USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 53
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" That as for News they well knew that England had for some Time been at warr with Spain, but that now there was some talk of
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an approaching Warr with ffrance, but no Certainty of it; That if such a Warr does break out the Governor will let his ffriends the six Nations know of it, And he depends upon their ffriendship & fidelity to the English upon such an Emergency."
The Governor then proposed to the Board that on this Occasion it would be highly proper to make a Present to these Indians, which is unanimously approved of by the Board, and resolved that it be of the Value of twenty Pounds, at the Least.
The Governor then informed the Indians that as they are our ffriends he would not let them go home empty-handed, but would order some Cloathing & Provisions & some Powder, Lead, & other things to be got in readiness for them by to-Morrow, for which the Indians expressed their Thanks.
The Governor then laid before the Board a Letter he had re- ceived from some Chiefs of the Shawonese & Mingoes, dated at Aligheny, the 19th of Sept. last, Complaining of Quantities of Rum being brought amongst them, & said he would make Enquiry into this Matter of the Employers of those Indian traders who carried Rum into the Woods.
-
October 15th.
In Pursuance of the Resolve of Yesterday the following Goods were prepared & delivered to the Indians, Vizt:
14 Dussels,
54 Gallons Rum,
12¿1b. Powder,
1 Ct Biskett, 22.
4 Cts of Lead, Cash paid Conrade Weiser for
13} Yds. Half thicks, making the Shirts, 10; paid Do to 1 p& fine 3-4 Gartix for 10 Shirts, buy 10 Bushels of Meal, 30; paid 2 Dozen Pipes, Do. to bear the Indians Expences 251b. Leaf Tobacco, homewards & for mending their
¿ Doz" Large Tobacco Tongs,
¿ C. fflints,
Hatchetts, 20.
Which when they had received they Expressed their thankful- ness, And bid the Governor farewell.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, November 4th, 1741.
.
PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutent Governor. Samuel Preston, Samuel Hasell,
Ralph Assheton, Thomas Griffitts, Esqrs.
The Governor laid before the Board a letter which he had lately
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received from the Board of Trade, accompanied by two Acts of Parliament passed last Sessions, Viz .:
" AN Acr to prohibit, for a time therein limited, the Exportation of Corn, Grain (Rice Excepted), Meal, Malt fflour, Bread, Biscuit, Starch, Beef, Pork, & Bacon."
"AN ACT for licensing the Importation of Victual from Ireland & other parts beyond the Seas into Scotland, in time of Dearth & Scarcity."
The Secretary then laid before the Board an Attested Copy of the Conviction of John Bullock for ffelony & Murder, under the Hand of the Clerk of the Court of Oyer & Terminer, lately held at Philada., & it being notorious that this Murder was of the Blackest & most barbarous kind, The Governor signed a Warrant for the Execution of the Criminal, to be on Saturday next.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Novr. 23d, 1741.
PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieuten Governor. Samuel Preston, Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hasell, Thomas Griffitts, S Esqrs.
The Secretary laid before the Board the Returns made by those Persons of Chester & Philadelphia Counties who, by the Order of this Board of the 11th of June last, were directed to View, lay out, or Continue the Road from Lancaster to the fferry at the West End of High Street in Philadelphia City, Viz: Beginning where part of the same Road laid out in the Year 1733 terminates, near John Spruce's Plantation in Chester County, which was Read, and is in these Words :
By virtue of the annexed Order of the Honourable Governor & Council, We, whose names are hereunder written, have viewed & laid out a Road from the End of John Spruce's Lane, in the County of Chester, to the Line dividing the said County of Chester from the County of Philadelphia, which said County Line is near the House of Rees Thomas & David James. To which no one Objected. The Courses & Distances of the said Road being Also hereunto annexed under the Handwriting of Benjamin Eastburne, deceased. Witness our Hands this sixth Day of November, 1741. Wm. ' Moore, Thomas Thomas, Saml. James, Nathaniel Grubbs, Joshua Thompson, Wm. Graham.
" In Pursuance of the annexed Order of the Honorable Governor & Council, We, the Subscribers, have View'd and Continued the Road from the Line dividing the Counties of Philadelphia & Ches- ter, as before-mentioned, to be near the Houses of Rees Thomas & David James To Schuylkil at the West Side of High Street fferry,
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The Courses & Distances being also hereunto annexed. As Wit- nes our Hands this tenth Day of November, 1741. Richard Har- rison, Hugh Evans, Edward George, W". Thomas, Robt. Jones.
