Mr. [Jacobus] Van Zandt, seconded by Mr. [Comfort] Sands, moved in the words following, to wit:

I move that a letter be wrote to the Continental Congress giving them a true copy of [the state of] this city and Colony, occasioned by the stoppage of provisions to the ships of war by order of General Lee.

The same being considered and unanimously agreed to,

Ordered, That Mr. [Thomas] Smith, Mr Van Zandt and Mr. [Leonard] Gansevort, be a committee to prepare and report a draft of such letter, with all convenient speed.

Mr.Jacobus Van Zandt informed the Congress that the money he has already received towards lading the ship Rosamond, on Provincial account, is insufficient for the purpose, and that he wants the sum of £ 167 19s. to complete tlie lading of the said ship.

Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esqr. as Treasurer of this Congress, advance to Mr. Jacobus Van Zandt the sum of one hundred and sixty-seven pounds nineteen shillings to complete the lading of the ship Rosamond, Wright Southgate; master; and that the said Treasurer takes Mr. Van Zandt's receipt for the same.

A letter from Major-General Lee was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

New-York; March 6th, 1776.

Sir ー I have just received an uncertified paper, the purport of which seems to imply that the men of war and Governor Tryon are to be supplied as formerly with provisions. Subsequently to this order of the Provincial Congress, the Continental Congress have instructed me to put the city in the best state of defence possible. I am so unfortunate as riot to be able to discover how furnishing the enemy with the necessaries of life can contribute to this end; it certainly must open the means of their receiving every sort of intelligence which ought to be withheld from them, for I cannot myself conceive, that the oath of the port master should bind his boat's crew. It is true they are to be restrained from going on board, but I defy human cunning to prevent, (when they are once alongside,) the conveyance of a letter. I must entreat, sir, that the Congress will not suppose that I am aiming at an authority superior to theirs in thus giving my opinion, and raising objections to any thing they have resolved. I respect them as the true representatives of the people and proper Legislature of the Province; but, sir, the information I have received from Cambridge, and the orders I have received from the Continental Congress, will justify me in most humbly entreating the Congress not to enjoin me to assent, (so much against my conscience,) to any intercourse of any kind with Mr. Tryon, who must be considered as a most dangerous enemy.

There is one thing further I would submit to the wisdom of the Congress, whether it will be prudent to suffer a single man (in our present circumstances) to remain in the city, who will not enter into an engagement to take up arms in defence of the common rights. I took the liberty to address a letter to you hinting a measure somewhat related to this scheme, but was not honoured with an answer. I am, sir [&c.]

Charles Lee.

P.S . .. .I must now inform you, sir, that in consequence of the last instructions from the Continental Congress, to put this city and its environs in a state of defence, I have ordered Colonel [Andrew] Ward, as a previous measure, to secure the whole body of professed tories in Long island. When the enemy is at our door, forms must be dispensed with; my duty to you, to the Continental Congress, and to my own conscience, have dictated the necessity of the measure. If I have done wrong, and I confess the irreguiarity, I must submit myself to the shame of being reputed foolish, rash and precipitate. I must undergo the censure of the public, but I shall have consciousness in my own breast that the most pure motives of serving the public cause, uncontaminated by pique or resentment to individuals, have urged me to the step. There is now a ruffian under guard, one John Greg, who attempted to murder the sentinels on their posts the other night.

I beg to know your pleasure on the subject. As to the affair of the sentries firing on the boats, I never heard till this moment that they had repeated a misdemeanor so contrary to the orders they had received. I can only say that I am very sorry that my orders have been so little respected, and that if I can find out the culprits they shall be severely punished. I am, sir [&c.]

Charles Lee.

To the President of the Provincial Congress at New-York

Colonel [Alexander] McDougall, who brought in the letter from Major-General Lee, informed the Congress that he had some conversation with Lord Stirling on the subject of keeping up a uniformity, and preventing any interfering in the orders giyen by this Congress and the commander of the troops stationed here, and his lordship was ready and desirous, as soon as Major-General Lee was departed, to confer frequently with a committee of this Congress for that purpose.

Ordered, That Mr. Smith, Mr. [Abraham] Yates, Mr. Van Zandt, Colo. McDougall, Mr. [John Sloss] Hobart, Colo. [Pierre] Van Courtlandt, Mr. (Leonard] Gansevoort, and General Ten Broeck, be a committee to confer with Lord Stirling on the subject of a communication between the ships and the shore, the firing of the centries on the boats passing and repassing, and the subject of apprehending and sending into confinement in this and another Colony, sundry inhabitants of this city and Colony, without the knowledge of, or application to any committee of this Congress.