USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 69
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" The King is likewise further pleased to furnish all the Men so raised as above with Arms, Ammunition & Tents, as well as to order provisions to be issued to the same by his Majesty's Commis- saries, in the same Proportion & manner as is done to the rest of the King's Forces.
" The whole therefore, that the King expects and requires from the several Provinces is the Levying, Clothing & Pay of the Men ; and on these heads also, that no Encouragement may be wanting to this great and salutary services, His Majesty is further most graci- ously pleased to permit me to be acquainted, that strong recom- mendations will be made to Parliament at their Sessions next Year, to grant a proper Compensation for such Expences as above, ac-
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cording to the active Vigour and strenous Efforts of the respective Provinces shall justly appear to merit.
" In consequence of the above Requisition, and of his Majesty's further Intentions signified to him by the Secretary of State; I have also received a Letter from his Excellency Sir Jeffery Am- herst, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in North America, which, as the matters therein contained will probably soon come under your Consideration, I have judged proper to communicate to You. " As by the Letters above mentioned, which I have ordered to be laid before you, you will be fully possessed of what the King ex- pects and requires of you on this important Occasion, it would be needless for me to attempt enlarging thereon, since the reasons and interesting Motives therein set forth to induce a speedy and effec- tual Compliance with His Majesty's demand, are so striking and self-evident that they must necessarily lose of their Force when handled by any inferior Authority. Nevertheless, as in obedience to the King's Command, it is my duty forthwith to use my best Endeavours & Influence to induce you to raise with all possible Dispatch at least the same number of men as was required from this Province by Mr. Pitt's Letter of the Seventeenth of December, 1760, viz : Two-thirds of what you raised the preceding Cam- paign. I do accordingly, in the strongest and most earnest manner, recommend this measure to be pursued by you, as being what, in my opinion, the present situation of these Colonies loudly call for, and by your speedy and effectual Compliance with which you cannot fail to entitle yourselves to the continued favour & protection of the best of Kings.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" February 16th, 1762."
Then were read and considered two Bills which had been just sent up to the Governor for his Concurrence, entitled as follows, vizt. :
" An Act to enable the Owners and possessors of the Southern District of Darby Marsh or Meadow Ground, in the County of Ches- ter, to embank and drain the same, to make and keep the outside Banks & Dams in good repair, & to raise a fund to defray the Yearly Expences accruing thereon."
" An Act to enable the owners and possessors of a certain Tract of Marsh and Meadow Land therein described, situate in the Coun- ties of Philadelphia and Chester, to keep the Banks, Dams, Sluices & Floodgates in repair, & to raise a Fund to defray the Expence thereof."
MEMORANDUM. Thursday the 18th of February, 1762.
The Governor sent down to the House the two above mentioned Meadow Bills, having agreed to the first and made one small Amend-
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ment to the latter, And at the same time ordered the Secretary to acquaint the House that he had appointed Mr. Peters and him to compare all the Bills, to which he had given his Assent, with the Engrossed Copies.
Eodem Die, P. M.
The Governor being in the Council Chamber, received a verbal Message from the House by two Members that the House proposed to adjourn till the 15th March next, to which His Honour answered that he could not consent to such an Adjournment.
The Bills that had passed the House with the Governor's Con- currence having been compared with their Copies, and the Speaker with the House attending according to order, the Speaker presented the seven following Bills to his Honour to be passed, which were ac- cordingly enacted into Laws & a Warrant signed for affixing the Great Seal thereto.
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The Laws passed are as follows, vizt., :
" An Act for opening and better amending and keeping in repair the publick Roads and Highways within this Province."
" An Act for the recovery of the Duties of Tonnage upon Ships and Vessels, & certain Duties upon Wine, Rum, Brandy, and other Spirits, & upon Sugar, which became due by virtue of a Law of this Province lately expired, and which were not received during the continuance thereof, & for appropriating the Surplus of the said Duties."
" An Act for vesting the State House and other publick Build- ings with the Lots of Ground whereon the same are erected, together with two other Lotts situate in the City of Philadelphia, in Trust- ees for the uses therein particularly mentioned."
" An Act for the more effectual Suppressing & preventing of Lotteries."
