USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 66
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We have endeavoured to execute the laws you have enacted, to furnish the supplies required to recruit the Pensylvania line, and to support the frontiers, by such means as you have put into our hands for these important purposes. But, after devoting our best abilities and utmost attention, we find so much in the former to be amended and altered, and so much in the latter to be supplied, that a farther progress without the aid of the Legislature, wou'd have in- volved the State in difficulties, which prudence, wisdom, and firmness, may now remove, but which time and inattention may ripen into incu- rable evils. That of a depreciation of our State currency is the most alarming. Having seen and felt its ruinous consequences on the Continental money, in the loss of publick confidence, the violation of private honesty, and the distresses it has brought on the most virtuous part of the community, and which an unconquerable love of their country cou'd alone enable them to support, we cou'd not see this fatal malady again sapping the vitals of publick credit and future resources, without giving the alarm, and calling upon you, who alone possess the Constitutional powers of prevention and relief.
It cannot be denied by the most selfish factions, or disaffected, that the exportation of the produce of the country is great, the re- turns quick and profitable ; that Providence bas blessed us with plentifull crops, and that present prospects are unusually rich ; and it must equally be admitted, that the army, the government, and publick creditors, feel all the effects of real, undissembled poverty ;
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
that the sense of individuals, if we may judge by their conduct, and the sense of the Legislature, with respect to paper money, so ma- terially differ, that it must be wholly laid aside, or supported by more general approbation and concurrence ; and that some measures must be immediately adopted to relieve the present necessities, more adequate to the end than those which have been lately at- tempted, or the consequences are too obvious and too alarming to need enumeration or description.
We have the satisfaction to acquant you, that the line is again formed into respectable strength, and that a detachment under the command of General Wayne, has marched to the relief of our suffering brethern in the Southern States. In appointments and equipment we can justly say, our troops have never taken the field in a more respectable condition ; and we have no doubt they will prove a most valuable, as well as considerable re-inforcement to the southern army.
We must beg leave to remind you, that by a law of the State, that Assembly shou'd at every session fix the pay of the militia, but it has been omitted for two sessions, while so great a part of the community, and those of greatest property and consideration, exempt themselves from this duty, it cannot be expected that the poor and midling class will chearfully perform it for the trifling sums they receive, or be satisfied with the small composition made by the delinquents.
There are considerable numbers of prisoners drawn into the State by the orders of Congress, which require constant guards ; there are also occasional services to be rendered, and the distance of our line adds a new. and forceable consideration to keep the militia on a respectable footing, as our principal dependance in case of inva- sion or other publick necessity.
It wou'd exceed the limits of an address to enter into a farther detail. The Secretary will lay before you sundry important papers, and this Board will chearfully make such farther communication as may be necessary ; and we most earnestly entreat you, gentlemen, in this sessions, to lay aside all other considerations which do not tend to the establishment of publick credit, the supply of the army, the relief of the frontiers, and the maintenance of civil government, all which now depend upon the issue of your deliberations. The eyes of the people of this State, and of all America, are upon you, and we trust they will not be disappointed in the hopes they have formed of the wisdom, firmness, and integrity of your measures.
JOSEPH REED, President. Council Chamber, Philad'a, May 31st, 1781.
A letter from Samuel Rea, Esquire, Lieutenant of the county of Northampton, of the thirtieth instant, was read, inclosing his com- mission of Lieutenant of said county, and praying leave to resign the same ; thereupon,
Ordered, That the said resignation be accepted.
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A petition from Christian Koon, Trumpet Major of the fourth regiment of Light Dragoons, commanded by Colonel Stephen Moy- lan, was read, praying for his discharge from the said regiment. Thereupon,
Resolved, That the petitioner be referred to Colonel Moylan, who is requested to make inquiry, and do justice therein.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, inclosing a resolution of Congress of the twenty-eighth instant, authorizing Mr. Tench Francis, together with Mr. Thomas Smith and Mr. Richard Bache, or any one of them, to sign the bills of credit issued by the Commonwealth of Pensylvania, pursuant to the act of Congress of the eighteenth of March, 1780, was read; and
Ordered, To be filed.
A resolution of the Honourable House of Assembly of the thir- tieth instant, was receiv'd and read, appointing a committee, vizt : Mr. Wynkoop and Mr. J. Harris, to obtain from Council their act for convening the House, and also to inform the Council that the House is ready to receive such business as the Council may have to lay before them.
Mr. Harris, of the House of Representatives, attended in Coun- cil, and laid before the Council a resolve of the House of this day, in the following words, vizt.
" STATE OF PENSYLVANIA.
" In General Assembly, Thursday 31st May, 1781.
" On motion, and by special order, the Message from his Excel- "lency the President and Council of this day, was read the second " time.
