USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. X > Part 21
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MINUTES OF THE
prepared by the Committee of Council appointed to draw them, which Messages follow in these Words, viz":
Letter from the Governor to Captain St. Clair.
" PHILADELPHIA, 6th August, 1774.
"Sir :
" I have received your Letters of the 22d and 26th Ultº-, inclos- ing several Depositions and Letters relative to the present Situa- tion of Affairs in Westmoreland.
" As I find by all the Intelligence you have from Time to Time communicated to me, that the Shawanese, as well as Delawares, have discovered a strong Aversion to entering into a War, either with Virginia or this Province, and, on the Contrary, have given repeated Proofs of their sincere Disposition to live in Peace and Harmony with both Colonies, I have with the Advice of my Council, thought it expedient to send Messages to those Tribes, expressing the great Concern of this Government at the late unfortunate Disturbances between them and some of His Majesty's Subjects belonging to the Colony of Virginia, at the same time declaring our Resolution to preserve the Treaties of Peace and Friendship subsisting between us inviolate, and earnestly advising the Shawanese not to strike the People of Virginia, as they, as well as the People of this Province, are all Subjects of one and the same Great King, who will be as much offended at any Injury committed against any one Part of his Subjects as another, but to exert their best Endeavours to settle the Differences that have arisen between the Virginians and them, and to continue to live in Friendship with all his Majesty's Sub- jects.
" As to the Proposal of engaging the Service of the Delawares to protect our Frontiers, I would only just observe that it is a Mat- ter, in the present Situation of Indian Affairs, too delicate for me to intermeddle in.
" Since my last Letter to you, I have considered of what you mentioned in a former Letter, and now repeat, respecting the Estab- lishment of some Place of Security for carrying on the Indian Trade, as you say that Pittsburg will certainly be abandoned by all our People ; and I am now to acquaint you that I approve of the Measure of laying out a Town in the Proprietary Manor at Kittan- ning, to accomodate the Traders and the other Inhabitants who may chuse to reside there ; and, therefore, inclose you an Order for that purpose. But I cannot, without the Concurrence of the Assembly, give any Directions for erecting a Stockade or any other Work for the Security of the Place, which may incur an Expence to the Province.
"With respect to the Continuance of the 200 Rangers in the Ser- vice, it must altogether depend upon the Intelligence we receive of the Situation of our Affairs with the Indians. At present I think
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
it very improper to discharge them; and it is not improbable that if the Commotions between the Virginians and Indians should not soon be at an End, it may be necessary to keep them on foot for the Protection of our People 'till the Meeting of the Assembly on the 19th of September.
"I herewith send to your Care the Messages above mentioned, with a Belt of Wampum accompanying each, and desire you will engage some trusty, intelligent Person to carry them, and interpret the Messages to the Indians. A young man of the name of Elliot, who has been trading at the Shawanese Towns, and lately came from thence, has offered his Service to carry any Messages from Government to the Indians, and may probably be a very proper Person to employ on this Occasion. He was to leave this Place Yesterday on his return to Westmoreland. I should be glad to have his Deposition taken as to what he knows respecting the late Distur- bances between the Virginians and the Indians, from the beginning of them.
"You hint something in your last Letter about making Presents to the Indians, but, though such a Step at some future convenient Time might be very useful and proper, I am of Opinion it would be very unadvisable under the present Circumstances.
"I am, with great Regard, Sir, "Your most Obedient humble Servant,
" JOHN PENN.
" To Arthur St. CLAIR, Esq"., at Ligonier."
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" By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware.
"A Message to the Chiefs and Warriors of the Shawanese Indians.
" Brethren :
" When I heard that you had taken Care of our Traders, and had sent some of your young Men to conduct them Home in Safety, it made my Heart glad, because I was satisfied that you kept fast hold of the Chain of Friendship which was made between our Fore Fathers, and renewed by us, and you may be assured that I shall always remember this Instance of your kindness, and that I shall hold fast that End of the Chain which is in my Hands, so long as you hold yours. But, Brethren, it gives me great Concern, and my Heart is grieved to hear of the Difference between you and our Brothers, the People of Virginia. If any of the wicked People of Virginia have murdered any of your People, you should complain of it to the Governor, and he will have them punished. You should not, in such Cases, take Revenge upon innocent People who have
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MINUTES OF THE
never hurt you. It is a very wicked Thing to kill innocent People, because some of their Countrymen have been wicked, and killed some of you.
