of this Colony; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinance, but not having time to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again.

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

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in an Ordinance to encourage the making Saltpetre, Gunpowder, Lead, the refining Sulphur, and providing Arms for the use of the Colony; and that Mr. Richard Henry Lee, Mr. Henry, Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas, Mr. Gary, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. Pendleton, do prepare and bring in the same.

The Order of the Day, for a call of the Convention, and for the appointment of Officers to command the Regular Forces to be raised for the defence of this Colony, being read,

Resolved, That this Convention will, on Monday next, proceed to the appointment of the said Officers; and that the order for the call of the Convention be put off till Tuesday next.

Adjourned till Monday, nine o’clock.

Monday, August 14, 1775.

The Convention being informed that Lord Dunmore was meditating an hostile march, with an Armed Force, to attack the City of Williamsburgh,

Resolved, That the Committee for the said City, and the Committees of York and James City, be desired to pay particular attention to the subject; and if Lord Dunmore, or any other person, shall land, or attempt to land, any Armed Troops in their neighbourhood, that they immediately request the assistance of the Volunteer Companies now in that City to repel such Troops by force; and, if need be, to call in the assistance of the Volunteer Companies, or Militia, for effecting that purpose.

A Resolution of the General Congress, recommending the making of Saltpetre, and several methods which had been practised with success, was laid before the Convention, and ordered to be referred to the Committee appointed to bring in an Ordinance to encourage the making Saltpetre, Gunpowder, Lead, the refining Sulphur, and providing Arms for the use of the Colony.

The Convention then, 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 of this Colony; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the Ordinance for raising and embodying a sufficient Force for the defence and protection of this Colony, and had made a further progress therein, but not having time to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That tills Convention will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance.

Ordered, That Mr. Nelson have leave of absence from the service of this Convention for the remainder of the session.

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

Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance, and will on Wednesday next proceed to the appointment of the said Officers.

Ordered, That Mr. Richard Henry Lee be added to the Committee appointed to inquire into the Petition of William Preston, Gentleman, and the Petition from the Committee of the County of Fincastle.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o’clock.

Tuesday, August 15, 1775.

On a motion made, Resolved, That Robert Carter Nicholas, Esq., be directed to pay the Officers and Soldiers of the two Rifle Companies sent from the Counties of Frederick and Berkley to serve in the Continental Army, such sums of Money, out of the publick Treasury, as will make their pay equal to the pay of the Officers of the like rank, and Soldiers, who were on the late Indian Expedition commanded by Lord Dunmore, including the pay allowed by the Continental Congress.

Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas, from the Committee to whom the Petitions of the Surveyor and Committee of the County of Fincastle, and a Proclamation of Lord Dunmore, dated the 8th of May, 1775, were referred, reported, that they had had the same under their consideration, and had come to the following Resolution thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same was again twice read, and unanimously agreed to, as follows:

Resolved, That until the Committee appointed by the Convention in March last, to inquire whether the lying may of right advance the terms of granting Lands in tins Colony, shall have made their report, the recommendation then made, that all persons should forbear to purchase or accept grants of Lands under the late instructions from the Governour, be observed; and that, in the mean time, all Surveyors be, and they are hereby directed to make no Surveys under the said instructions, nor pay any regard to the said Proclamation.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded to the appointment of a Deputy to represent this Colony in General Congress, in the room of Richard Bland, Esq., who hath declined the said appointment; and the Members having prepared tickets with the name of the Deputy to be appointed, and put the same into the ballot-box, Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas, Mr. Pendleton, Mr. Henry, Mr. George Mason, and Mr. Cary, were apppointed a Committee to examine the ballot-box, and report on whom a majority fell, who retired, and after some time returned into Convention, and reported that the numbers on the ballot stood as follows:

And the question being then put, whether the said Francis Lightfoot Lee, or the said Carter Braxton, who appeared to have the greatest numbers on the ballot, should be appointed a Deputy to represent this Colony in General Congress, the majority appeared in favour of the said Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esq.

Resolved, therefore, That the said Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esq., be appointed a Deputy to represent this Colony in General Congress.

The Order of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the Ordinance for the election of Delegates and ascertaining their allowances, and also for regulating the election of Committee-Men in the several Counties and Corporations in this Colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned, being read,

The Convention accordingly resolved itself into the said Committee; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Robert Carter Nicholas reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinance, and had made a considerable progress therein, 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 on the said Ordinance,

The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, and on the Ordinance for raising and embodying a sufficient Force for the defence and protection of this Colony, being read,

Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, resolve