the respective states, purporting that the said person or persons are employed or permitted to make purchases either on account of the public or for the use or benefit of the inhabitants of the State of which he or they are members; and to inflict such punishment upon all atrocious offenders before described, as shall brand them with indelible infamy.

8. And whereas, there is good reason to apprehend that many of the emissories and abettors of General Howe are dispersed through the United States, under various pretences of amusement or business, whereby they are enabled to spread disaffection, intimidate the people by false news, depreciate the currency of the United States, and avoid serving in the militia, or paying their fines; to prevent these mischiefs it is most earnestly recommended to the supreme executive power of each State, to take the most effectual measures to cause all persons whose character and business is not well known and approved of, to be apprehended, and if they cannot give a good and satisfactory account of themselves, that they be obliged immediately to return to their own states, or be confined in gaol. [IX Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), December 20, 1777, pp. 1043, 1044, 1045.]

RESOLUTION CONCERNING IMPRESSMENT.

That General Spencer, or the commander of the forces aforesaid, be informed, that if provisions cannot be procured at reasonable rates, and he shall be obliged to impress them, he shall direct certificates to be granted, promising payment at such rates as shall be settled by the convention of committees to meet at New Haven, the 15 instant, in pursuance of a resolve of Congress of the 22 November last; and that this resolution have retrospect as to all accounts not liquidated for provisions or services supplied or performed to the 1st day of November, which are to be paid at the convention prices, [and all other unliquidated accounts for services or provisions supplied or performed since that period to the date of this resolution, to be paid for at the prices for which they are contracted.] [X Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), January 13. 1778, pp. 46, 47.]

RESOLUTION REGARDING IMPRESSMENT AND PRICES.

That the commissioner or commissioners be empowered to hire or impress waggons sufficient to make the necessary transportation of the flour to the places where it is to be deposited, and to pay the hire of the said waggons, at the same rate paid by the quarter master general:

That the Board of War be empowered to limit the prices to be given for the said wheat and flour, and to give such orders and directions to the commissioners as they shall think proper or necessary, from time to time: provided, that no limitation to be made by the Board of War, with respect to price, shall contravene any acts of the legislature of Pennsylvania, or any of the regulations which may be made hereafter by the convention of committees which is to meet at New Haven, in Connecticut, on this fifteenth day of January. [X Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), January 15, 1778, pp. 54, 55.]

RESOLUTION REGARDING SEIZURE OF RUM FOR ARMY.

A remonstrance from John Jeffers was read, praying to be paid for rum, seized by order of the Board of War, for the use of the army: Whereupon,

Resolved, That all applications for payment of rum, seized by order of the Board of War, for the use of the army, be made to the said Board, who are hereby directed and authorized to liquidate and adjust the same as they shall think equitable and proper. [XI Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), May 13, 1778, pp. 491, 492.]

RECOMMENDATION THAT PRICE FIXING STATUTES BE REPEALED AND EXPORTS PREVENTED.

The committee to whom was referred the letter of the 27, from J. Wadsworth, with the papers enclosed, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:

Whereas, it hath been found by Experience that Limitations upon the Prices of Commodities are not only ineffectual for the Purposes proposed, but likewise productive of very evil Consequences to the great Detriment of the public Service and grievous Oppression of Individuals;

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several States to repeal or suspend all Laws or Resolutions within the said States respectively limiting, regulating, or restraining the Price of any Article, Manufacture or Commodity.

AGREED, THAT AN EMBARGO SHALL BE LAID.

Whereas, the Practice of exporting Wheat, Rice, Rye, Indian Corn, Flour, Bread, Beef, Pork, Bacon, live Stock, and other Provi sions hath been attended with the pernicious Consequences not only of raising the Price of such Articles and strengthening the Armies of

these States for subsistence, but also of affording Supplies to their Enemies, thereby enabling them more effectually to prosecute the present unjust War.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several States to take effectual Measures for preventing the Exportation of the said Articles, or any of them, excepting so much as may be necessary for the Crews of Ships or Vessels of War, or of such as may be laden with other Merchandizes until the .. Day of next, and for punish

ing all Persons who under Color thereof may

Resolved, That the Governors of Virginia and Maryland be requested to forward immediately by Water to the Head of Flk, the Provisions purchased for the Use of the continental Army, within those States, and which lie contiguous, or convenient to Navigation, and to take such Measures for that Purpose as they shall deem most expedient.