" Brethren :
" If you continue to act in this Manner the People of Virginia must do the same Thing by you, and then there will be nothing but War between you. Consider, Brethren, that the People of Vir- ginia are like the Leaves upon the Trees, very numerous, and you are but few, and although you should kill ten of their People for one that they kill of yours, they will at last wear you out, and destroy you. They are able to send a great Army into your Country and destroy your Towns, and your Corn, and either kill your Wives and Children, or drive them away. Besides, Brethren, the Virginians, as well as our People and you, are the Children of the Great King who lives beyond the Great Water ; and if his Children fall out and go to War among themselves, and some of them are wicked, and will not make Peace with the others, he will be very angry, and punish those who are in fault. Therefore, Brethren, let me advise you to forget and forgive what is past, and to send to the Governor of Virginia, and offer to make Peace.
" I shall write to the Governor of Virginia, and endeavour to persuade him to join with you in mending the Chain of Friend- ship between you, which has been broken, and to make it so strong that it may never be broke again; and I hope Brethren, if he be willing to do this good Thing, that you will be of the same Mind, and then we shall all live together like Friends and Brothers.
A Belt.
" Given under my Hand and the Lesser Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the sixth day of August, in the Year of our Lord, 1774.
"JOHN .PENN."
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" By the Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor, and Com- mander-in- Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Coun- ties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware.
" A Message to the Chiefs and Warriors of the Delaware Indians. " Brethren :
"I was grieved at my Heart when I heard that some of our foolish young Men had killed our Brother Joseph Wipey, and that the Virginians had killed some of your People below Fort Pitt. I was fearful that you would suffer your young Men to take Revenge upon our innocent People, But when I heard that you had a good Heart, and viewed these Things in their proper Light, and that you
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
remembered the Chain of Friendship made by our fore fathers, and would not take revenge upon us, for what the Virginians or some of our foolish Young Men had done, it gave me the greatest Satisfac- tion, and made my Mind easy.
" Brethren :
" You may depend that so long as you are inclined to Peace and Friendship you shall find me in the same Mind, for why should we fall out and go to murdering one another for what our foolish young People do, and what neither of us approve of ? In such Cases let us endeavour to find out such foolish young men and punish them for their Wickedness. I have offered a Reward of fifty Pounds a piece for those two wicked People who it is said murdered Joseph Wipey, and if they can be taken I shall do every thing in my Power to have them punished.
. " I am very sorry to hear that your Grand Children, the Shaw- anese, have a Difference with our Brothers the Virginians, and I wish I could make them Friends. I shall write to the Governor of Virginia, and recommend it to him to endeavour to make Peace with them ; and I would advise you to go to the Shawanese, and persuade them to forget every thing that is past, and make up all their Differences with the People of Virginia, so that we may all live together in Peace and Quietness like Friends and Brothers, for what can they get by being at War with one another; whoever of them gets the best, both will be very much Hurt.
" Brethren :
" I live a great way from You, and have a great deal of Business to do with my People at home, otherwise I would go to see you and shake Hands with you, and smoak a Pipe with you, under the Tree of Peace, as we and our fore-fathers used to do. By all Means Brethren, be Strong, and keep fast hold of one end of the Cove- nant Chain, and you may be assured I will keep fast hold of the other, and when any of our People are so wicked as to kill any of yours, or do you any Harm, let me know it, and I will do every Thing in my Power to have Justice done.
A Belt.
" Given under my Hand and the Lesser Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the sixth day of August, in the Year of our Lord, 1774.
"JOHN PENN."
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MINUTES OF THE
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 15th September, 1774.
0
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor,
William Logan, James Tilghman,
Richard Peters, Edward Shippen, JunT.,
Benjamin Chew,
7 } Esquires.
