Warwick, William Harwood and William Langhorne, Efquires.
Weftmoreland, Richard Lee and John A. Wafhington,* Efquires.
York, Dudley Digges and Hugh Nelfon, Efquires.

Jameftown, Champion Travis, Efquire.
Williamfburg, Jofeph Prentis, Efquire.†

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1775.

(From Journal of the Convention.)

Paul Carrington, Efq. a delegate for the county of Charlotte, reminded the Convention of the death of the honorable Peyton Randolph, Efq. the late worthy Prefident, which made it neceffary to appoint another, and did recommend Edmund Pendleton, Efq. as a gentleman in every refpect qualified to fill that important office. He was feconded by James Mercer, Efq. a delegate for the county of Hampfhire; and upon a queftion put, the said Edmund Pendleton was elected Prefident and took the chair accordingly, from whence he made his acknowledgements for this diftinguifhed mark of their favor, in calling him to an office of such honor and importance, as unfolicited as unmerited. He entreated their candour and affiftance to enable him to difcharge it with propriety, in which he promifed every exertion of his fmall abilities.

A letter from Col. Woodford, of the fecond regiment, was laid before the Convention and read; reprefenting the fituation of the troops under his command, and of thofe under Lord Dunmore; that he had received an offer of affiftance from the commanding-officer of the troops ftationed in North Carolina, not far diftant, which he had hitherto declined to call for, thinking the force he had at prefent fufficient, but that he would take his meafure as circumftances fhould occur.

Refolved, That the prefident be required, in a letter to Col. Woodford, to be fent by exprefs, to defire he will rifk the succefs of his arms as little as poffible, and, if there is not a moral probability of fecurity with the troops he hath, he will embrace the offer of affiftance from thofe of North Carolina, by fending immediately for them.

Refolved, That Mr. Jofeph Prentis, who is elected a delegate to reprefent the city of Williamfburg, in the room and during the neceffary abfence of George Wythe, Efq. one of the delegates for this colony in General Congrefs, be admitted into this Convention as a delegate for the faid city.

One of the first things the convention did was to reorganize the Committee of Safety by appointing Dudley Digges, John Page, Paul Carrington, Edmund Pendleton, James Mercer, Thomas Ludwell Lee, William Cabell, Richard Bland, Joseph Jones, John Tabb, and Thomas Walker.

In the reorganization George Mason and Carter Braxton were superseded by Joseph Jones and Thomas Walker. Dudley Digges, who was the seventh member

*Entered the convention as alternate for Richard Henry Lee (who was a deputy to the Continental Congress), but the convention refused to allow him to take his seat, he having accepted the office of sheriff for the county of Westmoreland. The President was ordered to issue his warrant for the election of a delegate in his stead. He resigned as sheriff and was returned to the convention January 1, 1776. +In place of George Wythe during his absence.

of the committee, became the first, and Edmund Pendleton, who had been first, became the fourth member.

Excerpts from two declarations adopted by the convention on the 13th and 14th of December, respectively:

"Whereas Lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, dated on board the ship William, the 7th day of November, 1775, hath presumed, in direct violation of the constitution, and the laws of this country, to declare martial law in force, and to be executed throughout this colony, whereby our lives, our liberty, and property, are' arbitrarily subjected to his power and direction; and whereas the said Lord Dunmore, assuming powers which the King himself cannot exercise, to intimidate the good people of this colony into a compliance with his arbitrary will, hath declared those who do not immediately repair to his standard, and submit in all things to a government not warranted by the constitution, to be in actual rebellion, and thereby to have incurred the penalties inflicted by the laws for such offences; and hath offered freedom to the servants and slaves of those he is pleased to term rebels, arming them against their masters, and destroying the peace and happiness of his majesty's good and faithful subjects, whose property is rendered insecure, and whose lives are exposed to the dangers of a general insurrection: We, as guardians of the lives and liberty of the people, our constituents, conceive it to be indispensibly our duty to protect them against every species of despotism, and to endeavour to remove those fears, with which they are so justly alarmed."

And again:

"His lordship is pleased to ascribe the unworthy part, he hath taken against this colony to a necessity arising from the conduct of its inhabitants, whom he hath considered in a rebellious state, but who know nothing of rebellion except the Ever zealous in support of tyranny, he hath broken the bonds of society, and trampled justice under his feet."

name.

"Whereas Lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, dated on board the ship William, off Norfolk, the 7th day of November, 1775, hath offered freedom to such ablebodied slaves as are willing to join him, and take up arms, against the good people of this colony, giving thereby encouragement to a general insurrection, which may induce a necessity of inflicting the severest punishments upon those unhappy people, already deluded by his base and insidious arts; and whereas, by an act of the General Assembly now in force in this colony, it is enacted, that all negro or other slaves, conspiring to rebel or make insurrection, shall suffer death, and be excluded all benefit of clergy: We think it proper to declare, that all slaves who have been, or shall be seduced, by his lordships' proclamation, or other arts, to desert their masters' service, and take up arms against the inhabitants of this colony, shall be liable to such punishment as shall hereafter be directed by the General Convention. And to the end that all such, who have taken this unlawful and wicked step, may return in safety to their duty, and escape the punishment due to their crimes, we hereby promise pardon to them, they surrendering themselves to col. William Woodford, or any other commander of our troops, and not appearing in arms after the publication hereof. And we do farther earnestly recommend it to all humane and benevolent persons in this colony to explain and make known this our offer of mercy to those unfortunate people."

