(f^"^ t'^l'?^//'J^^"^^ 'TfUTllllll^H n yj' MI N U T E S AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE C O U N C I L AN D GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE State of NEW-JERSEY, I N J OINT-M E E TING. From Au.GusT 30, 1776, to May, 1780. TRENTON: Printed by Isaac Collins, Printer "to the State. M.DCC.LXXX. • • [ 3 ] MINUTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT-MEETING. a Joint-Meeting of the Leglflative Council and General Affembly of the State ATof New-Jerfey, held in the College Library Room in Princeton on Friday the 30th Day of Auguft, 1776, the Hon. John Stevens, Efq. one of the Gentlemen of the Council, in a fhort Speech opened the Nature and Defign of the Meeting, and propofed that they (hould proceed to the Choice of a Governor of the State, purfuant to the Conftitution of Government lately eftablifhed. The Hon. John Stevens, Efq. was unanimoufly elefted Chairman of the Joint-Meeting, and took the Chair accordingly. A Motion being made, it was agreed that the Chairman fhould be entitled to vote in common with the other Members. On a Motion made, the Joint-Meeting refolved that they would immediately proceed to Ballot the Ele£tion of a Governor ; and, on the Queftion, Whether the faid Eleftion be by or not ? It paiTed in the Affirmative. The Joint-Meeting then proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Governor of the State, purfuant t.^ the Conilitution, and, on counting the Votes, it appeared that the Votes for the Hon. William Livingfton, Efq. and for the Hon. Richard Stockton, Efq. were equal j whereupon the two Houfes feparated. Saturday, August 31, 1776. The Council and Affembly met' in the College Library Room. A Motion was made, and the Queftion put. Whether the Chairman appointed Yefterday is now Chairman of the Joint-Meeting or not ? Which was carried in the Negative. The Joint-Meeting then took into Confideration what Powers and Privileges it would be thereupon refolved, proper in Future to invcft the Chairman with when chofcn ; and Tic, and then id. That the Chairman fliall not be entitled to vote except in cafe of a to have a carting Vote. held durmg 2d. That he Ihall be Chairman of the Joint-Meeting whenever it Ihall be the preicnt Seilion, unlcfs they Ihall hereafter determine otherwifc. The Joint-Meeting then proceeded to the Eledion of a Chairman, when the Hon. Nathaniel Scudder, Efq. was duly elected, and took the Chair accordingly. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to choofc their Secretary, whereupon Charles Pettit, Efq. was unanimoufly chofen to that Oilicc. ^ On 4 PROCEEDINGS or the JOINT-MEETING. On a Motion made, the Queftion was put, Whether the Joint-Meeting will now adjourn to Monday next ? Which was carried in the Negative, The Joint-Meeting proc'eeded by Ballot to cleft a Governor of the State, purfuant to the Conftitution, when the Hon. William Livingfton, Efq. was duly eldftcd. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Election of a Chief Juftice of the State, purfuant to the ConlUtution, .when the Hon. Richard Stockton, Efq. was duly elefted. Ordered, That Mr. Crane, Mr, Dey and Mr. Garritfe, be a Committee to wait upon the Hon. William Livingfton, Efq. and acquaint him that he has been this Day duly eleft- ed Governor of this State, purfuant to the Conftitution of Government lately eftabliftied j and that it is the Defire of this Meeting that he will be pleafed to repair with all convenient Speed to this Place, and take upon him the Exercife of the faid Oftice. Ordered, That Mr. Smith, Mr. Covenhoven and Mr. Clark, be a Committee to wait on the Hon. Richard Stockton, Efq. and acquaint him that he has been this Day duly elefted Chief Juftice of this State, purfuant to the Conftitution of Government lately eftablifhed. The Joint-Meeting adjourned till Monday next. Monday, September 2, 1776. The Council and Aflembly met in the College Library Room. Mr. Smith, from the Committee appointed on Saturday laft to wait on the Hon. Richard Stockton, Efq. reported,—That the faid Committee had obeyed the Order of the Joint- Meeting ; and that Mr. vStockton had been pleafed to fay he would confider of the Matter, and fhould probably give an Anfwer this Afternoon, On a Motion made, the Queftion was put, Whether the Minutes of the Joint-Meeting fliall be kept in a feparate Book or not ? It pafled in the Negative, The Joint-Meeting adjourned till To-morrow Morning. Tuesday, September 3, 1776. The Council and Aflembly met in the College Library Room. Mr. Smith, from the Committee appointed to wait on the Hon. Richard Stockton, Efq. and acquaint him of his Eleftion to the Office of Chief Juftice, reported,—That Mr. Stock- ton had defired him to acquaint the Joint-Meeting that he declined accepting the faid OiBce. The Joint-Meeting adjourned till ten o'Clock To-morrow Morning. Wednesday, September 4, 1776, The Council and Aflembly met in the College Library Room. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Ele£i:ion of a Chief Juftice of the State, purfuant to the Conftitution, and John De-Hart, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Second Juftice of the Su- preme Court, and Samuel Tucker, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Third Juftice of the Su- preme Court, and Francis Hopkinfon, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of an Attorney-General, and the Hon. William Paterfon, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Secretary of the State, and Charles Pettit, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Clerk of the Supreme Court, and Jonath-jn-Dickinfon Serjeant, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting adjourned till nine o'Clock To-morrow Morning. Thursday, September 5, 1776. The Council and Afl^embly met in the College Library Room. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Treafurer of the State, and the Hon. Richard Smith, Efq. was duly elefted to that Office. The PROCEEDINGS of the JOINT-MEETING. 5 The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eledtion of a Clerk, of the Circuits, and Elifha Boudinot, Efq. was unaniinoufly elecled to tHat Oflicc. The Joint-Meeting<Qdjourned till three o'Clock, P. M. i The Council and Alfcmbly met purfuant to Adjournment. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to the Eleclion of Judges and.Juftices of the Peace for the County of Effex, and the following Perfons were unanimoully elected, viz. Judges and Justices. Just.'C'-s. Justices. John Ogden, Robert Ogden, Robert Drummond, Stephen Crane, John Stiles, •*•*/- .^Ephraim Tcrrill, Jonathan Hampton, Timothy Whitehead, ** Jonathan I. Dayton, Michael Vreeland, Peter Peterfon, ^' David Miller, Matthias Williamfon, Recompence Stanberry, Jofeph Hedden, jun. Jofeph Riggs, jun. Amos Potter, John Peck, Thomas Woodruffe, Ja,Gob Brookfield. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to the Eleftion of a Clerk of the Court of Quarter Seflions and of the Inferior Court of Con^.mon Pleas for the County of Eflex, and Robert Ogden, jun. was unanimoufly ele£ted to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to the Eieftion of Civil Officers for the County of Mon-- mouth, and the following Perfons were unanimoufly eledted, viz. Judges and Justices. Justicks of the Peace. Justicfs of the Peace. John Anderfon, Ifaac Rogers, Peter Schenck, _, ' John Longftreet, Jofiah Holmes, Denice Denice, James Grover, David Woodmancy, ^ Daniel Perine, Jofeph Throckmorton. Peter Forman, ' Jefle Marfh. Richard Britton, Clerk of the Peace and ^^ Peter IinTay, Pleas. Hendrick Hendrickfon, Kenneth Anderfon, jun. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to the Eledion of Civil Officers for the County of Cape- May, and the following Perfons were duly eleclpd, viz. Judges and Justices. Justices of the Peace. Justicfs of the Peace. James Whillden, Reuben Ludlam, Downs Edmonds, Jofeph Corfon, Jofeph Savage, Nicholas Stilwell, Henry Hand, JeflTe Hand, Philip Creffe. James Godfrey, Jeremiah Eldridge, John Mackey. Jacob Hughes, Clerk of the Peace and Jonathan Leaming, Pleas. Daniel Smith, Elijah Hughes. The Joint-Meeting adjourned till nine o'Clock To-morrow Morning. Friday, Septembf.r 6, 1776. The Council and Aflembly met in the College Library Room. The Joint-Meeting proceeded by Ballot to the Eledion of a Brigadier-General of the Militia, and Col. Matthias Williamfon was unanimoufly eleded to that Office. A Memorial from Jonathan-Dickinfon Serjeant, Efq. was prefented and read, fetting forth, that it is inconvenient to him to accept of the Office of Clerk of the Supreme Court, and therefore requefting Leave to decline it. The Joint-Meeting thereupon proceeded by Ballot to the Eleftion of a Clerk of the Su- preme Court, and Bowes Reed, Efq. was duly ele£led to that Office. The Joint-Meeting proceeded to the Eleftion of Civil Officers for the County of Morris, *^ 'and^tJiff following Perfons were duly eleded, viz. ^ktivS* Judges and Justices. -Justices of the P£Ac^,,<\ JiiiTij^ES of the Peace. J Jacob Ford, ^^ol^Jl^bsst Gould, Airon "Stark, ^> *»8aftiftel Tuthill, '^Samuel Wills, \*. ^Mphn Waldruff, Jofeph Kitchcll, Mofcs Tuttle, Jacob Doley, , John Carle, ^' . Conftant King, Henry Mandeviile, jun. "David Thompfon, WS4%Vl%itthias Burnet, John Brookfield, "^ Benjamin Haifey. ^nathan Stiles, .^ vf)^v.id Brewin, •O' fc»B«Vcl Cooper, jun. Benjamin Howell. \ . B It ; 6 PROCEEDINGS of the JOINT-MEETING. It having been fhewn to the Joint-Meeting that Peter Iinlay, who was Yefterday elefted on&of the Juftices of the Peace for the County of Monmouth, is returned as duly ele&ed of the faid County on^gf the Coroners ^ Refolved unanimoujly.