A Petition from Captain Heman Allen was presented to Congress, and read.

An extract of a Letter from a gentleman in Bermuda, dated the 26th April, and continued to the 1st May, 1776, to a gentleman in Philadelphia, was presented to Congress, and read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee appointed to examine the most proper Posts to be fortified.

Resolved, That six of the heaviest Cannon at Newport, and fourteen of the heaviest Cannon at New-London, belonging to the Continent, be transported to Philadelphia as soon as possible.

That copies of the above Resolution be transmitted to the Governours of Rhode-Island and Connecticut.

The Congress then took into consideration the Report of the Committee appointed to confer with his Excellency General Washington, Major-General Gates, and Brigadier-General Mifflin; and after some debate,

Resolved, That it be referred to a Committee of the whole Congress.

The Congress then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the Report of the Committee of Conference; and after some time spent thereon, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee have taken into consideration the matter referred to them, and have come to a Resolution thereon, but not having had time to go through the whole, desired him to move for leave to sit again.

The Resolution reported from the Committee of the whole Congress being read, was agreed to, as follows:

Resolved, That the General be authorized to direct the building as many Fire-Rafts, Row-Galleys, Armed Boats, and Floating-Batteries as may be necessary and suitable for the immediate defence of the Post of New-York and Hudson’s River.

Resolved, That this Congress will to-morrow again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Report of the Committee of Conference.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow

Friday, May 31, 1776.

A Letter of the 22d, from Commodore E. Hopkins, enclosing the Proceedings of two Courts-Martial, on John Hazard, Commander of the Sloop Providence, and Abraham Whipple, Commander of the Columbus, was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on the Instructions given to Commodore Hopkins.

A Letter of the 21st, from Jonathan Trumbull, Deputy Paymaster-General, and a Petition from Hugh King, in behalf of himself and others, were laid before Congress, and read.

Resolved, That an Order for 50,000 Dollars be drawn on the Treasurers, in favour of Brigadier-General Miffiin, to enable him to pay for Tents, Intrenching Tools, and sundry other articles, which he, as Quartermaster-General, has bought in Philadelphia for the use of the Continental Army; he to be accountable.

The Committee of Conference brought in a further Report; * which was read:

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee of the Whole Congress.

Resolved, That John Connolly, John Smith, and Allan Cameron, three of the Prisoners confined in the Jail of Philadelphia, who are represented to be in a dangerous state: of health, be permitted, tor the recovery of their health, to walk two hours in the day in the yard of the Prison, in company with, or under the inspection of, at least two of the Guards.

The Congress then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Reports of the Committee of Conference; and after some time spent thereon, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee have taken into their further consideration the matters to them referred, and have come to sundry Resolutions thereon, but, not having yet finished, desired him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Congress will to-morrow again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Reports of the Committee of Conference.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Saturday, June 1, 1776.

Letters from the Committee of Hartford and Northampton, in Connecticut, respecting Prisoners, being laid before Congress, and read,

Resolved, That they be referred to the Committee on Prisoners.

A Letter of the 27th of May, from Governour Trumbull, was also read; and a Letter from Colonel J. Reed, informing that, upon his arrival at New-York, finding a gentleman of character and abilities performing the services of Secretary, with satisfaction to the General, he was induced to request, and has obtained, the General’s leave to resign that office.

inhabiants of one town inhabited by your Petitioners, and all furnished with arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and provisions, &c. Again we are alarmed by express from General Wooster, commanding at Montreal, with the disagreeable news of the unfortunate attack on Quebeck, (unfortunate, indeed, to lose so brave a Commander,) requiring our immediate assistance by troops. In consequence of which, a considerable number immediately marched for Quebeck, and more are daily following their example. Yet while we, your Petitioners, are thus earnestly engaged, we beg leave to say we are entirely willing to do all in our power in the general cause under the Continental Congress, and have been ever since the taking of Ticonderoga, &c, in which your Petitioners were principally active, under the command of Colonel Ethan Allen, but are not willing to put ourselves under the honourable Provincial Congress of New-York in such a manner as might in future be detrimental to our private property, as the oath to be administered to those who are or shall be entrusted with commissions from said Congress and the association agreed upon by the same authority, together with some particular restrictions and orders for regulating the Militia of said Province, if conformed to by the inhabitants of said New-Hampshire Grants, will, as we apprehend, be detrimental to your Petitioners in the determination of the dispute now subsisting between said inhabitants and certain claimants under said Province of New-York, and that your Petitioners’ ardent desire of exerting themselves in the present struggle for freedom may not be restrained, and that we might engage in the glorious cause without fear of giving our opponents any advantage in the said land dispute now subsisting, which we would wish should lie dormant until a general restoration of tranquillity shall allow us the opportunity for an equitable decision of the same. One other reason that much hinders our joining hand and hand with New-York Government in the general cause is, they will not own us in our property, but, on the contrary, the Judges of the Supreme Court for said Province have expressly declared the charters of our lands, deeds, &c., to be null and void. Therefore we, your Honours’ humble Petitioners, most earnestly pray your Honours to take our case into your wise consideration, and order that for the future your Petitioners shall do duty in the Continental service, if required, as inhabitants of said New-Hampshire Grants, and not as inhabitants of the Province of New-York, or subject to the limitations, restrictions, or regulations, of the Militia of said Province, and that commissions, as your Honours shall judge meet, be granted accordingly.

And, as in duty bound, your Honours’ Petitioners shall ever pray.

At a meeting of the Representatives of the different Towns on the New-Hampshire Grants, legally warned and convened at the house of Cephas Kent, Inn-holder, in Dorset, on the 16th day of January, 1776, Captain Joseph Woodward Chairman, Doctor Jonas Fay Clerk. This meeting, after due consideration, agreed to prefer to the honourable Continental Congress an humble Petition, setting forth the peculiar circumstances of this part of the country. Accordingly a Committee was appointed to draw up the same, who drew up the foregoing, and reported to the House in the evening. The Clerk read the same in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the table.

The House adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

January 17.—Met according to adjournment.

The said Petition being a second time read, was agreed to by the whole House. Then Lieutenant James Bracknage and Captain Heman Allen were nominated to prefer the said Petition. The vote was called; passed in the affirmative nem. con. Then Doctor Jonas Fay was nominated; the vote called; passed in the affirmative nem. con.

* Report of the Committee of Conference.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the Governour and Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, the Convention of New-York, the General Assembly of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay, and the Convention of the Colony of New-Jersey, and the several Conventions of such other of the United Colonies in which there are any Lead Mines, be requested to transmit to this Congress, with all convenient despatch, the state and condition of the Lead Mines in their respective Colonies.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the service will render it necessary for General Schuyler to increase the number of Bat-teaus to two hundred.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that four of the Prisoners taken at St. Johns, and suggested by the said letter from Clap-tain Robertson to have inlisted in the Continental Army, to wit: William Roughhead and Elisha Grister in Captain Hubley’s Company, John San-toir in Captain Brower’s Company, and John Mayot in a Company unknown, ought to be dismissed the service, and returned to their Corps at Lancaster.