USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 17
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want immediate Pay, to recommend it to the Governors of the Pro- vinces where these Services have been made to procure Credit from the respective Assemblies for that purpose, which His Majesty hopes may be done without Difficulty.'
"In Obedience to his Majestie's Commands We do therefore most earnestly recommend it to You that You wou'd immediately provide Money or Credit for the Payment of such Sums as shall remain due to the Forces rais'd in this Government at the time of their Discharge, an Estimate whereof sent us by Governor Clinton we have order'd to be laid before You, together with the several Letters & Papers we have received from Governor Shirley, Admiral Knowles, & Governor Clinton, on this Subject.
"You will perceive, Gentlemen, by the above Instructions that an Account must be prepared of the whole Expence of the Penn- sylvania Companies from the time of their being Levied to the time of their Discharge. You will therefore furnish Us with the Votes & Minutes of Your House & such other Materials in Your Power as shall be necessary, & that with all the Dispatch possible, so that they may be transmitted to His Majesty time enough to be laid before the Parliament at their next Session.
" As His Majesty hopes what is demanded will be done without Difficulty, You will no doubt consider of the most effectual ways to answer His Majestie's Expectations.
" ANTHONY PALMER, Presidt.
"November 24th, 1747."
The Secretary is order'd to deliver it immediately, together with one of the Writts.
The Gentlemen of the Committee having finish'd their Draught of a Message to the Assembly to accompany the late Indian Treaty, & to recommend the Services mention'd by Governor Shirley in his Letter of the 9th Instant, the same was read and approv'd, & or- der'd to be wrote fair & Sign'd & laid before the House as soon as there shou'd be reason to think they were come to some Conclusion on the several matters before them.
The Board call'd for the Assembly's last Message in answer to their's on the State & Condition of the Province, but not concluding on any thing to be said in reply, they postpon'd the Consideration thereof to another Day.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court having deliver'd in a fair Copy of the Record of the Conviction of Patrick Burne, Michael Burne, & William Ward, of the City of Philadelphia, Labourers, who were found guilty of Burglary at the late Court of Oyer & Terminer, & lay under Sentence of Death, the same was read, & after hearing a relation of the Circumstances which appeared on the Tryal by Mr. Till, one of the Supreme Judges, & likewise an account of what
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appear'd by Examinations on their Commitment from Mr. Law- rence & Mr. Turner, the Justices who committed them, The Board was of Opinion that from any thing which appear'd at present they did not merit Mercy, & therefore order'd the Secretary to prepare the Draught of a Warrant for their Execution, to be laid before the Board on Thursday next, at which time they propos'd to take their Case further into Consideration, & that they might be fully inform'd of every thing relating to them the Secretary was order'd to call upon the Justices of the Supreme Court for their Report of the Tryal.
At a Council held at Philadelphia the 25th Novr. 1747.
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esquire, President.
Thomas Lawrence, William Till,
Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell, ~ Esqrs.
Joseph Turner, William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read & approv'd.
The Message agreed to yesterday was Sign'd & left with the Sec- retary, together with the Papers referr'd to therein, to be deliver'd to-morrow morning.
A Message from the President & Council to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" You will see by the Papers which are ordered to be laid before you that we have had a Treaty with some Indian Warriors from Ohio, who came to Town for that purpose. By them we are given to understand that the Tribe of Indians, being a mixture of the Six Nations, to which these Warriors belong, have actually resolved to adhere to their Brethren the English against the French, & pro- pose to kindle a great Fire at Ohio in the Spring, to which they have Invited the Indians living round about them to join with them in these Resolutions.
"This is an extraordinary Event in our favour which ought to be improv'd to the greatest Advantage. From the Situation of these People, being mostly within the Limits of this Government, they are capable of doing or preventing the greatest Mischiefs; and from what passed at a Conversation between them & the Inter- preter, there is reason to apprehend that without Encouragement from this Province they may be seduced by the French to go over to their side, whereby the Lives of the back Inhabitants will be in the utmost Danger. These Considerations have induc'd us to give them the Goods mentioned in the Account delivered you herewith, and to promise to send the Interpreter with a larger Present to their Fire at Ohio in the Spring. You will, therefore, take care at
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this Session to come to such Resolves as will enable us to make good our Engagements.
