Messrs. Wolcott and Huntington from Connecticut took their Seats. A Report passed from the Comee. on Gen. Washns. Letters, to allow the Paymaster at Cambridge to draw upon the Continental Treasurers for any Sum not exceeding a Months Pay of that Army, to allow Him to reinlist the free Negroes, to continue Col Gridley as Chief Engineer, to appoint a Chaplain to every 2 Battalions & the Pay of such Chaplain fixed at 33 1/3 Dollars per Month &c. A Tender was asked for & allowed to our Naval Armament under Admiral Hopkins. Duane & E. Rutledge were desired to rectify a Mistake in the Journals now printing, as to the Date of the Bills of Credit. The Report was made from the Comee. on the Number of Troops necessary, they recommend
4 new Battalions to be raised in New York & one in N Carolina, the latter was confirmed & a day named to consider the former.(1) Considerable Arguments on the Point Whether a Day shall be fixed for considering the Instrument of Confederation formerly brought in by a Comee. It was carried in the Negative. Dr. Franklin exerted Himself in Favor of the Confederation as did Hooper, Dickinson and others agt. it.(2) Two Applications from French or other Foreigners for Employ in our Service, were referred to the Comee. for nominating fit persons for Officers.(3) A French Vessel just arrived here with Powder. It is reported that they are fitting out 4 or 5 Privateers or other Vessels of War in So. Carolina & their Agent is now in this City on his Way to New England to engage 500 Seamen. He is empowered to offer such high Terms that the S. Carolina Delegates acquainted Congress with it least it should prejudice our Service and a Comee. was chosen to consider the Matter.(4) A Vessel is about to sail from Philada. with Produce for Bermudas to procure Powder and if it belongs to the King to seize it by Force; if there is none there She is to go to New Orleans, Carthagena or to a noted Port near Carthagena or elsewhere and if She cannot get Ammunition the Captain is to obtain hard Money. The Secretary was desired to make out a List of all Committees & their Business and leave it on the Table. Col Kirkland with his little Son is brought here & secured in Goal. He was offered the Choice of having his Son with him or that the Boy should be put to Colledge, he chose the former. A Petition was presented from Benjamin Randolph of Chesnut Street praying Leave to raise a Troop of Light Horse for Continental Service, it was opposed by E. Rutledge and neglected or rejected.
1 See Smith's Diary, January 10, 1776, note 1.
2 See Silas Deane's Proposals to Congress, November? 1775, note 1 .
3 One of these applicants has not been identified, but the other was Dohickey Arundel, who was brought to Congress' attention by Francis Lewis and appointed on March 19, 1776, as a captain of artillery under Gen. Charles Lee. JCC, 4:58, 111-12, 120, 211-12, 241, 243; and Andre Lasseray, Les Franfais sous les trcize etoiles (1775-1783), 2 vols. (Macon and Paris: Imprimerie Protat FrAres, 1935), 1:119 20.
4 On January 19 Congress approved resolves raising the bounties and lowering the wages which Capt. Robert Cochran had been authorized by the South Carolina Council of Safety to offer to New England seamen who agreed to enlist in that province's navy. JCC, 4:67-68; and Clark, .Naval Documents, 3:326-28. For additional information on Cochran's recruiting efforts, see Clark, :Naval Documents, 3:647, 1316, 1333.