MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1778

A letter, of 21 May, from General Washington, enclosing an account of Brigadier M'Intosh, for his expences from Georgia to head quarters, and sundry other papers, was read:

Ordered, That the account of Brigadier M'Intosh, be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that General Washington's letter, with the other papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.

A letter, of 28 May, from General Washington, and one, of the 26, from Governor Livingston, were read.1

Congress took into consideration the instructions to the commissioners in Europe, and after debate,

Resolved, That they be re-committed, and that three members be, for this purpose, added to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, who reported the same:

The members chosen, Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, Mr. [William] Duer, and Mr. [James] Smith.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

The committee to whom was re-committed the instructions to the commissioners of the United States at the several courts in Europe, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration, and after some debate thereon, Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed.

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

1 Washington's letter of May 2 is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI, folio 43; that of the 28th, is on folio 47; that of Livingston is in No. 68, folio 371.

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 1778

A letter, of 27 May, from General Gates, at Fish kill, enclosing copies of letters that passed between him and General Washington, and between him and Governor Trumbull, with sundry other papers; also a letter of 23 May, from General Conway, were read:1

Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War. Congress proceeded to the election of a deputy adjutant general in the northern department, in the room of Lieutenant Colonel Troup, who declines, and whose commission is returned by General Gates; and the ballots being taken,

Colonel William Malcolm was elected.

The Board of War having represented, "that the corps of artificers is sufficient for the protection of the magazines and stores at Carlisle,"

Resolved, That Major Wilson's corps, raised as guards for the stores and magazines at Carlisle, in the State of Pensylvania, be dismissed the service of the United States.2

Resolved, That the officers hereinafter mentioned be entitled to draw one ration a day, and no more; that where they shall not draw such ration, they shall not be allowed any compensation in lieu thereof; and to the end, that they may be enabled to live in a manner becoming their station:

Resolved, That the following sums be paid to them monthly for their subsistence, to wit: to every colonel, 'The letter of Gates is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 154, I, folio 332; that of Conway is in No. 159, folio 481.

"This report, in the writing of Richard Peters, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 67.

fifty dollars; to every lieutenant colonel, forty dollars; to every major, thirty dollars; to every captain, twenty dollars; and to every lieutenant and ensign, ten dollars; and to every regimental surgeon, thirty dollars; to every regimental surgeon's mate, ten dollars; and also to every chaplain of brigade, fifty dollars.

Resolved, That subsistence money be allowed to officers and others on the staff, in lieu of extra rations, and that henceforward none of them be allowed to draw more than one ration a day.

Ordered, That the committee of arrangement be directed to report to Congress, as soon as possible, such an allowance as they shall think adequate to the station of the respective officers and persons employed on the staff.

The commissioners of claims, with the approbation of the auditor general, report,

That there is due to the Rev. Mr. George Duffield, as chaplain to Congress, from 1 October, 1777, to 30 April, 1778, inclusive, exclusive of rations due to him, being seven months, at 60 dollars a month, 420 dollars, which is to be paid to the Rev. Dr. [John] Witherspoon, at the request of Mr. Duffield:

There is also due to Mr. Duffield rations for some time, but as the Commissioners of Claims cannot ascertain the value of a ration, the same is deferred until a future settlement with him.

That there is due to Peter Scriber, for making a box for a paper mould for bills of exchange, six dollars:1

Ordered, That the said sums be paid.

The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That 800 dollars be advanced to Brigadier McIntosh, [on account of his extra disbursements in

1This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 335.

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repairing from Georgia to headquarters, and thence to Fort Pitt, in pursuance of the order of Congress.]

Ordered, That 30,395 62/90 dollars, be paid to Reading Blount, in discharge of a draft of his excellency Richard Caswell, governor of the State of North Carolina, in favour of Nicholas Long, deputy pay master general of that State, for the sum of £1,400, and £10,758 5 shillings 6 pence, North Carolina currency, expressed to be for the purchase of waggons, and the balance of the said Nicholas Long's account, the said State to be accountable.

Ordered, That 1,500 dollars be paid to Captain Harman Courter, in compensation for his public services, and to defray his expences to Boston.

N. B. Captain Courter acknowledges to have received a Curricle from the Board of War at Boston which he engages to deliver up on his return to Boston, or will deliver the Curricle here, provided the Public will furnish him with means to carry back his Baggage.1

Resolved, That the order of the day for taking into consideration the articles of confederation, be postponed.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

Resolved, That an interpreter and translator of languages to Congress be appointed; that his pay be one hundred dollars per month:

The ballots being taken,

Mr. Paul Fooks was elected.

A letter, of 31 May, from General Washington, was read:2

Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three: The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, and Mr. James Smith.

'This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 337. The words in brackets were inserted by Henry Laurens.

'This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI, folio 55.

Congress resumed the consideration of the instructions to the commissioners ||of the United States|| at foreign courts, and after some time spent thereon,

Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1778

A letter, of the 28 May, from Governor Trumbull, enclosing a copy of a letter from William Tryon, governor of New York,|| and Governor Trumbull's answer, was read:1

Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.

A letter, of 28 May, from General Washington, and one, of the 16 May, from General Sullivan, were read:

Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War. A letter, of 27 May, from J. Wadsworth, commissary general of purchases, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:

Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three;

The members chosen, Mr. [Charles] Carroll, Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington.

A letter, of 17 May, from General Schuyler, at Albany, enclosing a message from him to the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, was read:2

Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.

1These papers are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 66, I, folio 394. 'The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI, folio 51; that of Sullivan is in No. 160, folio 121; that of Wadsworth, in No. 78, XXIII, folio 499; and that of Schuyler, with the message, in No. 153, III, folio 314.