" July 20th, 1741. Conostogo Road surveyed : Beginning at the End of John Spruce's Land, & extending thence within the Town- ship of Whiteland, in Chester County, North 72° East 120 Perches, thence North 702° East 80 Ps, thence North 74° East 90 Pches, thence North 78° East 56 Pches, thence North 81° East 240 Pchs, thence North 72° East 40 Pches, thence North 69º East 84 Pchs, thence North 65° East 48 Pches, thence East 20 Ps, thence North 69° East 40 Pches, thence North 73º East 62 Pches, thence North 69° East 66 Pches, thence South 88° East 88 Pches, thence South seventy-seven Degrees thirty-six Perches to the End of Pextang Road, thence on it to Kinnison's Run, thence North 62º East 40 Pches, thence North 542° East 40 Pches, thence North 82° East 134 Pches to Paschal's Run, thence North 88° East 54 Pches, thence South 85° East 58 Pches, thence East 96 Pches to the Sweede's ford Road, thence South 53º East 66 Ps to a Chesnut Tree, thence South 44 Degrees East 22 Pches near to Robert Pow- el's House, then leaving the Old Road and on George Aston's Land South 72° East (at 200 Pches a Run) 280 Ps at the Old Road, then on it South 332° East 24 Pches, then in Willistown South 332° East 20 Pches, thence South 35° East 31 Pches, thence South 86° East 60 Pches, thence South 89º East 60 Pches, thence North 84° East 40 Pches, thence North 79° East (at 78 Pches the Western Line of Burge's Tract we Continue to) 86 Pches, thence North 83º East 90 Pches, thence South 82° East 124 Pches, thence North 872° East 96 Perches (about 6 Pches further is William Evans' Smiths' Shop), then in Tredyffryn TownP. North 86 East 34 Pches, thence South 85° East 64 Pches, thence South 752° East 62 Pches, thence South 81° East 56 Pches, thence South 86 East 166 Pches to the Sign of the Ball, thence North 58° East 128 Pches, thence North 623° East 34 Pches, thence North 562º E. 30 Pches, thence North 70° East 84 Pches, thence North 67º East 68 Pches, thence North 732° East 34 Pches, thence South 87º East at 42 Pches enter'd East Town Continued in it to 62 Ps, and thence South 743º East 40 Pches, thence South 81º East 28 Pches, thence North 84° East 102 Pches, thence South 74° East at 60 Pches a Line of Tredyffryn & in it to 80 Pches, & thence South 88° East 34 Perches, thence South 70° East 86 Perches, thence South 63º East 50 Pches, thence South 46° East 70 Pches, thence South 54° East (at 25 Pches Radnor upper Line, & con- tind in it to 55 Pches, which is near Jnº. Sams. House), thence South 52° East 46 Pches, thence South 57º East 184 Pches, thence South East 28 Pches, thence South 28° East 40 Pches, thence South 55₺º East 46 Pches, thence South 51° East 64 Pches, thence South 52º East 48 Pchs, thence South 81° East 30 Pches, thence South 63º E. 104 Pches to a Run, then up a Steep Hill South 78° East 20 Perches,
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thence South 62° East 110 Pches, thence South 87º East, at 28 Per- ches Radnor Meeting House, at 48 Ps. Germans Run Contind' to 70 Perches, thence South 53º East 14 Pches, thence South 42º East 26 Perches, thence South 70° East at 20 Pches the Tavern at 130 Pches Samuel Harry's Lane End, thence south 59° East at 60 P& his House, thence South 81° East 186 Pches to - James's Lane End, thence South 62° East 66 Ps thence South 54° East 58 Pches down the Hill, thence South 85° East 44 Ps the House ten Perches on the Left, thence South 63º East 72 Pches to the County Line, Thence from Radnor Line, in Merion Township, South 45° East 48 Pches, thence South 63º East 140 Pches, at 6 Pches David Ries' Shop, then the County of Chester Line, thence South 652° East 112 Pches to Benjamin Humphrey's Upper Line, being the County of Philada. Line, thence South 82° East 104 Pches, the Gulf Mill Road, thence South 63° East 36 Pches, thence South 49° East 48 Pches, thence South 39° East 48 Pches to Benjamin Hum- phrey's Line, thence on Edward Humphrey's Land South 51° East 144 Pches, at 102 Pches Richard Hugh's Upper Line, at 134 Pches his House, thence South 81° East 120 Pches, thence South 64º East 38, Pches, thence North 662° East 76 Pches, thence North 41° East 58 Pches, thence North 71° East 52 Pches, thence South 86° East 88 Pches, thence South 642° East 22 Pches, thence South 55° East 27 Pches to Evan Jones' Lower Line, thence South 60º East 136 Pches, thence South 56° East 84 Pches, at 10 Pches Merion Meeting House, thence South 75° East 38 Pches, thence South 632° East 72 Ps at the fford Road, thence south 78° East 66 Ps. thence South 41}° East 58 s at 48 Pches Richard George's Upper Line, thence South 232° East 82 Pches, at 61 Pches Richard George's Lower Line, thence South 33º East 106 Pches to Blockley Line, thence South 24° East 42 Pches, thence South 6° West 73 Pches, Edward George's Upper Line, thence South 10° East 208 Ps. at 136 Pches the Lane to Edwd. George's House, at 166 Pches David George's Lane, thence South 24° East 84 Pches, David George's Run, thence South 452° East 550 Pches to Haverford Road, thence South 52° East 294 Pches to Peter Gardner's House, and thence South 74° East 100 Pches to High Water Mark at the End of the Causeway at the West side of High Street Ferry.
