USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XV > Part 9
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Peter Muhlenberg, Henry Hill,
Esquires. .
A letter from Stephen Porter, Esquire, Commissary to the Com- missioners for running the Western line of this Commonwealth, stating, "that there are yet on hand, the property of the public, a waggon, six horses, &ca., and praying the direction of the Board concerning them," was read, and an order taken that Mr. Porter be instructed to make sale of the horses, &ca., by public vendue, on Saturday the fourth instant. It was farther ordered, that a public horse reported in the possession of William Armstrong, Commis- sary to the Commissioners for running the Northern line, be also sold at the time and place above mentioned.
Ordered, That Mr. Harring be commissioned a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Franklin county, and a Justice of the Peace for Southampton district, in said county.
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of the Honorable Jonathan Hoge, Esquire, for twenty- seven pounds fifteen shillings, in full for his attendance in Council untill this day, inclusively.
In favor of Frederick Sneider, for sixteen pounds thirteen shil- lings and ten pence, ballance due upon his account for firewood purchased for Council and the Secretary's office, and for his wages as doorkeeper untill the 31st of October, 1786.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In favor of Eleazer Oswald, for forty-three pounds sixteen shil- lings and three pence, in full of his account for printing work done for Council, and for the Independent Gazetteer, furnished to Coun- cil, 12 of a year, according to the Comptroller General's report.
In favor of Colonel John Moore, Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Reed and Major George Wright, of Philadelphia county, for twenty-three pounds two shillings & six pence, in full for militia services per- formed in the year 1777, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 2d, 1786. PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
James M'Lene, Samuel Dean, r
William M'Clay, Jonathan Hoge, and Esquires.
Peter Muhlenberg, Henry Hill,
John Smilie, Esquire, took his seat at this Board as Councillor for the county of Fayette, upon a return made of the general elec- tion for the county aforesaid, agreeably to law, having previously taken the necessary oaths of qualification.
By the same return, it appears that James Hammond, Esquire, and Uriah Springer, are returned as Sheriffs elect, and Henry Bee- son and Thomas Rogers, as Coroners elect for the county of Fay- ette.
A return of the general election for the county of Westmoreland, was received and read, by which it appears that John Beard, Es- quire, was duly elected to the office of Counsellor, William Perry and John Cummins to that of Sheriff, and John Gibson and Thomas Jones to that of Coroner, for the said county.
Mr. Hill, Mr. M'Lene and Mr. M'Clay were, upon motion, de- clared a committee to confer with a committee of the General As- sembly, on the appointment of a time and place for going into the election of a President and Vice President of the Supreme Execu- tive Council.
Bedford.
John Cannon and William Barr, Esquires, now first elect- ed to seats in the General Assembly, resigned their offices of Justices of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in the counties they respectively represent.
Upon petition, were remitted, the fine and corporal punishment of Anne Sutter, convicted of larceny at the October Sessions of the City Court.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, November 3rd, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, Jonathan Hoge,
Samuel Dean, John Whitehill, and {
William McClay, John Smilie,
>Esquires.
James McLene,
The fine imposed upon Edward Price, upon conviction of larceny in the city of Philadelphia, was remitted.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, November 4th, 1786.
PRESENT : .
His Excellency BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Esquire, President.
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, Jonathan Hoge,
Samuel Dean, Peter Mulenberg,
John Whitehill, William McClay, and
Esquires.
James McLene, John Smilie,
On order was taken that Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to deliver thirty weight of gunpowder to Captain Jeremiah Fisher, for public use.
Upon the petition of John Lynch, and a deposition accompany- ing the same, it was
Ordered, That the fine and forfeiture to the State. incurred by his neglecting to enter a hogshead of port wine in the office of the Collectors of Excise, be remitted.
The Clerk of the House attended, and informed Council that the General Assembly were ready to receive Council, agrceably to their appointment, and to proceed with them to the intended election.
Council and Assembly having met, and their votes collectively being taken, it appeared that his Excelleny Benjamin Franklin, Esquire, was duly elected President, and the Honorable Charles Biddle, Esquire, Vice President, of the Supreme Executive Coun- ail of this Commonwealth.
