fylvania, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina; and from the state of New Hampshire, Mr. Fofter, from RhodeIfland, Mr. Howell, from Maryland, Mr. Chafe, and from South-Carolina, Mr. Read, the prefident adjourned Congrefs till to morrow at ten o'clock. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1783. Five states only attending, viz. Maffachusetts, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina; and from the state of New Hampshire, Mr. Fofter, from Rhode Island, Mr. Howell, from Maryland, Mr. Chafe, and from South Carolina, Mr. Read,-the prefident adjourned Congress till ten o'clock to morrow. THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1784. Six ftates only attending, namely, Maffachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and North-Carolina; and from the ftate of New Hampshire, Mr. Fofter, and from the state of Maryland, Mr.Chase,— the prefident adjourned Congrefs till ten o'clock to morrow. FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1784 Congrefs affembled. Prefent Maffachufetts, RhodeIfland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North-Carolina; and from the state of New-Hampshire, Mr. Fofter, and from the ftate of South Carolina, Mr. Read. On the report of a committee confifting of Mr. Ofgood, Mr. Lee and Mr. Morris, to whom was referred a memorial of Philip Moore : Refolved, That the following form of fea letters be granted for the fhip United States, belonging to the me morialist and others. Moft ferene, ferene, most puissant, puiffant, high, illuftri ous, noble, honorable; venerable, wife and prudent Lords, Emperors, Kings, Republics, Princes, Dukes, Earls, Ba. rons, Lords, Burgomafters, Schepens, Councillors, as alfo Judges, Officers, Jufticiaries and Regents of all the good cities and places, whether ecclefiaftical or fecular, who hall fee thefe patents or hear them read: WE WE the United States of America in Congrefs affembled, make known, That Mr. James Moore, fupercargo of the hip called "The United States," of the burthen of three hundred tons, or thereabouts, at present navigated by captain Thomas Bell, is of the United States of America; and as we wish to fee the faid James Moore, fupercargo, profper in his lawful affairs, our prayer is to all the before mentioned, and to each of them feparately, where the faid James Moore fhall arrive with his vessel and cargo, that they may pleafe to receive the faid fupercargo with goodness, and to treat him in a becoming manner, permitting him, upon the usual tolls and expences in paffing and repaffing, to pafs, navigate and frequent the ports, paffes and territories, to the end, to tranfact his bufinefs where, and in what manner he shall judge proper. 2 In teftimony whereof, &c. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1734. Congress affembled. Prefent the fame as yesterday. A letter of the 17th December laft, from Mr. F. Dana was read, informing Congress of his arrival at Bofton, after a paffage of 95 days, from Petersburg; and defiring to know whether it is the expectation of the Congrefs, that he should come on to the place of their feffions, and without loss of time to render a more particular account of his late miffion. Whereupon, on motion of Mr. Gerry, feconded by Mr, Read, Refolved, That the prefident inform Mr Dana, it is the defire of Congress to receive his communication, relative to his miffion to the court of Ruffja, and to the difpofition of that court towards the United States, as foon as the circumstances of his affairs, and the feafon fhall admit of his attending Congress. MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1784. Congrefs affembled. Prefent Maffachusetts, Rhode Iland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North-Carolina; and from the ftate of New Hampshire, Mr. Folter, and from South Carolina, Mr. Read. On motion of Mr. Ellery, feconded by Mr. Howell, Refolved 1 Refolved, That the election of the five committeës, directed to be appointed on this day, by the refolution of the 17th June, 1782, be poftponed till the first Monday in February next. On the report of a committee confifting of Mr. Lee, Mr. Williamson and Mr. Ellery, to whom was referred a memorial from Guftavus Conyngham, praying for the re newal of a commiffion of captain in the navy of the Unit ed States, received from the commiffioners i Paris, in 1777, and loft by him, or to be reinftated in his former fituation. Refolved, That the prayer of the faid memorialift cannot be granted, fuch commiffions being intended for tem porary expeditions only, and not to give rank in the navy. On the report of a committee, confifting of Mr. Ellery, Mr; Lee, Mr. Izard, Mr. Peters and Mr. M'Henry, to whom was referred a letter from the commander in chief, of the 28th Auguft, containing a proposal from the fecretary of the Polish Order of Knights of Divine Providence, that Congrefs fhould nominate a number of suitable persons to be created knights of the faid order. Refolved, That the late commander in chief, be requested to inform the chevalier Jean de Heintz, fecretary of the order of Divine Providence, that Congress are fen. fible of the attention of that order, in propofing to them to nominate a number of suitable perfons to be created knights of the order of Divine Providence; but that Con grefs cannot, confiftently with the principles of the con. federation, accept of their obliging propofal. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1784. Congress affembled. Present the fame as yesterday. The committee confifting of Mr. Howell, Mr. Gerry and Mr. M'Comb, to whom was referred a letter of the 22d November, from the poftmafter-general, with fundry papers enclosed therein, refpecting the robbery of the mail at Princeton, report the following state of facts. "That about nine o'clock in the evening of the 30th of October laft, the mail for the eastward was clofed and laid laid on the counter, in the poft office,-that the poftrider came into the office, and passed into a room adjoining, with the postmaster, leaving the mail on the counter, and a lighted candle near it, without any one in the office, the door leading into the street and the room adjoining being open that under thefe circumstances fome perfon entered the office at the front door, extinguished the candle and carried off the mail-that fome days after the robbery of the mail, it was found in a meadow near Princeton, and returned to the general poft office-that the mail contained a large packet of notes figned by Michael Hillegas, treasurer, and other valuable effects, none of which were mifling; but that five or fix letters were loft, and several franked by members of Congrefs were broke open. Up. on which state of facts the committee conceive that the interefts of individuals, the revenue of the poft office, and the national honor are intimately concerned in the fafety and prefervation of the public mails, and of the letters, packets and difpatches committed to the post office." Whereupon Refolved, That a copy of the letters and papers referred to the committee, be tranfmitted to the fupreme executive of the ftate of New Jersey, who are requested to order a frict enquiry into the conduct of John Harrifon, poftmalter at Princeton, and James Martin, poftriders relative to the premifesto afcertain whe. ther, and how far they were culpable in the lofs of the mail-to difcover if poffible the perpetrators of the rob bery and to tranfmit the refult of fuch enquiry to Con grefs. Refolved, That the postmafter-general, be directed to inform Congrefs, to whom the mail was delivered when found, and whofe hands it paffed through till lodged in the general poft office; that he alfo be directed to give pofitive orders to the feveral poftmafters, and poftriders, to take the moft efetual care of the letters, packets, difpatches and mails' caminitted to them refpectively, as any neglect or mifconduct in that department will meet with no indulgence from Congrefs. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1784. Congress affembled. Prefent as before. THURSDAY, THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1784. Congress affembled. Prefent as before. On motion of Mr. Howell, feconded by Mr. Eliery, Refolved, That Monday next be affigned for the election of a chaplain to Congrefs. On the report of a committee, confifling of Mr. Gerry, Mr. Lee and Mr. Chafe, to whom was referred a memorial of Jan Hendrick Christian Heinekin, one of the agents of the Pruffian fhip Minerva, touching a decree of the court of appeals in cafes of capture. Refolved, That the memorial of Jan Hendrick Chriftian Heinekin, with the papers accompanying it, be referred to the judges of the court of appeals in cafes of capture, to report to Congress as fpeedily as may be, the proceeddings, proofs and judgment in the abovementioned caufe. On the report of a committee, confifting of Mr. Ofgood, Mr. Lee and Mr. Tilton, to whom was referred a petition of Thomas Sudler, fetting forth that his dwell. ing houfe was, on the 6th of February 1781, plundered and robbed by the British-and that he loft feveral conti nental certificates to the amount of two thoufand three hundred dollars exclufive of intereft, which were dated about the 2d of March, 1779, and praying that certificates of the fame tenor and date may be iffued to him. Refolved, That the certificates being made payable to the bearer, and probably at this time in circulation, the prayer of the petition cannot be granted. On the report of a committee, confifting of Mr. Wil. liamfon, Mr. Tilton and Mr. Monroe, to whom were referred the memorial of captain Houdin, of the second Maflachufetis regiment, and that of lieutenant Thacher of the fame, praying for promotion. Refolved, That the definitive treaty of peace being fign. ed, nearly the whole of the army difcharged, and the commander in chief having refigned his commiffion, it is inexpedient to make the promotion requested. FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1784. Congress affembled. Prefent as before. On the report of a committee, confifting of Mr. Ellery, Mr |