" Resolved, That it be referred to a committee of eleven, together " with the papers accompaning the same, and that the committee be "instructed to request a conference with Council thereupon, and "report as soon as possible.
"The members chosen, were Mr. Delany, Mr. Hill, Mr. Wyn- "koop, Mr. Evans, Mr. Jocks, Mr. Galbraith, Mr. J. Harris, Mr. " Mifflin, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. J. Burd.
" Extract from the minutes.
" SAMUEL STERETT, Clerk."
And also informed the Council, that the Committee mentioned in the said resolve request a conference according thereto ; where- upon, it was
Ordered, That the Council will confer with the Committee im- mediately.
The committee attended in Council, and after spending some time in conference, it was agreed to adjourn 'till ten o'clock to- morrow morning.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, June 1st, 1781,
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read, Mr. Whitehill,
Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Van Campen ..
The committee of the House attended in Council agreeable to adjournment, and thereupon a conference was had upon the subject of the message from the Council to the General Assembly, of the thirtieth ult'o, and the papers accompaning the same ; also upon the present situation of publick affairs generally.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, June 2nd, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Mr. Read, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Whitehill, and Mr. Van Campen.
Sundry papers receiv'd from Captain Mittchell, Commandant at Wyoming, were read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That Doctor Gardner and Mr. Van Campen be appoint- ed a committee to wait upon the Honourable Board of War, with the said papers, and that the Board be requested to take such or- der thereon as they shall judge necessary.
A petition from Mary Harding, praying a pass to the city of New York, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered That a pass be granted to her, on condition that she give security not to return again without special permission.
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MINUTES OF THE
In Council.
Monday, June 4th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Van Campen, and
Mr. Read, Mr Whitehill.
The following Message to the House of Assembly being read and considered, vizt :
Message from the President and Supreme Executive Council to the Representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania in General Assem- bly met :
GENTLEMEN :- Since our message of the thirty-first ultimo, we have receiv'd very important requisitions from the Honourable Congress, his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal army, and the Board of War, which we now communicate. You will observe that in each we are requested to declare explicitly how far our compliance may be expected, as the operations of the cam- paign will materially depend upon the measures which may be adopted in consequence of these requisitions.
We therefore recommend them to your immediate consideration, and make no doubt you will enable us to give the desired informa- tion as soon as circumstances will admit.
JOSEPH REED, President.
COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philad'a, June 4th, 1781.
Ordered, That the same be presented to the Honourable House of Assembly, together with the following papers, receiv'd and read this day, vizt :
A letter from his Excellency General Washington, of the twen- ty-seventh ultimo, calling upon this State for sixteen hundred militia, to serve for three months from the time of joining the army, a favourable opportunity now presenting of expelling the enemy from New York, and recommending to the State to take effectual measures for supplying the army with provisions.
A letter of the first instant, from his Excellency Samuel Hunt- ingdon, Esquire, President of Congress, informing that Congress have receiv'd undoubted intelligence from their Minister at Ver- sailles, and the Minister of France in America, that the Courts of Vienna and Petersburgh have offered their mediation to the belli- gerent powers for establishment of peace ; that France had declined her full acceptance thereof untill the concurrence of her allies cou'd be obtain'd for that purpose. That Spain had answered in such
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
manner to the proposals as to show her eventual acceptance. The said letter also recommending the most strenuous exertions of every State in the Union to oblige the enemy to abandon their posessions in every part of the United States.
One other letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the second instant, and an act of Congress of the thirty-first ultimo, earnestly recommending to the State of Pensylvania im- mediately to raise, arm and equip for the field, four battalions of Infantry, each battalion to consist of nine companies of sixty-four rank and file ; also a company of Artillery. to consist of sixty-two matrosses and a corps of Horse consisting of sixty-four troopers, each corps to be officered as near as may be to similar corps in the Continental army, according to the establishment of the third and twenty-first of October last, to be marched by detachment or other- wise, to such place as the Commander-in-Chief shall direct ; to re- main in service for the space of three months from the time of rendevousing, and to receive the same pay, rations and subsistance as the troops of the army of the United States.
A letter from Samuel Hunter, Esquire, Lieutenant of Northum- berland county, representing the distresses of the inhabitants of the frontiers of the said county.
A letter from the Commissioners of the taxes of the county, of Bedford, of the twenty-eighth day of May last, containing a report of their proceedings upon the law for compleating the quota of troops in the Federal army, assigned to this State.
Resolve of Congress of the eleventh of April last, for furnishing supplies to the amount of four hundred thousand in specie.
A letter from the Honourable Board of War, of the first instant,. inclosing a letter from Colonel Broadhead to Congress.
A letter from Colonel Jacob Morgan of the thirty-first of May, inclosing a return of purchases and sundry extracts of letters from. the Commissioners of Purchases in the several counties, stating their difficulties with regard to further purchases.
