Road leading from thence to Lancaster; which Survey and Measurement, together with a Draught of said Road hereunto annexed, We return and Submit to the Governor and Council aforesaid, for their Consideration and Confirmation, as in and by the said recited Order we are directed and required.

In Testimony whereof we have to this set our Hands and Seals; dated the 5th day of June, in the 13th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Third, King of Great Britain, &c., and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three.

Note the Words-and a half West-a branch of-Between the forty and forty-first lines, was enterlined before Signing and sealing hereof.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Tuesday 14th December,

1773.

PRESENT:

The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor.

Benjamin Chew,

Edward Shippen, Jun""

James Tilghman, Esquires.

The Committee appointed on Thursday last to prepare a Message to the Assembly, laid a Draught of one before the Board, which being read and approved, was ordered to be fairly Transcribed and carried to the House by the Secretary, with the Petition to which it refers. The Message follows in these Words, Viz11:

"Gentlemen.

"The distresses of the Inhabitants of the County of Northumberland, expressed in their Petition, which will be delivered to you by the Secretary, appear to be of a very alarming Nature, and justly to call for the particular attention of this Government.

"The Insolent Outrages of a set of Men who have long bid defiance to the Laws of the Country, and have afforded Protection to Offenders of the most Henious kind, ought not, Certainly, in a Well regulated Society, to be suffered to pass with Impunity; but when these men embody themselves, sally forth with arms in their Hands, and in a Warlike Manner attempt to dispossess the peaceable Inhabitants of the County lately laid out and Established by act of Assembly, within the known bounds of the Province, it is a

procedure of so dangerous a Tendency as not only to threaten the Destruction of that Infant County, but strikes at the Peace of the whole Province.

"I think it therefore Incumbent on me, Gentlemen, to recommend this Matter to your most serious Consideration, and to request you will Fall upon such Measures as will Strengthen the Hands of Government on this Extraordinary and alarming Occasion, repel the Violence of these lawless Intruders, and afford the Petitioners that Immediate Protection and Relief which their Necessities and Situation Require.

"December 14th, 1773."

"JOHN PENN.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday the 15th December, 1773.

PRESENT:

The Honorable JOHN PENN Esquire, Governor.

Richard Peters,
Benjamin Chew,

James Tilghman,

Edward Shippen, jun. Esquires. Eliphalet Dyer, William Samuel Johnson, and Jedediah Strong, Esquires, of Connecticut, appeared at the Board, and being Introduced to the Governor, delivered him a letter from Jonathan Trumbull, Esquire, Governor of that Colony, acquainting him with the appointment of those Gentlemen by the General Assembly of the said Colony, as a Committee to Treat with the Honorable John Penn, Esquire, and the Agent or Agents of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, relative to Lands within the Limits of this Province, and claimed by the Governor and Company of the Said Colony of Connecticut, which Letter was read, and follows in these words, Viz:

"Sir:

"LEBANON, 22d November, 1773.

"The case hath been stated, and Council of the first Emminence in Great Britain Consulted, on the Right and Title of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut to the lands within the Limits and Bounds of their Patent, lying Westward of the Province of New York. Nothwithstanding the several Settlements of Boundaries between the Colony on the East and the Province on the West, made as well by agreement between the Parties as under the Royal Authority, and notwithstanding the Subsequent Charter to Sir William Penn, their Opinion is in favor of the Right and Title of the said Governor and Company to such Lands. They have also directed the Course of Proceedings which will be legal and expedient for the Governor and company to pursue. This was done in order to give greater Satisfaction and to terminate all Disputes and Differences relative to such Lands.

"The General Assembly of his Collony, holden at New Haven, in October last, Resolved to make their Claim to their Lands, and in a legal manner to support the same. Thereupon, Coll. Dyer, Doct' Johnson, and Mr. Strong, are duly appointed and Commissioned to treat with your Honor and the Agent or Agents of the Proprietaries of Pennsilvania, on that Subject. And further, to Consult and agree with you upon such Measures as shall tend to preserve Peace and good order among the Inhabitants on such Lands, and prevent mutual Violence and Contention during the time the Boundaries between this Colony and your Province remain undetermined.

"We do not doubt the Complyance of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania to a legal and constitutional decision of the Case in question, nor your readiness to agree on proper Measures to preserve Peace and Good Order in the mean time.

"I am with great Truth and Regard, Sir,

"Your most Obedient and Humble Servant,
"JONTH. TRUMBULL.

"The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire."