And no Objection having been made to any part of the said Re- turns, the said Road is by the Authority of this Board Confirmed; And Ordered, That the Overseers of the High Roads for the respec- tive Townships in the Counties of Chester and Philada. do cause the said Road, according to the Courses and Distances abovesaid, to be Opened & Cleared forthwith.
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At a Council held at Philada., Decr. 14th, 1741.
PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS Esqr., Lieut. Governor. Samuel Preston, Anthony Palmer, Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hasell, Esqrs.
Thomas Griffitts,
Pursuant to the Letters of Summons wrote by the Secretary to all the Members of Council by the Governor's Command, informing them that as the Members were few and some of them lived out of Town, it frequently happened that a sufficient number could not be got together for the dispatch of Publick Business, and that he there- fore judged it highly necessary that an addition should be made. The Board being now met, His Honour proposed William Till, Abraham Taylor, and Robert Strettell, Esqrs., as persons well qualified to fill up three of the vacant Seats, acquainting the Board at the same Time that they were not only thought so by himself, but they had been approved of the Honble Thomas Penn, Esqr-, one of the proprietors, before he left the province, To which Nomination no materiall Objection being made,
It is Ordered, That William Till, Abraham Taylor, and Robert Strettell, Esqrs., have Notice severally given them hereof by the Secretary, and that they be summoned to attend at the next Meeting of Council, in order to take the usual Qualifications and their places at the Board.
The Governor then observed, that as by an order of this Board of the 12th of May last, the Exportation of all provisions from home to any other than some part of his Majesty's Dominions, was altogether prohibited until further Order, and as he has since re- ceived a Printed Copy of an Act of Parliament from the Right Honble the Lords Commrs. for Trade and Plantations, to the same purpose, which continues in force until the 25th instant.
Ordered, That Notice be given to the Officers of the Customs in this Province, that they are no longer to observe the foresaid Order of the 12th of May last, but are henceforth to pursue the Direc- tions given by the Act of Parliament aforesaid.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Dec'. 22d, 1741.
PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieut. Governor.
Clement Plumsted, Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hasell, Thomas Griffitts, Esqrs.
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were Read and Approved ; And the Secretary, according to Order, having waited upon Wil-
th
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liam Till, Abraham Taylor, and Robert Strettell, Esqrs., and signified their Call to the Board, the same Gentl., in pursuance of their Summons, attending, did severally take and subscribe the usual Qualifications, and then took their places at the Board.
The Governor then laid before the Board a petition which he had received from the Justices of the Peace for the County of Chester, setting forth, That upon an address of the Grand Inquest and some of the substantial Inhabitants of the said County, complaining of great abuses that had been committed within the said County by the Use of defective Weights & Measures, the petitioners had (in pursuance of a Law of this province, entitled "An Act for the regulating of Weights & Measures") directed the purchasing of Standards of Brass for Weights & Measures, according to his Ma- jesty's Standards for the Exchequer, and praying that the Governor would be pleased to appoint an Officer to keep the said Standards, and to Seal and Mark all Weights & Measures within the said County. Which being read, the Governor acquainted the Board that Isaac Taylor, of the said County of Chester, has been recommended to him as a Proper Person to execute the foresaid Office, Of whom the Board approving, his Honour ordered that a Commission be made out Constituting the said Isaac Taylor Regulator of Weights & Measures in and for the said County of Chester.
