At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday 23d January, 1773. PRESENT: The Honorable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Benjamin Chew, Lynford Lardner, Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board two Bills sent up to him by the House of Assembly for his Honour's Concurrence, entituled as follows, Viz: "An Act for emitting the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds in Bills of Credit on Loan, and providing a fund for the payment of Public Debts;" and "An Act for making Perpetual An Act entituled An Act directing the Choice of Inspectors, and for holding the General Elections in this Province,'" which were both read, and referred to further Consideration. At a Council held at Philadelphia on Wednesday 27th January, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esq 18. The Board resumed the Consideration of the Bill entituled " An Act for emitting the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand Pounds in Bills of Credit on Loan, and providing a fund for the payment of Public Debts," to which the following amendments being made and agreed to, the Secretary was ordered to carry the same to the House of Assembly with the Bill: Page 13, line 12. After the Surname [Moore], insert the words [and Amos Strettle]. Same page, line 12, 13. Dele the words [Benjamin Jacobs, of the County of Philadelphia]. Page 36, last line. Instead of [on], say [an]. Page 37, line 10. After the word [from], insert the words [all arrearages of the Proprietors' quit rents and]. Same pa., last line. Instead of the word [thence], insert the word [thenceforth]. Page 59, line 8. After the word [the], insert the words [Governor and]. Same pa., line 10. Dele the word [who], and instead thereof insert as follows: [unless such neglect, refusal, Death, or removal, shall happen at a time when there may be no Lieutenant Governor appointed to this Province, in which case, and not otherwise, some other fit person or persons shall be appointed by the Assembly, and the said Trustee or Trustees so to be appointed.] Page 60, line 9. After the word [the], add the words [Governor and]. Then was also considered the Bill entituled "An Act for making perpetual An Act entituled An Act directing the Choice of Inspectors, and for holding the General Elections of this Province,'' and there appearing no Objections to the same, it was ordered to be returned to the Assembly, with a Verbal Messuage that the Governor gave his assent to it. Thursday 28th January, 1773. A Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor, and again brought up the Loan Office Bill, with an answer to His Honour's amendments, wherein the House agreed to them all, proposing only to make one alteration in the 7th amendment by striking out the words [appointed to], and instead thereof inserting the words [residing in]; and the Governor taking the same into Consideration, and having no Objection to the said Proposal, immediately returned the Bill to the Assembly by the Secretary, with a Verbal Message that he agreed to the proposed alteration of the s amendment. Friday, the 29th January, 1773. The Governor, by the advice of the Council, sent to the Assembly the following Message by the Secretary, who at the same time laid before the House two Petitions from the Inhabitants of Bedford County, to which the Message refers: "Gentlemen: "I think it incumbent upon me to inform you that the late evacuation of Fort Pitt, by order of the Commander-in-Chief, hath greatly alarmed the Inhabitants of this Province settled beyond the Allegheny Mountains, who have been used to look upon that Fortress as their Safeguard against the Incursions of the Indians. "I have received from the People in that quarter several Petitions (which I have ordered the Secretary to lay before you) expressing their Apprehensions, of the dangerous situation to which they are reduced, and praying from Government a suitable Relief. Upon the receipt of these Petitions I wrote to General Gage by Express, requesting the Continuance of a small Garrison at that Post, at least 'till the Meeting of the Assembly; But the General was of Opinion that the Execution of his Orders was too far advanced to be countermanded, Nor did he seem to think it Expedient for him to have continued any of the Troops there, had my letter been in time. It cannot be doubted but that the late Military Establishment at Fort Pitt, did very greatly Contribute to the rapid Population of the Country beyond the mountain, and that the withdrawing the King's Troops must of course not only depress the Spirits of the Present Settlers, but retard the progress of the Settlement. "I perswade myself that you will view the safety and protection of that Extensive and Flourishing district as an object of General importance, and worthy of the Public attention; And as it appears to me that the most proper, and indeed the only assistance which can be afforded these people, is the supporting a small Garrison at that Post or Place, I find myself under the Necessity of applying to you to enable me to carry that Measure into Execution. "RICHARD PENN. "January 29th, 1773." At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 4th February, 1773. &c. