A List of Presidents of Convention and Governors of Virginia, during the period comprised in this volume. President of PEYTON RANDOLPH, esq was president of the Con- Peyton Ranventions of March and July 1775, who dying before the dlh esq. next Convention, held in December, Edmund Pendle- Convention. ton, esq. was appointed president. Edmund Pendleton, esq Presi EDMUND PENDLETON, esq. was president of the Conventions of December 1775, and May 1776; at which last, the Constitution of Virginia being adopted, the dent of Conpowers of the convention ceased. vention Patrick Hen ry, esq. first PATRICK HENRY, esq was elected the first Governor of Virginia, under the Constitution, on the 29th of June governor of 1776, the same day on which the Constitution was adopted. Virginia, un der the Consiitution. dolph, esq. AT a Convention of Delegates for the Peyton Ran Counties and Corporations in the President. Colony of Virginia, held at Richmond town, in the county of Henrico, on Monday the seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. ORDINANCES, &c. CHAP. I. An ordinance for raising and embo• dying a sufficient force, for the de fence and protection of this colony.* WHEREAS it is found necessary, in the present Preamble. time of danger, that a number of forces should be immediately raised, and that the militia should be settled. under proper arrangements, and be thoroughly disciplined, for the better protection and defence of the country against invasions and insurrections: raised. Be it therefore ordained, by the delegates and repre- Two regi sentatives of the several counties and corporations within ments of rethe colony and dominion of Virginia, now assembled in glars to be general convention, and it is hereby ordained by authority of the same, That there shall be forthwith raised, and taken into the pay of this colony, from the time of their enlistment, two regiments complete, to consist of one thousand and twenty privates, rank and file: Five hundred and forty four of whom to be the first regiment, under the command of a colonel, lieutenant-co- Officers. lonel, and a major, eight captains, sixteen lieutenants, eight ensigns, twenty four serjeants, eight drummers, In the original, the title of this ordinance is wanting; nor are any of the chapters numbered. The title is here inserted from the Chancellors' Revisal, edi. 1785, p. 30, and the late edition of the Ordinances of 1816, p. 29. VOL. IX. B Number. Staff. Officers how and eight fifers; and the second regiment to consist of four hundred and seventy six, under the command of a colonel, lieutenant-colonel, major, seven captains, fourteen lieutenants, seven ensigns, twenty one serjeants, seven drummers, and seven fifers; to each of which regiments there shall be allowed a chaplain, a paymaster (who is also to act as muster-master) an adjutant, quarter-master, one surgeon, two surgeons mates, and a serjeant-major. And for the better and more orderly appointment of the officers, Be it farther ordained, That the several appointed. field-officers shall from time to time be appointed, or approved, by the general convention of delegates; that the deputies of each district herein after described, excepting the counties of Accomack and Northampton, shall appoint one captain, two lieutenants, and one ensign, to command the company of men to be raised in such district; that the chaplain to each regiment be appointed by the field-officers and captains of such regiment; that the adjutant, quarter-master, and serjeantmajor, be appointed by the commanding-officer of the regiment, the surgeon by the field-officers and captains, and the surgeons mates by the surgeon himself, with the approbation of the commanding officer of the regi Colonel of allowed a ment. And be it farther ordained, That the commanding1st regiment officer of the first regiment shall be allowed a secretary, secretary. to be appointed by him, who shall be allowed four shillings a day for his services. And that the levy of the soldiers may be made geneEnlistments, ral throughout the colony, and the better to avoid irto be in dis- regularity and confusion, Be it farther ordained, That tricts. Regulations for muster. ing and inspecting. the deputies of each district, except the counties of Accomack and Northampton, having appointed one captain, two lieutenants, and one ensign, as aforesaid, the said officers shall proceed, with the utmost expedition, to enlist within their respective districts their several companies, which are to consist of sixty eight men each; but the said officers shall not go into any other district to complete their company, until the officers in such other district have made up their company, nor, in that case, without the permission, in writing, of the committee of the county first had and obtained. And as well to prevent the enlistment of such men as are unfit for service, as to fix the rank of such officers, Be it farther ordained, That the deputies of each dis trict shall appoint one certain place of rendezvous with in their district, whither the captain of each company, as soon as it is complete, shall resort with his men, and shall give immediate notice thereof to the chairman of the committee of deputies, who is required forthwith to summon all the members of the said committee, who, or a majority of them, being present, shall either proceed themselves to review the said company, or appoint any number of their members, not under three, for that purpose: And if it shall appear to such committee of deputies that the company is complete, of able and proper men, and that they have been regularly enlisted, according to the terms and regulations prescribed by this ordinance, the said deputies shall order and direct Commission s the captain immediately to march with his company to and ranks of the place of general rendezvous, hereafter to be officers acappointed, and, moreover, shall grant to the said captain priority in cording to a certificate of the day when the said company first ap- completing peared complete, at the particular place of rendezvous their compa. in the district; which certificate being produced to the nies. general committee of safety, the said committee shall cause the same to be entered in a book to be kept for that purpose, and shall cause the like certificates, from all the other district committees, to be entered in the same manner: And when all such certificates shall be returned, the same committee of safety, or the majority of those present, shall, and they are hereby required, to grant commissions, under their hands, to the officers of the several companies, according to their several appointments, fixing their ranks of seniority and precedence according to the priority of the completion of their several companies, certified as aforesaid; and if it shall appear, upon the examination of such certificates, that two or more of the companies appeared at the district rendezvous on the same day, the said committee of safety shall, in such case, determine the right of seniority and precedence amongst the several officers, by a fair and impartial ballot. And be it farther ordained, That in case any vacan- Vacancies in cies shall happen, by deaths or otherwise, amongst the officers how commissioned officers, the same shall be supplied, from supplied, time to time, by regular succession, in course of seniority, in the respective regiments and companies; and in case of a defect of officers to supply such succession, the commanding-officer of the regiment shall appoint |