"An Act to enable the owners and occupiers of the Wiccaco Meadows, in the County of Philadelphia, to keep the Banks, Dams, Sluices and Floodgates in repair, and to raise a Fund to defray the Expence thereof."
" An Act to enable the owners and possessors of a certain Tract of Marsh & Meadow Land therein described, situate in the Counties of Philadelphia & and Chester, to keep the Banks, Dams, Sluices and Floodgates in repair, & to raise a Fund to defray the Expence thereof."
" An Act to enable the Owners and possessors of the Southern District of darby Marsh or Meadow Ground, in the County of Ches- ter, to embank & drain the same, to make and keep the outside Banks and Dams in good repair, and to raise a Fund to defray the yearly Expences accruing thereon."
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The House then adjourned to the 8th of March without the Gov- ernor's consent.
Tuesday the 9th of March, 1762.
MEMORANDUM.
The Assembly having acquainted the Governor, by two Members, that a Quorum was met pursuant to their adjournment, and that the House was ready to proceed on the Business laid before them at their last Meeting, and desired to know if his Honour had any thing further to communicate to them. The Governor sent to the House the following Message, accompanied with Letters from the Earl of Egremont, and Sir Jeffery Amherst, received since the ad- journment of the House.
A Letter from the Right Honourable, the Earl of Egremont, to the Governor.
" WHITEHALL, December 12th, 1761.
"Sir :
"The King having taken into his most Serious Consideration how highly essential it is to the Interests and Security of his Sub- jects in North America, that the Regular Regiment, serving in that Country, be recruited with all convenient Expedition, to their full Complement of Effectives, and at the same time seeing the Impracticability of compleating them from Great Britain, consider- ing how this country is drained by the great number of men fur- nished for the various Services in all Parts of the World : I am, therefore, to signify to you the King's pleasure, that you do, im- mediately on the receipt of this Letter, exert your utmost Influence to induce Your Province to carry into the most speedy and effectual Execution this very important Object, by immediate Compliance with any Requisition which Sir Jeffery Amherst shall, in consequence to his Majesty's orders, make for furnishing, on certain conditions, which He will explain to You, such a number of Recruits from Your Province as he shall demand, as their Quota towards compleating the Regular Regiments, which have, been sent to America, for the defence and Protection of the Possessions of His Majesty's subjects there; And the King cannot doubt but that the Province will chearfully & readily comply with this reasonable demand, so obvi- ously calculated for their own Security & advantage, at the same time that Your Zeal for His Majesty's service will naturally excite you to use all your Influence and Power in bringing effectually to bear a measure which his Majesty has so much at heart, and with regard to which any Failure or Disappointment would be extremely Disagreeable.
"I have it also in Command from the King to acquaint You, that tho' the present situation of Affairs would have justified the
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having required of the Provinces as large a number of Men they ever have raised for any of the former Campaigns, instead of the Quota which was demanded the last Year ; Yet His Majesty con- sidering the high Importance of the Service, which makes the sub- ject of this Letter, and being desirous to ease the Burthens of His Faithful Subjects, as far as shall be consistent with their own safety, has been pleased to require only the same number of Men, as for the last Year, in order thereby to facilitate a Measure so essential as the compleating the Regular Regiments by Recruits, to be furnished from the Provinces in North America; and the King is persuaded that the said Provinces, duly sensible of his Majesty's tender and paternal Care for their Welfare, will, in return, readily and chear- fully comply with the Orders now sent you.
"I am with great Truth & Regard, Sir, " Your most Obedient, humble Servant,
" EGREMONT.
" Depty. Gov". of Pennsylvania."
A Letter from his Excellency Gen'l. Amherst to the Governor.
"NEW YORK, February 21st, 1762.
" Sir :
" As I acquainted You in my Letter of the 9th Instant, that I had been honoured with His Majesty's Commands for compleating the Regular Corps serving in North America, by Recruits to be raised by the several Provinces, on such Terms and Conditions as I should propose ; in Consequence of these Commands, and in Obedience thereto, I have duly considered, not only the numbers that will be necessary to be furnished by the respective Colonies, but the En- couragement to be given to induce the Men voluntarily to enlist into the Service, which I am persuaded, if properly backed by the Pro- vinces, have the desired Effect.
