USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 44
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The petitions from Michael Huffnagle and others, officers of two volunteer companies raised in the county of Westmoreland for the defence of the frontiers, being referred to this Board by the Hon'ble the House of Assembly, were read, and the said Michael Huffnagle having stated an account for his services as a Major to the said companies, under appointment from the Lieutenant of the said county ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the said account, together with the petitions, be transmitted to the auditors of the publick accounts, and that they be requested to settle the same.
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, Septem'r 23d, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Hambright,
Mr. Scott, & Mr. Arndt.
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to deliver to Colonel Abraham Smith, Lieuten- ant of the county of Cumberland, or his order, 300 weight of gun powder, 600 weight of lead, and 2,000 flints, for the use of the militia of the said county, for which the said Colonel Smith is to be accountable.
A letter from the Hon'ble Mr. Holker, Consul of France, re- specting the cutting of masts on the heads of the river Schuylkill for the Royal Marine of France, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the same be laid before the General Assembly.
A resolution of the Hon'ble House of Assembly, of the 22d in- stant, requesting that this Board will direct that 1,000 head of cat- tle be immediately purchased by the Commissioners of this State, for the use of the Continental army, Congress having agreed to advance one-third of the price thereof, agreeable to their resolution of yesterday, was read; and it was
Resolved, That the same be farther considered.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. John Stewart, for the amount of £9,651 14 4, in State money, at the rate of 60 for one, in full for ten head of cattle delivered to Wil- liam Armstrong for the use of the Continental army, agreeable to act of Assembly, passed the first day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Hon'ble Thomas Scott, Esq'r, for the sum of. ££150, in full for his wages for his attendance in Council to this day.
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, Septem'r 25th, 1780. PRESENT :
Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Arndt, .
Mr. Read.
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles be directed to deliver to the Hon'ble Jacob Arndt, Esq'r, or his order, 400 weight of lead, to be by him forwarded to Colonel Samuel Rea, Esq'r, Lieutenant
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
of the county of Northampton, for the use of the militia of the said county, for which the said Lieutenant is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. Stacey Hepburn, for the sum of £83 7, of the money emitted by an act of General Assembly, passed the 25th day of March last, for 1,667 pounds of lead, bought by Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, for the use of the State, at 1 shilling # pound.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, Sept'r 26th, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Read,
Mr. Arndt,
Mr Lacey, and Mr Garduer.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Major Wil- liam Armstrong, for the sum of £300, of the money emitted by an act of General Assembly, passed the 25th day of March last, for paying the workmen employed at the fortifications on Mud Is- land, and purchasing the necessary provisions.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Captain Na- than Boys, for the sum of £5,555, Continental money, to be paid in State money, at the rate of sixty for one, amount of money due to the officers & men of the gallies in lieu of their rations & re- freshments from the 26th of August last to the 23d of Sept'r in- stant.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. John Gill, for the sum of &85, of the money emitted by an act of Gen- eral Assembly, passed the 25th day of March last, for nine head of beef cattle, purchased of him for the use of the army by Augustine Willet, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the county of Bucks, agreeable to act of Assembly passed the first of June last.
The petition of Matthias Gomez, praying a pass to go into the city of New York, was read, & rejected.
Resolved, That Mr. John Boggs, of the county of Cumberland, be appointed Paymaster of the militia of the said county.
Captain Nathan Boys presented to the Council a commission to Isaac Ely, appointing him first Lieutenant of the Franklin Galley, in the service of this State, and signifying that the said Isaac Ely is desirous to resign the same; whereupon,
Resolved, That the s'd resignation be accepted.
