USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 7
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Hereupon the Members severally declaring their Opinion of Mr. Logan's good Qualifications for the Discharge of the Trust, which by his Rank at this Board is now incumbent on him, requested that he would proceed therein accordingly as President of this Board.
The President then proposed, as the first Step necessary to be taken, that a Proclamation, notifying the Death of the Governor, & for continuing all Officers in their respective Offices till further Orders, should be issued; which is accordingly ordered to be pre- pared by the Secretary, to be laid before this Board at three in the afternoon, to which time it is adjourn'd.
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P. M. Present.
The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esquire, President.
And the same Members as in the forenoon.
A Draught of the Proclamation, directed by the preceeding Minute being laid before the Board, was with some Alterations agreed to, and it is Ordered that the same be forthwith engross'd & sealed, in order to be published to morrow with proper Solemnity at the Court- house of this City, and that Copies thereof be sent into the Coun- ties of Bucks, Chester and Lancaster, with Directions to the respec- tive Sherifs to cause the same to be published there in these Words :
" By the Honble James Logan Esquire President, and the Council of the Province of Pennsylvania.
" A PROCLAMATION.
" Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to remove by Death the Honourable Patrick Gordon, Esquire, late Lieutenant Governor of this Province, Whereby the Exercise of the Powers of Government, by virtue of an Act of Assembly passed in the tenth year of the
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Reign of the late Queen Ann is devolved on and lodged in Us. We have therefore thought fitt to Publish and Declare, that all Per. sons whatsoever, who held or enjoyed any Office of Trust or Profit in this Government, by virtue of any Commissions in force at the time of the said Governor's Decease, shall continue to Hold & Enjoy the same, untill they shall be determined by us, or some other suffi- cient Authority ; And we do hereby Command & Require all Judges, Justices, & other Officers whatsoever, in whom any Publick Trust is reposed in this Government, that they diligently proceed in the Per- formance & Discharge of their respective Duties therein, for the Safety, Peace, & well being of the same.
" Given in Council under the Great Seal of the said Province at Philadelphia, the fifth day of August, 1736, in the tenth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth.
" JAMES LOGAN.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."
The Act of the 10th Queen Anne, directing that the President or first named Member of Council, that shall succeed at the time of the Death or absence of a Governor, shall give due Notice thereof, by the first Opportunity, to one of the Secretaries of State of Great Britain, & to the Board of Trade & Plantations, & also to the Gov- ernor in Chief of this Province. It was recommended to the Presi- dent to give these Notices in Britain accordingly : And as one of our Honble Proprietors & Governors in Chief is now residing in this Province, it was moved & agreed to, that the Notice to him, with an account of the Proceedings of the Board, in pursuance of the Act aforesaid, should be signified by some of the Members; And Mr. Lawrence & Mr. Griffitts were named for that Purpose, who having waited on the Proprietary, return & report, that they had delivered what they had in Command to say, and that the Proprietary was pleased to express his Satisfaction with the Proceedings of this Board.
It is further Ordered, that the President, without calling on the other Members, sign all such Publick Instruments & Papers as are to pass of Course.
At a Council held at Philadia., Augt the 11th, 1736.
PRESENT :
The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President. Samuel Preston, Samuel Hasell, Thomas Lawrence,
Thomas Griffitts,
Ralph Assheton, VOL. IV .- 4.
Charles Read,
Esquires.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Minutes of the two preceeding Councils being read & ap- proved
The President acquainted the Board that having returned last night from Newcastle, he understood that the House of Representa- tives of this Province had met on Monday the 9th instant, pursuant to their Adjournment, but being in Expectation of hearing from this Board, they had adjourned over to this Day, without entering on any business; that it being necessary to speak to them on the present occasion, he had prepared a Draught of a Speech to be con- sidered of by this Board, which being read was unanimously ap- proved; And Messes Assheton and Griffitts were sent to the House to lett them know that the Council being now mett at the Presi- dents, desired to speak with the House. These Gentlemen being returned, report they delivered the said Message, and had received answer from the Speaker that the House would forthwith meet the President and Council.
