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raised and embodied, be the fourth Regiment in the service of the Colony; and that Officers of equal rank in the four Regiments in the Colony service, shall take precedence according to the dates of their respective commissions.
Adjourned to nine o'clock, to-morrow morning.
In Congress, Saturday, November 18, 1775.
The Congress met according to adjournment.
And the Journal of yesterday was read.
Messrs. Peronneau and Dart, joint Publick Treasurers, attended, and delivered in the following:
State of the Paper Currency in the Publick Treasury of SOUTH-CAROLINA.
| Of lawful Bills of Credit, so torn and obliterated as to become impassable, of various denominations, about | £50,000 0 0 |
| Of Tax Certificates and publick orders out of date, and kept to be destroyed, agreeable to laws of the Province, about | 19,000 0 0 |
| Of Certificates issued by the House of Assembly, about | 19,200 0 0 |
| Of Certificates issued by the Congress, | 1,320 0 0 |
N. B. Not a single piece of Gold or Silver in the Treasury.
| There is owing, on bonds to the King, for Negro duties, about | 13,000 0 0 |
| And on Notes to the joint Treasurers for other duties, | 24,000 0 0 |
Upon application from the Vestry of St. Philip's Parish, Charlestown,
Resolved, That a loan of Ten Thousand Pounds currency be furnished, from the Colony Treasury, to the Vestry of the Parish of St. Philip, on the credit of the Parishes of St. Philip and St. Michael, for the maintenance of the publick poor; for which sum the said Vestry are hereafter to account with the publick.
Ordered, That Mr. President do issue his Warrant accordingly.
Resolved, That the Inhabitants of the Parishes of St. Philip and St. Michael, Charlestown, ought forthwith to pay into the hands of the Vestry the Poor's Rates assessed and to be assessed on them respectively, according to law; and that processes ought to be issued by the Vestry and Church-wardens, against such persons as shall refuse or neglect to pay his or their Poor's Rates, so assessed.
Ordered, That Captain Calhoun and Captain Winn be added to the Committee on the state of the Colony.
Colonel Pinckney, from the Committee on the state of the Colony, delivered in a further Report respecting the regulation of the Militia.
Ordered, That the Report of the Committee on the state of the Colony, respecting the Mititia, be now taken under consideration.
Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Green, and Mr. Newton, from the back country, attended, and were severally admitted, who gave very alarming accounts of the state of affairs in those parts.
Ordered, That two thousand pounds weight of the publick Gunpowder, lately deposited in the Magazine at Dorchester, be removed from thence to Charlestown, with all possible expedition.
Colonel Wofford delivered in a Memorial from the Committee of the District between Enoree and Broad Rivers, dated the 8th instant, which was read.
Colonel Laurens delivered in the following appraisement or valuation of the Ship Prosper:
"Charlestown, November 18, 1775.
"In obedience to the order of the Provincial Congress, we, the subscribers, have valued the ship Prosper, of Bristol, lately taken into the service of the Colony; and it is our opinion, that two thousand pounds sterling, or the value thereof in current money, ought to be allowed to the owner or owners of the said ship; and we recommend that such sum of two thousand pounds sterling, or the value thereof, as aforesaid, be tendered to Captain—Smith, late master of the said ship, on behalf of his owners; and that the register of the said ship, and a proper assignment, be at the same time demanded from the said Captain Smith.
"HENRY LAURENS,
"ROGER SMITH,
"EDWARD BLAKE."
On motion, Resolved, That the Recruiting Officers of the Regiment of Artillery to be raised for the service of this Colony, be allowed three Pounds and five Shillings per head, for every effective man they shall enlist for that corps, brought to head-quarters, attested, and approved of by the Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant; and that a suit of artillery and tenting be allowed and provided for the said Regiment.
Ordered, That the Bounty Money for raising the said Regiment be issued as it may be wanted; and that Money be also issued for the purchase of such Clothing, Tenting and Small Arms, as can be procured from Georgia or elsewhere; and that drafts on the Congress or Council of Safety for the time being, for the purchase of those articles, or any part of them, be duly paid.
Ordered, That Mr. President be desired to prepare the draft of a Declaration, calculated to remove the prejudices entertained in some parts of the Colony, against the measure of the late Council of Safety, in sending a small quantity of Ammunition to the Cherokee Indians.
The consideration of the Report of the Committee on the state of the Colony being proceeded in,
A debate arose on that part thereof requiring that every Company of Militia throughout the Colony should be assembled, mustered, trained and exercised once a fortnight.
And a question being put thereon,
The Congress divided; the yeas went forth:
For the question 43; against it 29.
So that it was resolved in the affirmative.
A debate also arose on that part of the said Report subjecting Privates, not appearing completely armed at the places and on the days appointed, to a fine of three Pounds, and Officers to a fine of twenty-five Pounds, for every default.
And the question being put,
It was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to nine o'clock, to-morrow morning.
In Congress, Sunday, November 19, 1775.
The Congress met according to adjournment.
And yesterday's Journal was read.
The Rev. Mr. Paul Turquand, by desire of Congress, performed Divine Service before them.
Mr. President delivered in a draft of the Declaration which he had been directed to prepare, to quiet the minds of the misguided people in the back country.
And the said draft being taken into immediate consideration, was amended, and agreed to in the words following:
SOUTH-CAROLINA.
By authority of Congress.—A DECLARATION.
It has ever been the policy of America in general, and of this Colony in particular, to endeavour to cultivate a good correspondence with the neighbouring Indians; and especially so, since the commencement of the present unhappy disputes with the British Administration. This policy originated from a view of preserving, at the cheapest rate, our borders from savage inroads, pushed on by French or Spanish management, or Indian avidity or ferocity. Of late this policy has been persevered in; and our endeavours have been redoubled, in order to oppose and to frustrate the design of the British Administration, by the hands of Indians, to deluge our frontiers with the blood of our fellow-citizens. Experience has taught us, that occasional presents to the Indians has been the great means of acquiring their friendship. In this necessary service, Government every year has expended large sums of money; and the Continental Congress having divided the management of the Indian affairs into three departments, have allotted for-the expenses of this Southern Department the sum of ten thousand dollars, in order to preserve the friendship of the Indians on the back of our settlements.
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