Seven ftates being represented, they proceeded to the choice of a prefident; and the ballots being taken, The honorable Thomas Mifflin was elected. The prefident not being prefent, the states proceeded to the choice of a chairman; and the ballots being taken, The honorable Daniel Carroll was elected On motion of Mr. Duane, feconded by Mr. M'Henry, Refolved, That the thanks of Congrefs be given to the honorable Elias Boudinot, late prefident of Congress, in teftimony of their approbation of his conduct in the chair and in the execution of public business. On motion of Mr. Howell, feconded by Mr. Ofgood, Refolved, That all committees appointed by the last Congrefs, and having bufinefs before them be, and they are hereby authorifed to proceed in the fame, and that they make report as foon as may be. On a report from the fecretary at war, to whom was referred a letter from colonel Moylan: Refolved, That colonel Stephen Moylan, colonel Samuel Elbert, colonel Charles Coltefworth Pinckney, and colonel William Ruffel, be promoted to the rank of brigadiers by brevet. On the report of a committee confifting of Mr. Clarke, Mr. Peters and Mr. S. Huntington, to whom was referred a letter of the 4th October, from the paymaster gene. ral. Refolved, That the paymaster general be informed, that all monies drawn on account of pay, by commanding officers and paymnafters of regiments, and not paid over to the officers and foldiers of the corps for which fuch pay was drawn, should be accounted for in the settlement of their accounts with the paymaster general; and fuch accounting will be a fufficient difcharge to the commanding officers and paymasters refpectively. Refolved, That the paymafter general depofit in the hands of regimental agents, the certificates for the ar rears of pay due to the officers and foldiers of the respective lines, to be by them delivered to the individuals to whom they belong, or depofited for their benefit as the fupreme executive of the state to which the respective agents belong, fhall direct Refolved, Refolved, That the fuperintendant of finance, jake measures for compelling the officers late in the issuing department, forthwith to furnish the paymafter general, with accounts against the officers of the respective lines, for articles furnished out of the public magazines in that department, to the end that no further delay may prevent the adjustment of the accounts of thofe officers with the paymaster general." On a report of the fecretary at war: Refolved, That John Pierce, paymafler general, be directed to fettle the accounts of captain Pendleton, for himself and company of artificers, and thofe of the late regiment of colonel Bedle, and give certificates of the balance or balances, fhould there be any due, as is given to the line of the army. On motion of Mr. M'Henry, feconded by Mr. Gerry, Refolved, That the chairman in the abfence of the prefident, be, and he is hereby empowered and directed to adjourn Congrels on the 6th inftant, to meet at Annapo lis on the 26th, agreeable to the refolution of the 21st of October laft. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1783.. Mr. Jefferfon, a delegate for Virgina, attended and took his feat. " Congrefs took into confideration the report of the committee appointed to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of war, and the fame being read: Ordered, That it be entered on the journals. The report is as follows: The committee confifting of Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Peters, Mr. Carrol, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Bland, appointed to enquire into the proceedings of the department of war, and to report the refult of their enquiries,-report, That they have enquired fully into the proceedings of the department of war, from the first Monday in January, to the first Monday in July 1782, and from that time, until the first Monday in January 1783, and find that the fecretary at war, hath faithfully executed and discharged the feveral powers and duties committed to and required of him, by the refolves of Congress. On motion of Mr. Williamfon, feconded by Mr. Ofgood, Refolved: That Samuel Hodgdon, commiffiry of military ftores, under the appointment of the fecretary at war, be continued in that office until the farther order of Congrefs, and that he be empowered to continue fuch affistants as may be neceflary to take care of the military ftores. That Jofeph Carleton, fecretary in the war office, be continued in office until the further orders of Congress. That the fecretary at war, inftruct Mr. Hodgdon, not to remove from the town of Providence, in the ftate of Rhode-Ifland, and the Head of Elk, the military fores at prefent depofited at those places respectively, till the further orders of Congrefs. On motion of Mr. Gerry, feconded by Mr. William. · fon, Refolved, That the chairman of Congress, in the absence of the prefident, give the neceflary directions respecting the prefident's household. On the report of a committee confifting of Mr. Ofgool, Mr. Williamfon and Mr. Tilton, to whom was referred a letter of the 30th March last, from major general Lincoln. And Refolved, That major general Lincoln, be credited in the books of the treafury the fum of five millions, four hundred and twenty four thousand, one hundred and nine dollars, and that the feveral departments, be charged with the amount of the bills drawn in their favor that all fuch bills as may hereafter be prefented for payment, be charged to the departments in whofe favor from the face of the bill, they shall appear to have been drawn ; and that major general Lincoln, be credited for the amount thereof. A motion was made by Mr. Gerry, feconded by Mr. M'Henry, That the commander in chief be authorised and di rected, after the evacuation of New York by the British forces, to discharge the federal army, except five hundred men, with proper officers, or fuch number as he may judge neceffary for garrifoning the pofts, and guarding the public magazines of the United States: And that this motion be referred to the commander in chief, to #ake order. Ол On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. M'Henry. On motion of Mr. S. Huntington, feconded by Mr. Wil liamfon, Refolved, That the refolution paffed yefterday, empowering the chairman to adjourn Congrefs on the 6th, be reconfidered and altered to the 4th. On motion, Refolved, That this Congress be, and it is hereby adjourned to meet at Annapolis on the 26th of this prefent month. AN ANNAPOLIS. NUMBER of members met according to adjourn ment, but there not being a fufficient number of ftates affembled to proceed to bufinefs, Congrefs was ad· journed from day to day, till SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1783, When the following ftates and members appeared : From Mr. E. Gerry, Mr. S. Ofgood, and Mr. W. Ellery, and Mr. D. Howell. South-Carolina, Mr. J. Read. The delegates for Pennfylvania and Maryland produced credentials, which were read. The prefident then laid before Congrefs, a joint letter from the ministers of the United States at Paris, dated at Paffy the 10th of September 1783, accompanied with the definitive treaty between Great Britain and the United States of America, figned at Paris the 3d of September 1783, which were read. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1783. Mr. J. T. Chafe, a delegate for Maryland, attended and produced credentials; whereby it appears, that on the 9th of this prefent month, Mr. John Hall and Mr. Jeremiah Townley Chafe, were duly elected additional members, to reprefent the faid ftate in Congrefs. Six ftates only attending, namely, Maflachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and North-Carolina; and from the ftate of Maryland Mr. Chafe, and from New-Hampshire, Mr. Fofter, the prefi. dent adjourned Congrefs to 10 o'clock to morrow. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1783. Congrefs aflembled. Prefent feven ftates, viz. Maf fachufetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina; and from the state of New Hampshire, Mr. Fofter. The letters from the minifters of the United States, at foreign courts were read, and referred to a committee. WEDNESDAY, |