USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XI > Part 27
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· 311
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council Met.
PHILAD'A, Thursday Septem. 18, 1777.
PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. The Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, Joseph Hart, &
Jacob Morgan, ? Esq'rs.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Joseph Hart, for the Sum of Fifty-nine Pounds fourteen Shillings and Six pence, for Arms put into the hands of the Militia of Bucks County last year, & charge the same to Jacob S. Howell.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favour of George Spangler, for the Sum of Six Pounds & ten Shillings, for his Services riding Express on Public Business.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Saturday Septem. 20, 1777. PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, Joseph Hart, & Jacob Morgan.
Esq'rs.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Joseph Blewer, Esq'r, Chairman of the State- Navy Board, for the Sum of Eight Thousand Dollars, for which said Board is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of James Carter, Esq'r, for the Sum of Four Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Will'm Henry, Lieutenant of the City of Philadelphia, for the Sum of Four Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
312
MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Monday Septem. 22d, 1777. PRESENT : , His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, Joseph Hart, & Jacob Morgan.
Esq's.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Tho's Dorsey, Esq'r, Paymaster of the Mili- tia for the County of Philadelphia, for the Sum of Twelve Thou- sand Dollars, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Tho's Hewitt, Esq'r, to be delivered by him to Colo. Sam'l Hunter, Lieutenant of the County of Northum- berland, for the Sum of Two thousand Dollars, & to be charged to the said Colo. Hunter, for which he is to account.
"The Council Met.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday Septem. 23, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, Joseph Hart, &
Jacob Morgan, $ Esq'rs.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of .the State, in favor of Joseph Blewer, Esq'r, Chairman of the State Navy Board, for the Sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Will'm Crispin, Esq'r, for the Sum of Twen- ty Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of William Henry, Esq'r, Lieutenant of the City of Philadelphia, for the sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Tho's Dorsey, Esq'r, Paymaster of the Militia of the County of Philadelphia, for the Sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
313
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
NOTE .- That the President wrote to Colo. Benj'a Flower, to supply Lieut. Grant with three hundred Riffles, five hundred Pounds of Powder, & One thousand Two hundred pounds of Lead, for which the said Grant is to account.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Wednesday Octo. 1, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. €
Jacob Morgan, Jonathan Hoge, &
John Bailey, John Lowdan, Esq'rs.
The Petition of Capt. Jos. Brady's Company of Militia, of the County of Cumberland, addressed to the Hon'ble House of Assem- bly, setting forth in effect, that they had drawn Lots in Quotas, consisting of a Class, for the number .of the Class in which the Quotas respectively shall stand ranked & be called into service; that. some objections had afterwards arisen to the mode, & praying advice therein, being read & considered, & it appearing that this mode of casting Lots is according to the Law for regulating the Militia of this State, however it may differ from the practice of other Compa- nies ; thereupon,
Ordered, That the first & second Class of the said Company, do immediately March & join General Washington without further de- lay, and that the third Class March to Carlisle to guard the Stores there, according to the direction of the Lieut. of the said County.
Ordered, That the fourth & fifth Class of the Militia be called into service immediately.
Ordered, That Colo. Galbraith, Lieutenant, of the County of Lancaster, do immediately send the hundred of the Militia of the County to the Borough of Lancaster, and that he do furnish a guard for Prisoners, whenever the same may be necessarily required of him.
NOTE .- The following orders were drawn Septem. 18th ult'o, & from the situation of our Public affairs, may probably have been omitted to be entered in the Minutes of that day.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Adam Poht, for the Sum of Seven Pounds Seventeen Shillings & Six Pence, for the hire of his Horse, and in favor of Leonard Lasher, for the Sum of Ten Pounds Two Shillings & Six Pence, for the hire of his Horse.
An order was drawn on Rob't Towers, in favor of Capt. Watkins, for Sixty Pounds of Sulphur & ninety thousand Musquet Cartridges, t) be charged to Congress.
