John Lewis’s Company, he served in the expedition against the Indians in the year 1774, and was wounded in the engagement at the Kanawha, by a bullet in his left arm, by which he has greatly suffered, and is rendered little able to procure a subsistence; and praying his case may be taken into consideration, and such relief granted him as shall be thought just and reasonable.

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

Many Cadets having joined the several Regiments raised for the defence of this Colony, under the faith of an Ordinance of General Convention, upon the allowances thereby established, which, by the said Regiments being taken upon Continental pay, is so much lessened that the said Cadets are unable to support themselves, whereby they may be compelled to quit the service, and the publick injured by the want of experienced young gentlemen to fill vacant posts in the Army:

Resolved, That the allowance of the said Cadets be made equal to what they received under the Ordinance of this Convention, and the difference paid by this Colony.

A Petition of Joseph Jones, Joshua Campbell, James Ferebee, and William Burgess, Merchants and Partners, of North-Carolina, was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that in the month of April last they loaded their sloop, the Two Brothers, with a suitable cargo for the Island of Martinico, in the West-Indies, as will appear by the bill of lading; that, on the 14th of the said month, as she lay in Ocracock Inlet, in North-Carolina, ready to sail, a certain John Goodrich, of Virginia, in an armed sloop called the Lilly, with force of arms violently seized and took possession of their said vessel and cargo, with her crew, and, having taken out their Captain, put on board a prize-master and some mariners, and ordered her to sea, under convoy of a certain Lieutenant Wright, who commanded another armed vessel; that their vessel, on the 20th of the same month, as will appear by several affidavits, was stranded on the north of Cape Look-out, in Carolina, where she was taken under the care of the Committee of the County of Carteret; that the said vessel and cargo, at a very accurate estimate, were worth £1149 16s. 10d., North-Carolina currency; that as the loss they have sustained was occasioned by the hostilities of the said Goodrich, they beg leave to lay their case before the Convention, and submit it whether it is not agreeable to justice that satisfaction be made them out of the estate of the said Goodrich.

Ordered, That the said Petition, together with the several exhibits, 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 a Committee be appointed to inquire into and report the cause and means of depreciating the value of the Paper money of this country, and at what rates the goods are sold in the publick Store; and that Mr. Henry Lee, Mr. Henry, Mr. Digges, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. McCarty, Mr. Mayo, Mr. Poythress, Mr. Dandridge, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Terry, be of the said Committee.

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 a further 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.

Mr. Cary, from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, reported that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the case of George Blair, and had agreed upon a Report, and come to a Resolution thereupon, as follows:

It appears to your Committee, from the confession of the said George Blair, that in the month of November last he accepted a commission from Lord Dunmore, appointing him a Captain in the service of the King of Great Britain; in consequence whereof he acted in the battles at Kemp’s Landing and the Great Bridge, against this Colony; that he thought it his duty to fight for his King and country, and that he did not consider this to be his country; and it appears to your Committee that the said George Blair was taken in arms.

It appears to your Committee, from the deposition of George Purdie, that the said George Blair came into this Colony from Glasgow, in the year 1762, an apprentice to the deponent, for the term of three years; that in the month of January, 1768, the said George Blair went to Glasgow, and returned to this country in the month of October following, where he resided until the time of his joining Lord Dunmore; that the deponent is unacquainted with the circumstances of the said Blair, or what property he has in this Colony.

Resolved, As the opinion of this Committee, that the said George Blair is a prisoner of war, and that this Resolution be communicated to the Commanding Officer.

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

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 the President be desired to issue his Writ for the election of a Delegate for the County of Culpepper, in the room of Henry Field, Esquire, who hath vacated his seat by accepting a military post of profit in the Continental Army.

Adjourned till to-morrow, ten o’clock.

Wednesday, June 5, 1776.

A Petition of Margaret Goodrich was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that she is greatly alarmed at a report which prevails, that her husband, John Goodrich, is intended to be sent to the back parts of this Colony; that, by this step, he will be deprived of those conveniences and necessaries which he is now able to procure from his estate, which lies in the lower parts of this country; and praying that he may be permitted to remain at some plantation at or near his friends.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the table.

A Petition of the Inhabitants of Mecklenburgh County was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth that, before passing the late Ordinance for establishing a mode of making Tobacco payments during the discontinuance of the Inspection Law, the Vestry of St. James’s Parish, in that County, proceeded to lay the levy in money, notwithstanding the many difficulties they labour under for want of trade in that part of the Colony, where the cultivation of tobacco, with which it has been usual to discharge their levies, is the principal object of the planter; and praying such relief as shall be thought just and 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.

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 a further 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.

A Petition of Mary Elligood was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that she has for some time past been in great distress, all the personal estate of her husband, Mr. Jacob Elligood, being seized, as she understands, for the use of the country, and that she, with three children, is by that means deprived of every necessary of life, and obliged to depend for their subsistence on the benevolence of her friends; that she is advised there is no provision made for the maintenance of the wives and children of those who are judged inimical to the liberties of America; and praying