USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 42
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The petition of Elizabeth Wild, convicted of larceny at a court of General Quarter Sessions held at Sunbury, in the county of Nor- thumberland, for the said county, the twenty-second instant, and sentenced by the said court to receive fifteen lashes on her bare back on the 2d day of October next, and pay a fine to the use of the State equal to the value of the goods stolen, was read, praying a pardon for the said offence, and she being recommended by the Justices of the said court, and others, inhabitants of the said county ; Thereupon,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, Aug'st 31st, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Arndt, Mr. Read,
Mr. Thompson, Mr. Whitehill, and
Mr. Scott, (now first re- turned from his family.)
On application,
Ordered, That a suit of clothes of black be furnished by Colonel Lewis Farmer to the Rev'd Mr. Robert McMurdy, Chaplain to the first Pennsylvania brigade, in the same manner as has been furnished to other Clergymen; the same to be accounted for by him in the next distribution of clothing to the Pennsylvania line.
The Hon'ble Thomas Scott, Esq'r, having reported to the Coun- cil that William Amberson, Esq'r, Commiss'r of Purchases for the county of Westmoreland, resigned on or before the third instant, and that at his request John Perry, Esq'r, of the said county, hath since acted in his stead, and recommending him, the said John Perry, as a proper person to be appointed to the said office; Whereupon, the Board taking into their consideration the said re- commendation,
Resolved, That John Perry, Esquire, of the county of West- moreland, be appointed Commissioner of Purchases for the said county, agreeable to an act of General Assembly, passed the twenty- third day of March last.
A memorial from James Mease, Samuel Caldwell and George Haynes, setting forth their intention to purchase, by their agents,
VOL. XII .- 30.
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in the Island of Bermuda, a vessel to be cleared out from thence for Turk's Island, and there to ship salt for this place, was read, praying the concurrence of this Board therein, and the papers ne- cessary to carry the said plan into execution.
On consideration, therefore,
Resolved, That the same cannot be granted.
A petition from Frederick Sneider, Door-keeper, was read, pray- ing an increase of his wages ; thereupon,
Resolved, That he be allowed sixty dollars + day from the first day of September next, for his services as Door-keeper.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, Septem'r 1st, 1780.
PRESENT :
Hon'ble WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Whitehill,
Mr. Read,
Mr. Hambright, &
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Scott.
Mr. Thompson,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Sam- uel Miles, for the sum of £3,640, Continental money, for his ser- vices ninety-one days, as one of the auditors of the publick accounts, at £40 per day.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Frederick Sneider, for the sum of £514 2 6, amount of his account for his wages from the first to the 31st day of August last, at 40 dollars per day, and sundry expences for articles purchased for the use of the Council.
A letter from Colonel Valentine Eckart, of the 30th ult., was read, informing this Board that divers persons have been murdered by the Indians on the frontiers of the county of Berks.
