Musket Cartridges, to be re-paid by the owners of the Privateer Sloop Gerrard, as soon as possible.

The Council taking into consideration the necessity of laying an Embargo on Provisions, as well to prevent the supplying of the Enemy, as to secure a full supply for the Continental Army,

Ordered, That a Proclamation be issued for laying an Embargo to prevent the exportation of Provisions from this State to any place.

"By the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

"A PROCLAMATION.

"WHEREAS, The exportation of Victuals & Provisions from the United States of North America hath occasioned much difficulty in procuring supplies for the American Armies, & by the Capture of divers Vessels employed in such exportation, the forces of the Enemy have relieved from distresses otherwise likely to embarrass their operations for remedy, whereof, the Council do hereby an embargo on the exportation of Wheat, flour, rye, oats, spelts, barley, Indian Corn, beef, pork, or other Victuals, whether alive or dead, from this State to any parts or place beyond sea, & for that purpose do forbid the clearing out and dispatch, & the Sailing of any Ship or other Vessel on which any such Goods & Victuals shall be laden, of which the Naval Officer, & the Commodore of the State Fleet, are required to take notice & govern themselves accordingly: Provided always, That the embargo shall be continued for Thirty days from the date of these Presents & no longer, & that the necessary Stores & Victuals during their voiages, as well for Ships of War as Merchant Vessels, shall not be hereby restrained.

"Given by order of the Council, under the hand of the Honorable George Bryan, Esq'r, Vice President, & the Seal of the State, at Philadelphia, the first day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred & Seventy-eight.

(Signed)" GEO. BRYAN, Vice President. "Attest-T'Y MATLACK, Sec'y."

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Lieut. Patrick Fullerton, for the Sum of Two thousand Dollars, for the recruiting Service, to be charged to his account.

VOL. XI.-35.

The Council Met.

PHILADELPHIA, Monday August 3, 1778.

PRESENT:

"Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.

Jos. Hart,

Mackay,

Jonathan Hoge, & Esq'rs.

Jacob Arndt,

Ordered, That Thomas Humberge do bring down the Gunpowder now in his possession, & deliver it to Capt. Joseph Stiles, of this City, for the use of the State.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Peter Dehaven, for the Sum of Two thousand Pounds, for the use of the Gun Factory.

And an order was drawn on Will'm Henry, Esq'r, of Lancaster, for Two hundred Gun Locks, to be taken from the insufficient Dutch Arms belonging to the State in his possession.

The Council considering the dangerous tendency of Precedents of assumed Power in cases which may appear to be justifiable from necessity;

Ordered, That a solemn Protest against the proceedings of Congress on the 8th day of June last, for laying an embargo on Provisions to prevent the exportation thereof, be entered on our Minutes, that the said proceeding may not be hereafter drawn into a Precedent, in favor of any claim of right hereafter to be set up to use & exercise the power & authority to lay embargoes in this State. And the following being Prepared and read, the same was approved & ordered to be inserted as their protest:

[Blank in Council Book.]

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Lieut. James McCulloch, of the 5th Pennsylvania Reg't, or his order, for the Sum of One hundred & Fifty Dollars, for the recruiting service, to be charged to his account.

Ordered, That Mr. Lod Sprogell, Muster Master, do immediately muster the Men belonging to the State Fleet, & make return thereof to Council without delay.

Ordered, That the full Rations of Mr. Sprogell, Muster Master, be furnished to him by Mr. Crispin, Commissary of the State Fleet. (These Rations are not be drawn farther back than to the 18th of June.)

On consideration,

Ordered, That Mr. Gunning Bedford be appointed Measurer of Wheat & other Corn & of Salt, in the City of Philadelphia.

On consideration of the recommendation of the Justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County of Philadelphia,

Ordered, That Hillary Baker, jun'r, be appointed & Commissioned to be Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County of Philadelphia.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Dav'd Dechler & John Arndt, Esq'rs, Commissioners for purchasing Wheat, &ca, in the County of Northampton, for the Sum of Two thousand and five hundred Pounds, for which they are to account.

Ordered, That Col. George Stewart, of Earl Township, be required to attend this Council on Thursday the fifth day of September next, at nine o'Clock in the forenoon, to answer the Charge of misbehaviour in his Office, as Agent for seizing of forfeited Estates, in the Sale of Goods lately belonging to Michael Wittman; And that a Copy of this Minute be forwarded to him, be considered as a summons for his appearance.

Ordered, That Advertisements be put up at or near Ephrata, giving public notice of the foregoing order, requiring the evidences in the aforesaid case to appear in Council on the day appointed for hearing the same, or otherwise to make deposition before some Justice or Justices of the Peace for the County of Lancaster, of such evidence as they may be able to give in the Premises, giving notice in writing to the said George Stewart, of the time & place of taking such depositions, at least five days before the taking of the same, such depositions to be carefully forwarded to Council by the Justice or Justices before whom they shall be taken.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Lieut. Stephen Stephenon, of the 9th Pennsylvania Reg't, for the Sum of Six hundred Dollars, for the Recruiting service, for which he is to account.

Hon'ble Rob't Morris & Hon'ble Dan'l Roberdeau attended in Council, & informed the Council That they were directed by Congress to inform the Council that the Ambassador Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty was to receive his first Public audience in Congress this day at 12 o'clock, & that the doors of Congress would be open to the Vice President & Council, if they shall think proper to attend.

On consideration,

Agreed, That the Council will attend the Public Audience in Congress of the Ambassador Plenipotentiary from the Court of France.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Lieut. Will'm Vanleer, of the 9th Pennsylvania Reg't, for the Sum of Two hundred and Seventy-five Dollars, for the recruiting Service, to be charged to his account.

Colo. Knox & Colo. Clark, a Committee from the Hon'ble House of General Assembly, attended in Council, & informed that they had in charge from the House to acquaint the Council That a Quorum of the House was now met & ready to enter upon business, & desired to know if the Council had any business to lay before the house; to which the Hon'ble Vice President replied, that the Council were glad to hear that a House was met, & that

the business on which they had been called should be laid before the House.

An Account, of which the following is a Copy, was laid before the Council, Vizt:

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Mr. Robert Paisley, or his order, for the Sum of Four thousand five hundred & Ninety Pounds, for the above Six hhds. of Spirits, the said Sum to be charged to the account of William Crispin, Commissary of the State Fleet.

Musgrove, three of

Peter Thompson, Jacob Barge, & the Warders of the City of Philadelphia, attended in Council, & represented that they were in great distress for want of Money to pay the Debts contracted by them to purchase the necessary Supply of Oil, & to pay the Watchmen; That the situation of the Taxes will not admit of the necessary collection in time for the said purpose, & therefore, pray that a Sum of Money be put into their hands for these emmergencies, to be repaid as soon as may be; That the Sum of Fifteen hundred Pounds will probably answer these purposes.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Patrick Fullerton, Lieu. in the 13th Pennsylvania Reg't, or his order, for the Sum of Six hundred & Eighty Dollars, for the Recruiting Service, to be charged to his account.

Messrs. Blewer & Cox, from the State Navy Board, represent, that the Brig. Convention, Commanded by Capt. Rich'd Eyre, is nearly fitted for Sea, desire further instructions concerning that Vessel; Whereupon,

Council considering that the danger of the Enemy's return into this River is greatly lessened by various Circumstances, & there is reason to expect that the said Brig. may greatly annoy the Enemy by Cruizing upon the Coast, do recommend that the Navy Board fit