"Brethren:

"The Tract of Land you mention, consisting of 500 Acres, part of the Conestogo Manor, where old Sohaes dwelt, was included in a purchase long since made from the Indians, notwithstanding which, I agree that Sohaes and his Family had the Proprietaries permission to live thereon as long as they chose to remain in the inhabited Part of the Country. Some time after the Death of Sohaes, and all his Family that resided there in the year 1768, there was a Treaty held at Fort Stanwix, to which I was invited by Sir William Johnson, in order to treat with the Indians, concerning the Purchase of a large Tract of Land, part of which lay in the King's Governments and part in the Province of Pennsylvania; At this Treaty the last great Indian purchase was made, for which I then paid the Indians ten thousand Dollars. But before The Treaty was finished, Sir William Johnson informed me that the Indians expected to be paid for the 500 acres of Land, part of the Conestogo Manor, where Sohaes dwelt; I accordingly agreed to pay them for it. The Price agreed on was two hundred Pounds, York Money, or five hundred dollars, the Value of which was then delivered in Goods to Togaiaio, the Cayuga Chief, to be distributed as he thought proper, and the Deed I now shew you, for the land I bought of the Indians at that Treaty, signed by the Chiefs of the Six Nations, expressly includes this five hundred acres of Land.

"Having, therefore, already purchased the Land twice, it cannot reasonably be expected that I should pay for it again. However, as you have come from a great Distance, under an Expectation of selling this Land, and perhaps did not receive so great a Proportion of the Goods I delivered at Fort Stanwix, as should have been paid to the Relations of Sohaes, and to shew you the Desire I have to preserve Peace and Friendship with the Indians, and that when they pay me a visit they should not go away dissatisfied; I am willing to make you a Present, which I hope you will think a generous one; I, therefore, desire you will accept of these three hundred Dollars.

A Belt.

The Indians, accordingly, very gladly accepted the three hundred Dollars, and signed a Receipt for the same on the back of the Deed executed at Fort Stanwix, expressing it to be in full Satisfaction of all claims of Sohaes's Family to the said five hundred Acres of Land.

MEMORANDUM, 27th May, 1775.

A certain John M'Allister, who was confined under Sentence of Death in the Gaol of Philadelphia County, for uttering and passing counterfeit Bills of Credit, of this Province, having lately made his Escape from the said Gaol, the Governor was pleased, with the VOL. X.-17.

Advice of the Council, to issue the following Proclamation, offering a Reward of £200 for apprehending him, 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, a certain John M'Allister, a young Man about eighteen or nineteen years of age, five feet eight or nine Inches high, round shouldered, bow legged, a little pitted with the small Pox, and wears his own hair, who was confined in the Public Gaol of the City and County of Philadelphia, under sentence of Death, for uttering and passing counterfeit Bills of Credit of this Province, knowing the same to be counterfeited, hath lately made bis Escape from the said Gaol, and it is highly expedient for the discour.. agement of such pernicious and atrocious Crimes, that the said John M'Allister should be brought to condign and exemplary Punishment, I have, therefore, thought fit, with the advice of the Council, to issue this my Proclamation, hereby promising and engageing that the Public Reward of Two hundred Pounds shall be paid to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend the said John M'Allister, and safely deliver him to the Sheriff of the City and County of Philadelphia, in the Gaol aforesaid: And I do hereby strictly charge, enjoin, and require all Judges, Justices, Sheriff's, Consta bles, and all other Officers, Civil and Military, and all other His Majesty's liege Subjects within my Government, to make diligent Search and enquiry after the said John M'Allister, and to use their utmost Endeavours to apprehend and secure him, so that he may be brought to Justice.

"Given under my Hand, and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, and in the fifteenth year of His Majesty's Reign.

"By His Honor's Command,

"JOHN PENN.

"JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun'" Secretary.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."

MEMORANDUM, June 2d, 1775.

The Governor was this day pleased with the advice of the Council, to issue a Pardon for Samuel Short, who was confined under Sentence of Death in the Gaol of Philadelphia County, for Felony and Burglary.

MEMORANDUM, 20th June, 1775.

A Committee of two Members of the Assembly waited on the Governor and acquainted him that a Quorum of the Representatives had met pursuant to adjournment, and were ready to receive any Business his Honor might have to lay before them; to which the Governor replied, that he had no Business at present to lay before the House.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Monday 26th June, 1775.