Whereupon, a letter was written to his Excellency the President, requesting that two companies of the militia from the said county, now under his command, be sent for the protection thereof, if the same shall appear to him to be necessary.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lewis Nichola, for the amount of £1,440, Continental money, in State money, at the rate of sixty for one, money due to Colonel Nichola, Captains Woelpper, Rielly and M'Ilhatton, & Lieutenants Honey- man, Wood and Pugh, in lieu of their rations and refreshments for 4 weeks, ending the 27th of August last.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, Septem'r 2d, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Whitehill,
Mr. Scott, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Thompson.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of William Dun- ton, for the sum of 145 dollars, for his expences in securing the body of a certain Henry Strouss, by order of his Excellency the President.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. Francis Bailey, printer, for the sum of 12,988 dollars, Continental money, for sundry articles purchased by him and delivered to Colonel Ryan, for the use of the militia called into service, the same to be charged to Colonel William Henry, Lieutenant of the city and liberties of Philadelphia, and to be repaid by him out of the monies arising from militia fines.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Cooke, for the amount of 6,000 dollars, Continental money, in State money, at the rate of sixty for one, to be by him paid to William Hay, Esquire, for five head of cattle, delivered to the said Jacob Cooke as Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the county of Lancaster, for the use of the Continental army, agreeable to act of the General Assembly, passed the 1st day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jacob Cooke, Esq'r, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the county of Lan- caster, for the amount of 6,733 dollars and one-third, Continental money, in State money, at the rate of 60 for one, for five head of cattle, purchased by him for the use of the army, agreeable to an act of General Assembly, passed the first day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour Joseph Deane, Esq'r, for the sum of £5,000, Continental money, to be paid in State money, at the rate of sixty for one, for his services as one of the auditors of the publick accounts, one hundred & twenty-five days, at £40 per day.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of William M'Calla, Esq'r, Commissioner of Purchases in the county of Bucks, for the amount of £1,010 2 6, Continental money, in State money, at the rate of 60 for one, to be by him paid to Mr. Thomas Long, for his expences as Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the said county, for the use of the Continental army, agreeable to an act of General Assembly, passed the 1st day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Cooke, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the county of Lan-
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caster, for the amount of £450, Continental money, in State money, at the rate of sixty for one, his commission for purchasing cattle for. the use of the army, agreeable to act of General Assembly; passed the first day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Major William Armstrong, for the sum of £10,000, Continental money, for paying the workmen employed at the fortifications at Mud Island, and purchasing the necessary provisions for them, for which sum he is to account.
The petition of Edward West, of Tyrone Township, in the county of Cumberland, setting forth, that he had forfeited a recog- nizance entered into by him for his appearance at the court of Quarter Sessions held in July last, for the said county, in a case of an assault and battery upon a certain James Fisher, and praying this Board to remit the forfeiture, was read; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the same be dismissed.
A deed was examined and signed by the Hon'be William Moore, Esq'r, Vice President, to James Funston and John Funston, con- veying a certain tract of land, situate in Penn township, in the county of Northampton, bounded as follows, vizt : beginning at a white oak sapling; thence by land now or late vacant all round south 24 degrees east 70 perches to a stone; south 68 degrees west 198 perches to a stone; north 51 degrees west 124 perches to a stone; north 57 degrees east 118 perches to a stone; and east 152 perches to the place of beginning; containing 142 acres and 32 perches, and the allowance of six acres per cent. for roads, &ca ; Seized and sold as the estate late of Joshua Thomas, agreeable to law, for the sum of £960 15, to the said James Funston and John Funston, which sum they have paid into the hands of the agents for forfeited estates in the said county. Deed dated the 2d instant.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, Septem'r 4th, 1780.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Scott,
Mr. Whitehill, &
Gen'l Lacey.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Pur- viance, Esq'r, for the amount of £2,600, Continental, in State money, at 60 for one, for his services sixty-five days, as one of the auditors of the publick accounts, at £40 per day.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Sept'r 5th, 1780, Tuesday.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Read,
Mr. Scott,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Hambright, & Mr. Whitehill.
The petition of Joseph Burns, convicted of adultry and bas- tardy, at a Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, held at the borough of Chester, for the county of Chester, in August last, and sentenced by the said court to pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of £2,000, was read, praying remission of the said fine ; and he being recommended to this board by divers inhabitants of the said county,
On consideration,
Resolved, That the said fine be remitted.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Hon'ble Robert Whitehill, Esq'r, for the sum of £400 Continental money, in part of his pay, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Hon'ble James Thompson, for the sum of £600, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which he is to account.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, Sept'r 6th, 1780.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Hambright, and Mr. Scott.
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Mili- tary stores, be directed to deliver to Captain John Ball the gun- powder lately lodged by him in the publick magazine.
The Lieutenants of Chester and Philadelphia counties, and of the city of Philadelphia, having suggested sundry doubts on the militia law, in consequence of which they delayed proceeding against delinquents.