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieu' Governor, Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, Esquires. Andrew Allen, This Day being appointed by order of Council of the 11th of January last, for the Consideration of the Petitions then laid before the Board, representing that some Errors had been made in the return of survey of the Public Road laid out from the middle ferry on Schuylkill, to the sign of the ship upon the Conestogo Road, and from thence to Strasburg in Lancaster County, which had been by an Order of Council of the tenth of November, one thousand seven hundred and seventy, approved and Confirmed, and praying that the Persons who laid out the said Road, may be ordered to re-survey the same and correct any errors that may appear in their said Return, The several Gentlemen who laid out the said road, as well as the Petitioners against it, in pursuance of notice given them by the Secretary, did this day attend the Board, and were severally heard. The Board thereupon, taking the said Petitions into their serious consideration, are of opinion that the several mistakes which have been made in the return of the said Road ought to be rectified; and it is therefore ordered that Joseph Fox, Jacob Lewis, Daniel Williams, John Morton, John Sellers, and James Webb, or any four of them, do re-examine and compare the courses and distances of the said Road, mentioned and set forth in their return thereof to the Governor and Council, dated the fifteenth day of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy, with their Field works taken at the time of their laying out and running the same, and Correct by their Field-works any error or errors that they may have made in their said Return; and if necessary, to review and remeasure any part of the said Road so as aforesaid by them laid out, and make a new return and Draught of the whole Road, with such Errors and Mistakes Corrected, to the Governor and Council, for their further Consideration. The Governor having received from the Assembly a Written Message in answer to his Message of the 29th Ultimo, laid the same before the Board. The Message was read, and follows in these words, Viz": "May it please your Honour: "We have taken into our Consideration your Message of the 29th Ulto., respecting "the apprehensions of the Inhabitants of this Province, settled beyond the Allegheny Mountains, of the Dangerous situation they are reduced to by the evacuation of Fort Pitt," and request that your honour would acquaint us whether, from any Hostile Transactions or other Circumstances, Government has reason to believe that there is a disposition in the Indians to Violate the Solemn Treaties which have been repeatedly made and ratified between them and his Majesty's Colonies, and hitherto so well observed. And also, that you will be pleased to lay before us all Treaties or Intelligence lately held with, or received from the natives, to enable us to judge of their Temper, and the most proper measures to preserve that Harmony with them which is of the highest importance to the prosperity of the Province. Signed by order of the House. "Feb'ry. 3d, 1773." "JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker. A Committee of two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor in Council, and presented to him for his concurrence two Bills, entituled: "An Act appointing the Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia, and for other purposes therein mentioned ;" and "An Act for preserving the Navigation in Shearman's Creek, in the County of Cumberland, and to prevent the Destruction of Fish in the same;" which were laid before the Board, and referred for Consideration To-morrow. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday 5th Febr'y, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c2, Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esquires. A Member of Council having prepar'd a draught of a Message in reply to the Assembly's Message of the 3d Instant, the same was read and approved, and the Secretary was directed to Transcribe it, and carry it to the House in the afternoon, the Message follows in these words, Viz": "Gentlemen: "My Message to you of the 29th of January, respecting the Propriety of keeping up a small Garrison at Fort Pitt, was not founded on any Certain Intelligence that the Western Indians had immediate designs of Committing acts of Hostility against us. The petitions now before you demonstrate that the Inhabitants of our Frontier have considered that post as their principal security against Indian Incursions, and an Assylum in Case of a sudden attack, for their Women and Children; the evacuating it has therefore filled their minds with Fears and apprehensions. When I consider, Gentlemen, the unspeakable sufferings and distress which attended those unhappy People and their Families, who were settled on the Western Frontier in the last Indian War, which was as unexpected as it was unprovoked, I confess I cannot help being greatly affected, and do not wonder that they now apply to Government for some Assistance to protect them against the like Calamities in future, and altho' there may be no prospect of a speedy renewal of Hostilities on the part of the Indians, it may yet be good policy to guard in time against the worst that can happen, especially as the Measure Proposed will be attended with no great expence to the Public; A Garrison of 25 or 30 men to keep possession of that Important Place, being perhaps sufficient for the Present. These reasons induced me at first to lay the matter before you as an object worthy of your attention, and have still so much weight with me, that I think myself obligated again to recommend it to your serious Consideration. "February 5th, 1773." "RICH'D PENN. The Board resumed the Consideration of the Bill for preserving the Navigation in Shearman's Creek, &c, and one amendment being made to it, it was ordered to be returned with the same to the Assembly. |