The Governor laid before the Board a Bill for the support of the Government of this Province and payment of the Public Debts, which being read, the Governor sent a Verbal Message to the House by the Secretary, requesting them to furnish him with a List of the Draughts and Certificates intended to be discharged by the said Bill, which was then referred to further Consideration.

The Governor also laid before the Board three other Bills for their Consideration, sent up by the Assembly for his Concurrence, entituled

"An Act to amend the Act entituled 'A Supplement to the Act entituled 'An Act appointing Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia, and for other Purposes therein mentioned."

"An Act for confirming the Estate of William Scott in and to certain Lands in the Township of Strasburg and County of Lancaster."

"An Act for confirming the Estate of the Heirs and Representatives of John Taylor, late of the County of Chester, Practitioner in Physick, deceased, in a certain Tract of Land situate in the Township of Bradford, in the said County."

Which Bills, being severally read and considered, were ordered to be returned to the Assembly by the Secretary, with a Verbal Message that the Governor gave his Assent to the first, that he could not agree to pass the second into a Law, and with one small Amendment to the third.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 28th June, 1775.

PRESENT:

The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor.

James Hamilton,
Richard Peters,

James Tilghman,

Edward Shippen, jun. Esq.

The Governor having received Yesterday from the Assembly, by two Members, a List of the Draughts and Certificates proposed to be discharged by the Bill for the support of the Government of this Province, and Payment of the Public Debts, laid the same before the Board, which was read and follows in these Words, viz':

Lists of Certificates:

To the Honorable John Penn, Esquire,

To John Reed,

To Arthur Donaldson,

To John Reed for his Map,

To Richard Mason,

To John Montgomery, Esquire, Expences for defence

of the Frontiers,

To William Thompson, Esquire, ditto,

ditto for ditto Balance of his Acco",

Το

To Joseph Shippen, Esquire, Secretary,

To William Dewees, Sheriff, his Acco",
To John Palmer, his Acco",

5,000 0 0

To a Committee of the House for their Account of Disbursements for the Province,

To Joseph Galloway, Esq'r., for his Certificate the last
Year,

75 0 0

The Board then resumed the Consideration of the above mentioned Bill, and being of Opinion that it would not be expedient at this Time to pass it into a Law, the Governor, by their Advice, returned it to the Assembly by the Secretary, with the following Message, which was drawn up at the Table, Viz't. :

A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.

"Gentlemen:

"It being unusual to make Provision for the discharge of the Orders drawn for the payment of the Public Debts before the end of the Year, at which Time there may probably be a sum sufficient for that purpose in the Treasury, arising from the Funds heretofore provided, I cannot think it proper to give my Consent to the Bill entituled:

"An Act for the Support of the Government of this Province, and payment of the Public Debts."

"June 28th, 1775."

Thursday, 29th June, 1775.

MEMORANDUM. .

"JOHN PENN.

Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor with a verbal Message from the House, desiring his Honor would inform them at what Time he would meet the House, in order to enact into Laws the Bills to which he had given his Assent; to which the Governor replied, he would be in the Council Chamber at twelve o'Clock for that Purpose.

Council Chamber, 29th June, 1775, 12 O'Clock.

The Governor being in the Council Chamber, sent a Message to the Assembly by the Secretary, to acquaint them that he required their Attendance there, in order to enact into Laws the several Bills to which he had given his Assent. The whole House immediately attended, and the Speaker presented to the Governor the following Bills, which His Honor enacted into Laws, and signed a Warrant for affixing the Great Seal to them. The Laws were afterwards Sealed and deposited in the Rolls Office, and are entituled as follow, Viz't. :

"An Act to amend an Act entituled A Supplement to the Act entituled An Act entituled An Act appointing Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia, and for other Purposes therein mentioned.'" "An Act for confirming the Estate of Daniel Andrew in and to certain Lands in Amity Township, in the County of Berks."

"An Act for confirming the Estate of the Heirs and Representatives of John Taylor, late of the County of Chester, Practitioner in Physick, deceased, in a certain Tract of Land in the Township of Bradford, in the said County."

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday 29th July, 1775.

The Governor laid before the Board a Petition from Mons" Dominique Du Casse, Commander of the Schooner Mary, belonging to