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Thursday, June 20, 1776.
The Conference met, every Committee present.
The order of yesterday, for resolving the Conference into a Committee of the Whole, was read.
Resolved, unanimously, That the Conference will now go into a Committee of the Whole.
The President left the Chair. The President resumed the Chair.
Colonel Hart reported from the Committee of the Whole, that they had come into two Resolutions, which he was ready to report when the Conference would receive them.
Ordered, That they be received forthwith.
Then the said Resolutions being read and considered, were agreed to by the Conference, without one dissenting voice, and are as follow, viz:
"Resolved, That every Associator in the Province shall be admitted to a vote for Members of the Convention, in the City or County in which he resides; provided such Associator be of the age of twenty-one years, and shall have lived one year in this Province immediately preceding the election, and shall have contributed at any time before the passing of this resolve to the payment of either Provincial or County taxes, or shall have been rated or assessed towards the same.
"Resolved, That every person qualified by the laws of this Province to vote for Representatives in Assembly, shall be admitted to vote for Members of the intended Convention; provided he shall first take the following Test on Oath or Affirmation, if thereunto required by any one of the Judges or Inspectors of the election, who are hereby empowered to administer the same.
"I˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙, do declare that I do not hold myself bound to bear allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, &c˙, and that I will not, by any means, directly or indirectly, oppose the establishment of a free Government in this Province by the Convention now to be
Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole have leave to sit this afternoon at three o' clock.
Then the Conference adjourned to three o' clock this afternoon.
Thursday, June 20, 1776, P˙ M.
The Conference met.
On motion, Resolved, unanimously, That whereas the County of Westmoreland hath been exempted from the payment of Taxes for three years last past, and thereby many persons may be excluded from a vote at the ensuing election, in consequence of the foregoing regulations, contrary to the intention thereof; therefore, every person of twenty-one years of age, being a freeman, residing in said County, shall be admitted to vote, he being an Associator, and having lived one year in this Province next preceding the election, and taking the Test aforesaid, if thereunto required.
Resolved, unanimously, That the election shall be made by ballot, in the manner heretofore used in this Province at the general election.
Resolved, unanimously, That no person who has been published by any Committee of Inspection or the Committee of Safety in this Province as an enemy to the liberties of America, and has not been restored to the favour of his country, shall be permitted to vote at the election of Members for said Convention.
The Conference then adjourned to eight o' clock to-morrow, A˙ M.
Qualifications reported and agreed to, The election to be made by ballot, No person advertised by any Committee as an enemy to the liberties of America, permitted to vote
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chosen, nor the measures adopted by the Congress against the tyranny attempted to be established in these Colonies by the Court of Great Britain."