In Committee of Safety,
[Philadelphia] 7th June, 1776
Capt. Thomas Read's Letter of 5th June was this day read, wherein he desires to resign his Command of the Ship Montgomery, having been recommended to the Command of a Continental Frigate.
Resolved, That this Board agree to his Resignation.
The two following resolves of Congress are ordered to be enter'd on the Minutes of this Board:
In Congress, May 29th, 1776
Resolved, That Midshipman [John] Draper be offered in Exchange for Captain William Budden.
June 4th, 1776
Resolved, That the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania be empowered to negociate, with Captain [Henry] Bellew, on the best terms they can, for an exchange of the Prisoners on Board the Liverpool, provided always, that this shall not be construed so as to enable them to deliver up Lieut Bogard [sic] & Lieutenant Ball in the Exchange.
Extracts from the Minutes
Sign'd Ch's Thomson, Sec'y.
In Consequence of the above Resolve of Congress of 29th May, a Letter was wrote to Doct'r [Charles] Bensell of Germantown, desiring that Mr. Draper may be suffered to come to this City with Capt. Budden, in order to his being exchanged.
Captain William Brown being appointed by this Board to go on Board the Liverpool Man-of-War, the following instructions were sign'd by the Chairman and deliver'd him.
You are to proceed with Mr. William Budden & Mr. John Draper, on Board the Liverpool Ship-of-War, and deliver Mr. Draper in exchange for Mr. Budden and his son, and treat with Capt. Bellew for a further Exchange of Prisoners, observing that this Committee are not impowered to offer either Lt. Ball or Lieut. Boger to be exchanged. It cannot be expected that the seamen taken Prisoners, belonging to the King's Ships, can be render'd back in Exchange upon equal terms for Mariners who are taken in Merchant Ships, or Coasting Vessels, much less for Passengers or other Inhabitants that may be made Captive, who ought to be set on shore, as is the Custom of War; you are therefore carefully to attend to these distinctons, and procure such proposals from Capt. Bellew as this Committee can accept of, and which may serve as a Basis for future Exchanges.
The Commanding Officer of the Fleet has this day orders to suffer the Marine Comp'y on Board the Provincial Ship to be entirely under the Command of their own Officers.
Pursuant to a Resolve of Congress of the fourth day of June, inst., impowering this Committee to negotiate with Capt. Bellew for an Exchange of Prisoners on Board the Liverpool, Capt. Wm. Brown is authorized and appointed to take Mr. John Draper, Midshipman of the Liverpool, on board the said Ship, in exchange for Mr. William Budden and his son, and to treat with Capt. Bellew for the exchange of such other Prisoners as are on Board the said Ship.