" The number of Men expected from your Province for this Ser- vice, with the method proposed for raising them, I shall now lay before You, and the Earl of Egremont's Letter, which I herewith inclose to You, will show you how much the King has this Mea- sure at Heart, and how disagreeable any Failure or Disappointment therein would be to His Majesty.
" The quota to be furnished by your province, agreeable to the proportions from the other Colonies, is Four hundred & Eighty-two Men; I must, therefore, most earnestly request you will use your utmost Influence with the Assembly to raise that number over and above those already demanded by my Letter of the ninth Instant, by paying them the same Levy Money as to the others; and as an Encouragement to induce the Men to enter into the Regular Ser- vice, I propose to allow Five Pounds New York Currency, Bounty
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Money, to each Man not under Eighteen, nor above Forty Years of age, who shall inlist to serve during the War, or until the Regiments return to Europe ; they shall be cloathed, and enter into pay without any further Expence to the Province than their first Levying; and at the Expiration of their Time above mentioned, shall be sent back to their respective Homes ; and in order to encourage the Provin- cial Officers to forward this essential Service, I leave it to you to appoint any Officer, or Officers, you shall think proper to persuade the men to enter into the regular Service on the above Conditions ; for every one of which that he shall so inlist, and that is approved of by a regular Officer whom I shall appoint for that purpose, the said provincial Officer shall receive a reward of Forty Shillings, New York Currency ; It will, therefore, be necessary that I have the earliest notice of the Time when you think the Men will be raised, that I may send an Officer to approve of them, receive them, & to pay the Bounty and Reward, as already promised.
" I have only to add, that to render this Service effectual, and to prevent desertion, I shall expect the Province will provide for re- placing such men as do desert, which, when known, I am persuaded will prevent any of them from leaving their Corps, since they can- not expect protection in the Colonies.
" You will please to observe that the Execution of this Measure must, by no means, retard or interfere with the Requisition made by His Majesty for the Provincial Service. The King, ever mind- ful of the Ease and Welfare of his Faithful Subjects, demands only such assistance as may be granted without subjecting them to any heavy Burthen, and therefore has been pleased to make his Requi- sitions agreeable thereto; and I trust, from your known Zeal for his Majesty's Honour, & the good of the Service, you will enforce the necessity of both Measures, when you meet your Assembly, in such manner that, as these measures are calculated for the prosecu- tion of a War, in which the immediate Security and future Interests of the Provinces are so essentially concerned, they will chearfully and readily comply with His Majesty's Commands, and thereby approve themselves faithful and obedient Subjects to the best of Kings.
"I am with great Regard, Sir, "Your most Obedient humble Servant, "JEFF. AMHERST."
A second Letter from His Excellency Genl. Amherst to the Gov- ernor.
NEW YORK, February 22nd, 1762.
" Sir :
"I am this Moment favoured with your Letter of the seventeenth Instant, acquainting me with the reasons for your having adjourned
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Your Assembly for a Fortnight, with which I am well satisfied, as I am in hopes they will, by that Time, be fully prepared for com- plying with the King's Commands, contained in the Earl of Egre- mont's two Letters, the last of which, respecting the filling up of the Regular Corps by Recruits from the several Provinces, you will receive by this Post, together with one from myself on the same Subject.
"I am, with great Regard, Sir,
"Your most Obedient humble Servant, " JEFF. AMHERST."
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A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"Since your adjournment, I have been honoured with a Second Letter from the Right Honourable the Earl of Egremont, one of his Majesty's principle Secretaries of State, bearing date the twelfth of December last, acquainting me that the King having taken into his most serious Consideration how highly essential it is to the Inter- ests and Security of his Subjects in North America, that the Regu- lar Regiments serving there be recruited with all convenient Expe- dition to their full Complement of Effectives ; and at the same time seeing the Impracticability of compleating them from Great Britain, considering how that Country is drained by the great number of men furnished for the various Services in all parts of the World; He is, therefore, commanded to signify to me the King's pleasure, that immediately after the receipt of the said Letter, I should exert my utmost Influence to induce this Province to carry into the most speedy and effectual Execution this very important Object, by an immediate Compliance with any requisition Sir Jeffery Amherst shall, in Consequence of his Majesty's orders, make, for furnishing on certain Conditions, which he will explain to me, such a number of Recruits from this Province as he shall demand, as their Quota towards compleating the regular Regiments which have been sent to America for the Defence and Protection of the Possessions of His Majesty's Subjects there. And that the King cannot doubt but that the Provinces will chearfully and readily comply with this rea- sonable demand, so obviously Calculated for their Security and ad- vantage, which His Majesty hath so much at Heart, and with Re- gard to which, any Failure or Disappointment would be extreamly disagreeable.