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Resolved, That the Chief Justice, Justice Bryan, and the Attor- ney General, be requested to give the Board their opinion there- upon, and in consequence a letter was sent to each, stating the points in which their opinion was required, and requesting their attendance in Council to-morrow morning at ten o'clock.
The Hon'ble Mr. Holker, Consul of France, having certified that he had shipped 200 barrels of flour on board the Schooner L'amia- ble, Captain d Russey, consigned to Monsieur D Vaivve, Intendant & Commissary at Cape Francois, on account of the fleet and armies of his most Christain Majesty ; and 800 barrels of flour on board the Polacre, called the Count de Argourt, to be delivered to Monsieur Le Brasieur, the present Intendant and Commissary ordi- nature at that port.
Resolved, That permissions be granted the said vessels to clear out of this port, the Captains conforming to the act of Assembly of this State, entitled An act for regulating navigation and trade in this State.
A letter from Colonel Brodhead, dated the twenty-first day of August, 1780, was read, representing a scarcity of provisions at Fort Pitt, and enclosing a recruiting account of Captain Van Swear- ingen.
A petition from Elias Lewis Friechell, was read, representing that in the year 1777 he had sold to Lawrence Fegan, an attainted traitor, a house for £800, on which Fegan had took up a mort- gage of £200, and paid him in cash &195; that the said house had been lately sold by the agents for confiscated estates, and that he had become a purchaser for £48,000 Continental money; that he had approved himself a faithful subject of this State on all occa- sions, and suffered greatly during the contest, and that he had made the said purchase in consequence of some encouragement given him by this Board, or some members thereof, and praying some relief : Whereupon, the said petition being considered, and some time spent thereupon,
Resolved, That upon the said Elias. Lewis Friechell's paying to the Treasurer of the State the sums above mentioned, vizt :- £200 and £195 with the interest thereon respectively, as the same were paid by the said Fegan, and quit claiming all demands on the State as a creditor of the said Fegan, this Board will direct a deed to be executed of the premises in fee simple, and that on non-compliance herewith the agents of confiscated estates do proceed with the estate as in other cases.
Sundry letters from his Excellency the President of Congress, inclosing divers resolutions of that body, were also read :
First. Resolution dated 12th of August, on the memorial of the general officers, recommending a compensation to the officers and soldiers for the depreciation of their pay, and that Congress will liquidate and pay off what is due on that account, to officers and soldiers not belonging to the quota of any State.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Second. Resolution that after the first day of August, 1780, the army be entitled to pay as stated before the first day of Janu- ary, 1777, in new bills, emitted pursuant to the resolution of the 18th of March.
Thirdly. That officers be allowed five dollars per month in the same new bills, for each retained ration.
Fourthly. That the Board of War report a list of the officers not of the quota of any State, with an account of the balance due to them, to make good their pay for past services, agreeable to a resolution of the 10th day of April last.
Fifthly. That such States as have not made compensation to their officers and soldiers, agreeable to the recommendations of the 17th of August, 1779, be and are requested to do it as soon as pos- sible.
Sixthly. That the resolution passed the 16th of September, 1776, for granting lands, be extended to general officers, in the following proportion, vizt :
Major General, one thousand one hundred acres.
Brigadier Gen'l, eight hundred & fifty acres.
Seventhly. That the officers be furnished with two months' pay as soon as possible.
Resolution dated the 25th of August, 1780, extending the half pay of Gen'l Officers, proportioned to their pay.
Resolution dated the 24th day of August, 1780, to enable the. officers of the line commanding corps when in camp, to draw so many of the rations heretofore withheld, as the Commander in Chief, or of a separate army, shall judge necessary, but that no provision. be issued for back rations not drawn on the day they became due. That if it shall appear that the subsistence money allowed to officers in lieu of rations withheld, is not equal to the cost of the. rations, the deficiency shall hereafter be made up to them.
