Mr. Drayton and Mr. Elliott, officers from South-Carolina, permitted to recruit in Virginia

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Thursday, June 6, 1776.

The Convention being informed that David Ross had delivered a Colonel' s commission to a person to bring the Indians against this country, and that they were in motion accordingly,

Ordered, That the said information be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections; that they examine into the matter thereof, and report the same as it shall appear to them, with their opinion thereupon, to the Convention; and that the said David Ross be sent for, in custody of a messenger, and he is to take care that he be safely conveyed to this City, to answer the said information.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to examine into the condition of the several Prisoners confined in the publick Jail; and that Mr˙ Starke, Mr˙ Gilmer, Mr˙ Blair, and Mr˙ Edmund Randolph, be of the said Committee.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony, 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 Letters from Major-General Lee, Brigadier-General Howe, and Colonel Stephen, of the Fourth Regiment, and had come to the following Resolutions thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk' s table, where the same were again twice read, and agreed to.

Resolved, That Mr˙ Drayton, and Mr˙ Elliot, Officers from South-Carolina, be permitted to recruit soldiers in this Colony, provided they do not inlist any of the Regulars, Marines, or Minute-men, already engaged here in the Continental or Colonial service.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Commanding Officer of the Continental Troops of the neighbourhood of Elizabeth River to erect Batteries, or Breastworks, on both sides of the said river, where he thinks necessary, in order effectually to protect the Harbours of Norfolk and Portsmouth; and that he be informed that this Colony will give him all possible assistance towards completing and defending the same.

Ordered, That the Committee of Safety be directed to engage with Mr˙ James Hunter, of Fredericksburgh, for as many good Muskets, with Bayonets, Sheaths, and steel Ramrods, as he can manufacture within twelve months from this time, at the rate of £6 for each stand; and that they allow the same price to any other person who shall manufacture Arms within this Colony, of equal goodness with the sample now produced by the said Hunter.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Taylor, Mr˙ Page, and Mr˙ Thornton, be added to the Committee to whom the Reports of the Committees for the Counties of Caroline and Spottsylvania were referred.

The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the Declaration of Rights, and on the Ordinance for augmenting the Ninth Regiment of Regular forces, providing for the better defence of the frontiers

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

Resolved, That this Convention will to-morrow again resolve itself into a Committee on the state of the Colony.

Adjourned till to-morrow, ten o' clock.