Mr. Contee brings in and delivers to Mr. President a report from the committee appointed to examine the several claims upon the treasury, which was read the first time and ordered to lie on the table. Adjourned till 3 o'clock. POST MERIDIEM. Convention met. Mr. Hawkins appeared in the house. Mr. Earle brings in and delivers to Mr. President, a report from the committee appointed to receive all proposals relating to the establishment of manufactories of any kind within this province, which was read the first time and ordered to lie on the table. On motion, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare a draught of instruction for the deputies representing this province in congress; and Mr. Hollyday, Mr. Carroll, barrister, Mr. J. Tilghman, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Rumsey were elected by ballot a committee for that purpose. Mr. Dallam has leave of absence. The order of the day for taking into consideration the state of the province being read, Ordered, That the same be referred for further consideration till to-morrow. Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning half after 9 o'clock. SATURDAY, December 30, 1775. Convention met. All members present as on yesterday, except Mr. Dallam. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Clarke has leave of absence. The proceedings of the council of safety were read. The order of the day for taking into consideration the state of the province being read, the convention resolved itself into a committee of the whole to consider of the same; Mr. Carroll in the chair. After some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Carroll reported, that the committee according to order had under their consideration the state of the province, but not being able to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again. Resolved, That this convention will on Monday next resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider of the same. Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning half after 9 o'clock. MONDAY, January 1, 1776. Convention met. All members present as on Saturday, except Mr. Clarke. The proceedings of Saturday were read. Mr. Bond appeared in the house. A letter from Messrs. Wilfred Neale, Gerrard Bond, and James Eden, of St. Mary's county, and sundry depositions, relative to the conduct of Basil Patterson, were read; and upon consideration thereof, Resolved, That the said Basil Patterson, together with the said letter and depositions, be sent and delivered up to a justice of the peace for St. Mary's county, that the charge against him may be inquired into by a civil magistrate, and order taken therein according to the due course of law. Ordered, That the treasurer of the western shore pay to Nicholas White, or his order, out of the bills of credit in his hands, fiftysix pounds, six shillings and a penny, common money, for repairing guns, as per account. Mr. Contee brings in and delivers to Mr. President the following report. In obedience to the honorable convention, your committee appointed to estimate the expenses of bringing Basil Patterson to answer, and carrying him back to St. Mary's county to some magistrate there, do report as follows: To James Brown and Ignatius Edwards, for bringing Basil Patterson from St. Mary's to Annapolis, four days, To ditto for carrying Basil Patterson to St. Mary's county, and delivering him to a justice of the peace there, · To ditto for Patterson's expenses to Annapolis and back to St. Mary's, and when at Annapolis, about 7 days, Signed per order, £ 4 0 0 1 0 0 1 15 0 £6 15 0 JOHN CALLAHAN, clk. com. Ordered, That the treasurer of the western shore pay to James Brown and Ignatius Edwards, for their expenses in bringing Basil Patterson from St. Mary's county to this convention, and carrying him back, out of the bills of credit in his hands, six pounds sixteen shillings common money. The order of the day for taking into consideration the state of the province being read, the convention resolved itself into a commitee of the whole to consider of the same; Mr. Carroll in the chair. After some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Carroll reported from the committee the following resolutions, to wit: Resolved, That this province be immediately put in the best state of defence. Resolved, That a sufficient armed force be immediately raised and embodied under proper officers, for the defence and protection of this province. Resolved, That 1444 men, with proper officers, be immediately raised in the pay and for the defence of this province. Resolved, That 8 companies of the said troops, to consist of 68 privates each, under proper officers, be formed into a battalion. Resolved, That the remainder of the said troops be divided into companies of one hundred men each. Resolved, That two companies of the said troops, to consist of one hundred men each, be companies of matrosses, and trained as such. Which were read and agreed to. On motion, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to report resolutions for raising, clothing, and victualling the forces to be raised in this province; and Mr. Johnson, Mr. Stone, Mr. Carroll, barrister, Mr. Rumsey, and Mr. Ware, were elected by ballot a committee for that purpose. On motion, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to report rules and regulations for the government of the forces to be raised in this province; and Mr. T. Johnson, Mr. Carroll of Carrollton, Mr. Stone, Mr. Rumsey, and Mr. J. Tilghman, were elected by ballot a committee for that purpose. Mr. S. Chase has leave of absence on Wednesday next. POST MERIDIEM. Convention met. Mr Sim and Mr. Somerville appeared in the house. Mr. Letherbury, Mr. Sudler, and Mr. Sluby, have leave of absence. Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning half after 9 o'clock. TUESDAY, January 2, 1776. Convention met. All members present as on yesterday. The proceedings of yesterday were read. On motion, Resolved, That the acceptance of any office in the regular forces to be raised in this province, shall be a disqualification of the officer accepting the same, from and after the making out and acceptance of his commission, to be a delegate to serve in convention, or to be of the council of safety, or a member of any committee of observation, or of any other civil office under the au thority of the convention, during the continuance of his said commission. The convention proceeded to elect by ballot field officers for the battalion. Mr. William Smallwood was elected colonel, Mr. Francis Ware lieutenant colonel, Mr. Thomas Price first major, Mr. Mordecai Gist second major. They then proceeded to elect seven captains for the seven independent companies; the ballots were as follow: For Rezin Beall, 15. John Gunby, 14. John Watkins, 11. James Hindman, 10. John Allen Thomas, 9. Lemuel Barrett, 7. Edward Veazey, 6. The following persons were then elected captains of the battalion : John H. Stone, 15. William Hyde, 11. Barton Lucas, 10. Thomas Ewing, 10. Nathaniel Ramsey, 10. Peter Adams, 9. John Day Scott, 8. Samuel Smith of John, 8. George Stricker, 7, light infantry. Adjourned till 3 o'clock. Convention met. POST MERIDIEM. The petition of Thomas M'Cobb of Lincoln county, in the colony of Massachusetts bay, setting forth, that in consequence of a resolution of the general court of that colony, he had obtained a permit from the select men and committee of correspondence of Georgetown, in Lincoln county in the same colony, to import grain into the said county, and praying leave to load his vessel, was read; and thereupon it is Resolved, That the said petitioner be allowed to load his said vessel in Somerset county: And it is Ordered, That the loading of the said vessel be under the inspection of the committee of observation for Somerset county, who are required, before the said vessel shall depart, to appoint the tract for her voyage, and have the captain and mate of her sworn to perform the same, so far as they can, and that they will use their utmost endeavours to land her cargo in the county of Lincoln in the colony of Massachusetts bay aforesaid. Ordered, That the clerk make out and transmit a copy of the above resolution to the committee of Somerset county. The convention proceeded to ballot for seven first lieutenants for the independent companies; the ballots were as follow: For Thomas Woolford, Il. Moses Chaille, 11. William Harrison, 10. Uriah Forrest, 10. Bennett Bracco, 10. John Stewart, 6. William Goldsborough, 5. The following persons were next elected by ballot first lieutenants for the battalion, to wit. Daniel Bowie, 13. Benjamin Ford, 12. William Sterett, 12. Joseph Butler, 11. Levin Winder, 10. Nathaniel Ewing, 10. Thom-. as Harwood, 6. James Campbell, 6. Thomas Smyth, 5; light infantry. The persons following were then elected by ballot second lieutenants for the independent companies. John Eccleston, 11. John Halkerston, 10. John Davidson, 10. Solomon Long, 10. William Bowie, 7. Archibald Anderson, 7. Samuel Turbutt Wright, 6. And the following second lieutenants for the battalion. John Kidd, 11. John Beans, 11. Alexander Roxburg, 10. Joseph Baxter, 10. Alexander Murray, 9. David Plunkett, 9. Thomas Goldsmith, 8. Joseph Ford, 8. James Ringgold, 8; light infantry. The following persons were elected by ballot third lieutenants for the independent companies. Edward Hindman, 12. Hooper Hudson, son of John, 12. Edward de Courcy, 11. Henry Neale, 10. Ely Dorsey, 8. Daniel Jenifer Adams, 8. Benjamin Brooks, 8. And the following elected by ballot ensigns for the battalion. Benjamin Chambers, 14. Henry Gaither, 12. William Ridgely, 12. Edward Praul, 12. Walker Muse, 12. John Jordan, 12. James Peale, 11. Bryan Philpot, 9. And Hatch Dent, third lieutenant of the light infantry. Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning half after 9 o'clock. WEDNESDAY, January 3, 1776. Convention met. All members present as on yesterday, except Mr. Sluby and Mr. Sudler. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Hall, have leave of ab sence. An account of the expenses for transporting powder from Frederick town to Baltimore town, being read; Ordered, That the treasurer of the Western shore pay to the committee of observation for the middle district of Frederick county, or their order, out of the bills of credit in his hands, twenty-three pounds, nineteen shillings, common money, being the expense of transporting the same. Ordered, That the clerk make out and transmit a copy of the above resolution to the committee of observation for the middle district of Frederick county. On application of col. Harrison of Virginia to this convention, to furnish col. Simpson, of Accomack county, with two hundred |