The said Committee then produced to the Governor Copies of two Resolves, and of an Act of the General Assembly of Connectiout, respecting their Claim to Lands within the Bounds of this Province, which were severally read in their Order, and are as follows, Viz:

At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, in New England, in America, holden at New Haven, in said Colony, on the second Thursday of October, A. Dom., 1773:

"Resolved, that this Assembly at this time, will assert their Claim, and in some proper way support such claim, to those lands contained within the Limits and Boundaries of the Charter of this Colony, which are Westward of the Province of New York." [L. S.] A true Copy of Record, Examined by

GEORGE WYLLYS, Secre

At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, in New England, in America, holden at New Haven in said Colony, on the Second Thursday of October, A. Dom., 1773:

"Resolved by this Assembly, that the Committee who shall proceed to Philadelphia to treat with the Honourable John Penn, Esquire, Governor of Pennsylvania, relative to the Western Lands belonging to this Colony, within the claim of the Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, do also treat with the said Gover

nor with respect to the Peace of the Inhabitants who are settled upon said Lands, and to agree upon such Measures as shall tend to preserve good order, and prevent mutual Violence and Contention while the Boundaries between this Colony and the said Province shall remain undetermined.

[L. S.] A True Copy of Record, Examined By

GEORGE WYLLYS, Secre1.

At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, in New England, in America, holden at New Haven in said Colony, on the second thursday of October, A. Dom., 1773:

An Act concerning the Western Lands, so called, lying Westward of Delaware River, within the Boundaries of this Collony.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the Honourable Mathew Griswold, Esq' Eliphalet Dyer, Esq Roger Sherman, Esq, William Samuel Johnson, Esq Samuel H. Parsons, Silas Dean, William Williams, and Jedediah Strong, Esq be, and they are hereby appointed a Committee, with Full Power to assist his Honor, Governor Trumbull, in stating and taking proper steps to pursue the Claim of this Colony to said Westward Lands, and any three of the aforesaid Committee are hereby authorized and directed to proceed, as soon as may be convenient, to Philadelphia, to wait on his Honour, Governor Penn, with the Resolutions of this Assembly, and such Letter or Letters as his Honor, Governor Trumbull, with the advice of said Committee, shall write to his Hon" the sd Governor Penn, on that Subject, and with Power to treat with said Governor Penn, and the Agent or Agents of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, respecting an amicable agreement between this Colony and the aforesaid Proprietaries, concerning the Boundaries of this Colony and the Province of Pennsylvania, and in case the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania shall agree amicably to settle and ascertain the Boundaries between this Colony and said Province, or to enter into a Negociation on that Subject, then and in such case the said Committee, or the Major Part of them, be, and are hereby appointed, anthorized, and Impowered to treat with his Hon Governor Penn, and the rest of said Proprietaries, and agree upon and ascertain the Boundaries Between this Colony and the Claim of said Proprietaries, and such agreement to lay before this Assembly for Confirmation, but if said Proprietaries shall prefer joining in an application to his Majesty for Commissioners to settle said line, then and in such case said Committee are hereby authorized and directed to Join on Behalf of this Colony in such application.

[L. 8.] A true Copy of Record, Examined by GEORGE WYLLYS, Secret'y.

The Board, after a Conferrence with the Committee, and on a due Consideration of the several Matters contained in the said Resolves and act of Assembly, acquainted the Committee as their Opinion, that it was necessary for them to lay before the Governor the precise extent of their Claim in Writing, to Lands within the Bounds of this Province, before the Board Could properly give any answer to their Proposals, to which the Committee made no Objection, but desired that this requisition should likewise be made to them in Writing, which was agreed to; Whereupon, after the Committee had withdrawn, the following Letter was prepared at the Table, and sent by the Governor to the Committee, Viz":

"Gentlemen:

"PHILADELPHIA, the 15th of December, 1773.

"I have taken into consideration the Letter you this day delivered me from Governor Trumbull, and the act of Assembly and the Several Resolves of the Governor and Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, respecting their Claim of Lands within the Province of Pennsylvania, and appointing You a Committee, with power to treat with me and the Proprietary Agents, respecting an amicable Settlement of That Claim.

"As a step previous to my treating with you on this Subject, it appears to me necessary and proper that you should lay before me in Writing, the precise extent of their Claim, which I request you will favor me with as soon as possible, and am, Gentlemen,

"Your most obedient Humble Servant,

"JOHN PENN.

"TO ELIPHALET DYER, WILLIAM SAMUEL JOHNSON, and JEDEDIAH STRONG, Esq, a Committee from the Collony of Connecticut."

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 17th of December, 1773.

The Governor received a Letter yesterday from the Connecticut Commissioners, which follows in these Words, Viz":

"We beg leave to return your Honor our sincere thanks for the early attention you have been pleased to give to the Papers we had the Honor to lay before you this Morning.