masters and post-riders; which, if true, must be attended with the most mischievous effects;

Resolved, That the post-master general be, and he is hereby directed to transmit to Congress, a list of names of the persons so employed, and by whose recommendation they were introduced, that Congress may consider, and, if necessary, take order therein; and that he assign reasons why the late resolves of Congress, for regulating the post-office, are not carried into

execution.

Resolved, That an agent be appointed for transacting business between the United States and the several Indian nations and tribes in Nova-Scotia, and the country to the northward and eastward thereof; and that Tuesday next be assigned for electing one.

Resolved, That a committee of four be appointed to prepare a resolution for regulating the impressing of wagons and horses for the public service: The members elected, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Witherspoon and Mr. Adams.

An appeal being lodged against a sentence passed in the court of admiralty for the state of Rhode-Island, on the libel of Job Pierce vs. the brig Phoenix: Ordered, That the hearing and determining the said appeal be referred to the committee appointed on the 4th instant.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, January 18, 1777.

A letter, of the 5th, from general Washington, at Pluckemin, in NewJersey; one, of the 7th and 8th, from the committee of Congress at Philadelphia; one, of the 30th December, 1776, from general Schuyler at Albany; one, of the 21st of the same month, from Richard Varick, with the returns of the garrisons at and near Ticonderoga; one, of the 28th of the same month, from the convention of New-York, with sundry papers enclosed; one, of the 6th instant, from the council of safety of Pennsylvania; one, of the 1st from J. Trumbull, junior; and one of the 23d of December, from governor Trumbull, were laid before Congress, and read:

Ordered, That the letter from general Schuyler be referred to the committee on the northern army:

That the letter from the council of safety of Pennsylvania, be referred to the cannon-committee:

That the letter from J. Trumbull, jun. be referred to the board of treasury: That the rest be referred to the board of war.

Resolved, That 40 blankets be delivered by the secret committee to lieutenant Alexander Spotswood Dandridge, of captain Lewellin Jones's troop of Virginia horse, for the use of the said troop.

Resolved, That 100 dollars be paid to Walter Cruise, and 100 dollars to Richard Carpenter, who have been long detained prisoners by the enemy, and cruelly treated by them; and that they be recommended to general Washington to be employed in the service of the United States, in such way as he shall think proper.

Resolved, That the committee of Congress at Philadelphia, be empowered to purchase the prize sloop of war, taken by the Andrew Doria, with her guns, apparel and furniture, and fit her out as a continental cruizer.

Resolved, That a member be added to the board of war:

The member chosen, Mr. S. Adams.

Ordered, That a copy of the resolutions, lately passed respecting the northern army, be made out, and delivered to general Gates, to be by him carried to general Schuyler.

Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into further consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting

the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matter to them referred, and have made farther progress, but not having come to a conclusion, desired leave to sit again.

Resolved, That Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration, the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency.

Resolved, That the board of war be directed to send the prisoners, who are at the guard-house, to Leesburg, in Virginia, there to be delivered to the committee of that town, who are desired to have them securely confined till farther orders.

Resolved, That the committee lately appointed to hear appeals, be empowered to take the deposition of Cofiin, who is obliged to go to sea this evening, there being no magistrate in this town to take his deposition. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, January 14, 1777.

Resolved, That William Young and George Patterson be appointed signers of the bills of credit in addition to those already appointed.

The committee to whom the letter from general Schuyler was referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Messrs. Morris, Clymer, and Walton, be directed, with all possible despatch, te procure, in the state of Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, and send to Albany, three tons of steel and five tons of nail rods, for the use of the army in the northern department:

That Congress approve of general Schuyler's design of building five or six flat bottomed boats, of considerable force, for the guard of lake George, so contrived as to carry flour, and other provisions, as occasion may require : That general Schuyler, or the commanding officer of the northern army, give such instructions to the regimental pay-masters as he shall judge necessary, and transmit a copy thereof to Congress.

