Senator Abraham Yates, on March 20, 1778, asked formal leave to introduce a bill amendatory of the act of February 5. bill was altered in In the committee of the whole his title and amended in body;was passed by the senate on it

April 2, and forwarded by the hand of Senator Levi Pawling to the assembly for concurrence. The house by unanimous consent at once referred it to the committee of the whole, where was considered favorably and without alteration. it

The bill passed the assembly on the 3d, not however without debate and opposition, five votes being on record against it. It was returned to the senate immediately and ordered

by that body to be carried by Pawling to the council of revision, where it received approval at once. 2 By this act of April 3, 1778, the legislature authorized enlarging the number of commissioners "not exceeding twenty," or thirty altogether. As many quorums of three as were necessary, at any time or place, were deemed legal for the execution

of the powers and authorities delegated to them. 3 Because it had been found that there were divers disaffected and dangerous persons and families, resident at or near the several posts and passes within the State, of

Votes and Proceedings of the Senate of the State of New - York, First session. Fish-Kill: Samuel Loudon, 1777, pp. iS, 23, 24, 25, 26, 44, 53-54; Votes and Proceedings of the Assembly of the State of New- York, First session. Kingston: John Holt, 1777, pp. 17, 18, 19-20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 44, 45. The title-pages of the votes were printed with the first signatures and before a volume was completed; hence they actually bear dates earlier than the contents of their respective volumes. This accounts for what might seem to be an incongruous citation ' Senate Votes, cited supra, pp. 90, 91, 106, 108; Assembly Votes, cited supra, pp. 104, 105, to6, 107. 'Appendix I: Laws, April 3, 1778.