Proclamation was then made of the said President and Vice President, and the following order of procession observed :
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
ORDER OF PROCESSION, for November 4th, 1786.
Constabies with their staves.
Sub-Sheriffs with their wands.
High Sheriff and Coroner with their wands.
Judges of the Supreme Court, and Judges of the High Court of Errors and Appeals.
Attorney General, and Prothonotary of the Supreme Court.
Marshall of the Admiralty.
Judge and Register of the Admiralty.
Wardens of the Port of Philadelphia.
Naval Officer, Collector of Customs, and Tonnage Officer.
Treasurer and Comptroller General.
Secretary of the Land Office.
Receiver General and Surveyor General.
Justices of the Peace.
Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas and Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions.
Clerk of the City Court.
Master of the Rolls and Register of Wills.
Assistant Secretary of the Council.
Secretary of the Council.
His Excellency the President, and the Honorable the Vice Presi- dent.
Members of the Council, two and two.
Door-keeper of the Council
Serjeant-at-Arms with the mace.
Clerks of the General Assembly.
Honorable the Speaker of the General Assembly.
Members of the General Assembly, two and two.
Door-kecper of the General Assembly.
Provost and Faculty of the University.
Officers of the Militia.
Citizens.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, November 6th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, James McLene,
Samuel Dean, William McClay,
Jonathan Hoge, Peter Muhlenberg, and Esquires.
John Whitehill, John Smilie,
The Honorable Mr Biddle took the oaths required by the Con- stitution as a qualification for the exercise of his office of Vice President.
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MINUTES OF THE
Upon the petition of Hannah Harris, it was
Ordered, That she be released from confinement, upon payment of her fine and fees
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of the Honorable Samuel Dean, Esquire, for eighteen pounds, in full for his attendance in Council until this day, inclu- sively, and his mileage.
In favor of William Trotter, for twelve pounds ten shillings, in full for principal and interest due upon his certificate for a horse furnished for public use, according to the Comptroller General's report, and resolution of Assembly dated the 8th of April, 1782.
Mr. Smilie attended the Vice President as a member of the Board of Property.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honor- able Henry Hill, Esquire, for twenty pounds five shillings, in full for attendance in Council until the 31st of October, 1786.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favour of George Row, for eighteen pounds, due for his pension.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 7th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, James McLene, )
Samuel Dean, William McClay, 1 Esquires.
Jonathan Hoge, Peter Muhlenberg, and
John Whitehill,
John Smilie,
A petition from Messieurs Powell, Martin, and Piper, was re- ceived, stating, " That abuses have been committed at the late gene- ral election in Bedford county, and praying that Council, to inves- tigate the fact, may issue their order, directed to the Judges of the election of the several districts of the said county, and other proper officers, to transmit without delay to the Secretary of Council, the certificates, tally papers, poll lists, tickets, and all other documents which concern the election of a Councellor for the county afore- said, and that they call for such witnesses in the case as they may think proper."
On motion,
Ordered, That the prayer of the petition be granted, and that Wednesday, the twenty-ninth instant, be assigned for hearing the witnesses named by the petitioners, vizt : John Cessna, Andrew
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Mann, William Alexander, Uriah Blue, Moses Reed, Henry and Benjamin Martin, and for considering the papers and documents aforesaid.
On motion of Mr. McClay,
Ordered, That a copy of this minute be transmitted to George Woods, Esquire, with an abstract from the petition aforesaid.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, November 8th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, James McLene,
Samuel Dean,
Jonathan Hoge,
John Whitehill,
Peter Muhlenberg, and Esquires.
William Maclay,
John Smilie, --
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of the Honorable John Whitehill, Esquire, for fifty- seven pounds five shillings, for attendance in Council from the 30th of August until the tenth of this month, both days included, and his mileage.
In favor of Captain Jacob Metzger, late of Colonel Haverstick's battalion of Lancaster county militia, for seven pounds thirteen shillings and five pence, in full for militia services in the years 1777, 1778 and 1779, to be paid out of the militia fines of the said county.
