that the Secretary pay the same, and charge it in his account of incidental expences.

A written application from Samuel Briggs for the delivery to him of a model of a machine for making nails, screws and gimblets, which was left in the care of the Secretary of Council agreeably to his memorial which accompanied it, to be delivered to the order of the Congress of the United States, or the General Assembly of this State, was presented to Council, and read; whereupon, it was agreed that the Secretary deliver to Samuel Briggs the box above mentioned.

A letter of instructions to the Commissioners appointed by Council on the sixth instant, to explore the country at and near the head waters of the rivers Delaware, Schuylkill, Lehigh, and the north-east branch of Susquehanna, agreeably to resolution of Assembly of the thirty-first of March last, was this day signed by the President, as follows, to witt:

In Council, Philadelphia, April 26th, 1790.

GENTLEMEN:-Council having, in pursuance of the enclosed resolution of the General Assembly of the thirty-first day of March last, appointed you Commissioners for the purposes expressed in the last part of the said resolution, you will, without delay, proceed to explore the country, and ascertain the best and shortest distance from the Delaware, near the forks of the Mohawk and Popaughton branches, to the great bend on the Susquehanna, and thence proceed down the Susquehanna to the mouth of Tioga, and from thence to the junction of the east and west branches. On your return from thence you will explore the Lehigh, from its head to the Turnhole, and also examine and explore the Tobehanna and the Schuylkill, from Hamburgh, where the Commissioners of last year concluded their work, to the mouth of Tamaquay, or Little Schuylkill, as far as good draft navigation may be supposed to extend. If any difficulties occur in the execution of the duties required of you by these instructions, you will give information thereof to the Supreme Executive Council, that such difficulties may, if possible, be removed.

When you have compleated the business, you will make report to the Board of your proceedings, together with an estimate of the expence that may, in your opinion, be necessary to carry the said resolution into execution.

Council have thought proper to allow you seventeen shillings and six pence specie per diem for your services in this business, including your personal expences. The charges which may necessarily arise from the hire of horses, boats, and assistants, will be allowed by Council; at the same time it is earnestly recommended to you to avoid every unnecessary expence and delay.

I am, gentlemen, with great respect, your most obedient and humble servant,

THOMAS MIFFLIN. To Reading Howell, Frederick Antes, & William Dean, Esquires.

Letters from the Honorable Thomas Jefferson, Esquire, Secretary of State, of the fifteenth and nineteenth instant, inclosing two copies of the act of Congress to promote the progress of usefull arts, and of the act further to suspend part of an act entituled An Act to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandizes imported into the United States, and to amend the said act, were received and read, and a letter written by the President, acknowledging the receipt of said letters and inclosures.

Upon the report of the committee to whom was referred the application of Timothy Matlack, Esquire, in behalf of himself and Samuel McClay and John Adlum, Esquires, Commissioners appointed to explore the western waters, agreeably to a resolution of the General Assembly of the thirty-first day of March last, an order was drawn in favor of the said Commissioners, for two hundred pounds, payable out of the six hundred pounds appropriated by the said resolution, and to be charged to the fund provided by act of Assembly passed the twenty-eighth of September, 1789, for

claims and improvements, to enable the said Commissioners to proceed in the business of their appointment, and for which sum they

are to account.

An order was also drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Reading Howell, Frederick Antes, and William Dean, Esquires, Commissioners appointed to explore the north-east branch of Susquehanna, the head waters of the rivers Delaware, Lehigh, and Schuylkill, and the country near the said waters, agreeably to the last part of the said resolution, for the sum of one hundred and thirty-nine pounds three shillings, payable out of the six hundred pounds appropriated by the said resolution, and to be charged to the fund provided for claims and improvements, as before mentioned, to enable the said Commissioners to proceed in the business assigned to them, in pursuance of the said resolution, for which sum they are to be accountable.

Upon the second reading of a petition from Thomas Black, of the county of Northumberland, it was

Resolved, That the fine of ten pounds to which he was sentenced by the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace of the said county, for fornication and bastardy, be remitted.

An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Hon'ble Richard Willing, Esquire, for sixty-six pounds, in full of his account for eighty-eight days attendance in Council, between the sixth day of January and twenty-eighth day of April, 1790, the last day included.

The Register and Comptroller General's reports upon the account of Captain Charles Krause, for the pay of his company of Berks county militia, from the sixteenth of August to the sixteenth of October, 1781, while employed in guarding the Convention prisoners near Reading, by which a ballance of two hundred and seventyseven pounds five shillings and two pence appears to be due to the said company, was read and approved.

Upon the report of the committee to whom was referred the letter of the Comptroller General dated the thirteenth of January,

1790, respecting the business to be transacted between him and the Comptroller General of the United States, relating to the exchange of certificates,

Resolved, That the Comptroller General be and he hereby is instructed, on the return of certificates of debts of the United States, entered on the books of the Register of the Treasury, which have been assigned to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for new loan certificates, presented to be exchanged therefor, to deliver therewith a letter of attorney, or other proper instrument, to the party receiving such certificate, to the end that as the said certificates are not assignable, or payable to bearer, the party may be enabled to reinvest the property in themselves, by a retransfer on the books of the Treasury of the United States.

Upon the second reading of the petition of Eleanor Brown, now confined in the jail of this city, who was convicted of keeping a disorderly house, and sentenced by the Mayor's Court to be imprisoned at hard labor until the fourth of July next, and to pay a fine of twenty pounds to the use of the Commonwealth, it was

Resolved, That the said Eleanor Brown he discharged from confinement on payment of her fine, and on condition of her leaving this State in ten days, not to return. »

On motion of Colonel Miles, it was

Resolved, That in consideration of the circumstances of the family of Timothy Matlack, Esq'r, who hath been appointed one of the Commissioners to explore the north-west part of the State, agreeably to resolution of General Assembly of the thirty-first of March last, a monthly allowance of ten pounds be made to his wife, during the time he shall be employed in that business, to be charged to his account.

A certificate from the Honorable Thomas M'Kean, and Judges Rush and Atlee, of the expences of the said Judge Atlee in coming to and returning from a Supreme Court held at Philadelphia in the present month, amounting to five pounds twelve shillings and six pence, was laid before Council and read; whereupon, an order

was drawn upon the Treasurer for the said sum, in favor of Edward Burd, Esquire, Clerk of the said Court.

A commission under the Great Seal to Timothy Matlack, Samuel McClay, and John Adlum, Esquires, Commissioners to explore the western waters, was this day signed by the President.

Upon the application of Jane Roberts, widow of John Roberts, who was executed for high treason against this Commonwealth, an order was drawn upon the Treasurer in her favor, for the sum of seventy-five pounds, payable out of the proceeds of the said John Roberts's estate, being one year's pension due to her on the first instant, according to a decree of the Supreme Court.

A petition from David Kennedy and Francis Johnston, Esquires, stating that the time limitted in their respective commissions as Secretary and Receiver General of the Land Office, hath expired, and praying that Council would be pleased to re-appoint them to the said offices, was read; whereupon, it was

Resolved, That David Kennedy, Esquire, be re-appointed to the office of Secretary of the Land Office, and Francis Johnston, Esquire, to the office of Receiver General of the Land Office.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Monday, May 3rd, 1790.

PRESENT:

The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President.

A draft of instructions to the Commissioners who were appointed on the twelfth instant to sell the barracks and the lot whereon the