Whereas, by a change of circumstances in the commerce of these states, the regulation of prices lately recommended by Congress may be unnecessary; and the measure not being yet adopted by all the states: therefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states that have adopted it, to suspend or repeal their laws made for that purpose. [XI Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), June 4, 1778, pp. 569, 570.]

RESOLUTION REGARDING DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY IN PHILADELPHIA IN CASE OF ITS EVACUATION BY THE ENEMY.

Resolved, That should the city of Philadelphia be evacuated by the enemy, it will be expedient and proper for the Commander in Chief to take effectual care that no insult, plunder, or injury of any kind, may be offered to the inhabitants of the said city:

That, in order to prevent public or private injury from the operations of ill disposed persons, the General be directed to take early and proper care to prevent the removal, transfer, or sale of any goods, wares, or merchandize in possession of the inhabitants of the said city, until the property of the same shall be ascertained by a joint committee, consisting of persons appointed by Congress, and of persons appointed by the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, to wit, so far as to determine, whether any, or what part thereof may belong to the king of Great Britain or to any of his subjects. [XI Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress), June 4, 1778, p. 571.)

RECOMMENDATION TO STATES AS TO LEGISLATION TOUCHING SPECULATORS, FORESTALLERS, AND ENGROSSERS.

Whereas the scantiness of crops of wheat and other grain in the states of New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and the wicked arts of speculators, forestallers, and engrossers, who infest every quarter of the country, and are industriously purchasing up grain and flour at the most exorbitant prices, render it impracticable to obtain timely and sufficient supplies for the operations of the army and navy, unless the most vigorous measures are, without delay, adopted, to restrain practices so destructive to the public weal:

Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the legislative, or, where vested with sufficient power, to the executive authorities of the states above mentioned, to authorize and direct any civil magistrate within their respective jurisdictions, on an information given by the commissary or quarter master general, or by the deputy commissary or quarter master general of the respective districts, of any extraordinary quantity of grain or flour being purchased and in the possession of individuals, forthwith to issue his warrant empowering the informant to seize the same for the public use, [paying for the same such prices as may to the respective legislatures appear proper, to prevent the practice of engrossing those articles in future, not exceeding six dollars per hundred for flour, and in proportion for grain, which may be found in the hands of engrossers.]

And, whereas, the facilitating the supply of the army, which was one of the principal objects in laying the embargo, has been defeated by individuals purchasing up grain and flour with a view of exporting the same at the expiration of the term for which the embargo is laid in the respective states:

Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the Legislative and Executive Authorities of the respective States to continue in Force the present Embargo subject to such Exceptions (See Amendment A) as are recommended by the Resolutions of Congress of

till the last Day of Jany. 1779, next or till such Time as Congress shall give Notice to the respective States that sufficient Supplies have been obtained for the Operations of the army and for the French Squadron; and that it be recommended to the said Legislatures to authorize the Seizure and Forfeiture of all Grain and Flour (other than what may be Sufficient for family use) which may be purchased up by Individuals during the continuance of such Embargo.

Resolved, That the embargo on provisions, which, by the resolution of the 8th day of June last, was laid until the 15 November next, be continued in force, subject to such exceptions as are rec

ommended by the resolution of the 2d September, till the last day of January, 1779, or until such time as Congress shall give notice to the respective states that sufficient supplies have been obtained for the operations of the army and for the French squadron; and that it be recommended to the respective states to take the most effectual measures for carrying this resolution into effect.

On considering this part of the report, the committee having offered, as their opinion, "That it be earnestly recommended to the legislative or executive authorities of the respective states to continue in force the present embargo, &c."

An amendment was moved, that Congress should continue the embargo, and recommend it to the States to take measures for enforcing it:

Upon which the question being put, and the yeas and nays required by Mr. [Joseph] Reed,

So it was resolved in the affirmative, and the report being amended, the resolution passed as above.

Resolved, That it be farther recommended to the legislatures of the several states to pass laws for the seizure and forfeiture of all grain and flour purchased up or engrossed, with such exceptions and under such limitations and restrictions as they may think most expedient.

And, whereas, there is reason to believe that the end proposed by Congress in recommending an exemption from embargo, by their resolution of 2 September, may not only be defeated by private purchasers enhancing prices, or by captains making false protests and bearing away to foreign ports; but in cases where vessels may