such places as they shall judge most safe and convenient; and that certain persons, who shall be hereafter appointed in every County whither such persons and families shall be removed, be required to take special care that such persons shall not be suffered to want any of the necessaries of life, until it shall be in their power to procure the same by their own industry and property; and all supplies which shall at any time be furnished by the several persons so required, shall be paid for by this Colony. Provided, that every such person as shall be so removed, shall be allowed his election either to take with him his family or not; and also that all such persons shall be allowed to make such disposition as they shall think proper of their Estates and Properties.

Ordered, That Thomas Rutherford be permitted to take with him his Horse and Negro man, and that Farquard Campbell be likewise permitted to take with him his Horse, and that Mr. McNeill carry the same to them.

Pursuant to a Resolution of this House, the Returning Officer certified that Colonel Richard Caswell, Mr. Simon Bright, and Mr. George Miller, were duly elected Delegates for the County of Dobbs, who appeared, subscribed the Test, and took their seats in Congress.

The Order of the Day being read,

Resolved, The House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to take into consideration certain Resolutions proposed as a foundation for a temporary Civil Constitution.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House accordingly, and chose William Cumming, Esq., Chairman; and after some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the Chair, and Mr. Chairman reported the several Resolutions.

The House taking the same into consideration,

Ordered, The same be laid over till Monday next.

Brigadier Ashe has leave of absence, and Mr. Day Ridley has leave of absence till Monday.

Resolved, That Christopher Neale be empowered to take to his assistance five sufficient persons, to carry under guard John Goodrich and George Blair, Prisoners now in Halifax, to Suffolk, in Virginia.

Resolved, That Mr. Christopher Neale be allowed the sum of twenty Pounds for carrying under guard to Suffolk, in Virginia, John Goodrich and George Blair; and that the Treasurers, or either of them, pay him the same, and be allowed in their accounts with the publick.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the Requisition of reinforcement of the Militia made by Brigadier-General Moore, reported their opinion.

Ordered, The same lie on the table.

The Congress adjourned till Monday morning, nine o’clock.

Monday, April 29, 1776.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Read the Petition of Philip Alston, setting forth the loss of a Horse, Mare, and Gun, by the Insurgents; praying relief.

Ordered, To lie on the table.

Read the Report of the Committee for taking under consideration the Petition of the Executors of John Callaway, deceased.

Ordered, The same lie for consideration.

Read the Petition of the Committee of Guilford County, requiring some reward for attending Committee, sitting, and disarming the Tories, &c. Rejected nem. con.

Resolved, That Mr. Hooper, Mr. Thomas Jones, Mr. Samuel Ashe, Mr. Penn, Mr. Kinchen, Mr. Caswell, Mr. Person, and Mr. Harnett, be a Committee to consider and report the business necessary to be carried into execution this present Congress.

Resolved, That five Independent Companies be immediately raised in this Province, to consist of one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, two Drummers, one Fifer, and sixty-eight Rank and File; and that the said Companies be stationed at the following places, to wit: One Company between Currituck and Roanoke Inlet, one Company at Occacock Inlet, one Company between Occacock and White-Oak Inlet, one Company between Bogue Inlet and New River Inlet, and one Company between New River and Deep Inlet inclusive. And that the Officers and Soldiers of said Companies shall be allowed the same pay and rations as Officers and Soldiers on the Continental establishment, and subject only to the control of this or any future Congress, or to any Executive power, acting in the recess of the same, to remove or disband them.

Resolved, That the following persons be appointed Captains, Lieutenants, and Ensigns, to the Independent Companies directed to be raised, viz: James Anderson, Captain, Benjamin Bonner, First Lieutenant, James Wahob, Second Lieutenant, and John Brag, Ensign, of the Company at Occacock Inlet. Dennis Dauge, Captain, John Jarvis, First Lieutenant, Legrand Whitehall, Second Lieutenant, and Butler Cowall, Ensign, of the Company between Currituck and Roanoke Inlet. John King, Captain, Edward Ward, First Lieutenant, Peter McLammy, Second Lieu tenant, and James Boston, Ensign, of the Company between New River and Deep Inlet. Enoch Ward, Captain, Reu ben Benthel, First Lieutenant, Benjamin Chainey, Second Lieutenant, and Charles Dennis, Ensign, of the Company between Occacock and White-Oak Inlets. Silby Harney, Captain, Joseph Walker, First Lieutenant, Adam Gaskin, Second Lieutenant, and James Williams, Ensign, of the Company between Bogue Inlet and New River.

And that the following persons be appointed Commissaries to the said Companies: John Cooper, Esquire, Commissary to the Companies stationed at Occacock Inlet, and between Occacock and White-Oak Inlet; Samuel Jarvis, Esquire, Commissary to the Company between Currituck and Roanoke Inlets; Mr. Hull Doty, Commissary to the Company between New River and Deep Inlet.

Resolved, That the Companies stationed on the Sea-Coast may be further encouraged to exert themselves in taking Armed Vessels, and others which may be taken by the enemy’s Ships of War and Armed Tenders, such as they take as prizes, may be adjudged to the captors, after the charges of condemnation; except Vessels owned by Americans, and friends to Continental Associations, &c., for which the captors shall have Salvage.

Mr. Hawkins has leave of absence from the Congress.

The Order of the Day being read, for taking into consideration certain Resolutions proposed as a foundation for a temporarary Civil Constitution,

Ordered, The same be deferred till to-morrow morning.

Pursuant to a former Resolution, the following Declaration was laid before this Congress, and approved:

DECLARATION.

Impelled by a regard to our own safety, and the preservation of those rights and privileges which God and the Constitution have made unalienably ours, and which the power of Great Britain, with unremitting vengeance, injustice, and cruelty, is labouring to subvert, we have been induced to measures which it is the object of this Declaration to explain to those who may be interested in them or their consequences.

To other Provinces, at a distance from their own places of residence, without that circle where their personal and family influence may be excited to the prejudice of the Continent, and of this Province in particular, we have deem ed it absolutely necessary for the publick safety to remove a body of men, whose residence fortune has cast in the very bowels of our country, and who, in common with ourselves, have shared the blessings which a mild and liberal Provincial system of laws, a benign climate, an increasing trade, that poured riches into the lap of our honest industry, the countenance and protection of their honest neighbours held forth to them with the most liberal hand. This misguided people, disregarding the duty which they owe to that country under the just and equal laws of which they have enjoyed protection, procured ample means of subsistence for themselves and their families, and possessed of a considerable property amongst us, were equally bound, by every tie, divine and human, to defend and maintain the cause of liberty, which, in common with ourselves, all virtuous men on this Continent, at the, hazard of everything dear to them, are labouring at this day to defend. Those men, confederating with our unnatural enemies, and taking advantage of their residence