USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XV > Part 32
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In favor of Major William Alexander, for one hundred and forty- six pounds ten shillings, ballance due upon his account for sur- veying the first district of donation lands, according to the Comp- troller General's report.
The Comptroller General's report upon an account of pay due to one Lieutenant and three men of Captain John Smith's com- pany, of Chester county militia, for militia services in the year 1781, was read and approved.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, March 14th, 1788.
PRESENT :
His Excellency BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Esquire, President.
Evan Evans, John Smilie, ?
George Ross, Nathan Dennisen, -
Frederick Watts, Christopher Kucher,
Samuel Edie,
James Read, and
Abraham Smith, John Baird,
Henry Hill,
The fine due to the State, and punishment at hard labor, to which Hugh Burney was sentenced by the Court of Quarter Sessions of the county of Berks, upon being convicted of horse stealing, was remitted upon his petition and recommendation from the Justices of the said Court.
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt:
In favor of the Honorable Evan Evans, Esquire, for forty-one pounds five shillings, in full of his account for his attendance in Council between the first of February and seventeenth of March, 1788, both days included, and for three mileages, two of. which were omitted, to be charged during the last year.
In favor of Michael Hubley, Esquire, for sixty-four pounds six shillings and eight pence, out of the monies arising from the ar- rearages of militia fines in the county of Lancaster, in full of his account for the rent of a house for storing the public arms and am- munition of Lancaster county, and for the rent of an office for the Lieutenant of said county, from March, 1781, to October, 1783, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, March 15th, 1788.
PRESENT :
His Excellency BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Esquire, President.
Evan Evans, Nathan Dennisen,
Henry Hill, John Smilie,
John Baird, Frederick Watts,
Esquires.
Samuel Edie, Christopher Kucher,
Abraham Smith, George Ross,
The petition of Peter Ely, convicted at a Court of Quarter Ses- sions held at Chambersburg, for the county of Franklin, of an as-
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
sault and battery, and find thirty-seven pounds ten shillings, with a recommendation from the Magistrates and others, was read.
Ordered, That the fine be reduced to five pounds.
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt:
In favor of Mrs. Anne McKnight, late widow of Doctor Hum- phrey Fullerton, deceased, for six hundred and forty-one pounds five shillings, being her pension from the fifth of May, 1781, until the ninth of January, 1786, the time of her widowhood, according to the Comptroller General's report, and an act of Assembly dated October 1st, 1781.
In favor of Mrs. Elizabeth Baxter, of Bucks county, for forty- two pounds three shillings and nine pence, being due for pension from December the tenth, 1787, untill the eleventh instant, accord- ing to the Comptroller General's report, and the same act of As- sembly.
In favor of Samuel Scott, for forty-three pounds eleven shillings and six. pence.
Samuel Henry, for forty-seven pounds four shillings, and Henry Sheffer, in State money, of the emission of April, 1781, in full of their several certificates for horses furnished by them for public use, according to the Comptroller General's report, and an act of Assembly dated the eighth of April, 1782.
In favor of Catherine, the widow of General William Thomson, for seventy pounds six shillings and three pence, being one quar- ter's pension due to her according to the Comptroller Gene- ral's report, and an act of Assembly dated the first of March, 1780.
The petitions of William Roberts, alias Edwards, Edward May, and Daniel Quare, by their attorney in fact, Timothy Hurst, stat- ing their claim to five thousand five hundred acres of land with city lots and liberty land appurtenant thereto, in right of several ori- ginal purchases from William Penn, Esquire, the first proprietor of Pennsylvania, were read and referred to the Board of Property, for their examination and report.
A certificate from Edward Burd, Esquire, that Elijah Weed hath entered sufficient security to prosecute with effect an appeal from the settlement of his account as Storekeeper in the year 1778, by the Comptroller General, was read, and the said appeal allowed.
Upon a letter from John Nicholson, stating a difficulty re- specting the construction of the resolution of Council of the seven- teenth of January last, and praying some further direction from Council,
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the Comptroller General that the whole of the fines of the Chester county militia mentioned in said resolution, are to be reduced to seven dollars.