MEMORAND.
Jan'y. 4th. The Assembly sent two of their Members to acquaint the Governor that the House was Met pursuant to their Adjourn- ment, and ready to go upon any business the Governor should be pleased to lay before them. To which the Governor answered that he would send them a Message next Day.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Janry. 26th, 1741-2. PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieut. Governor.
Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hasell,
Ralph Assheton, William Till, Esqrs.
Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council being read and approved,
The Governor acquainted the Board that during the Late Session of Assembly some Messages had passed between him and the House of Representatives, which he Ordered to be read, the first whereof is as follows, viz* :
" Gentlemen :
" Several of the most substantial Germans now Inhabitants of this Province, have joined in a Petition to me, setting forth in
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Substance, That for want of a Convenient House for the reception of such of their Countrymen as, on their Arrival here, laboured under Diseases Contracted in a long Voyage, they were obliged to continue on board the Ships which brought them, where they could not get either Attendance or Conveniences suitable to their Condition from whence many have lost their Lives; And praying that I would recommend to the Assembly the Erecting of a proper Building at the publick Expence, not only to accomodate such as shall arrive hereafter under the same Circumstances, but to prevent the future Importation of Diseases into this City, which has more than once felt the fatal Effects of them.
" The numbers of People which I observed came into this Prov- ince from Ireland & Germany, pointed out to me the necessity of an Hospital or Pest-House, soon after my Arrival here; And in 1738 I recommended it to the Assembly of that year, who seemed so far from disapproving it that they gave me hopes of building one so soon as the Circumstances of the Province should admit. I very heartily wish for the sake of such ffamilys, Inhabitants of this City, as suffered in the late Mortality by the Loss of some who were their Chief Support, and will therefore feel it for Years to come, and on Account of the Irish & German Strangers, that it had indeed been done so soon as the Circumstances of the Province did admit of it. But as it can profit nothing to bewail Evils past, I hope you will now make the proper Use of them by doing all in your Power to Prevent the like for the time to come.
"I am not insensible that some look with jealous Eyes upon the yearly concourse of Germans to this Province, but the Parliament of Great Britain see it in a different Light, and have therefore given · great Encouragement by a late Act to all such foreign Protestants as shall settle in his Majesty's Dominions ; And indeed every Man who well Considers this Matter must allow that every industrious Labourer from Europe is a real addition to the wealth of this Prov- ince, and that the Labour of every foreigner in particular is almost so much clear Gain to our Mother Country.
" I hope I need not take up more of your or my own Time to convince you that what is now again recommended is both for the interest of the Province and the Health of this City Evils felt are the most convincing Arguments. I shall only add, that as Christians and indeed as Men, we are obliged to make a Charitable Provision for the sick Stranger, and not by Confining him to a Ship inhumanly expose him to fresh Miserys when he hopes that his Sufferings are soon to be mitigated. Nothing but the building an Hospital or Pest-House in a proper situation can, in my Opinion, be a suitable Charity or an Effectual security for the future, more especially as the Country people are grown so apprehensive of the Disease that they will not be perswaded to admit the infected into their Houses. " GEO. THOMAS.
" Jan'y. 5th, 1741."
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To which the Assembly returned the following Answer :
" A Message to the Governor from the House of Representatives. " May it please the Governor :
" As great numbers of People from Ireland & Germany are yearly imported into this Province, some of whom have been afflicted with Malignant & Dangerous Distempers, it is Evident to Us that a convenient House to accommodate such as shall hereafter arrive under the like Circumstances, may be of great Use to them, and a means to prevent the spreading of infectious Distempers among Us, the Effects of which the City of Philadelphia has lately felt, altho' we think a due Execution of the Laws might in part have pre- vented them. How this failure happened, at whose Door it ought to lye, and the Means of preventing it for the future, we shall take another Occasion to Consider, and therefore wave further Notice of it here.
" When the Governor was pleased to recommend the Building an Hospital or Pest-house to the Assembly in the Year 1738, it was thought too great an undertaking for the Circumstances we were then in; and if it be Considered that the Province hath since been at great and unusual Expences, we think it may justly be said that the State of the Public Treasure neither at present nor at any time since the year 1738, hath been in a much better Condition for such an Undertaking than it was at that Time. Nevertheless, as it will not only be Charitable to Strangers who may hereafter come among us in the distressed Circumstances before mentioned, but also of benefit to the inhabitants of this Province, we are therefore deter- mined to take this Matter into Consideration, and to direct a plan to be proposed and an Estimate made of the Money which would be requisite for the Building and yearly maintainance of such an Hospital, to be laid before Us at our next Sitting. In the mean Time, as it is a Matter of Considerable Importance, we may have the Opportunity of knowing more generally the Minds of our Con- stituents, and it will give such of them as shall think it fit an Oppor- tunity of applying to Us touching the necessity of such a Building, and the Manner of doing it which may render it most useful & least burthensome to the Province; And on the whole we may the bet- ter be enabled to judge of the part it will become Us to act in the Affair.
