USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XI > Part 61
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"I trust you will take such order in this business as shall do justice to Mr. Culbertson, as he was employed by the Legislature. " I am, Sir,
" Your most obedient servant,
" JOSEPH REED, President.
"To the Hon'ble JOHN BAYARD, Esq'r, Speaker of the General Assembly."
735
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Saturday April 3, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart, &
John Macky, Esq'rs.
A Letter from the board of War to Col. B. Flowers, Commis- sary of Military Stores, ordering the delivery of Two Pieces of Iron Cannon, & Two Howitz, & as many Riffles from the Magazine at Carlisle, as shall be necessary to Arm five Companies of Ran- gers, to be delivered as they now are, & to be repaired by the State, & to be returned if called for by the United States, they paying for the repairs.
Ordered, That two 24 Pounders Iron Cannon, & two of the larg- est Mortars, be delivered to Col. Proctor of the Artillery.
The Council having received information that Samuel R. Fisher was not confined, according to his Mittimus,
Ordered, That the Secretary do write to the Sheriff & expressly order that the Mittimus be put in due execution immediately.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer, in favor of Robert Allison, for the Sum of Five hundred Pounds, for which he is to account.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Monday April 5, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon. GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart,
John Macky, &
Esq'rs.
John Hambright,
Ordered, That Capt. Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, do furnish to Messrs. Blair, Mc'Clenaghan & Matthew Ir- win, or their order, such ammunition and Military Stores as they shall have occasion for in the fitting out the Armed Ship General Green.
The Joint Committee of General Assembly and of this Council, now made the following report, Vizt :
" Whereas, the Hon'ble the Continental Congress have, for va- rious good reasons, called out of circulation the whole of the emis-
736
MINUTES OF THE
sions of May 20th, 1777, & April 11th, 1778, under certain regula- tions, as mentioned in their resolve of January 2d, 1779 :
" And Whereas, the manner of Exchange as therein mentioned, would be grievous & burthensome to many of the good people of this State, by reason of their very great distance from the place of exchange, the smallness of the quantity many of those persons are possessed, of & the enormity of Travelling charges; many of the · persons so situated had better lose their little all than spend it in negotiating an exchange. This House, ever desirous to relieve the distresses of their constituents as much as in them lies, do
Resolve, That Thomas Hislap be, & is hereby appointed a Com- missioner of Exchange for the County of Chester ; John Hubley for the County of Lancaster ; Michael Hahn for the County of York ; John Agnew for the County of Cumberland; John Heester for the County of Berks ; John Arndt for the County of Northampton ; David Espie for the County of Bedford ; Robert Martin for the County of Northumberland ; & Edward Cooke for the County of Westmoreland, under the regulations herein after mentioned, Viz :
" That each of the said Commissioners of exchange before named, shall give public notice. in their respective Counties, of their ap- pointments to that duty; & shall upon application made, receive such Sums of Money, of the dates before-mentioned, as may be offered for exchange by every inhabitant of this State, before the first day of June next, & pass his receipt for the same ; & shall make fair entries, in a book prepared for that purpose, of the names & surnames of each person depositing money, as also of the Sum of Money so deposited, keeping each man's money bound in a bundle by itself, & indorced with the Owner's name, & the number of Dollars contained.
" That each of the Commissioners aforesaid shall, before the first day of June next, deposit all the Monies by him received for . the purpose of exchange, into the Continental Loan-Office of this State, taking the Continental Loan-Officer's receipt for the same, agreeable to the resolution of Congress.
"That the said Commissioners of exchange shall receive from the Commissioner of Loans, new bills, to the Amount of the Sum deposited for exchange, & shall, as soon as convenient, repay the persons & cancel his receipts, reserving to himself, out of each Man's money, at the rate of Two and a-half Dollars for every hun- dred Dollars, for his trouble & expences in negociating said ex- change."
" Ordered, That the Clerk of this House be directed to publish these resolutions in all the German & English Newspapers, once. every week, for one month.
" WHEREAS, it was resolved the last sitting of this Assembly, that the wages of the members of this House for said sitting, shall be Two Pounds five Shillings per diem, & one Shilling & Six Pence per mile, for their travelling expences ; The Speaker, Three Pounds
.