The consideration of Joseph Mitchell's claim to city lots, & ca., in right of original purchases from William Penn, Esquire, was postponed until Tuesday next.
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MINUTES OF THE
A petition from Thomas Gordon, attainted of high treason, by virtue of a proclamation of Council dated the twenty-second day of June, 1779, praying a pardon of the said offence, was read, and the prayer of the said petition granted.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, March 17th, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
John Baird, Frederick Watts, r
Samuel Edie,
Samuel Dean,
Abraham Smith,
Christopher Kucher, SEsquires.
Nathan Dennisen,
George Ross,
John Smilie,
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of the Honorable Frederick Watts, Esquire, for eighty- six pounds six shillings, in full for his attendance in Council from December the second, 1787, until March the seventeenth, 1788, inclusively, and his mileage.
In favor of Griffith Owen, for twenty pounds, in full of his ac- count for winding and keeping in repair the State House clock, for one year, from March the fourth, 1787, until March the fourth, 1788, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, March 18th, 1788. . PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Samuel Dean, Nathan Dennisen, r
James Read, Abraham Smith,
George Ross, Christopher Kucher,
Esquires.
Frederiek Watts, John Smilie, and
John Baird, Samuel Edie,
Upon the petition 'of Thomas Williams, convicted of larceny at the last Court of General Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia county, praying Council to take his to case into consideration, and extend mercy to him,
Ordered, That the punishment at hard labour for one year, to which he was sentenced by the said Court be remitted. .
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
On motion,
Ordered, That the Door-keeper be directed to take for the use of Council six copies of the Federal Gazette, on each day of pub- lication.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honor- able Samuel Dean, Esquire, for twenty-one pounds fifteen shil- lings, in full of his account for his attendance in Council from the seventeenth of February until March the eighteenth, 1788, inclusively, (deducting four days,) and his mileage.
A ·petition from a number of persons belonging to the militia of Berks county, now confined in the jail of said county, for deserting their corps while on a tour of duty for the protection of the inhabi- tants of Luzerne county, stating their sufferings and praying to be liberated, was read, and an order taken that as many of the peti- tioners as are under age, be released from confinement.
The report of Sharp Delany, Esquire, upon the petition of Thomas Orr, referred to him on the eighth instant, was read, and the said report and petition transmitted to the Attorney General for his opinion thercon.
The several petitions from John Rheiner, praying remission of the fines imposed upon him, were read, and the further considera- tion thereof postponed untill to-morrow.
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, March 19th, 1788.
PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice presi- dent.
Samuel Dean, Abraham Smith,
James Read, Christopher Kucher,
George Ross, John Smilie,
Esquires.
Frederick Watts,
Samuel Edie and
Jobn Baird, Henry Hill,
Nathan Dennisen,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of General William Irvine for one hundred and fifty pounds, in part of his pay as a delegate from this State to Congress, for which sum he is to account.
The consideration of General Watts' motion "that Council di- rect the Attorney General to discontinue the prosecutions commen- ced respecting certain riots said to have been committed in Cumber- land county, on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh of December last," was postponed until to-morrow.
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MINUTES OF THE
The opinion of the Attorney General that Thomas Orr, whose case was referred to him yesterday, was an alien at the time of his second importation of merchandize into this State, and therefore li- able to pay the duty charged upon the said merchandize, under the third section of the act of Assembly, passed the fifteenth of March, 1787, was received, and read ; and on consideration,
Resolved, That Council concur in the said opinion, and that the petition of Thomas Orr be dismissed.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, March 20th, 1788.
PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Samuel Dean,
Nathan Dennisen,
James Read,
Abraham Smith,
George Ross,
Christopher Kucher,
Frederick Watts,
John Smilie.
John Baird,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Hon- orable Christopher Kucher, Esquire, for fifty-five pounds eighteen shillings, in full of his account for his attendance in Council from January the ninth untill March the twentieth, 1788, both days in- cluded, (deducting three days' absence) and his mileage.
