USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 38
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"It is your Zeal for that service, & our Unanimity, Gentlemen, " that will most effectually contribute to extinguish the small Re- " mains of a Faction, raised up by the Deepest Ingratitude, & " cultivated by means that I hope will be of no long Duration; For, " when on the one hand, I observe that the ancient Settlers, the most " sustantial & judicious of the Inhabitants, who are most deeply " interest'd in the Peace and Prosperity of the Country, are generally " every where easie, & the dissatisfied are made up of some restless " Persons amongst ourselves, joyned by other turbulent Spirits from " abroad, who, having been uneasy at home thro' the meanness of " their Condition, or Want of Room to display their busie Humours, " tho' they have but very little at Stake, & scarce any thing but their ." Noise & Clamour to distinguish them, think fitt to Discharge " themselves here, to the Disquiet of a good & peaceable People; " And while even the most uneasy amongst these cannot point out " one real Grievance in the Administration, for I am sure there shall " be none that is in my Power to Prevent or remedy ; when these VOL. III .- 15
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" things, I say, are considered, I see no Reason to doubt but that " many of those who have been misled, will, on due Reflection, re- " cover themselves, & see how much Union & Order are preferable " to Division & Confusion, & therefore resolve to study the Ways " that lead to their own Peace, as well as that of the Publick ; for " this I conceive is the only thing wanting to render the People of " Pensylvania as happy amongst themselves as any now in the " Universe.
" The better to effect this, I must earnestly exhort you, Gentlemen, " in all your Proceedings, to exert that Courage & steady Resolution, " with a becoming Gravity & Solidity, that should ever attend the " Powers of Government, & those concerned in dispensing them. " Government is sacred. It is from God himself, for the Punishment " of Evildoers & the Praise of them that do well. As you, there- " fore, are one part of the Legislature, which in every Government " is the Supreme, & are the Grand Inquisitors of the whole Province, " I now seriously recommend it to you, to consider what Laws already "in being require to be reinforced, & what new ones may be neces- "sary.to be enacted for encouraging of Virtue, Sobriety & Industry, " the only means by which a Country can flourish, & for suppress- "ing Disorders of every kind, & more effectually securing to the " People their most momentous Privileges, against every Attempt " to invade them. And so far as the Execution of any of these " shall depend on me, you may assure yourselves that all the Vigi- "lance & Care shall be applied, on my Part, that may contribute to " procure to us that Tranquility which every good Man & lover of " his Country must sincerely wish to see Established.
" What relates to the necessary Provisions for the Exigencies of " the Government, with other matters that may require your atten- " tion, I shall leave to your own Consideration, and as any thing " further occurs it shall be communicated to you by Messages; Only " I must make Use of this first Opportunity to acquaint you, that I " have now positive Orders from Britain to provide by a proper " Law, against those Crowds of Forreigners who are yearly pour'd " in upon us, of which the late Assembly took notice in a Message " to me of the 18th of April last. Nor does this arise, as I con- " ceive, from any Dislike to the People themselves, many of whom " we know are peaceable, industrious & well affected, but it seems " principally intended to prevent an English Plantation from being " turned into a Colony of Aliens. It may also require our Thoughts " to prevent the Importation of Irish Papists & Convicts, of whom " some of the most notorious, I am credibly informed, have of late " been landed in this River.
" I shall now only add, Gentlemen, that as we are bless'd in a " Sovereign who makes the Happiness of all his subjects the prin- " cipal View of all his Reign, & in Proprietors who, I am well assu- " red, have nothing more seriously at Heart than the Prosperity of " the People who hold under them, I hope for the future, there will " be no other Contention known amongst us than who shall be most
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" forward in making suitable Returns, with gratefull acknowledge- " ments to Heaven for the vast Privileges we Enjoy."