And accordingly the House, with their Speaker attending, the President spoke to them as follows :
" Gentlemen :
" It cannot, we are persuaded, but deeply affect you to find at this, your convening in Assembly, in Pursuance of your last ad- journment, that instead of meeting that worthy Gentleman, our late Governor, at the Head of this Board, you now see only the Council with a President. It has pleased the Almighty, on whom all our Lives depend, to take him from us and from the Cares of this Life, and those who were Witnesses, as our Assemblies generally have been, of his constant Inclinations to promote the Welfare of the Publick, with a just Discharge of his Duty to the King and our Proprietors, and a due Regard to the People's Rights, cannot but the more deeply regret our Loss.
"The administration of the Government being by this Change, by Virtue of an Act passed in the 10th & 11th years of Queen Anne, and confirmed by her said Majesty in Council, now devolved on this Board, We, on the fifth instant, the day of the Governor's Decease, accordingly mett, and taking the Charge upon us published our Proclamation for the continuing of all Magistrates and Officers, requiring them to proceed with Diligence in the Discharge of their respective Duties & Trusts, from whence there can be no Deficiency in the Administration of Justice : The Assembly, by our happy Constitution, are inherently in themselves vested with the same Rights in all Respects as before, Legislation only excepted; Nor in this, probably, shall we find any considerable Inconveniency, since it may rationally be hoped that during the Interval till another ap- pointment can be made, there may not arise any Emergency requir- ing a further immediate Provision. It has been the Sense of all those who have more closely and justly considered the Nature of Government, that the most desirable advantages of it arise not from
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multiplying of Laws, but from a strict Observance & due Execution of good and wholesome Ones in Force. You, Gentlemen, represent the whole Body of the Freemen of the Province, who are the prin- cipal Objects to be considered in Government, and as your House subsists throughout the year, it may be as convenient for you to meet from time to time on your Adjournments as before, for thus you will have Opportunities of consulting and advising of what may best contribute to the Publick Weal ; And you will always find this Board, in whom the Powers of the Administration are lodged, most ready and willing to concur with and put such Advice in Execution. We have also the further great Advantage of the Presence of One of our Honourable Proprietors amongst us, who, as the true Interest of his Family is inseperable from that of the People, cannot but be always acted by the warmest Inclinations to advance the general Good of the Whole.
" As to my self, on whom the Burthen of the Administration falls the heaviest, tho' it truly gives me no small Uneasiness, that I am hereby called from the quiet Retirement I had proposed in these advanced years of my Life, yet as I have ever been animated with a most sincere Zeal for the Honour & true Interest of this Province, I shall submit to the Necessity, and to the best of my Ability, with the Assistance of the Gentlemen my Brethern of this Board, en- deavour to acquit my self in all Things with Fidelity to His Majesty and to our Proprietors, and with a just and due Regard to the People.
" And as nothing contributes more directly to the Honour and Prosperity of any Government than a perfect unanimity amongst all the Parts of it, We shall hope that, in a sincere View to the Common Good, all proper Measures & Endeavours will, on every Hand, be used to promote and improve the same."
At a Council held at Philadia., Augt. the 13th, 1736.
PRESENT :
The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esq., President.
Samuel Preston, Ralph Assheton, Anthony Palmer, Samuel Hasell, Clement Plumsted, Thomas Griffitts, 1 Esquires. Thomas Laurence, Charles Read, 1
The Address of the House of Representatives, in answer to the Speech of yesterday, was laid before the Board by the President, and is in these Words :
"To the President and Council of the Province of Pennsylvania : " The Address of the Representatives of the Freemen of the said.
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MINUTES OF THE
Province in Assembly met, in answer to the Speech of the said President and Council.
" May it please the President & Council :
"The Death of the worthy Gentleman, Our late Governor, sen- sibly affects us: The Inclinations he has shown to promote the Welfare of the Publick, with a due Discharge of his Duty to the King and to our Proprietors, and a Regard to the Rights and Liber- ties of the People of this Province, gives us just Cause to regret our Loss.
" The Administration of Government by this change, and the Laws of the Province, devolving on the President & Council, the Steps they have been pleased to take in pursuance of those Laws for the Continuance of Magistrates and other Officers in their several Stations, and preventing a Deficiency in the Administration of Justice, is Matter of Satisfaction to us, as it needs must be to every other Well-wisher to our Happy Constitution.
