were, on motion of Mr. Gillispie, seconded by Mr. Macon, ordered to be sent to the House of Commons.

Received from the House of Commons the Petition of Messrs. Arnett and Hodge, Printers of the Town of New Bern. Endorsed in the House of Commons, read and referred to the Committee appointed to consider and report the best and most expeditious mode by which the Laws and Journals may be printed, which being read, was referred as by the House of Commons and returned.

Recd. likewise the account of Mr. John Devane as Lieutenant of Fort Johnston. Endorsed, read and referred to the Committee of Claims, which being read, was referred in like manner and returned.

Recd. also the Petition and affidavit of Reuben Searcey. The Petition of Major Croom, The Memorial and Petition of William Field, The Petition of Ann Field, and the Petition of Robert Harris. Respectively endorsed, read and referred as by the Senate. Recd. from the House of Commons the following Message: Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

We agree that the rules adopted by the last Assembly for the reading and Engrossing Bills be adhered to during the present

session.

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen :

We propose that the consideration of a more expeditious and substantial administration of the laws and Equity of the State be submitted to the Committee to which the Governor's message & public Papers have been referred.

This proposition being read, Ordered that the following message be sent to the House of Commons:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen :

We agree that the consideration of a more expeditious and subtantial administration of the Laws and Equity of the State be submitted to the Committee to whom the Governor's message, and the public papers accompanying it, have been referred.

Recd. from the House of Commons the Petition of James Knox and David Wilson. Endorsed, referred to the Committee of Claims, which being read was, on motion of Mr. Coor, seconded by Mr. Hill, referred in like manner and returned.

Recd. likewise the Petition of Mrs. Margaret Balfour, and the Memorial of Mrs. Ann Field. Respectively endorsed, read and referred to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances, which being read, were referred in like manner and returned.

Recd. also the Petition of John Brady, Robert Dunlap, and William Dunlap. Endorsed, read and referred to a special Committee, the members chosen on the part of the House of Commons are Mr. Maclaine, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Person, Mr. Hay and Mr. Blount, the Petition being read was, on the part of this House, referred to General Skinner, Mr. Relfe, Mr. McCullock, and Mr. Coor and returned.

Mr. McCawley presented the Petition of James Hogg, Esquire, Executor of the last Will and Testament of the late Thomas Burke, Esquire, which being read was, on motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Gillispie, referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the Petition of John Brady, Robert Dunlap and William Dunlap, and ordered to be sent to the House of Commons.

Recd. from the House of Commons the resignation of Elijah Isaacs and John Barton as Justices of the Peace for Wilkes County. Endorsed, read and accepted, which being read, were likewise accepted by this House.

The resignation of John Bell as Justice of the Peace for Brunswick County was read and accepted and sent to the House of Com

mons.

General McDowell moved for leave and presented a Bill to impower David Vance, late Commissioner of Burke County, to collect the specific supplies assessed upon the Inhabitants of the said County for the years 1780 and 1781, which have not been already collected, which was read for the information of the House.

Adjourned until To-morrow 10 o'clock.

The House met.

FRIDAY, 25 November, 1785.

General Rutherford, the member for the County of Rowan appeared, presented the Certificate of his Election, qualified agreeably to Law and took his seat.

On motion of General McDowell, seconded by Mr. Macon, ordered that the Bill to impower David Vance, late Commissioner of Burke County, to collect the Specific Supplies assessed upon the Inhabitants of said County for the years 1780 and 1781, which have not been already collected, be read; which being read, was on motion of Mr. Harget, seconded by Mr. Gillispie, ordered to be withdrawn for amendment; the Members made choice of for this purpose were Mr. Coor and Mr. McCullock.

Mr. Speaker laid before the House the Petition of Abram Barnes and John Wilkes of Bladen County, relative to the suggested illegality of the late Election for said County; which being read was, on motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Battle, referred to the Committee of Privileges and Elections.

Mr. Brown presented the resignation of William Kirkpatrick as one of the Justice of the Peace for Bladen County, which being read, was accepted and sent to the House of Commons.

Recd. from the House of Commons a Bill for the dividing of the County of Guilford. Endorsed, read the first time and passed.

Ordered that this Bill be read for the Information of the House, the same being read was, on motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Miller, again read for passage, when it was amended, passed the first time and returned.

