The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Friday, 26th, 1787, October.

Ordered, That the Sheriff of the city and county of Philadel phia, be directed to have John Franklin's irons taken off, he giv ing his payrole that he will not attempt to make his escape.

Frederick Watt, Esquire, took his seat at this Board as Councillor for the county of Cumberland, upon a return made of the general election for the county aforesaid, agreeably to law, having preg viously taken the necessary oaths.

The following draft of a message to the General Assembly, was read and adopted:

A message from the President and the Supreme Executive Council to the General Assembly.

GENTLEMEN :-Since the last session there has been a renewal of the disturbances at Wyoming, some restless spirits there having imagined a project of withdrawing the inhabitants of that part of this State, and some part of the State of New York, from their allegiance, and of forming them into a new State, to be carried into effect by an armed force, in defiance of the laws of the two States. Having intelligence of this, we caused one of the principal conspirators to be apprehended and secured in the gaol of this city; and another, who resided in the State of New York, at our request has been taken up by the authority of that Government. The papers found on this occasion, fully discover the designs of these turbulent people, and some of their letters are herewith laid before you. The Government of New York, has in this affair, manifested the most friendly and neighbourly disposition towards this State, and has promised. to concur with us in such future measures as may be necessary to secure the due operation of the laws, and restore quiet in those parts of both States, where these irregular and illdisposed settlers have their habitations. To protect the civil offi. cers of our new county of Luzerne in the exercise of their respective functions, we have ordered a body of militia to hold themselves in readiness to march thither, which will be done, unless some future circumstances and informations from those parts may make it appear unnecessary.

The sudden and unaccountable obstruction which the currency of the paper money of this State has lately met with, we earnestly recommend to your consideration as a matter of great importance; the private interests of the citizens being very extensively affected by it, and the public in danger of suffering a loss in its revenue of excise duties and taxes, &ca., proportioned to any depreciation the paper money may be attended with. Perhaps it may be adviseable to put a stop to the farther re-emissions on loan, which are permitted by the law as it now stands.

We would likewise recommend to your consideration the subject of a law to regulate the fees of the various officers of the State, especially those of the Executive and Judicial departments.

The lowering the price of lands in the new purchase, we now think necessary, it being very evident that they will not sell till this takes place. At the same time we are of opinion it would be of advantage to the State if those who become purchasers had an exemption from taxes for several years, as it would be an encouragement to the people to become purchasers.

Since the expiration of the law for granting lands to the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania line, a number of applications have been made to us by persons who were entitled, but for want of information did not apply in time. We therefore recommend it to your Honorable House to pass a law granting a further time for those people to come in and draw for their lands. Sundry dispatches we have received from Congress are herewith communicated.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philadelphia, October 27th, 1787.

The petition of Daniel Hunter, praying remission of a fine of one hundred pounds, imposed upon him on being convicted of a misdemeanor in the Quarter Sessions of the county of Bucks, was remitted.

VOL. XV.-20.

Mr. McLene, Mr. Lilly, Mr. Barr, Mr. Foulke, and Mr. Hubley, a committee from the General Assembly, attended in Council, and a conference was had upon the time when the election of a President and Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council should take place, and the manner in which it should be conducted: upon which it was

Ordered, That Wednesday, the thirty-first of this month, shall be the day, and the usual mode of procession adopted on this occasion.

The Secretary was sent to the House with a request that a committee be appointed to confer with Council on the subject of the late disturbances at Wioming, to meet at the Council Chamber at eleven o'clock to morrow, at which time Colonel Pickering, who has received some intelligence from that place, was directed to attend.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, October the 30th, 1787.

Samuel Weiser, Esquire, was commissionated a Justice of the Peace for the district of Mohonay, in the county of Northumber

1

land, upon a return made agreeably to law, and Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the said county.

Christian Gettig and Joseph Jacob Wallice, Esquire, were also commissionated Justices of the Peace for the town of Sunbury and district of Augusta, county of Northumberland, upon a return made agreeably to law, and Justices of the Court of Common Pleas

The petition of Henry Martin, praying the remission of a fine of ten pounds, imposed upon him by the Court of General Quarter Sessions for the city of Philadelphia, for an assault and battery on Alexander Carlisle, was

Ordered, That the fine be reduced to three pounds.

Upon the petition of James Hergrove, and recommendation of the commissioners and others in his favor, it was

Ordered, That the punishment to hard labour for two years, and the fine of twenty pounds, imposed by the City Court, be remitted. Upon the application of Colonel Thomas Mifflin,

Ordered, That Captain Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be, directed to deliver to Anthony Wright, or order, fifty weight of gunpowder, to be used upon the proclamation of the President and Vice President, on the thirty-first instant.

Mr. McLene, Mr. Hiester, Mr. Wynkoop, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Lowry, Mr. Piper, a committee of Assembly, attended in Council, agreeably to the request of yesterday. The intelligence received and communicated by Colonel Pickering, containing information that the rioters lately assembled at Tioga still persist in their intentions to oppose the Government and laws of this State, was taken into consideration, and some time being spent in conference thereon, it was deemed proper and necessary to make application to Congress for their consent to raise and employ a body of troops, not exceeding five hundred, to be stationed in the county of Luzerne, for protecting the officers of government and well affected inhabitants of said county.

An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of James Trimble, for ninety-four pounds twelve shillings, amount of his account for writing and registering four hundred and fifty-one patents for donation lands, and for attendance upon the lottery until the first of October, 1787, and cash paid for five hundred and two pieces of parchment for patenting the said lands.

The Clerk of the House attending, informed Council that the General Assembly were ready to receive Council, agreeably to the order of the twenty-seventh instant, and to proceed with them to the intended election.

Council and Assembly having met, and their votes colletively being taken, it appeared that his Excellency Benjamin Franklin, Esquire, was duly elected President, and the Honorable Peter Muhlenberg, Esquire, Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council of this Commonwealth. Proclamation was then made of the President and Vice President, and the following order of procession observed:

Constables with their staves.

Sub-Sheriffs with their wands.

High Sheriff and Coroners with their wands.

Judges of the Supreme Court and Judges of the High Court of Errors and Appeals.

Attorney General and Prothonotary of the Supreme Court.
Marshall of the admiralty.

Judge and Register of the Admiralty.

Wardens of the Port of Philadelphia.

Naval Officer, Collector of the Customs and Tonnage Officer.

'Treasurer and Comptroller General.

Secretary of the Land Office.

Receiver General and Surveyor General.

Justics of the Peace.

Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas and Clerk of the

Court of Quarter Sessions.

Clerk of the City Court.

Master of the Rolls and Register of the Wills.

Assistant Secretary of the Council.

Secretary of the Council.

His Excellency the President and Honorable the Vice President. Members of the Council two and two.