MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL OF THE DELAWARE STATE. NEW-CASTLE-ON-DELAWARE, THURSDAY, May 1st, 1777. Council met in pursuance of a summons from his Excellency John McKinley, Esquire, President and Commander-in-Chief. A quorum of members not having attended, adjourned till tomorrow morning, 10 o'clock. Council met. FRIDAY, A. M., May 2d, 1777. It appears by the returns of the Sheriffs and Inspectors of the Counties of Kent and Sussex that, pursuant to a writ from the Speaker, an election was held on the 25th April last, at the usual places of election, for the choice of members of Council in the room of William Polk and John Wiltbank, Esquires, who are appointed Justices of the Court of Common Pleas and Orphans' Court for the County of Sussex, and James Sykes, Esquire, who is appointed one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of this State, when the following gentlemen were chosen, to wit: FOR THE COUNTY OF SUSSEX, John Jones, Samuel Shelton Sloss. FOR THE COUNTY OF KENT, John Baning. Adjourned till to-morrow morning. SATURDAY, A. M., May 3d. Council met. A member from the House of Assembly delivered the following message from his Excellency the President to the General Assembly, to wit: A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE GEN ERAL ASSEMBLY. "Gentlemen: "I herewith send you sundry resolutions of Congress of the "14th ultimo, recommending measures to the Legislatures of "each of the United States for the more speedy furnishing their "several quotas of troops, together with a circular letter ad"dressed from the President thereof to the Assembly of this "State, both of which were transmitted to me on the 19th fol"lowing; and Congress deeming it necessary that the several "Legislatures should cause those measures to be put in execu "tion before the 15th day of this month, I have thought it my "duty, with the advice of the Privy Council, to call you together "at this time." Adjourned till Monday morning. MONDAY, A. M., May 5th. Council met. A quorum of members not attending, all business was postponed till Wednesday. WEDNESDAY, A. M., May 7th. Council met. Present-All the members except Messrs. Cantwell, Jones, Sloss, and Dingee. Mr. Baning took and subscribed the oath and declaration as prescribed by the Constitution.* *The oath, &c., here mentioned, are given in the "Qualification Book," with the signature of the member thereto, as follows: I [A. B.] will bear true allegiance to the Delaware State, submit to its Constitution and Laws, and do no act, wittingly, whereby the freedom thereof may be prejudiced. I [A. B.] do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration. JOHN BANING. |