relieve this Province in the present unhappy state to which Administration has reduced it.

The Congress taking under consideration the state of the Province, and the expediency of employing a Military Force for its defence against foreign and domestick invaders,

Resolved, That it lie over until to-morrow.

A draught of articles of Confederacy, proposed for the consideration of the several Colonies in North-America, was brought into Congress:

Ordered, That the Secretary furnish the Delegates for each County with a copy thereof.

Mr. Thomas Craike is appointed a Clerk, to assist the Secretary to expedite the business of the Congress.

The Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Friday, August 25, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

A Paper purporting to be a Proclamation issued by his Excellency Josiah Martin, dated on board His Majesty’s Ship Cruizer, at Cape-Fear River, the eighth of August instant, directed to the Moderator of the Provincial Convention at Hillsborough, being read:

Resolved unanimously, That the said Paper is a false, scandalous, scurrilous, malicious, and seditious libel, tending to disunite the good people of this Province, and to stir up tumult and insurrections dangerous to the peace of His Majesty’s Government, and the safety of the inhabitants, and highly injurious to the characters of several gentlemen of acknowledged virtue and loyalty; and further that the said Paper be burnt by the common hangman.

The Order of the Day being read, Resolved, The same lie for consideration till Monday next.

The Petition of Frances Dunn and Dorothy Boote being read, Resolved, The same lie on the table for consideration.

Mr. Joseph Williams, a Delegate for the County of Surry, has leave to absent himself from the Congress for ten days.

Resolved, That Mr. Harnett, Mr. Willie Jones, Mr. Knox, Mr. Locke, Mr. Caswell, Mr. Thomas Person, and Mr.John Ashe, be a Committee to take into consideration and report a state of the Publick Funds.

Resolved, That Mr. Cogdell, Mr. Green Hill, Mr. Martin, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Patillo, Mr. Thomas Jones, Mr. John Kinchen, Mr. Thomas Hall, Mr. Locke, and Mr. Skinner, be a Committee of Intelligence, to receive all Petitions respecting the Return of Delegates, &c., and report thereon to this Congress.

Resolved, That all those gentlemen possessed of any intelligence respecting Indian Affairs, furnish Willie Jones, Esquire, one of the Commissioners for the Southern Department, with the same in Writing.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Committees of the several Counties and Towns in this Province, to obtain an exact List of the Inhabitants within their respective Counties and Towns, distinguishing in Such List the number of White Male Persons, between the age of sixteen and fifty years; the number of Males above fifty and under sixteen; the number of White Women; the number of Female Children; the number of Black Male Slaves being taxables; the number of Female Slaves who are taxables; and the number of Slaves not taxables; and that such Lists be returned certified by the Chairman of the Committee to the President of this Congress, on or before the first day of November next.

Mr. Edward Everigin has leave to absent himself from the service of this Congress.

Mr. James Green is appointed an Assistant Clerk to this Congress.

Adjourned til five o’clock, this afternoon.

Friday, five o’clock, P. M., August 95, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Mr. Robert Lanier is appointed to serve on the Committee to prepare a Plan for the internal peace of this Province, in the room of Mr. Joseph Williams, who has leave of absence.

Resolved, That the Commanding Officer of the Independent Company of the Town of Hillsborough, despatch four of the said Company to proceed from this place towards Wilmington, until they meet with a certain James Cotton, of the County of Anson, who, it is said, is in custody of certain persons, in order to be brought before this Congress, and to assist in bringing the said James Cotton before the Congress.

The Congress adjourned till Monday morning, nine o’clock.

Monday, August 28, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment

Resolved, That on Friday next the Congress resolve itself into a Committee to take under consideration the Paper laid before the Congress purporting to be a Confederacy of the United Colonies.

The Committee appointed to receive Intelligence and Petitions, &c., reported that they had taken into consideration the several matters laid before them, which they begged leave to lay before the Congress.

Ordered the same be read. Read the same, and is as fallows, viz:

The Petition of Frances Dunn, (wife of John Dunn,) and Dorothy Boote, (wife of Benjamin Boote,) being referred to this Committee, and the allegations therein contained examined into, it appears to us, that from the notorious inimical conduct of the said John Dunn and Benjamin Boote, mentioned in the said Petition, to the cause of America, the apprehending and sending the said Dunn and Boote to South-Carolina, was necessary and justifiable in these times of general danger; and as to the future disposal of the said Dunn and Boote, we submit to the consideration of this honourable Congress.

The Petition of a number of Inhabitants of the Town of Salisbury, respecting the election of the said Town, being also referred to this Committee, it is our opinion, that the several matters contained in the said Petition, as objections to the election of a Member for the said Town, to sit in Provincial Congress, are groundless, and that the said election is good and valid.

The information of Thomas Wade, Thomas Polk and John Walker relative to the hostile intentions of Governour Martin, Indians and others, being laid before this Committee, in writing, it is our opinion, that the matter therein contained is of so serious and important a nature, that we beg leave to submit it to the consideration of this honourable Congress.

RICHARD COGDELL, Chairman.

Resolved, That the same lie on the table for consideration.

James Cotton, Samuel Williams, and Jacob Williams, of Anson County, who stood charged with acting in opposition to the liberty of America, and of endeavouring, by persuasion and otherwise, to induce others to act against the Resolutions of the Continental and Provincial Congress, were brought to the bar of this Congress by a party of the Hillsborough Independent Company, and after being severally examined,

Resolved, That the said James Cotton, Samuel Williams and Jacob Williams be discharged and set at liberty, and that Certificates issue from this Congress to entitle them to the protection of all persons espousing the cause of American liberty, they having made a solemn recantation of their former principles.

The Congress adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Tuesday, August 29, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Mr. President laid before the Congress a Letter from the Committee of Intelligence of Charlestown, South-Carolina, enclosing Remonstrances or Petitions from John Dunn and Benjamin Boote, now under confinement at Charlestown; which was read, and on motion, ordered to fie on the table for consideration.