The Convention then proceeded to the consideration of the Report from the Committee of Publick Claims, made on Tuesday last, on the Petition of Robert Lucas; and the same was again read, and disagreed to.

Ordered, That the said Petition be rejected.

Ordered, That there be a call of the Convention on Tuesday next.

Adjourned till Monday, ten o’clock.

Monday, June 3, 1776.

A Petition of Andrew Lush was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that in the month of November last he removed from the Town of Portsmouth, on Lord Dunmore’s threatening to burn the same, and settled his family on a creek a few miles distant; that in the night of the 21st of December last, a boat with armed men came up the creek and landed some of her crew, whilst others got in a canoe and advanced towards his house, and upon hailing them he was answered with insulting language and a fire of small-arms, on which he ordered his party to fire, which they did, and killed one, and wounded another; that his wife and son hearing the firing, ran to the door, and the enemy firing at that time, wounded her in the thigh, and him in the arm; that the expense of attending and curing them will reduce him to great distress, unless aided by the pub-lick; and praying his case might be taken into consideration, and such relief granted him as should be thought just and reasonable.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to Mr. Holt, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Thoroughgood, Mr. Wills, Mr. Fulgham, Mr. Riddick, and Mr. Cowper; that they inquire into the allegations thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the Convention.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of Halifax County was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that the Court-House of their County is situate within ten miles of the north line, while many of them on the south side are twenty miles distant, besides having the Rivers Hico, Dan, and Banister, to cross, which are frequently impassable; that they have, at the expense of £30, caused a survey of the said County to be made, by which it appears that the centre is on the south side of Banister; that, in consequence thereof, they made application to the Governour and Council for a writ of adjournment to some place near the centre, which was refused them; that about two years ago, a new and elegant Court-House was directed to be built, which was undertaken for the sum of £300, £200 of which have been already levied; but that no part of the plank or framing is yet in place, and they might, with small expense, be removed to or near the centre; and praying such relief as should be thought reasonable.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances; that they inquire into the allegations thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the Convention.

Ordered, That Mr. Edmund Randolph, Mr. Treasurer, Mr. Norvell, Mr. Dudley Digges, Mr. William Digges, Mr. Travis, and Mr. Holt, be a Committee to inquire into the services of the persons appointed to fill up the Treasury Notes; and they are to report what, in their opinion, will be a proper reward for the same.

Ordered, That Mr. Terry and Mr. Watkins be added to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances.

The President laid before the Convention a Letter from Major-General Lee, and also a Letter from Brigadier-General Howe; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee on the state of the Colony.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Declaration of Rights; 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 Declaration of Rights, 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 into the said Committee.

The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, and on the Ordinance for augmenting the Ninth Regiment of Regular forces, providing for the better defence of the frontiers of this Colony, and for raising four Troops of Horse, being read,

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

Ordered, That Mr. Richard Lee, Mr. Henry Let, Mr. Clapham, Mr. Peyton, Mr. Richard Cary, and Mr. Curle, be a Committee to examine the Accounts and Vouchers for the money paid by John Harvie and Joseph Neaville, Esqs., agreeably to the Resolution of the last Convention; and that they also consider of, and report, what will be a proper allowance to them for their respective services.

Mr. Richard Lee, from the Committee of Publick Claims, reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration two claims to them referred, and had agreed upon a Report, and come to several Resolutions thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same were again read, and are as follows:

On consideration of the claim of Joseph Cabell, it appears to the Committee that he was, by a Resolution of the last Convention, appointed a Commissioner to receive for, and pay to, the several claimants of the Counties of Pittsylvania, Augusta, Botetourt, Fincastle, and Bedford, whatever was due to them from the publick on account of the late expedition against the Indians; that upon consulting the Committee of Safety, they thought that as the money he was; to receive from the Treasury for that purpose amounted to so considerable a sum as £33,600, it would be necessary that he should be attended with a proper guard during the time it should remain in his possession; and that, for the more speedy expediting the business, and that the money might not long remain in his hands, he employed a clerk to assist in paying it away, and taking receipts, and three guards to attend him, whose charge for those services, with their expenses, amount to the sum of £93 8s. 6d., which he has paid.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the sum of £150, allowed to the said Joseph Cabell by the last Convention for the services aforesaid, is sufficient, and therefore that he ought not to be reimbursed the said sum of £93 8s. 6d.

It likewise appears to your Committee, that the said Joseph Cabell has collected from sundry persons indebted to this country several sums of money, amounting in the whole to £217 15s., which he has paid into the publick Treasury.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the said Joseph Cabell ought to be allowed the sum of £21 15s. 6d. for his trouble in collecting and paying into the Treasury the sum of £217 15s.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the claim of Thomas Bachelor, for the loss of his Houses, and other property burnt and destroyed by the country’s Troops in Norfolk, is a matter of Continental concern, and therefore ought not to be paid by this Colony.

Ordered, That the said Report and Resolutions do lie on the table.

Adjourned till to-morrow, ten o’clock.

Tuesday, June 4, 1776.

A Petition of sundry Officers of the Militia of the County of Amelia was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that there are at least two hundred and fifty Overseers in their County who are exempt from musters, and being allotted in the divisions of the Militia which have been formed, and are in readiness, in case the Militia should be called into duty; and praying that the said exemptions may be recalled.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances; that they inquire into the allegations thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the Convention.

Ordered, That Mr. Brooke be added to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances, and Mr. Lyne to the Committee of Privileges and Elections, and to the Committee to whom the Reports of John Harvie and Joseph Neaville, Gentlemen, were referred.

A Petition of Thomas Price was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth that, being inlisted in Captain