That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Mr. J. Bartlett, one of the delegates from the state of New-Hampshire, for 1500 dollars, advanced on his application; for which the said state is to be accountable.

The board of treasury, to whom was referred the letter of the 29th of August, from the board of war, enclosing a letter and sundry papers from lieut. col. Mullen, relative to the settlement of his accounts, report,

That, upon revising col. Mullen's account, they find it was settled upon just principles; that he can have no claim of right to receive, in a bill of exchange on France, the sum there reported to be paid by a warrant on the treasurer; and that he apply for the payment of a horse shot under him, agreeably to the resolution of Congress of the 12th day of August last : Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.

In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to William Kinnon, for printing bills of exchange and loan-office certificates, his pay and boarding, from the 9th of March to the 31st of August, 1778, inclusive, the sum of 628 58-90 dollars:

That there is due to Henry Miller, for printing in German 6100 copies of proposals intended to be conveyed to foreign officers and soldiers in the British service in 1776, 20 dollars:

That there is due to Belcher P. Smith, his pay as clerk in the secretary's office, from the 6th of February to the 5th of September, 1778, 595 dollars, and for blank books and other contingencies of the office, 63 30-90 dollars, making in the whole, 658 30-90 dollars:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

On motion, Resolved, That the retreat made by major-gen. Sullivan, with the troops under his command, from Rhode-Island, was prudent, timely, and well conducted, and that Congress highly approve the same.

Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to major-gen. Sullivan, and to the officers and troops under his command, for their fortitude and bravery, displayed in the action of August 29th, in which they repulsed the British forces and maintained the field.

Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of the patriotic exertions made by the four eastern states, on the late expedition against Rhode-Island.

Resolved, That Mr. President be requested to inform the marquis de la Fayette, that Congress have a due sense of the sacrifice he made of his personal feelings in undertaking a journey to Boston, with a view of promoting the interest of these states, at a time when an occasion was daily expected of his acquiring glory in the field, and that his gallantry in going on RhodeIsland when the greatest part of the army had retreated, and his good conduct in bringing off the pickets and out-sentries, deserves their particular approbation.

Resolved, That major Morris, aid-de-camp to major-gen. Sullivan, who brought forward to Congress the account of the repulse of the British forces on Rhode-Island, on the 29th of August, and who, on the late expedition as well as on several other occasions, behaved with great spirit and good conduct, be promoted to the rank of a lieutenant-colonel by brevet.

A motion was made to reconsider the resolution, approving the retreat from Rhode-Island: question put, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Duer,

So it passed in the negative.

It was then moved, that an enquiry be made into the causes of the failure of the late expedition against Rhode-Island, agreeably to the resolution of Congress of November 28th, 1777, and that gen. Washington be directed to cause this inquiry to be made as soon as it can be conveniently done, and transmit the proceedings of the court to Congress :

The previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Duer,

So it was carried, and the main question set aside.

Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.

THURSDAY, September 10, 1778.

A letter, of the 8th, from George Cottnam, captain-lieutenant in the first Pennsylvania regiment of artillery, was read, requesting leave, on account of his impaired constitution, to resign his commission :

Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.

A letter, of the 7th, from general Washington, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

A letter, of the 7th, from the committee of arrangement, was read; Whereupon,

Congress proceeded to the election of a commander of the horse, and the ballots being taken, John Cadwallader, esq. was unanimously elected.

Resolved, That a commission be granted to John Cadwallader, esq. appointing him brigadier and commander of the cavalry in the service of the United States.

A letter, of the 27th and 31st of August, from gov. Trumbull, was read: Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

On motion, Ordered, That the paper signed Adam Ferguson, dated August 26th, and the papers transmitted with it, and also the resolution of Congress of the 4th instant, respecting the convention of Saratoga, be published. Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to confer with the hon. the minister plenipotentiary of France, respecting the future operations of the French fleet under the command of count d'Estaing, and report to Congress: the members chosen, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Drayton, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Duer, and Mr. R. Morris.

