And then a Commission, Dated the 17th Day of March last, under the Hands and Seals of the Honoble Proprietaries, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esqrs., constituting the Honoble. James Hamilton, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor & Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania & Counties of New Castle, Kent, & Sussex, on Delaware, His Majestie's Order in Council under the Seal of the Privy Council, dated the 12th May last, approving of him to be Gov & a Copy of the Minute of the fourth of August last of their Excellencies the Lords Justices in Council, certifying the Governor's having that Day taken the Oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy, &c., before them, and likewise a Warrant from the Proprietaries to the Keeper of the Great Seal of the Province bearing even date with the Commission commanding him to Affix the said Seal thereto, were produc'd by the Governor & read; the Secretary was thereupon sent to the Keeper of the Great Seal to get the Seal affix'd to the said Commission. On his return the Governor's Commission was again read, & His Honour signifying his Intention that it shou'd be immediately publish'd, the Council waited on him to the Court House where the Publication was made in the usual Forms. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Thursday, 24th Nov3 1748. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd. The Governor propos'd to the Council the issuing a Proclamation for the continuance of Magistrates & other officers, & a Draught being Laid before them it was approv'd and agreed to be published on the Governor's return from his Government of the Lower Counties: "By the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Dela ware: "A PROCLAMATION. "Forasmuch as the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries & Governors-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, have been pleased by their Commission, under their Hands and Seal, bearing date the seventeenth Day of March last, to constitute and appoint me to be their Lieutenant Governor of the said Province and Counties, with all necessary Powers and Authority for the well governing of the same, which said appointment the King's most excellent Majesty, in a Council held at St. James' the Twelfth Day of May last past, was graciously pleased to allow and approve of: Therefore, in pursuance of the said Trust in me reposed, having a special Regard to the Safety of the State & Government of the said Province and Counties, and to prevent failures in the Administration of Justice therein, I have by & with the Advice & Consent of the Council of the said Province & Counties, thought fit to ordain and do hereby ordain and declare that all Orders and Commissions whatsoever relating to the Government of the said Province and Counties heretofore Lawfully and rightfully issued, which were in force on the Twenty-third Day of this Instant, November, shall be, continue, and remain in full force, power, and virtue, according to their respective Tenors, until my further pleasure shall be known therein; and that all Persons whatsoever who on the Twenty-third Day of this Instant, November, held or enjoyed any Office of Trust or Profit in this Government, by virtue of any such Commission as aforesaid, shall continue to hold and enjoy the same until they be determined by me as aforesaid, or by other sufficient Authority. And I do further hereby command and require all Magistrates, Officers, and Commissioners whatsoever, in whom any publick Trust is reposed in this Government that they diligently proceed in the performance and discharge of their respective Duties therein for the Safety, Peace, and well-being of the same. "Given under my Hand and Great Seal of this Province at Philadelphia the Thirtieth Day of November, in the Twenty-second Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second, King of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, Defender of the Faith, & Annoqz Domini, 1748. "By his Honour's Command, "GOD SAVE THE KING." "JAMES HAMILTON. The Governor inform'd the Board of his Appointment of Mr. Richard Peters to be Provincial Secretary and Clerk of the Council. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday 2d January, 1748. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read & approv❜d. The Governor Laid before the Board the Draught of a Specch which he propos'd to make to the Assembly, who by their Adjournment were to meet to-Morrow, which was read & approv'd, & the Council adjourn'd to 12 o'Clock the next Day. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Tuesday 3d January, 1748. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov ernor. Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Hopkinson, Samuel Hasell, Benjamin Shoemaker, Esqrs. The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and approv❜d. The Governor inform'd the Board that he had received a Message last Night from the Assembly by five of their Members, acquainting him that a Quorum of the House was met according to adjournment, & were ready to receive any thing he had to lay before them, to which he answer'd that he intended to order the attendance of the House in the Council Chamber this Day about Noon; whereupon the Secretary was order'd to let the House know that the Governor required their attendance in the Council Chamber immediately, & the Speaker & the whole House coming accordingly the Governor spoke as follows: "Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the General Assembly "I should have called you together immediately after my Arrival if I had either observ'd or been inforin'd His Majesty's Interest or that of the Country required it; but as no Necessity of that kind appear'd, I forbore to give you the trouble of meeting in Assembly before the time Yourselves had appointed for the Dispatch of Public Business. "It is with great pleasure I now see you met in your Legislative Capacity, & very gladly embrace the opportunity it affords me of signifying to you, by the express Command of the honourable. Proprietaries, the great Affection they bear to the Inhabitants of this Province, the earnest desire they have to preserve Peace & Concord among them, & the particular satisfaction they receive by their Welfare & Prosperity; and as I know them to be perfectly sincere in their professions, I have not the least apprehension but they will meet with suitable Returns of Gratitude from You. Having been for some time absent, it cannot be presum'd the Condition & Circumstances of the Country are so well known to me as to Gentlemen who have constantly resided on the Spot, & who being the Representative Body of the People are to be suppos'd best acquainted with their real wants & expectations, wherefore I shall for the present decline laying any thing before you on my part; at the same time I very sincerely assure you that whatever Bills you shall judge proper to present for my approbation shall be favourably received and considered with attention, and where they shall appear to be, as I doubt not they will, for the general Utility of the People & not inconsistent with the Duty I owe to His Majesty or the Rights of the honourable Proprietors, they shall be sure to receive my most speedy & hearty concurrence. "With respect to myself I have little to say. It is now a long time that I have been personally known to most of You, & from thence you are much better able to form a Judgment of my Regards for your Liberties, both Civil & Religious, than by any thing I can say in my own behalf. One Circumstance, however, you will give me leave to take Notice of, as it is in my opinion no unfavourable one to the People you represent, that having myself a considerable Stake in the Province, it is really my Interest as well as iuclination to support them in the enjoyment of all their just Rights & Privileges, since whenever the time shall come in which I shall cease to be their Governor & return to a private Station, I shall find myself, my Family, & Friends equally affected with every other Person by any injury the Constitution may suffer under my Administration. "I shall conclude what I have to say at this time with entreating you that all Transactions between us may be carried on with Candour & Moderation as the most effectual means of avoiding disagreeable animosities and uniting us in the strict Bands of Friendship & mutual Confidence, so necessary for the public Good. This is what I will endeavour by every method in my Power, and I have no reason to doubt that you, Gentlemen, are now come together with like Sentiments & Inclinations. "January 3d, 1748-9." "JAMES HAMILTON. At a Council held at l'hiladelphia, Thursday, 5th January, 1748. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read & approv❜d. The Speaker with the House of Representatives waited on the Governor in the Council Chamber, & in answer to His Honour's Speech read the following Address: "To the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, & Counties of New Castle, Kent, & Sussex, on Delaware, "The Address of the Representatives of the Freemen of the said Province in General Assembly met. "May it please the Governor: "We heartily congratulate the Governor on his Accession to the Government of this Province & safe Arrival among us; And we return him our sincere thanks for his favourable Speech at the opening of this Session, and for the Regard he hath been pleas'd to shew us in forbearing to call us together before the time we had appointed for the dispatch of publick Business. "The great Affection our honourable Proprietaries are pleased to express to the Inhabitants of this Province,' their desires 'to preserve Peace & Concord among them,' and 'the particular satisfaction they receive from their Welfare & Prosperity,' justly merit those grateful Returns which we are perswaded they will ever receive from the Freemen of Pennsylvania. "Tho' the Governor has been sometime absent, yet his former long acquaintance & thorough knowledge of the publick Affairs of the Province, joined with his distinguished Abilities, render him a very competent Judge of the Bills which shall be presented to him in order to be past into Laws. Such only We are determined to offer as shall appear to Us to be for the general Utility of the People and consistent with the duty we all owe to the King, as well as with a due Regard to the Rights of the honourable the Proprietaries; and we gratefully acknowledge the obligation we are laid under in the assurance the Governor is pleas'd to give us, that such shall be sure to receive His most specdy & hearty concurrence.' "The Fidelity, Impartiallity, & Justice with which the Governor |