" Who they are that look with jealous Eyes on the Germans the Governor has not been pleased to inform Us, nor do we know; Nothing of the kind can be justly attributed to Us, or any prece- ding Assembly to our knowledge; On the Contrary, the Legisla- ture of this Province, before the late Provision made in the Parlia- ment of Great Britain, have generally, on application made to them, admitted the Germans to partake of the Privileges enjoyed by the King's natural born Subjects here, and as we look upon the protest-
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ant part of them in general to be Laborious, Industrious people, we shall chearfully perform what may reasonably be expected from Us for the benefit of those already amongst Us, and such who may hereafter be imported.
" Signed by Order of the House.
" JOHN KINSEY, Speaker. "The 7th of the 11th Month, 1741."
To which the Governor replied as follows :
" Gentlemen :
" I am not a little pleased to find by your Message of Yesterday that you agree to the necessity of building a Pest-house for the re- ception of Sick strangers, and to prevent the Spreading of infectious Diseases they may happen to have Contracted in their Voyage hither, and I cannot allow myself to doubt of your taking speedy & proper Means for the Completion of so charitable a Work.
" Whilst the German petitioners complain that many have lost their Lives by being confined to the ships, you express your Dis- satisfaction that the Laws have not been Executed; that is, I sup- pose, that sick passengers were not confined to the Ships. A former Assembly, however, composed of many of the same Mem- bers with the present, after the very same Measures taken as to me, were pleased to tell me in their address 'That they had a grateful sense of my Care in putting in Execution the Law for preventing . sickly vessels coming into this Governm"' But all I say or do now must be wrong. The Resolutions of the last Assembly on this Matter sufficiently explain to me what is meant by ' taking another occasion to consider at whose Door the late Sickness in Philadel- phia ought to lie.' I shall be glad to see your attempt to justify what was insinuated & assumed in those Resolves ; Accusations & Complaints are no new things to me, but thanks to my Integrity they have been so far from doing me a prejudice that they have shown me to his Majesty & his Ministers in a Light more advanta- geous than I could have otherwise expected; ffor this favor tho' not designed as such, Gentlemen, I thank you.
" If I do not strictly adhere to form in imputing to you what was done by the two preceeding Assembly's I hope you will excuse me, for as you are nine in ten of you the same Members, I know not yet how to separate your actions from your Persons.
" I cannot but differ with you (which I am sorry is too often the Case) in the State of the Public Treasury since 1738, for the Pub- lic accounts in my Opinion shew that the Province has at no point of Time since been unable to Erect the proposed Building; you have, I confess, been at some unusual Expence, but I cannot call it great as you do, since £1,500 out of the £2,500 said to be Expended has been stopt out of my support. I know of no other call Upon
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the Province since for an Unusual Expence. If you have gener- ously and out of Compassion for the Sufferings of your fellow- Subjects in Britain remitted &3,000 to your Agent for their Relief, I conclude you were well able to spare it, And that otherwise you would not have done it.
" Either the Memory's of some of your Body who were Members in 1738, must have failed them very much, or their Sentiments of the Importation of fforeigners are, for very Substantial Reasons, much alter'd; ffor, not to dwell upon a small Instance of the as- sembly's Displeasure to me at that Time for saying a little too much of the Industry of the Germans, I refer you to your Minutes for the Assembly's address to the Proprietor in 1738, to convince you that what I said of their having been looked upon with Jealous Eyes by some, was not altogether without foundation. What follows may be found in that address.
" And this House will, in a proper Time, readily join with the Governor in any Act that may be judged necessary, as well for pro- tecting the property of the Proprietors and others from such unjust Intrusions for the future and for preservation of the peace of the Government, as for Guarding against the Dangers which may arise from the great & frequent Importation of fforeigners.
" GEO. THOMAS.
" January 8th, 1741."
Unto which the Assembly returned the following Message of Jan'y. 16th :
" A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
"May it please the Governor :
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