and proofs: and exerted all the Talents and Eloquence I had, in justifying him where he was justifiable, and excusing him where he was excusable. When the Tryal was over Mr. Ellery of Newport, came to me and said you have made the old Man your Friend for Life. He will hear of your Defence of him, and he never forgets a Kindness. More than twenty Years afterwards, the Old Gentleman hobbled on his Crutches to the Inn in Providence, at four score Years of Age, one half of him dead in consequence of a paralytic Stroke, with his Eyes overflowing with tears to express his Gratitude to me. He said He knew not for what End he was continued in Life, unless it were to punish his Friends or to teach his Children and Grand Children to respect me. The President of Rhode Island Colledge who had married his Daughter, and all his Family shewed me the same affectionate Attachment.

The Board of War brought in a Report, which was taken into Consideration; whereupon Resolved as in the Journal.

A Letter of the twelf from Brigadier General Mercer was read. ordered Resolved that it be referred to the Board of War.

Congress took into Consideration the Articles of War, and after some time spent thereon, the farther Consideration thereof was postponed till tomorrow.

A Letter of the 12th from General Washington withthe Papers inclosed a return of the Army at New York, and sundry other Papers inclosed, being received was read. Also sundry Letters from England were read.

Resolved That the Letter from General Washington with the Papers inclosed be referred to the Board of War.

The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into Consideration, whereupon Resolved, as in the Journal.

The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into Consideration: whereupon Resolved as in the Journal.

A Petition from Return Jonathan Meigs in behalf of himself and others was presented to Congress and read.

Resolved that it be referred to the Board of War.

Congress resumed the Consideration of the Instructions given to Commodore Hopkins &c.

Resolved That the said Commodore Hopkins, during his Cruise to the southward, did not pay due regard to the Tenor of his Instructions, whereby he was expressly directed to annoy the Ennemy's Ships upon the Coasts of the southern States; and that his reasons for not going from Providence immediately to the Carolinas, are by no means satisfactory. At the request of the delegates of Pennsylvania the farther Consideration of the report was postponed till tomorrow.

Resolved that a Member be added to the Committee to whom were referred the Letters and Papers respecting the murder of Mr. Parsons. The Member chosen Mr. J. Adams.

Congress resumed the consideration of the Instructions given to Commodore Hopkins &c. and thereupon came to the following Resolution.

Resolved that the said Conduct of Commodore Hopkins deserves the Censure of this House and this House does accordingly censure him.

Ordered that a Copy of the Resolutions passed against Commodore Hopkins be transmitted to him.

Although this Resolution of Censure was not, in my Opinion demanded by justice and consequently was inconsistent with good Policy, as it tended to discourage an Officer and diminish his Authority by tarnishing his reputation; Yet as it went not so far as to cashier him, which had been the Object [illegible]  intended by the Spirit that dictated the Prosecution, I had the Satisfaction to think that I had not laboured wholly in vain, in his defence.

Congress resumed the Consideration of the Report of the Committee, to whom was referred Brigadier General Woosters Letter requesting an Inquiry into his Conduct, while he had the honor of commanding the Continental forces in Canada, which was read as follows:

That Brigadier General Wooster produced Copies of a Number of Letters, which passed between him and General Schuyler, and of his Letters to Congress, from which it appears, that he from time to time, gave seasonable and due notice of the State of the Army under his Command, and what

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Supplies were in his Opinion necessary to render the Enterprize successful; that a number of Officers and other Gentlemen from Canada, who were acquainted with his Conduct there, and who happened to be occasionally in this City, were examined before the Committee; to which Letters, and the minutes of the examination of the Witnesses herewith examined exhibited, the Committee beg leave to refer Congress for further Information, and report, as the Opinion of the Committee upon the whole of the Evidence that was before them, that nothing censurable or blame worthy appears against Brigadier General Wooster.

The Report being read again, was agreed to.

But not, however, without a great Struggle. -- In this Instance again as in many others, when the same anti New England Spirit which pursued Commodore Hopkins, persecuted General Wooster, I had to contend with the whole Host of their Ennemies, and with the Utmost Anxiety and most arduous Efforts, was scarcely able to preserve them from disgrace and Ruin, which Wooster had merited even less than Hopkins. In Woosters case there was a manifest Endeavour to lay upon him the blame of their own misconduct in Congress in st embarrassing and starving the War in Canada. Wooster was calumniated for Incapacity, Want of Application and even for Cowardice, [without] a Colour of Proof of either. The Charge of Cowardice he soon confuting by a glorious and voluntary Sacrifice of his Life, which compelled his Ennemies to confess he was a Hero.

The Board of War brought in a report which was taken into Consideration; whereupon Resolved, as in all the rest of theJournal.

Letters from General Washington referred to the Board of War.

A Letter of the 14th. from Commodore Hopkins was read; whereupon Resolved That Commodore Hopkins be directed to repair to Rhode Island, and take the Command of the Fleet formerly put under his Care.

Congress resumed the consideration of the Report of the CommitteeArticles of War as revised by the Committee for that Purpose appointed, and after some time spent thereon, the farther Consideration thereof was postponed.

This Report was made by me and Mr. Jefferson, in Consequence of a Letter from General Washington, sent by Colonel Tudor, Judge Advocate General, representing the Insufficiency of the Articles of War and requesting a Revision of them. Mr. John Adams and Mr. Jefferson were appointed a Committee, to hear Tudor and revise the Articles. . . . It was a very difficult and unpopular Subject: and I observed to Jefferson, that Whatever Alteration We should report with the least Ennergy in it, or the least tendency to a necessary discipline of the Army, would be opposed with as much Vehemence as if it were the most perfect: We might as well therefore report a compleat System at once and let it meet its fate. Some thing perhaps might be gained. There was extant one System of Articles of War, which had carried two Empires to the head of Mankind, the Roman And the British: for the British Articles of War were only a litteral Translation of the Roman: it would be in vain for Us to seek, in our own Inventions or the Records of Warlike nations for a more compleat System of military discipline: it was an Observation founded in undoubted facts that the Prosperity of Nations had been in proportion to the discipline of their forces by Sea and Land: I was therefore for reporting the British Articles of War, totidem Verbis. Jefferson in those days never failed to agree with me, in every Thing of a political nature, and he very cordially concurred in this. The British Articles of War were Accordingly reported and defended in Congress, by me Assisted by some others, and finally carried. They laid the foundation of a discipline, which in time brought our Troops to a Capacity of contending with British Veterans, and a rivalry with the best Troops of France.

A Letter of the 18th. from General Washington, with sundry Papers inclosed, was laid before Congress and read.

Resolved that the same be referred to a Committee of five: the Members