entitled to the protection of the laws during the time of such passage, visitation, or temporary stay, owe during the same time allegiance thereto. That all persons members of, or owing allegiance to, this State, as before described, who shall levy war against the said State within the same, or be adherent to the King of Great Britain, or others the enemies of the said State within the same, giving to him or them aid and comfort, are guilty of treason against the State, and being thereof convicted, shall suffer the pains and penalties of death.

Extract from the Minutes:

ROBT. BENSON, Secretary.

Whereas this Convention have the strongest reason to believe that the British Annies in New-York and Canada will endeavour, by means of Hudson's River, to effect a junction, and thereby cut off all intercourse between the Eastern and Southern States: And whereas the Counties contiguous to the Sound and Hudson's River will be greatly exposed to the ravages and incursions of a cruel and unnatural enemy, which, if not prevented, will render them a scene of ruin and desolation: And whereas, from the situation of said country, intersected with defiles and narrow passes, it will be extremely practicable to repel the hostile attempts of the enemy, provided the inhabitants exert themselves in ifs defence with the union, spirit, and alacrity, of men determined to defend their rights, and transmit the blessings of freedom to posterity: And whereas it is the indispensable duty of this Convention, by every means in their power, to provide for the happiness and security of their constituents, reposing the highest confidence in their virtue and publick spirit: Therefore,

Resolved, That one-fourth part of the Militia of the Counties of Westchester, Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange, be forth-with drawn out for the defence of the liberties, property, wives and children, of the good people of this State.

And as at this busy season of the year the service may be inconvenient to many of them,

Resolved, That each man be allowed twenty dollars as a bounty, with Continental pay and subsistence, and be continued in the service until the last day of December next, unless sooner discharged.

Resolved, That it be recommended to such of the inhabitants who remain at home, to give all possible assistance to the families of those spirited persons who stepped forth in defence of the rights and liberties of this invaded country; and that the Sub-Committees in the several Districts in those Counties pay particular attention to see this recommendation be complied with.

Resolved, That the Brigadier-General, and the Field-Officers of the Militia of each County, be directed to adopt the most equitable and expeditious mode of raising these levies, and of furnishing with arms those who are not supplied, (the price of the arms to be deducted out of each man's pay;) and that they be authorized to call on the Committee of each County for their assistance.

Resolved, That the levies be formed into Companies, to consist of one Captain, two Lieutenants, three Sergeants, three Corporals, one Drummer, one Fifer, and fifty Privates; and that the Captain and Subalterns be appointed by the Field-Officers of each Regiment of Militia from which the quotas were to be raised, and the Non-Commissioned Officers by the Captains of each Company.

Resolved, That each man furnish himself with a Blanket and Knapsack, and every six men with a Pot or Camp-Kettle.

Resolved, That two Deputy-Commissaries be appointed to provide four months' Provision for six thousand men, to be deposited in two Magazines, one on each side of the river, at such places as his Excellency General Washington shall think proper to appoint.

Resolved, That all the men now raised in the Counties of Ulster and Orange he stationed in the Highlands, on the west side of the river, to guard those defiles the possession of which Brigadier-General Clinton shall think most conducive to the safety of the State.

Resolved, That the men raised in the Counties of West-chester and Dutchess repair immediately to Peek's Kill; and that General Washington be requested to appoint an Officer to take the command of all the levies on both sides of the river, to fix upon what station they shall occupy, and to nominate the two Deputy-Commissaries for the Troops on each side the river.

Resolved, That General Washington be informed of the measures which this Convention have taken for the safety of the State; and that he be requested to advance the sum of £20,000 in order to expedite the raising these levies.

Resolved, That all the Troops raised in the above Counties shall be subject to the Articles of War established by the Continental Congress.

Resolved, That his Excellency General Washington be requested to write to Governour Trumbull, desiring him to devise and carry into execution the most expeditious and effectual measures for keeping up the intercourse betwixt the Army now at New-York and the State of Connecticut; and that two of the members of this Convention wait on Governour Trumbull, to enforce, by such arguments as they shall think of most weight, the purport of General Washington's letter.

Resolved, That the Brigadier-Generals and Committees of the respective Counties be immediately furnished with copies of these Resolutions.

Extract from the Minutes:

ROBT. BENSON, Secretary.

SIR: I am this moment favoured with your Excellency's letter of the 1lth instant. I have also received yours of the 7th and 9th. I have paid, and shall pay, the utmost attention to all your directions. Two regiments will march on Thursday morning, one on Friday, and the other two as soon as they are well, which I trust will be in ten days.

As the small-pox prevailed so much in Boston, the Legislature of this Government gave permission for the inhabitants to inoculate; and as so many of the troops in town had taken the disorder, I thought it might be most for the general good to permit the remainder of the two regiments in town to be inoculated.

I have made a return to the Board of War and Ordnance of the stores in this division of the Continental Army.

I am, sir, your Excellency's obedient humble servant,

ARTEMAS WARD.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE NEW-YORK COMMITTEE.

Head-Quarters, New-York, July 19, 1776

GENTLEMEN: I enclose you a copy of a resolution of the Provincial Convention of the State of New-York, dated the 16th instant, recommending it to all the General and Sub-Committees, to apprehend and secure all such persons whose going at large, at this critical time, they may deem dangerous to the safety of the State.

As this city is hourly threatened with an attack from a powerful enemy, and as there is too much reason to apprehend, from their vicinity to this city, and from the number of suspicious characters still in it, that they may receive intelligence which may counteract all my operations for its defence, I strongly recommend it to you to remove for some time all, equivocal and suspicious characters. This appears to me to be the spirit of the resolution of the Provincial Convention; and the propriety of it is founded on the law of self-preservation, and confirmed by the practice of all nations in a state of war.

I esteem it my duty to add my recommendation to that of the Provincial Convention, that if, through an ill-timed lenity, my attempts to secure this Province should be baffled, the blame of it may not be imputed to my want of vigilance.

I have enclosed a list of persons represented as dangerous. As I can only speak from information, I must rely upon your taking proper steps with them; unless, from your better knowledge, you determine them to be of a different character than represented.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,

GO. WASHINGTON.

To the Committee of the City of New-York.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO ROBERT LIVINGSTON AND OTHERS.

Head-Quarters, New-York, July 19, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I am favoured with yours of the 17th instant. My unacquaintedness with Hudson's River, and with every