The Provincial Treasurer laid before the Board an Account of Expenses by him disbursed, on the Treaty with the Indians at Phila- dia. in October last, amounting to Sixty four Pounds fourteen shil- lings and three pence, the Vouchers whereof being examined & ap- proved, the same is recommended to the Assembly for Payment. The Treasurer Likewise produced the Account of the Sale of the Presents made by those Indians, amounting to Twenty pounds two Shillings & four pence, for which Sum he is to give the publick credit. An Account was also exhibited to the Board by John Petty, who, together with Henry Smith, was by order of Council of the 1st of Septembr. last, sent up to Shamokin, on a Message to the Chiefs of the Indians there ; And the Board taking into Consideration the Fatigue by him undergone in the Journey, at a time when several Reports of Disturbances amongst the Indians made it necessary to dispatch Messengers thither, are of Opinion that the said Petty be allowed Ten pounds, in full for his Expences & Trouble on that Oc- casion.
At a Council held at Philadia., Febr. 6th, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Govr. James Logan, William Fishbourn, 1
Richard Hill,
Isaac Norris,
Clement Plumsted, Esq'rs. Samuel Preston,
Samuel Hazle.
A Petition of the Inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester County was laid before the Board & read, setting forth, that by Reason of their Great Distance from the County Town, where Courts are held, Offices are Kept, & Annual Elections made, they ly under very great Inconveniences, being Obliged in the Recovery of their just Debts, to travel near One hundred miles to obtain a Writt ; that for Want of a Sufficient Number of Justices, Constables & other Officers, in those parts, no Care is taken of the high ways; Townships are not laid out, nor Bridges built, when there is an apparent Necessity for them ; & further that for Want of a Goal there, several Vagabonds & oth er dissolute People harbour among them, thinking themselves safe from Justice in so remote a Place; And therefore praying that a Division Line be made between the upper & lower part of the said County, & the upper part thereof Erected into a County, with all the immunities, Rights & Privileges which any other County of this Pro- vince does now Enjoy.
The Board taking the same into Consideration, are of Opinion that the Governour is fully impowered by Virtue of his Commission, to grant the Prayer of the Petition, if the Same shall appear necessary ; but as it is a matter of some Moment & will require a mature Deliberation, It was moved & agreed that the further Consideration
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thereof should be deferr'd till to morrow at nine o'clock, beforenoon, to which time the Council is adjourned.
At a Council held at Philadia., February 7th, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. James Logan, Clement Plumsted, Richard Hill, Ralph Asheton, Isaac Norris, Samuel Hazle.
Esq'rs.
$
Willm. Fishbourn,"
The Minutes of the three preceeding Councils being read & ap- proved, The Board according to Order, entered into the Considera- tion of the Petition in the Minute of Yesterday, touching the Divi- sion of Chester County, and after the same had been fully considered & debated, the Board came to the following Resolution : That, as well for the Reasons set forth in the said Petition, as the Security, Peace & good Order of the whole Government, there doth appear a real Necessity that a new County should be Erected, according to the Prayer of the said Petition ; And Altho' the Power of Erecting Counties is wholly vested in the Proprietary, & therefore in the Go- vernour, as his Lieutenant, yet, inasmuch as this will require the Establishment of Courts of Judicature, with other Alterations, for which a due Provision will best be made by a Law, It may be con- venient that the Governour should acquaint the House of Represen- tatives now sitting, with the Application made to him, that the same may be carried on with, & strengthened by the joint & unanimous Concurrence of the whole Legislature,
Then the Accounts of Nicolas & John Sculls & Anthony Zadouski of Expenses by them disbursed, and for their Trouble on several Messages to the Indians, were presented to the Board & read, But no Mention being made of the Time by them spent in those Services, by which the Board may be the better able to judge what allowance is proper to be made to them, 'TIS ORDERED that the Clerk de- sire them to amend their Accounts in that Point, & that they be laid before the Board at their next meeting.
Upon a Motion made in behalf of Henry Smith, who, together with John Petty, was sent to Shamokin on a Message to the Chiefs of the Indians there, by order of Council of the 1st of September last, that he be allowed the like Sum which by this Board was thought proper to be given to the said Petty, for his Trouble & Ex- pense in that Journey, RESOLVED, That the Sum of Ten Pounds be paid by the Provincial Treasurer to the said Henry Smith, in full for his Service on that Occasion.
At a Council held at Philada., February 20th, 1728-9. PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. Richard Hill, Clement Plumsted, Isaac Norris, Thomas Laurence, Samuel Preston, Samuel Hazle.