"The last Post brought a Letter from Governor Shirley, dated at Boston the 9th of November, 1747, purporting that at a Meet- ing of Commissioners from the Government of the Massachusetts Bay, New York, and Connecticut, at the City of New York in Sep- tember last, it was agreed in behalf of the said Governments that an Expedition shou'd be undertaken against the French Fort at Crown Point ; That certain Measures shou'd be used to retain & confirm the Indians of the Six Nations & others in Alliance with them in the Interest of the English Governments, and other Mat- ters were agreed upon for the Defence of 'the English Colonies against the French and Indian Enemy; and also that there shou'd be another Meeting of the Commissrs. about the middle of Decem- ber next, and that in the mean time all the other Governments from New Hampshire to Virginia shou'd be invited & earnestly urged to join in this Publick & Important Undertaking, wherein His Majestie's Honour and the Interest of all His Subjects in North America are so deeply concern'd. The Agreement of the Commis- sioners was laid before the General Assembly of that Province in their late Session, but finding so thin an appearance of the Repre- sentatives, and most of the principal Members absent, Mr. Shirley judg'd it best to adjourn the Assembly to Tuesday the Seventeenth Instant; this obliged him to entreat the Government of Pennsyl- vania to order their Publick Business so as that the Assembly may be able to meet about the time when we may expect to know their Resolutions upon this Affair.'
" As the Province of Massachusetts Bay is suppos'd to be now sitting, & we may every Day expect to receive their Resolves in order to be laid before You for your Sentiments & Concurrence, & as we cannot think but You will heartily join in promoting every Scheme that shall appear to contribute to retain & encrease the Friendship of the Indians, you will readily comply with Mr. Shir- ley's Request.
" ANTHONY PALMER, President.
"25th November, 1747."
A Petition from the Criminals under Sentence of Death was read, & likewise a Letter from the Chief justice relating to them, & the Consideration thereof was postpon'd till to-morrow, to which time the Council adjourn'd & the Secretary was order'd to tell the ab- sent Members that their attendance was required.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, 26th November, 1747.
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr. President.
1
Thomas Lawrence,
Samuel Hasell,
William Till,
Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell,
Benjamin Shoemaker, Esqrs.
Joseph Turner,
Thomas Hopkinson,
William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd.
The Petition from Patrick Burne, .Michael Burne, & William Ward, Prisoners under Sentence of Death, & the Chief Justice's Letter in relation to them, were again read, & after much Delibera- tion the Board determin'd that the Warrant shou'd be Sign'd to the Sheriff for their Execution on Saturday the 7th Day of December, of which the Criminals were to have immediate Notice.
The Consideration of the State of the Province was again re- sum'd, and from the Accounts brought by Persons of Credit, some of them belonging to this Port, who had been taken by the Ene- mies Privateers & carried Prisoners into one or other of the Spanish or French Islands, it appear'd that Several Privateers from dif- ferent Places might be expected to come on the Coast in the Spring, & numbers falling into Company together, tho' there shou'd not have been any Scheme previously concerted (which is also very much to be fear'd), might join Forces and attempt the City. It further ap- pear'd that the Inhabitants of the City, to the number of 260, had from these just Apprehensions presented a Petition to the Assem- bly to put the City & Province into some Posture of Defence, and that many Hundreds had enter'd into an Association for the gen- eral Defence of the City & Province, & intending to erect one or more Batteries at the narrowest & most proper Places of the River, had petition'd the honoble. Prop's. for an early Supply of Cannon & Arms; and that the Corporation, concurring with the Associa- tors, had likewise preferr'd a Petition to the Proprietaries, setting forth the defenceless Condition of the City, & praying their aid & an early Supply of Cannon, &c. It further appeared that the Mer- chants of the City had Petition'd the Board of the Admiralty for a Man of War to be sent early enough to protect the Trade, & to prevent or defeat the mischievous designs of our Enemies.
On Consideration hereof, the Board resolv'd to give all due Pro- tection & Encouragement to the Members of the Association, it being the only Method thought on likely to preserve the Lives & Properties of their Fellow-Citizens in case of a Descent; and like- wise to give the Proprietors an account of what was propos'd to be done for the Defence of the Place, and to bespeak their favour- able Reception of the several Addresses which would go by this
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Conveyance ; and Mr. Taylor & Mr. Hopkinson are desir'd to pre- pare the Draught of a suitable Letter to them on this Important Occasion.