Recd. likewise a Bill for establishing a Town on the lands of Mial Scurlock, decd., in Chatham County. Endorsed, read the first time and passed.

Ordered that this Bill be read for information, which being accordingly read, was again read for passage, when it was passed the first time and returned.

On motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Battle, Resolved, That General Rutherford be added to the Committee to whom were referred the Message from His Excellency the Governor, together with the State papers accompanying it laid before the General Assembly at the opening of the present session, and that the following message be sent to the House of Commons:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen :

The Senate have added General Rutherford to the Committee to whom were referred the Message from His Excellency the Governor, & the public papers accompanying it.

On motion of Mr. Gillispie, seconded by Mr. Macon, ordered that Mr. Herritage have leave to absent himself from the service of this House for a few days.

Recd. from the House of Commons the Petition of William Jones and the Memorial of George Laine Moore. Endorsed, read and referred to a special Committee to be composed of members from each House, vizt.: Mr. Person, Mr. P. Hawkins, Mr. Maclaine, and Mr. Hay; which being read was, on the part of the Senate, referred to General Rutherford, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Hill and returned.

Mr. Coor and Mr. McCulloch, according to order, presented the Bill to impower David Vance, late Commissioner of Burke County, to collect the Specific supplies assessed upon the Inhabitants of the said County for the years 1780 and 1781, which have not been already collected, as by them amended, which being read was, on motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Campbell, recommitted to General Rutherford, Mr. Gillispie, Mr. McCulloch, General McDowell, Mr. Campbell and Mr Hill.

Received from the House of Commons the Petition of Mrs. Martha Dixon, Relict of Lt. Col. Henry Dixon. Endorsed, read and referred to the Committee on the Governor's Message, &c.; which being read, was referred as by the House of Commons and returned. Recd. likewise the Petition of James Hogg, Esquire. Endorsed, read and referred as by the Senate.

Received also an account of Doctor Hugh Boyd against the public. Endorsed, referred to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances; this reference being rejected, on motion of Mr. Gillispie, seconded by Mr. Macon,

Resolved, That the adjustment of this Account properly comes before the Committee of Claims and that therefore it be referred to the said Committee by this House and that the following message be sent to the House of Commons:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

It is the opinion of this House that the adjustment of the account of Dr. Hugh Boyd by you referred to the Committee of Propositons and Grievances properly comes before the Committee of Claims, we therefore propose that the consideration thereof be referred to the Committee last mentioned.

Recd. from the House of Commons the Petition of General Ramsey. Endorsed, referred to the Committee of Propositions and

Grievances, which being read, was referred as by the House of Commons and returned.

Adjourned till Monday morning 10 o'clock.

The House met.

MONDAY, 28 November, 1785.

Mr. Michael Payne, the member for the County of Chowan, and John Spicer, the Member for the County of Onslow, appeared, presented their Certificates, qualified agreeably to Law and took their

seats.

Mr. Macon presented a Resolution of the General Assembly in favour of Robert Hightower bearing the date the 12th July, 1781, which being read, on motion of Mr. Macon, seconded by Mr. Brown, Resolved, That Mr. Robert Hightower be allowed the sum of Fourteen pounds three shillings & nine pence current money in lieu of a Draft on the late Board of Trade for 660lbs of Tobacco; that the Treasurer pay him the same and be allowed in the settlement of his public accounts.

Mr. Gillispie, from the joint Committee to whom was referred the Petition of Ann Fields in behalf of her husband Robert Fields, reported as followeth, vizt.:

Your Committee to whom was referred the Petition of Ann Fields in behalf of her husband Robert Fields, report,

That after considering the premises we are of opinion that the same be rejected. All which is submitted.

JAMES GILLISPIE, Ch.

Mr. Gillispie likewise delivered in the following report, vizt.: Your Committee to whom was referred the Petition of Margaret Balfour, administratrix of Andrew Balfour, decd., report,

That after considering the premises we are of opinion that she be allowed a sum equal to what was contained in the former certificate, agreeable to the scale of depreciation. All which is submitted. JAMES GILLISPIE, Ch.

The House taking the foregoing reports into consideration resolved, that they do concur therewith, and ordered that they be sent to the House of Commons.