thence, and lodged in the Constitutional Post-Office, and there delivered to the several persons claiming; the claimants opening the same in the office, to prevent misdelivery.

Resolved, That Mr. Edwards, Captain Roger Smith, Mr. Hall, Mr. Loocock, Mr Corbett, and Mr. Dupont, be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners for unlading and valuing the Cargo of the Ship Port-Henderson, and for fixing a reasonable rate at which the said Cargo shall be sold, for consumption or for sale, at a price not exceeding the purchase and carriage, in small quantities, by retail; and for employing proper persons to execute this service, allowing such proper persons a reasonable compensation’ for their trouble.

Resolved, That the Commissioners appointed to purchase Salt, do take, for the publick benefit, all such Salt as they can find in the hands of private persons, as expressed in the Resolve of the 19th instant, for the uses therein mentioned; paying for the said Salt twenty-five Shillings per bushel, and allowing for each family from whom such Salt shall be taken, sufficient for such family’s use during six months.

Read a Letter from Edward Rutledge, Esq., one of the Delegates from this Colony in the Continental Congress, dated at Philadelphia, 1st March, 1776.

Resolved, That the Delegates of this Colony in the Continental Congress, or a majority of such of them as shall at any time be present in the said Congress, or any one of the said Delegates, if no more than one shall be present, be, and they and he are and is hereby, authorized and empowered, for and in behalf of this Colony, to concert, agree to, and execute, every measure which they or he, together with a majority of the Continental Congress, shall judge necessary, for the defence, security, interest, or welfare of this Colony in particular, and of America in general.

Resolved, That Roger Smith, Thomas Savage, John Matthews, John Huger, John Parker, Jacob Motte, Elias Horry, Jun., Peter Leger, and Alexander Moultrie, Esqs., be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners to stamp, and any three of them to sign, the Bills or Certificates of the larger denominations, from one hundred Pounds down to fifteen Pounds; which Bills shall also be countersigned by any one of the Commissioners of the Treasury. And that John Deas, John Scott, Sen., John McCall, Sen., Joshua Ward, Samuel Prioleau, Jun., James Fisher, John Webb, William Doughty, Alexander Inglis, William Greenwood, Samuel Legaré;, Nathaniel Russell, Thomas Jones, Peter Fayssoux, and Thomas Waring, Esqs., be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners, with all possible despatch, to have printed, and any two of them to sign, the Bills of smaller denominations, from three Pounds down to one Shilling and three Pence, voted on the 6th instant to be issued. And when stamped, printed, signed, and numbered as aforesaid, that they, from time to time, deliver all the said Bills into the hands of the Commissioners of the Colony Treasury.

The Report of the Committee to whom were referred the Petitions of Joseph Buffington and William Wofford, Esqs., being taken into consideration, and amended, the Congress came to the following Resolutions thereupon:

Whereas it appears, that the fifty acres of Land upon which Iron Works are to be erected by Joseph Buffington, are not his, but the property of William Wofford, Esq., or others; and that there is an encumbrance upon the said Works already begun; and that the carrying on the said Works will be a publick benefit:

Therefore, Resolved, That the said encumbrance, being two thousand three hundred and eighty-one Pounds eight Shillings and ten Pence half-Penny, due to the Honourable William Henry Drayton, be paid; and that the sum of four thousand Pounds be lent, for the carrying on and completing the said Works, upon the following terms, viz: That when the said William Wofford, or others having legal right so to do, shall have made, to the said Joseph Buffington, good and sufficient title, in fee simple, to the. said fifty acres of Land; saving to the said William Wofford, his heirs and assigns, that on no part of the said fifty acres of Land shall any Grist or Flour Mill, to work by water, be erected, and that the water shall not be stopped to the detriment of the said William Wofford, his heirs and assigns; and the said Joseph Buffington shall then have made to John Neufville, William Gibbes, and Peter Bacot, Esqs., in trust for the publick, good and sufficient titles in fee simple, and also titles in like manner to one thousand acres of Land, with timber for fuel contiguous thereto; and Mr. Drayton shall have transferred to the said John Neufville, William Gibbes, and Peter Bacot, Esqs., for the use of the publick, all such securities as he may have for the payment to him of the said encumbrance; then the said sum of two thousand three hundred and eighty-one Pounds eight Shillings and ten Pence half-Penny, shall, by the Commissioners of the Treasury, be paid to Mr. Drayton; and the said Commissioners shall also then pay into the hands of Colonel John Thomas, Captain James Williams, and Mr. John Prince, the said sum of four thousand Pounds, to be by them expended and laid out, as Commissioners for erecting and completing the said Works. And that, if the said sum of six thousand three hundred and eighty-one Pounds eight Shillings and ten Pence half-Penny, shall not, by the said Joseph Buffington, his heirs or assigns, be repaid to the Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being, within four years next ensuing, then the said Lands, with all the improvements thereon, shall be sold, and the publick reimbursed the said six thousand three hundred and eighty-one Pounds eight Shillings and ten Pence half-Penny, of the money arising from the sale; and the overplus, if any, be paid to the said Joseph Buffington, his heirs or assigns.

And whereas the establishment of another Iron Work will also be of publick utility:

Therefore, Resolved, That the sum of three thousand Pounds for that purpose, be granted to William Wofford, upon his giving full and sufficient security for the repayment of the same, within four years, to the Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being. Provided, nevertheless, That the said sum of three thousand Pounds shall not be lent to the said William Wofford until he shall have made, or caused to be made, good titles as aforesaid to the said Joseph Buffington, to the said fifty acres of Land. And also,

It is hereby declared, that the two Iron Works above specified, shall not be entitled to receive the Premiums already declared for the encouragement of Iron Works.

Mr. Edwards, from the Committee to whom the Proposal of Mr. William Bellamy was referred, delivered in a Report.

And the said Report being taken into immediate consideration,

Resolved, That the sum of three thousand Pounds, currency, be advanced to the said William Bellamy, out of the Colony Treasury, on loan, for the term of five years, free of interest, in consideration, and for the express purpose, of his forthwith erecting a proper Mill for making Paper and cutting Files, in as great perfection as in any part of Europe: he, the said Bellamy, giving undeniable security to John Neufville, William Gibbes, and Peter Bacot, Esqs., Commissioners of the Colony Treasury, for the performance thereof, and for repayment of the said sum into the said Treasury, by the expiration of the said term of five years.

On motion, that this Congress do now proceed to choose another Captain for the Second Regiment of Riflemen, in the room of Captain Richardson, resigned,

Resolved, That the said appointment be referred and left to the Council of Safety.

Resolved, That Thomas Lynch, Jun., Esq., on account of the alarming ill state of health of his father, one of the Delegates from this Colony, at Philadelphia, have leave of absence.

Resolved, That another Delegate to represent this Colony in the Continental Congress, be forthwith chosen by this Congress, by ballot, in addition to, and with as full powers, in all respects, as the Delegates already chosen have, and are invested with.

The Congress then proceeded to ballot for the said Delegate,

And Thomas Lynch, Jun., Esq., appeared to be, and was declared, duly elected.

Resolved, That Thomas Lynch, Jun., Esq., be, and he is hereby, appointed a sixth Delegate from this Colony, to represent the same in the Continental Congress.

Colonel Powell, from the Committee to consider of a proper division of the country Militia, delivered in a Report.