Report on the Petition of David Beveridge

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Wednesday, December 20, 1775.

The Committee of Claims reported that there is due to several persons, for necessaries furnished to the Rifle Companies in Virginia, the sum of 640˙5 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Thomas Rutherford.

To Rebecca Reynolds, for Horse hire, 6˙9 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Henry Wisner, Esq.

Ordered, That the above be paid.

Resolved, That an Order be drawn on the Treasurers, in favour of the Rev˙ Mr˙ Elihu Spencer, for the sum of 120 Dollars, and in favour of the Rev˙ Mr˙ Alexander McWhorter for the like sum, who have undertaken to go to North-Carolina, being three months' advance, they to be accountable.

The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee on the Petition of David Beveridge, which was agreed to. Whereupon,

Resolved, That the said Petition is unreasonable.

Resolved, nevertheless, That for the more speedy arming these Colonies, the said David Beveridge be permitted to export a cargo of the produce of America (Live Stock and Lumber excepted) to any part of the world, except Great Britain, the British Islands, Ireland, or the British West-Indies, on his giving bond, with sufficient security, in double the amount of the said cargo, to the Chairman of the Committee of Inspection of Philadelphia, or to such persons as the said Committee shall appoint, that he will import into these Colonies, by the first day of June next, the amount of the proceeds of the said cargo in Arms, Ammunition, or Saltpetre, and shall dispose of the same to the Congress, for the use of the United Colonies, at such reasonable prices as, by the Committee of Inspection of the place in which the Vessel shall arrive, shall be ascertained and determined.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, the Congress resumed the consideration of the General' s Letters, and thereupon came to the following Resolution:

Resolved, That the several Vessels heretofore taken and carried into Massachusetts-Bay, by the Armed Vessels in the service of the United Colonies, be proceeded against by the rules of the Law of Nations, and libelled in the Courts of Admiralty erected in said Colony.

Certain Instructions given to the President to be observed in answering the General.

The Order of the Day, with regard to resolving itself into a Committee of the Whole to take into consideration the Report of the Committee of Conference respecting Boston, postponed.