The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon Thursday last, by his Majesty's command.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth took the chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth reported from the Committee, that they had made a progress in the matters to them referred; and that he was directed by the Committee to move, that they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, tomorrow morning, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the said Papers.

FRIDAY, January 27, 1775.

Mr. Toinkyns, one of the Commissioners of the Revenue, presented to the House, according to their order, an Account of the Value of all Goods, Wares, and Merchandises, exported from that part of Great Britain called England, to the British Colonies in North America, from Christmas, 1772, to Christmas, 1773; distinguishing each Colony.

A Petition of sundry Merchants, Factors, and Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, on behalf of themselves and others in that neighbourood, who are interested in the trade from thence to North America, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—

That the demand from North America to the Manufacturers of the said Town and neighbourhood, has of late years very considerably increased, and many thousands of people have usually found a regular employment, in making various kinds of Goods which have been exported thither; and that the present stagnation of their commerce with that country is already very materially felt; and although it is with the greatest reluctance that they thus trouble the House with their complaints, yet they might stand accused of a want of duty to the House, did they neglect to express their fears; that in a short space of time, a very numerous body of working people will be deprived of the means of subsistence, which becomes the more alarming on account of the high price of those provisions which their industry has heretofore enabled them to procure; and that these, their difficulties, are also much increased by the uneasy apprehensions of their Traders to North America, for the large property which they have entrusted there; and, therefore, beseech the House to take their case into consideration, and grant them such relief as by the House shall be judged necessary.

A motion was made, and the question being proposed, that the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred;

An amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by leaving out from the word "whom" to the end of the question, and inserting the words, "it is referred to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lorth North, upon the 19th day of this instant, January, by his Majesty's command," instead thereof,

And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question,

It was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the main question being put,

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred.

The House, according to order, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider of the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, and of the several other Petitions referred to the consideration of the said Committee.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Thomas Wooldridge, one of the Committee of American Merchants, was called to the Bar, when he addressed the Committee in the following words:

I am directed by the Committee of Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of America, to represent to this Honourable Committee, that Merchants revealing at this Bar the state of their affairs, is a measure which all would wish to avoid, unless upon such great occasions as the present, when the publick weal is evidently at stake, when their duty as good subjects requires it of them; but when the mode of examination is such as totally precludes them from answering the great publick object, (which, in their opinion, is clearly the case at present) they beg leave humbly to signify, that they waive appearing before the Committee which has been appointed, and that the Merchants are not| under any apprehensions respecting their American debts, unless the means of remittance should be cut off by measures that may be adopted in Great Britain.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth reported from the Committee that they bad made a progress; and that he was directed by the Committee to move that they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon this day seven-night, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the said Petitions.

The other Order of the Day being read;

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon Thursday, the 19th day of this instant, January, by his Majesty's command.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth reported from the Committee that they had made a further progress in the matters to them referred; and that he was directed by the Committee to move that they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the said Papers.

TUESDAY, January 31, 1775.

The Lord North presented to the House, by his Majesty's command.

No. 1. Extract of a Letter from Governour Martin to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Newbern, North Carolina, 1st September, 1774; received 27th January, 1775, enclosing,

No. 2. Resolutions entered into at a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the District of Wilmington, 21st July, 1774, and an Address to the Freeholders of Craven County.

No. 3. Paper addressed to the Freeholders of Craven County.

No. 4. Extract from the North Carolina Gazette, of the 2d of September, 1774.

No. 5. Extract of a Letter from Lieutenant Governour Bull to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Charlestown, South Carolina, 19th December, 1774; received 27th January, 1775, enclosing,

No. 6. Charge given by Judge Drayton, of South Carolina, and Presentments of the Grand Jury.

No. 7. Copy of a Letter from Sir James Wright, Baronet, to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Savannah, in Georgia, 13th December, 1774; received 27th January, 1775, enclosing,

No. 8. Extract from the Georgia Gazette, of the 14th of December, 1774.

Together with a List of the said Papers.

And the said List was read.

Ordered, That the said Papers be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon Thursday, the 19th day of this instant, January, by his Majesty's command.