for use, and praying that this Convention would take direction therein, and order the deficiency to be made up; read, and ordered a second reading.

Letter from Colonel Thomas, enclosing a Letter from Mr. Bott, informing that a certain Caleb Hetfield dissuaded the Militia from turning out under Colonel Thomas, and even offered a bounty to restrain and keep them back; read, and referred to the County Committee of Essex.

Letter from Daniel Johnes, complaining of sundry riotous and disaffected persons in his Company, one of whom struck said Johnes; read, and ordered a second reading.

Adjourned till eight o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Wednesday, August 7,1776.

Met according to adjournment.

The Representation of the Township Committee of Wood-bridge, setting forth, that certain persons in the Third Battalion of Philadelphia Militia had insulted and abused Na-thaniel Fitz Randolph and Ezekiel Bloomfield, inhabitants of said Township, and praying that this Convention would take the said complaint under consideration; was read, and ordered a second reading.

Letter from Mr. Stockton, enclosing certain Resolves of Congress, directing “that this Convention would make such provision for keeping open the communication between the States of New-Jersey and New-York, by way of the Ferries over Passaick and Hackinsack Rivers, as to them shall appear most effectual; and that Congress will reimburse the expenses of such service to the State of New-Jersey; and recommending to the State of New-Jersey to order their Militia immediately to march and join General Mercer; read and filed.

Letter from General Heard, enclosing Return of men in his Brigade; read and filed.

Letter from General Mercer; read and filed.

Resolved, That the Deputies in Convention be allowed at the rate of six shillings a day for every day they have or shall attend during the continuance of this Convention, to be certified by Mr. Elmer, Dr. Bloomfield, Mr. Hand, and Mr. Paterson, or any two of them.

Adjourned to three o’clock, afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

The Remonstrance of certain Freeholders and others, Electors in the County of Salem, against the Resolution which passed this House on the 15th day of July last, on motion of the Deputies of that County, &c.; read a second time:

Whereas on motion made the 15th day of last month by the Members of the County of Salem, it was resolved, “That the election in that County be by ballot, and that it be held at the Court-House in the Town of Salem, without removing from place to place, anything in the Ordinance for ascertaining the mode and places of election before contained to the contrary notwithstanding:” And whereas a Remonstrance, signed by a great number of the Freeholders and others, Electors of said County, has been presented to this Convention against the above-recited Resolution, praying that the same may be rescinded, and that the ensuing election in said County may, in every respect, be carried on in the same manner as ordained by Convention for all the other Counties in this State:

It is therefore Resolved, That the election of Members to serve in Legislative Council and Assembly of this State for the County of Salem, and also of one Sheriff and one or more Coroners for said County, to be held on the second Tuesday of this instant August, be conducted in the same manner, and governed by the same regulations as are prescribed and ordained by this Convention for all the other Counties in this State, anything in the above-recited Resolution, which passed on the motion of the Deputies from Salem, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Adjourned till Friday morning, nine o’clock.

Friday, August 9, 1776.

Met according to adjournment.

A Petition from sundry Officers of the Second Battalion of Middlesex County, praying a division thereof; read, and ordered a second reading.

Ordered, That Mr. Ogden, Mr. Drummond, Mr. Brown, Mr. Camp, and Mr. Combs, be a Committee to devise ways and means, and report a plan, for keeping open the communication between this State and New-York, by way of Ferries over the Rivers Passaick and Hackinsack.

Adjourned to three o’clock, afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

A Letter from General Washington, of the 8th instant; read, and filed.

A Petition of sundry persons in the South Ward of New-Brunswick, praying the interposition of this House relative to the choice of Officers in a Company of Militia late commanded by Captain Jacob Pyatt; read, and ordered a second reading.

A Petition from sundry persons in Barnard’s Town, relative to a Company of Militia, was read.

Ordered, That the same be referred to the County Committee of Somerset.

The Petition from sundry Officers of the Second Battalion of Middlesex County, praying a division, &c., read a second time. Whereupon,

Ordered, That a third Battalion be formed out of the same, to consist of the Companies commanded by the Captains Artupee, Barr, Stout, Schenck, Scudder, Wetherill, and Pyatt.

Ordered, That John Duyckinck, Esq., be Colonel, Jacob Hyer, Esq., Lieutenant-Colonel, William Scudder, Esq., first Major thereof, and that the second Major be appointed on the return of General Heard’s Brigade.

Mr. Ogden, from the Committee appointed to devise ways and means for keeping open the communication between New-Jersey and New-York, by way of the Ferries over Passaick and Hackinsack, reported an Ordinance for that purpose; which was three times read, and passed.*

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, eight o’clock.

* An Ordinance for keeping open the communication between NEW-JERSEY

and NEW-YORK by way of the Ferries over PASSAICK and HACKINSACK Rivers. —Passed AUGUST 9, 1776.

The Convention having received information that the Ferries over Passaick and Hackinsack Rivers, between Newark and New-York, are neither supplied by the proprietors thereof or their tenants with such a number of scows and proper boats as are requisite in our present alarming situation, nor duly attended: And whereas it is of great importance that the passing and repassing between this State and New-York, while the enemy is at our door, should be put on the most convenient footing, and the said proprietors and tenants, notwithstanding repeated applications, having neglected the necessary provision for the aforesaid purposes:

It is therefore resolved, ordained, and directed, That the management and direction of said ferries be taken out of the hands of the said proprietors, and that Messieurs William Camp and Joseph Hedden, Jun., be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to take into their hands the possession, sole management, and direction of said ferries, and hold the same for the purposes aforesaid, until the first day of December next, unless sooner discharged from this service by the Legislature of this State; and they, or either of them, are hereby empowered and required to provide at least four scows for the ferries over each of the said rivers, and to employ a sufficient number of hands to ply and attend the same, and also to provide ropes to be stretched across the said rivers, and all such articles as they shall judge expedient for the service aforesaid.

And it is further resolved and directed, That no Troops in the service of the United States, or of any of them, nor their baggage, ammunition