Colonel Abraham Smith, Lieutenant of the county of Cumber- land, having recommended Thomas Turbutt, Esq'r, as a proper person to be appointed a sub-Lieut't for the said county, and the said appointment appearing to this Board to be necessary,
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Resolved, That Thomas Turbett, Esq'r, be appointed a sub-Lieu- tenant for the county of Cumberland, & that he be commissioned accordingly.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, Sept'r 27th, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, and
Mr. Thompson.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lewis Farmer, for the amount of £259, Continental money, in State mo- ney, at the rate of sixty for one, amount of his account of cash paid for spirits, &c., for the use of the ringers of the bells on the birth day of his most Christian Majesty.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lewis Farmer, fer the sum of £2,500 of the money emitted by an act of Assembly passed the 25th of March last, for purchasing the enu- merated articles of rum, sugar, tea, coffee, &ca., for the use of the troops of the Pennsylvania line, for which he is to account.
'The Hon'ble Thomas Mckean, Esq'r, Chief Justice, attended in Council, and informed the Board that certain intelligence had been received of General Arnold's having joined the enemy at New York ; whereupon,
Resolved, That the Sheriff of the city and county of Philadel- phia be directed to make diligent search for General Arnold's pa- pers, and that he seize and bring the same before this Board for examination.
The following letters were received & read, vizt : From Thomas Hewitt, Esq'r, of Northumberland county, dated the 29th ult., in- closing a deposition of Henry McNeal, representing that sundry of the inhabitants of Catawisy settlement do carry on a treasonable correspondence with the Tories and Indians in that quarter.
From General Potter, of the 18th instant, informing of his march against the Tories and Indians up the west branch of the Susquehanna.
From Colonel Samuel Hunter, of the 21st instant, representing the distressed situation of the people on the frontiers in the county of Northumberland.
And from Henry Wynkoop, Esq'r, of Bucks county, dated the 23d instant, informing this Board that the Justices of the said county have quota'd upon the different townships four thousand bushells of wheat, to be delivered at the mills by the fifth of Oc- tober next, for the supply of the army.
Ordered, That the said letters be filed.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, Sept'r 28th, 1780. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Arndt.
An order to Mr. John Ramsay for the amount of 4,333 dollars, Continental money, in State money, at sixty for one, for six head of cattle delivered to Thomas Heslip, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in Chester county, for the use of the army, agreeable to act of Assembly, passed the first day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Hon'ble William Moore, Esq'r, Vice President, for the sum of £3,000, Continental money, in part of his salary, for which he is to ac- count.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of bis Excel- lency Joseph Reed, Esq'r, President, for the sum of £5,000, Con- tinental money, in part of his salary, for which he is to account.
A return of justices for the first district of the township of Au- 'gusta, in the county of Northumberland, was received and read, by which it appears that John Buyers, Christian Gettigh, Ludowick Gass & Robert McBride, were duly elected Justices of the Peace for the said district ; On consideration,
Ordered, That John Buyers and Christian Gettigh be appointed Justices of the Peace for the county of Northumberland, and that they be commissioned accordingly.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the 10th instant, was received and read, inclosing the following papers, to wit :
A declaration of the State of Maryland respecting the articles of Confederation, dated the 15th of December, 1778, on the same subject.
Remonstrance of the General Assembly of the State of Mary- land, to their delegates in Congress, of the fifteenth of December, 1778, on the same subject.
Remonstrance of the General Assembly of the State of Virginia, to the delegates of the United States in Congress assembled, " against any jurisdiction or right of adjudication in Congress upon the petitions of the Vandalia or Indiana companies, or on any other matter or thing subversive of the internal policy, civil government, or sovereignty of this or any other of the United States, or un- warranted by the articles of the Confederation."
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An act of the General Assembly of the State of New York, to facilitate the completion of the articles of Confederation, and per- petual Union among the United States of America.
Report of the committee of Congress, to whom the aforemen- tioned papers were referred, & a resolution of Congress of the 6th instant, for transmitting to the several States the said papers, and recommending to the Legislatures of these States who have claims to the western country, to pass such laws, and give their delegates in Congress such powers, as may effectually remove the only ob- stacle to a final ratification of the articles of Confederation, and also recommending to the Legislature of the State of Maryland to authorize their delegates in Congress to subscribe the said ar- ticles.
