Saturday, April 6, 1776, P. M.

The House met according to adjournment.

Message from the President, by the Clerk of the Council.

“MR. SPEAKER: His Excellency the President is now in the Council Chamber, ready to receive this House with any Bills they may have ready to present for his assent.”

And then the Messenger withdrew.

Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, with the House, went into the Council Chamber.

And being returned, Mr. Speaker reported that this House and the Legislative Council had attended his Excellency the President in the Council Chamber, and presented to him—

An Ordinance establishing an Oath of Office, to be taken in manner therein mentioned:

And an Ordinance for making disposition of Moneys for the support of Government, and to enable his Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of South-Carolina for the time being, to execute certain powers in manner therein mentioned.

To both of which his Excellency had been pleased to give his assent.

Mr. Verree reported that he, with Captain Stone, had delivered the Ordinance they had in charge to the Legislative Council.

Upon motion, Ordered, That a Message be sent to the President, requesting that his Excellency will give orders that proper measures may be taken, by sinking Chevaux-de-Frise, and other ways, to obstruct the Bar of the Inlet to Stono.

Resolved, That this House will make provision for the expense attending the sinking such Chevaux-de-Frise, and making such other obstructions on the Bar of the Inlet to Stono as his Excellency the President shall order to be made.

Ordered, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the honourable the Legislative Council for their concurrence, and to his Excellency for his assent.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do sign the same.

Ordered, That Mr. Salvador and Mr. De Saussure do carry the said Resolution to the Legislative Council.

Mr. William Parker, from the Committee to whom Mr. John Champneys’s Account was referred, delivered in a Report.

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till Monday.

Mr. Salvador reported that he, with Mr. De Saussure, had delivered the Resolution they had in charge to the Legislative Council.

On motion, That this House do adjourn to to-morrow, twelve o’clock,

The question being put, it passed in the negative.

And then the House adjourned till Monday morning, nine of the clock.

Monday, April 8, 1776.

The House met according to adjournment.

The Order of the Day being read,

Ordered, That the consideration of the Report on Mr. Champneys’s Account be postponed.

Message to His Excellency the President.

May it please your Excellency:

This House, thinking it necessary that obstructions should be laid on the Bar of the Inlet to Stono, have come to a Resolution to make provision for the expense of that service, which they request you will give orders to have executed.

A Bill to revive and continue, for the time therein mentioned, the several Acts, and clauses of Acts, of the General Assembly therein particularly mentioned, and to appropriate certain Penalties, and confirm the powers of the Commissioners of the Roads, Paths, Bridges, Creeks, Causeys, and Water Passages, was read a second time.

The House was moved for leave to bring in several additional clauses to the said Bill.

And leave being given accordingly, the following were presented, received, severally read twice, and passed, and are as followeth:

Also, such parts and clauses of an Act entitled An Act for appointing Commissioners to lay out a Road or Causey over Lynch’s Island, situate in Santee River, and for establishing Ferries therein, passed the 11th day of March, 1737, as respects the establishment of the Ferries therein mentioned. Also, an additional Act to an Act entitled An Act for the better regulation of Taverns and Punch-Houses, passed the 8th day of March, 1741. Also, an Act for the better establishing and regulating of Patrols in this Colony, passed the 17th day of June, 1746. Also, an Act for regulating the assize of Bread, passed the 16th day of March, 1749. Also, such parts and clauses of an Act entitled An Act for reviving and continuing several Acts of the General Assembly of this Province therein mentioned, and for amending one of the said Acts, entitled An Act for the better regulation of the Militia of this Province, and for repealing the former Acts for regulating the Militia, and for repealing An Act for the further security and better defence of this Province, passed the 14th day of May, 1755, as respects the amending the Militia Law of this Colony. Also, such clauses and parts of an Act entitled An Act to revive and continue such Acts and clauses of Acts of the General Assembly of this Province, and for amending some of the said Acts in manner herein mentioned, passed the 7th day of April, 1759, as respects Boats passing of Fort-Lyttleton, and the empowering of the Governour and Council to limit the number of Tavern licenses.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That where, in any of the said Acts, any power or authority is given, or duly enjoined to the Governour, or any of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, Constables, or to any other officers, that in all such cases, his Excellency the President for the time being, and the Justices, Constables, and other officers, respectively, appointed, or to be appointed, under the present Constitution of the Colony, shall have full power and authority to exercise all and every such powers and authorities, and to do and perform the several matters and things in the said Acts respectively required or enjoined.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all Commissioners of High-Roads and Private Roads, Paths, Bridges, Creeks, Causeys, or for cleansing of Water-Passages in this Colony, or for altering, laying out, cleansing, or amending the same, who have hitherto been appointed by virtue of any Act, or clause, or clauses of any Act or Acts of the General Assembly now in force, or any such as are revived by this Act, or by appointment of any Governour of this Colony hitherto, or by election in any Parish or District in this Colony, or by any resolution of Congress, shall have and exercise as full and ample powers and authorities, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as any Commissioners of High-Roads, or Private Roads, Paths, Bridges, Creeks, Causeys, or Water-Passages whatever, have hitherto had, enjoyed, or received, by virtue of any law or laws, resolution or resolutions, of Congress heretofore made for that purpose.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case any of the Commissioners nominated or appointed as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to act, all and every such Commissioner who shall so refuse to act, or neglect his duty, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred Pounds, current money, one-half to be applied to the use of this Government, and the other half to him or them who shall sue for the same.

Ordered, That the said Clauses be added to and made parts of the Bill.

And the question being put, that the Bill do pass a second time, resolved in the affirmative.

Ordered, That Mr. Bull and the Rev. Mr. Tennent do carry the said Bill to the Legislative Council.

Ordered, That Captain Moultrie do, together with one of the Members of the Legislative Council, examine and compare with the original draft, the engrossed copies of a Bill to punish those who shall counterfeit, or utter knowing them to be counterfeit, the Certificates issued by the late Houses of Assembly, or the Continental or Colonial Currency, which hath been, or shall be hereafter issue; and an Ordinance to repeal part of an Ordinance of the General Assembly, passed the 23d day of February, 1771, appointing Henry Peronneau and Benjamin Dart, Esquires, joint Publick Treasurers, and to appoint Commissioners to take a