The Council having some time since represented to the Governor the absolute necessity of establishing, by an ex-parte Proclamation, the Lines of Jurisdiction between the Province of Maryland and the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, according to the Lines and Bounda- ries agreed upon, run and marked by the Commissioners appointed for that Purpose, by the Proprietaries of the said respective Pro- vinces ; and the Governor having, with the Consent and Concur- rence of the Honorable Thomas Penn, Esquire, in England, ap- proved of the said measure, a Draught of a Proclamation had been accordingly prepared, and is now laid before the Board, which being read and duly considered, was agreed to be issued, and ordered to be published in the several News Papers of this Province, and a Number of printed Copies thereof made and dispersed through the Province and the lower Counties on Delaware. The Proclamation follows in these Words, Viz *:
" By the Honourable John Penn, Esquire, Governor and Command- er-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware.
"A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, In Pursuance of certain Articles of Agreement made the tenth day of May, Anno Domini, 1732, between Charles Lord Baltimore, Proprietor of the Province of Maryland, and the Honora- ble the Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, and of the Decree of the Lord High Chancellor of England, bearing date the fifteenth day of March, Anno Domini, 1750, for the specific Performance and Execution of the said Articles; and also in pursuance of certain other Articles of agreement made the fourth day of July, Anno Domini, 1760, between the Right Honorable Frederick Lord Balti- more, Son and Heir of the said Charles Lord Baltimore, and the Honorable the Proprietaries of the said Province and Counties, and of one other Decree of the Lord High Chancellor of England, bear- ing date the sixth day of March, 1762, for the specific performance of the said last mentioned Articles ; the several Lines mentioned and described in the said Articles, and thereby finally agreed upon
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
and settled by the said Parties, to be and for ever remain the Boun- daries and Division Lines between the said Provinces and Counties, have been run by Commissioners for that Purpose appointed and authorized by the said respective Proprietors, and marked out in exact conformity to the said Articles, with visible Stones, Pillars, and other Land marks, as by the said Articles and Decrees, and the Return of the said Commissioners, under their Hands and Seals, and an exact Plan or Map of the Lines, so as aforesaid by them run and marked, may at large appear: And Whereas, in the Year 1771 a joint Petition was preferred to His present most gracious Majesty, by the said Frederick Lord Baltimore and the Proprieta- ries of the said Province and Counties, reciting the above mentioned Articles and Decrees, and setting forth that their Commissioners were then proceeding in the Work; that they the said Proprietors were desirous, as much as in them lay, to quiet the Minds of all His Majesty's Subjects inhabiting in the lately disputed Parts of the said Provinces and three lower Counties, and to promote the Peace and Welfare those Parts; and in order to give a further Tes- timony of their firm Agreement, and that a final end and Period had been put to all their Contests and Litigations by the said Agree- ment of 1760, they, by their said Petition, most humbly prayed his Majesty that he would be most graciously pleased to give His Royal Allowance, Ratification and Confirmation of the several and respective Articles of Agreement, and enrolled Decrees above men- tioned, and every Article, Clause, Matter, and Thing in them, and each of them contained, and that the same might be for ever estab- lished between them, Whereupon His Majesty, by his Order in Council, dated the eleventh day of January, 1769, was pleased to signify his Royal Approbation of the said Agreements and Proceed- ings mentioned in the Petition of the said Proprietaries ; Whereof, as well the Proprietaries of the said Provinces, as all others whom it might concern, were ordered to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly, as by the said Petition and Royal Order may more at large appear. I have therefore thought fit, by the advice of the Council, to issue this my Proclamation, to publish and make known all and singular the Premises to all whom it may concern, hereby requiring all Persons dwelling and residing to the Northward and Eastward of the Lines and Boundaries so as aforesaid run and marked under the aforesaid Articles and Decrees, between the Pro- vince of Maryland and the Counties aforesaid, and to the Northward of the said Lines and Boundaries, as aforesaid, run and marked be- tween the Provinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania, as far to the westward as the Province of Maryland extends, to yield obedience to the Laws of the said Province and Counties, and govern them- selves according thereto. And I do also require all Magistrates, Sheriffs, and other Officers of Justice, appointed or to be appointed, in the said Province and Counties, to put in Execution the respec-
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tive Laws thereof against all Offenders within the Lines and Limits aforesaid, as they will answer the Contrary at their Peril.
