Thursday, August 3, 1775.

A Petition from the Committee of the County of Northampton, complaining of the great hardships and inconveniences to which the Inhabitants of their County would be particularly exposed by the Resolution entered into by this Convention, for stopping the exportation of Grain and Provisions after the fifth day of this month, and praying that they might have liberty to export their Grain till the tenth of September, agreeable to the Resolutions of the Continental Congress, was presented to the Convention, and read.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the table.

A Letter from the Committee of the Borough of Norfolk, informing the Convention of the arrival of Troops from St. Augustine, about sixty in number, under the command of one Captain and two Lieutenants; that they had learned, from good authority, another vessel, with more Forces, might be hourly expected; that at present they were under no apprehensions from the Troops, but found exceeding bad effects among the Slaves, from the neighbourhood of the Men-of-War, which they had great reason to believe would be very much increased by the arrival of these Troops.

Also, a Letter from the Officers of the Volunteer Companies in Williamsburgh, requesting that some certain line for their conduct might be laid down, lest, in their zeal to serve their Country, they might precipitate their countrymen into unnecessary calamities; informing the Convention that the Governour’s Cutter had carried off a number of Slaves belonging to private gentlemen, and that they thought it high time to establish the doctrine of reprisal; that one Philips commanded an ignorant disorderly mob, in direct opposition to the measures of this Country, and they wished to crush such attempts in embryo, and to take every advantage a kind Providence might make them masters of; acknowledging the execution of the measures they bad formerly laid before the Convention, though ever so proper, ought first to have received the sanction of this Convention; that they stood reproved for their too precipitate conduct on that occasion, and held themselves in readiness to execute any instructions the Convention should be pleased to give, at the expense of life and fortune: were laid before the Convention and read.

Resolved, That the said Letters be referred to the Committee appointed to take into consideration the state of the Colony.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into the said Committee; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Bland reported that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the state of the Colony, but not having time to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee to take into their further consideration the state of the Colony.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o’clock.

Friday, August 4, 1775.

Ordered, That the Petition and Remonstrance from the Borough of Norfolk, the Instructions from the Committee of the said Borough, and the Petition from the Committee of the County of Northampton, be referred to the Committee appointed to take into consideration the state of the Colony.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Bland reported that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the state of the Colony, and had come to several Resolutions thereupon, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same were again twice read, and agreed to, as follows:

Resolved, That the Instructions from the Committee of the Borough of Norfolk, and the Petition from the Committee of the County of Northampton, are decent and respectful, and that they merit due consideration.

Resolved, That the Petition and Remonstrance of the Merchants and Traders of the Borough of Norfolk is indecent, highly reflecting on the honour of the General Convention, and directly tending to destroy that necessary confidence reposed by the good people of this Colony in their Representatives, regularly deputed to guard and preserve their just rights and privileges.

Resolved, That the former Resolution of the Convention, for restraining the exportation of Provisions, was not adopted with great haste, as unjustly insinuated in the said Petition and Remonstrance, but that it was done on the maturest deliberation, a Member of the Convention having given previous notice that, at a future day, he intended to move for such a Resolution, the substance of which was fairly and candidly laid open for the consideration of the different Members, and the motion not made till several days after such notice.

Resolved, That the Merchants and Traders of the Borough of Norfolk, being as properly and fully represented in the Convention as other parts of this Colony, it is unreasonable in them to expect, especially at this alarming crisis, that any important business, in which not only this Colony, but the whole Continent, is essentially and deeply interested, should be suspended till their particular opinions can be asked on the subject.

Resolved, That although it is with concern this Convention at any time adopts resolutions by which individuals may be materially affected, yet it becomes their duty, as good citizens, to acquiesce in such measures as are calculated for the general publick weal.

Resolved, That the Resolution complained of was adopted on the fullest conviction of its utility, founded on certain facts, some of which the Continental Congress, in all probability, could not be well acquainted with; and that the Convention consider it as their indispensable duty to pursue such measures as are necessary, not only for their own security, but that of the whole Continent.

Resolved, As the opinion of this Committee, that the primary and true design of the Resolution of the Continental Congress, in allowing a free export till the tenth of September next, could only be intended to respect the Crops of the last year; that the Members of the Convention, as well for themselves as most of their constituents, offered the greatest sacrifice to the publick good in adopting the Resolution complained of, as many of them have large crops of Wheat now on hand, equally liable to perish with such Grain as may be in the hands of the petitioners and remonstrants. Willing, however, as far as is consistent with the interest of the Country, to remove every colourable complaint, this Committee doth resolve, that any of the inhabitants of this Colony who may have purchased, and have now on hand, any quantities of Indian Corn of the last crop, for the exportation of which they had actually provided or chartered vessels previous to the former Resolution of this Convention, upon their making these facts appear by proper proofs, that they he allowed to export the same, at any time between this day and the tenth day of September next, provided they give a proper and satisfactory assurance to the Committee of each County, from which such commodity is to be exported, that they will not, directly or indirectly, suffer the same to be carried to either of the Northern Colonies.

Resolved, That the Committee of each County in this Colony, except the Counties of Accomack and Northampton, do immediately appoint one Captain, one Lieutenant, and Ensign, within their County; and that the Officers proceed immediately to enlist a Company of fifty Regulars in each County, to be marched, as soon as enlisted, to such place of rendezvous as shall be hereafter appointed by this Convention.

Resolved, That five hundred effective Men, part of the Regulars to be raised for the defence of the Colony, be sent for the protection of the Towns of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and the neighbourhood thereof.

Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee to take into their further consideration the stale of the Colony.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o’clock.

Saturday, August 5, 1775.

On a motion made,

Resolved, That any person who shall hereafter accept any office of profit or pecuniary appointment under the

*