Ordered, That the said papers be filed.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, Septem'r 29th, 1780.
PRESENT :
As yesterday.
A letter of the 18th instant, from General Potter, was read, re- questing a corps of militia to be sent into Northumberland county, for the protection of the frontiers ; whereupon,
Resolved, That the Lieutenant of Lancaster county be directed to send one class of the militia of Lancaster county, for the pur- pose aforesaid, so as to be there by the twenty-fifth of next month.
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 60 for one, amount of money due to Colonel Lewis Nichola, Captains Woelpper, Reily and McIlhatton, and Lieutenants Honey- man, Wood and Pugh, in lieu of their rations & refreshments, from 27th of August to 24th of September instant.
The petition of John Eve was read, setting forth that he had purchased the plantation late belonging to his father, in Oxford township ; that he has paid one-fourth of the purchase money, and praying this Board to allow him longer time to pay the residue. On consideration,
Resolved, That the said petition be rejected.
The petition of Isaac Austin, purchaser of William Austin's es- tate, representing that the purchase money is too great for him to raise within the time limited by law, and praying this Board to allow him further time to pay the said purchase money, was read ; and the same was rejected.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan D. Sergeant, Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva-
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
nia, for the sum of £4,000, Continental money, to be paid in State money, at sixty for one, in part of his salary, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Robert Mar- tin, Esq'r, for the amount of five thousand dollars, Continental money, in State money, at sixty for one, to be by him paid to Lieu- tenant Jacob Cramer, Peter Grove, William Campbell, and Michael Grove, the reward for two Indian scalps, agreeable to the late pro- clamation of this Board.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. Nicholas Diehl, for the amount of twenty-seven thousand seven hundred & thirty-three dollars and one-third, Continental money, in State money, at 60 for one, for ten head of cattle delivered to William Armstrong, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in the county of Philadelphia, for the use of the army, agreeable to act of Assem- bly, passed the first day of June last.
WHEREAS, Colonel Matthew Smith, Councellor elect for the county of Lancaster, did on the 6th day of January last, resign his seat at this Board, which resignation was accepted : And it being necessary that the inhabitants of the said county shou'd have notice thereof before the next general election,
Resolved, That the Sheriff of the county of Lancaster do give notice to the inhabitants of the said county, of the said vacancy.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, Sept'r 30th, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Read, and
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Hambright.
Resolved, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to deliver to Robert Morris, Esq'r, or his order, the gunpowder belonging to him now in the publick magazine.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Morgan, Jun'r, Superintendant of the Commissioners of Purchases in the several counties, for the sum of £20,000 of the money emitted by an act of General Assembly, passed the 25th day of March last, for purchasing supplies for the use of the army, for which he is to account.
The petition of Nathaniel Mitchell, of the Island of Bermuda, master of the schooner Recovery, lately arrived in this port with 320 bushells of salt, was read, praying permission to ship for Ber-
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muda, forty barrels of bread, forty kegs do., forty barrels of flour, 100 bushels of Indian corn, & 300 weight of cheese.
On consideration,
Resolved, That the said permission cannot be granted.
Upon the application of Mr. Thomas Bradford, Commissary of Prisoners, that the flagg of truce brigg Two Friends, lately arrived in this port with prisoners, may be permitted to return to some port belonging to the King of Great Britain, with a number of prison- ers in exchange.
Resolved, That the said permission be granted.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, Octo'r 2d, 1780.
PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hambright, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Thompson.