314
MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Friday October 3, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jacob Morgan, John Bailey, &
Jonathan Hoge. 3 Esq'rs .-
Mr. Peter Dehaven attended & asked the direction of Council as to the place the Gun Factory should be now established ; On con- sideration,
Resolved, That the Gun Factory be established at Hummel's Town, in Derry Township, in this County, for the present ; if on re- - viewing it he finds it practicable otherwise, to enquire after a more convenient place, & exercise his best discretion therein.
Mr. Parker & Mr. Whitehill, the Members' Committee of the Hon'ble house of Assembly, now in the City, attended the Council & represented that the Hon'ble House are desirous of having ex- presses established to pass & repass from Council to the Army, the expence of which the Hon'ble House are ready to defray.
The Council, sensible of the necessity of this measure, there- upon,
Resolved, To establish the Expresses to pass & repass from Council to Camp once in two days.
Resolved, That the Doorkeeper be immediately sent forward to Easton, to bring to the Borough. the Papers belonging to Council.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Peter Dehaven, for One hundred & Thirty- two Pounds, for One hundred & Thirty-two days attendance at the Gun Factory as director, ending the first instant ; and An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Peter Dehaven, for which he is to account.
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315
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Saturday October 4, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jonathan Hoge, Jacob Morgan, &
John Lowdan.
5
Esq'rs.
Council having receiv'd intelligence that Brooks & Mckinley, two Prisoners on their way to Virginia, had made their escape from the Prison of this County,
Ordered, That Wm. Kelly, the Sheriff, attend the Council im- mediately, and he attended accordingly, but not being able to give the necessary information on the subject of the said Prisoners' es- cape, thereupon Wm. Immel, the Goaler, was sent for & appeared.
On examination of his own confession it appears, That he rose at 3 O'Clock in the Morning, opened the back door & let out a Hes- sian Baker, & a Servant to assist him in bakeing Bread, according to his custom ; that he did not again lock the door, but went to bed ; That he rose early in the Morning & went to Market & left the Kitchen door unlocked, depending on the Centry at the door for the safety of the Prisoners.
Ordered, That the Sheriff, now present, take Will'm Immell into his Custody, & him safely keep until he shall be further examined by this Council.
The Sheriff having informed the Council that a certain Caleb Johnson of this Borough, Dealer, had yesterday received McKin- ley's Horse from a certain Rob't Spear,
Ordered, That the said Caleb Johnson be immediately arrested & brought before the Council, & thereupon a Warrant was issued for that purpose, and Caleb Johnson being brought before the Coun- cil, & declaring that he had delivered the said Horse to Christian Foutz, Esq'r, of this Borough, the said Foutz being sent for, report was made by the Constable that Mr. Foutz was not at home; the account that is given by Caleb Johnson not being satisfactory,
Ordered, That Caleb Johnson be committed to Goal until further examination be had before this Council.
Ordered, That Christian Foutz, Esq'r, be arrested & brought be- fore this Council, there appearing sufficient reason to suspect that he was concerned in assisting the said Brooks & Mckinley in their escape from the Prison of this County.
Ordered, That Rob't Spear be arrested & brought before this Council, to account for his conduct in the aforesaid transaction, re- specting McKinley's Horse.
316
MINUTES OF THE
Ordered, That the Secretary do call on Mich'l Hillegas, Esq'r, Treasurer of the Continental Congress, now in the Borough, & re- quest him to Pay to the Secretary the Sum of Fifty Thousand Dol- lars, & take the said Secretary's Receipt for that Sum, as part of Two hundred thousand Dollars ordered by Congress to be paid to John Gibson, Esq'r, to this Council, & by them endorsed to Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, for which said Sum this Council will account to Mr. Rittenhouse, as part of the said order of Congress.
Mr. Hillegas having sent forward the Money, this order was not complied with.