" Given under my Hand, and the Great Seal of the said Province of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, the fifteenth day of September, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy- four, and in the fourteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. " JOHN PENN.
" By his Honor's Command. "JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun"", Secretary." "GOD SAVE THE KING."
"N. B. The Land Office is not yet open for taking up Vacant Lands in the Lower Counties, or receiving Application for the same. Whenever it is thought proper to open the Office for that Purpose, public Notice thereof will be given."
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MEMORANDUM, 20th September, 1774.
A Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor, and ac- quainted him that the House had met pursuant to adjournment, and desired to know if His Honor had any Business to lay before them; to which the Governor replied that he had nothing at present to recommend to their Consideration, but if any thing occurred du- ring the present Session, he would communicate the same to the House by a Message.
MEMORANDUM, 24th September, 1774.
The Governor this day sent the following Message to the House by the Secretary, Viz" :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" As it does not appear to me that the Causes of the unhappy In- dian Disturbances' are yet at an End, but on the contrary, that the Governor of Virginia is still prosecuting an Expedition against the Shawanese, I cannot avoid recommending to your Consideration the Expediency of keeping the Troops employed by this Government, or at least a part of them, in pay, till our Affairs upon the Frontiers may happily have a more favorable Aspect.
" JOHN PENN.
"September 24th, 1774."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
MEMORANDUM, 27th September, 1774.
The Governor was this day pleased to issue a Special Commis- sion, appointing James Ewing, William McClean, Thomas Latta, William McCaskey, and Josiah Scott, Esquires, Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace and of the County Court of Common Pleas for the County of York.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 29th September, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esquires.
Andrew Allen,
A Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor, and presented. bim a Bill entituled " An Act for the Support of the Government of this Province and payment of the public Debt;" As also, as List of the Draughts and Certificates intended to be discharged by the said Bills, which were laid before the Board and read, and the Bill being approved, was ordered to be returned to the House by the Secretary with the Governor's Assent.
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Eodem die, P. M.
The Secretary carried to the House the Bill above mentioned, and at the same time, acquainted them, by the Governor's Direction, that His Honor would be in the Council Chamber at a half past five o'Clock, in order to enact the same into a Law.
A. Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor, and delivered him the following Message from the House, in Answer to His Honor's Message of the 24th Instant, Viz *:
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please your Honor :
" The House taking into their Consideration your Message of yes- terday, recommending the Expediency of keeping up the Troops employed by this Government, or a Part of them, have agreed to continue one hundred Men, Officers included, until the meeting of the next Assembly, and have recommended it over to that Assembly to make Provision for their Support and Maintainance,
"Signed by Order of the House. "JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker .. "September 29th, 1774."
VOL. X .- 14.
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MINUTES OF THE
Eodem die, Council Chamber, } past 5 O'Clock, P. M.
The Governor being in the Council Chamber, sent a Message to the Assembly by the Secretary, to acquaint them that he required their Attendance there, in order to enact into a Law the Bill to which he had given his Assent. The whole House immediately at- tended, and the Speaker presented to the Governor the following Bill, which His Honor enacted into a Law, and signed a Warrant by affixing the Great Seal thereto. The Law was afterwards sealed, and deposited in the Rolls Office, and is entituled as follows, Viz":
"An Act for the Support of the Government of this Province, and payment of the Public Debts."
Åt a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 5th October, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor.
William Logan, Andrew Allen,
Benjamin Chew,
Edward Shippen, jun"., Esquires.
James Tilghman,
The Returns of the Elections of Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Lancaster, Berks, North- ampton, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, being made to the Governor, were laid before the Board ; but before they were taken into Conside- ration The Governor acquainted the Board that he had received a Com- plaint from the Custom House Officers of this Port against William Dewees, Esquire, Sheriff of this City and County, for refusing to give hisAid and Assistance to Richard Swanwick, Commander of His Ma- jesty's Schooner King George, in making a Seizure of a considerable Quantity of foreign Sugars, which had lately been taken from on board the Schooner Felicity, Allan Moore Master, from the Island of Hispaniola, and deposited in the Stores of Jeremiah Warder, without having been first entered in His Majesty's Customs, or the Duties thereof paid before they were landed, notwithstanding the said Swanwick had produced to the Sheriff a Writ of Assistance from the Chief Justice commanding the said Sheriff to give his Aid and Assistance in the Premises.