" His Lordship is also, by His Majesty's Command, further pleased to acquaint me, That tho' the present situation of affairs would have fully justified the having required of the Provinces as large a number of Men as they ever have raised for any of the for- mer Campaigns, instead of the Quota which was demanded last
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year, yet, that His Majesty considering the high Importance of the Service, which makes the subject of his Letter, and being desirous to case the Burthens of His Faithful Subjects, as far as shall be consistent with their own Safety, hath been pleased to require only the same number of men as for the last Year, in order thereby to facilitate a measure so essential as the compleating the regular Regi- ments, by Recruits to be furnished from the Provinces in North America; and that the King is persuaded that the said Provinces, duly sensible of His Majesty's tender and paternal Care for their Welfare, will in return readily comply with the Orders now sent.
"At the same time that Sir Jeffery Amherst transmitted to me the above mentioned Letter from the Secretary of State, he was likewise pleased to honour me with one from himself, ascertaining, pursuant to the trust reposed in him by the King, as well the num- ber of men required to be furnished by this Province, for compleat- ing the regular Corps serving in North America, as the method pro- posed for raising them, by which you will perceive, that the number expected from us, agrecable to the proportions from the other Colo- nies, amounts to Four hundred & Eighty-two Men, over and above those required by his Letter of the ninth of the last Month. And as an inducement to the men to enter into the regular Service, he proposes that we should pay to them the same Levy money as is given to the Provincials, in addition to which, as a further Encour- agement, he will allow the Sum of Five Pounds, New York Cur- rency, to each man approved of by a regular Officer to be appointed for that purpose, who shall inlist to serve during the War, or until the Regiments shall return to Europe; that the Men so raised shall be cloathed and enter into immediate pay, without any further ex- pence to the Province than their first Levying, and at the expiration of their Time, as above mentioned, shall be sent back to their re- spective Homes.
" He is also pleased to signify to me, that to render this Service effectual, & prevent Desertion, he does expect that the Province will provide for re-placing such men as do desert; which when known, he is persuaded will prevent any of them from leaving their Corps, since, in that Case, they cannot expect protection in the Col- onies. And lastly, that the Execution of the above measure must, by no means, retard or intefere with the Requisition made by His Majesty for the Provincial Service.
"When you call to mind, Gentlemen, the present critical State of Affairs both in Europe & America ; the unhappy prospect of a Continuance of the War with France, and the great Reason there is to apprehend that His Majesty may soon be obliged to enter into a new one, with another formidable power, for vindicating the Honour of His Crown, and the Commercial Interests of His Sub- jects, in which the Service of the regular Regiments, when com- pleat, cannot fail to be of the utmost Importance ;
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" When you reflect on the seasonable and powerful protection these Colonies have received from the Mother Country, by means of these very Regiments, and the utter impracticability of recruiting & compleating them from Great Britain, already drained of Men, by the various & extensive Services in all parts of the World ; and above all, how much His Majesty hath the Execution of this Measure at Heart, and how very disagreeable any Disappointment therein must consequently prove to him ;
"I say, Gentlemen, when you shall have duly weighed & con- sidered these several very important & interesting Circumstances, I flatter myself, & indeed cannot entertain a Doubt, but that you will chearfully and readily comply with His Majesty's Commands hereby signified to you; and in so doing, approve yourselves faith- ful and affectionate Subjects to the best of Sovereigns ; to which I most earnestly press and exhort you ; and for your more particular Information, I have ordered the several Letters, from which this Message is chiefly an extract, to be laid before You.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" March 8th, 1762."
