The following Resolve of the Gen'l Assembly was laid before the Board, Viz: "In General Assembly, Monday June 16, 1777. "On motion, "Resolved, That all the Militia men of the State now going into the Field, be allowed A Gill of Rum or Whiskey each man per day, over and besides the Rations allowed by Congress, and that the President & Council take the proper means for supplying the same." Doct. Robert Wilcox applied for a pass to go to Providence, in New England. Ordered, That the Secretary make out and sign a pass for him. The Council took into consideration the appointing of a Prothonotary of the County of Chester, in the room of Benja. Jacob, who declines accepting that Office; thereupon, Agreed, That Caleb Davis be appointed Prothonotary of the County of Chester, & Commissioned accordingly. The Council met. PHILAD'A, Saturday June 21, 1777. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Evans, John Proctor. Esquires. An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, in favor of Wm. Crispin, for the Sum of Eight Thousand Dollars, for the purpose of purchasing Rum or Wisky for the Militia of this State, agreeable to a Resolve of the Hon'ble House of Assembly, for which he is to account. An order was drawn on Capt. Campbell, in favor of Rob't Smith, Esq'r, Lieutenant of the County of Chester, for four hundred Canteens, four hundred Knapsacks, four hundred Priming Wires, four hundred brushes, and Four hundred Cartouch Boxes, for the Militia of that County. On motion, Agreed, That John Beaton be appointed Paymaster of the Chester County Militia. An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, in favor of Rob't Smith, Esq'r, Lieutenant of the County of Chester, for the Sum of two Thousand Pounds, to be applied in paying Substitutes, &ca. Gen'l Mifflin, Mons. de Coudray, wi'h Nicholas Rogers, who speaks the French and English Languages, attended the Council, and laid before the Council a Copy of the report of the Committee of Congress for viewing the works erected for the defence of our River, and the resolves of Congress thereon of the 11th June Instant. Colo. Stewart waited on the Council, & informed them that, having received orders to march his Battallion to Billingsport, he had Paraded his men, and was about to march accordingly, but that he had received intelligence from the Hon'ble John Hancock, Esq'r, that a resolution of Congress of yesterday, respecting this Battalion being taken into Continental Service, which would render an immediate compliance with the orders he had received rather inconvenient; that the said Resolution of Congress had been given in charge to the Delegates of this State to communicate to the Council, which would probably alter his Orders. The Council met. PHILAD'A., Tuesday June 24, 1777. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. Jonathan Hoge, & John Proctor, Esquires. An order of Congress on John Gibson, Esq'r, Auditor General, in favor of the Council, for Fifty Thousand Dollars, was sent up to Council, and thereupon, the President endorsed the same, making it payable to David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer of the State. James Claypoole now offered Blair McClenagan & David Chambers as security for his faithful performance of the duty and Office of Sheriff in the City & County of Philadelphia; was agreed to by Council. The Council resuming the consideration of the orders given to the Lieutenants of the Counties for marching the Militia, Agreed, That Philadelphia & Bucks Counties do send the first & second Class, and hold the third in perfect readiness. That Lancaster, Berks, and Northampton, send forward the first Class, and hold the second in perfect readiness. That Cumberland, York, & Northumberland, hold the 1st Class in readiness, and that Letters be written to the Lieutenants of the respective Counties accordingly. An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, in favor of Colo. Benj. Brannon, Sub Lieutenant of the County of Chester, for the Sum of Two Thousand Dollars, for the purpose of Paying Substitutes. The Council met. PHILAD'A, Wednesday June 25, 1777. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Proctor, Esquires. A curious performance of I. Stewart, of London, the Senators' remembrancer, consisting of Fourteen Copper plates, done on white satten, and most elegantly framed and gilt, presented to the Public by Doc't Benja. Franklin, were placed in the Council Chamber. On motion, Agreed, That the Pay of the Commodore of the Navy of this State be allowed and paid at the rate One hundred and Twenty-five Dollars P. Month, inclusive of Rations. On motion, agreed, That the Pay of Capt. Hazlewood, the second in Command in the Navy of this State, be allowed & paid at the rate of one hundred dollars P. Month, inclusive of Rations. Mr. Cox and Mr. Eyres, from the Navy Board, having requested A further Sum of Money, and the Board of War having also made application for Money, An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, in favor of John Maxwell Nesbitt, Esq'r, the Treasurer of the Board of War, &ca., for the Sum