The Council met. LANCASTER, Monday February 23, 1778. PRESENT: His Excell'y THOS. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Joseph Hart, John Hambright, Thomas Urie, & } Esq'rs. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Hon'ble George Bryan, Vice President, for the Sum of Fifty Pounds on account of his salary. The Hon'ble House of General Assembly, by a Committee, acquainted the Council that they apprehend that the board of War had given orders to their Superintendants of Provisions, &ca., which the House conceived to be a violation of the laws of the State, & requested that the Council will join them in a free conference on this subject, Ordered, That the Hon'ble House of General Assembly be informed, that the Council will confer with them in the Assembly room, at four O'Clock this Afternoon. His Excell'y the President & the Council having conferred with the Hon'ble House of Representatives, agreeable to the order of the day, & the House requesting to be furnished with the following papers relating to the subject of conference, Vizt. : "The instructions of the Board of War to their Superintendants of Provisions. "The plan laid down by the Superintendants for the purchase, &ca., of Provisions. "The instructions for the Millers, dated 1.th Jan'ry, 1778. "A Letter from the Superintendants to the Board of War, dated Feb'ry 11, 1778. "A Letter dated Feb'ry 12, 1778, Signed, R. S. Hooper, Deputy Q'r General, to the Purchasers under the Superintendants;" thereupon, Ordered, That a Letter be written to the Hon'ble J. B. Smith, Esq'r, requesting that he will procure Copies of the said Papers, and forward them by express to this Board immediately. The Council met. LANCASTER, Tuesday February 24, 1778 PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. The following Address was read, to Wit: "To the President & Council, now sitting at Lancaster : "These may show that We, the Subscribers, being appointed on behalf of the Westerly quarterly Meeting of the People called Quakers, in order to lay before you various deeply distressing cases & circumstances that nearly effect us as a Religious Society, request an admittance, to be heard by you for the purpose abovesaid, which favor will be acknowledged by Your real friends. (Signed,) "WARNER MIFFLIN, "JAMES JACKSON,- "Lancaster, the 23d of the 2nd Month, 1778." Ordered, That the Subscribers of the said request be informed that the Council are willing to attend to their representation, to be made in Writing, & are disposed to hear them on such matters as may be contained therein, so far as is within the cognizance of Council. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Christ'n Zorn, for Twelve Pounds Seven Shillings & Six Pence, for riding express. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Tho's Lieper, James Hunter, Will'm Hall, & John Dunlap, for the Sum of Sixteen Pounds Ten Shillings, for their expences in takeing the Paroles of John Penn, James Hamilton & Joseph Shippen, Esq'rs, by order of Council. The following representation was read, Viz: "LANCASTER, 24th 2 mo., 1778. "To the President & Council, now sitting at Lancaster : "We the Subscribers, are desirous to lay before you, 'First,' the case of a number of our Friends, now under confinement at Winchester in Virginia, by the Authority of your body, as We apprehend, whose release we strongly desire, or if that cannot be obtained, that three or more of them, on behalf of the rest, may be heard in their own vindication, either before Council or Congress, as you may direct. Secondly, That you would weightely consider the situation of four of our Friends, closely confined in the common Goal of this Borough. Thirdly, That you would interpose for our relief in case of exorbitant Fines, taken from us, because of our Conscience sake, we cannot yield our personal service in War. Fourthly, We desire redress of grievance in a certain Law, commonly called the Test Law. (Signed,) "WARNER MIFFLIN, "AB'M GIBBONS, "WILL'M JACKSON, jun'r, "JACOB LINDLEY. "Lancaster 24th 2 mo., 1778." And the Subscribers of the said representation having requested to be heard in Council on the several subjects mentioned therein, were accordingly admitted & heard. The Council in the course of a conference with these People, which continued several hours, informed them That the Council had it in contemplation to represent the case of the said Prisoners at Winchester to the Hon'ble House of General Assembly, & that they judged it was probable the House would take the same into their consideration; That the Arrest of the said Prisoners, & their removal to Virginia, was at the request & under the direction of Congress, before whom that matter at present wholly lies; That as to the other matters contained therein, they are not any of them within the power or authority of the Council; They appear to be cases wherein the law is executed; & that Council are not vested with any authority to alter them in any case whatever; That if any person be confined contrary to Law, their case may be laid before the Judges, or one of them, whose duty it is to hear them; And that if it is apprehended that the Law in any instance is grievous or oppressive, the Legislative authority may be applied to for alteration or amendments in such instance. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Capt. Marshall, for the Sum of Three hundred Dollars, for the recruiting service, for which he is to account. Order dated yesterday. The Council met. LANCASTER, Wednesday February 25, 1778. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Joseph Hart, John Hambright, Thomas Urie, Thomas Scott, ) James Edgar, & Esq'rs. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Capt. Willis, for the Sum of eight Dollars, in part of his expences in forwarding dispatches to the Commissioners for purchasing of Provisions, and to the Waggon Masters, of the Counties of Bucks & Philadelphia. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Colo. Is'c Melchior, Barrack Master, for the Sum or Two Thousand Dollars, for which he is to account. Leonard Reed, appointed to be Waggon Master of the County of Berks, having resigned; thereupon, Ordered, That Colo. Henry Haller be appointed Waggon Master of the County of Berks, in the room of Leonard Reed, who has resigned. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Jacob S. Howell, for the Sum of One Thousand Pounds, for which he is to account. And an order was drawn on Jacob S. Howell for the Sum of One thousand Pounds, in favor of Jas Dundas, Paymaster of the People employed at Billingsport, for which he is to acco't. The Council met. LANCASTER, Thursday Feb'ry 28, 1778. PRESENT: His Excell'y THO'S. WHARTON, jun'r, Esq'r, President. Joseph Hart, John Hambright, Thomas Urie, Thomas Scott, His Excell'y Gen'l Washington having enclosed to His Excell'y the President, an Address to the inhabitants of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland & Virginia, requesting that the same may be published, & submiting to the consideration of Council whether it may not serve to encrease its effects, if it were ushered into the Papers of this State with a recommendation from His Excell'y the President. On consideration, Ordered, That the following Proclamation be published, with His Excell'y Gen'l Washington's address above said : By the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "A PROCLAMATION: "WHEREAS, His Excell'y Gen'l Washington hath thought proper to address the inhabitants of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland & Virginia, recommending it to them to put up & feed immediately as many of their Stock Cattle as they can spare for the supply of the Army, in the Months of May, June & July next, as in the said address hereunto subjoined doth more at large appear: "We, the Supreme Executive Council, being desirous to promote a measure so essentially necessary at this time, do earnestly recommend it to the good people of this State, to exert themselves in answering the purposes of His Excell'ys address, as all circumstances seem happily to conspire in rendering the approaching Campaign decisive, & the fruit of our toil is not only in view, but even within, reach; we hope all those who wish well to their Country, & have it in their power to contribute anything to the support of our Army, in the way recommended by the General, will exert themselves on this occasion. We can have no doubt of the virtuous intentions of the good people of this State, in a cause so righteous as the present contest with Great Britain most certainly is, & therefore. firmly rely on their exertions to afford the relief required in due time. "By Order of the Council, (Signed) THOMAS WHARTON, jun'r, President. "(Attest)-T. MATLACK, Secretary. "LANCASTER, Feb'ry 27, 1778." "To the Inhabitants of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia : "Friends, Countrymen and Fellow Citizens: "After three Campaigns, during which the brave Subjects of these States have contended, not unsuccessfully, with one of the most powerful kingdoms upon earth, we now find ourselves at least upon a level with our opponents; & there is the best reason to believe that efforts adequate to the abilities of this Country would enable us speedily to conclude the War, & to secure the invaluable blessings of Peace, Liberty & Safety. With this view, it is in contem |