Esq'rs.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
1
The Minutes of the preceeding Council being read & approved, The Governour informed the Board that pursuant to the Resolve of last Council, he had acquainted the House of Representatives with his Intention to Erect the upper part of the County of Chester into a separate County, in which they had concurred, & desired that an equal Number of the Inhabitants of the Lower & Upper Part might run the Division Line; And thefore, he was now to recommend to the Board to chuse fitt & well qualified Persons for that Service, & to consider of proper Directions for their Guidance therein : And after due Consideration thereof.
'TIS ORDERED that Henry Hayes, Samuell Nutt, Samuel Hol- lingsworth, Philip Taylor, Elisha Gatchel, James James, John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards & John Musgrave, or the Major Part of them calling to their Assistance John Taylor, the Surveyor of Chester County, meet at some convenient place near Octeraroe Creek or River, & cause a mark'd Line to be run from the most northerly or main Branch of the said Creek Northward, or to the East or West thereof, as it shall be found most convenient, to the next high Ridge of barren or uninhabited Hills that trend from thence to Schuylkill River, keeping as near as may be to the Ridge of the said Hills, & to proceed along the Ridge thereof, yet with as few Changes in the Course as their Situation will admitt, and fixing the same to the most conspicuous, natural & durable Marks, that may be the least subject to Uncertainty or Variation : to be Bounded Southward by the Southern Bounds of the Province, & Eastwardly the said Octe- raroe Creek ; and from thence the Northern Line to be by them run as aforesaid, to the said Hills, from thence the main northern or easterly Branch thereof, above the Forks of the said River, to lie open to the Westward and Northward till further Order shall be given therein; And to make Report of their Proceedings to this Board.
At a Council held at Philada., Febry 21st, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. Richard Hill,
Clement Plumsted,
Samuel Preston, Ralph Asheton. Esq'rs.
William Fishbourn,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council being read & approved,
A Bill sent up from the House of Representatives, Entitled An Act for Erecting of Pounds in Each Towship of this Province, was then read, To which several Objections were made, as that it would occasion a very great Charge, which is to be assessed & levied at the Discretion of the Overseers of the Poor, without the Interposition of a Magistrate, with several other Inconveniencies ; And that a Supple- ment to the Law now in force for Erecting & maintaining of Pounds may better answer the End Proposed than this Bill, which appears
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not to have been sufficiently considered. It was therefore Ordered, that Mr. Hill & Mr. Plumsted carry back the said Bill to the House, & acquaint them with the Objections made thereto.
Then were read two other Bills, Vizt : A Supplement to that part of the Act for raising County Rates & Levies, relating to the killing of Wolves; And a Supplement to the Act Entitled An Act to pre- vent Swine running at large. Which were Ordered to be returned to the House without any Amendment.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, March 5th, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The Honb le PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour.
James Logan,
Samuel Preston,
Richard Hill,
Clement Plumstead, Esq'rs.
Isaac Norris, Thomas Laurence.
The Minutes of the two preceeding Councils being read & ap- proved.
A Bill sent up from the House of Representatives Entituled, AN ACT for the Emitting of Fifty thousand Pounds in Bills of Credit, & for the better Support of Government & the trade of this Pro- vince, was then read, & the further Consideration thereof deferr'd till Monday, the 10th Currt., to which Time the Board Adjourned.
At a Council Held at Philada., March 10th, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour.
Richard Hill,
Clement Plumstead,
Isaac Norris,
Thomas Laurence, Esq'rs.
Samuel Preston,
Samuel Hazel.
William Fishbourn,
The Bill for emitting Fifty thousand Pounds in Bills of Credit being again Read by paragraphs, the following points were proposed to be first considered, vizt :
1st. The Sum now proper to be Emitted.
2d. At what Interest, &
3dly. The Term of Repayment.
And each of these being fully spoke to and debated, it is the Opinion of the Board :
That Sixty thousand Pounds for the whole Currency of this Pro- vince, or Twenty five thousand Pounds Addition to the sum now circulating, may be sufficient.
That the interest ought to continue the same as before, vizt : five per Cent ; & the term for repayment be ten years, or at most not ex- ceed twelve & a half, as in the former Acts of the like Nature.