That the medical committee provide a suitable assortment of medicines, and send them to the hospital in the northern army, with all possible despatch, together with other necessaries for the sick; and that the list mentioned by Dr. Stringer, in a paper, No. 1, enclosed in general Schuyler's letter, be committed to them:

That Dr. Potts be directed to repair to Ticonderoga without delay:

That Dr. Stringer be directed to deliver to Dr. Potts, such medicines, and other medical stores, as may be in his hands belonging to the continent. Resolved, That the light horse from Virginia be taken into continental pay, and put upon the continental establishment; that their pay commence from the 25th of November last; and that the state of Virginia be reimbursed for the horses and furniture of the said troops :

That 266.60 dollars be advanced to Theodorick Bland, esq. major of the squadron of light horse from Virginia, for the use of the said squadron, he to be accountable:

That 1000 dollars be advanced to Gerard Hopkins, son of Richard, quarter-master, for the public service; he to be accountable.

Agreeably to the order of the day, Congress proceeded to the election of an agent for the Indians, in Nova-Scotia, and the tribes to the northward and eastward thereof; and, the ballots being taken,

John Allen, esq. was elected.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare instructions for Mr. Allen:

The members chosen, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Wolcott, and Mr. Thornton. Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into farther consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Nelson reported, that they having had under consideration the matters to them referred, had come to sundry resolutions, which he was ordered to report whenever the house should be ready to receive them:

Ordered, That they be now received.

The report from the committee of the whole being read, was agreed to as follows, viz.

Whereas the continental money ought to be supported, at the full value expressed in the respective bills, by the inhabitants of these states, for whose benefit they were issued, and who stand bound to redeem the same, according to the like value; and the pernicious artifices of the enemies of American liberty to impair the credit of the said bills, by raising the nominal value of gold and silver, or any other species of money whatsoever, ought to be guarded against and prevented:

Resolved, That all bills of credit, emitted by authority of Congress, ought to pass current in all payments, trade, and dealings, in these states, and be deemed in value equal to the same nominal sums in Spanish milled dollars; and that whosoever shall offer, ask, or receive more in the said bills for any gold or silver coins, bullion, or any other species of money whatsoever, than the nominal sum or amount thereof in Spanish milled dollars, or more, in the said bills, for any lands, houses, goods, or commodities whatsoever, than the same could be purchased at of the same person or persons in gold, silver, or any other species of money whatsoever; or shall offer to sell any goods or commodities for gold or silver coins, or any other species of money whatsoever, and refuse to sell the same for the said continental bills; every such person ought to be deemed an enemy to the liberties of these United States, and to forfeit the value of the money so exchanged, or house, land, or commodity so sold or offered to sale. And it is recommended to the legislatures of the respective states, to enact laws inflicting such forfeitures and other penalties on offenders as aforesaid, as will prevent such pernicious practices: That it be recommended to the legislatures of the United States, to pass laws to make the bills of credit, issued by the Congress, a lawful tender, in payments of public and private debts; and a refusal thereof an extinguishment of such debts: that debts payable in sterling money be discharged with continental dollars, at the rate of 4s. 6 sterling per dollar; and that in discharge of all other debts and contracts, continental dollars pass at the rate fixed by the respective states for the value of Spanish milled dollars:

That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states to pass resolutions that they will make provision for drawing in and sinking their respective quotas of the bills emitted by Congress at the several periods fixed, or that shall be fixed by Congress:

That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states, to raise, by taxation, in the course of the current year, and remit to the treasury, such sums of money as they shall think will be most proper in the present situation of the inhabitants; which sums shall be carried to their credit, and accounted for in the settlement of their proportion of the public expenses and debts, for which the United States are jointly bound:

That an additional sum of two millions of dollars be borrowed at the loanoffices, on certificates of 200 dollars each :

That the commissioners of the loan-office be directed to receive the bills of credit heretofore emitted by the states in which they respectively hold their offices, for such sums as shall be ordered by the commissioners of the treasury,

or continental treasurer, from time to time, for continental purposes, within such states respectively.

Congress being informed that a number of Hessian officers, prisoners, are on their way to this town,

Resolved, That the board of war be directed to send the said prisoners to Dumfries, in Virginia, with a request to the committee of the said town, to see them suitably provided for, agreeable to the provision made for prisoners. Resolved, That two months' pay be advanced to St. Pierre Auguste de St. Aubin, adjutant of the squadron of the Virginia light-horse; he to be accountable.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1777.

Resolved, That Messrs. Purviance be requested immediately to remove all the powder belonging to the continent from the ware-house in this town, to a convenient house some distance therefrom, in proper wagons and carts, taking care that the tight barrels alone be removed, and that careful persons be employed to make 30 gallon casks, sufficient to contain all the powder that may be in battered or open casks:

That captain Smith be desired to furnish a guard, of the most trusty and orderly soldiers, over the powder.

