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Saturday, August 5, 1775.
On a motion made,
Resolved, That any person who shall hereafter accept any office of profit or pecuniary appointment under the
Resolved, That no person who shall accept of a Commission, as an Officer, to command any of the Regular Forces now to be raised, or which may hereafter be raised, for the defence of this Colony, be capable of sitting or voting as a Member of the Convention, General Congress, or Committee of Safety, during his continuance in the said office.
Ordered, That it be an instruction to the Committee appointed to prepare and bring in an Ordinance for regulating the election of Delegates and Committees, that they receive a clause or clauses, pursuant to the foregoing Resolutions.
On a motion made,
Ordered, That there be a call of the Convention on Wednesday next.
Resolved, That this Convention will immediately proceed, by ballot, to the appointment of Officers to command the Regular Forces to be raised for the defence and protection of this Colony.
Ordered, That the Members of this Convention do immediately prepare tickets to be put into the ballot-box, with the name of the person to command the First Regiment; which being accordingly done, Mr˙ Robert Carter Nicholas, Mr˙ Charles Carter, of Lancaster, Mr˙ Lawson, and Mr˙ Dandridge, were appointed a Committee to examine the ballot-box, and report to the Convention upon whom the majority falls. The Committee then withdrew,
and, after some time, reported that they had, according to order, examined the ballot-box, and that the numbers appeared as follows:
The question being then put, whether the said Hugh Mercer or Patrick Henry, Esquires, upon whom the greatest numbers fell on the ballot, should be appointed to command the said Regiment, the majority appeared in favour of Patrick Henry, Esquire.
Resolved, therefore, That the said Patrick Henry, Esq˙, be appointed Colonel of the said First Regiment.
The Convention then proceeded, in the same manner, to the appointment of a Colonel to command the Second Regiment; and it appearing, from the report of the Committee appointed to examine the ballot-box, that there was a majority in the Convention in favour of Thomas Nelson, Esquire,
Resolved, That the said Thomas Nelson, Esq˙, be appointed Colonel to the said Second Regiment.
The Convention then proceeded, in the same manner, to the appointment of a Colonel to command the Third Regiment; and it appearing, from the report of the Committee appointed to examine the ballot-box, that the numbers stood as follows:
The question was then put, whether the said William Woodford or William Christian, on whom the greatest numbers fell on the ballot, should be appointed to command the said Regiment, the majority appeared in favour of William Woodford, Esquire.
Resolved, therefore, That the said William Woodford, Esquire, be appointed Colonel of the said Third Regiment.
Resolved, That the further appointment of Officers be postponed till Wednesday next.
A Letter and Deposition upon the subject of Indian Affairs were laid before the Convention and read.
Ordered, That the said Letter and Deposition do lie on the table, for the perusal of the Members.
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in an Ordinance for paying the Delegates of this and two former Conventions the same wages as are allowed the Burgesses of this Colony, and that Mr˙ Henry Lee do prepare and bring in the same.
Resolved, That this Convention doth applaud the zeal
Adjourned till Monday, nine o' clock.
Persons hereafter accepting any office of profit under the Crown disqualified from sitting in the Convention
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Crown, shall be disqualified from sitting in this Convention, the General Congress, Council of Safety, or County Committee.
For
Hugh Mercer, Esq.,
41
Patrick Henry, Esq.,
40
Thomas Nelson, Esq.,
8
William Woodford, Esq.,
1
For
William Woodford, Esq.,
44
William Christian, Esq.,
36
Hugh Mercer, Esq.,
8
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of the gentlemen Officers and Volunteers in the City of Williamsburgh, and do recommend that they keep themselves on the defensive, exerting their utmost endeavours and vigilance to discover and defeat any hostile attempts of the enemies of this Country.