"An Act to prevent Frauds in the packing and preserving of Shad and Herring for Exportation."

"An Act for the relief of John Burrows, a languishing Prisoner in the Gaol of Philadelphia County; and William Waters, a languishing Prisoner in the Gaol of Bucks County, with respect to the imprisonment of their Persons."

"An Act for the relief of Henry William Stiegel, a languishing Prisoner in the Gaol of Lancaster County, with respect to the imprisonment of his Person."

Before the House withdrew, the Speaker, on behalf of the House, presented the Governor an Order on the Provincial Treasurer for the Sum of £ towards his Support, for which His Honor returned the House his Thanks.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 25th January, 1775.

The Governor laid before the Board two Papers, delivered to him by Captain St. Clair, which were read, and are as follow, Viz":

"Westmoreland, ss:

"Before us, Robert Hanna and Arthur St. Clair, Esquires, two of His Majesty's Justices for Westmoreland County, personally appeared Samuel Whiteside, keeper of the Gaol of the said County, and being duly sworn according to Law, deposeth and saith: that on this Instant, twenty-fourth of December, a number of armed Men came to the Gaol of the said County, and ordered him to open the Prison Doors, and turn out a certain William Thomas, then in his Custody on sundry Executions; that he believes a certain William Christy and Simon Girty, who seemed to be Officers from their Dress, were at the Head of their Party; That he, this Deponent, refused to deliver his Prisoner, or open the Door where he was confined; that they then talked of throwing down the House, when a certain Major Conolly came up, enquired who resisted the releasement of the Prisoners, threatened to tie and carry off him; this Deponent ordered the Party to fire their Pieces against the House, and strip off the Roof, on which he, (this Deponent,) being afraid of ill Consequences, both to his Person and Property, did open the Door to allow the Prisoner to speak to the Party, and one of them rushed in, seized him, and dragged him out, and also turned out a certain William Dawson, who was likewise in his

Custody on Execution, and that it was Conolly himself who laid Hands on Thomas and dragged him out; and further saith not. "SAMUEL WHITESITT.

"Sworn and Subscribed, December 24th, 1774, before us. "ROBERT HANNA, "AR ST. CLAIR."

"WHEREAS, I am well informed that certain Persons, by written Instructions, directed to different People through this Country, under the denomination of Collectors, are apparently authorized to break open Doors, Cupboards, &c and to commit sundry other acts of Violence in order to extort Money from the Inhabitants, under the Appellation of Taxes; These are, therefore, to acquaint all His Majesty's Subjects, that as there can be no Authority legally invested in any Persons for such Acts at this Juncture, that such Attempts to abuse public Liberty are unwarrantable, and that all Persons have an undoubted natural, as well as lawful Right, to repel such Violence; and all His Majesty's Subjects are hereby required to apprehend any Person, whatever, who may attempt a seizure of their Effects in Consequence of such imaginary Authority, to be dealt with as the Law directs.

"Given under my Hand, at Fort Dunmore, this 30th Day of December, 1774.

"JOHN CONNOLLY."

Captain S Clair appearing at the Board and representing that William Crawford, Esquire, President of the Court in Westmoreland County, hath lately joined with the Government of Virginia, in opposing the Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania in that County, the Board advised the Governor to supercede him in his Offices as Justice of the Peace and common Pleas. A Supersedeas was accordingly ordered to be issued.

The Chief Justice having recommended to the Governor, as an Object of Mercy, a certain William Thomas, who was convicted of Burglarly, at a Court of Oyer and Terminer, held the 19th of November last, at Reading, for the County of Berks, the Board advised the Governor to grant him a Pardon, which the Secretary was accordingly directed to make out.

All Endeavors hitherto used for the apprehending the Person who shot and murdered Edward Carey, late of the Northern Liberties, on the 25th of December last, on the Germantown Road, having proved ineffectual, it was the unanimous Opinion of the Board that it would be advisable for the Governor to issue a Proclamation offering a public Reward of one hundred Pounds for apprehending him. The Governor thereupon directed the Secretary to prepare a Draught of a Proclamation for that purpose, in order to be published in the next papers.

January 27th, 1775.

A Proclamation being prepared by the Secretary, agreeable to an Order of Council of the 25th Instant, and now approved, was this day issued by the Governor, and ordered to be published in the several News Papers, and the same is as follows, Viz:

"By the Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware.

"A PROCLAMATION.

"WHEREAS, it appears by an Inquest lately taken before the Coroner for the City and County of Philadelphia, that on the twenty-fifth day of December last, about eight o'clock in the Evening, a certain Edward Carey, late of the Northern Liberties, was inhumanly shot, and murdered in his Waggon on the Germantown Road, within three Miles of this City, by some Person unknown: And Whereas, all Endeavours hitherto used for the discovering the Murderer have proved ineffectual, and it is of the utmost importance to the safety and well being of His Majesty's Liege Subjects, that the Authors of such atrocious Crimes should be detected and brought to condign and exemplary punishment, I have, therefore, thought fit, with the Advice of the Council, to issue this Proclamation, hereby strictly enjoining and requiring all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Constables, and other Officers, as well as all other His Majesty's liege Subjects within this Province, to make diligent search and enquiry after the Author and Perpetrator of the said Murder. And as an Encourgement for the discovering and bringing the Offender to Justice, I do hereby promise and engage that the public Reward of one hundred Pounds shall be paid to any Person or Persons who shall discover, apprehend, and secure him, so that he be prosecuted to Conviction, according to Law.

"Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province at Philadelphia, the twenty seventh day of January, in the fif teenth Year of His Majesty's Reign, and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

"By His Honour's Command.

"

"JOSEPH SHIPPEN, J Secretary.

"JOHN PENN.

"GOD SAVE THE KING."

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 16th January, 1775.

PRESENT:

The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor, &c

William Logan,

Benjamin Chew,

James Tilghman,

Esquires.

Waterhouse,

Edward Shippen, jun", The Governor acquainted the Board that Esquire, Inspector of His Majesty's Customs, had represented to him that one of the Magistrates and the Sheriff of the County of Chester, had refused their Aid and Assistance to the Custom House Officers of this Port, in preventing the rescue of a Seizure lately made by them in the River Delaware, of the Schooner Isabella, John Ritchey, Master, with contraband Goods from Dunkirk, and had requested His Honor would call those civil Officers to an Account for neglect of Duty, and likewise issue a Proclamation on the Occasion; and as a Foundation for such Complaint Mr. Waterhouse had put into His Honor's Hands the Copy of a letter from Francis Welch, a Tide Surveyor for this Port, to the Custom House Officers, which was laid before the Board, and follows in these words, Viz :

"Gentlemen:

“PHILADELPHIA, February 8th, 1775.

"According to your Orders on Wednesday the 1st Instant, I proceeded down the River in the small Boat, with four Boat men and one Tidesman; coming up with Gloucester Point, I went on board the Schooner Isabella, where I found one John Ritchey, who called himself the Mate of the Vessel, with five more Persons. I desired to know where he came from. He told me he came from Portsmouth, New England, and that he had nothing in but Ballast. I desired that I might search his Vessel; his Answer was, I should not, as the Captain was not on board. I then ordered the People to open the Hatches and search the Vessel; upon that he directly took out a Pistol, and swore the first Man that offered to open the Hatches he would blow him to Hell. About five o'Clock the same Day one Matthew Strong, whom I found was a Pilot, desired that I would let our Boat put him on Shore. My Answer was, I would not let the Boat go from alongside. They then hoisted out their own Boat, and put him on Shore, which was about three miles from Town. I then went down into the Cabbin with said Ritchey. He told me that the Vessel and Cargoe belonged to Captain David Campbell; That he was sole Owner, and what was on board was all he was worth in the world. I then desired him to tell me where they were from. He told me from Dunkirk, in France, and was loaded with dry Goods. I then searched under the Cabbins, where I found a parcel of Keggs, which he told me was Geneva, which I found afterwards was true, and likewise about thirty Pounds of

Tea, done up in Bundles. I then asked him if there was any thing else in the Cabbin. He then shewed me one Trunk of Goods that belonged to the Captain, and another that belonged to a Passenger. I then sent Mr. Powell to you. About eight or nine o'Clock in the Evening Captain Campbell, with the Pilot, and two Gentlemen from Town, came on board, and ordered the Anchor up immediately, and said he was bound to St. Eustatia. Soon after the Gentlemen went away. About an hour after there came another Boat, with three more Gentlemen, unknown to me, desiring that I would not pursue the Vessel, for it would ruin the Captain. They then presented me 25 Guineas, and said they would give me more on Shore. I told them that I would not accept of any Money, but that I would do my Duty as an Officer as long as it was in my Power. They then went away, the Vessel being under Sail, going down the River. About two o'clock in the Morning, on the second Instant, I seized the Vessel in the King's Name. I then told the Pilot to take Charge of Her in the King's Name, and if he carried her away he must stand by the Consequences, for she was the King's Vessel. I then ordered one of our People to take the Helm, and demanded of the Pilot to, take her up to Town. Upon that Captain Campbell said the King never paid for her. He then put a Pistol to the Pilot's Head, and swore by the Eternal God if he did not carry her down, and not run her ashore, he would put him to Death. The next Tide of Ebb we got down to Chester, and came to Anchor. I then went ashore, and Captain Campbell with me, to get something to eat, for he had nothing on board but Bread. I then enquired if there was any Justice in that Place. I was informed there was. I waited on Mess Francis Richardson and Henry Graham, the only two in the Place, and demanded their Assistance in behalf of the King. Mr. Richardson was sick, and Mr. Graham said he had no Business to go on Board any Vessel. I then waited on Mr. Vernon, a Sheriff, who told me he would go and get more help, and assist me. He went away, and I never saw him any more. I went on board again without any Assistance. They then weighed Anchor, and went down 'till they came to New Castle, and then came to Anchor again, as the Tide would not serve them any farther, which was about seven o'Clock in the Evening.' I went on Shore with two of my People, and left two on board, and waited on Mr. Montgomery, the Collector, and Mr. Maurice, Comptroller, and acquainted them that I was Tide Surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia, and that I had seized a Vessel from France, and they had taken her away from me, and was going to carry her off, and I desired them to give me some Assistance. They answered they could not, for the Commissioners would not allow them any Men. I told them I wanted only their presence, and I would save the Vessel. The Collector said he would go if the Comptroller would. The Comptroller asked whether I wanted him to go? I told him I did. He then said he would not go. I then demanded of him in