In favor of Messrs. Dunlap and Claypoole, for thirty-two pounds one shilling, in full for their account for publishing proclamations of Council, and other papers of a public nature, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 9th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, James McLene,
Samuel Dean, Jonathan Hoge,
John Whitehill, Peter Muhlenberg, and Esquires.
William Maclay, John Smilie,
The fine imposed upon Laughlin McIntosh, for retailing spiritu- ous liquors in this city without licence, was remitted.
VOL. XV .- 8.
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MINUTES OF THE
The fine imposed upon Hannah Harris, upon conviction of a misdemeanor, in receiving stolen goods, knowing them to be such, was remitted ; and an order taken that she be released from con- finement upon payment of her fees.
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of John Nicholson, Esquire, for one hundred and twenty-five pounds, for defraying the contingent expences of his office, for which sum he is to be accountable.
In favor of Andrew Ellicott, Esquire, for three hundred and sixty- five pounds twelve shillings and six pence, in full of his account for his pay as a Commissioner for running and ascertaining the North- ern boundary of this Commonwealth, according to the Comptroller General's report.
In favor of John Nicholson, Esquire, for two hundred pounds, being one quarter's salary due to him as Comptroller General, and ending the 13th of October last.
In favor of James Chandler, for forty-eight pounds, in full of his acco't for riding express from Wilmington to Chester, and from Wilmington to Cantwell's bridge, sundry times, on public business, in the years 1776 and 1777, according to the Comp- troller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, November 10th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, John Whitehill,
Samuel Dean, William McClay,
James McLene, John Smilie, and
Esquires.
Jonathan Hoge, Peter Muhlenberg,
Two orders were drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Hon- orable George Bryan, Esquire, for two pounds twelve shillings and six pence in bills of credit, in pursuance of the resolution of Con- gress of 18th of March, 1780, and the other for seven pounds ten shillings in State money, dated the 7th of April, 1781, being bal- lances due upon a settlement of the account of the Trustees of State (late Province) Island, according to the Comptroller General's report.
In favor of William Gilleland, for one hundred and thirty-three pounds ten shillings and four pence State money, in full for prin- cipal and interest due upon his certificates for two horses furnished for public service, according to the Comptroller General's report, and a resolution of Assembly dated 8 April, 1782.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In favor of Samuel Dale, Esquire, for eight pounds fifteen shil- lings, in full of his account for seven days going to and coming from Wioming, on public business, by order of Council, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The Council met.
PHILADELP'A, Saturday, November 11th, 1786. PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel Dean,
William McClay,
Henry Hill,
John Smilie, and
Jonathan Hoge,
Peter Muhlenberg,
Esquires.
James McLene,
An order was drawn upon the Treasury in favor of the Honor- able Jonathan Hoge, Esquire, for eight pounds five shillings, in full for bis attendance until the 12th of November, 1786, inclusively.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, November 13th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, William McClay, and )
Samuel Dean, John Smilie, Esquires.
James McLene,
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of Clement Biddle, Esquire, for seventy-seven pounds sixteen shillings and three pence, amount of his account for rations furnished to the Invalid corps, in the months of August, Septem- ber, and October, 1786, according to the Comptroller General's report and an Act of Assembly dated the 22nd of September, 1785.
In favor of George Pearson, for thirty two pounds ten shillings, for making a new roof for the Committee room of the State House, under a contract with the General Assembly of the 27th of Septem- ber, 1786, according to the Comptroller General's report.
The fine imposed upon John Besler, on conviction of horse stealing in the county of Berks, was remitted.
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MINUTES OF THE
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 14th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, William McClay,
Samuel Dean,
Jobn Smilie, and
Esquires.
James McLene,
Peter Muhlenberg,
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, November 15th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President
Henry Hill, William McClay,
Samuel Dean, John Smilie, and Esquires.
