Council met. WEDNESDAY, A. M., February 5th, 1777. A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and returned the resolution of this Council of the 29th ultimo for the referring of the allowance to be made to the commissioners who repaired to camp to the Committee for Publick Accounts with the concurrence of the House of Assembly thereto; and also returned the three resolutions of this Council of the said day, founded on the report of the committee to whom the proceedings of the said commissioners were referred, to all of which the House of Assembly dissented, and instead thereof propose the following resolution, to wit: "IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, SATURDAY, A. M., February 1st, 1777. "The House resumed the consideration of the resolutions of "Council on the report of their committee to whom the report "of the commissioners ordered to repair to the camp was re"ferred, and thereupon "Resolved, That the two Houses appoint, by joint ballot, all officers necessary to supply the vacancies in the battalion now 'raising in this State to serve during the war, and that the Council be requested to concur herein." Which, being read, was ordered to lie for consideration. Council met. THURSDAY, February 6th, 1777 Mr. Bassett, having returned from the camp in New Jersey, appeared and took his seat. A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and delivered at the Chair sundry resolutions of that House, founded on a petition from Col. John Jones, of Sussex County: Ist, for the loan of one thousand pounds for five years, without interest, to enable him to erect works for manufacturing salt in this State; 2d, to take of him ten thousand bushels annually for five years, at the rate of five shillings per bushel; 3d, to bind Col. Jones to the delivery of three thousand bushels at the least, and not more than the said ten thousand bushels annually, at the rate aforesaid, for the use of the State; 4th, giving the said Col. Jones the exclusive right of making salt for sale in this State for the term aforesaid on complying with the above conditions; 5th, empowering the President of the State to draw for the sum to be lent and to take security for the performance of the said conditions, and for the repayment of the money lent at the end of any one year wherein Col. Jones may fail to supply the quantity of three thousand bushels, as aforesaid; 6th, limiting the time of applying for the draught and giving the security; to wit: "IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, "WEDNESDAY, February 5th, 1777. "The report of the committee appointed to confer with Col. "John Jones, of Sussex County, on the subject matter of his "petition, praying the loan of a sum of money to enable him to "carry into execution his intention of erecting salt works in this "State, &c., was, by order, read the second time, and, being "amended, was agreed to, as follows, to wit: "Resolved, 1. That the sum of one thousand pounds be let "by this State upon loan to the said Col. John Jones (the better "to enable him to carry into execution his intention of erecting "salt works in this State, at or near Indian River, in Sussex "County,), he, the said John Jones, giving bond, with sufficien 'sureties, for the payment of that sum at the expiration of five "years from the date of said bond. 66 66 "2. That for the further encouraging the said Col. Jones in 'prosecuting his intentions and erecting said works for manufacturing the useful article of salt, this State should engage to purchase or take of him the quantity of ten thousand bushels of salt, at the rate of five shillings per bushel, annually for the space or term of five years, in consideration of which, "Resolved, 3. That the said Col. John Jones ought to engage "and bind himself, his executors and administrators, to deliver, for the use of this State, to such person or persons as the President shall appoint, all the salt that by him shall be manu"factured or made therein (at the place where the salt works 'shall be erected), for the space or term of five years aforesaid, "at the rate of five shillings per bushel, so that the quantity in "any one year during that term does not exceed ten thousand "bushels; and that he should be bound and obliged to deliver, "in each and every year during the term aforesaid, at the manu"factory aforesaid, for the use of this State, the quantity of three "thousand bushels of salt, manufactured therein at the rate afore"said. “4. That upon the said Col. John Jones complying with the conditions herein before expressed to be by him entered into "and performed, that he, the said Col. John Jones, his executors, "administrators and assigns, ought to have the exclusive right of "making salt in this State for sale for and during the last four "years of the term aforesaid; and that he may dispose of and sell "to such person or persons as he pleases, and at such prices as "he can get, all the overplus salt he shall make after furnishing 'the State with the aforesaid quantity of ten thousand bushels "annually for the term of five years aforesaid. 5. That the said sum of one thousand pounds be drawn for "by the President out of the ten thousand pounds granted by "the present General Assembly for the use of the State, under "whose direction the bond aforesaid from the said John Jones "and his sureties shall be taken, with the further condition that "the same shall be payable at the end of any one year during "which the said John Jones shall fail to supply the aforesaid "quantity of three thousand bushels of salt. "6. That if the said John Jones shall neglect to make appli"cation for the said draught, or to execute his bond on or before "the 20th day of April next, that the encouragement proposed "to be given to him shall cease." Which, being read, were ordered to lie on the table for consid eration. The committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill for the more effectual establishing a Militia in this State laid one on the table, which they submitted to the correction of the House. On motion, Ordered, That the said bill be read the first time, which was done accordingly. Adjourned till to-morrow morning. Council met. FRIDAY, February 7th, 1777. The bill for the more effectual establishing a Militia in this State was read the second time, and, being debated paragraph by paragraph, was referred over till to-morrow. A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and delivered to the Chair the following resolutions, to wit: "IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, 'FRIDAY, A. M., February 7th, 1777. "Resolved, That it is the opinion of this House that the Gen"eral Assembly should proceed to the appointment of the Civil "Officers of this State, agreeable to the directions of the Consti"tution, on Monday morning next, in the State House, by joint "ballot of both Houses. "Resolved, That Messrs. McKean, Ridgely, Cook, White, and "Laws be a committee to confer with a committee of Council for "the purpose of adjusting the mode of appointing the officers "aforesaid, and that the Council be requested to concur in these "resolutions." Which, being read, were deferred till to-morrow morning. SATURDAY, February 8th, 1777. Council met, and resumed the consideration of the bill for the more effectual establishing a Militia in this State, and, after some time spent therein, the same was agreed to. Ordered, That Mr. Polk wait on the House of Assembly with the said bill for their consideration and concurrence. Mr. Polk, being returned, reported that he had waited on the House of Assembly according to the order aforesaid. On motion, The resolutions of the House of Assembly of the 7th of February, referred over till this morning, were again read and then concurred in. Ordered, That Mr. Sykes, Mr. Bassett, Mr. Cantwell, Mr. Vandyke, and Mr. Wiltbank be a committee to confer with the committee of the House of Assembly for the purpose of adjusting the mode of appointing the Civil Officers of this State. Ordered, That Mr. Polk wait on the House of Assembly with their resolutions aforesaid agreed to by this House. Who, being returned, reported that he had delivered the same according to order. Adjourned to Monday next. |