Governour' s Speech and Papers referred to a Committee of the Whole House

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Wednesday, May 17, 1775.

The House met.

His Excellency' s Speech, together with the Papers accompanying the same, were read the second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Mr˙ Speaker laid before the House a Letter to him from John Smith, Esquire, Treasurer of the Eastern Division, dated Perth-Amboy, May 13, 1775, setting forth that he had attended the Justices and Freeholders of Middlesex, with the sum of Nine Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety-Eight Pounds and Three Shillings, to be sunk according to law on the Wednesday preceding; but that no sufficient number to constitute a Board, had attended ; and praying that an act of Assembly may immediately pass to cancel and burn said Bills; which Letter was read, and ordered a second reading.

The House adjourned till three. P˙ M.

The House met.

The House, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on His Excellency' s Speech and the Papers accompanying the same, and after some time spent therein, Mr˙ Speaker resumed the Chair, and Mr˙Fisher, Chairman of the Committee, reported that the Committee had gone through the matters to them referred, and had come to one Resolution, which he was ready to report whenever the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made immediately.

Whereupon Mr˙ Fisher reported the Resolution of the Committee, as follows, viz:

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Excellency in answer to his Speech; to which the House agreed.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Fisher, Mr˙ Wetherill, Mr˙ Kinsey, Mr˙ Paxon, and Mr˙ Lawrence, be a Committee to prepare and bring in the draught of an Address to his Excellency, in answer to his Speech.

Joseph Barton, Esquire, being duly returned a Representative in Assembly for the County of Sussex, and now attending, was admitted into the House, and took the usual oaths, and made and subscribed the Declaration by law appointed, before Cortland Skinner, Esquire, authorized by dedimus potestatum.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Barton do take his seat in the House.

The House adjourned till ten o' clock to-morrow morning.