Regulations of Trade considered in Committee of the Whole

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Friday, February 16, 1776.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to furnish Colonel St. Clair' s Battalion with Arms, and that the President write to Colonel St. Clair, and desire him to use the utmost diligence in getting his Battalion ready, and to march the Companies, one at a time, as fast as they can be got ready, to Canada, with all possible expedition.

The Committee appointed to make an estimate of the Cannon wanted for the defence of the Colonies, and to devise ways and means for procuring them, &c., brought in their Report, which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Agreeable to the Order of the Day, the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the propriety of opening the Ports, and the Restrictions and Regulations of the Trade of the Colonies after the first of March next; and after some time spent thereon, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Ward reported, that the Committee had taken into consideration the matter to them referred, but not having come to any resolution, desired him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the propriety of opening the Ports, and the Restrictions and Regulations of Trade after the first of March next.

The Committee on General Washington' s and General Schuyler' s Letters, laid their Report on the table.

Adjourned to nine o' clock, to-morrow.