At a Council held at Philada. the 28th Novr., 1747.
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.
Samuel Hasell, Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell, Thomas Hopkinson, S Esqrs.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
Two Members of Assembly having in the morning deliver'd to the Secretary a written Message from the House, dated yesterday, the same was read in the words following, viz“:
A Message from the Assembly. -
" May it please the President & Council :
"The Duke of Newcastle in his Letter to Governor Shirley, dated the 30th May last, to which you are pleased to refer us, directs Governor Shirley & Commodore Knowles 'to procure an Account of the whole Expence incurr'd on Account of the Ameri- can Troops, from the time of their being Levied to the time of their Discharge, and when the same should be fully adjusted and liqui- dated to transmit it to him, with the proper Vouchers from the several Governors, that it might be laid before Parliament, to the end that Provision might be made for the Payment. And after signifying His Majesty's Intention that the Americans shou'd be immediately discharged, except the few there mentioned,' directs ' that the manner of discharging them, and the satisfaction for their time, should be left to Governor Shirley & Commodore Knowles,' who, in pursuance of these Instructions, in their Letters to You have requested you would furnish them with the particular Accounts & Proofs they judge necessary for that purpose ; and tho' they are also directed 'to recommend it to the Governors of the Provinces where those Levies have been made to procure Credit from the re- spective Assemblies, in order to prevent any Complaint amongst the Men that have been inlisted for want of immediate Pay,' Yet we apprehend till the Sums due to the several Companies are regu- larly ascertain'd, it is not in our Power to judge what Credit or Money may be expected to be borrowed from this Province for the King's Use on Account of the Levies rais'd here. But consider- ing the great Desertions in those Companies & the Payments made them by Governor Clinton, who, we presume, had the Command in Chief of these Troops, we hope there can be no extraordinary occasion of Complaint amongst the Men for want of their remain- ing Pay till Provision shall be made for them by Parliament, or at
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least till their Accounts can be fully adjusted and Liquidated in the manner directed by the Duke of New Castle's Letter.
" The Accounts necessary for settling the Expence of the Penn- sylvania Companies to the time of their leaving this Province we suppose are mostly in your Hands; but the several Sums of Money granted upon this Occasion, & which by our Votes & Minutes ap- pear to have been paid for the King's Use, with such other Mate- rials as are in our Power, we have ordered to be laid before You.
" Sign'd by Order of the House.
"JOHN KINSEY, Speaker. "Nov". 27th, 1747."
An Account of Money given to the King's Use by the Assembly, viz :
"1746-4. Given by Act of Assembly for the Mo.
- £5,000 0 0 Mo. th -
King's Use - - " Do. - 8. 17. Given to the King's Use by order of Assembly - 450 0 0 " 1747. Paid by the Treasurer to Governor Thomas by Order of Assembly as # Account settled with him, 1747 211 0 8₺ " Do. Paid by Order of the House to several Innholders for Dieting the Soldiers 552 16 11
£6,213 17 7%
"There are several other Demands of the Innholders on Accot. of Dieting & Taking Care of the Sick Men nor yet allowed by the House.
"Signed by Order of the House, "B. FRANKLIN, Clerk of Assembly."
The Gentlemen of the Committee having prepar'd a Letter to the Proprietaries, the same was read & approv'd, & sign'd by the Presidt & the Members present.
" PHILADA., 27th Nov". 1747.
" Gentlemen :
"In our Letter of the 29th July last we laid before You the State of the Province at that time. We are now to acquaint You with the present State of it, & are sorry to say that our Circum- stances are not changed for the better, but that this City in particular must be look'd upon to be in a much more dangerous Situation than it has hitherto appear'd to be since the commencement of the French War.
"The French, by the Prisoners they have taken and otherwise,
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having fully inform'd themselves of the naked and defenceless Con- dition we are in, have at length presum'd to take their Station in our Bay, and either by Corruption or some other Methods have found out the Art of procuring the Assistance of the Pilots, by which Means our Inward and Outward Bound Vessels are wholly at their Mercy, and we are given to understand that as they met with such great Success last Summer, they intend to augment their Force and make a push for Something more considerable in the Spring, which we apprehend must be and can hardly be suppos'd to be any other than an Attempt on the City. What the Consequences of such an Invasion upon a Place without Force or any Means for Defence will be You will easily imagine. It is past a Doubt that the City must be given up to the Plunder of a cruel Enemy, & the Inhabitants left to the Exercise of the brutal Passions of a sett of Banditti usually employed in the Enemy's Privateers, and to com- pleat our Misfortunes the burning of the City will probably be the last Act of the Enemy.
