by reason of the distance of several of those Colonies from Philadelphia, the Resolution of said Congress relative to exportation after that day may not be known for some time; and it may be injurious to the common cause of America if exportation should be permitted in any Colony, before such Resolution shall be known there:

Resolved, That the said prohibition shall continue, and be of force in this Colony, until the 1st day of May next, unless an authentick account of the determination of the Continental Congress relative to exportation after the said 1st day of March, shall be sooner received and published by the Council of Safety.

Ordered, That the foregoing Resolution be forthwith printed in Handbills, and made publick.

Ordered, That Mr. President do transmit a copy of the foregoing Resolution to the Conventions of Georgia and North-Carolina, recommending that those Colonies do pass one similar thereto; and to our Delegates at Philadelphia, desiring them to give the Council of Safety the earliest intelligence of the proceedings of the Continental Congress on this subject.

Ordered, That Mr. President’s Letter to Georgia be forwarded by a Committee of two gentlemen, to be delegated to make all possible representation to induce that Colony to come into a similar Resolution.

Resolved, That orders be forthwith issued to the Committees of Parishes and Districts where vacancies have happened by the death of Members, or persons elected refusing to serve, to order Elections for filling up such vacancies.

Orders accordingly were issued in the form following, to the Committees of the Parishes of St. Philip and St. Michael, Charlestown; St. George, Dorchester; and St. Matthew, for the District of Ninety-Six; for the District in the fork between Broad and Saludy Rivers, and for the District called the New-Acquisition, respectively, for filling up a vacancy in each, in the room of Miles Brewton and William Sanders, Esqs., deceased; Tacitus Gaillard, John Lisle, and Champness Terry, Esqs., who had declined serving; and Joseph Woods, Esq., deceased.

In Congress, February 14, 1776.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Parish of . . . . . do forthwith give due and sufficient publick notice to the inhabitants of the said Parish, who have a right to vote, to assemble at the Parish Church, on a day to be by them appointed, then and there to proceed, by ballot, to the choice of a Member to represent them in the present Congress, in the room of . . . . . . ., and that the said Committee do make a due return of the said election as soon as may be.

Ordered, That the Committee for the Parish of St. John, in Berkley County, do forthwith make a return of the Member of Congress said to have been elected for that Parish, in the room of James Ravenell, Esq., who had declined serving, and that they do notify to said Member to give his attendance.

Adjourned to nine o’clock to-morrow.

In Congress, Thursday, February 15, 1776.

The Congress met.

And the Journal of yesterday was read.

A Petition of Joseph Buffington was presented, and read.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the following Committee, viz: Colonel Powell, Colonel Thomas, Colonel Richardson, Major Henderson, the Rev. Mr. Ten-nent, Mr. Kershaw, Dr. Farrar, and Mr. Prince.

Captain Shubrick, from the Committee to examine a Ship now on the stocks at Captain Cochran’s, reported, that, having examined the said Ship according to order, they found her every way unfit to be equipped as a Ship-of-War in the Colony service.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider and report the best means, and an estimate of the expense of building, with the utmost despatch, two Frigates, for the service of this Colony, each to mount thirty-two guns on one deck; and also to consider and report the expediency of stationing Armed Vessels to protect the navigation of Beaufort and Georgetown Harbours.

Ordered, That Captaia Shubrick, Captain Gillon, Colonel Powell, Mr. Edwards, Doctor Farrar, Major Mayson, and Captain Joiner, be a Committee for the above purposes.

Read a Petition of John Sigell, Steward to Lord William Campbell, of this date.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the following Committee, viz: Mr. Jacob Motte, Captain Benjamin Huger, Captain Hammond, Mr. Elias Horry, and Mr. John Parker. And that the said Committee do also consider and report what may be proper to be done with the Effects of Lord William Campbell, and a trunk of Books belonging to James Trail; both having withdrawn themselves from this Colony on board the Cherokee Ship-of-War—the latter, after having been enjoined by the General Committee not to go out of the limits of Charlestown.

Resolved, That the Honourable Rawlins Lowndes, Esq., Colonel James Parsons, and Captain Thomas Savage, be delegated to proceed forthwith to Savannah, to make proper representations to induce that Colony to co-operate with this, in paying the strictest obedience to all the Resolves of the Continental Congress, particularly that relative to Non-Exportation, and to urge the necessity of extending the Non-Exportation to the 1st day of May next.

Mr. John Rutledge acquainted the Congress that it was with the utmost concern he found himself obliged to request that they would dispense with his attendance in the Continental Congress in future; that he had many weighty reasons which rendered his request proper; but above all, that, as the American dispute was now agitated by arms, he was certain he could be of more service to his country and the common cause at home than abroad; and that, therefore, he earnestly desired they would grant his request. He also acquainted the Congress that his brother, (Edward Rut-ledge, Esquire,) from very urgent motives, requested to be recalled.

Resolved, That this Congress will to-morrow proceed to the choice of Delegates to represent this Colony in the Continental Congress, by ballot.

Adjourned to ten o’clock to-morrow.

In Congress, Friday, February 16, 1776.

The Congress met.

And the Journal of yesterday was read.

The Honourable Henry Middleton arose, declared his sensibility of, and thankfulness for, the honour that had been conferred upon him, in his appointment as a Delegate from this Colony to the Continental Congress; and that no man had better wishes, or would go greater lengths to serve his country, than himself; but that, as the infirmities of age which were creeping on, deprived him of the ability of rendering so much service to the publick as in his earlier days he might have done; so he requested that the Congress would not again appoint him as a Delegate to the Continental Congress, in the choice now to be made.

Mr. John Rutledge, from the Committee to take into consideration the number of Forces necessary to be raised and kept in pay for the service of this Colony, and the Resolution of the Continental Congress on the 1st day of No-vember last, relative thereto, delivered in a Report.

Ordered, That the said Report be taken into consideration to-morrow.

On motion, that the number of Delegates from this Colony to the Continental Congress, be now ascertained,

Resolved, That five Delegates be chosen to represent this Colony in the Continental Congress.

Resolved, That the said five Delegates be chosen to serve for one year.

A motion was made, that the majority of the Delegates present in Philadelphia shall be a Quorum; and that when, by sickness or accident, only one Delegate shall be present in Congress, in such case such Delegate shall give his voice on the part of the Colony.

A debate ensued; and the question being put, it was resolved in the affirmative.

Resolved, That the ballots for Delegates to the Continental Congress, be received at five o’clock this afternoon.

Resolved, That Sergeants of Militia in future, while in