Natives of Great Britain permitted to depart this country, after taking an oath not to bear arms against America, nor give intelligence to the enemy during the war

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Friday, June 28, 1776.

Mr˙ Richard Lee, from the Committee of Publick Claims, reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration a Memorial and two Petitions to them referred, 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 the Memorial of Colonel William Preston, praying to be allowed for his services as Commander of the Militia of the County of Fincastle, from the 24th of May to the 7th of November, 1774, the time the said Militia were kept imbodied, be rejected.

Resolved, That the Petition of Lucretia Pritchett, Executrix, and William Churchill, Executor, of Joseph Pritchett, deceased, praying to be allowed for Minny, a Negro man slave belonging to the estate of the said Joseph Pritchett, who behaved with uncommon bravery in an engagement with a piratical tender, and was killed by the enemy in attempting to board her, is reasonable, and that the sum of £100 be allowed to the said estate for the said slave.

Resolved, That the Petition of Samuel Pritchett, praying to be allowed £8, Virginia currency, being the sum specified in a bill of the sort known by the distinction of James River Bank Notes, which, together with his house, were consumed by fire, and which the publick must have the benefit of, if considered as his loss, is reasonable, and that the Petitioner be allowed the sum of £8 by the publick for the same.

Mr˙ Archibald Cary, from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the information respecting David Ross, and had come to the following Resolution thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk' s table, where the same was again twice read, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the information against the said David Ross be heard before this Committee on the second Monday after the meeting of the next Convention or Assembly; and that the said Ross be discharged out of custody, on giving bond and security, in the sum of £5,000, to appear at the next meeting of Convention or Assembly, to answer the said information on the day fixed for hearing the same; and that he doth not in the mean time give intelligence to, or in any manner aid or assist the enemy.

Mr˙ Cary, from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, reported, that the Committee had, according to order, had under their consideration the Petition of sundry persons, Natives of Great Britain, to them referred, 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 the said Petition is reasonable; and that the Petitioners have leave to depart this country after taking an oath not to bear arms against America, nor give intelligence to the enemy during the present war; that they do not carry out of the country more than £50 each, nor more provisions than may be sufficient for the voyage.

Resolved, That, previous to the departure of the said Petitioners, every package and article by them intended to be carried away, as also the vessel in which they intend to embark, be carefully searched, under the orders and inspection of the Chairman and two Members of the Committee for the County from which they embark, in order to prevent the

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Resolved, That the Committee of Safety, or the Executive power for the time being, permit the said Petitioners, or any other Natives of Great Britain whom they may think proper, to depart this Colony, on their complying with the above requisitions.

A Letter from Colonel Preston, on the subject of Indian Affairs, was laid before the Convention, read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Convention then, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee on the Plan of Government for this 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 Plan of Government for this Colony, and had gone through the same, and made several Amendments thereto; 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.

Ordered, That the said Plan of Government, together with the Amendments, be fairly transcribed, and read a third time.

Mr˙ Smith, from the Committee appointed, presented, according to order, an Ordinance for erecting Salt-Works in this Colony, and for encouraging the making of Salt; which was read the first time, and ordered to be read a second time.

Mr˙ Cary, from the Committee of the whole Convention, reported, according to order, the Amendments to the Ordinance for establishing a Board of Commissioners to superintend and direct the Naval affairs of this Colony; 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.

Ordered, That the said Ordinance, together with the several Amendments, be fairly transcribed, and read a third time.

Resolved, That the Treasurer, in case of danger, be at liberty to remove the publick Treasury to some part of the County of Hanover, near the centre thereof.

An Ordinance to amend an Ordinance intituled An Ordinance for establishing a mode of making Tobacco Payments during the discontinuance of the Inspection Law, having been fairly transcribed, was read a third time, and the blanks therein filled up.

Resolved, That the said Ordinance do pass.

An Ordinance to enable the present Magistrates and Officers to continue the administration of justice, and for settling the general mode of proceedings in .criminal and other cases till the same can be more amply provided for, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the whole Convention.

Resolved, That this Convention will to-morrow resolve itself into a Committee on the said Ordinance.

Resolved, That this Convention will to-morrow proceed, by ballot, to the appointment of a Governour, Privy Council, and Attorney-General, for this country.

The Orders of the Day, for the Convention to resolve

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

An Ordinance for making further provision for the defence and protection 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.

Adjourned till to-morrow, nine o' clock.