The representation of the Baron De Arentz being read and con -. sidered, and a due inquiry made into the circumstances of the case, the Council are of opinion that his case does not come within the laws of Pennsylvania : He is, therefore, referred to the United States, who, it is probable, may have under their consideration to make good the depreciation of the pay of those officers which do not belong to any particular State.
A petition from John Deans, praying a pass to the city of New York, was read; and thereupon,
Ordered, That a pass be granted to the said John Deans to go. into the city of New York, on condition that he give security not . to return again without permission from this Board.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Honourable James Read, Esquire, Member of Council for the county of Berks, presented a resignation of his seat at the Board, in the following words, vizt :
To his Excellency the President, and other the Members of the Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania.
James Read, member of the said Council for the county of Berks, begs leave to resign his seat in the said Supreme Executive Council, which he does on considerations of duty to his family, and with the sincerest assurances of his respect and esteem for his Excellency and the members with whom he has, for near three years past, sat in Council with great satisfaction.
JAMES READ.
Philad'a, June 4th, 1781.
Thereupon,
Resolved, That the said resignation be accepted.
-
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, June 5th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Whitehill, Mr. Thompson.
A resolution of the Honourable House of Assembly of the fourth instant was read, directing that no more of the bills of credit emitted in pursuance of an act passed on the seventh day of April last, be issued from the treasury, except at a value equal to gold or silver.
The claim of Jonathan Kirkbride, by William Lewis, Esquire, his Attorney, to an estate late belonging to Alexander Corbitt, an attainted traitor, being read, together with an application to this Board to stay the sale of the premisses,
Resolved, That the former rule of this Board be complied with, vizt :
That the petitioner do make oath or affirmation of the truth and justice of his claim, and that the said conveyance is truly and bona fide, without any trust expressed or implied, for the said Corbitt, and that the petitioner do set forth in said affidavit the time of the sale, and the real consideration money, and what part thereof is paid ; all which requisitions being complied with, the Board will take further order in the premises.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The petition of Jane Redman, Administratrix of Michaal Par- ker, being read, requesting payment of wages due Michael Parker, a deceased Continental soldier,
Resolved, That the said Jane Redman be referred to the pay officer of the United States, to whom the consideration of her claim properly belongs.
On consideration,
Resolved, That the following message be presented to the Hon- ourable House of Assembly, vizt :
Message from the President and the Supreme Executive Council to the Representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, in Gen- eral Assembly met.
GENTLEMEN :- By an act passed the last session, the Treasurer of the State was directed, after the first day of June, to exchange the bills of credit of the seventh of April last for old Continental money, at such a rate as this Board shou'd direct : The difficulty of establishing an exchange between different monies, has been found by experience to be very great ; many respectable opinions deem it impracticable, and some dangerous.
We, therefore, request the House wou'd take this matter into consideration, and, as the Continental money is now out of circula- tion, determine the rate by which it shall be receiv'd, and wholly relieve us from a duty which by experience we find insupportable burthen.
JOSEPH REED, President.
Council Chamber, Philad'a, June 5th, 1781.
The Council taking into consideration the appointing a Register of the Court of Admiralty of this Commonwealth in the room of Andrew Robeson, Esquire, deceased.
And petitions from the following named persons, praying to be appointed to the said office, being read and considered, vizt :
James Read, William Barton, John Vannost,
Alexander Graydon,
Peter Zachary Lloyd, & Henry Osborne,
And the same being ballotted for, James Read, Esquire, was unanimously elected ; whereupon,
Resolved, That James Read, Esquire, be appointed and commis- sioned to be Register of the Court of Admiralty of this Common- wealth, in the room of Andrew Robeson, Esquire, deceased.
The petition of Sarah Allen, in behalf of herself and children, to stay the sale of a tract of land, called the Big Springs, in the county of Berks, seized by the Agent of Confiscated Estates as the property of Andrew Allen, an attainted traitor, together with an affidavit of Benjamin Chew, Esquire, in support of the said petition, being read and considered,
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MINUTES OF THE
Resolved, That the refusal of William Allen, Esquire, deceased, on a like application, formerly to make oath of the title to said premisses, still continuing himself, with many other corroborating circumstances, afford just reason to believe the present claim, and the devise mentioned, to be ill founded.
And also, that the said claim being then abandoned, and the time allowed by law for making claims having long elapsed, this Board · cannot grant the prayer of the said petition.
A petition from Elizabeth Stoops, convicted of larceny at a gen- eral Court of Quarter Sessions for the county of Philadelphia the fifth of March last, and sentenced by the said court to be publickly whipp'd, and pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of seven pounds specia, was read, praying remission of the said fine; there- upon,
'Resolved, That the fine adjudged to be paid to the use of the State by the said Elizabeth Stoops be remitted.