On motion,
Resolved, That to-morrow Council will go into the appointment of a Collector of tonnage, in the room of John Baynton, Esquire, deceased.
A letter from Governor Randolph, dated March the tenth, 1788, in answer to a letter from Council, respecting a Negro man now confined at hard labor in the jail of this city, supposed to be the property of a citizen of Virginia, was read.
Agreeably to the minute of yesterday, Council resumed the con- sideration of General Watts' motion-"That the Attorney General be directed to discontinue the prosecutions commenced respecting certain riots said to have been committed in Cumberland county, on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh of December last," agree- ably to the petition of divers inhabitants of the said county ;- thereupon,
Ordered, 'I'hat the Attorney General be directed to enter a Noli Prosequi in this case.
A letter from Phineas Bond, Esquire, British Consul, dated the fifteenth instant, stating in writing agreeably to the desire of Coun-
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
cil the several matters touching the rights and interests of British subjects, which he communicated in conference to Council on the twelfth instant, was read and ordered to be filed.
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, March 21st, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Samuel Dean, Abraham Smith,
James Read, Christopher Kucher,
George Ross, John Smilie,
Frederick Watts,
Henry Hill, and
Esquires.
John Baird,
Samuel Edie,,
Nathan Dennisen,
Council took into consideration the case of James Thompson, alias James McAlpine, now confined in the jail of this city under sentence of death; and thereupon
Ordered, That the said James Thompson, alias James McAl- pine, be and he hereby is reprieved for the further term of twenty- one days from and after the twenty-fourth instant.
Agreeably to the minutes of yesterday, Council proceeded to the appointment of a Collector of the duties of tonnage, in the room of John Baynton, Esquire, deceased ; and the ballots being taken for the several candidates, it appeared that Samuel Caldwell, Esquire, was duly elected to that office.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, March 22nd, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
George Ross,
Abraham Smith,
Frederick Watts,
Christopher Kucher,
Esquires.
John Baird, John Smilie, and
Nathan Dennisen,
Samuel Edie,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Hon- orable Nathan Dennisen, Esquire, for sixteen pounds five shillings, in full of his account for attendance in Council from the twelfth until the twenty-second of this month, inclusively, and his mileage.
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MINUTES OF THE
The petition and remonstrance of a number of inhabitants of Chester county, of the people called Quakers, in behalf of them- selves and others in similar circumstances, stating that being con- scientiously scrupulous of bearing arms, they have been fined in considerable sums for not attending militia musters, and their property seized to satisfy the same by Collectors who have neglected or refused to give receipts therefor, and to render proper accounts of their proceedings, by reason of which neglect the petitioners are still chargeable with the same fines, and praying Council to grant them some relief in the premises, was read ; and thereupon
Resolved, That upon the petitioners producing to the Lieutenant of the said county such evidence (other than a receipt) as shall satisfy him for their having paid the said fines by distress of pro- perty, or otherwise, he be directed to stay all proceedings against them, until he make report to Council of the proof he has of their having made payment thereof.
Council Chamber.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, March 25th, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable Henry Hill,
Samuel Edie,
George Ross, Abraham Smith,
Esquires.
James Read, John Smilie,
John Baird,
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, March 26th, 1788.
PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Henry Hill,
Samuel Dean,
John Smilie, James Read, &Esquires.
George Ross, Samuel Edie,
Abraham Smith, John Baird,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honor- able John Armstrong, Junior, Esquire, for one hundred and seventy-five pounds ten shillings, in full of his account for his pay as a delegate from this State to Congress, from the ninth day of January until the twenty-sixth day of March, 1788, inclusively, ac- cording to the Comptroller General's report.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Upon the petition of Philip Kitchen, convicted of fornication in the county of Bedford,
Ordered, That the fine to which he was sentenced by the Court of General Quarter Sessions for the said county, be remitted.
The letter from Phineas Bond, Esquire, British Consul, read on the twentieth instant, was again read, and an order taken that the same be transmitted to the General Assembly.
The Vice President and Mr. Edie attended the Board of Pro- perty.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, March 27th, 1788. ·
PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- . dent.
