"is or shall be anyways interested or concerned, shall and may be "commenced, sued or prosecuted originally in the Supreme Court of "this Province, any thing herein, or any Law, Usage or Custom to "the contrary notwithstanding." Hereupon most of the Members observed, that it would be in vain to offer the same to the House, because the Chief Design of this new Bill being to take away from that Court all Power of issuing Original Writts, which Power by a former unanimous Resolve of the House was adjudged not to be in the said Court, even by the former Act, it being only designed as a Court for redressing the Errors, &c. of other Courts, and from the Sentence of which there lies no Appeal, but to the King, therefore the Clause now offered seemed very improper, But upon the Governours pressing that the same should at least be laid before the House, the Board agreed thereto, & Ordered, that the Bill be returned to the House with the foregoing Amendment & Clause offered by Mr. Moore. EODEM DIE, P. M. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. And the same Members as in the Forenoon. The House of Representatives waited upon the Governour according to order, and presented for his Approbation the three following Bills, vizt: AN ACT more effectually to prevent unfair Practices in the packing of Beef and Pork for Exportation. A SUPPLEMENTARY ACT to the Act for ascertaining the Number of Members of Assembly and to regulate Elections. AN ACT for establishing a Ferry from the City of Philadelphia to the landing at or near the House of William Cooper, & another from or near the City bounds to Gloucester, in New Jersey. To which the Governour gave his Assent and passed them into Laws of this Province, and Ordered the same to be sealed & published. At a Council held at Philadelphia, August 25th, 1727. PRESENT: The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governr. William Fishbourn, A Bill this day sent up from the Assembly was read, vizt: A Supplement to the Act for taking Lands in Execution for the Payment of Debts, which with the following Amendment made thereto was ordered to be returned to the House. "The Plaintiff or Person, in whose behalf Execution was levied, 66 may apply to the Court of Common Pleas for the County, where "Judgement was obtained & sett forth to them, his Case with the "Reasons why his Title was not duely perfected by the preceeding "or former Sherif; And the said Court may thereupon, as they "shall see Cause, and as Justice & Equity shall require, Order and "direct the Sherif for the time being to Compleat any such Title & "execute such Deeds as aforesaid, and upon such order obtained as "aforesaid and entered on the Records of the Court, It shall and may be lawfull, &c." The Provincial Treasurer exhibited to the Board an account of Charges of the late Treaty with the Indians of the five Nations, at which above forty Persons were entertained from the 28th of June to the 9th of July, and of the Presents then made to the Indians, amounting in the whole to Eighty four Pounds five shilling one penny half penny, And the Presents made by the Indians, sold by the Treasurer, amounting Twelve. pounds twelve shillings and six pence, the Balance remaining is Seventy one Pounds twelve shillings seven pence half penny; Which Account the Board examined &-approved, and recommended the same to the Assembly for Pay ment. At a Council held at Philadelphia, August 26th, 1727. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. James Logan, Richard Hill, Samuel Preston, William Fishbourn, Esq'rs. The House of Representatives waited on the Govr. according to order, and presented the two following Bills for his Approbation, vizt: AN ACT for establishing Courts of Judicature in this Province. A SUPPLEMENT to the Act for taking Lands in Execution for the Payment of Debts. To which the Governour gave his Assent and pass'd them into Laws, and Ordered them to be sealed and published. Then the Speaker, after presenting the Governour with a bill drawn on the Provincial Treasurer for £500, as the support for the remaining part of the current year, acquainted him that the House was desirous the Governour would pay the Indians a visit as usual, as soon as his health & conveniency would permitt; To which the Governour answered, that he would be always ready to doe what lay in his power to keep up a good Correspondence with the Indians, and for that End intended to visit them next summer, and that as they expect the usual presents on these occasions, he hoped the House would take care to make suitable provision for the Charges of the Journey. The Governour then took occasion to acquaint the house, that several Indians from the five Nations had been here in July last to visit him, who had been entertained Twelve Days & had received some small presents, an account of the Charges of which, as exhibited by the Provincial Treasurer, had been approved by the board, and therefore recommended it to the house to order the payment thereof. After which the Governour having thanked them for the Provision they had made for his support, the House withdrew and the Council adjourned. At a Council held at Philadelphia, August 31st, 1727. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieutenant Governour. Samuel Preston, James Logan, Isaac Norris, William Fishbourn, Esq'rs. The Governour acquainted the Board, that the news of the Death of His Majesty King George, and of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales being proclaimed King, seemed now to want no further Confirmation, it appearing true by several accounts from London, as well as the printed Proclamation from New York and Boston; And that therefore he had given notice to the Mayor and Commonalty of this city, of his intentions this day to proclaim here his said Royal Highness King of Great Britain, &c, and expected that the members present would likewise give their attendance on this occasion that the Ceremony might be performed with all suitable solemnity. To which the board unanimously agreed & desired the Governr. would give the necessary orders therein, and that they were ready to attend him. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Septemr. 1st, 1727. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. Richard Hill, Isaac Norris, Clement Plumstead. After the Governour had acquainted the Board, that yesterday His Royal Highness George, Prince of Wales, had been publickly proclaimed here King of Great Britain, &c., by the name of George the Second, with the Solemnity and Ceremony suitable on that occasion, His Honour took the Oaths, and the several Members present the Affirmations of Allegiance and Fidelity to his said Majesty and Abjuration of the Pretender, as did likewise the Clerks of the Council. The Governour then desired the Advice of the Board, whether his Majesty should be proclaimed in each of the three lower Counties upon Delaware, or whether it would not be sufficient if it was only done at Newcastle, seeing that place is reputed the Seat of Government of these Counties. The Board is of opinion that it is sufficient if done at Newcastle. After which the Governour took occasion to inform the Board, that the uncertain state of his health would not allow him to make Journey hither as he had intended, but that however he would give the necessary directions to the Gentlemen of the Magistracy there. It was then proposed to renew the several Commissions of the Supreme Courts, and of the Peace, for the Province and Counties in His present Majesty's name, which being by the board approved of It's ordered that new Commissions be forthwith issued in his present Majesty's Name to the same Judges and Justices named in the Commissions now subsisting, leaving out those of them that are dead, & adding James James to the Commission of the Peace for the County of Chester, whom the board held proper to be commissionated a Justice of that County. Samuel Preston Esqr., one of the members present, moved that his Name might be left out of the Commission of the Peace for Philadelphia County, because his affairs would not allow him to give the necessary Attendance, Which was Conceded to. At a Council held at Philadelphia, September 14th, 1727. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. James Logan, Isaac Norris, William Fishbourn, } Esq'rs. The Governour acquainted the board, that he had called them together at this time to inform them that there is lately arrived from Holland, a Ship with four hundred Palatines, as 'tis said, and that he has information they will be very soon followed by a much greater Number, who design to settle in the back parts of this province; & as they transport themselves without any leave obtained from the Crown of Great Britain, and settle themselves upon the Froprietors untaken up Lands without any application to the Proprietor or his Commissioners of property, or to the Government in general, it would be highly necessary to concert proper measures for the peace and security of the province, which may be endangered by such numbers of Strangers daily poured in, who being ignorant of our Language & Laws, & settling in a body together, make, as it were, a distinct people from his Majesties Subjects. The Board taking the same into their serious Consideration, observe, that as these People pretended at first that they fly hither, on the Score of their religious Liberties, and come under the Protection of His Majesty, its requisite that in the first Place they should take the Oath of Allegiance, or some equivalent to it to His Majesty, and promise Fidelity to the Proprietor & obedience to our Established Constitution; And therefore, until some proper Remedy can be had from Home, to prevent the Importation of such Numbers of Strangers into this or others of His Majesties Colonies. "TIS ORDERED, that the Masters of the Vessells importing them shall be examined whether they have any Leave granted them by the Court of Britain for the Importation of these Forreigners, and that a List shall be taken of the Names of all these People, their several Occupations, and the Places from whence they come, and shall be further examined touching their Intentions in coming hither; And further, that a Writing be drawn up for them to sign declaring their Allegiance & Subjection to the King of Great Britain & Fidelity to the Proprietary of this Province, & that they will demean themselves peaceably towards all his Majesties Subjects, & strictly observe, and conform to the Laws of England and of this Government At a Council held at the Courtho. of Philadia., Septemr. 21st, 1727. PRESENT: The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour. James Logan, A Paper being drawn up to be signed by those Palatines, who should come into this Provinc with an Intention to settle therein, pursuant to the order of this Board, was this day presented, read & approved, & is in these Words: We Subscribers, Natives and late Inhabitants of the Palatinate upon the Rhine & Places adjacent, having transported ourselves and Families into this Province of Pensilvania, a Colony subject to the Crown of Great Britain, in hopes and Expectation of finding a Retreat & peaceable Settlement therein, Do Solemnly promise & Engage, that We will be faithful & bear true Allegiance to his present MAJESTY KING GEORGE THE SECOND, and his Successors Kings of Great Britain, and will be faithfull to the Proprietor of this Province; And that we will demean ourselves peaceably to all His said Majesties Subjects, and strictly observe & conform to the Laws of England and of this Province, to the utmost of our Power and best of our understanding. A Signed List was then laid before the Board, of the Names of one hundred & nine Palatines, who with their Families, making in all about Four hundred Persons, were imported into this Province in the Ship William and Sarah, William Hill, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Dover, as by Clearance from the Officers of his Majesties Customs there; And the said Master being asked, if he had any License from the Court of Great Britain for transporting those People, & what their Intentions were in coming hither, said that he had no other License or Allowance for their Transportation than the above Clearance, and that he believed they designed to settle in this Province. They were then called in, and the several Persons whose Names are subjoyned did repeat & subscribe the foregoing Declaration, vizt: |