De
737
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
per diem, with the mileage allowed the members, & the Clerk of the House Four pounds Ten Shillings per diem, for which a Law should be passed this session, to provide for the same & the future wages of said members :
" And Whereas, the necessary & unavoidable business of this House has prevented said bill from being enacted into a Law ; therefore,
" Resolved, That each member of this House shall be allowed for this sitting eight Dollars per diem ; The Speaker Four Pounds per diem, the Clerk of this House five pounds per diem, his assistant Clerk Three. Pounds Ten Shillings per diem, & each & every of said members are to have & receive Two Shillings & Six Pence per mile for every mile they shall travel to & from this House, which, with the wages of last sitting, be provided for by a Law next meeting of this House :
" And Whereas, the wages now allowed to our delegates in Con- gress & the members of the Supreme Executive Council, are not adequate to their necessary expences ; therefore,
" Resolved, That each Delegate in Congress for this State, shall have and receive for every day he has or shall attend in Congress, from the last election of Delegates for this State, Five pounds per diem, & every member of the Supreme Executive Council, shall have and receive for every day he has attended or shall attend on the duties of his Office, since the first day of February last, Three pounds # diem.
"On motion,
" Resolved, That Jared Ingersoll, Esq'r, the gentleman employed as an assistant by the Attorney General, agreeable to a resolve of this House in the case of the Proprietary claims, be allowed One Hundred Pounds for his said services.
"The Joint Committee of Council & Assembly beg leave to report to their respective Houses, That in pursuance of the resolu- tions of the 25th of March last, That have conferred with the Hon'ble Mess. Paca, Laurens, Adams, R. H. Lee, & Root, a Committee of Congress on the subject matter of the representa- tion made on the said day ; That the same hath been fully & freely discussed; That the Conferees of Congress gave this Committee very ample assurances of the disposition of Congress to preserve the most perfect harmony, & remove all ground of apprehension or uneasiness from the minds of the good people of this State ; That such mutual overtures of friendship & explanation have been made in the course of the said conference, as afford a prospect of lasting harmony & confidence, & in order to cement and confirm these happy & beneficial sentiments, & to disappoint the Enemies of the. common cause, who take encouragement from all appearances of dis- union, it will be proper to give some open proof of the happy issue of this conference; for this purpose, the joint Committee beg
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MINUTES OF THE
leave to propose to their respective bodies the following Resolves, as tending to promote the desirable & important end aforesaid, Viz :
" Resolved, That the unanimity & harmony between the repre- sentatives of the United States in Congress assembled, & each State individually, have been, under God, the happy means of our past success, & the only sure foundation whereon to rest our future hopes of terminating the contest with Great Britain with honor & advantage.
" Resolved, That the Legislature & Executive authorities of this State, entertain the most proper sentiments of veneration & esteem for the Hon'ble the Continental Congress, & repose a perfect confi- dence in the wisdom & integrity of that Hon'ble body, which it is their intention to manifest on all occasions.
"JOSEPH REED, President. "In behalf of the Council.
" JOHN HARRIS, "In behalf of the Assembly."
The Council met. .
PHILAD'A, Tuesday April 6, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart, John Macky, &
John Hambright, Esq'rs.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of John Shields, Esq'r, for the Sum of Two Thousand Dollars, to be delivered by him to Capt. Jos. Irwin of the Rangers, to be applied in raising his Company, the same to be charged to account of the said Capt. Irwin.
A Representation from John Hubly, Esq'r, respecting the Money expended by him in building a Store House at Lancaster, was read; & thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of John Hubley, Esq'r, or his order, for the sum of Eight hundred Pounds, to be applied in paying for materials & to Workmen, for the building of a Store House at Lancaster, for which Sum he is to account.
A. Resolve of the Hon'ble House of General Assembly of the 5th instant, was read ;
Ordered, That the same be inserted on the Minutes, & they are as follows, Viz't ;
739
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. .
" In General Assembly.
" MONDAY April 5, 1779, P. M.
" Resolved, That the attention & care of the Supreme Executive Council of this State in detecting public abuses, are highly accepta- ble to this House, & that they will support them in the due dis- charge of so necessary a duty.
" Resolved, That the Executive powers of Government have been administered to the entire satisfaction of this House, & the general content of the good people of this State ; & that this House cheer- fully give this testimony of their approbation to his Excellency the President, & the other members of the Council, as an earnest of their resolution to support them in a continuance of the faithful & hon- orable discharge of their duty, & a mark of their perfect confidence & regard."