That the resolution of the 15th day of May, 1778, granting half pay for seven years to officers of the army who should con- tinue in service to the end of the war, be extended to the widows of those who have died, or who shall hereafter die in the service, to commence from such death and continue for seven years; or if there be no widow, or in case of her death or intermarriage, such half pay to be given to the orphan children of such officer, and that it be recommended to the States to make provision therefor, on account of the United States.
That the restricting clause in the resolution of the fifteenth of May, 1778, granting half pay for seven years, but the same to cease upon holding any civil office of profit, be repealed.
Resolution dated the 25th day of August, 1780, giving rank as Major Generals in the line to Governors and Presidents of States, acting in conjunction with Continental troops.
Resolution dated the twenty-sixth day of August, 1780 :
First. That the several States take the most effectual means in their power to draw in the respective quotas of the Continental
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bills of credit, to be destroyed either, by a tax, to be collected im- mediately, or by exchanging them for new bills, to be emitted on the act of the eighteenth of March.
Secondly. That the States raise by taxes, payable in the bills emitted, pursuant to the act aforesaid, or in specie, their respective quotas of three millions of dollars, agreeable to the appointment of the seventh of October, 1779, and pay the same into the Treasury of the United States as soon as possible ; the payment to be fully compleated by the last of December, and each State be allowed in- terest for the same from the time it is paid, to be hereafter adjusted, according to a resolution of the 6th of Octo'r, 1779.
Thirdly. That the late Quarter Master General and Commissary Gen'l, and the present Commissary Gen'l, render an account to the Board of Treasury of all debts due by them on certificates, or otherwise, specifying the sum due in each State, that warrants may issue in their favours on the Treasurers of such States for payment of the same, out of the monies to be collected for the United States :
Which warrants being paid, shall be accepted by the Treasurer towards such State's quota of the monies to be raised as aforesaid ; and it is further recommended to such States to provide that the certificates of the said Quarter Master General and Commissarys, & those who purchased under them, be received in payment of the said taxes to the amount of such warrants, under proper regula- tions for preventing frauds.
And to prevent the possibility of any depreciation in the bills to be emitted, agreeable to the act of the 18th of March, aforesaid, that it be most earnestly recommended to the several States, not to issue bills of credit for a currency, on any consideration whatever, to a greater amount than their respective quotas of the new bills stated in the act aforesaid ; and that the bills of credit emitted by any of the States since the first day of January last, and redeema- ble in specie, at par, be considered as part of the proportion of the money reserved by the said act of the 18th of March, to the use of the State.
Resolved, That all and singular the creditors of these United States for supplies furnished the army, or the transportation there- of, shall be entitled to receive the just value of the sums due to them respectively in the bills of credit emitted, pursuant to the act of the 18th of March last ; the value of the sums due to be ascertained according to the current value of Continental bills of credit compared with specie, at the time the money became due, at the place where the supplies were furnished, provided the same do not exceed the prices fixed for such supplies by the act of the 25th of February last, or a proportionate value for services done and articles furnished, not mentioned in the said act ; but if the nominal sum in Continental currency contracted for when reduced to specie value as aforesaid, shall exceed the fixed prices aforesaid,
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
the creditor shall be entitled to receive the amount of the supplies furnished or services done, at the said fixed or proportionate prices, in the new bills aforesaid, or the nominal sum contracted for in Continental bills of credit, and no more, at his election.
That the accounts being duly examined and adjusted by the rule aforesaid, by commissioners that may be appointed, agreeably to the resolution of the 12th of June last, to settle accounts of offi- cers of the State departments in the several States, or by the offi- cer who made the contract, or by whom the payment is to be made, the same shall be paid, or a certificate given for the sum justly due, certifying that the same hath been duly examined and adjust- ed, agreeably to the directions aforesaid ; and if paid in the new bills, the interest on the said bills shall be computed to the date of such certificates.
That all debts due to the United States for monies received for their use, or otherwise, within any of these States, shall be paid according to the just value of the money when it was received or became due, to be ascertained as aforesaid.
