the Resolution, which they had directed him to report to the House; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same was read, and is as followeth, viz:

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the House be moved to come to the following Resolution:

Resolved, That this House doth entirely approve the Proceedings and Resolutions of the Convention of Delegates for the Counties and Corporations in the Colony of Virginia, held at Richmond Town, in the County of Henrico, on the twentieth day of March, 1775; and that it be recommended to all the good people of this Colony strictly to conform to and observe the same.

The said Resolution being read a second time, was, upon the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House.

Resolved nemine contradicente, That this House do entirely approve the Proceedings and Resolutions of the Convention of Delegates for the Counties and Corporations in the Colony of Virginia, held at Richmond Town, in the County of Henrico, on the twentieth day of March, 1775; and that it be recommended to all the good people of this Colony strictly to conform to, and observe the same.

Address of the Council to the Governour.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE, His Majesty’s Lieutenant and Governour-General of the Colony and Dominion of VIRGINIA, and Vice-admiral of the same:

The humble Address of the Council:

MY LORD: We, His Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Council of Virginia, now met in General Assembly, beg leave to present our humble thanks to your Excellency for your Speech at the opening of the Session, and for giving us an opportunity to take the present alarming state of this Colony into our consideration, and provide remedies against the increasing evils therein. Your doing this so seasonably, and as soon as you were properly apprised of what you thought would lay a firm foundation for our proceeding with success in so desirable a work, we cannot but regard as a proof of your attachment to the welfare of this Dominion.

As this Country hath, for many years past, made ample provision for the civil Government thereof, we have only to declare our willingness to concur with the other branch of the Legislature in such proportion and in such means as they shall be willing to contribute towards the publick burdens of the State.

The peace and good order of every Country depending on the regular administration of justice, we are desirous that the Courts should be forthwith opened, and that the laws may again have their due course; as such a step will be instrumental in removing mischiefs of the greatest magnitude and most destructive tendency.

To which His Excellency was pleased to return the following Answer.

GENTLEMEN: Your willingness to concur in measures which, if adopted, will entirely compose the destructive differences between this Country and Great Britain, and restore the order and tranquillity of the Colony, cannot but give His Majesty the most sensible pleasure, as the opportunity of communicating to him such a proof of the duty and loyalty of this branch of the Legislature of Virginia affords me the greatest satisfaction.

Tuesday, June 6, 15 Goo. III, 1775.

A Message from the Governour by Mr. Blair:

MR. SPEAKER: I have received the Governour’s commands to lay before this House a written Message from his Excellency, relative to the publick Magazine, together with a paper therein referred to. And he presented the same at the bar, and the Message was read, and is as followeth, viz:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses:

I have received a Paper, without date or signature, desiring I would direct the keeper of the Magazine to give access to some persons, (I know not whom, the paper not saying who they are,) appointed by the House of Burgesses a Committee to examine into the state of the publick Magazine. I send the said paper for the inspection of the House, and beg to be informed whether the persons there alluded to are authorized, as therein alleged, to desire access to the Magazine.

DUNMORE.

The Paper referred to in the Message:

“MY LORD: We, being appointed by the House of Burgesses a Committee to examine into the state of the publick Magazine, wait upon your Lordship to desire that you will be pleased to direct the keeper thereof to give us access thereto, that we may be able to make a proper and full report to the House.

“Before this Resolution was known to the people, we understand that sundry persons, unknown to us, broke open the Magazine, and took out several arms; but we assure your Lordship, that, so soon as this transaction was known to the House, some of the members interposed, and prevailed on such as were to be found, to return what they had taken, and we have hopes that the rest may yet bo reclaimed, which we shall not neglect our endeavours to effect.”

Ordered, That the gentlemen who were appointed to inspect the publick Magazine in this City, and inquire into the Stores belonging to the same, do prepare an Answer to the said Message, and that they withdraw immediately.

Ordered, That the said Message, and the Paper therein referred to, be referred to the said Committee.

Mr. Mercer reported from the Committee appointed to prepare an answer to the Governour’s Message, that the Committee bad prepared an Address accordingly, which they had directed him to report to the House; and he read the same in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the Clerk’s table, where the same was read, and is as followeth, viz:

MY LORD: We, His Majesty’s dutiful and loyal subjects, the Burgesses of Virginia, having received your Lordship’s written message respecting the proceedings of the Committee appointed to examine the Magazine, have taken the same under our consideration. The House, yesterday, as what they thought a proper foundation of inquiry into the many disturbances which had arisen in the Country, appointed Mr. Mercer, Mr. Treasurer, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Henry Lee, Mr. Munford, Mr. Dandridge, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Carey, Mr. Francis Lightfoot Lee, Mr. Whiting, Mr. Charles Carter of Stafford, Mr. Braxton, Mr. Zane, Mr. Page, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Digges, Mr. Banister, Mr. Thomas Walker, Mr. Travis, and Mr. Norvell, twenty-one of their members, to inquire into the state of the publick magazine. Upon receipt of your Excellency’s message, they examined the steps their Committee had taken, and received the following report: That the Committee having convened, and judging it decent and proper, in the first place, waited on your Excellency, who by law. hath the appointment of the keeper of the magazine, to request that you would be pleased to direct him to give them access thereto; that finding some irregularities had been committed, they also thought it prudent to mention them to your Excellency, and inform you of their endeavours to have the arms, which had been taken put of the magazine, immediately restored; that, to avoid mistakes, they judged if most proper to reduce the intended application to writing; that they then in a body, and in. the most respectful manner waited on your Excellency, and by their Chairman delivered their request verbally, leaving the written paper with your Lordship for your better information; that your Excellency was pleased to receive if, and promised to furnish them with the key of the magazine as soon as yon could procure it; that the Committee not hearing from your Lordship, their Chairman was directed to wait on you this morning, and was referred for answer to a message you intended to send to the House.

We hope that your Lordship, upon revising these proceedings, will change your present sentiments, and think with us, that there was no impropriety in the conduct of the Committee. Their application to your Excellency, the House considers as proper and decent. The gentlemen who composed the Committee must have been all known to you; and had you conceived the least impropriety in their procedure, it would have been kind in your Lordship to have pointed it out to them. At the time this Committee waited upon your Lordship, another Committee