An order from Col. Flowers, for the delivery of so many Rifles from the Magazine at Carlisle as shall be necessary to arm five Com- panies of Rangers, &ca., being now presented to the Council ;
Ordered, That the same be delivered to Mr. John Carson, of Carlisle, & that they be repaired under his care; & if it should so happen, That Mr. Carson should not accept of this appointment, in such case Stephen Duncan, Esq'r, is requested to undertake & complete the said business.
Another Resolve of the Hon'ble House of General Assembly of the 5th instant, was read, & is as follows, Viz. :
" In General Assembly.
"MONDAY, April 5, 1779, P. M.
" Resolved, That the Supreme Executive Council be & they are hereby empowered to borrow, on any emergency, any Sum of Money not exceeding One Hundred Thousand Pounds, from any person & persons willing to lend the same, & this House will at their next sitting, provide for the re-payment of such Sum or Sum's borrowed as above."
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of William Scott, Esq'r, Pay-master of Militia, of the County of Bucks, or his order, for the sum of One Thousand & Eight Hundred Pounds, for which sum he is to account.
Ordered, That Mr. Joseph Rush & Mr. James Craigg, be ap- pointed to value the ship General Green, agreeable to the proposals made to the State by the Owners of her, & report thereon to this Council.
A Recommendation (by Col. Proctor & other officers of the Regi- ment of Artillery) of Capt. Amos Wilkinson, as a proper person to receive & deliver out the Articles enumerated by a Resolve of Gen- eral Assembly of fifth of December last, was read; & thereupon,
740
MINUTES OF THE
Ordered, That Capt. Amos Wilkinson be appointed to receive & deliver out to Col. Proctor's Regiment of Artillery, the Articles enumerated in the Resolve of General Assembly of the 5th De- cember last, & that he do also deliver to the Rev'd Mr. Rogers, Chaplain of the Pennsylvania brigade, now doing duty in Philadel- phia, his Ration of the said Articles.
Ordered, That on Monday next this Council will proceed to nominate & appoint the Officers of Marines on board the Ship General Green, & that notice thereof be given in the Public Pa- pers, in order that Officers who chuse to tender their service on this occasion may have an opportunity so to do.
Resolved, 'That the Prize money of any Vessels which may hereafter be taken by any of the Cruizers fitted out by this State, be divided in such manner & proportions as shall be directed by the Supreme Executive Council of this State, previous to the Sailing of such Vessel, and Articles seized accordingly, & that the Officers, Sailors & Marines of the Vessels now fitted, or which may hereaf- ter be fitted out by this State, be subject to the like Articles of War, Regulations and Tryal, as the Officers, Sailors & Marines of the Gallies in the service of this State now are.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Hon'ble . Jos. Hart, for Seventy-Two Pounds Seventeen Shillings & Six Pence, for which he is to account.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday April 7, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart,
John Macky, &
Esq'rs.
John Hambright,
The Council resumed the consideration of the appointment of Officers of the five Companies of Rangers, they having obtained . the best assistance from the Members of the General Assembly that has been in their power ; & thereupon,
Ordered, That John McIlhaddon be appointed Captain, Robert Arthur First Lieutenant, of the Company of Rangers to be raised in the County of Northumberland; That Thomas Cluggage be appointed Captain, & - - Means First Lieutenant of the Com- pany of Rangers to be raised in the County of Bedford; And that Thomas Campbell be appointed Captain, Isaac Thompson first Lieu- tenant, & Alexander Parker, second Lieutenant, of the Company of
741
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Rangers proposed to be raised in the county of Cumberland ; And the said Gentlemen are to take Rank respectively as may be hereafter settled, having respect to former rank & service.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer, in favour of the. Hon'ble James M'Lene, or his order, for the Sum of Eighty-four Pounds Eighteen Shillings & four Pence for his attendance in Council 32 days, & Mileage on 155 Miles.
Memorial of Lewis Nicola, Town Major, praying an order for the allowance of the Articles enumerated by the Resolve of Gen- eral Assembly to be supplied to the Officers & Men of the Pennsyl- vania Troops, was read ; &
On consideration,
Ordered, That Col. Farmer do supply Col. Lewis Nicola, Town Major, with the enumerated Articles ordered by General Assembly ; & that Col. Nicola draw the same with Col. Proctor's Regiment.