The committee to whom was referred the letter, of August 26th, from count d'Estaing, brought in the draught of an answer, which was read and agreed to:

Ordered, That it be signed and forwarded by the president to count d'Estaing. Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the arrangement of the board of treasury, and, after some time spent thereon, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the afternoon.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

A letter, of this day, from the chevalier de Fayolle, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the arrangement of the treasury, and after some time spent thereon, Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed.

A letter, of the 2d, from major-general Sullivan, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

The committee on the letter from col. Hollingsworth, and the memorial from E. Blaine, brought in a partial report, and desired leave to sit again. Ordered, That the report be taken into consideration to-morrow, and that the committee have leave to continue to sit on the business.

Ordered, That Mr. Hosmer have leave of absence.
Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, September 11, 1773.

A letter of this day, from J. M'Kinley, esq. and an extract from the minutes of the privy-council of the state of Delaware, were read.

In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to the officers and privates of col. Nicola's regiment of invalids, their pay from the month of July last, and subsistence in lieu of rations for the officers for the same time, 940 80-90 dollars:

That there is due to Thomas Fitzsimons, his pay as commissioner of claims, from April 12th to August 27th, 1777, 548 dollars:

That there is due to William Dodd, for his services as express-rider, from October 3d, 1776, to October 31st 1777, as more fully appears by a particular state, filed with his account, a balance of 370 30-90 dollars: That there is due to the Rev. Mons. Lotbinier, his and subsistence as chaplain to col. Livingston's regiment, from the 11th of August to the 10th of September, inclusive, 60 dollars:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

pay

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, esq. commissioner of the continental loan-office in the state of Pennsylvania, for 20,000 dollars, and another on William Armistead, esq. commissioner of the continental loanoffice in the state of Virginia, for 30,000 dollars, in favour of col. Baylor, being for the purchase of arms, horses and accoutrements for the use of the armies of the United States: for which sums, amounting to 50,000 dollars, the said col. Baylor is to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of col. John Cox, assistant quarter-master general, for 3,500,000 dollars, for the use of the quartermaster general's department, and for which major-general Green, quartermaster general, is to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on the treasurer for 3,000,000 dollars, in favour, of Jeremiah Wadsworth, esq. commissary-general of purchases, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Joseph Hewes, for 1000 dollars, in discharge of a bill drawn by John Ashe, esq. treasurer of the state of North-Carolina, in favor of John Easton, dated May 9, 1777, for that sum, being in part of the 500,000 dollars heretofore granted by Congress for the use of that state, and for which the said state is to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Joseph Hewes for 667 45-90 dollars, in discharge of a bill drawn by Richard Caswell, esq. governor, of the state of North-Carolina, in favor of Joseph Leech, esq. for that sum, dated June 19th, 1777, expressed to be for value received of him in part of the expense of horses, carriages and other necessaries, furnished brigadier du Portail, under the character of col. d'Erford and his party, to enable them to prosecute their journey from North-Carolina to the Continental Congress; and for which the said brigadier du Portail is to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Mr. E. Gerry, one of the delegates of the state of Massachusetts-Bay, for 1200 dollars, advanced upon his application; for which the said state is to be accountable.

Resolved, unanimously, That it is essential to the interest and honor of these United States, that a minister plenipotentiary be, without delay, appointed to represent these states at the court of France.

Resolved, unanimously, That to-morrow be assigned for electing a minister plenipotentiary at the court of France.

Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter from col. Hollingsworth, and a memorial from col. E. Blaine, and, thereupon, came to the following resolutions:

Whereas Congress, by their resolution of the 13th of January, made a requisition to gen. sir William Howe, then commander in chief of his Britannic majesty's forces in America, for passports to American vessels to transport provisions and fuel for the use of the prisoners of the convention at Boston, declaring, at the same time, that, if the said requisition was not complied with the prisoners under the conyention should be removed to such part of the state of Massachusetts-Bay as they could be most conveniently subsisted in ; which requisition hath not been complied with, nor measures adopted on the part of the British general, to send timely and sufficient supplies for the use of the said troops; whereby great injury has been sustained by the United States; and particularly by the inhabitants of the town of Boston:

Resolved, That major-general Heath, with the concurrence of the council of the state of Massachusetts-Bay, be authorized to remove the prisoners, under the convention of Saratoga, to such parts of the state of Massachusetts-Bay, as they can be most conveniently subsisted in.