Rich'd McAllister, Esq'r, Lieut. of the County of York, having requested to be supplied by the hands of Mr. Tho's Amor, with a further Sum of Money, for the purpose of sending out the Militia of that County ; thereupon,
An order was drawn on John Gibson, Esq'r, in favor of the said Rich'd McAllister, for the Sum of Four thousand Dollars, & for- warded the same to him by the hands of Mr. Thomas Amor.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Monday October 6, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jacob Morgan,
Jonathan Hoge, & John Proctor,
Esq'rs.
Robert Spear being before the Council & examined, it does not appear that he had any knowledge of the design of supplying Mc- Kinley with a Horse to make his escape upon, the Secretary reports that Mr. Hilligas having sent forward the Money to York Town, could not comply with the order of Saturday last.
His Excell'y The President reports, that John Gibson, Esq'r, had paid into his hands the Sum of twenty-eight thousand Eight hundred & Two Dollars, in part of the last order of Congress on him for Two hundred Thousand dollars, in favor of this Council, & that he had deposited the same in the hands of the Secretary.
Ordered, That Fifteen Waggons be ordered from the County of Northampton, to Trenton or Bristol, to bring away some Indigo & other public property now lying there under the care of John M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, The Speaker of the Hon'ble House of General As- sembly, informed the Council that a Committee was appointed to confer with Council on the present State of Public Affairs, & desired to know when they may attend.
317
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Ordered, That the Hon'ble the Speaker be informed that the Council are now ready to receive the Committee of the House, and Mr. Bayard, the Speaker, Mr. Parker, Colonel Kirkbride, Doct. Gardner, Colo. Davis, Mr. Cuningham, Mr. McClean, & Mr. Whitehill, a Committee of the Hon'ble House of General Assem- bly, attended in Council.
The Council Met.
LANCASTER, Tuesday October 7, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, Jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jacob Morgan, John Bailey, John Lowdan.
Jonathan Hoge, & ? Esq'rs.
The Council took into consideration the present State of our public affairs, & Spent the greatest part of the day thereupon; in the Evening the Committee appointed by the Hon'ble House to confer with Council, again attended the Council in conference, & spent some time with the Council.
.
The Council met. 4
LANCASTER, Wednesday October 8, 1777.
PRESENT.
His Excell'y THOS. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. Jacob Morgan, Jonathan Hoge, & 2 Esq'rs. John Bailey, John Lowdan.
The Council resumed the consideration of the Business under Consideration with the Committee of the Hon'ble House of Gen' eral Assembly.
Colo. Hart took his seat in Council.
An order was Drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo Clerke, Paymaster of the Militia for the County of Cumberland, for the Sum of Eight thousand Dollars; for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Philip Marstiller, Esq'r, Paymaster of the Militia of Lancaster County, for the Sum of four thousand Dollars, for which he is to Account.
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318
MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Thursday Octo'r 9, 1777.
PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, John Lowdan, & )
Jacob Morgan,
Jos. Hart. Esq'rs.
Jonathan Hoge,
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Lollar, for eleven days' service in sur- veying the ground near the River, for the Sum of Eleven Pounds for said service.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Friday October 10, 1777. PRESENT :
His Excell'y THOS. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jacob Morgan,
John Lowdan, & )
John Bailey,
Jos. Hart. Esq'rs.
Jonathan Hoge,
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Will'm Henry, Esq'r, Lieut. of the City of Philadelphia, for the Sum of Two Thousand dollars, for which he is to account.
Colo. Boyd, Sub-Lieut. of the County of Chester, now applying for Ammunition, to be put into the hands of the Militia of that County, for their immediate defence,
Ordered, That Maj. Wirtz supply Colo. Boyd with Ammunition, to be by him put into the hands of the Militia of Chester County, for their immediate defence.
Ordered, That the Militia of the fifth Class of the County of Chester, be employed in defending the inhabitants from the excur- sions of the Enemy, & that the Lieutenant use his utmost endea- yours to mount fifty of the Militia on Horseback, for the same pur- pose.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esquire, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Boyd, Lieut. of the County of Chester, for One thousand five hundred dollars, to be charged to Colo. Smith, for which the said Colo. Smith is to account.
