By special order the same was read the second time, and, after some amendments, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Ordered, That Mr. Vandyke wait on the House of Assembly with the said transcribed bill for their consideration and concur

rence.

Mr. Bryan, a member from the House of Assembly, attending, was admitted and delivered to the Chair a "Bill impowering the President or Commander-in-Chief of the Delaware State to draw out of the Loan Office of Kent County the sum of five thousand pounds;" and also the resolutions for borrowing seven hundred and fifty pounds, on the credit of the State, to be put into the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Pope to purchase clothing for the Delaware Regiment, with the amendment proposed by the Council by way of addition to the last resolve, to which the House of Assembly had agreed, and accordingly added a further resolution, setting forth the loan of the aforesaid sum of seven hundred and fifty pounds by Vincent Loockerman, and charging this State with repayment of the same with interest.

Council adjourned till Friday morning, 10 o'clock.

The Council met. and also Mr. Bassett.

On motion,

FRIDAY, A. M., December 19th, 1777.

Present all the members as on Wednesday,

The resolutions for borrowing seven hundred and fifty pounds on the credit of the State, and for repaying the same with interest, were read and concurred in, and are as follows, to wit:

"IN THE HOUSE of Assembly of the Delaware State, "FRIDAY, P. M., December 12th, 1777.

"Resolved, That the sum of seven hundred and fifty pounds "be borrowed upon the credit of this State, and that the Vice

"President sign certificates to the person or persons lending the

"same.

"Resolved, That this House will devise ways and means for the repayment to the lender or lenders thereof.

"Resolved, That the said sum of seven hundred and fifty "pounds be put into the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Pope, to enable him to proceed in the purchase of clothing for "the Delaware Regiment aforesaid, and that Colonel Pope be "accountable for the expenditure thereof to the General Assem"bly, or to the President or Vice-President of the State for the "time being in the vacation of Assembly, in order that the State "may have the said sum refunded by Congress.

"WEDNESDAY, P. M., December 17th, 1777.

"It appearing to the House that Vincent Loockerman, of "Dover, in the County of Kent, on the sixteenth day of Decem"ber instant, had paid into the hands of the Vice-President of "this State, in pursuance of the joint resolution of both Houses, "made on Saturday last, the sum of seven hundred and fifty "pounds, lawful money, for the use of this State.

"Resolved, That this State be chargeable with, and the same "is hereby made chargeable with the said seven hundred and "fifty pounds, to be paid to the said Vincent Loockerman, his "executors, administrators, or assigns, at any time within one "year from this date, with interest at the rate of six per cent. per "annum, from the sixteenth day of December, instant, until the "same be repaid.

"Ordered, That Mr. Bryan wait on the Council with the reso"lutions for the borrowing seven hundred and fifty pounds, upon "the credit of the State, and putting the same into the hands of "Lieutenant Colonel Pope to purchase clothing for the Delaware "Regiment, and inform them that this House has acceded to the "amendment proposed thereto, and that he deliver a copy of the "last resolution for their consideration and concurrence."

On motion and order,

The bill empowering the President or Commander-in-Chief to draw out of the Loan Office of Kent County the sum of five thousand pounds, was read the first time.

By special order the same was read a second time, and thereupon committed to Messrs. Bassett and Vandyke to report thereon.

The committee report divers amendments as necessary to the said bill, which, being read, were severally agreed to.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be sent to the House of Assembly for their consideration and concurrence. Colonel Jones is appointed for this purpose, and also to return the resolutions for the borrowing of seven hundred and fifty pounds, on the credit of the State, and for the repaying the same, with the concurrence of the Council thereto.

Who, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock, P. M.

On motion and order,

EODEM DIE, P. M.