Resolved, That application be made to sir Henry Clinton for passports to American vessels to transport provisions and fuel to Boston for the use of the prisoners under the convention of Saratoga; the said passports to be subject to such restrictions as shall be agreed on between the generals Washington and sir Henry Clinton; and that gen. Washington be directed to inform gen. Clinton, that if such passports be not granted, within three days after application made, or measures adopted by him for sending to the port of Boston ample supplies of provision and fuel for the convention-prisoners, on or before the 5th day of October, Congress will deem themselves justified in removing the said prisoners to such parts of the United States as they can be best subsisted in.

Ordered, That certified copies of this resolution, and of the resolution of the 13th of January last, and of the 4th inst. relative to the troops of the convention of Saratoga, be transmitted to gen. Clinton.

Resolved, That the measures recommended by gen. Washington, of forming magazines at convenient places, distant from the sound, in the state of Massachusetts-Bay and Connecticut, is expedient:

That gen. Washington be informed, that Congress have given orders for the purchase of 20,000 barrels of flour, to be transported by water for that purpose; and that he be authorized and directed to fix on the places where the said magazines shall be established, and to give the necessary orders to the quarter-master general and commissary-general for carrying this resolution into execution.

Resolved, That it be submitted to the consideration of gen. Washington, whether a considerable part of the cavalry now in the army, can, in the present seat of the war, be employed with an utility adequate to the great expense and difficulty which occur in supplying them with forage; and if he shall be of opinion that the duty of the whole, or any part of them, may be dispensed with at camp, that he be directed to order such of the cavalry as he shall deem proper, to such parts of these states as they can be best subsisted in.

That all officers of the army, not authorized by the resolutions of Congress, or by the special permission of the commander in chief, to keep horses, be prohibited, though at their own expense, from keeping any horse or horses within 40 miles of the main body of the army, and that gen. Washington be desired to appoint proper officers to see this order carried into strict execution, and to bring to trial all offenders against it.

Whereas Congress have received information that several persons in the state of Maryland have eluded the embargo on provisions, by loading stores on board vessels, and obtaining a clearance on tobacco :

Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the governor and council of the state of Maryland, to take measures for preventing the embargo being eluded, by this and such other practices, which, in the opinion of Congress, are highly injurious to the general welfare.

The delegates from Delaware laid before Congress a letter, of the 8th, from Cæsar Rodney, esq. president of the state of Delaware, with sundry papers enclosed, relative to a complaint against count Pulaski :

Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee directed to enquire into the state of the legion commanded by count Pulaski :

Congress took into consideration the report of the committee appointed, in conjunction with a committee of the council of Pennsylvania, to ascertain the property of goods, wares, and merchandise, in possession of the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, at the time it was evacuated by the enemy; and, after some time spent thereon,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

A letter, of the 5th, from baron Steuben, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the me-
morial of capt. Harper, and after some time spent thereon,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed.
Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, September 12, 1778.

A letter, of this day, from Mr. Resolve Smith, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the committee appointed to prepare a manifesto on the injurious treatment our prisoners and faithful citizens receive from the enemy, and that the committee be directed to confer with Mr. R. Smith, and report respecting him.

Resolved, That Mr. Drayton be added to the committee appointed to confer with major-general Arnold:

That Mr. Chase be added to the committee appointed to confer with the minister of France.

A letter, of the 2d, from major-gen. Heath, at Boston, was read, informing of the enemy's fleet appearing off that harbor.

On motion, Resolved, That capt. Nathaniel Falconer be appointed a superintendent of the presses for striking bills of credit, bills of exchange, and foan-office certificates, in addition to those already elected.