of the Day, to the appointment of Deputies to represent this Colony in General Congress for one year; and the Members having prepared tickets with the names of the Deputies to be appointed, and put the same into the ballot-box, Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas, Mr. Cary, Mr. Pendleton, and Mr. Adams, were appointed a Committee to examine the ballot-box, and report upon whom the majority fell; who retired, and after some time, returned into Convention, and reported, that they had, according to order, examined the ballot-box, and that the numbers appeared as follows:

Resolved, That the said Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Richard Bland, and George Wythe, Esquires, be appointed Deputies to represent this Colony in General Congress for one year; and that they have power to meet and adjourn for such time, and to such place or places, as may be thought most proper.

Resolved, That the said Deputies, or any four of them, be a sufficient number to represent this Colony.

Ordered, That Mr. George Mason and Mr. Harvie be added to the Committee appointed to inquire into the Petitions of William Preston, Gentleman, and the Committee of the County of Fincastle.

The Orders of the Day, for the Committee to proceed to the appointment of Officers to command the Regular Forces to be raised for the defence and protection of this Colony, Tor the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, and for a call of the Convention, being read,

Resolved, That the call of the Convention be postponed till to-morrow; and that the Convention will then proceed to the appointment of the said Officers, and resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony.

The Convention, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinance for raising a sufficient Force for the defence and protection of this 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 Ordinance for raising a sufficient Force for the defence and protection of this 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 the said Committee, to take into their further consideration the Ordinance for raising and embodying a sufficient Force for the defence and protection of this Colony.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o’clock.

Saturday, August 12, 1775.

Richard Bland, Esq., returned the Convention his most grateful acknowledgments for the great honour they had been pleased a third time to confer on him, by appointing him one of the Deputies to represent this Colony in General Congress, and said this fresh instance of their approbation was sufficient for an old man, almost deprived of sight, whose greatest ambition had ever been to receive the plaudit of his Country, whenever he should retire from the publick stage of life; that the honourable testimony he lately received of this approbation, joined with his present appointment, should ever animate him, as far as he was able, to support the glorious cause in which America was now engaged; but that his advanced age rendered him incapable of taking an active part in these weighty and important concerns, which must necessarily be agitated in the great Council of the United Colonies, and therefore begging leave to decline the honour they had been pleased to confer on him, and desiring that some person more fit and able might supply his place.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Thanks of this Convention are justly due to the said Richard Bland, Esq., one of the worthy Deputies who represented this Colony in the late Continental Congress, for his faithful discharge of that important trust; and this body are only induced to dispense with his future services, of the like nature, on account of his advanced age.

The President accordingly delivered the Thanks of the Convention to the said Richard Bland, Esq., in his place, who expressed the great pleasure he received from this distinguished testimony of his Country’s approbation of his services.

Resolved, That this Convention will, on Tuesday next, proceed to the appointment of a Deputy to represent this Colony in the room of the said Richard Bland, Esq.

Mr. Cary, from the persons appointed, presented to the Convention, according to order, an Ordinance for regulating the election of Delegates and ascertaining their allowances, and also for regulating the election of Committee-Men in the several Counties and Corporations within this Colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned; and the same was read the first time, and ordered to be read a second time.

A Letter from the Officers of the Volunteer Companies in Williamsburgh was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that the bearer, Mr. John Farquharson, had supplied the Troops under their command with all kinds of Vegetables, and they had conceived an exceeding good opinion of him, and hoped he would meet with the favour and approbation of the Convention.

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

An Ordinance for regulating the election of Delegates and ascertaining their allowances, and also for regulating the election of Committee-Men in the several Counties and Corporations within this Colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned, was read a second time, and ordered to be committed.

Resolved, That this Convention will, on Monday next, resolve itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance.

The Members from the County of Frederick informed the Convention, that some gentlemen in their County had purchased a number of Rifles, and a quantity of Gunpowder, at a low rate, which they were willing and proposed to deliver up, for the use of the publick, at the same price at which those articles had been purchased by them.

Ordered, That Mr. Bland, Mr. Pendleton, Mr. Henry, Mr. Cary, and Mr. Richard Henry Lee, be a Committee to examine and state the said proposition, and report the same, together with their opinion thereupon, to the Convention.

Resolved, That the Resolution of this Convention, directing the Committees of the several Counties to appoint Officers, and to have fifty Men immediately enlisted in each County, be rescinded; and that where any Officers have been appointed and Men enlisted, in pursuance of the said Resolution, they be immediately disbanded.

Resolved, That the Officers so appointed, and Men so enlisted, be in the pay of this Colony from the time of their appointment and enlistment to the time of their being disbanded.

Ordered, That Mr. Adams, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Pendleton, and Mr. Mayo, be a Committee to examine, state, and report the claims of such Officers and Men who shall apply to them for that purpose; and that the Committee appointed by the House of Burgesses to examine, stale, and settle the claims of the Militia lately drawn out into actual service, do also examine, state, and settle the claims of such Officers and Men as may have been appointed and enlisted under the former Resolution, in the Counties of Frederick and Augusta.

Mr. Zane, from the persons appointed, presented, according to order, an Ordinance for appointing Commissioners to settle the Accounts of the Militia lately drawn out into actual service, and for making provision to pay the same; which was read the first time, and ordered to be read a second time.

The Convention, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinance for raising and embodying a sufficient Force for the defence and protection