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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the North Carolina Council of State
North Carolina. Council of State
January 16, 1777
Volume 22, Pages 906-909

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North Carolina.

The Congress of this State, having by ordinance appointed Cornelius Harnett, Thomas Person, William Dry, William Haywood, Edward Starkey, Joseph Leech and Thomas Eaton, Esquires, a Council of State, in consequence whereof Cornelius Harnett, William Haywood, Edward Starkey, Joseph Leech and Thomas Eaton, Esquires, met at the town of New Bern, the sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, where his Excellency Richard Caswell, Esq., Governor, the said Cornelius Harnett, William Haywood, Edward Starkey, Joseph Leech and Thomas Eaton, Esquires, and James Glasgow, Esq., Secretary of the State, were qualified agreeable to an ordinance of this State directing the qualification of public officers by taking and subscribing the oath therein mentioned, after which the said members of Council took their seats at the board and made choice of Cornelius Harnett, Esq., for President.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Board that it is the duty and business of the Secretary of State to attend the Council of State as Secretary thereto.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to give the following instructions to the agents appointed for the purpose of purchasing salt for this State, to-wit:

Instructions for the Agents for this State.

You are to proceed immediately to the Island of Bermuda, or any other island or islands in the West Indies (the dominion of Great Britain only excepted), there to purchase or otherwise agree for on the faith and credit of this State, and send into the same for the use of the inhabitants thereof, twenty-five thousand bushels of salt each. And to that end you are to charter vessels to bring the same into the different ports of this State, consigned to the Commissioners appointed for the different ports in their State to receive the same, and if you cannot procure and send into this State the quantity of salt above mentioned without insuring such salt and the vessels in which it comes, you are then and in that case to insure for that purpose on

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the best terms to any amount not exceeding in the whole ten thousand pounds, on the faith and credit of this State.

You are to observe the directions laid down in the resolve of the last Congress, a copy whereof you have herewith, and govern yourselves accordingly.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to appoint the following persons Commissioners at the different ports in this State to receive such salt as may be sent by the agents into the respective ports, to-wit:

Mr. John Ancrum and Francis Brice, for Port Brunswick.
John Easton, Joseph Lillybridge and John Green, for Port Beaufort.
Thomas Respess, for Port Bath.
Joseph Blount, Thomas Benbury and Henry Abbott, for Port Roanoke.
Samuel Jarvis, for Port Currituck.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to appoint the following persons Judges of the Courts and Session of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, to be held for the different districts in this State, to-wit:

Samuel Ashe and Samuel Swann, Esquires, for the District of Wilmington.
Abner Nash and James Davis, Esquires, for the District of New Bern.
Jasper Chalton and William Brimage, Esquires, for the District of Edenton.
Montfort Elbeck and Willie Jones, Esquires, for the District of Halifax.
John Penn and John Kinchen, Esquires, for the District of Hillsboro.
Samuel Spencer and Waightstil Avery, Esquires, for the District of Salisbury.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to issue a proclamation forbidding all riots, routs and unlawful assembling of the inhabitants of the State on any pretense whatever, and to assure them that Congress have taken the most effectual measures to procure a sufficient quantity of salt for the inhabitants thereof.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor where application is made by any person, appointed by the respective

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County Courts for a Sheriff or Clerk’s commission, to issue the same, and also to grant letters testamentary and of administration and marriage licenses to such persons as shall apply for the same.

Resolved, It is the opinion of this Board that his Excellency the Governor is entitled by an ordinance of this State “enforcing the statute laws, such parts of the commond laws and acts of Assembly heretofore in use here,” to the several fees and perquisities established by law, and that on granting commissions, letters or other instruments of writing he receive from the persons applying for the same the fees established as aforesaid.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to appoint Captain John Jones and Mr. Samuel Branton Commissioners to receive salt for the use of the public from Richard Blackledge, Esq., at his salt works, and that they enter into bond with sufficient security in twelve thousand pounds each, payable to the Governor for the use of the State, for the faithful discharge of the duties of their appointment.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to grant Mrs. Jean DuBois permission to return to her usual place of residence in Wilmington.

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to grant William Heath permission to return to the town of New Bern, and that on his taking an oath of allegiance to the State and entering into bond in the sum of two thousand pounds for his good behavior, he be discharged from his parole, and that Joseph Leech, Esq., be requested to administer the said oath and attend to the execution of the said bond.

Resolved, That the Treasurers or either of them pay to Mr. John Blount, one of the agents for procuring salt for this State, the sum of five hundred dollars, to be accounted for by him, and be allowed the same in the settlement of their accounts with the public.

Whereas, it is absolutely necessary that the regiments of Continental trops directed to be raised in this State should be completed with all expedition,

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency to request the justices of the peace, the militia officers and the other good people of this State to use their utmost endeavors to encourage and forward the recruiting service; and,

Whereas, There are great numbers of deserters from the said regiments harbored and entertained by the inhabitants of this State,

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Resolved, also, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to issue a proclamation requiring all deserters to return to their respective corps, and requesting all justices of the peace, militia officers and others to cause to be apprehended such deserters and send them to headquarters, and forbidding all persons whatsoever from secreting, harboring, succoring or entertaining any deserted soldier, under the penalty directed by Congress.

Thomas Craike, Commissary of Stores in this State, laid before the Board an estimate of the clothing and materials for camp equipage in his possession, and also of what he has delivered out since the last Congress, whereby it appears there is a great deficiency of clothing and materials for the nine battalions directed to be raised in this State.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Board that the said Commissary purchase clothing and materials sufficient for the said battalions as speedily as he possibly can. And in order to enable him to make such purchases, that his Excellency the Governor direct the Treasurers or either of them to furnish him with bills on the Continental Treasury for twenty-four thousand dollars, for which the said Commissary shall account, and the Treasurers be allowed in their accounts with the public.

Whereas, Henry Pope, who was appointed Captain of a company of foot in the Eighth Regiment of the army of this State, commanded by Col. James Armstrong, has refused to accept of his appointment, and Francis Tartanson, Esq., late of Bellvieu, in the Island of Martinique, being very desirous of entering into the service, and being strongly recommended to several gentlemen upon the continent, friends to America, and the lieutenants and ensign in the said company not having enlisted any men in the service, and the company not being formed; wherefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to his Excellency the Governor to appoint the said Francis Tartanson, Captain; Richard Respess, First Lieutenant; John McNorton, Second Lieutenant, and Thomas Custis, Ensign, in the said regiment.

CORNELIUS HARNETT, President,
W. HAYWOOD,
EDWARD STARKEY,
JOSEPH LEECH,
THOMAS EATON.