May 13, Letter from General Washington, of the 9th, read and referred to the Committee on Qualifications, Letter from George Morgan, read and referred to the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs, Leave granted Mrs. Connolly to visit her husband in Jail,. Proceedings of the Committee of Secret Correspondence laid before the Congress

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Monday, May 13, 1776.

A Letter of the 9th, from General Washington, was laid before Congress, and read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Qualifications.

Sundry Petitions were presented to Congress, and read, viz: one from Dr˙ Benjamin Church, and one from Benjamin, Samuel, and Edward Church, with a Certificate from three Physicians, respecting the health of Dr˙ B˙ Church; also one from John Connolly and John Smith, accompanied with a Letter from Dr˙ Cadwallader:

Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Prisoners.

A Letter of the 3d from George Morgan, at Pittsburgh, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs.

Resolved, That Mrs˙ Connolly have leave to visit her husband in Jail.

Agreeable to order, the Committee of Secret Correspondence laid before Congress a copy of their Proceedings.

The Committee appointed to prepare a Preamble to the Resolution of Congress passed the 10th, brought in a draft; which was read.

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till tomorrow.

A Letter of the 4th, from Edmund Pendleton, President of the Committee of Safety of Virginia, was laid before Congress, and read.

The Committee of Claims reported that there is due —

To A˙ C˙ Hanson, for the expenses of two Gentlemen, a Private Soldier, and a Servant, on an expedition to New York, the sum of 76˙4 Dollars.

To Rachel Stille, for boarding Prisoners now in Trenton, and including Captain Chase' s bill of 8˙5 Dollars and a bill of Wagonage, the sum of 290˙9 Dollars.

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To Robert Erwin, Wagonmaster, for wagonage of Powder from Egg-Harbour to Philadelphia, the sum of 247 Dollars.

To Frederick Bicking, for Paper for the Continental Bills of Credit, the sum of 1109˙3 Dollars.

To Gunning Bedford, Deputy Mustermaster-General, for his pay and expenses to the 17th of April last, the sum of 455˙6 Dollars.

Ordered, That the said Accounts be paid.

Congress resumed the consideration of the Resolution reported from the Committee of the Whole; and, after debate, the determination thereof, at the request of a Colony, was postponed till to-morrow.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o' clock, tomorrow.