The following Letter from the Governor, to Beaver & Shingass, in answer to theirs of was sent by Mr. Frederick Post :
"Brethren, (Beaver and Shingass & all other our Indian friends) : " I have received your kind Messages by Mr. Crogan and Mr. Frederick Post, (or Wallangundowngen) with the Belts sent there- with.
" Brethren :
"It pleases me to hear of the great care you have taken to com- municate the good news of the Peace to all the Nations that you are connected with, & that they have, at your instance, renewed & brightened the old chain of Friendship.
" Brethren : .
" What you say is true, namely, that some of your Flesh and Blood have been Killed since making the peace, but I can assure You with great truth, that it has given me as much grief and trouble of Heart as if it had been my own Flesh, and I have spared neither pains nor Expence to find out the Authors of these Murders, and I do still continue my endeavours to do so, to the end that they may be brought to publick Justice. All our people are made acquainted, by Proclamation, with this, and that they are to Love, and Cherish, and be kind to their Brethren, the Indians, whenever they come amongst us.
" Brethren :
" I desire you will present my kindest affections to all your people, and let them know that their intention to visit me this Summer, is
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very agreeable, and that they shall be received with the heartiest welcome."
A String.
" Brethren :
" As we have now in this City some Remains of the Small Pox, and it is warm weather, that infectious disease may perhaps increase, I have kindled the Council Fire at Lancaster, to which place I in- vite you and all your Friends by this Belt."
A Belt.
"Brethren :
" I request you will not fail to let me know before hand, when you propose to set out on your Journey, that I may send proper persons to escort you, & suitable provisions for you and your Com- pany on the Road.
" Brethren :
" Wollangundowngen will conduct you thro' the Province, to Lancaster, & take care that you have what is necessary for you in your Journey, and I put him under your Protection for this pur- pose.
· " JAMES HAMILTON.
" Philadelphia, 11th March, 1762."
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MEMORANDUM, 17th March, 1762.
The Governor, not having received any Message from the House since their Sitting, relating to His Majesty's demands, sent them the following Message, Viz4 :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" It being of the greatest Importance to the King's Service, that Sir Jeffery Amherst should, as soon as possible, be acquainted with your proceedings upon His Majesy's two Requisitions, some time since laid before You, that he may know not only what assistance he has to depend upon from this Province in the ensuing Campaign, but your Resolutions likewise, with respect to the other essential Measures of a quota of Men for filling up and compleating the Re- gular Regiments, so strongly recommended & enjoined by his Ma- jesty, I am to desire that you will acquaint me with your Determi- nation upon those several Heads, that I may forthwith apprize him thereof, in order that His Excellency, who impatiently expects an account of them, may be thereby enabled to regulate his Measures accordingly.
" JAMES HAMILTON.
"March 17th, 1762."
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And the same day the Governor received from the House the fol- lowing answer, viz":
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please your Honour :
"The Representatives of the people of this Province, ever desirous of demonstrating their Loyalty to the Crown, & the utmost Readi- ness in complying with His Majesty's most gracious Requisitions, as far as the Circumstances of the Province will permit, at the' Be- ginning of this sitting, took into consideration his Majesty's Demand of a number of Provincials to serve under his Commander-in-Chief in these parts, upon which they have chearfully resolved, notwith- standing the heavy Burthen of Taxes already imposed on this Young Colony, to raise a thousand effective Men, to be employed as His Majesty's Commander-in-Chief shall order and appoint ; A Bill for this purpose is now before us, and will, in a short time, be presented to your Honour for your Assent.
" It would have given us pleasure could we accede to the other Requisition made on this Province, of furnishing a number of Men towards recruiting the Regular Corps serving in North America, but when we take a view of the large number of Recruits had from this Province for that purpose, which we apprehend, amount to more than has been supplied by all the other Colonies beside, whereby it is already drained of Men, we are obliged to inform your Honour, we find it impracticable to comply with a Measure so warmly re- commended by His Majesty's Secretary of State, and we cannot doubt, were his Majesty apprized of the large number of Men re- cruited in this Province, and the present difficulties of the People arising therefrom, our Inability in this respect, will not be esteemed an Instance of want of due regard to the Requisition of the Crown. "Signed by order of the House.
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