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Seventh. And be it also ordained, That the Provincial Congress will indemnify the Council of Safety in all their acts and proceedings under the authority of the Congress.
Eighth. And be it further ordained, That thirteen members, elected in Congress, as members of a Council of Safety, together with the Delegates of this Colony to the Continental Congress, shall be, and they are hereby declared, the Council of Safety for this Colony. Provided always, That no person holding a military commission in the regular forces of this Colony, or in the Continental Army, shall be capable of possessing a seat, or of having a voice in the said Council.
Ninth. And be it further ordained, That the said Council of Safety shall continue in office, and exercise the powers thereunto annexed, until the end of the next sessions, and under the control of Congress. And in case of any vacancy in the Council of Safety, during the recess of the Congress, by death or departure from the Colony, (except upon publick business,) the General Committee for the time being, after having given six weeks publick notice thereof in the Gazettes, shall, by ballot, fill up every such vacancy.
Read the Resolve of the Continental Congress, of the 6th of October last, recommending to arrest and secure persons dangerous to the safety of the Colony, or the liberties of America.
After some debate thereon, the further consideration thereof was postponed.
And the Congress adjourned to nine o'clock, to-morrow morning.
In Congress, Monday, November 27, 1775.
The Congress met according to adjournment.
And the Journal of yesterday was read.
Major Elliott, of the Regiment of Artillery, having made application for Bounty Money to raise recruits for that corps, and for directions where to place the said recruits as they shall be raised,
Ordered, That Mr. President do issue his warrant on the Treasury, for the payment of fourteen hundred Pounds currency, to Major Barnard Elliott, for the recruiting service in the Regiment of Artillery, to be accounted for. And that the recruits for the said Regiment be posted at the most convenient and near places to the several batteries in Charlestown, under the command of the Artillery; and that such places be fitted up accordingly.
An Account of Captain Robert Cochran, amounting to one hundred and thirty Pounds and five Shillings, being laid before the Congress,
Ordered, That Mr. President do issue his Warrant for the payment thereof.
And a Warrant was issued accordingly.
On motion, Resolved, That Colonel Moultrie be directed forthwith to order a detachment of forty Privates, who are best acquainted with maritime affairs, to do duty and serve on board the armed Ship Prosper, for one month, unless sooner discharged by proper authority.
On motion, Resolved, That the Delegates of this Colony in the Continental Congress be immediately applied to, to use their utmost endeavours to procure two hundred able Seamen, to be engaged in the northern Colonies, and sent hither with all possible despatch, for manning the armed Vessels in the Colony service. And that they be requested to cause the encouragement offered by this Colony to be made as publick as possible.
A motion was made, that previous to any attack upon the Men of War in the Road, the intended attack upon such ships shall be notified to Lord William Campbell, if he shall then be on board.
A debate ensued; and the question being put,
Resolved in the affirmative.
On motion, Resolved, That the Council of Safety do pay such Accounts as to them shall appear reasonable, for the subsistence in diet, for the ferriage, and for the carriage of the sick, of recruits for the Provincial Forces, from their enlistment to the time of their being brought to head-quarters.
On motion, Resolved, That the powers of the General Committee, the Committee of Observation, and all the Parochial and District Committees throughout the Colony, be, and they are hereby revived and continued.
A motion being made, that the Commissions issued by the late Council of Safety to Captain Allston's Volunteer Company of Foot Rangers or Rovers, in the Craven County Militia, be withdrawn,
A debate arose; and the question being put, it passed in the negative.
A motion was then made, that the late Council of Safety's appointment of the Company of Foot Rangers or Rovers being confirmed, the said Company is hereby declared subject to patrol duty, and liable to be called out upon emergencies, by the Field Officers of the District; also subject to the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of any embodied Troops, with which the said Company shall be called into service.
A debate ensued; and the question being put,
It was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to nine o'clock, to-morrow.
In Congress, Tuesday, November 28, 1775.
The Congress met according to adjournment.
And yesterday's Journal was read.
On motion, Resolved, That Wappoo Cut be forthwith cleared and deepened, so as to render it navigable for Vessels of greater burden than hitherto have or at present can pass through it.
Ordered, That Messrs. Isaac Rivers, Thomas Rose, and Richard Hutson, be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to cause the above resolve to be carried into immediate execution.
On motion, Resolved, That a Battery of two or three pieces of Cannon be forthwith erected on the wharf of William Gibbes, Esq., by the Commissioners appointed to erect the additional Batteries lately ordered for the defence of the harbour of Charlestown.
Mr. George Abbot Hall, from the Commissioners of the Pilotage, reported, that agreeable to the order of Congress, they had yesterday caused the leading mark over Charlestown Bar to be cut down and destroyed.
On motion, Resolved, That the Returns sent by the several Sheriffs of this Colony to the Secretary, (in consequence of an order of the late General Committee,) of the persons confined in their respective Jails, be referred to a Committee.
Ordered, That the Hon. Mr. Lowndes, Mr. John Rutledge, and Mr. Arthur Middleton, be a Committee to whom the above Returns be referred; and that they do consider and report what measures are proper to be adopted thereon.
On motion, Resolved, That the Council of Safety devise and take such steps, as that the prisoners in the common Jails, whose offences are bailable, be discharged upon proper bail, and for the relief of poor debtors.
Doctor Oliphant, from the Committee appointed to examine into the state of the Hospitals, delivered in their Report.
Which being taken into immediate consideration,
Resolved, That a General Hospital for sick and wounded men of the Provincial Land Forces, for Seamen, and the Militia, be established; and that a Director-General thereof be appointed.
Ordered, That the foregoing Resolve be referred to the Council of Safety, to be by them carried into execution.
On motion, Resolved, That one-third of the Berkley County Regiment of Militia, one-third of the Colleton County Regiment, and two hundred men from the Granville County Regiment, (the sea islands excepted,) be forthwith drafted, and marched to the general rendezvous at Dorchester; that the two remaining thirds of the said Regiments be held in readiness, to relieve those drafts, according to orders; and that the Indian company of Rovers, commanded by Captain John Allston, be ordered to scour the sea coast from Sewee Bay to Haddrel's Point, subject to the orders of the Council of Safety.
On motion, Resolved, That the Committees for the sea islands be, and they are hereby authorized and required forthwith to erect look-outs at the same places, and cause
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