nations. We have ordered Brigadr. General Prescot to be bound in irons & to be confined in close jail, there to experience suffer ings similar to those corresponding miseries to those which shall be inflicted on Mr. Allen. His life shall answer for that life of Mr. Allen, & the lives of as many others for those sent with him of the brave men captivated with him. We deplore the event which shall oblige us to retaliate shed blood for blood, and shall resort to retaliation but as the means of stopping the progress of butchery. This it is a duty we owe to those engaged in support of our the cause of their country, to assure them that if any unlucky circumstance baffling the efforts of their bravery shall put them in the power of their enemies, their lives shall be warranted from sacrifice by the lives of the prisoners in our hands we will use the pledges in our hands to warrant their lives from sacrifice.

TO JOHN PAGE.1

[About Dec. roth, 1775.] De rebus novis, ita est. One of our armed vessels has taken an English store ship coming with all the implements of war (except powder) to Boston. She is worth about £30,000 sterling as General Washington informs us, & the stores are adapted to his wants as perfectly as if he had sent the invoice. They have also taken two small provision vessels from Ireland to Boston. A forty gun ship blew up the other day by accident in the harbor of Boston. Of a certainty the hand of God is upon them. Our last intelligence from Arnold to be relied on is by letter from him. He was then at Point Levy opposite Quebec & had a great number of canoes ready to cross the river. The Canadians received him with cordiality & the

1 From the original in the possession of the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester, Mass.

regular force in Qubec was too inconsiderable to give him any inquietude. A later report makes him in possession of Quebec, but this is not authenticated. Montgomery had proceeded in quest of Carleton & his small fleet of 11 pickeroons, then on Lake St. Francis. He had got below him & had batteries so planted as to prevent his passing. It is thought he cannot escape their vigilance. I hope Ld. Chatham may live till the fortune of war puts his son into our hands, & enables us by returning him safe to his father, to pay a debt of gratitude. I wish you would get into Convention & come here. Think of it. Ac

The Congress have promoted Brigadier Genl. Montgomery to be a Major General, and on being assured that Arnold is in possession of Quebec it is probable he will be made a Brigadier General, one of those offices being vacant by Montgomery's promotion. This march of Arnold's is equal to Xenophon's retreat. Be so good as to enquire for the box of books you lodged for me at Nelson's & get them to a place of safety. Perhaps some oppty may offer of sending it to Richmond.

REPORT TO CONGRESS ON CONGRESS COMMITTEE.' c.c.

[December 15, 1775.

The Committee appointed to consider and prepare instructions for a committee who are to sit during the recess of Congress have agreed to the following resolutions

1 This committee, consisting of Jefferson, Hooper, Franklin, Jay, and Dean, were appointed December 13, 1775, to prepare instructions for a "Committee

Resolved that it is the opinion of this committee that the sd Committee during the Recess of Congress should be authorized & instructed

To receive and open letters directed to the Congress

To correspond with the several Conventions, Assemblies, or Committees of safety, with the Committee of Congress sent to Canada, the Commissioners for Indian affairs; and the Commanding officers of the Continental forces in the several departments

To give counsel to the sd commanding officers whenever applied to by them.

To supply the Continental forces by sea and land with all necessaries from time to time

To expedite the striking monies ordered by the Congress to be struck

To transmit to the several Commanding officers, Paymasters & Commissaries from time to time such sums of money as may be necessary for the pay & subsistence of the Continental forces, and order paiment by the Treasurer for such contracts as they, the said committee, may make in pursuance of the authorities and instructions given them.

To take charge of all military stores belonging to the United Colonies, to procure such further quantities as may probably be wanted, & to order any part thereof wheresoever it may be most requisite for the Common service.

To direct the safe keeping and comfortable accommodation of all Prisoners of War.

To contribute their counsel and authority towards raising recruits ordered by Congress

To procure intelligence of the condition and designs of the

enemy.

to sit during the adjournment" of Congress. They reported this paper on December 15th, but it seems never to have been acted on by the Congress, as no immediate adjournment took place, as was at that time expected. The feeling seems to have been in favor of a committee which should sit at Hartford or some other town nearer the seat of war. (See Coll, of Conn. Hist. Soc., II., 249.) Compare with Jefferson's “Draft of Report on a Committee of the States," post. January 30, 1784.

VOL. 1.-32

To direct military operations by sea and land; not changing any objects or expedition determined on by Congress

To attend to the defence and preservation of forts and strong posts and to prevent the enemy from acquiring new holds

To apply to such officers in the several colonies as are entrusted with the executive powers of government for the occasional aid of Minute-men and militia whenever & wherever necessary

In case of the death of any officer within the appointment of Congress, to employ a person to fulfil his duties, until the meeting of Congress, unless the office be of such nature as to admit of a delay of appointment until such meeting

To examine public claims and accounts and report the same to the next Congress.

To publish and disperse authentic accounts of military operations.

To expedite the printing of the Journal of Congress as by them directed to be published

To summon a meeting of Congress at an earlier date than that to which it may stand adjourned, if any great and unexpected emergence shall render it necessary for the safety or good of the United colonies

And to lay before the Congress at their meeting all letters received by them with a report of their proceedings.

Resolved that the said Committee shall be authorized to appoint their own clerk who shall take an oath of secrecy before he enters on the exercise of his office.

Resolved that in case of the death of any member of the said Committee, they immediately apply to his surviving colleagues to appoint some one of themselves to be a member of the said Committee.

END OF VOLUME I.