James McLene, Peter Muhlenberg,
On the letter from Messieurs Samuel Caldwell and John Barclay, Ordered, That William Bradford, Jun'r, Jonathan Dickinson Serjeant, and Edward Tilghman, Esquires, be employed as counsel in behalf of the Commonwealth, in the cause now depending bo tween Thomas Proctor, Esquire, and the State, respecting the right to Hogg Island.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable "Henry Hill, Esquire, for twenty pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council until the 31st of October last, inclusively.
The following draft of a message from the President and Council to the General Assembly, was read and approved :
A message from the President and the Supreme Executive Coun- cil to the General Assembly.
GENTLEMEN :- The following subjects have presented themselves to us as important, and are submitted to your consideration.
By a report of the 4th of October, from Messieurs Porter and McClean, we are informed, that the business upon which they were employed is now finished, and that the Western line of this State extends some distance into Lake Erie.
The advantages which may result to the public from this circum. stance, if well understood and properly improved, have led us to suggest the expediency of setting off and reserving to the use of this Commonwealth a tract of land, of such shape and dimensions as shall take in all those parts of the Lake falling within our limits.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
By a law passed on the 16th day of September, 1785, the 10th day of April next has been made the period for compleating all titles to lands held by location, or other office right, obtained before the 10th day of September, 1776, and yet remaining unpatented. On this we would state our information, that the indulgence offered by this law has been seldom used, and our belief, that notwithstand- ing the wishes of the people to accommodate, it will, eventually, meet with but little .compliance. Should the penal part of it bo strictly observed, it is hard to say what evils it might originate, or where they would cease. The presumption is, that they would be many and extensive ; and, in this event, we need scarcely suggest how much safer and better it would be to alter the law, than to risk the experiment. Another objection to the law, as it now stands, will arise from the mode prescribed for its execution. By reference to an Act of Assembly passed the 9th day of April, 1781, the Land Officers are directed to make out and transmit "to the respec- tive County Commissioners, list of delinquents for purchase money and interest, or arrearages of purchase money and interest, in their counties, respectively, upon which lists the Commissioners are re- quired to issue their Warrants of Sale, &ca. ; " but from a view of the Land Office books, it appears that all accounts are in the names of the original warrantecs, who in many instances are dead, and who in others have transferred the property, whence it must follow that these lists cannot be made a directory for the processes to be instituted. Under these circumstances, two expedients offer, which in our opinion, obviate all objection, and make compliance easy. 'The first of these is, to extend the term given for compleat. ing titles ; the other, to make all funded certificates of the State receiveable at the Land Office, for every description of debt due therein. To the former no objection has occurred, and to the latter such only as may be drawn from the law entituled " An Act for emitting the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, &ca. ; " and which may be easily and fairly removed by commuting the fund. To this, we would only add, that we cannot enter into cither the justice or policy of keeping a resource of so much promise as the arrearages are stated to be, exclusively charged with the redemption of a sum which does not, in fact, amount to more than sixty five thousand pounds, when, if made immediately to operate upon the certificates of the State, they would, soon and necessarily, absorb & much greater proportion of our debt. Number one of the papers inclosed, will illustrate this calculation. '
Our duty has occasionally led us to enquire into the sales of land within the new or last Indian purchase, and it is with some regret, that we find ourselves able to assure you, that they fall far short of every hope and calculation that we had entertained concern- ing them. This failure we attribute to the high and very unequal price set upon the land. To liberate this fund, therefore, from its present inactivity, and make it as productive as we had originally expected,
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MINUTES OF THE
we think it only necessary that the price of the land be lowered. The nearer it can be brought to that of the old purchase the better.
We are of opinion the reserved tract opposite to Pittsburgh, should now be sold, and that if divided into small lots, for the accommodation of the town, it would sell to the greatest advantage.
We enclose the petitions of John Sharp and Anthony Selin.
B. FRANKLIN.
COUNCIL CHAMBER, ? Philadelphia, November 15th, 1786. S
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honora- ble Charles Biddle, Esquire, for eighty-three pounds six shillings and eight pence, in full for two months salary as Vice President, due and ending the 10th instant.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 16th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, William McClay,
Samuel Dean, John Smilie, and Esquires.