319
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Saturday October 11, 1777.
PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Bailey, Jonathan Hoge, & ?
Jacob Morgan, John Lowdan. e,&}Esq's.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Styner & Cist, for the Sum of One hundred and Seventy five Pounds, to be charged to their account.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Sunday October 12, 1777. PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jonathan Hoge, Jacob Morgan, & John Lowdan.
Esq'rs.
And adjourned 'till to-morrow Morning.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Monday October 13, 1777.
PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Bailey, Jonathan Hoge, & Esq'rs. Jacob Morgan, John Lowdan.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Will'm Coats, Lieut. of the County of Philadelphia, for the Sum of One thousand Pounds, for which he is to account.
" An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Fred'k Snyder, for Two Reams of Paper & three Boxes, for the Sum of Eight Pounds five Shillings, being the purchase of the same.
320
MINUTES OF THE
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Jos. Kirkbride, for the Sum of Two Thousand dollars, for which he is to account.
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The Council met.
LANCASTER, Tuesday October 14, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, Jun'r, Esq'r, President. The Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
John Bailey, Robt. Whitehill,
Jonathan Hoge, Jonathan D. Serjeant, & Esq'rs:
Jacob Morgan, Jac'b Orndt.
That Mr. Cunningham be requested to purchase as many Blan- kets as he can procure, & for this purpose,
An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Sam'l Cunningham, Esq'r, for the Sum of One thousand Dollars, for which he is to account.
John Swiney, a private of Capt. Thompson's Company, in Colo. Hazen's Regiment, having made his escape, was examined, & per- mitted to pass to Tyrone Township in York County, to return to Camp in fifteen days from this date.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Wednesday Octo. 15, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. Jacob Morgan, Rob't Whitehill, ¿
Jonathan D. Serjeant, Jacob Orndt. Esq'rs.
Colo. Miles Attended & requested that Colo. Pipers' family may be furnished with his Pay, as they were in necessity, & no Pay- master now on duty, and also requested that some Money may be advanced to Colo. Atlee's Lady, agreeable to an order from him.
Ordered, That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be paid to Colo. Miles, to be by him paid to Colo. Piper's Lady, & charged to Colo. Piper, and accordingly,
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Colo. Sam'l Miles, for the Sum of Two hun- dred Pounds, to be charged to Colo. Miles.
321
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
And an order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasu- rer of the State, in favor of Colo. Sam'l Miles, for the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, for the use of, and to be charged to Colo. Atlee.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of John Morris, jun'r, Esq'r, for the Sum of Sixty Pounds, for his services in prosecuting in behalf of the State at several Courts.
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of the Hon'ble John Lowdan, Esq'r, for the Sum of Fifty Pounds Sixteen Shillings & Eight Pence, for thirty- five days attendance in Council, & Mileage on one hundred and seventy miles.
Mich'l Renthart was sent express to Head Quarters.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Thursday October 16, 1777. PRESENT : His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jacob Morgan, Jonat. D. Sergent, & )
John Bailey, Rob't Whitehill, Esq'rs.
Jonathan Hoge,
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor.of Colo. Tho's Cheny, Sub-Lieutenant of the County of Chester, for the Sum of Two thousand Dollars, to be Charged to Colo. Smith, Lieutenant of the said County, for the purpose of Paying Substitutes & purchasing Blankets, for which Sum he is to account.
The Secretary laid before the Council a receipt signed by Dav'd Rittenhouse, dated the 14th ins't, by which it appears the Secre- tary-had paid
Dollars.
To Rich'd Humphreys, by order of Council, 9,995
Wm. Clarke, Paymaster of Cumberland County Militia, 8,000
Ph'p Marsteller, ditto of Lancaster County Militia, 4,000
The said Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, the Sum of 6,807
Amounting to the Sum of 28,802
Which is equal to the Sum paid into his hands by His Excell'y Tho's Wharton, jun'r, Esq'r, President, on the 6th instant.
