two sufficient sureties to John Morton, Esquire, in the sum of ten thousand pounds, for the faithful discharge of the trust reposed in him.

And for the more certain paying, redeeming, discharging and sinking the said bills of credit hereby emitted:

Resolved, That a tax shall be raised and levied, by the respective commissioners and assessors of the several counties within this province, on the same persons and property, in the same proportion, and in the same manner and mode, as the provincial tax, by the laws now in force, is raised, levied and recovered, and shall be paid, by the respective county treasurers, to the treasurer for the time appointed or to be appointed for that purpose; which said tax shall commence immediately, sinking the thirty five thousand pounds issued by the resolutions of the late assembly, on the thirtieth day of June last, and of the eighty thousand pounds heretofore issued by this House which tax, for the purpose aforesaid, the several commissioners and assessors are enjoined and required to raise, levy and recover, and cause to be paid to the treasurer aforesaid, as they regard the freedom, welfare and safety of their country.

Resolved, That the treasurer appointed as aforesaid, or his successor, shall yearly and every year, pay into the hands of the committees of assembly appointed to settle the public accounts, all such sum and sums of money, in the bills of credit of the thirty five thousand pounds emitted as aforesaid, and of the eighty thousand pounds heretofore emitted by this House, and of the eighty five thousand pounds hereby to be emitted; which sums so paid, the said committees are hereby enjoined and required to burn, sink and destroy. And the said treasurer, when required, shall also lay his accounts before the assembly or the said committees for their inspection and settlement.

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 724.

15.

Resolves of Assembly, Agreed to May 24th, 1776.

Resolved, That the commissions of the field and other officers of the military associators, in this province, shall be dated at

the time they were respectively chosen; but the rank to remain as settled heretofore for the several counties; and that the speaker make out the said commissions accordingly.

Resolved, That this House will keep, as public property, the arms and accoutrements they have purchased and put into the hands of the troops in the pay of this province, and will purchase such arms and accoutrements, for the public use, as the troops may have of their own, and which they are willing to dispose of; and that eight pence per month be deducted out of the pay of each soldier for the use of such arms and accoutrements.

Resolved, That Mr. Miles be empowered to agree for and purchase such arms, at the expense and for the use of this province.

Resolved, That the commander in chief of the forces, in the pay of this province, for the time being, shall have and be allowed thirty dollars per month, besides his pay, for the expenses of his table.

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 729.

16.

Resolves of Assembly, Agreed to May 30th, 1776.

Resolved, That the officers, named in the act of assembly passed the last sitting, remove the records in their care from place to place, under the restrictions in the said act, and that this House will pay the expense of such removals.

Ordered, That the members of the several counties return to the House a list of the magistrates in their respective counties, and that they take into their care a volume of the laws for and to be delivered to each of the magistrates, and board of commissioners in their counties; and shall give to the clerk of this House a receipt for so many, as they shall take into their

care.

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 733.

17.

Resolve of Assembly, Agreed to May 30, 1776.

[Post Meridiem.]

The House resumed the consideration of the resolution reported yesterday, for indemnifying the trustees of the loanoffice, &c., which being amended and agreed to, is as follows:

Whereas, by a late act of assembly establishing a loan-office in this province, the trustees thereof are to be deemed accountable for all quotas, which have been in arrear for twelve months at the time of settlement with the committee of assembly, as directed by said act, unless the said trustees shall have commenced suits, or otherwise proceeded, according to the said act, for the recovery of such moneys. And whereas, through the failure of markets for country produce, many mortgagors have been unable to comply with their respective payments; and to proceed to a sale of the mortgaged premises, would greatly distress many of the good people of this province:

Therefore;

Resolved, That this House will indemnify the trustees of the loan-office from any penalty or charge to which they may be liable at the next settlement of their accounts by reason of their not commencing suits, or otherwise proceeding, according to the said act, against any persons, who have or may make default in the payment of the quotas mentioned in their respec tive mortgages.

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 734.

18.

Instructions to the Delegates of the Province in Congress, Agreed to June 8th, 1776.

June 8. The House resumed the consideration of the instructions to the delegates of this province in Congress, which being gone through, and approved of, were ordered to be transscribed.

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 738.

[June 14, Post Meridiem.]

The instructions to the delegates of this province in Congress, being transcribed according to order, were signed by the speaker, and follow in these words, viz.:

Gentlemen,

When, by our instructions of last November, we strictly enjoined you, in behalf of this colony, to dissent from, and utterly reject any propositions, should such be made, that might cause or lead to a separation from Great Britain, or a change of the form of this government, our restrictions did not arise from any diffidence of your ability, prudence or integrity, but from an earnest desire to serve the good people of Pennsylvania with fidelity, in times so full of alarming dangers and perplexing difficulties.

The situation of public affairs is since so greatly altered, that we now think ourselves justifiable in removing the restrictions laid upon you by those instructions.

The contempt with which the last petition of the honorable Congress has been treated:-The late act of Parliament, declaring the just resistance of the colonists, against violences actually offered, to be rebellion, excluding them from the protection of the Crown, and even compelling some of them to bear arms against their countrymen:-The treaties of the King of Great Britain, with other princes, for engaging foreign mercenaries to aid the forces of that kingdom, in their hostile enterprizes, against America and his answer to the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the city of London, manifests such a determined and implacable resolution to effect the utter destruction of these colonies, that all hopes of a reconcilation, on reasonable terms, are extinguished. Nevertheless, it is our ardent desire, that a civil war, with all its attending miseries, could be ended by a secure and honorable peace.

We therefore hereby authorize you to concur with the other delegates in Congress, in forming such further compacts between the United Colonies, concluding such treaties with foreign kingdoms and states, and in adopting such other measures as, upon a view of all circumstances, shall be judged necessary for promoting the liberty, safety and interests of

1

America; reserving to the people of this colony the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police of the same.

The happiness of these colonies has, during the whole course of this fatal controversy, been our first wish. Their reconciliation with Great Britain our next. Ardently have we prayed for the accomplishment of both. But, if we must renounce the one or the other, we humbly trust in the mercies of the Supreme Governor of the Universe, that we shall not stand condemned before His throne, if our choice is determined by that over-ruling law of self preservation, which His divine wisdom has thought fit to implant in the hearts of his creatures. Signed by order of the House,

Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI. p. 740.

JOHN MORTON, Speaker.

APPENDIX XXIX.

Papers relating to the acts passed by the seventieth assembly under the Charter of 1700, from October 14, 1770, to March 9, 1771.

SECTION I.

1. Order of Reference, October 9, 1771.

2. List of acts referred

3. Board of Trade Journal, December 18, 1771. 4. Opinion of Mr. Jackson, February 15, 1772.

5. Board of Trade Journal, February 19, 1772.

6. Board of Trade Journal, February 20, 1772.

7. Board of Trade Journal, February 21, 1772.

8. Opinion of Mr. Jackson upon act sent back to him for reconsideration, March 27, 1772.