Second Continental Congress: February 7, 1776

Several Committees deliver their reports, new Committees are created, and the Secret Committee approves an export contract.

Link to date-related documents.

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

Congress paid several bills due for services rendered in the war effort, including the “furnishing prisoners with fuel and other necessaries.”

Two letters from Lord Stirling, dated 2 and 5 February, with enclosures, were read  and referred to Samuel Chase, Edward Rutledge, and George Wythe.

Congress debated the Report of the Committee on the letter from the Committee of Safety for New Jersey, respecting the disposition of the prisoners, and recommitted it to the originating committee with specific instructions regarding their treatment.

Three members of the two former committees–Samuel Adams, Thomas Mc’Kean, and Richard Smith–were absent.  James Wilson and Oliver Wolcott were added.  The committee now is Samuel Adams, Thomas Mc’Kean, Richard Smith, James Wilson and Oliver Wolcott.

The committee on the letter from Reading, reported, that they have had a conference with David Franks, agent to the contractors for victualling the King’s troops, who says he will order rations to be issued to the prisoners lately brought to Reading

A memorial from Murray, Sansom & Co. Jacob Watson, and Frederick Rhinelander, of the city of New York, was presented to Congress, read, and referred to a committee of three: [Richard Henry] Lee, Thomas Nelson, and George Read.

A petition of Pierre Le Fargue was referred to the Secret Committee.

Resolved, That a committee of three–Edward Rutledge, James Duane, and Richard Smith be appointed– inspect the Journals, and prepare a list of unfinished matters.

Adjourned to 10 o’Clock tomorrow.

Secret Committee Minutes of Proceedings

A meeting of the Committee of Secrecy. Present. Samuel Ward, B. Franklin, Jos. Hewes, Thomas McKean & Robert Alexander. A Contract was agreed upon, to be entered into between John Alsop, Francis Lewis, Silas Deane, Philip Livingston & Robert Morris and said Committee for exporting the produce of these Colonies to the amount of £40,000 stg. & purchasing with the proceeds such goods as they shall be directed. 

Richard Smith’s Diary

E. Rutledge, myself & Duane were chosen to look over the Journals & prepare a State of the Business before the Congress…. Several Committees chosen. A Frenchman who had brought into this Port Ammunition now requested Leave to export Produce therefor, it was referred to the Secret Committee….A Controversy Whether We have yet determined the Affair of Tea.

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.