Extract from the Minutes.
CHA'S THOMPSON, Sec'y.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, Sept'r 7th, 1780. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'be the Vice President.
Mr. Scott, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Arndt, and
Mr. Hambright.
Doctor James Hutchinson & Colonel William Coates, a commit- tee of the Hon'ble House of Assembly, attended in Council, and informed the Board that the house was now met, and were ready to receive such business as the Council may have to lay before them.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Captain Sam- uel Blythe, for the sum of 7,000 dollars Continental money, for the expences of him and his Lieutenant, their pay and disburse- ments in collecting together the Cumberland county volunteers, & forwarding them to Head Quarters.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Hazle- wood, Esq'r, Commissioner of Purchases for the city of Philadel- phia, for the sum of £100,000 Continental money, for purchasing the supplies for the use of the Continental army, for which he is to account.
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A letter from his Excellency Gen'l Washington, representing the particular necessity of the army at this time for want of provi- sions, particularly meat, in consequence of various disappointments, was read; and information having been given to the Council that there is a quantity of flour and salt provisions on board a prize in the river called the Lady Margaret,
Resolved, that Captain Hazlewood do, without loss of time, apply to the Marshall of the Court of Admiralty for the said pro- visions, the price to be fixed by two persons, one to be appointed by the Marshall, & the other by Captain Hazlewood, and that the same be forwarded immediately to camp, to relieve the present dis- tress.
The Board taking into consideration the representation of sun- dry of the Lieutenants of the counties whose militia were lately called out, and being assisted with the advice of the Justices of the Supreme Court and Attorney General, on the militia law,
Resolved, First. That the Lieutenants do collect the fines from the delinquents for the whole tour of duty, vizt : Two months, that being the period for which they were called out.
Secondly. That when money has been advanced, the same be deducted from the pay, to be settled agreeable to law.
Thirdly. That the wages be paid for the time of service given, reckoning two days before they marched, and 15 miles per day re- turning from Trenton.
Fourthly. That the fines to be collected from delinquents be es- timated only at the rate as fixed by the Court of Quarter Sessions, when the tour of duty commenced, but that the men who actually marched be paid at said rate untill the same was altered by the Justices, and to have the benefit of such alteration from the time it was made.
Application being made to this Board by Messrs. Bunner, Mur- ray and Company, for permission to ship for the West Indies 30 barrels of Manhaydon fish, on board the schooner ;
On consideration,
Ordered, That the same be granted ; and the Naval Officer be directed to enter the said fish, in the usual form.
The following message from the Council to the General Assem- bly being read and considered, was approved and signed, vizt :
COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philad'a, Sept'r 7th, 1780.
A Message from the Supreme Executive Council to the Represen- tatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met.
Gentlemen :
The state of our publick affairs is in many respects so critical and interesting, that we esteem your present meeting a happy
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
event, and doubt not you will employ it in devising such measures as may tend to remove any temporary difficulties, and relieve the publick necessities, which, it must be / admitted, are great and pressing.
We have, in the best manner our circumstances and ability per- mitted, carried into execution the plan of specifick supplies recom- mended by the Hon'ble Congress, and adopted by your Honourable house in April last. But there have been so many and such press- ing exigencies constantly arising, as added to the difficulty of pro- curing money sufficient to answer the advanced prices of all com- modities, have made the execution of this system peculiarly ardu- ous and uncertain.
We have endeavoured by every means in our power, to promote the free circulation of the money issued by the State for supplying the army. In most parts of the State it has been happily effectual for this purpose. We have to lament an equal disposition has not been manifested in others, and especially by those whose situation and circumstances would have decided its general and universal currency. As the quotas of the several States are fixed on a scale of proportion affecting the political and economical interests of the State, you will doubtless think it proper that all supplies furnished by the inhabitants of the State, be brought into the general com- pliance with the requisition of Congress, so far as that the same be estimated in the quota of this State.
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