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Thursday, May 30, 1776.
A Petition of John Craig was presented to the Convention, and read; setting forth, that he went out last fall from the County of Augusta, with some stock, in order to settle the new country called Transylvania; and finding it to be the custom of the inhabitants to enter their lands with those who styled themselves the Proprietors, he also repaired to them for that purpose, but when he came he found a number of people assembled, who were signing a paper drawn up by the said proprietors, the substance of which was, that an Assembly should be chosen by the freeholders, who should make laws for the benefit of the country, as nearly similar to the laws of England as the circumstances of the country would admit, and that a Governour should be chosen from time to time from among the proprietors, being then eight in number, who should have a negative on all laws, also to elect a Member to the General Congress; that there should be only one religion, and that conformable to the Church of England, in exclusion of all others; that the said plan was offered to the Petitioner to sign, but, being a stranger, he begged to be excused till he could be better informed; upon which one of them declared they would enter no land for those who did not sign; that one Dougherty, and others, who signed immediately, entered for the best of his lands; and praying the Convention will take his case into consideration, and grant him such relief as may be judged reasonable.
Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee on the state of the Colony.
Resolved, That the execution of the former Resolutions of this Convention, for engaging such Indian Warriors of the neighbouring tribes as are willing to march to the assistance of this Colony, be postponed till the 20th of July next; and that they be not then carried into execution, unless the same shall be judged expedient by Thomas Walker and John Harvie, Esquires.
The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day,
Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance.
The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve itself into a Committee on the Declaration of Rights, and on the state of the Colony, being read,
Ordered, That the same be put off till to-morrow.
Adjourned till to-morrow, ten o' clock.
Petition of John Craig, complaining of the proprietors of the new country called Transyl vania, Resolutions for employing Indian Warriors not to be carried into execution, without the approbation of Thomas Walker and John Hatvie
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resolved itself into a Committee on the Ordinance for augmenting the Ninth Regiment of Regular forces, providing for the better defence of the frontiers of this Colony, and for raising four Troops of Horse; 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 said Ordinance, and had made a further progress therein, but, not having time to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again.