Samuel Dean, John Smilie,
George Ross, James Read, Samuel Edie, John Baird, 7 Esquires.
Abraham Smith,
The following orders were drawn upon the 'Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of the Honorable Thomas Mckean, Esquire, for two hundred and fifty pounds, being one quarter's salary as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of this State, ending the twenty-fifth instant, according to the Comptroller General's report, and in favor of the Honorable George Bryan, Esquire, for one hundred and fifty pounds, being one quarter's salary, due to him on the same day, as one of the Judges of the same court, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The following draft of a letter to the Speaker of the General Assembly, was read, approved, and transmitted, with the inclosures, to the House :
In Council, Philadelphia, March the 27th, 1788.
SIR :- By direction of Council, I do myself the honor to inclose for the consideration of your Honorable House, a representation from the Consul of his Britannic Majesty, a petition from Leeson Simmons, and memorial from Adam Betz, containing a complaint against Jacob Weaver, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace in the county of Berks. I am, Sir, with great respect,
your obedient and humble servant,
PETER MUHLENBERG, V. P. Honorable the Speaker of the General Assembly.
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MINUTES OF THE
: The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, March 28th, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Henry Hill,
James Read, r
Samuel Dean,
John Smilie,
Abraham Smith,
John Baird, and
George Ross,
Samuel Edie,
- & Esquires.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of William Bradford, Jun'r, "Esquire, for one hundred and eighty-seven pounds ten shillings, in full of his account for nine months' salary, due to him as Attorney General, on the thirty-first of this month, accord- ing to the Comptroller General's report.
Upon the petition of Cato Forster, now confined in the jail of this city, and a recommendation in his favor :
Ordered, That the fine due to the State and the punishment at hard labour to which he was sentenced by the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, held at Philadelphia, on the twen- ty-second day of October, 1787, be remitted.
A return of an election of Justices of the Peace for the district of the townships of Warrington and Manahan, in the county of York, with a remonstrance against the said election, from a number of persons residing in the said district, was read and an order taken ., that Daniel May, Andrew Thompson, and Henry Slagle, Esquires, living near the said district, be authorized to investigate the facts stated in the said remonstrance, upon the oaths of such witnesses as may be adduced, and make report thereof to this Board in manner and form prescribed by an act entituled " An Act to remedy the defects of the several Acts of Assembly, heretofore made for regulating the elections of Justices of the Peace throughout this State, &ca."
The Vice President and Mr. Edie attended the Board of Pro- . perty.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, March 29th, 1788.
PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Henry Hill,
George Ross, . -
Samuel Dean, John Smilie,
James Read, John Baird, and
Esquires.
Abraham Smith, Samuel Edie, 7
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of Alexander McDowell, for seventy-nine pounds ten shillings, agreeably to an act of Assembly, dated February 27th, 1788, for his services in surveying the lines of one of the districts in the late Indian purchase, which was rendered useless.
In favor of Mr. William Power, for eighty-eight pounds, being the ballance due upon his account for his services in surveying the seventh district of donation land, according to the Comptroller General's report.
In favor of Captain Christian Madery, for one hundred and four- teen pounds sixteen shillings and ten pence, ballance of pay due to his company of Berks County Militia, on a late expedition to Wi- oming, according to the Comptroller General's report ; this sum to be paid out of the monies arising from militia fines in said county.
In favor of the Honorable Samuel Edie, Esquire, for thirty-four pounds ten shillings, in full for his attendance in Council from the twenty-first of February until the twenty ninth of March, 1788, inclusively, and his mileage.
In favor of Philip Beck, for thirty pounds thirteen shillings and eight pence, payable out of the monies arising from militia fines in the county of Dauphine, in full of his account for repairing fifty stands of arms belonging to the said county, according to the Comp- troller General's report.
In favor of Joseph Perkin, for one hundred pounds, payable out of the militia fines of the city and county of Philadelphia, towards defraying the expense of repairing the public arms belonging to the said city and county, for which sum he is to account.
