claration of this Convention, and the repeated promises of Colonels Howe and Woodford, wherein they offered every friendly office which humanity could dictate, to the unhappy women and children on board the Fleet under the command of Lord Dunmore,

On a motion made,

Resolved, That the Colonel of the First Regiment be allowed an Aid-de-camp, until General Officers shall be appointed by the General Congress; and that the said Aid-de-camp-be allowed six Shillings per day, from the time he hath been appointed.

Resolved, That the duties on the Rum imported in the several Vessels taken by Captain Barron be paid, or secured to be paid, to the Treasurer of this Colony.

An Ordinance for continuing and amending an Ordinance appointing a Committee of Safety, having been fairly transcribed, and the blanks therein filled up, was read a third time:

Resolved, That the said Ordinance do pass; and that the title be, "An Ordinance for reviving and amending an Ordinance appointing a Committee of Safety."

The Convention then proceeded, by ballot, to the appointment of a Deputy Quartermaster-General; and the members having prepared their tickets with the name of the person to be appointed, Mr. Digges, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Dandridge, and Mr. John Walker, were appointed a Committee to examine the ballot box, and it appearing, from their report, that there was a majority in favour of William Finnie, Esq.;

Resolved, therefore, That the said William Finnie, be appointed Deputy Quartermaster-General.

Resolved, That Thomas Bullitt, Esq., be appointed Adjutant-General.

The Convention then proceeded, by ballot, to the appointment of a Deputy Adjutant-General; and the members having prepared tickets with the name of the person to be appointed, Mr. Digges, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Dandridge, and Mr. John Walker, were appointed a Committee to examine the ballot box, and it appearing, from their report, that there was a majority in favour of John Sears, Esq.,

Resolved, therefore, That the said John Sears be appointed Deputy Adjutant-General.

An Ordinance for establishing a mode of punishment for the enemies of America, was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the whole Convention.

The Convention accordingly resolved itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance, and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Cary reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinance, and had made some 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 again resolve itself 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 Ordinances for establishing a General Test; to amend an Ordinance, intituled An Ordinance for regulating the election of Delegates, and ascertaining their allowances, and also regulating the election of Committee-men in the several Counties and Corporations within this Colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned; and for establishing a mode of making Tobacco Payments during the discontinuance of the Inspection Law;—being read,

Resolved, That the same be put off till to-morrow.

Adjourned till to-morrow, half after ten o'clock.

Friday, January 19, 1776.

Ordered, That Mr. Mason, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Gray, Mr. Parker, Mr. Newton, and Mr. Murdaugh, or any four of them, be a Committee to inquire into the conduct of the Officers and Militia in the County of Princess Anne, lately drawn out into actual service, and to report the same to the next Convention.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinance for establishing a mode of punishment for the enemies of America; and after some lime spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Cary reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinance, and had gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto, 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, Resolved, That the said Ordinance, together with the several amendments, be fairly transcribed and read a third time.

The Orders of the Day—for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the Ordinances for establishing a General Test; to amend an Ordinance, entitled 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 for establishing a mode of making Tobacco Payments during the discontinuance of the Inspection Law; —being read,

Resolved, That the same be put off till to-morrow.

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. Cary reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the slate of the Colony, and had come to a Resolution thereupon, which he was ready to report when the Convention should be pleased to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be received to-morrow.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o'clock.

Saturday, January 20, 1776,

Ordered, That the Treasurer do pay to Captains George Matthews and Alexander M' Clanahan, the money due to their respective Companies, from the publick, on account of the late expedition against the Indians, and reported by the Commissioners.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinances to amend an Ordinance, intituled 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 for establishing a mode of making Tobacco Payments during the discontinuance of the Inspection Law; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Cary reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinances, and had gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto, 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.

Resolved, That the said Ordinances, together with the several amendments, be fairly transcribed and read a third time.

Mr. Cary, from the Committee of the whole convention, reported, according to order, that the Committee had come to the following Resolution; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to:

Whereas the British Ministry have at length engaged in an open and avowed war with the good people of the Colony, and in the prosecution thereof have manifested the most unrelenting fury, by burning and destroying open and defenceless Towns, contrary to the practice of war among civilized nations, by exciting insurrections among our slaves, inviting the savages, and arming them against us:

Resolved, (as the opinion of this Convention,) That we hold it incumbent upon us (a duty which we owe to ourselves, to our country, and to this whole Continent,) to oppose, by every method in our power, such unjust and cruel attempts; that the most likely means of effecting this, and of gaining relief and assistance to ourselves, and of distressing tressing our enemies, would be by opening our Ports to all persons willing to trade with us, Great Britain, Ireland,