The committee appointed to prepare instructions to Mr. J. Allen, agent for Indian affairs in the eastern department, brought in a draught, which was read; and, being amended, was agreed to as follows:

SIR, Having been informed of your knowledge of, and acquaintance with, the tribes of Indians, inhabitants of St. John's and Nova-Scotia, and, confiding in your zealous attachment to the interest of the United States, this Congress have made choice of you to be their agent, empowering you, in their behalf, to treat with those Indians, and as far as you shall be able, to engage their friendship, and prevent their taking a part on the side of GreatBritain, in the unjust and cruel war against these United States:

You will explain to them, as clearly as their understanding of the nature and principles of civil government will admit, the grounds of the dispute between Great-Britain and America, the pains we have taken to settle those disputes on the rules of equity, and the necessity we were finally driven to, in defence of our liberty and lives, to resist our oppressors unto blood. Thus, by convincing them of the justice of our cause, you may attach them to our interests, and lay a solid foundation for lasting peace and friendship with us:

You will also inform them of the union that subsists among the people of these states, and the strength derived therefrom, to each of them: that viewing us in this light, they may see their own safety depending upon their peaceable disposition and behaviour toward us:

You are to cultivate trade with them; by which means, many great advantages which have heretofore thence accrued to the subjects of Great-Britain, will be gained by the people of these states:

And you are, in a particular manner, instructed to use your utmost dili-, gence and influence to promote an intercourse and correspondence between those tribes and the Indians living in and about Canada; by the effecting of which, the most useful and necessary intelligence may be frequently obtained; and you are to give the earliest notice to Congress, and to general Washington, and the commanding officer at Ticonderoga, of such intelligence as you may receive :

You will, as often as you shall be required, exhibit to Congress a fair account of the expenditure of such monies as you may be entrusted with,

for the purpose of your agency; together with a general state of affairs within your department, that Congress may avail themselves of it for the public good.

Resolved, That the sum of 90 dollars be annually allowed and paid to John Allen, esq. during his continuance as agent of this Congress, to the Indians of St. John's and Nova-Scotia:

That 1000 dollars be advanced to John Allen, esq. agent, &c. to enable him to carry on the affairs of his agency among the Indians of St. John's and Nova-Scotia; be to be accountable for the same.

Resolved, That the sum of 533.30 dollars be advanced to the board of war, for defraying the expense of sending the Hessian prisoners to Dumfries, and the prisoners in the guard-house in Baltimore, to Leesburg, in Virginia, agreeable to the orders of Congress; the said board to be accountable for the expenditure.

Resolved, That the sum of 55,000 dollars be advanced to the delegates of Georgia, for the use of the troops raised by that state; the said state to be accountable.

Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to supply captain Yates's company with blankets; and that one month's pay be advanced to captain Yates for his coinpary; he to be accountable.

Resolved, That 2000 dollars be advanced to brigadier Smallwood, for the purpose of defraying the arrears due to the men of his late battalion; he to be accountable.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for appointing a pay-master in Baltimore.

Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the committee have come into a resolution on the subject to them referred, which he was ordered to report:

The report being read, was agreed to as follows:

Resolved, That the continental treasurer be empowered and directed to borrow money on the loan-office certificates; that they be countersigned by the auditor general for the time being, and that in transacting this business, he govern himself by the rules prescribed to the commissioners of the other loan-offices; and have, for his trouble, the same allowance.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

THURSDAY, January 16, 1777.

Resolved, That Mr. Paine be added to the committee last appointed to hear appeals.

Resolved, That a warrant for 100,000 dollars, in favor of James Mease, for public service, be drawn and sent to the treasurer; that sum having been advanced by the treasurer on the 11th of December last, to the said Mease, by order of Mr. Nelson:

That a warrant for 26 60 dollars be drawn in favor of John Norman, for a rolling-press; that sum having, on the same day abovementioned, been advanced by a like order:

That a warrant for 10,000 dollars be drawn in favor of Carpenter Wharton, for public service; that sum having been paid by the treasurer on the said 11th December to James White, assistant deputy commissary, by order of Mr. President, issued in pursuance of a letter from said Carpenter Wharton.