On the 15th of December Carter Braxton was elected a delegate to the General

Congress in place of Peyton Randolph, who died in Philadelphia September 22, 1775.

The convention adopted ordinances for raising additional forces for the defence and protection of the colony; for appointing sheriffs; for providing arms and ammunition; for reviving and amending the ordinance appointing the Committee of Safety; for establishing tobacco payments during the discontinuance of the inspection law; for regulating the election of delegates and ascertaining their allowances.

On the 29th of December, the convention adopted a very diplomatic resolution, replying to Captain Bellew, of his Majesty's ship.

The resolution is as follows:

"The President laid before the Convention a letter from col. Howe, enclosing a letter from capt. Bellew, of his majesty's ship the Liverpool, desiring to be informed if he still persisted in his resolution to restrain his majesty's ships from supplies of provision, with his answer thereto; which being read, were referred to the committee on the state of the colony.

"The Convention then, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into the said committee; 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 state of the colony, and had come to the following resolution, 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 col. Howe be informed, in answer to his letter of the 25th, that this Convention are fully sensible of the hardships many innocent persons on board his majesty's ships may be exposed to, for want of regular supplies of fresh provisions, which we would not wish to withhold, unless compelled by the duty we owe to the country, loudly calling upon us to use every exertion for the defence of its inhabitants. That capt. Bellew, who probably is a stranger to us and our situation, should be informed, that this country hath ever, till of late, considered the officers and men of his majesty's navy as their friends, and have always had great pleasure in shewing them every mark of hospitality and civility; but many very recent and unwarrantable instances of the hostile behaviour of some of the navy, towards our inhabitants, justify us in suspicions we would not otherwise entertain. Who are the innocent and helpless whose blood capt. Bellew would not wish to shed, we cannot, from his expressions, determine; but they carry with them the strongest implication, that the effusion of the blood of some of our countrymen is the object of his voyage to this country. That the Convention have the warmest wishes to find themselves mistaken in these apprehensions; and if capt. Bellew can condescend to satisfy them, or col. Howe, that he is come to Virginia on a friendly errand, this Convention will take every opportunity of paying proper respect to a gentleman in his station, and use every means in their power to make his stay here as agreeable as possible; but that, if, on the contrary, capt. Bellew's design is to further the views of our enemies, and assist in prosecuting those unjustifiable and cruel measures already set on foot in this

country, he must excuse the inhabitants of Virginia if they totally decline contributing towards their own destruction."

On January 20, 1776, the convention "Adjourned till the second day of April next, then to meet in the city of Williamsburg, or such other place as may be appointed by the Committee of Safety."

If the convention met on the 2d of April there is no record of it, and no reference to any such meeting can be found in the Virginia Gazette. It is very probable that it was recalled by the Committee of Safety.

CONVENTION OF MAY 6, 1776.

This convention met in the city of Williamsburg on Monday, May 6, 1776, and "framed the first written constitution of a free State in the annals of the world."*

"THURSDAY, THE 7TH OF MARCH; 16, GEO. III. 1776.

"The House met according to the Adjournment; but no more than thirty-two Members appearing, which was not a sufficient number to proceed to businefs; The House adjourned till the first Monday in May next."‡

“MONDAY, THE 6TH OF MAY; 16, GEO. III. 1776.

"Several Members met, but did neither proceed to Businefs, nor adjourn, as a House of Burgefses."†

This was the last meeting ever attempted by the House of Burgesses.

The convention of July, 1775, passed an ordinance providing that there should be an election of delegates in the month of April of every year, and that the delegates so elected should meet annually in General Convention on the first Monday in May.‡

The Virginia Gazette of April 5, 1776, says: "The ordinance of Convention directs a meeting of the delegates on the firft Monday in May, annually; and it is expected there will be a full meeting, as matters of the greateft importance are to come under immediate confideration. It may not be amifs to refer all concerned to the ordinance for the form and time of return."

The delegates were accordingly chosen in the month of April, "on the several days appointed by law for holding of the county or corporation courts, respectively, and at the places where such courts are accustomed to be held."

The delegates, as they are recorded in the Journal, are given below.
Edmund Pendleton was elected President and John Tazewell Clerk.

DELEGATES.

MET MAY 6, 1776. ADJOURNED JULY 5, 1776.

For Accomack, Southy Simpfon and Ifaac Smith, efquires.

Albemarle, Charles Lewis, efq; and George Gilmer, for Thomas Jefferfon, efquire, elected to Congress.

Amelia, John Tabb and John Winn, efquires.

Augufta, Thomas Lewis and Samuel M'Dowell, efquires.

*Discourse before the Virginia Historical Society in 1852 by Prof. Washington.

Quoted by Hugh Blair Grigsby in his discourse on the Virginia Convention of 1776, pages 25 and 26; and Grigsby adds, "And he has said truly."

Journal of House of Burgesses.

Journal of the Convention.