USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XVI > Part 36
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In Council, Philadelphia, July 9th, 1790.
GENTLEMEN :- We have received your letter of the second in- stant, with the inclosures, respecting the barbarous murder com- mitted on two Indians, and have issued a proclamation offering a reward for apprehending and securing the offenders, that they may be brought to justice. You will receive with this copy of the pro- clamation, and request you will send one or more of them to the Indians, with the letter herewith enclosed. Other copies of the proclamation you will be pleased to disperse through the county, and we hope that, independant of the reward, motives of justice, and a sence of the danger to which the inhabitants of the frontiers settlements may be exposed from the incursions of the Indians, if those atrocious offenders should be suffered to escape, will stimu- late the good citizens of your county to pursue and to bring the offenders to condign punishment.
I am, gentlemen, with great respect,
Your obedient and most humble servant,
GEORGE ROSS, V. P.
To William Wilson, Charles Smith, Jasper Ewing, and William Cook and Christian Getting, Esquires.
P. S. Council were not informed by your letter to what tribes those Indians who were murdered belonged, they have therefore left a blank for the address in the letter to the Indians, and request you will make enquiry and fill it up.
GEORGE ROSS, V. Presid't. In Council, Philadelphia, July 9th, 1790.
BROTHERS :- It is with the utmost concern Council have received intelligence from Northumberland county, that two of your people who came as friends into the settlement at Pine Creek, have been barbarously murdered. Upon the receipt of that information a
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Proclamation offering a reward of eight hundred dollars for appre- hending the murderers has been issued by us. You may rest as- sured that the government of Pennsylvania has the warmest friend- ship for, and the utmost sincere attachment to your people, and that we will do every thing in our power to have the murderers brought to punishment, and hope that the peace and harmony be- tween you and the good people of Pennsylvania will not be dis- turbed by this melancholy event.
GEORGE ROSS, Vice President.
·
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, July 10th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
The Honorable GEORGE Ross, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel Miles, Zebulun Potts,
James Read, Abraham Smith,
Amos Gregg,
James Martin, and
Esquires.
Christopher Kucher, Lord Butler, Jonas Hartzell,
A general return of militia officers for the county of Lancaster, with a certificate from Colonel James Ross, Lieutenant of that county, that the said officers have been elected agreeably to law, were received and read, and commissions directed to issue agreea- bly thereto.
Application being made by Daniel Bradley, of the county of for the right of pre-emption to a small island in the river Susque- hanna in the county of Northumberland ; it was
Resolved, That the said application be referred to Colonel Smith, Mr. Butler and Mr. Potts, the Committee to whom a similar appli- cation on the seventh instant was referred.
Upon the second reading of a petition from George Isler, for re- mission of that part of the forfeiture of one hogshead of rum con- taining one hundred and sixteen gallons, which is the property of the State, lately seized by the Collector of Excise of the county of Philadelphia, and a recommendation from the Aldermen who heard and determined respecting the said seizure ; it was
Resolved, To remit the State's share of the said forfeiture.
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, July 12th, 1790. PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Abraham Smith,
Amos Gregg, James Martin,
Christopher Kucher,
Jonas Hartzell, and
Esquires.
Zebulon Potts,
Richard Willing,
Lord Butler,
Agreeably to the Register and Comptroller General's reports, the following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt : In favor of the Honorable William Augustus Atlee, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds, being one quarter's salary due to him on the twenty-fifth of last month, as one of the Judges of the Su- preme Court.
In favor of James Duncan, for fifty pounds, being one quarter's salary due to him on the tenth instant, as Clerk in the Comptroller General's office, according to an Act of General Assembly, passed the fourth day of April, 1785.
In favor of Abraham Sheeds, for thirteen pounds five shillings and three pence, being the amount of his account for repairing the public arms belonging to the militia of the county of Bucks, under an order of Council dated the fourth day of December, 1787.