That a certificate of the appointment of the Delegates to the Congress, as chosen on Wednesday, the 17th inst., in the General Assembly, expressing the powers they are to be invested with, be drawn up and sent to the House of Assembly for their concurrence, which, being done and transcribed, was, by order, read and agreed to, as follows, to wit:

WHEREAS Cæsar Rodney, Nicholas Vandyke, and Thomas McKean, Esquires, have been chosen, by joint ballot of the two Houses of Assembly, to represent the Delaware State in the Continental Congress,

Resolved, That they, or any one or more of them, are hereby fully authorized and empowered, for and in behalf of this State, to concert, agree to, and execute any measure which they or he, together with a majority of the Continental Congress, shall judge

necessary for the defence, security, interest, and welfare of this State in particular and America in general; with power to adjourn to such times and places as shall appear most conducive to the public safety and advantage.

Mr. Hyatt is ordered to deliver the same to the House of Assembly for their concurrence.

Mr. Hyatt, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order.

Mr. Armstrong, a member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and delivered to the Chair a "Bill for defraying the expenses of the General Assembly," which, by order, was read the first time.

By special order the same was read a second time, and, upon the vote, postponed.

A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and returned to the Chair the certificate of the appointment of the Delegates to the Congress, as chosen on Wednesday, the 17th instant, in the General Assembly, expressing the powers they are to be invested with, with the concurrence of the House of Assembly thereto.

The same member also delivered to the Chair the following message from the Assembly, to wit:

"A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL.

"Gentlemen:

"This House having sent to the Council, on Wednesday "last, for their consideration and concurrence, a bill entitled 'An "act empowering the President, Vice-President, or Commander"in-Chief, to draw out of the Loan Office of Kent County the "sum of five thousand pounds, part of the sum emitted by an "act entitled, 'An act for printing and emitting fifteen thousand "pounds in Bills of Credit of this State, to be let out on loan, "and for striking the further sum of ten thousand pounds in "such bills for the use of this State, and for providing a fund for "sinking the same;'' and the said bill being returned to the "House this day, by a member of Council, with a bill entitled "A supplement to an act entitled 'An act for printing and

"emitting fifteen thousand pounds in Bills of Credit of this State, "to be let out on loan, and for striking the further sum of ten "thousand pounds in such bills, for the use of this State, and for providing a fund for sinking the same,'' which, by a verbal 'message, was said to be an amendment to the first mentioned "bill; this being contrary to the mode of proceeding used in "such cases by both Houses (it having been usual heretofore, as "this House conceives, to point out amendments particularly in writing,) the House of Assembly desire to know, by a written "message, whether the said supplementary bill was intended as "amendatory of the said first mentioned bill or not.

"Dover, Dec. 19, 1777."

And the same being taken into consideration, an answer was drawn up at the table, and ordered to be transcribed and signed by the Speaker, and is as follows, to wit:

AN ANSWER FROM THE COUNCIL TO A MESSAGE FROM THE

Gentlemen:

ASSEMBLY.

The Council, when they sent the bill entitled "A supplement to an act entitled 'An act for printing and emitting fifteen thousand pounds in Bills of Credit of this State, to be let out on loan, and for striking the further sum of ten thousand pounds in such bills for the use of this State, and for providing a fund for sinking the same,' ,"" intended the same as an amendment to the bill sent from the House of Assembly entitled "An act empowering the President, Vice-President, or Commander-in-Chief to draw out of the Loan Office of Kent County the sum of five thousand pounds, part of the sum emitted by an act entitled 'An act for printing and emiting fifteen thousand pounds in Bills of Credit of this State, to be let out on loan, and for striking the further sum of ten thousand pounds in such bills, for the use of this State, and for providing a fund for sinking the same,' as appears by the verbal message delivered by the member of the Council who returned the original bill, together with the amendment. The Council were induced to this proceeding, (tho' not strictly regular,) merely for the saving of time. From the notice sent by your House, on Monday last, of their intention to adjourn, and the conference of the committees thereon, the Council apprehended that some of the usual forms of proceeding must be dispensed