On motion of Mr. Hill, ordered that he have leave to absent him

self from the service of this House after Thursday next.

On motion of Mr. Spicer, ordered that he have leave of absence for a few days.

On motion of Mr. Lightfoot, seconded by Mr. Macon, Resolved, That the following message be sent to his late Excellency Richard Caswell, Esquire.

SIR:

Yesterday the General Assembly proceeded to the choice of a Governor when you, Sir, was elected to that high and important station and have appointed Monday next, at the State House, for your qualification in the usual form.

Ordered that the following with the foregoing message be sent to the House of Commons:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

We propose that the message sent you herewith be presented to the Honourable Richard Caswell, Esquire. Should it meet your approbation General Harrington and Mr. Lightfoot will, on the part of this House, attend him with the same; We have added Mr. James Gillispie and Mr. Guilford Dudley in the nomination for a Council

of State.

Recd. from the House of Commons a Bill for the Inspection of Tobacco in the County of Surry. Endorsed, read the second time, amended and passed.

Ordered that this Bill be read, the same being read, was passed the second time and ordered to be engrossed.

Recd. likewise a Bill for appointing a Treasurer in the District of Edenton for the purpose of calling to account the Commissioners for building a public Gaol in the District aforesaid. Endorsed, read the second time and passed.

Ordered that this Bill be read, which being read, was amended by consent of the House of Commons, passed the second time and ordered to be Engrossed.

Adjourned till 3 of the Clock p. m.

The House met according to adjournment.

Then pursuant to a former vote of both Houses on that head, they proceeded to a balloting for a Council of State, and for the place where the next General Assembly shall be held; which being closed Mr. Macon and Mr. Coor, appointed on the part of this House to superintend the same, returned and delivered in the following report:

That on closing the balloting it appeared that James Gillispie, Joseph Leech, John Hawks, John Spicer and Doctor William McClure were elected members of the Council of State. That no place had a majority of the votes of both Houses of the General Assembly for their next session. That there remains yet two members of the Council of State to be elected and that James Armstrong, Esquire, and Joseph Green, Esquire, had the greatest number of votes of any gentlemen in nomination for members of the Council of State who were not elected.

The House taking the foregoing report into consideration, Resolved, that they do concur therewith. The other matter to this day referred being postponed the House adjourned till Monday morning 9 o'clock.

The House met.

MONDAY, 12 December, 1783.

On motion of General Rutherford, seconded by Mr. Brown, ordered that the following message be sent to the House of Commons: Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

The Senate propose if agreeable to the House of Commons to proceed immediately to the election of two Delegates to represent this State in Congress the present year, the two Councillors of State yet to be chosen and the place at which the next Assembly shall be held; and put in nomination for Delegates William Cumming and John Baptist Ashe, Esquires; fior Councillors Spyers Singleton, Green Hill, Joseph Green, Guilford Dudley, Doctor King and Abram Shepperd, Esquires, and for the place at which the next Assembly shall be held the Towns of New Bern and Fayetteville. Recd. from the House of Commons the following Message: Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

We agree to ballot immediately for two delegates to serve for the remainder of the present year in the Room and stead of Mr. Spaight and Mr. Osborne, who have declined serving; for the place of holding the next Assembly and two Councillors. Mr. Ashe has directed his name to be withdrawn from the nomination of Delegates. We add to your nomination for Delegates James White and William Walters, Esquires.

The Message being read the House proceeded to the Conference Room in order to ballot, which being ended Mr. Macon and Mr. Coor, appointed on the part of this House to superintend the same, returned and reported as followeth, vizt.:

That William Cumming and James White, Esquires, were elected Delegates in addition to those heretofore appointed to represent this State in Congress the present year.

That Green Hill, Esquire, was chosen one of the members of the Council of State.

That the Town of Fayetteville was made choice of as the place at which the next Assembly shall be held, and

That there yet remains one member of the Council of State to be ballotted for.

The House taking this report into consideration resolved that they do concur therewith.

Pursuant to the vote of the General Assembly of Saturday last General Harrington and Mr. Lightfoot, appointed on the part of this House, accompanied by Mr. Ashe and Mr. Neale, appointed on the part of the House of Commons, now proceeded to the lodgings of his Excellency Richard Caswell, Esquire, in order to conduct him into the presence of the General Assembly which having done (both Houses being previously assembled in the Conference Room) His Excellency Richard Caswell, Esquire, was qualified, by repeating and subscribing the State Oath of Office in presence of the General Assembly.