It was then proposed and agreed to, that the House should be de- sired to make some Provision for Sterling Payments, & the Proprie-
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
tary Quittrents, for it was to be feared if these were affected by the Bill it would meet with great Opposition at home. The Considera- tion of the other parts of the said Bill was deferr'd till next meeting of Council.
At a Council held at Philadia., March 13th, 1728 -- 9.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esquire, Lieut. Governour. Richard Hill, Clement Plumstead, Isaac Norris,
Samuel Hazle. Esq'rs.
Samuel Preston,
The further Consideration of the paper money Bill was resumed, & the whole being gone through, the Several Amendments, pursuant to the Sentiments of the Board at their former meeting, with many others of less Importance, were all ordered to be drawn up & carried in with the said bill to the House at their next meeting.
At a Council held at Philadia., March 20th, 1728-9.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. Richard Hill, William Fishbourn, - Isaac Norris, Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Preston,
Samuel Hazle.
Esq'rs.
The Governour laid before the Board a letter he had Yesterday received from the Governour of Maryland, touching the new County to be erected in this Province, which being read, & it appearing that the same proceeds upon a misinformation, as if the persons who were to run the Division Line were to begin at the mouth of Octoraroe Creek, which is claimed as within the Limits of Maryland, instead of the head of the said Creek, as mentioned in the Order for laying out the same, the Board are of opinion that a Copy of said order be sent to the Governour of Maryland, accompanied with a Letter from the Governour to show him what caution has been used in directing the boundaries of the said County, so that no umbrage might there- by be given to the Government of Maryland.
The Governour then acquainted the Board that he had considered the amendments proposed to be made to the Bill for emitting more Paper Currency, but was doubtfull whether it would be to any pur- pose to send them to the House untill the chief points should be adjusted : For tho' he was sensible that the said Currency had been of Service to the Country, and was heartily disposed to favour the people's inclinations by some reasonable addition thereto, yet that the bill as it now stands, cannot be well reconciled to the order of the Board of Trade of the 11th of May, 1726, to which he Conceived he is in duty bound to pay all due obedience, & that therefore if any such bill is to be passed by him, it must be in a manner consistent
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with his duty and honour; that he resolved, notwithstanding the idle talk without Doors, & people's common prejudices on this Sub- ject, to lay the case on this very point, in plain terms before the House that they may be induced to consider the same seriously, & to proceed on a safe and honourable footing ; That he had not yet fully digested his thoughts, nor reduced them to writing, which he intended to do by Monday next, to which time the house had adjourn- ed, & that if the Board would then meet, he should be glad to have their Sentiments of the same.
Hereupon the Members were of Opinion, that since the Bill had been read & considered by this Board, & several Amendments made thereto, it would be proper that they should be drawn up & carried in to the house. But if the Governour conceives, from the Order of the Board of Trade or any other Instruction he has, that he cannot safely agree to the said bill, It's left to the Governour's Prudence to acquaint the House therewith in such manner as he shall think most proper.
March 25th, 1729.
MEMORANDUM. The Governour having last night received a Message from the House, acquainting him that they were mett & desiring to know what he had to lay before them, did this day return the Bill for emitting Fifty thousand pounds in Bills of Credit, with the following Message :
GENTLEMEN :
" During your Recess I have very seriously & carefully considered " your Bill for emitting more of our Paper Currency, and as it is a " subject that has thoroughly employed my Thoughts, I shall deliver " them to you in the plainest manner. That there is occasion for " more of that Currency amongst us I am fully perswaded, and I "heartily wish there were no Objections against making a reason- " able addition to it immediately : but there are some which so nearly " affect the very Being of our Currency, that I cannot believe by " the Tenour of this Bill, that they have as yet been sufficiently con- " sidered.
" You cannot be unsensible, Gentlemen, that Publick Business in " Britain is transacted by proper Councils & Boards, appointed by his " Majesty, for managing the several Branches of it, & of what regards " these Plantations the Board of Trade has the general Directions ; " Agreeable to their Reports or Representations, all his Majesty's " Orders that relate to us are issued, for they are his Council for " such affairs, as his Privy Council is for those of Government. " Their Orders, therefore, are to be considered as coming from his " Majesty himself, for those from the Throne have scarce ever, I " believe, been known to vary from Reports or Opinions of that " Board.