Two accounts of David Duncan, of Pittsburgh, for moneys ad- vanced on account of the State for supplies furnished to the troops employed for defence of the frontiers in the late war, which were read and approved the twenty-first of March, 1783, being now be- fore the Board, and it appearing by the Act of Assembly, passed the first of April, 1784, that Council are precluded from drawing orders for monies on the Treasury for the same; it was
Resolved, That Council cannot draw orders upon the said accounts, but that Mr. Duncan may take certificates for the account due there- on, agreeably to the Act of Assembly.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, July 13th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Abraham Smith,
Amos Gregg, James Martin,
Christopher Kucher,
Jonas Hartzell, and SEsquires.
Zebulun Potts,
Richard Willing,
Lord Butler,
Upon the second reading of a petition of Leonard Lesher, and a recommendation from the Justices of the Court of General Quar- tor Sessions of the county of Philadelphia, and several respectable inhabitants, for remission of the fine of ten pounds to which he was sentenced for keeping a tipling house contrary to law ; it was
Resolved, That the said fine of ten pounds to which he was sen- tenced be remitted.
Two fines of twenty shillings each, due to the Commonwealth, which were imposed upon Samuel Morris and Richard Sackett, by the last Mayor's Court for assault and battery, were also remitted, agreeably to the prayer of their petitions.
The keeper of the jail having certified to Council that the time of servitude, to which Martin Bough, was sentenced by the Mayor's Court for larceny is expired, and that he only remains in confine- ment for a fine of eight shillings and four pence, due to the Com- monwealth, which he is unable to pay, and the said Martin Bow, having praying Council to remit the same ; it was
Resolved, To grant the prayer of the petitioner.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, July 14th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE Ross, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel Miles, Amos Gregg, Christopher Kucher, Abraham Smith, Zebulun Potts, Jonas Hartzell, James Read, Richard Willing, and 1 Esquires. Lord Butler, James Martin,
A letter from the Honorable Thomas Jefferson, Esquire, Secre- tary of State, of the ninth instant, inclosing two copies of each of
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the following acts of Congress, vizt : An Act for giving effect to an act intituled An Act providing for the enumeration of the inhabi- tants of the United States in respect to the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and An Act to authorize the purchase of a tract of land for the use of the United States, was received and read, and a letter written by the Vice President to Mr. Jefferson, acknowledging the receipt of the said letter and inclosures.
A petition from James Dugan, praying that Council would be pleased to remit a fine of fifteen shillings, which was imposed upon him by the Mayor's Court for an assault and battery upon his wife, was received and read, and the petitioner being well recommended to Council, and it appearing that he has given security for his peaceable behaviour ; it was thereupon
Resolved, To remit the said fine.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, July 15th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Amos Gregg,
Zebulun Potts,
Abraham Smith,
Christopher Kucher,
Jonas Hartzell, and
Esquires.
Richard Willing,
James Martin,
Lord Butler,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honora- ble Christopher Kucher, Esquire, for twenty-three pounds five shillings, in full of his account for attendance in Council from the fourteenth of June until the fifteenth of July, 1790, the last day included.
A petition from William Henderson, who hath been indicted in the Supreme Court for extortion in receiving greater and other fees than are allowed by law, while he acted as a Deputy to John Jones, Esquire, late Health Officer, praying that Council would be pleased to direct that no further proceedings may be had against him upon the said indictment, being read the second time, it was
Resolved, That the said petition be referred to the Attorney General.
Joel Willis, Esquire, was appointed and commissionated a Justice of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Delaware, upon a return made according to law from the town of Chester, in the said county.
Upon the second reading of a petition from James McGlaughlin, who is now confined at hard labour in the jail of the city and county
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
of Philadelphia for larceny, praying that Council would be pleased to grant him a remission of the punishment at hard labour and the fine due to the State, to which he was sentenced for the said offence,
Resolved, That the said James McGlaughlin be and he is hereby pardoned.
Two letters from Germany, one of them respecting a certain Sixtus Keller, and the other giving information of some property left by Joanna Catherine, (mother of the wife of Adam Frederick Longyear, who came from that country about forty years ago,) to her grand children, were received and read, and it was
Resolved, That the Secretary take order concerning them.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, July 16th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
Christopher Kucher,
Amos Gregg,
James Read,
Abraham Smith,
Richard Willing,
Jonas Hartzell,
Esquires.
