with, or otherwise much of the business before both Houses would be left unfinished; however, we do not mean or wish to establish it as a precedent, and if the House of Assembly shall think it necessary to return the two bills thus sent, the Council will proceed on the bill from your House in the usual mode. Ordered, That Mr. Bassett deliver the same to the House of Assembly. Who, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order. A member from the House of Assembly, attending, was admitted and returned the bill directing the choice of Assessors for the present year in the County of New Castle, and reviving the Levy Court and Court of Appeal for the County of New Castle, and for reestablishing the process in the Supreme Court throughout the State, and for occasional adjournments or removals of the Courts from the County Towns, with an amendment, which, being agreed to, was made therein. Ordered, That Mr. Vandyke wait on the House of Assembly with the said bill and inform them that the Council acceded to the amendment proposed. Mr. Vandyke returned and reported that he delivered the bill and message according to order. Mr. Craghead, a member from the House of Assembly, attending, was admitted and delivered to the Chair the following resolution, to wit: "IN THE HOUse of Assembly, "The House resumed the consideration of one of the resolu"tions of Council of the 29th of October, referred to in a message "from the Council of the 10th instant, which has not been acted "upon by this House, and is as follows, to wit: "That a committee of three persons be appointed to receive, "examine, and adjust the accounts of expenses which have ac"crued and become due to the Militia of the Counties of New "Castle and Kent for former service, viz: Robert Bryan, Robert Armstrong, and Thomas Montgomery, gentlemen; and also "that a committee of three persons, viz: John Jones, John Rodney, and John Clowes, gentlemen, be appointed in the County "of Sussex, to receive, examine, and adjust the accounts of expenses which have accrued and become due to the Militia of "said County for former service, and make report thereof to the "President, who is to pay the same accordingly. "And thereupon "Resolved, That this House concur in the said resolution. "Ordered, That the above be transcribed, and that Mr. Crag"head wait on the Council and deliver the same. Ordered also, That Mr. Craghead inform the Council that this "House intends, to-morrow, in the afternoon, to adjourn to some "future day." Which, by order, was read the first time. The memorial of Ephraim Blaine, Deputy Commissary General of Purchase for the Continental Army, was read the first time and ordered to be delivered to the Assembly for their perusal. Col. Jones is appointed for this purpose, who, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order. Adjourned till to-morrow, 10 o'clock, A. M. SATURDAY, A. M., December 20th, 1777. The Council met. Present the same members as on yesterday. On motion, The resolution of Council of the 29th of October, with the concurrence of the House of Assembly, delivered the last evening, was read, and, upon consideration, the following message was drawn up at the table and agreed to be sent to the House of Assembly, to wit: Gentlemen: We received a resolution by member of your House last evening concuring in a resolution of the 29th of October last, for the appointment of two several committees for adjusting the accounts due to the Militia of the State for former service, and referred to, among other things, in our message to you of the 10th instant, but without any alteration in the form of that part of the resolution respecting the report to be made by these committees. When the Council adopted this resolution, it was a doubt with them whether your House could or would have been formed in the course of the year, and therefore extremly uncertain when a General Assembly would meet; but this being obviated, this Council took an early opportunity to lay the whole before you, wishing you to make further provision and supply the irregularity of a proceeding adopted from necessity. But as the House of Assembly have not done more than return a general concurrence, the Council beg leave to recommend to the Assembly a reconsideration of that resolution, and submit whether it is not necessary to direct the report to be made to the General Assembly, in order the allowances therein may receive such approbation as is usual in such cases, and that it may be a voucher in the State's account against Congress, without which sanction, we doubt, it will not be considered a proper voucher. The demand of the State will be considerable, and a risque of this sort should be avoided while in our power. We beg leave, also, to remind you that you have not acted upon all the resolutions of the 29th of October last. A material one is omitted, to wit: that which recommends it to the President to draw for the balance of the ten thousand pounds emitted for the support of the State and apply the same to discharge the debts to be ascertained by the committees aforesaid. Ordered, That Mr. Baning deliver the same. Who, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order. Adjourned till 3 o'clock, P. M. EODEM DIE, P. M. The Council met. On motion, Resolved, That Messrs. Cæsar Rodney, James Sykes, and Eleazar M. Coombs be a committee to state an account of the monies advanced by the State, or on the credit thereof, for recruiting the Delaware Battalion in the two last campaigns, and of the expenditures of the same; and also to state an account of expenditures by this State for and in behalf of the United States, and that the said committee be empowered to send for persons, papers and things. On motion, Resolved, That the Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas for Kent County do deliver the ancient Seal of the said County, dated '83, used in his office, unto the Vice-President or Commander-in-Chief of the State, the same seal being established as the Great Seal of this State, until a new one is made and delivered to the Commander-in-Chief, and then it is ordered that the seal aforesaid be redelivered to the Prothonotary. Which, by order, was read the first time, and agreed to be sent to the House of Assembly for their concurrence. Ordered, That Col. Collins deliver the said resolutions to the House of Assembly for concurrence. Who, 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 returned to the Council "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,'"' with the concurrence of the House of Assembly thereto. WHEREAS the two months limited for the service of the 600 Militia ordered to be raised by a resolution of the Council of the 29th October last, for the protection and defence of the State, is near expiring, and the present situation of the public affairs in the State requires that a standing body of the Militia be kept up; therefore Resolved, That the like number of Militia be continued in the service of the State for other two months, unless sooner discharged by the Commander-in-Chief, and that they be furnished in the same proportion as by the said resolution of the 29th of October last is directed. Ordered, That Mr. Vandyke deliver the same to the House of Assembly for their concurrence. Mr. Vandyke, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order. Mr. Stout, a member from the House of Assembly, attending, was admitted, and returned to the Chair the resolution of the Council for the appointment of Cæsar Rodney, James Sykes, and Eleazar McCombs, to be a committee to state an account of the monies advanced by this State, or on the credit thereof, for recruiting the Delaware Battalion in the two last campaigns, and of the expenditures of the same, and of the expenditures of this State in behalf of the United States. Also the resolution of Council for the delivery of the ancient Seal of Kent County to the Vice-President. And also the resolution of Council for continuing 600 Militia in the service of the State for other two months, unless sooner discharged by the Commander-in-Chief, with the concurrence of the House of Assembly to each of the said resolutions. The bill entitled "An act to remedy the loss of divers Public Seals of Office in the County of New Castle," and 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,' being severally examined and compared, the Council agree that the same be enacted into laws. |