/ VOL. XI .- 21.
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322
MINUTES, SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
LANCASTER, Friday October 17, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Jonathan Hoge, Jacob Morgan, &
John Bailey,
a Bailey, } Esq'rs
An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State, in favor of Stephen Sutton, for the Sum of Seven Pounds Ten Shillings, for his service riding express to Head Quarters.
MINUTES
OF THE
COUNCIL OF SAFETY .
FOR THE 1
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.
·
IN COUNCIL OF SAFETY FOR THE STATE OF PENN. SYLVANIA :
FRIDAY, October the 17th, 1777.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President, Honorable Vice President, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Hoge, Colonel Morgan, Mr. Whitehill and Mr. Ser- geant.
The following Proclamation having been Read and considered ; Thereupon,
Ordered, That the same be published in the following words, viz :
" By the Council of Safety of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :
"A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS, The Representatives of the Freemen of the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, in and by a certain Act made and passed at Lancaster, the thirteenth day of this instant, October, entitled "An Act for constituting a Council of Safety and vesting the same with the powers therein mentioned," have enacted and declared as follows, viz :
" Whereas, The British Troops have penetrated into this State, and after much devastation and great cruelty in their progress, have seized the Metropolis : And Whereas, in times of such danger and confusion, the ordinary powers of Government cannot be regu- larly administered, more especially as the term for which the present Legislative Body of the Commonwealth have been chosen, will speedily expire; whereby evil-minded persons may be encour- aged by open or secret practices to assist the common Enemy, and further to distress the good people of this Commonwealth; For prevention whereof, it hath become necessary, for a limited time, to vest fit persons with summary and adequate powers to punish offen- ders and restrain abuses :
" Be it, therefore, enacted, and it is hereby enacted by the Rep- resentatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, And by the Authority of the same, That the members of the Supreme Executive Council of this State, together with John Bayard, Jonathan Sergeant, Jonathan B. Smith, David Rittenhouse, Joseph Gardner, Robert Orndt, Curtis Grubb, James Cannon and William Henry, of Lancaster, Esquires,
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MINUTES OF THE
be constituted, and they are hereby constituted, a Council of Safety, with full power to promote and provide for the preservation of the Commonwealth, by such regulations and ordinances as to them shall seem necessary, and to proceed against, seize, detain, imprison, punish, either capitally or otherwise, as the case may require, in a summary mode, either by themselves or others by them to be appointed for that purpose, all persons who shall disobey or trans- gress the same or the laws of this State heretofore made, for the purpose of restraining or punishing traitors or others, who, from their General conduct and conversation may be deemed inimical to the common cause of liberty and the United States of North America.
" And the said Council of Safety are hereby authorized and em- powered, by the Authority aforesaid, to take and seize, where it may be needful, provisions and other necessaries for the Army or the inhabitants, and to appraise and value the same so taken, and for this end to appoint proper persons under them to take, seize, and appraise as aforesaid ; And the said Council of Safety shall in general regulate the prices of such articles as they may think necessary, and compel a sale thereof, where they shall be wanted, with full powers also to call to their aid all officers and other per- sons, civil or military, in the execution of the Premises.
" And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the President or Vice President of the Executive Council, and any six of the said members of the said Council of Safety, shall be a quo- rum to do business.
"Provided always, That the exercise of the ordinary course of Justice in the trial and punishment of offenders shall proceed and take its effects, and that original writs and process in the Law for debts and demands may be issued and carried on, notwithstanding this Act or any thing therein contained, and that all other civil and lawful business and actings be done and performed in the manner practised at the time of passing this Act, as far as the present condition of the state will admit, so as that the exercise of the authority and jurisdiction hertofore given and granted to the said Council of Safety, or the authority given to the Supream Ex- ecutive Council by an Act of General Assembly, passed in the present year, entitled ‘ An Act to empower the Supreme Execu- tive Council of this Commonwealth to provide for the security thereof in special cases, where no provision is already made by law,' be not obstructed or questioned.
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