Zebulun Potts,
James Martin, and
Lord Butler,
Samuel Miles,
An order was drawn up on the Treasurer in favor of John Nich- olson, Esquire, for two hundred pounds, being one quarter's salary due to him as Comptroller General of the Accounts of this State on the thirteenth instant, according to the Register General's report and an act of Assembly dated the fourth of April, 1785.
Chistian Oyster, Esquire, was appointed and commissionated a Justice of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Franklin, upon a return made according to law from the district of the township of Franklin, in the said county.
A note from the Trustees and Faculty of the College of Phila- delphia, requesting the favor of Council to attend a public com- mencement, to be held to-morrow in the College hall at nine o'clock, was received and read, and it was agreed to attend,
1
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, July 17th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE Ross, Esquire, Vice President.
Christopher Kucher, Amos Gregg,
James Read,
Abraham Smith,
Richard Willing,
Zebulun Potts,
Samucl Miles, and
Jonas Hartzell, Esquires. Lord Butler,
James Martin, J
A draft of a letter from Council to Colonel Alexander McGil- livray and the other Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Nation of Indians, who are now in this city, on their way to Congress, was laid before the Board and agreed to, as follows, vizt:
In Council, Philadelphia, July 17th, 1790.
SIR :- The President and Supreme Exccutive Council of Penn- sylvania are happy in the opportunity of welcoming you to the city of Philad'a, and of assuring you and the great Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Nation, who accompany you, of our most cordial wish to render your stay here convenient and agreeable.
We have received a letter from the Secretary of War at New York, written by order of the President General of the United States, intimating your desire of taking this route, and recommend- ing you to our attention and regard. That communication demon- strates indeed the President General's earnest desire to cultivate every means for establishing a good understanding between the citizens of the United States and their brethern of the Creek Na- tion ; but it was unnecessary on the present occasion, as our own feelings sufficiently prompt us to testify our personal esteem for you, and as we hope the conduct of Pennsylvania, from the landing of William Penn to this day, has unequivocally proved her love of justice, her disposition for peace, and her respect for the rights and happiness of her neighbours.
It is with sincere pleasure that we anticipate from the object of your journey the establishment of a lasting harmony between your Nation and the United States of America; and we are persuaded that you will coincide in opinion that (however the. ambition or turbulence of individuals may sometimes mislead them) our com- mon country furnishes room enough for all its inbabitants, and that the real interests of all will be best promoted by mutual forbear- ance and a reciprocity of good offices.
Be pleased then, Sir, to communicate, with a cordial welcome to our city, these sentiments of the great Chiefs who have accompa- nied you, and to bear them in your own mind. They are the sen-
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timents not only of the persons who now address you, but likewise, we are confident, of all who are engaged in the administration of public affairs, and indeed, of all the virtuous citizens of the Ameri- can Union. If, therefore, they obtain the credit and confidence to which they are entituled, our latest posterity will have occasion to rejoice, and to bless that benevolent policy which extinguishes Na- tional prejudice and resentment, will at length unite us in the grateful bonds of peace and friendship.
THOMAS MIFFLIN.
Colonel Alexander McGillivray and others, Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Nation of Indians.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, July 19th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Zebulun Potts,
Amos Gregg, Jonas Hartzell,
Abraham Smith, James Martin, Esquires.
Christopher Kucher,
Richard Willing, and
Samuel Miles, Lord Butler,
On motion,
Ordered, That the letter which was agreed to in Council on the seventeenth instant, be handed this morning to Colonel Alexander McGillivray, and that the Secretary read the same in his presence and of the Chiefs who accompany him.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, July 20th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel Miles, James Martin,
Christopher Kucher, Amos Gregg,
Abraham Smith,
Richard Willing, and & Esquires.
Zebulun Potts, Lord Butler,
Jonas Hartzell,
The Secretary informed Council, that agreeably to the order of yesterday, he waited on Colonel McGillivray and the Chiefs ac- VOL. XVI .- 27.
