262 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION [1776.

or in their recess to the council of safety, of the number of forces
under their command respectively, and of their state and condition.

Resolved, That the president be requested immediately to trans-
mit a copy of the above to colonel Smallwood and general Beall,
respectively.

Captain John Watkins of the third independent company of
regulars, resigned his commission, which was accepted by the con-
vention.

Mr. Solomon Long was appointed captain of the said company,
Mr. Ely Dorsey first lieutenant, and Mr. Dixon Quinton second
lieutenant.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock.

POST MERIDIEM.

Convention met.

A memorial from captain Abraham Boyd of Prince George's
county was read and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Fitzhugh, Resolved, That every company of
militia in this state be exercised only once a fortnight, and that
every battalion of militia be exercised in battalion at such times
and places as the field officers of the battalion shall appoint, not
oftener than once in every two months, nor seldomer than once in
every three months, the day of exercise in battalion being account-
ed as the day of exercise for that fortnight, any former resolve of
the convention to the contrary notwithstanding.

A petition from Robert Cowell and Nicholas Reilly, setting forth
that they had, on the 25th day of September last, been convicted
of felony and received sentence of death before Baltimore county
court, and praying this convention to grant them pardon, was read
and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Sheredine, the question was put, That this
convention on to-morrow morning resolve itself into a committee
of the whole, to take into consideration the declaration and charter
of rights, and form of government for this state; Resolved in the
affirmative.

AFFIRMATIVE.

Mr. Dent, Mr. Williams, Mr. J. Smith,

Parnham, Fisher, J. T. Chase,

Fitzhugh, Sheredine, Bond,

J. Mackall, Edelen, H. Wilson,

Bowie, Schriver, Love,

B. Hall, Beall, Archer,