GASR_Colonial_Resolutions_17600430_17600520

Apr. 30, 1760.

The Committee of Priviledges & elections have had under their consideration a Writ directed to the Sheriff of Perqui =mons County for electing representatives for the second, & the return of the said Writ ^(thereof) and have come to the follow'g resolutions thereupon [???].

Resolved that it appears to this Committee that the said Sheriff by Virtue of the said Writ hath returned Mr John Harvey W. Benjamin Harvey, W. Richard Saunders ^(on) W. Francis Brown, W. Thomas Bonner representatives for the sa'd [said] County to sit act & Vote in the Assembly

Resolved that the said W John Harvey W Benj. Harvey, W Richard Saunders ^(on) W. Thomas Bonner are duly elected and resolved Representatives for the said County.

Resolved that the said Francis Brown is rendered incapa =ble to sit or act ^(in Assembly) as a Representative for the said County & that the return of the sd Sherif. so far as relates to ^(Mr) Francis Brown is void.

T Barker

13a

[column 1] Report of Committee of Priviledges & Elections - in Regard to the Election of Members for Perquimons County [end column 1]

[column 2] Sir New Bern April 20th: 1760 [end column 2]

The Committee ^(of Priviledges, and ^(Elections)) have had ^([their?] [further?]) under consideration the warrant for taking Reuben Sercy into Custody ^([crossed out] [for?] [end crossed out] partiality &) Misbehaviour of [crossed out] the [end crossed out] ^(an) election in Granville at which Election he had been Sworn as a Clerk to Keep the poll and thereupon come to the following Resolutions

[crossed out text block] it is the opinion of this Committee that after Resolved that [crossed out] the sd Reuben [end crossed out] Sercy [crossed out] after the sherif had by [end crossed out] ^(after) the Court ^([torn]) house [crossed out] being [end crossed out] ^(had been) thronged by great numbers of Disorderly people ^([with?] sd Election) writ ^(and the) [crossed out] and the [end crossed out] Sherif had ^(therefore) withdrawn the sd Reuben Sercy trangressed his duty in taking the [crossed out] voters [end crossed out] suffrages of the voters in his absence and in the taking [???] Suffrages shew partiality tho it does not appear to your Committee that the sd Reuben Sercy was the [Sole?] [Cause?] why the ^(writ of) Election [crossed out] was [???] [end crossed out] was not Executed. [end crossed out text block]

Resolved in the Opinion of the Committee that the Sherif by reason of of Vast Crowd ^(and Concourse) of people in the Courthouse at the Said Election was obliged to discontinue the taking the polls of the Suffrages at the Said Election and directed his Clerks to dissist from any further pfoceedings thereon until the Same could be proceeded in with More regularity that accordingly the Sherif & William Pearson and Reuben Searcy who were appointed and Sworn the Clerks for taking the Said Polls did Withdraw & from the Said Courthouse and the polls were adjorned and that the Said Reuben Searcy without any Direction of the Said Sherif did at the Instance of Sundry persons return into the Said Courthouse [witht?] ^([for?]) the Direction of the of the Said Sherif and in his absence did proceed in the Continuation of ^(taking) the Same and that after he had taken down the Names of all Such as Offered themselves as Suffrages did Sum up the Same and publicly proclamed [witht] Any Direction from the Said Sherif Samuel Benton and Robert Harris as duly Elected ^(& carried away the polls so by him taken but afterwd returned and upon Said) that before the proclamation aforesaid the [right margin note] ⦵ [end right margin note] Sherif was informed and public declaration made that there was now Room in the Courthouse for the Sherif to proceed in this Said Election but that the Sherif paid no regard thereto

[left margin perpendicular text block] ⦵ applications by the Sherif for the Delivery of the same ^(+) tho at first he denied doing [crossed out] the same [end crossed out] ^(of) alledging he had a Right to detain the Same as being a Sworn Clerk did make a surrender thereof to him + [end left margin perpendicular text block]

Resolved That it is the Opinion of this Committee that the Said Reuben Searsy by ^(proceeding) [crossed out] Acting [end crossed out] in the Manner above recited Acted inconsistent With his Duty

W. Rob't Harris to be added to the Committee of Professions & Governance Wm Blount, W Tyree Harris

[left margin vertical text box] Report of Committee of Priviledges & Elections c [end left margin vertical text box]

28 April 1760

North Carolina ss In the Assembly

Whereas it having been made Appear to the House that Reuben Searcy of Granville County having been appointed one of the Clerks by the Sheriff of Granville County to take the Poll of the Voters Suffrages at the last Election to have been for Members for the said County behaved in that Office or trust with great Partiality so that the Execution of the Writ for Electing Members for the Sd County as aforesd was prevented these are therefore to require and Command you to take the body of the said Reuben Searcy and bring him to the Barr of this House to answer for such his ill behavour and for your so doing this shall be your Sufficient Warrant Sam Swann Speakr given under my hand & seal at New Bern the 20th day of Aprill anno Dom 1760

To Philomen Hawkins Serjeant at arms to Execute & return thereof to make

You are also to Summons William Parsons, Jos: Mangum Edmond Fanning William Hurst, William Johnson Leonard Henley Bullock, George Martin, Absalom Wells John Howard and William Williams to attend this House at the same time you bring the body of the sd Reuben Searcy. Sam Swann Speakr

10a 1