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companying him, and read the letter addressed to them by the President, and that Colonel McGillivray intended to return an answer.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, July 21st, 1790. PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
4
Christopher Kucher, Amos Gregg,
James Read,
Abraham Smith,
Zebulun Potts,
Samuel Miles,
Esquires.
James Martin, Lord Butler, and
Jonas Hartzell, Richard Willing,
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, July 22nd, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
Christopher Kucher, Amos Gregg,
Zebulun Potts,
Abraham Smith,
James Read, Lord Butler,
James Martin, Richard Willing, and
Jonas Hartzell, Nathaniel Breading,
Samuel Miles, [now returned. ]
Upon the second reading of the petition of Robert and Hannah Crosser, praying for a remission of the State's share of a forfeiture of one hundred and fourteen gallons of rum, which they have in- curred for not entering it agreeably to law, and a recommendation · in favor of Hannah Crosser,
Resolved, That the State's share of the said forfeiture be re- mitted.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honora- ble James Martin, Esquire, for the sum of twenty-five pounds ten shillings, in full of his account for his wages as Councillor from the nineteenth of June until the twenty-second of July, 1790, inclusively.
An order was also drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Timo- thy Matlack, Esquire, for the sum of ten pounds, payable out of the six hundred pounds which was appropriated by a resolution of
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
the General Assembly passed the thirty-first of March, 1790, for exploring the head waters of Susquehanna, Delaware, Lehigh and Schuylkill, and the Western waters within this State, and to be char- ged to the fund provided by an act of the General Assembly passed the twenty eighth day of September, 1789, for claims and im- provements, the said sum being advanced to the 'said Timothy Mat- lack in part of his pay as one of the Commissioners for exploring the said Western waters, for which sum he is to account.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Mrs. Jane Roseborough, widow of the Reverend John Roseborough, for the sum of two hundred and four pounds fifteen shillings, being the amount of pension due to her from the eighteenth of May, 1788, until the eighteenth of May, 1790, according to the Comptroller General and Register General's reports, and an order of the Or- phans' Court of Northampton county, in pursuance of an act of Assembly passed the twenty seventh of March last.
William Smith was appointed a Justice of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Mifflin ; and Tho- mas Gregg a Justice of the Peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Fayette, upon two returns, made ac- cording to law, the one from the district of Derry, in the county of Mifflin, and the other from the district of Luzerne, in the county of Fayette.
Council proceeded to the further consideration of the returns of elections of Justices of the Peace lately held in the districts of Bedford and Colerain, in the county of Bedford, with petitions ac- companying the same, complaining of illegal proceedings at the said elections, and praying that Council would be pleased to order an enquiry into the irregular proceedings complained of ; where- upon, it was
Resolved, That David Espy, Jacob Wink and William Patter- son, Esquires, Justices of the Peace living near the said districts, be authorized and instructed to investigate the said complaints, upon the oaths of such witnesses as may be adduced, and make re- port of their proceedings to this Board, in the manner and form prescribed in and by an act of the General Assembly passed the thirty-first day of March, 1784, entituled " An act to remedy the defects of the several acts of Assembly heretofore made for regula- ting the elections of Justices of the Peace in the several counties throughout this State," &ca.
A petition from James Cloyd, of the county of Chester, with a certificate from the Collector of Excise in the said county of Ches- ter, in his favor, being read the second time, it was
Resolved, To remit the State's share of the forfeiture of one hogshead of rum, which was lately seized by the said Collector as not being entered according to law.
The Comptroller and Register General's reports upon the follow- ing accounts were read and approved, vizt :
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ト
Of John Craig, Esquire, Collector of Excise in the county of Northampton, for excise collected by him from the day of his ap- pointment untill the twentieth day of June, 1789, amounting to three hundred and fifty nine pounds six shillings.
Of Richard Parker, Esquire, Collector of Excise in the county of Cumberland, for excise collected by him from the fourth day of June, 1787, until the twenty seventh day of June, 1789, amount- ing to four hundred and sixty pounds eighteen shillings and four pence ; and
Of Andrew Forrest, Esquire, Collector of Excise in the county of Dauphine, for excise collected by him from the first of August, 1787, until the first day of August, 1788, amounting to five hun- dred and thirty pounds two shillings and four pence.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, July 23rd, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Amos Gregg,
Samuel Miles,
Abraham Smith,
Christopher Kucher,
Lord Butler,
Zebulun Potts,
Nathaniel Breading, and
Esquires.