On consideration,
Ordered, That Robert Jewell, Esq'r, be directed to endeavour to obtain the papers of Aneas Urquhart, now in the hands of his housekeeper and in the hands of John Nicholson, & bring them before this Council.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Augustine Willet, Commissioner for purchasing cattle in Bucks county, for the amount of 8,558 dollars, Continental money, in State money, at 60 for one, ballance of his account for purchasing cattle in the said county, for the use of the army, agreeable to act of Assembly passed the 1st day of June last.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Frederick Sneider, for £712 12 6, amount of his account for his wages as doorkeeper from the 1st to the 30th of September last, at 60 dol- lars per day, & cash paid for sundry articles for the use of the Council.
Passes were granted to Rebecca Bryant and Abigail Rankin to go into the city of New York, pursuant to a late order of this Board, their husbands being with the enemy.
The petition of James Boyd & Sceny, his wife, convicted of a misdemeanour, in receiving stolen goods, at a city court held in July last, and sentenced by the said court, each of them to be whipt 21 lashes on their bare backs, pay the costs of prosecution, and each of them to pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of £4,000, was read, praying a remission of the said fines.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
On consideration,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted.
On motion,
Resolved, That a warrant, or warrants, issue to the Sheriff of the city and county of Philadelphia, for apprehending David Franks, William Hamilton, James Seagroves, William Constable, and David Solebury Franks, they being persons whom there is just reason to suspect are enemies to the American cause, and to hold an unlawfull and dangerous correspondence and intercourse with the enemy at New York. And that he bring them before this Board for examination, pursuant to an act of the General Assem- bly, passed at Philadelphia, the tenth day of October last, entitled " An act to impower the Supreme Executive Council and Justices of the Supreme Court to apprehend suspected persons, and to in- crease the fines to which persons are liable for neglecting to per- form their tour of militia duty."
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, Octo'r 3d, 1780.
PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Thompson, &
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Hambright.
A letter of the third instant, from the Hon'ble Board of War, was read, inclosing a copy of a letter of the 29th ult., from Gov- ernor Livingston, respecting a certain Captain Joel, a deserter from the British army ; and it appearing that the said Captain Joel is a very suspicious person, whose going at large is dangerous to the publick ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the said Captain Joel be committed to prison un- till the further order of this Board, and the Goaler of this city is required to receive and keep him accordingly.
David Franks, William Hamilton, James Seagroves, William Constable, and David Solebury Franks, having been brought before this Board on the act of Assembly entitled, " An act to impower the Supreme Executive Council and Justices of the Supreme Court to apprehend suspected persons, and to increase the fines to which persons are liable for neglecting to perform their tour of milit'a duty ;" and an examination having been had, pursuant to the said act,
Resolved, That the said David Franks, William Hamilton, and James Seagroves, stand committed pursuant to the powers vested
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in this Board by the said act of Assembly, and the Goaler of this city is required to receive and keep them accordingly.
Resolved, That the said William Constable give security to James Claypole, Esq'r, high Sheriff of the city and county of Phil- adelphia, himself in the sum of fifty thousand pounds, and two sureties in the sum of £25,000 each, to appear before this Board when called for.
Resolved, That Major David S. Franks be required to return immediately to the army, under the command of his Excellency General Washington.
