of Provisions to the two Battalions ordered by this Convention to the assistance of North-Carolina, from the said offices when they shall find it necessary so to do.

The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, and on the Declaration of Rights, being read,

Ordered, That the same be put off till Monday next.

Adjourned till Monday, ten o’clock.

Monday, June 10, 1776.

Resolved, That six Companies of Militia, with their Officers, be immediately called into duty from such Counties as the Committee of Safety shall judge most convenient, and employed as Ranging Companies in the County of Fincastle, for the protection of the inhabitants thereof, for such time as the Committee of Safety, or those having the executive powers, shall judge them necessary, and that the whole Companies be under the direction of a Field-Officer, to be chosen by the Convention; and also that a Paymaster and Commissary be appointed to the said Militia, whose business it shall be to pay and provide for the said Troops, and also for such others as may be called into duty in that quarter.

Resolved, That the Convention will, on Thursday next, proceed, by ballot, to the appointment of a Field-Officer to command the Militia to be called into duty pursuant to the foregoing Resolution; also of a Paymaster and Commissary.

Ordered, That John Goodrich be remanded to the publick Jail.

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. Blair reported that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the Declaration of Rights, and had gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table.

Ordered, That the consideration of the said Amendments be put off till to-morrow.

A Petition of Thomas Potter was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth that, having been for a considerable time confined in the publick Jail on the supposition of horse stealing, he now awaits his trial, and praying that his case may be taken into consideration, and some mode of trial adopted, that he, with many others, may be released from a loathsome Jail, or suffer such punishment as their country shall direct.

Also, a Petition of Manasses McGahey, setting forth that, in the month of February last, among many others, voluntarily assisting a distressed neighbour to repair a broken milldam, he became heated with liquor, unfortunately quarrelled with a poor German about the honour of their respective countries, upon which a bustle ensued, and the consequence was that the man died the next day, and, in the opinion of the Jury, from the hurt he received in the fight; and that the Petitioner was sent down for trial, which, in the usual course, would have come on in the month of April, but no Court was then held; that he is a poor labouring man, with a large family, and has had an opportunity of escaping several times during his confinement in the publick Jail, but, conscious of his innocence, he has waited in expectation of being delivered by a speedy publick trial; and praying that an inquiry be made into his unhappy case, and such determination come to thereon as shall appear just.

Ordered, That the said Petitions do lie on the table; and that Mr. Randolph, Mr. Blair, Mr. Dandridge, Mr. Richard Cary, Mr. Wills, and Mr. Clapham, be a Committee to inquire into the offences of the several criminals confined in the publick Jail, and report what, in their opinion, would be the most eligible mode of delivering them therefrom.

Mr. Henry, from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, reported, that the Committee had, according to order, proceeded to the examination of Robert Shedden, who was apprehended on suspicion of his being inimical to the rights and liberties of America; and that it appeared to them that, at a Court of Commissioners, held in the County of Norfolk, the 3d day of April last, for the trial of the said Robert Shedden, as being an enemy to America, a Jury was thereupon sworn, who returned a verdict in the following words: “We of the Jury find Mr. Robert Sheddon not guilty; ” that it appeared to them, from the testimony of Mr. Wilson, that he was with the party who apprehended the said Shedden, and carried him to the Great Bridge for his trial;that, at the time he was taken, the said Shedden made an attempt to get to the fleet, with intention, as he said, to carry there one Walker, who it was supposed was inimical; that the said Shedden informed the deponent his motive for endeavouring to carry off the said Walker proceeded from his having employed him as his clerk, and that he had no other person to take care of his goods on board the fleet; and that the deponent and his party fired on the vessel several times before the said Shedden and the persons with him submitted to be taken; that it appeared, from the testimony of Major Frank Eppes, that he was ordered by Major-General Lee to apprehend and send the said Shedden, with others, to the publick Jail; that he does not know whether the said Shedden hath done anything inimical to the American cause, but hath been informed that he hath been on board the fleet under the protection of Lord Dunmore since his trial before the Court of Commissioners; that it also appeared, from the testimony of Mr. Cowper, that he received a letter from the said Robert Shedden, informing him he heard Lord Dunmore intended to apprehend him, and some other persons, and advised them to keep out of the way; that it further appeared, from the testimony of Captain Johnson, that the said Shedden was generally thought about Norfolk to be inimical to the rights of America; and that they had come to the following Resolution thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same was again twice read, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the said Robert Shedden be confined to such parts of the County of Dinwiddie as shall be ten miles distant from Appamattox River; that he be allowed fifteen days from this time to remove himself to such place, and that, previous to his removal, he give his parole to the Commanding Officer not to give intelligence to, or in any manner aid or assist, the enemies of America.

A Petition of sundry Inhabitants in the Western part of Fincastle County, was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that the great extent of their County and the difficulty of attending Courts, induced them some time ago to solicit the General Assembly for a division thereof, but that the unhappy situation of affairs prevented any determination thereon; that many of them attend Court, and the publick business of the County, near one hundred and fifty miles distant from their homes; and praying that a division of their said County may take place.

Also a Petition from the Inhabitants of the said County, setting forth that, at great expense, fatigue, and danger, they have formed an extensive settlement on the Western Waters of this Government, hoping to obtain the same titles to their lands and contribute proportionally with their fellow colonists to the discharge of all publick exigencies; but that they are much alarmed at the demand of persons pretending to claim the said lands under ancient grants or orders of Council, and demanding large sums of money from them for the same; that they will cheerfully comply with any determination of this Convention, to whose judgment they submit their case.

Ordered, That the said Petitions 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.

A Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the Parish of Newport, in the County of Isle-of-Wight, was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that the Vestry of the said Parish was chosen in the year 1756, since which time so many of the gentlemen who were then chosen are dead, and have resigned, that there is only one remaining of that choice; and praying that the said Vestry may be dissolved, and a new one chosen.

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 Order of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, being read,

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

Mr. Randolph, from the Committee to whom was referred to inquire into the services of the persons appointed to fill

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