A Return of an Election held for chusing in Buckingham & Warwick Townships, Two fit persons for Justices of the County . of Bucks, was read, by which it appears that John Wilson & Benja. Snodgrass were elected ; & thereupon,
Ordered, That John Wilson, Esq'r, be appointed and Commis- sioned to be a Justice of the Peace for the County of Bucks.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Thursday April 8, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. Joseph Hart, John Hambright, 2 Esq'rs.
John Macky, &
The Resolve of General Assembly of the 5th instant being read & considered,
Resolved, That Mess. Blair, McClenaghan, & Matthew Irwin, be authorized to receive any Sums of Money which have been or may be subscribed by any persons on Loan to this State, the same to be repaid in Six Months or sooner, if convenient to the State ; That they give Receipts to such Subscribers, & to make return to this Board, & to the Treasurer of the State, either paying over to him such Monies as they may receive, or passing the Accounts with him thereupon, so as that the same be made a regular transaction of the Treasury. [See also 742.]
The Hon'ble House of General Assembly having on the 24th of March last, 1
742
MINUTES OF THE
Resolved, That theOfficers, Seamen, & Mariners, employed in the. Naval service of this State, be entitled to all the allowances & benefits to which Officers & Soldiers of this State be employed in the Armies of the United States, are entitled by the Resolutions of the Hon'ble House of General Assembly, passed on the 13th of the said Month.
Ordered, That Mr. William Crispin be appointed Commissary to purchase & distribute to the said Officers, Seamen, & Marines, - the Articles enumerated in the said Resolve of the 13th of March ; & that this Council will allow a reasonable compensation for his trouble therein.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of John Burd, Esq'r, or his order, for the sum of Six Thousand Dollars, to be by him paid to Capt. 'Tho's Cluggage of the Rangers to be raised in Bedford County, & to be charged to the said Cluggage.
[On this order is endorsed a Note to Mess. McClenaghan & Ir- win, requesting them to Pay the said Sum, & return the order on the Treasurer as their Voucher. ]
WHEREAS, these United States have been under a necessity, in order to carry on the present Just and necessary War with Great Britain, to emit very considerable Sums of Paper Currency, some emissions of which have not been yet declared by a Law of the State to be legal tender, & many evil minded & disaffected persons may endeavour to take advantage thereof, to the prejudice of the public as well as indviduals :
And Whereas, the length of the present Sessions, & the necessity of the members of this House to return to their respective Coun- ties, does not admit of complying with the necessary requisitions of the Constitution, in order to the passing of a Law ; But this House being desirous to express their detestation of such dangerous & pernicious measures :
Resolved, That any person who shall refuse such of the Bills of Credit emitted by the Hon'ble Continental Congress, as have not been made a legal tender in payment of any Debt or Contract, in which the Continental Bills of Credit which have been declared to be legal tender might be legally tendered, such person is & ought to be considered as an Enemy to his Country, & a betrayer of the liberties thereof.
A Letter from the Hon'ble John Jay, Esq'r, enclosing Resolves of Congress of the 23d March & 5th instant.
A Letter from Maj. John Browne, of the 5th Battalion of Phil- adelphia County, inclosing his Commission, was read.
Ordered, To lie on the Table. .
Jacob S. Howell having resigned his appointment as Receiver General of Cloathing, & the same being accepted, The Council de- sire he will prepare his Accounts for settlement.
The Resolution of General Assembly of the 5th instant being read & considered,
743
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Resolved, That Messieurs McClanaghan & Irwin be authorized to receive any Sums of Money which have been or may be subscrib- ed by any Persons on Loan to this State, the Sum to be repaid in . 6 Months, or sooner, if convenient to the State. That they give Receipts to such subscribers, & make return to the Board, and to the Treasurer of the State, either Paying over to him such monies as they may receive, or passing the Accounts with him thereupon, so as that same be made a regular transaction of the Treasury .- [See antea 741.7
WHEREAS, the Hon'ble the General Assembly of this State did, at the late Session,
" Resolve, That every Officer of the Continental Army should receive Annually a Suit of Uniform Cloathes ; And also, that the Officers, Marines & Sailors in the Service of the State, should be entitled to the same allowances, benefits & Provisions, as the Offi- cers and Soldiers in the Continental Army,"
Whereby it is become necessary to appoint a suitable person to purchase & procure Cloathing, agreeable to the said Resolve, & also to issue the same, as far as the same may be done without attending in Camp,
Resolved, That Lieu. Col. Lewis Farmer be appointed Commis- sary of Cloathing, & perform the Duties aforesaid, & that he re- ceive the same Pay & allowances as Mr. Howell has done.