of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars; Board of War Twelve thousand Dollars, & Navy Board thirteen thousand Dollars. The Council taking into consideration the intelligence received by Congress from Gen'l Washington, respecting the movements of the Enemy, and the extreme inconveniency arising from the march of the Militia in the time of Harvest, Agreed, That the Lieut's of the Counties of Lancaster, Berks, & Northampton, be informed that the Council think it unnecessary for the 1st Class of Militia respectively, to march, but that they hold the first class in the most perfect readiness to march at the shortest warning. That the Lieutenants of the Counties of Philadelphia and Chester, be informed that it is unnecessary to march the 2d Class of their respective Counties, but that the 1st Class be marched, and the 2d Class held in perfect readiness to march at the shortest notice. A The Council met. PHILAD'A, Thursday June 26, 1777. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Evans, John Proctor, Esquires. Col. Andrew Boyd, Sub-Lieutenant of the County of Chester, attended. The members of Council met, & requested to be furnished with a Sum of Money for procuring Substitutes, Blankets, &ea.; thereupon, An order was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, in favor of Col. Andrew Boyd, Esq'r, for the Sum of Two Thousand Dollars, for the aforesaid purposes. On motion, Agreed, That Jamas Loughead be appointed Paymaster of the Militia of the City & Liberties of Philadelphia. An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, in favor of James Loughead, Paymaster of the City and Liberties aforesaid, for the Sum of Three Thousand Dollars. Mr. Bache, Col. Shee, and Col. Dean, of the Board of War, attended Council, & complained of a certain Wm. Sykes, who had taken an opportunity of bringing off a very considerable quantity of Goods which had been removed out of the City, from the place where they had been deposited by order of the Committee appointed for that purpose, and this at a time when it was generally believed the Enemy was bending their force against this city. Jos. Gamble, Will'm Marshall, Mich'l Dawson, Chevaux de Frize Pilots, informed the Council that they had this day applied to the Commissioners of Appeal, setting forth their employment as a plea against their being fined as Non-Associates under the late Law, &ca., and that the plea was rejected as insufficient. On motion, Resolved, That this Council are clearly of opinion that the Pilots employed by the State are not chargeable with any Fines as Non-Associates, their duty being of such a nature as to make it highly improper for them to be absent on any occasion whatsoever, & do recommend to the Commissioners of Appeal to revise their judgment thereon. An order was drawn on Dav'd Rittenhouse, Esq'r, Treasurer, for the Sum of Seventeen Pounds Sixteen Shillings & Nine Pence, in favor of Will'm Trickett, for Books, &ca., purchased for the use of Council. The Council Met. PHILAD'A. Friday June 27th, 1777. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President. John Evans, John Proctor. Esquires. Colo. Donaldson of York County brought in a number of plates said to be found in the possession of a certain James Steward, who was arrested and committed to York Jail, but has since made his escape, and apparently designed for the counterfeiting the Continental Currency, To Wit: A back and front plate, with impressions similar to a Continental Thirty Dollar Bill; A Back & front plate, with impressions similar to a Continental Four Dollar Bill; A back & front plate of a two-thirds of a Dollar Continental Bill; and a blank plate of the same size, together, also, with a Thirty Dollar Bill & four Dollar Bill, struck from the same plates, and a Bill struck with the four Dollar plate on one side & the Thirty Dollar Bill on the other side, with a deposition concerning the same, which the Committee of the said County of York hath directed him to deliver to the Council or some other Public body. Ordered, That the Secretary receive the same, give Colo. Donaldson a receipt for them, and Seal them up. On motion, agreed that Thomas Urie be appointed Sheriff of the County of Bedford, & that he be immediately Commissioned accordingly. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of James Loughead, Paymaster, for the Sum of Two thousand Dollars. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Wm. Henry, Esq'r, for the Sum of Two thousand Dollars, to Pay Substitutes, &ca. Mr. Smith, Mr. Lisle, Mr. Loughead, & Mr. Evans attended the Council by the direction of this Board, and they being interrogated respecting the complaint made by them against William Sykes; thereupon, Ordered, That the further consideration of the said complaint be referred to Monday Afternoon. Ordered, That a Writ be now issued to John Thompson, Esq'r, Sheriff of the County of Bucks, commanding him to hold an election for the chusing of one fit person to represent the said County in Council, and make return thereof of the said Writ to his Excellency in Council on or before the Twenty-first day of July next. |