Aug 12

v1:1605

Monday, August 12, 1776.

A Letter from General Washington of the 8th, with sundry Papers enclosed, and one from General Mercer, with one enclosed to him from Colonel Dickinson, were read.

Resolved, That the Letter from General Washington, with the Papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War:

That the Letter from Brigadier-General Mercer, with the enclosed Letter from Colonel Dickinson, be communicated to the Convention of Pennsylvania.

Sundry Resolutions, passed by the Convention of New-York, were laid before Congress, and read.

A Letter from a gentleman at Cape Francois, in Hispaniola, dated July the 23d, was also read.

Resolved, That it be referred to the Secret Committee.

That the Delegates of North-Carolina be empowered to send by water, at the risk of the Continent, the Military Stores necessary for that State.

On application of one of the parties,

Resolved, That the hearing the appeal against the sentence passed on the Schooner Thistle, be postponed to Monday, the 26th instant.

The Council of Safety of Pennsylvania having recommended Philip Schrauder, as a Second Lieutenant of the Fifth Company of Germans, to be raised in that State:

Resolved, That he be accepted, and that a Commission be granted to him accordingly.

A Letter of the 3d, from the Council of Virginia, and one of the same date, from Brigadier-General Lewis, were read.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, Commodore Hopkins attended, and was admitted; when the Examination, taken before the Marine Committee, and the Report of the said Committee in consequence thereof, were read to him; and the Commodore being heard in his own defence, and having delivered in some further answers to the questions asked him by the Marine Committee, and two Witnesses being, at his request, introduced and examined, he withdrew.

Congress then took into consideration the Instructions given to Commodore Hopkins, his Examination and Answers to the Marine Committee, and the Report of the Marine Committee thereupon; also, the further defence by him made, and the testimony of the Witnesses; and, after some debate, the further consideration thereof was postponed.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o' clock, to-morrow.