JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BEGUN and held at the town of Richmond, in the county of Henrico, on Monday, the 7th day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, in the buildings provided by the Public Directors, pursuant to the Act "for the removal of the Seat of Government.” On which day, being the day appointed by law, for the meeting of the General Assembly, the oaths required to be taken by the delegates were administered by the Privy Counsel to such of the members as appeared; after which they repaired to their seats in the House of Delegates. But the number not being sufficient to proceed to business, The House adjourned till to-morrow, 12 o'clock, TUESDAY, May 8, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House; The House adjourned till to-morrow, 12 o'clock. WEDNESDAY, May 9, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House; The House adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock. THURSDAY, May 10, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House. Information being given to the House, of the approach of an hostile army of the enemy towards this place, from whose operations the deliberations of the General Assembly may be greatly interrupted, impeded or totally prevented; It is Resolved, That this House be adjourned until Thursday the 24th instant, then to meet at the town of Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle; and that letters be dispatched to the absent members, requiring their punctual attendance at that time and place. At the Town of Charlottesville, in the County of Albemarle THURSDAY, May 24, 1781. The House met according to their adjournment. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House The House adjourned till to-morrow, 12 o'clock. FRIDAY, May 25, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House; The House adjourned till to-morrow, 12 o'clock. SATURDAY, May 26, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House; The House adjourned till Monday, 12 o'clock. MONDAY, May 28, 1781. Several other members having taken the oaths required by law, took their seats in the House. Mr. Richard Lee, a delegate for the county of Westmoreland, reminded the House of the necessity of procee ing to the choice of a Speaker, and recommended Benjamin Harrison, Esq. who had discharged the duties of th important office in several former sessions of Assembly; and thereupon, Mr. Harrison was elected without oppositio and conducted to the chair, from whence he made his acknowledgments to the House in the following manner: "GENTLEMEN,-I thank you for this farther instance of your favor and approbation of my conduct; I sha enter into the duties of my office with diffidence, but will discharge them with diligence and the strictest impa tiality. "The critical and dangerous situation of our country, leads me to hope that my recommending it to you to di patch the weighty matters that will be under your consideration, with all convenient speed, will not be taken amis The people expect, that effectual and decisive measures will be taken to rid them of an implacable enemy, that a now roaming at large in the very bowels of our country; and I have no doubt, of your answering their expectations the mode of doing it may indeed be difficult; but it not being my province to point it out, I shall leave it to you wisdom, in full confidence, that every thing that is necessary for quieting the minds, and dispelling the fears of ou constituents will be done. "I am sorry to have it in my power to say, that I have of late observed the known and long established rule of the House broken through, on many occasions, and that such deviations have ever been attended with great delaj in business and other bad consequences; it will be my duty to inform you, if you should be at a loss in future, wha those rules are, and I have my hopes that they will not be violated but in cases of absolute necessity, arising from the difference betwixt our present and former government." Ordered, That Mr. Freeman Eppes be appointed serjeant at arms to this House. Ordered, That John Creagh and William Drinkard be appointed door-keepers to this House; and that they give their attendance accordingly. On a motion made, Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole House to take into their consideration the state of the Commonwealth. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from his excellency Gen. Washington, respecting supplies of men arms, ammunition, and clothing for the southern army; which was read and ordered to be referred to the committee of the whole House on the state of the Commonwealth. The Speaker communicated to the House a letter from John Walker, Esq. addressed to his excellency the Governor, containing information respecting the enemy, and stating the desire of the honorable Major General Marquis de La Fayette on the subject of impressing horses; which was read, and ordered to be committed to Messrs. Page, Henry, Tyler, Nicholas and Taylor of Caroline. The Speaker laid before the Honse a letter from the Governor, stating sundry matters for the consideration of the General Assembly, and referring to several letters and papers enclosed on the subject thereof, which were read, and ordered to be referred to the committee of the whole House on the state of the Commonwealth. Mr. Page reported, from the committee to whom the letter from John Walker, Esq. was referred, that the committee had, according to order, had the said letter under their consideration, and agreed to several resolutions thereupon, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same were again twice read, amended, and agreed to by the House, as followeth: Resolved, That the Governor be advised to issue his/warrant to the honorable Major General Marquis de La Fayette, empowering him to impress in the counties contiguous to the march of the enemy, all such horses as he shall think necessary for the use of the army under his command. Resolved, That all horses taken under any impress warrant, shall be appraised in specie by two field officers to be appointed for that purpose, which valuation shall be paid in specie, or in paper money, at the real exchange. Resolved, That impress warrants ought to be issued only to commissioned officers, and by them to be produced whenever an impress is made. Resolved, That stud horses and others actually employed in moving the families or effects of the owners, ought not to be impressed. Resolved, That the Marquis ought to be desired to have an exact return made to the auditors of this State, specifying the names of the owners, the amount of the valuation of each horse, and the uses to which the several horses shall be appropriated; and that proper certificates ought to be given to the persons from whom the impresses are made, expressing the valuation and the purpose for which such horses were taken. Ordered, That Mr. Page do carry the resolutions to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. TUESDAY, May 29, 1781. Ordered, That William Hicks be appointed a door-keeper to this House; and that he give his attendance accordingly. A petition of sundry inhabitants of the county of Amherst, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, that the insufficiency of the pay allowed to the militia while on duty, and the irregular manner in which they are called into service, (tours of duty not being fixed by law,) they consider as grievances; and praying that the Militia Laws may be so amended as to afford relief in those particulars. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a bill, "to amend and reduce into one the several acts, 'for regulating and disciplining the militia ;" and that Messrs. Nicholas, Henry, Page, Cabell, Taylor of Caroline, Strother, Talbot, Syme, Lomax, Morgan and Rucker, do prepare and bring in the same. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a committee of the whole House on the state of the Commonwealth; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Page reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Commonwealth under their consideration, and had agreed to several resolutions thereupon, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same were again read, and are as followeth : Whereas, a powerful army of the enemy are at this time inflicting upon our friends and fellow-citizens in the lower counties, all the miseries and calamities of war, and our forces at present in the field are inferior to those of the enemy, and an army of regulars sufficient to expel the invaders, and rescue our country from the dangers which at present threaten us all in a very serious and alarming manner, cannot now be assembled; and although the General Assembly have seen with much concern the many late demands upon the militia for service, on distant and fatiguing expeditions, yet reflecting that in the present critical and dangerous situation of the Commonwealth, there is no resource but in the virtue and manly exertions of our militia, and that before our army of regulars can be assembled, our country will be totally over-run and destroyed, and our liberty brought into extreme peril, unless our enemies are effectually opposed: Resolved, That the Governor be desired immediately, and with all possible expedition, to order into service such a number of militia as will enable the commander of the army to oppose the enemy with effect, and that they bring with them such arms and ammunition as they can procure. Resolved, That the Governor be desired to order into service, from time to time, the necessary numbers of militia to relieve such as may be on duty, so as to make the service as little burthensome as possible to our fellow-citizens at large. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare an address to Congress, representing to them the present distressing situation of affairs in this State, and requesting their utmost efforts to procure us the necessary aids with all possible expedition. Resolved, That all horses taken under impress warrants granted to the Hon. Major General Greene, and horses and other necessaries impressed for the forwarding the enterprize meditated against Portsmouth, which ha not been returned to their respective owners, ought to be paid for; and that the auditors do adjust and settle all clair upon certificates duly granted for such impresses, and issue their warrants for payment thereof. It appearing, that the prices allowed by the last Assembly for purchasing horses to mount the first and third reg ments of dragoons have been insufficient; Resolved, That the resolution of the said Assembly be repealed; and that the Governor, with advice of Counc be desired to take proper measures to mount the said regiments. Resolved, That the Governor, with the advice of Council, be desired to appoint an engineer for this State, wi the rank and emoluments of a Colonel. Resolved, That martial law ought to be established within enemy. miles of our army, and that of th Resolved, That a committee be appointed to draw up a representation of our necessities, to be addressed to th executive powers of Pennsylvania and Maryland, asking an immediate aid of so many militia as their respectiv States can possibly spare, and such other aid as may be within their ability to furnish. Whereas, the seat of war and present operations of the enemy are now transferred to the southern States; an the junction of several large bodies of British forces within this State, present a formidable army, against which ever exertion of offence and defence should be applied; Resolved, That a representation be made to the Hon. Major General Marquis La Fayette, by his excellency th Governor, stating the present state, quantity and condition of the public arms; the urgent reasons that appear for de taining the new levies now collected at Albemarle old courthouse, to oppose the invading enemy, until effectual ex ertions can be made for providing other means of defence, or the operations of the war shall, in the opinion of th Hon. Major General Marquis La Fayette, render it more adviseable to detach them for southern service. Resolved, That his excellency the Governor, be requested to urge to the Hon. Major General Marquis La Fayette that this State, under its present circumstances, can in no wise consent that the public arms in the hands of the said new levies, be sent out of the State; and that his excellency the Governor, do take measures for countermanding such of the public arms belonging to this State, as may have been delivered for that purpose, and of detaining them for the purpose of immediate defence. The first, second, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth resolutions, were severally read a second time and agreed to by the House. The fifth resolution, was read a second time, and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That Mr. Page do carry the first, second, fourth, ninth and tenth resolutions to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. Ordered, That addresses be prepared agreeable to the third and eighth resolutions; and that Messrs. Page, Taylor of Caroline, Nicholas, Tyler, Henry and Hardy, do prepare and bring in the same. Ordered, That a bill or bills, be brought in pursuant to the seventh resolution; and that Messrs. Page, Hardy, Tyler, Mayo and Strother, do prepare and bring in the same. Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, on the state of the Commonwealth. Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a bill "concerning the adjournment of the Supreme Courts;" and that Mr. Richard Lee do prepare and bring in the same. Ordered, That the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill "to amend and reduce into one, the several acts for regulating and disciplining the militia," be instructed to receive a clause or clauses, for amending the several acts of Assembly providing against invasions and insurrections. Ordered, That the committee of the whole House on the state of the Commonwealth, be discharged from proceeding on so much of the Governor's letter with its enclosures, to them referred, as respects the insufficiency of the present militia laws; and that the same be referred to the commmittee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill "to amend and reduce into one the several acts for regulating and disciplining the militia.” Mr. Richard Lee presented, according to order, a bill "concerning the adjournment of the Supreme Courts," and the same was received and read the first time, and ordered to be read a second time. Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a bill "for calling in and redeeming this State's quota of Continental money;" and that Messrs. Taylor of Caroline, Tyler, Cabell and Pride, do prepare and bring in the same. Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a bill, and that Messrs. Taylor of Caroline, Tyler, Cabell and Pride, do prepare and bring in the same. Ordered, That the petitions of sundry inhabitants of the county of Amherst, which lay on the table, be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill "to amend and reduce into one, the several acts ‘for regulating and disciplining the militia." And then the House adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock. |