At the same Time the Governor laid before the Board the Depo- sition of the said Richard Swanwick in support of the said Com- plaint.
The Sheriff was thereupon called in, and desired to make an Answer to the Charges alledged against him in the said Deposition. To which he replied that he was entirely innocent, and could pro- duce to them sufficient Proofs of his Innocence, and therefore prayed that he might have Time 'till to-Morrow for that Purpose, which was allowed him.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Consideration of the Returns for the City and County of Philadelphia was therefore deferred, and the Board proceeded to consider the Returns for the other Counties above mentioned, and the following Persons were appointed and commissionated as Sher- iffs and Coroners for their respective Counties, Vizt :
Names of Counties.
Offices.
Names of Officers.
Sheriff's Sureties.
Chester,
Coroner,
John Bryan,
Nicholas Fairlamb.
Sheriff,
(Samuel Biles,
Gilbert Hicks &
Bucks,
Coroner,
George Fell,
Henry Krewson.
Lancaster,
Sheriff,
John Ferree,
Isaac Ferree. Peter Ferree.
Berks,
Sheriff,
Henry Vanderslice, Adam Whitman.
Coroner,
Peter Brecht,
John Bishop.
Northampton,
Coroner,
Jonas Hartzell,
Jacob Orndt.
New Castle,
Sheriff,
|John Thompson,
Coroner, Joseph Stedman,
Sheriff,
John Cook,
Kent,
Coroner, Caleb Furbee,
Sussex,
Coroner, Lyttleton Townsend,
7
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 6th October, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor.
Benjamin Chew, Andrew Allen,
Esquires.
James Tilghman,
Edward Shippen, Junior, S
William Dewees Esquire, Sheriff, appeared at the Board and laid before them the Depositions of John Clark, William Morris, and himself taken before a Magistrate respecting his Conduct in the affair wherein Richard Swanwick has charged him with misbeha- viour in his office. The said Depositions being read and duly con- sidered, it appeared to the Board that the Charge against Mr. De- wees was founded on a misapprehension between Mr. Swanwick and Mr. Dewees, and that the latter had fully vindicated himself against that charge, and therefore they advised the Governor to continue him in Commission as Sheriff ; At the same Time, the Governor acquainted him that it was his Duty upon all Occasions to give the most speedy and effectual Assistance to the Officers of His Majesty's Customs, in the Execution of their office, and en- joined him for the future to defer all Civil Business of his Office
Sheriff,
Nathaniel Vernon,
Robert Pennell &
Coroner, Samuel Boyd,
Sheriff,
Henry Tulbert,
Peter Kachlein.
Sheriff, Dormon Lofland,
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MINUTES OF THE
that he might afford the most ready assistance to them when re- quired.
The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties of Phila- delphia, York and Cumberland, were then laid before the Board, and being duly considered, the following Persons were appointed and commissionated Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties for which they are respectively returned, Vizt .:
Names of Counties.
Offices.
Names of Officers.
Sheriff's Sureties.
City and Coun- ty of Philad1.
Sheriff,
William Dewees,
Coroner, John Knight,
York,
Sheriff,
Coroner,
Charles Lukins, Joseph Adlem,
Cumberland,
Sheriff,
Robert Semple,
Coroner, James Pollock,
Joseph Potts. William Coates & Robert Shannon. James Dill. Michael Swoope. John Montgomery Robert Miller.
MEMORANDUM, the 8th of October, 1774.
The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties of Bed- ford and Northumberland being now made, The Governor was pleased to commissionate the Persons following, as Sheriffs and Coroners of their respective Counties, Vizt :
Names of Counties.
Offices.
Names of Officers.
Sheriff's Sureties.
Bedford,
Sheriff, Coroner, Sheriff,
Northumber- land,
Coroner,
James Piper, John Cessna, William Cook, James Murray,
Bernard Dogharty, Esquire. Wm. Plunkett, ¡S. Hunter, Esqrs.
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