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The Convention, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinance to encourage the making Saltpetre, Gunpowder, Lead, the refining Sulphur, and providing Arms for the use of this Colony; and alter some time spent therein, Mr˙ President resumed the chair, and Mr˙ Harrison reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the said Ordinance, and had gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto, which he read in his plane, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk' s table, where the same were again twice read, and on the question severally
put thereon, agreed to by the Convention.
Ordered, That the said Ordinance, together with the several Amendments, be fairly transcribed, and read a third
time.
Ordered, That the Publick Printer do send twenty-two copies of the Ordinances of this Convention to the Committees of the several Counties and Corporations within this Colony.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Committees of the several Counties and Corporations, where it is not already done, to complete the collection of the Money by them judged requisite for the purchase of Gunpowder, Lead, Flints, and Cartridge Paper, according to the Resolution of the Convention in March last, in order to place the whole Colony on an equal footing in that particular, and return a state of such collection to the next Convention.
Resolved, That in case the British Ministry shall attempt to enforce the Act of Parliament for preventing the erection of Plating and Slitting Mills in America, this Convention will recompense, to the proprietors of the two first of such Mills as shall be finished and set to work in this Colony, all losses they may respectively sustain in consequence of such endeavours of Administration.
An Ordinance to encourage the making Saltpetre, Gunpowder, Lead, the refining Sulphur, and providing Arms for the use of this Colony, having been fairly transcribed, was read a third time, and the blanks therein filled up.
Resolved, That the said Ordinance do pass.
Ordered, That the title of the said Ordinance be, "An Ordinance for providing Arms and Ammunition for the use of this Colony."
Resolved, That the several sums following be paid to the several Officers of this Convention, for their services during the present session: To the Rev˙ Miles Selden, Chaplain to the Convention, £40; to Mr˙ John Tazewell, Clerk of the Convention, £150; to Mr˙ William Dandridge, Jun˙, £25; to Mr˙ Thomas Claiborne, Messenger to the Convention, £50; to Robert Hyland, John Creagh, William Drinkard, William Hix, and Richard Williams, Doorkeepers to the Convention, £20 each.
It appearing to the Convention that Otway Byrd, Esq˙, had, on account of his attachment to American liberty, resigned his provision and prospects in the British Navy, and may be destitute of employment:
Resolved, That the said Otway Byrd, Esq˙, be strongly recommended to his Excellency General Washington, and
Ordinance to encourage the making of Saltpetre, and c., passed
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the Conventions of our sister Colonies to the eastward, for promotion in the Army in that neighbourhood; and that until such promotion shall have taken place, or it be otherwise ordered by this Convention, he be allowed ten Shillings per day to support him as a Cadet in the Continental Army, to commence the day he joins the said Army; and that he be also allowed the sum of fifty Pounds, to be paid him immediately.