The following Proclamation being read and considered, was or- dered to be published, vizt :
By the Hon'ble WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President, and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, The following named persons, late and heretofore in- habitants of this State, that is to say :- Benedict Arnold, late a Major General in the army of the United Stases ; Anthony Yel- dall, Druggist ; William West, Jun'r, Merchant, late a Major in the army of the United States ; and Thomas Lightfoot & John Turner, Merchants, all now or late of the city of Philadelphia ; and John Wright and Jonathan Wright, yoemen, both now or late of the township of Hatfield ; and John Hutchinson, yoeman, now or late of the township of Kingsessing, all now or late of the county of Philadelphia; and John Jackson, now or late of the township of East Bradford, yo., Joshua Buffington, now or late of the town- ship of East Bradford, yoeman, both now or late of the county of Chester; have severally adhered to and . knowingly aided and as- sisted the enemies of this State and of the United States of America, by having joined their armies in this State & elsewhere : We the Supreme Executive Council aforesaid, by virtue of certain powers and authorities to us given by an act of General Assembly, entitled " An Act for the attainder of divers traitors, if they render not themselves by a certain day, and for vesting their estates in this Commonwealth, and for more effectually discovering the same, and for ascertaining and satisfying the lawfull debts and claims there- upon ;" Do hereby charge and require the said Benedict Arnold, Anthony Yeldall, Thomas Lightfoot, John Turner, John Wright, Jonathan Wright, John Hutchinson, John Jackson and Joshua Buffington, to render themselves respectively to some or one of the Justices of the Supreme Court, or of the Justices of the Peace of one of the counties within this State, on or before Monday the thirteenth day of November next, and also abide their legal trial for such their treasons : And we do in like manner require the said
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
William West, Jun'r, to render himself to some or one of the Jus- tices aforesaid, on or before Saturday the 30th day of December next, and also abide his legal trial for such his treason, on pain that every of them, the said Benedict Arnold, Anthony Yeldall, William West, Jun'r, Thomas Lightfoot, John Turner, John Wright, Jonathan Wright, John Hutchinson, John Jackson and Joshua Buffington, not rendering himself as aforesaid, and abiding the trial aforesaid, shall from and after the said 13th day of No- vember and 30th day of December, respectively stand and be attainted of high treason, to all intents and purposes, and shall suffer such pains and penalties, and undergo all such forfeitures as persons attainted of high treason ought to do, and all the faithfull subjects of this State are to take notice of this Proclamation and govern themselves accordingly.
Given by order of the Council, under the hand of the Hon'ble WIL- LIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President, and the seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this 2d day of October, in the year of our Lord 1780.
WILLIAM MOORE, Vice President.
Attest-T'Y MATLACK, Sec'y. GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH.
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, Oct'r 4th, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Read, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Arndt, and Mr. Hambright.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Doctor David Jackson, for the sum of £4,000, Continental money, for paying the transportation of the stores for the militia of the city and lib- erties of Philadelphia, lately called into service, for which he is to account, as Quarter Master to the said militia; the same to be charged to Colonel William Henry, Lieutenant, and to be repaid by him out of the monies arising from militia fines.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the said Doc- tor Jackson, for the sum of £111 10 of the money emitted by an act of General Assembly, passed the 25th day of March last, for paying for sundry articles purchased for the use of the said militia, for which the said Doctor Jackson is to account, to be charged to Colonel William Henry, as aforesaid.
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An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Hon'ble James Read, Esq'r, for the sum of two thousand pounds, Conti- mental money, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which he is to account.
A letter from his Excellency Gen'l Washington of the first in- stant, was read, acquainting this Board of the distressed situation of the army for want of flour, and requesting that the Council would exert their authority and influence with the agents, and all- others concerned, in procuring and forwarding a supply to Trenton without delay.
A letter of the 16th ult , from Colonel Daniel Broadhead, at Fort Pitt, representing the distressed situation of the Garrison, for want of provisions, & requesting to know who is to supply them with beef, liquor & salt.
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, October 5th, 1780. PRESENT :
The Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read.
Mr. Thompson, &
Upon the application of Colonel Samuel Miles, Dep'y Quarter M. General, for the direction of the Council respecting the pay of the teams called out pursuant to their order, for the Continental service,
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Board, that the Conti- mental State Q'r Master should settle the account, and if he has not money to pay it, he should procure an order from Congress, which the State will honour, by which the same will go into Con- tinental account as it ought to do.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, October 6th, 1780. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Arndt,
Mr. Read,
Mr. Hambright, and Mr. Thompson.
A memorial from sundry respectable gentlemen of South Caro- lina, respecting the good conduct of James Seagroves, while the enemy invested Charlestown, being laid before the Board,
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Resolved, That Robert Jewell, Esq'r, keeper of the new prison, be directed to release the said James Seagroves from confinement.
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