James McLene, Peter Muhlenberg,
The fine imposed upon George Davis, of Dauphine county, on his conviction for horse stealing, was remitted.
Thomas Grant, Esquire, was commissioned Sheriff, and John Scott, Esquire, Coroner, for the county of Northumberland.
The Comptroller's report upon the accounts of Stephen Bowen, Lewis Grenow, and John Traynor, for transporting militia baggage in 1781, was read and approved, and orders drawn in favor of said Bowen, for the sum of ten pounds ten shillings, and in favor of Grenow and Traynor for ten pounds.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable William McClay, Esquire, for twenty-six pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council until the 16th instant, inclu- sively, and his mileage.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, November 17th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, . John Smilie, and
Samuel Dean, Peter Muhlenberg, Esquires.
James McLene,
John Beard, Esquire, took his seat at this Board, agreeably to a return of the general election for the county of Westmoreland, (read the 2nd inst.,) having previously taken the several oaths of qualifications.
The fines imposed upon Thomas Warden, John Smith, Eli- zabeth Bell M'Iber, John Butler, Margaret M'Cilton, Alexander Montgomery, Negro Bill Glascow, Richard Adison, John Tobby, Timothy Murphy, John Moore, Mary Bowman, Catharine Raynor, Catharine M'Cann, Isaac Duffield, John Murphy, John Johnston, Margaret Stanley, Daniel O'Neal, Matthew Dorsey, John Habacker, Henry Sifton, Philip Cook, Francis Dailey, Arthur M'Garrity, Edward Price, John Otto, Patrick M'Dorman, James Smart, Ar- thur Harbert, Thomas Linsey, John Jones, William Callaghan, Elizabeth Murphy, Barney O'Neal, Jesse Hall and James Shields, now confined in the jail in this city and county of Philadelphia, were remitted, in consideration of their extreme poverty.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, November 20th, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, James McLene,
Samuel Dean, John Baird, and
Esquires.
Peter Muhlenberg, Mr. Smilie,
David Redick, Esquire, took his seat at this Board, agreeably to a return of the General election for the county of Washington, (read on the 24th of October last,) having previously taken the several oaths of qualification.
The fine imposed upon Mary Lyon, upon conviction of fornica- tion and bastardy, in the county of Fayette, was remitted.
The petition of Peter Bell, of Chester county, praying that the sale of his estate by the Sheriff of the said county, for a debt due
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MINUTES OF THE
by him to the Commonwealth, may be postponed for three months from this date, was read, and the prayer thereof granted.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Stephen Porter, for four hundred and four pounds eight shillings and two pence, ballance due upon his account as Commissary to the Com- missioners for running and marking the Western boundary of Penn- sylvania, according to the Comptroller General's report.
Jeremiah Talbot, Esquire, was appointed and commissionated Sheriff, and Conrad Snyder, Coroner, of the county of Franklin. Colonel James Chambers and Benjamin Chambers, Junior, were accepted as sureties for Mr. Talbott.
A letter from Edward Shippen, Esquire, praying leave to resign his offices of President of the Court of General Quarter Sessions and Justice of the Peace, was read.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 21st, 1786.
PRESENT :
The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.
Henry Hill, David Redick,
Samuel Dean, Peter Muhlenberg, and
James McLene, John Smilie,
Esquires.
John Baird,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of William Armstrong, Esquire, for six hundred and thirty pounds nine shil- lings and six pence, ballance due upon his account as Commissary to the Commissioners for running and marking the Northern boun- dary of this State, according to the Comptroller General's report.
A certificate of the division of Peters township, in the county of Washington, by the Court of General Quarter Sessions held at Washington, for the county aforesaid, the last Tuesday in Septem- ber, 1784, was read, and order taken that the division aforesaid . be confirmed, agreeably to the decree of the said Court.
John Hoge and Thomas Scott, Esquires, were appointed and commissioned Justices of the Peace for the district of Washington, in the county of Washington ; and Edward Cook and Ephraim Walters, Esquires, Justices of the Peace, the former for the district of Washington, and the latter for the district of German townships, in the county of Fayette.
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