"To multiply Laws, unless the Circumstances of Government require it, we agree, cannot be productive of the most desirable Advantages of it; but the infant State of the Colonies in America often require the aid of the Legislature in making of new or amend- ing of old Laws. And tho' we were disappointed last Session in obtaining the Bills we prepared to be pass'd into Laws, yet we hope a prudent Administration of Justice in our Courts of Law may prevent any great Inconveniency until another Appointment of a Governor shall be made.
"In the mean time, if any Advice or Assistance of ours during our Continuance, shall be necessary in respect to the putting in Execution the Laws now in Force, or to any other Thing which may relate to the public Weal, we shall always be ready to contribute what lies in our Power to so good Purposes. The Declaration you are pleased to make of your Readiness to concur with and put such advice in Execution, Merits our acknowledgement, and we esteem it an Instance of the Regard you have for the Welfare of the Province.
"The Presence of one of our Proprietors amongst us was formerly much desired, and is now happily enjoyed. The Interest of that Honourable Family and ours are undoubtedly Inseparable, and therefore we have just Reason to hope their warmest Inclinations will be joined with Ours to promote the common Benefit.
"To be called from Quiet & Retirement in an advanced age of life to undergo the Fatigue and Burthen of Government, may give the President some uncasiness ; yet the advantages that may result to the People of this Province, by having one at the Head of the Administration of long and great Experience, animated with a sincere Zeal for their true Honour and Interest, will, we hope, induce him to pursue the laudable Purposes he has proposed, and
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
with the assistance of the Gentlemen of the Council to acquit him- self of the Trust reposed in him, with Fidelity to the King & to the Proprietors, & with a just Regard to the People of this Province ; and as it our Duty, while we have the Honour to be a House, so we hope it will be the Care of the succeeding Assemblies by a becom- ing Unanimity, and with a sincere View to the Publick Good, to do what may contribute to the Happiness & Prosperity of the People of Pennsylvania.
"Signed by Order of the House, "A. HAMILTON, Speaker."
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To which Address the Board directed that an Answer in writing should be sent down by the Secretary in these Words :
" From the President and Council of Pennsylvania to the House of Representatives.
" Gentlemen :
" We heartily thank you for your kind Address, and as we have a full Dependence on, and are satisfied in, your Declarations, so you may be assured, that while we are concerned, nothing in our Power shall be wanting that may contribute to advance the true Interest of Pennsylvania.
"JAMES LOGAN."
August 20th 1736.
Sassoonan or Allummapees, the Delaware Chief, with Peasquito- man, Lappapeton, Onytamuchon, & Tolales, Delaware Indians, John Haus, a Cayooge, Cousin to Capt. Civility, & Teshansomen, a Tus- carore, with several young Men, Women, & Children, to the Num- ber of twenty-five in the whole, coming to town on a visit to this Government, this day was appointed for hearing what they had to offer, and
At a Council then held.
PRESENT :
The Honble THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary.
The President.
Samuel Preston,
Thomas Griffitts,
Esqrs.
Clement Plumsted,
Charles Read,
And Sassoonan with the above-named Indians.
The Proprietor by Peter Bizallion, Interpreter, told them, that he & the Council who are always well pleased to see their Brethren the
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MINUTES OF THE
Indians, & particularly their old friend Sassoonan, are now mett to hear what they have to say,
Sassoonan, by the Interpreter & Peasquitoman, said That they were not come on any particular Business, or to treat about any thing of Importance, but only to pay a friendly visit to their Breth- ren, whose Welfare they think themselves obliged to enquire after, as they & the Indians are one People.
That when they came from home, they expected to have seen here their good friends, the Proprietor, the Governor, and the Council all together, but when they had come so farr on their Journey as George Boones, they heard that one of their good Friends the Gov- ernor was Dead; this News made them sorrowful, but they are com- forted in meeting their other friends, who they hope will still con- tinue their Regard towards the Indians, & their Care & Concern for preserving the same friendship that has hitherto subsisted between us and them.
Then presenting two small strings of Wampum, He desired that our Tears on account of that loss may be wiped away, and that we may not longer be sorrowfull, but that the Sun may again shine out to dispell the Clouds, & our Hearts grow chearfull.
The Cayoogoe Indian, presenting two other small strings of Wampum said, that some of the six Nations had been lately at Shamokin, & had enquired kindly touching their Brethren here, towards whom they shewed much Love and Friendship.