Ordered, That Jacob S. Howell do deliver over to Col. Lewis Farmer, all the Cloathing now in his possession belonging either to the State or the Continent, taking his Receipt for the same.
"The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Friday April 9, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart,
John Macky, & John Hambright,
Esq'rs.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Col. John Bull, or his order, for the Sum of One Thousand & five hundred Pounds, for which sum he is to be accountable.
f
2
744
MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Saturday April, 10, 1779.
PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart, John Macky, &
John Hambright, ? S Esq'rs.
A Letter from the Treasury board, respecting Robert Leatham, a private in the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment.
Ordered, That Col. Hampton be desired to furnish Council with a Copy of the Commitment of the said Leatham.
Resolved, That the depositions taken on the Election of James Thompson, Esq'r, Councellor for York County, be transmitted to the Chief Justice & other Justices of the Supreme Court, who are desired to consider the same, & also the Constitution of this board, & the Act of Assembly respecting Election, & give their opinion on the following question, Viz :
" Whether the Supreme Executive Council is, by the Constitu- tion & Laws of this State, vested with power to proceed against George Eichelberger for a breach of Priviledge, & Commit him to Prison, agreeable to the practice of Representative bodies in cases of breach of priviledge."
The Petition of Robert McNeil, a Prisoner now under Sentence of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lancaster County, for Stealing a Horse, was read, & referred for further consideration when a transcript of the Sentence is had.
The Petition of Christopher Crawford, a Sub-Lieutenant of Lan- caster County, representing his difficulty in obtaining a Settlement with the Lieutenant of the said County, was read.
Ordered, That the said Petition be sent to Colonel Galbraith, in order that satisfaction be given this Board thercon, or the Peti- tioner be satisfied.
745
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
PHILAD'A, Monday April 12, 1779. PRESENT :
His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.
Joseph Hart, John Macky, & John Hambright, ? Esq'rs.
Ordered, That the Secretary, as keeper of the Register for for- feited Estates, do give notice that they will be sold in a short time, which notice is as follows, Viz :
" The' Public are hereby advertised, that the real Estates late of Joseph Galloway & Andrew Allen, Esquires, late members of the Congress of the Thirteen United Colonies, now States of America, for Pennsylvania; William Allen, the younger, Esq'r, sometime a Captain & afterwards a Lieutenant Colonel of a Regiment or Battalion of foot, in the service of the said United Colonies, now States of America ; James Rankin and John Rankin, both late of the County of York, Yeomen ; Jacob Duck the younger, late of the City of Philadelphia, late Chaplain of the said United States; Gilbert Hicks, late of Bucks County, Yeoman ; Samuel Shoema- ker, late Alderman of the City of Philadelphia; John Potts, late of Pottsgrove, in the County of Philadelphia, Yeoman ; Nathaniel Vernon, late Sheriff of Chester County ; Christian Foutts, late Lieu. Col. of Militia in the County of Lancaster ; John Biddle, late of Berks County, Yeoman, late Collector of Excise for the said County, and late a Deputy Quarter Master of the Army of the United States ; John Roberts, late of the County of Philadel- phia, Miller ; Abraham Carlisle, House Carpenter ; John Parrack, Yeoman; Philip Marchinton, Alexa. Bartram, Traders ; Joel Evans, Merchant ; John Henderson, Mariner ; Alexander Smith, Black- smith & William Austen, Yeoman, late keeper of the New Jersey Ferry, all of the City of Philadelphia ; Christopher Baur, the youn- ger, late of Germantown, Printer ; David Thompson, Shipwright ; John Tolly, Mariner, both late of Southwark ; Henry Hugh Ferguson, Esq'r, (late Commissary of Prisoners for General Howe,) heretofore of Græme Park, all late of the County of Philadelphia : John Ellwood, late of Bristol Township, in Bucks County; Water- man ; Samuel Biles, late Sheriff of Bucks County ; Michael Whit- man, & Henry Skyles, Husbandman, & George Reine, Miller, all late of Lancaster County ; Curtis Lewis, Blacksmith, & Richard Swanwick, heretofore of the Custom House of Philadelphia, both late of Chester County, Yeoman ; & Joseph Romich, late of North- ampton County, Yeoman ; & John Young, heretofore of Græme Park, in the County of Philadelphia, late of the City of Philadel- phia, Gentleman ; And Peter Campbell, Gentleman, and Isaac Al-
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