James Martin,
Richard Willing,
Jonas Hartzell,
The Comptroller and Register General's reports upon the ac- counts following, were read and approved, vizt :
Of Andrew Graff, for the time of his servant man, Peter Gesse- hamer, who was inlisted on the fifth of April, 1777, with Ensign Jacob Weitzel, in Colonel Patton's regiment, estimated at ten pounds Continental money by a Justice of the Peace and two free- holders of Lancaster county, on the cighth of May, 1788, which, at the exchange of five for one, is two pounds specie.
Of Captain Joseph Stiles, for one year's salary as Commissary of Military Stores, ending the eighth of February, 1790, and for storing the public arms, &ca., for one year, ending March 6th last, amounting to sixty-three pounds fourteen shillings and four pence, for which sum an order was drawn upon the Treasurer.
A letter from the Honorable Thomas Jefferson, Esquire, Secre- tary of State, of the nineteenth of July instant, inclosing two copies, duly authenticated, of the act for establishing the tempo- rary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States, and of the act further to provide for the payment of the invalid pensioners of the United States, was received and.read, and a let-
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
tar written by the Vice President to Mr. Jefferson, acknowledging the receipt of the said letter and inclosures.
A letter from our Senators and Delegates in the House of Repre- sentatives of the United States, on the subject of the temporary and permanent seat of government of the United States, was also received and read.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, July 24th, 1790. PRESENT:
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Nathaniel Breading, 7
Samuel Miles, Amos Gregg,
Christopher Kucher,
Jonas Hartzell,
Lord Butler,
Richard Willing,
Abraham Smith,
Esquires. Zebulun Potts,
James Martin,
A letter from Mr. Benjamin Franklin Bache, informing Council that he proposes to publish a newspaper in this city, and requesting they would be pleased to take from him a number of the same, equally with the other printers, was read ; and thereupon, it was
Resolved, To take six of the said newspapers on each day of pub- lication.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, July 26th, 1790. PRESENT : The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
James Read, Amos Gregg, Richard Willing, and --- Esquires.
Lord Butler,
Abraham Smith, Jonas Hartzell,
Nathaniel Breading,
Colonel Smith, who was requested to make enquiry on the ap- plication of Major McGowan, informs Council that Mr. McGowan had obtained a certificate from the Comptroller General, upon which an or ler of Council had issued, for the sum of seven pounds ten, which orders (by Mr. Bankson's certificate) appears to be lost; and the late and present Treasurers having also certified that the order
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issued in consequence of the Comptroller General's certificate had not been paid at the Treasury ; therefore,
Resolved, That an order be now issued on the Treasurer in favor of the said Major McGowan, for the sum of seven pounds ten shil- lings, in lieu of the order which appears to be lost.
Council being informed, that in consequence of the corporations erecting the City Hall, the necessary in the State House yard must be taken down,
Resolved, That a proper place be fixed upon, and workmen em- ployed to erect a building for a necessary.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, July 27th, 1790.
PRESENT :
The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel Miles, Christopher Kucher,
James Read, Zebulun Potts,
Richard Willing,
Nathaniel Breading, > Esquires.
Abraham Smith, Lord Butler, and
Amos Gregg, Jonas Hartzell,
The Comptroller and Register General's reports upon the fol- lowing accounts were read and approved, vizt :
Of Charles Biddle, Esquire, Secretary of Council, for fees re- ceived in the Secretary's Office from the twenty-sixth of January, 1789, untill the twenty-third of July, amounting to four hundred and fifty-seven pounds fifteen shillings and'ten pence.
Of Joseph Dolby, for ringing the bells on the anniversary of in- dependence, and on the arrival of Colonel Allexander McGillivray with the Chiefs of the Creek Nation of Indians, amounting to twelve pounds, which sum the Secretary was directed to pay to the said Joseph Dolby.
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