Sassoonan afterwards presenting a Belt of Wampum of ten Rows, said, that as the Minds of Men were apt to be discomposed by Sor- row, he now gave this Belt with their earnest desire that our Minds should return to the same Frame & Composure as formerly, and that by eating and drinking we should endeavour to forget our Grief.
That this is the whole of what they have to say.
In answer to which they were told thus :
Sassoonan is an old Man, he.must remember that there have been many Treaties between this Government and the Indians, that the Chain of Friendship has been often brightened & strengthned. Our Treaties have been faithfully kept on our part, they have like- wise been carefully observed on the part of the Indians, and we hope they will always continue firm and lasting.
That these Treaties were first begun by Will™ Penn, their father, who, on his coming into this Country, received the Indians kindly, & treated them as his Children & Friends, that, on his leaving this Country, he appointed a Governor in his Room, who by his Order continued to observe the same method he had done in receiving & treating all the Indians ; that several other Gover- nors have been here, all of whom acted under the authority & by the Appointment of Willm. Penn's family ; that the late Governor was a good Man, and did always what he believed was agreeable to
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Willm. Penn's family ; he was an ancient Man, & is now gone, for whose Death we are all sorry ; but the Indians are still to consider that it is with Willm. Penn's family that they are to treat, & one of his Sons is now here present. One Governor is appointed, & is either removed by Death, or succeeded by another, but Willm. Penn & his family are always the Governor's-in-chief, with whom the Indians have principally to do.
He was then asked what he knew of the six Nations.
He answered, he knew nothing particularly of them, that he has been in Expectation of seeing them for each of these three years past, but he understands they have been detained by Nations that come to treat with them; first one Nation comes & treats with them, & when they have finished, & the six Nations are ready to sett out hither, another Nation comes to treat with them, & thus they have been prevented from coming here, but he expects they will be with us next Spring.
That he heard this Spring a great Number of Indians from the Winter Country were come amongst the six Nations, who not know- ing them or their Dispositions, had kept together, & were resolved not to leave home, till they knew further the Intentions of those Indi- ans, who are said never to have seen white People, Corn, or Bread.
The Indians being withdrawn,
It was considered by the Board, that by the several Treaties sub- sisting between this Government and the Indians, they had been encouraged to come and visit us, for improving and strengthning the friendship and good understanding, which by the Care of our first Honble Founder was happily begun, & has since without any Breach or Inturruption been carefully preserved on both sides; That the present Visit being made on the foot of these Treaties, and the Death of the Governor (an Event which they could not have learn't when they set out from home), having furnished them with an Op- portunity of paying their Compliments of Condolance on that occa- sion, it is necessary on the part of this Government, that proper Notice should be taken of them, & Return made to the Belt & Strings of Wampum they have now delivered.
Whereupon It is Ordered that goods suitable and necessary for them, not exceeding the value of Twenty Pounds, should be given them, and the Charges of their Entertainments defrayed; both which are Recommended to the Provincial Treasurer.
August 21st.
The Present for the Indians being provided, they were sent for, to whom the President with the Treasurer spoke as follows :
"You were told yesterday by the Proprietor & Council, that as
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you came to visit us on the foot of our former Treaties with you, to cultivate or strengthen the friendship that has always subsisted be- tween us, & to brighten the Chain that has ever hitherto been kept spotless, we were well pleased to see you, & shall always be so when your good old Men and grave sober People come to visit us, and in return to what you have said, this Present is ordered to be delivered to you in behalf of the Government; that is,-
Four Strowds,
One dozen Tobacco tongs,
Four Blankets,
One dozen Knives,
Four Duffels,
Tobacco & Pipes,
Four Shirts,
One hundred wt. of Bread,
Twenty pounds of Powder, Fifty pounds of Lead,
Five Gallons of Rum.
" And the Proprietor, with whom you are now going to dine, will take some further Care of our old friend Allummapees.
"We should have been very well pleased to have seen our Breth- ren of the Six Nations here at this time, as they promised last year, & since they come not, we could have wished at least that they had sent us some Message to acquaint us with the Reasons of their Stay; when you have an Opportunity of sending to them, you are desired to acquaint them with what we now say, & if at any time you hear from them or receive any Message from them relating to this Government, we desire that Conrad Weyser, who is the Interpre- ter between those Nations and us, may be acquainted .with it."
