John Hopkins and Samuel Tomkins for those building in Rhode-Island;

Christopher Miller, for one of those building at New-York;

Nicholas Biddle, John Barry, Thomas Read, Charles Alexander, for those building in Philadelphia;

James Nicholson, for that building in Maryland.

Resolved, That the names of the thirteen Frigates be, the Congress, Randolph, Hancock, Washington, Trumbull, Raleigh, Effingham, Montgomery, Warren, Boston, Virginia, Providence, and Delaware.

Resolved, That Israel Turner be First Lieutenant, Joseph Doble Second Lieutenant, Mark Dennet Third Lieutenant, of Captain Manly’s Ship.

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be empowered to affix the names to each particular Ship, and determine the Vessel which each Captain is to take command of.

That the Marine Committee be empowered and directed to consider the propriety of building two more Ships-of-War, and their size, and report to Congress.

Resolved, That three Members be added to the Committee appointed to devise ways and means for raising Ten Millions of Dollars, voted the 6th of May.

The Members chosen: Mr. Braxton, Mr. R. Livingston, and Mr. Tilghman.

Resolved, That Dr. Jonathan Potts be employed as a Physician and Surgeon in the Canada Department, or at Lake George, as the General shall direct; but that this appointment shall not supersede Dr. Stringer.

Resolved, That an Express be sent to Hugh Mercer, Esq., who was yesterday appointed a Brigadier-General, with his Commission, and that he be desired immediately to repair to Head-Quarters at New-York.

A Memorial of Jacob Ummensetter was presented to Congress, and read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee appointed to contract for the casting of Cannon.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Friday, June 7, 1776.

The Committee to whom was referred the Letter from Esek Hopkins, Commodore of the Continental Fleet, dated Providence, May 22d, brought in their Report, which, being taken into consideration, was agreed to Whereupon,

Resolved, That Mr. Charles Walker, of New-Providence, be paid the value of the Sloop Endeavour, together with four tons of Lignumvitæ, and one hundred Cedar Posts, taken by the said Commodore for the use of the Colonies, and the damages the said Walker has sustained by the taking and detention of the “said Vessel, Lignumvitæ, and Posts; the said Walker giving a full acquittance for the said Vessel, goods, and damages.

Resolved, That the Governour of the Colony of Connecticut be requested to appoint judicious and indifferent persons to appraise the Vessel and goods aforesaid, at the time when they were taken for the service of the Colonies, and to estimate the full damages sustained by the said Mr. Walker, and report to this Congress forthwith, that the said Walker may be indemnified by this Congress.

Resolved, That the said Walker have his election to receive his Vessel again, and the hire of her, and his damages, or the value of her, to be ascertained as aforesaid.

The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee on the Resolutions of the Convention of South-Carolina, respecting the Battalions raised in that Colony; and, after some debate,

Resolved, That it be recommitted.

The Congress being informed that complaint is made with respect to the Powder manufactured at Oswald Eve’s Mill,

Resolved, That Mr. Wisner, Mr. Paine, and Mr. R. Livingston, be a Committee to inquire into the defect, and take measures to have it remedied.

Certain Resolutions [Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming Foreign alliances.

That a plan of Confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation,] being moved and seconded,

Resolved, That the consideration of them be deferred till to-morrow morning; and that the Members be enjoined to attend punctually at ten o’clock, in order to take the same into consideration.

The Committee to whom was referred the consideration of the attempt made to counterfeit the Bills of Credit emitted by Congress, brought in their Report.*

Ordered, To lie on the table for consideration.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Saturday, June 8, 1776.

Resolved, That the Resolutions respecting Independency be referred to a Committee of the whole Congress.

The Congress then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole; and, after some time, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee have taken into consideration the matter to them referred, but not having come to any resolution thereon, directed him to move for leave to sit again on Monday.

Resolved, That this Congress will, on Monday next, at ten o’clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Resolutions referred to them.

A Petition of John Bayard, Joseph Deane, and William Erskine, being presented to Congress, and read,

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to sell the Petitioners five hundred and fifty pounds of Powder and four hundred pounds of Swivel and Grape-Shot, for the use of their Privateer Hancock, and also seven hundred and fifty pounds of Powder before applied for.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, on Monday.

Monday, June 10, 1776.

Sundry Letters were laid before Congress, and read, viz:

Two from General Washington, of the 7th and 8th, together with copies of twenty-one Letters and papers from General Schuyler and others;

One from the Commissioners in Canada, of the 17th of May; and

One from Captain Heman Allen.

Resolved, That the said Letters and papers be referred to the Committee appointed on the 6th to consider sundry Letters that day read.

A Letter from Stephen Moylan, Esquire, expressing his grateful thanks to Congress for appointing him to the office of Quartermaster-General; and a Letter from the Convention of New-York, of the 7th, were laid before Congress, and read.

Resolved, That the pay of the Continental Troops in the Middle Department be henceforth the same as that of the Troops in the Eastern.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for the appointment

* Report of the Committee to whom was referred the consideration of the attempt made to counterfeit the Bills of Credit emitted by Congress.

The Committee to whom was referred the consideration of the attempt made to counterfeit the Bills of Credit emitted by Congress, beg leave to report, that it appears to the Committee, by sundry affidavits, the confessions of the parties charged, and other papers, that Elizabeth Vandine, the wife of Henry Vandine, of Morris County, in the Province of New-Jersey, with the privity of her said husband, has counterfeited several bills of the Continental currency, some of which were passed by the said Vandine, and others of them by his wife; and that the said Vandine and his wife were, for the said offence, committed to the jail of the County of Morris, by order of the Committee of the Township of Morris.

Whereupon, your Committee came to the following Resolutions:

That it be recommended to the Provincial Convention of the Province of New-Jersey to direct the said Henry Vandine to make satisfaction to such persons as have been injured by taking the said counterfeit bills.

That the said Henry and Elizabeth remain in confinement, or be let out on good bail for their appearance to abide their trial for the above offence, as to the said Convention shall seem most proper.

That it be recommended to the respective Legislatures of the United Colonies to pass acts of legislation for making the Continental Bills of Credit a lawful tender in all payments, and for the most effectual preventing the counterfeiting thereof.