" Now it ought to be remembered, that having received a Letter " from their Lordships but two days before a former Assembly mett, " on the 14th of October, 1726, in discharge of my duty, I commu-
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" nicated it to that House, and afterwards furnished them with a Copy " of it, & in case that should not be at hand I now send you another. " By this Letter you will perceive that the Secretary of the Board, "by command from their Lo'ps, having recited the Titles of four "Several Acts of this Province relating to our Paper Currency, ex- " pressly says, that ' If any further Acts are pass'd for Creating " more Bills of Credit than those already issued, their Lordships will " certainly think themselves obliged to lay them before his Majesty for " his Disallowance.
" If from the preceding Words in the same Paragraph, where it " is said, that if it were not out of Tenderness to those Persons " into whose hands the Bills Issued in Pennsylvania may have " passed, their Lordships would lay the aforementioned Acts before " His Majesty to be repealed, it should be presumed, that the same " Tenderness may again prevail on their Lordships, We should also "consider that the same Board caused an Act for a Paper Currency, "pass'd not many years since in Barbadoes, to be repealed after " the Bills were actually emitted and passing through the hands of " the Subjects, to the unspeakable Loss, as I have been informed, " of the Inhabitants of that Island. And if a Plantation of so much " Importance to the Crown, and so much valued by it as Barbadoes, " was used with such Severity, it will require us very seriously to " consider what we may expect here, after we have had plain " Warning.
" That their Lordships' Apprehensions of the inconveniences of at- " tending such Bills of Credit in this Province arise from some " Misinformation or Mistake; I endeavoured to show their Lordships " in my Letter to their Board, Dated the 15th of December, 1726, " of which a Copy was communicated to the Assembly then sitting, " & is in Print. But the agent to whom that House sent it, from his " doubt of the success, as it appears by his answers, has not it seems " had the courage to present it, which ought to be a further addition " to our Caution.
" It is therefore absolutely necessary Gentlemen, that we should ' very seriously consider what means we can use that a reasonable "expectation of Success can be founded on, to procure any addition " without hazarding the Loss of the Bills after they are dispersed " into the hands of the people as so much real money; for whatever " our Hardships now are, such a Loss would prove infinitely greater, " & plunge us in the utmost Confusion.
" As for my part, I am so fully convinced of the conveniences that " would attend the further emission of such a moderate addition to " our Currency as would not endanger the sinking of its Credit, that " I shall as willingly promote it as any man who would think himself " oblig'd to give a rational account of his Conduct; but this can never " be, without showing a due deference to the Royal Authority under " which we have the great happiness to live, & from which we derive " all our protection.
"It is our glory as well as happiness, I say, that we are subjects " to the Crown of Britain, under which and the Proprietor we enjoy
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" all our vast privileges. And as the whole Country seems unani- " mous in what is now before us-the Desire of an addition to our " Bills of Credit-& I have the pleasure to observe there is not one "person I advise with, who agrees not with me in the same real inclina- "tions to promote it, let us therefore all endeavour, with the like unani- " mity, to obtain what is proposed by methods truely worthy of ra- " tional men and dutifull subjects, for by such means alone we can "expect the desired success.
" But in order to render this practicable, I must Observe that the- "Sum must be moderate & not too large. Sixty thousand pounds " for the whole Currency of the County is thought to be the utmost " we should crave.
" To prevent its sinking in Value, the Interest ought to be con- "tinued the same as before. Five per Cent. is very moderate, and " less will be disadvantageous to its Credit. -
" The term in the Bill for repaying it appears too long. I would " propose, if a Method can be found to include the whole Currency "in one Act without Hazard, that it should continue re-emitting for " ten years, & then sink in ten years afterwards ; the Accounts may " be thus most easily & clearly kept, as I am assured by those who " have had the most Experience in them, and you are sensible the " Country would be freed by it of a considerable Charge as well as "Trouble, for the future.
" But in order to remove Objections against it in Britain, as well "as to be just, some particular Provisions ought to be made for all " sterling Payments ; for while these are affected by the Bill, or the "Consequences of it, we may ever expect Opposition at home, " which by this Provision might perhaps be totally removed. And " common Justice will tell us, that every Man ought to have the " Real Value of what he bargained for without being injured by " Law, which should secure Men's Rights & not abridge them.
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