1
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, June 6th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Whitehill, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Van Campen.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent, to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Forrest, conveying a certain three story brick house and store adjoining, with the lotts whereon the same are erected, situate on the west side of Front street, be- tween Walnut street and the Docke, in the city of Philadelphia, extending from Front street aforesaid to Dock street, (now in the tenure of John Maxwell Nesbitt and Company.) Seized and sold agreeable to law, as the estate late of Andrew Elliott, an attainted traitor, for and during the term of his natural life, to the said Thomas Forrest, for the sum of eight hundred and seventy pounds lawfull money of Pensylvania, which sum he, the said Thomas Forrest, has duly paid to the Agents of Forfieted Estates in the ·said city, in six depreciation certificates, agreeable to the conditions of sale. Beed dated the sixth instant.
On consideration,
Resolved, That the Auditors of the Public Accounts be directed to call upon Colonel Francis Johnston for a settlement of the mo- ney received by him on account of his depreciation, amounting to
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
one hundred and twenty-five pounds, and that the said settlement be indorsed upon the certificate given him for his depreciation.
Sundry papers, petitions, and complaints against Colonel Broad- head, Commandant at Fort Pitt, having been transmitted to this Board, and read,
Resolved, That the same be forwarded to the Honourable the Delegates of Pensylvania in Congress, who are desired to take such order thereupon as they shall deem conducive to justice and the public interest.
Abraham Dubois and William Goforth, Esquires, Auditors for setling the depreciation of the pay of the officers and soldiers of the regiment of Artillery stationed at Newton, Bucks county, at- tended agreeable to the direction of the county, it appearing that they had granted certificates for depreciation to officers who were not intitled by law; and the reasons given by them for so doing not being satisfactory,
Resolved, That this Council disapprove of the conduct of the said Auditors therein, and that it be recommended to them to rec- tify the said error as soon as may be.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, June 7th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Whitehill,
Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Van Campen.
A petition from Major Lewis, in behalf of himself and others, lately arrived in a Flag vessel from Charleston, was read, praying permission to ship on board said vessel four thousand weight of to- bacco, they having chartered the vessel for the said quantity of to- bacco, or a sum of money, in gold or silver, equivalent thereto ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Bore- man, for the sum of seven thousand pounds, of the money emitted. by act of Assembly, passed the seventh day of April last, to be by him forwarded to Messrs. Alexander Fowler and William Amber- sone, at Fort Pitt, for the purpose of paying to officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line at that place one-third of their deprecia- tion certificates, for which the said Auditors are to account.
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MINUTES OF THE
James Read, Esquire, attended in Council, and took the oaths necessary to qualify him for the execution of his office of Register of the Court of Admiralty of this State.
Mr. Delany, Mr. Harris, Mr. Mifflin, and Mr. Slough, a com- mittee of the Honourable House of Assembly, attended, and re- quested a conference with the Council, on the subject of the mes- sage from Council to the Assembly of the fourth instant; and thereupon, a free conference was had, respecting the late very im- portant requisition from Congress and the Commander-in- Chief.
Resolved, That the following message be presented to the Hon- ourable House of Assembly, vizt :
Message from the President and Supreme Executive Council to the Representatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pen- sylvania in General Assembly met.
GENTLEMEN :- We think it necessary to acquaint you, that at present the collection of arrearages of taxes, militia fines, and other publick dues, is suspended, except where persons chuse to pay them in State money, or specie, at the exchange of one for seventy-five. We wou'd recommend it to the House to include this object in the consideration of the rate of exchange which will come before them, so as to ascertain explicitly the future mode of collection.
We must also request the House to devise some mode to satisfy the persons who lately furnished the City Commissioner with flour, under the act of Assembly intitled, " An act to permit the expor- tation of flour, of wheat, from this State, by sea, under certain limitations and restrictions," and who declined taking the State money on account of the depreciation, as represented in Captain Hazlewood's application, herewith communicated.
JOSEPH REED, President.
COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philad'a, June 6th, 1781.
A petition from James Gallant, convicted of felony at a city court held for the city of Philadelphia, in January last, and sen- tenced by the said court to be publickly whipp'd, and pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of five pounds, was read, praying remission of the said fine ; thereupon,
Ordered, That the said fine be remitted ..
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, June 8th, 1781 PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson, and
Mr. Whitehill, Mr. Van Campen.
A petition from Sarah Ball, praying a pass to the city of New York, with permission to return, was read; and thereupon,
Ordered, That a pass be granted, on condition that she give se- curity not to return again during the continuance of the present war.
The representation of the Auditors of Accounts, setting forth that sundry persons have receiv'd certificates of depreciation under the late act of Assembly, who did not appear entitled thereto, amounting to three thousand seven hundred and fifty-one pounds five shillings, specie ; being read,
Resolved, That the said Auditors be directed to lay the same be- fore the Honourable House of Assembly, with a short state of the matter, as being most proper for the consideration of the House.
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