Mr. Wiltbank reported that he had waited on the House of Assembly according to the orders aforesaid.

On motion, by order,

The bill entitled "An act against Desertion and harbouring Deserters, &c.," was read the second time, and divers amendments being proposed and agreed to, the same were transcribed.

Ordered, That Mr. Wiltbank wait on the House of Assembly with the said bill and amendments thereto proposed for their consideration and concurrence, who, being returned, reported that he had waited on the House of Assembly according to the order aforesaid.

Adjourned till Monday morning, 10 o'clock.

MONDAY, A. M., February 17th, 1777.

A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and returned the bill entitled "An act against Desertion and harbouring Deserters, &c.," with the amendments thereto proposed by this House, to all of which the House of Assembly had agreed. And the bill entitled "An act for supporting and establishing the Bills of Credit issued by Congress, &c.," with the amendments proposed by this House, to which the House of Assembly had also agreed."

And the same member delivered at the Chair a "bill for aiding the discontinuance of the process in the Supreme Court, and for altering the times of holding the said Court and the Courts of General Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas." And a bill intitled "An act to render parts of divers Acts of Assembly and certain law proceedings more conformable to the present Constitution."

Which were laid on the table.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock, P. M.

EODEM DIE, P. M.

Council met.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill entitled "An act for the better establishing the Militia," as returned by the House of Assembly with the amendments thereto proposed, and divers amendments being made to the amendments proposed by the House of Assembly, the same were agreed to and ordered to be sent to the House of Assembly for their concurrence.

Ordered, That Mr. Vandyke wait on the House of Assembly with the said bill and amendments, also a message assigning the reasons for rejecting the first amendment proposed to said bill.

Who, being returned, reported that he had waited on the House of Assembly according to the order aforesaid.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock.

TUESDAY, A. M., February 18th, 1777.

Council met, and took into consideration the 6th amendment proposed by them to the 4th resolution of the House of Assembly respecting the granting to Col. Jno. Jones, on certain conditions, an exclusive right to make salt in this State for sale for five years, &c., and do adhere to the same.

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to draw up a message to the House of Assembly assigning the reasons for adher

ing to the 6th amendment proposed to the resolution aforesaid, and Messrs. Vandyke and Bassett were appointed for that purpose.

The committee appointed to draw up a message to the House of Assembly laid one on the table, which was read, and, after some amendments made, was transcribed, signed by the Speaker, and is as follows:*

Ordered, That Mr. Bassett wait on the House of Assembly with the said message.

Mr. Bassett, being returned, reported that he had waited on the House of Assembly according to the order aforesaid.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock, P. M.

EODEM DIE, P. M.

Council met.

The bill entitled "An act of free and general pardon, indemnity and oblivion," was read the second time and postponed for further consideration.

A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and returned the bill entitled "An act for the better establishing the Militia," with the concurrence of the House of Assembly to the amendments proposed by the Council to the amendments proposed by the House of Assembly, and the consent of that House to recede from their first amendment proposed to the said bill, and the amendments proposed and concurred in as aforesaid being made in the bill, ordered that the same be engrossed.

* This message does not appear to have been placed on record.

ΙΟ

The bill "for aiding the discontinuance of the process in the Supreme Court, and for altering the times of holding the said Court and the Courts of General Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas," was, by order, read the 1st time.

On motion, by order,

The bill entitled "An act to render parts of divers acts of Assembly and certain law proceedings more conformable to the present Constitution," was also read the first time.

A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and delivered to the Chair the following resolution, to wit:

"On motion,

"IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, "TUESDAY, P. M., February 18th, 1777.

"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this House that the Gen"eral Assembly should proceed to the choice of the remaining "Civil Officers of this State, who are in nomination, on Thursday morning next, and that the Council be requested to concur "herein."

Which was read and ordered to lie on the table for consideration.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, A. M., February 19th, 1777.

Council met.

On motion and order,

The bill for aiding the discontinuance of the process of the Supreme Court, and for altering the times of holding the said Court and the Courts of General Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas, was read a second time and agreed to by the Council.

A member from the House of Assembly, attending at the door, was admitted and delivered to the Chair the votes and proceedings of that branch of the Council of Safety for New Castle County since their appointment in November last, together with the following resolution of that House, to wit:

"IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, "TUESDAY, P. M., February 18th, 1777.

"The House resumed the consideration of the votes and pro"ceedings of that branch of the Council of Safety residing in "the County of New Castle (since the last sitting of the General "Assembly), and, after some time spent therein, the same were "approved of; and as to that part of the said proceedings which "relates to the application of the Militia who marched from this "State to join the Continental army respecting a bounty therefor,

"Resolved, That every non-commissioned officer and private "that marched from this State to join General Washington, and "who remained in service for the space of six weeks from the "time of marching until such person was regularly discharged "by order of the General, shall be allowed a bounty of six dol"lars."

On motion and order,

The votes and proceedings of that branch of the Council of Safety residing in the County of New Castle, with the resolution. of the House of Assembly aforesaid, were severally read, and the