" These Considerations afford but a melancholy prospect of the approaching Year, & many have resolved to send away their Familys & Effects at the opening of the Spring,
"Under these unhappy Circumstances the Inhabitants of the City are greatly alarmed, and despairing that any Provision will be made by the Assembly for their Protection they have generally enter'd into an Association for that purpose, and many hundreds have resolv'd to learn Military Discipline and form themselves into Bodies, and such Arms as can be made serviceable will be collected. They have likewise form'd a Scheme for erecting a Battery on the River, which may be so plac'd as effectually to prevent any Attempt on the City; and we understand Applications are intended to be made to You for some Cannon for the Battery. As these Measures seem so necessary for the Publick Safety we cannot but heartily approve them, and doubt not but they will meet with Your. En- couragement, being well assur'd of Your Concern for the welfare of this Province & its Inhabitants; thus will this City owe its pre- servation, under God, to the same Family from which it had its Birth & Foundation.
"The Assembly is now sitting and have under their Considera- tion a Petition for the Defence of the City & the Protection of its Trade, Sign'd by great numbers of People of all Ranks and Condi- tions (and amongst the rest no less than Sixty-two of those hitherto deem'd to be against Defence). What Success it may have we can- not at present say, but apprehend that it will meet with the same Fate as all Applications of that sort have hitherto had.
" The Merchants of the City having set forth in a Petition to the Lords of the Admiralty the ruinous State of our Trade, & that it is likely to become worse, have pray'd their Lordships that a Man of VOL. V .- 11.
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War may be appointed on the New York Station, & be order'd to come sometimes within the Bay of Delaware. This Petition is sent to Mr. Simpson to be presented to their Lordships by him & the other Gentlemen who have contracted to supply with Provisions His Majestie's Navy in the West Indies; and we have reason to think they will be attended by most of the Merchants concern'd in the American Trade.
" As We have sign'd the Petition, & are importun'd by the rest to write in its favour to the Proprietors, we desire You will do all in your Power to promote its Success, whereby You will confer the greatest Obligations on all the Petitioners, & in particular on
" Gentlemen, Your most obedient Servants,
" ANTHONY PALMER,
" THOMAS LAWRENCE,
"SAMUEL HASELL,
" WILLIAM TILL, " ABRAHAM TAYLOR,
" ROBERT STRETTELL,
" JOSEPH TURNER,
"THOMAS HOPKINSON, "WILLIAM LOGAN."
The London Ship being expected to Sail in the morning, the Secretary was directed to offer it to the absent Members in the Afternoon, and if they approv'd, to desire them to sign it.
A Letter from Mr. Weiser to the Secretary, dated the 24th In- stant, was read, purporting that Shikalamy being at his House on a Visit he delivered to him the Present of the Council, for which he returned the Council his hearty thanks; that the Ohio Indians re- peated to Shikalamy what had pass'd at Philadelphia, with which he was mightily pleas'd; they further assur'd him that the Janontady Hayas, the Twigtwees, the Unich Cathallan, the Konatawadeany, the Quisagochroanos had actually made Use of their Hatchet against the French in favour of the English, & expected the English wou'd assist them with Necessaries ; that the said Indians had seiz'd all the French Goods they cou'd meet with, and knock'd some of the Traders in the Head, and some they permitted to go to Canada naked & acquaint their father Onontio that his Children the Indians were angry with him. And in a Postscrip Mr. Weiser adds this Important piece of News, that the Gechdagechroanos & the Runateg- wechsuchroanos, two Strong. Nations of Indians, had received the French Hatchet, & sometime last Summer several hundreds of them were coming this way to make an Invasion upon this or the Neigh- bouring Provinces, but were persuaded to go back again by the Twigtwees, who told them it wou'd be as much as declaring War against the Six Nations & their Allies, who were become one body with the English. These two Nations live to the West of the Lakes, not far from the Mississippi.