This the Indians undertook to do, & having expressed their Thankfullness for the Present given them, they took Leave.
At a Council held at Philadia., August 24th, 1736.
PRESENT :
The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President.
Samuel Preston,
Samuel Hassell,
Clement Plumsted,
Thomas Griffitts,
Thomas Laurence, Ralph Assheton,
Charles Read,
Esquires.
The President acquainted the Board that he had last week been informed by Samuel Blunston, of Lancaster County, now in Town, that the Dutch People or Germans, who, with others going over. from this side of Sasquehanna River to the West of it, had been prevailed on by some Agents from Maryland to acknowledge the Authority of that Province : had thro' a Consciousness of their Mistake, voluntarily and unanimously signified to him and other Magistrates of that County their fixed Resolution of returning to their Obedience to this Government, & acknowledging its just Ju-
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
risdiction in those parts where they are settled, for that they were become truly Sensible they of Right belonged to Pennsylvania : And as this is an Affair of some Importance, the Board are desired to consider what Measures may be most proper to take therein.
Mr. Blunston, who brought this Advice, being in town, was sent for, and desired to give as particular an account as he was able of the whole Proceedings in this Affair, that the Board may be the better able to judge of it, and he related it to this Effect:
That last Spring & this Summer divers Persons, passing over from the west side of Sasquehannah by the Ferry near his house, had mentioned to him the great Uneasiness of those People on the other side, for that they were sensible they had been in the wrong, in be- ing prevailed on by the Promises made them from Maryland to own the Right of that Government to those Lands on which they were seated, but that they were ignorant People, had been seduced, & now being sensible of it, were desirous to return to & live under our Proprietor, who alone they believed could truly be their Landlord. That he (Mr. Blunston) hald told them it was strange they could not see this at first, they had certainly been in the Wrong, but they had embarrassed themselves, & might probably on any such attempt meet with Trouble from the Government of Maryland, & therefore they ought to be very cautious, for unless this was the Mind of the whole Bulk of the Inhabitants, and they were unanimous in it, they could have no security, That immediately after the County Court of Lancaster, which was held the first week of this Month, some of the most principal Note amongst those Germans came over to him, as he understood, on Purpose, & told him, the whole Body of the People, except Cressap & his Relations, who were but three or four Men, were come to an unanimous Resolution of acknowledging their Obedience to this Government, & of returning to their true Proprie- tors, whom by Delusions & Artifices they had unjustly forsaken, if they could have any Hopes given them of being received and al- lowed to live under Pennsylva to which they were now convinced they only could in their Situation belong, That he told them since it was their Ignorance, and the false Informations of others, and not Malice by which they had been misled, they need not doubt but they would be received & treated as the other Inhabitants, but if he might advise them it should be to act openly and above board, and that if they were thus resolved, they should directly and in plain terms make it known to the Government of Maryland with their Reasons for their proceedings. That hereupon a Letter was pre- pared for this Purpose, which since his coming to town he had learnt was signed by about sixty hands, and dispatched to an Officer in Baltimore County to be forwarded to the Governor of Maryland. That one Mark Evans from the County of Bucks, who had gone over to that side, having accepted of a Commission of the Peace from Maryland, had for many months past resolved to throw it up, and had sent it with that. Letter. That at the Desire of those Ger-
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mans, the Magistrates of Lancaster had appointed two Constables amongst them for the better Preservation of the Peace, that by the advice brought him hither he understands that those four Men who adhere to Cressap had one evening seized Charles Jones one of the. two appointed Constables, & were hurrying him away with an Inten- tion 'tis supposed to carry him into Maryland, but being warmly pursued they had fled and left him. That he Mr. Blunston had within this half hour received a Letter from one of the Magistrates' of Lancaster, confirming that account of Charles Jones being taken and pursued; that it was given out there that the Sherif of Balti- more County was to be up with a Number of Men on Monday (yes- terday) & that our Sherif of Lancaster had just then apprized that Magistrate of some other Motions on the west of the Sasquehan- nah, & was taking Horse to meet him to concert proper Measures on the Occasion : This Mr. Blunston said was the Substance of what he could inform and then he withdrew.
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