Adjourned till 4 o'clock P. М.

The House met according to adjournment.

General Rutherford moved for leave and presented a Bill for the more speedy determining of disputes that hath arisen, or hereafter may arise from erecting Mill-dams, and to prevent persons from building as herein described; which being read, was passed the first time and sent to the House of Commons:

Recd. from the House of Commons the following Bills, to-wit: A Bill to impower the Wardens of the Poor to call to account all former sheriffs. Clerks of County Courts, and other persons who have not accounted for taxes and fines by them received which are appropriated or intended for the support of the poor, and

A Bill to alter the manner of holding the Elections for members of the General Assembly for New Hanover County. Respectively endorsed, read the first time and passed.

Ordered that these Bills be read, which being read, were passed the first time and returned.

Pursuant to the order of the Day the Bill to alter the times of holding several County Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in this State was read, passed the first time and sent to the House of Commons.

Recd. from the House of Commons the Bill to allow a further time for saving Lotts in the Several Towns in this State. Endorsed, read the second time and passed.

Ordered that this Bill be read, which being read, was passed the second time and ordered to be engrossed.

Agreeably to the order of Saturday last the House resumed the consideration of the Bill for the regulation of Commerce; which being read, was passed the first time and sent to the House of Com

mons.

Recd. from the House of Commons the report of the joint Committee appointed to consider of the best and most expeditious mode by which the laws and Journals of the State may be printed, together with a Resolution of the House of Commons consequent thereon, which being read was rejected; whereupon,

Ordered that the following message be sent to the House of Com

mons:

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen:

This House cannot concur with your Resolution for accepting the proposals of Messrs. Arnett and Hodge, relative to the printing the public Acts of the State, but propose that Martin and Co., be employed to perform the public printing, and that they be allowed the sum of three hundred pounds for such service; on giving Bond to His Excellency the Governor in the sum of ten thousand pounds with Security to be approved of by him, for the faithful performance of such duties as shall be herafter enjoined them in the premises; they having made the following proposals, to-wit: That they will print twelve hundred copies of the Acts and forward a proportionable part of them to the several Districts, vizt.: To Edenton, to New Bern, to Wilmington, to Salisbury, to Halifax, to Hillsborough, to Morgan, and to Washington District; together with sixteen copies of the Journals of the General Assembly which are to be forwarded to each member; also, to print all Proclamations and Resolutions of Assembly which may be ordered in Hand-Bills, and to find paper to compleat the business of the public printing, and tender as Securities for the performance of all and every of the above Contracts John W. Stanly and Isaac Guion, Esquires.

Recd. from the House of Commons the Letter and Account of the Honourable Richard Dobbs Spaight, Esquire, as late Delegate fron: this State to Congress. Endorsed, referred to Mr. Polk, Mr. Dickens, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Montfort.

Recd. likewise a Resolution of the House of Commons relative to the Claim of Waightstill Avery, Esquire, on the public for services performed when acting as Attorney General for the State; which being read, was concurred with and returned.

Adjourned till To-morrow morning 9 o'clock.

The House met.

TUESDAY, 13 December, 1785.

On motion of Mr. Wynns, seconded by Mr. Armstrong, Resolved, That John Armistead be allowed the sum of seventy-eight pounds twelve shillings current money, being the sum contained in a warrant drawn on the Treasury of His Excellency Governor Martin, for articles furnished the Army, bearing the date the 27th day of October, 1783, which Warrant together with this Resolve shall be a sufficient voucher to the Treasurer for paying the same in the settlement of his accounts with the public.

Ordered that this resolve be sent to the House of Commons for

concurrence.

Mr. Gillispie from the Committee of Propositions and Grievances to whom was referred the Memorial of Robert Harris, and the Bond of Mr. Henry McCullock relative to the subject matter of the said Memorial, delivered in the following report, vizt.:

That after considering the premises the Committee are of opinion that a title be made in fee to James Cash for the lands mentioned in the Bond and Memorial,

JAMES GILLISPIE, Ch.