1. On 6 June, after agreeing to this proposal of the committee of the whole house on the state of the commonwealth, the Virginia House of Delegates appointed William Ronald of Powhatan County chairman of a committee of six members, including Richard Henry Lee, Joseph Jones, and Patrick Henry, to draft an appropriate measure. They submitted a bill on 18 June (JHDV description begins (1828 ed.). Journal of the House of Delegates of Virginia, Anno Domini, 1776 (Richmond, 1828). description ends , May 1783, pp. 40, 41, 65, 68, 69, 72). The preamble, besides justifying the law as a means of “relieving the militia,” might aptly have added the saving of expense by shifting the cost of the “Guards” from the treasury of Virginia to that of Congress. In his letter to the delegates, forwarding a copy of the act, Governor Harrison stated that he viewed it with “Mortification” (Harrison to Delegates, 4 July). Its supporters may have held that the “public stores” included some property owned by the Confederation, and that the inmates of the “public prison” included or in the future would include alleged offenders against the ordinances of Congress. On 30 June 1783, with the advice of the Council of State, Harrison directed Lieutenant David Mann to recruit twenty-five men as guards, promising each of them the wages and rations assured to soldiers in the continental service (Executive Letter Book, War Office, 1783–1786, p. 57, MS in Va. State Library).

2. William Drew and John Beckley, clerks of the Senate and House of Delegates, respectively.

3. In his report on 28 July, Benjamin Lincoln, secretary at war, pointed out that “it would be inexpedient to order any of the Troops of the Virginia line, inlisted for three years” to perform the requested guard duty, for they would be discharged from service shortly after a copy of the definitive treaty of peace, which was “hourly expected,” had reached Congress. Lincoln added that if “Congress approve these sentiments,” it “will please to resolve” that, in its opinion, the number of troops proposed by Virginia as “Guards for the public prisons and stores” was “not more” than was necessary for that purpose (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXIV, 455). Lincoln’s recommendation reflected his interpretation of the following portion of Article VI of the Articles of Confederation: “nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any state, in time of peace, except such number only, as in the judgment of the united states, in congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite to garrison the forts necessary for the defence of such state” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XIX, 216). For the outcome of Lincoln’s proposal, see Motion in re Armed Vessels, 28 July 1783; also JCSV description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds., Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia (4 vols. to date; Richmond, 1931——). description ends , III, 338, 363.