The Comptroller General's report upon the letter from the dele- gation inclosing a report of the Board of Treasury of the United States, which were referred to him on the eighth instant, was this day received and read, and a copy thereof, together with the in- closures transmitted to the delegates of this State in Cougress.
VOL. XV .- 28.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, March 31st, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
Henry Hill, John Smilie,
Samuel Dean, John Baird,
Abraham Smith,
George Ross, and
Esquires.
Samuel Edie, James Read,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Abraham Morrow, for thirty pounds, towards defraying the expences of re- pairing the public arms of the city and county of Philadelphia, for which sum he is to account, the same to be paid out of the militia fines of the said city and county.
Joseph Ferree, Esquire, was appointed and commissionated a Justice of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the county of Philadelphia, upon a return made according to law for the district of the townships of Germantown and Roxbor- ough, upon a vacancy occasioned by the death of Matthew Hole- gate, Esquire.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, April 1st, 1788, Tuesday. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent.
T
Samuel Dean, John Baird,
George Ross, Abraham Smith,
Esquires.
James Read, John Smilie, 1 Samuel Edie,
Upon the petition of John Manderfelt,
Ordered, That the fine of ten pounds payable to the use of the Commonwealth, imposed upon him by the Court of General Quar- ter Sessions of the Peace of Philadelphia county, upon being con- victed of keeping a tipling house, be remitted.
The fine imposed by the same Court upon John Archibald, for the like offence, was also remitted.
The case of Thomas Williams, whose punishment at hard labour was remitted on the eighteenth instant, was again taken into con- sideration and the fine of twenty shillings imposed upon him re- mitted.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Council being informed that Mr. Mordecai Lewis, merchant of this city, is possessed of some papers which may probably tend to elucidate the claim and title of Charles Cecil, to city lots in right of Richards Ward's original purchase now depending before the Board.
Ordered, That the Secretary write a letter to Mr. Lewis, request- ing him to attend Council to-morrow at eleven o'clock, with such papers, if any he has.
The further consideration of the claims of Charles Cecil and Jo- seph Mitchell, to city lots, &ca., was postponed.
Council resumed the consideration of the several petitions from Jobn Rheiner, stating his extreme poverty, and praying remission of the fine imposed upon him by the Supreme Court upon being convicted of a fraud in rebranding a quantity of flour ; thereupon,
Ordered, That the fine due from him to the Commonwealth be remitted.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, April 2nd, 1788. PRESENT :
The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG, Esquire, Vice Presi- dent,
Henry Hill, Abraham Smith, ?
Samuel Dean, John Smilie,
Geore Ross, John Baird,
Esquires.
James Read, Samuel Edie,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honora- ble Abraham Smith, for fifty-three pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council from February the second, until April the second, 1788, inclusively, and his mileage.
Two orders were drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Matthias Hollenback, Esquire, one for twenty-five pounds two shillings and six pence, specie, and the other for fifteen pounds sixteen shillings paper money, in full of his account for supplies furnished to the Berks County Militia, lately stationed at Wioming, according to the Comptroller General's report of the twenty-eighth of March, 1788.
A transcript of the record of the conviction of John Brown, for felony and burglary, at a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, held at Norristown, for the county of Montgomery, on the twenty-fourth day of March last, together with the sentence of the said Court, " that the said John Brown be hanged by the neck 'till he be dead," was received and read, and the consideration thereof postponed untill Friday next.
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MINUTES OF THE
Mordecai Lewis attended in Council with some papers relative to the claim of Charles Cecil to city lots, and said Cecil was ad- mitted to a further hearing touching his said claim.
Council took into consideration the petition of James McAlpine, now confined in the jail of this city, under sentence of death for piracy, together with a recommendation of him from divers citizens, and considering also, that his wife and child have come from a neighbouring State to this city, and may be greatly distressed by his longer confinement; thereupon,
Ordered, That the said James McAlpine be pardoncd.
The petition of Jobn Price and Benjamin Humphreys, stating their claim to city lots and liberty land, in right of original pur- chasors, was read and referred to the Board of Property, for their examination and report.
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