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The Secretary was order'd to lay the Letter before the Assembly, which was accordingly done.
A Message from the Assembly by two of their Members, viz. : that the House inclin'd to adjourn to the first Monday in January.
The Members were told that the propos'd adjournment was quite unexpected, as there were sundry Matters of great Conseqence under deliberation; but as they claim'd the Right of adjourning when & to what time they pleas'd, the Council was oblig'd to acquiesce.
At a Council held at Philadelphia the 3d Decr., 1747. PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.
Thomas Lawrence,
Samuel Hasell,
William Till,
Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell,
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson, William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
The Warrant for the Execution of Patrick Burne, Michael Burne, & William Ward not being yet sign'd, the President & four of the Eldest Members Sign'd it, After which it was agreed that William Ward shou'd be Repriev'd at the Gallows, and a Reprieve was order'd to be got ready against Saturday morning, to which time the Council adjourn'd.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, 5th December, 1747. PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.
Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell,
William Till,
Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker,
Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson, William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
William Ward's Reprieve was Sign'd by the President & the four Eldest Members, in these words :
" George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, & so forth, " To the Sheriff of the City & County of Philadelphia, Greeting :
" Whereas, By our Warrant under the Lesser Seal of our Prov- ince of Pennsylvania, bearing date the 3d Day of this Instant, Dec"-, to You directed, We did Command & Require you, the said Sheriff, that you should, on the fifth Day of this Instant, December, execute
1
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a Judgment lately given against William Ward by having the said William Ward hung by the Neck until he should be Dead. We do hereby Command You that from the Execution of the said Wil- liam Ward by virtue of the said Warrant you totally abstain. In Testimony whereof we have caus'd the Lesser Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness Anthony Palmer, Esq"-, President, Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell, William Till, & Abraham Taylor, Esquires, in Council at Philadelphia the 5th Day of December, in the Year of our Lord, 1747, and in the Twenty- first Year of our Reign.
" ANTHONY PALMER, "THOMAS LAWRENCE,
" SAMUEL HASELL,
" WILLIAM TILL, " ABRAHAM TAYLOR."
The Draughts of a Letter to Governor Clinton, & of another to Governor Shirley, were read & approv'd, & order'd to be transerib'd fair & Sign'd by the President.
" PHILADA., 5th Des"", 1747.
" Sir :
"The Assembly meeting in pursuance of a Summons on the 23d. of November, the Council laid before them the several Letters & Papers receiv'd from their Excellencies Governor Shirley and Ad- miral Knowles, relating to the dismission & Pay of the American Levies, and likewise Your Excellency's Letters on that Subject & the Estimate, and notwithstanding they were convened on this very account, & press'd by the Council to give it all the Dispatch possible, yet after sitting four Days they return'd no other answer than that ' they apprehend till the Sums due to the several Companies are regularly ascertain'd' it is not in their Power to judge what Credit or Money may be expected to be borrowed from this Provinee for the King's Use on account of the Levies rais'd here ; But consider- ing the great Desertions in those Companies, & the Payments made them by Governor Clinton, who they presume had the Command in Chief of those Troops, they hope there can be no extraordinary occasion of Complaint amongst the Men for want of their remaining Pay till Provision shall be made for them by Parliament, or at least till their accounts can be fully adjusted & liquidated in the manner directed by the Duke of Newcastle's Letter.'
" While the Council was considering the extraordinary answer, not having had it half an hour before them, they were surpriz'd with a verbal Message by two Members, informing them that the House had adjourn'd to the first Monday in January; and tho' the two Members who brought this unexpected Message were told by the Council that there were several Important Affairs under Con- sideration, yet the House adher'd to their Adjournment & broke up Instantly; and as they have this Privilege it was not in the Power
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of the Council to prevent it. One of the Members of the Assem- bly said he believed the House adjourn'd to a short Day, supposing the Council wou'd be furnished by that time with materials for knowing the exact Sum demanded of the Province. It was thought the Estimate you was so good as to send wou'd serve to show pretty nearly the Money wanted, but as the Assembly took no notice of this, and insist on knowing the exact Sum before they determine what to do, I am oblig'd once more to desire you wou'd settle that Sum with the Officers & Men, & when done to transmit it in an authen- ticated manner, so that there may be no further pretence of Delay.
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