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raising as many Men as the shortness of the time will permit within my Government to be employ'd in concert with His Majesty's regular Forces on this Important Service.

"That it is the King's Intention the Troops to be raised should consist of Companies of One hundred Men each; and that those that shall be raised in the several Provinces of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, be formed into one Corps to be commanded by Mr. Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (whom the King has been pleased on this occasion to promote to the Rank of Brigadier General), and they should rendezvous at Albany, within the Province of New York, or at such other Place as Mr. Gooch shall think proper to appoint, in order to proceed from thence by Land into the Southren Parts of Canada; whilst those to be raised in the Provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, are to Rendezvous at Louisburg, and to proceed with the Forces sent from England under Convoy of His Majesty's Fleet up the River St. Lawrence to Quebec.

"That in consequence of these Dispositions, His Majesty has been pleased to authorize me to appoint such Officers as I shall thing fit to Command the Troops to be raised within this Government, for which purpose a number of Blank Commissions will be sent me. And I am commanded to assure all such as shall engage in this Service, as well Officers as Soldiers, that they will immediately enter into his Majestie's pay-The Officers from the time they shall engage in His Majestie's Service, and the Soldiers from the respective Days on which they shall enlist. And they shall come in for a share of any Booty to be taken from the Enemy, and be sent back to their respective Habitations when this Service shall be over, unless any of them shall desire to settle Elsewhere; which unquestionable they will be encourag'd to do by Grants of the Conquor'd Lands in preference to all other persons.

"That as to the Article of Arms and Clothing for the Men to be raised, His Majesty has commanded me to take care That the Soldiers may be provided with them, and has empowered Lieutenant General St. Clair to make a reasonable allowance for defraying that Expence.

"And that if any Persons can be found who are acquainted with the Navigation of the River St. Lawrence, I do engage them by suitable Rewards to serve on board His Majestie's Fleet, and send them as soon as possible to Louisbourgh for that purpose.

"Now that these His Majestie's Gracious Intentions may be made publick, I do, with the advice of the Council, Issue this Proclamation, Inviting His Majestie's Subjects within this Government to exert themselves as becomes a Dutiful & Grateful people to the best of Kings, upon an occasion the most interesting to them as well as to all the rest of the British Colonies in North America; An occa

sion in which the Quiet and Happiness of them and their Posterity are so immediately concerned that it would be an affront to their understandings to make use of Arguments to prove it, An occasion that has been so long and earnestly wish't for, that it would not be unreasonable to expect the whole Body of the People should rise up as one Man to secure, under the Blessing of God, the Success of the Undertaking, and it may justly be hoped as his Majesty has been forced into the War for the Defence of his Crown and the Civil and Religious Rights of his People, that the Almighty will grant a Blessing to his Arms. His Majestie's Subjects in Europe have given proofs of their Loyalty & Affection to his Person and Government beyond the Examples of former Ages to the best of their Kings. An Opportunity is now offer'd to those in North America to shew that a Change of Climate has made no Change in their's. I, for my part, am determin'd to Act with the Duty and Zeal becoming a faithful Servant to a most Gracious Master, and with a Vigour becoming the Trust deposited with me for the Interest & Security of the People under my Government. "Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the Province of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, this ninth Day of June, in the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, & and in the Year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty-six. "GEORGE THOMAS.

"GOD SAVE THE KING.

"By His Honours Command.

"RICHARD PETERS, Secretary."

The Governor likewise laid beford the Board a Draught of a Message to the Assembly, which was approved, and is as follows:

A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.

"Gentlemen:

"My calling you together so suddenly was occasion'd by a Letter I have received from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, by the Hinchinbrook Sloop of War arrived Express at Boston, signifying to me That His Majesty has been pleased to order a considerable Body of his Troops from England, under convoy of a sufficient Squadron of Men of War to Louisbourgh, to be employ'd in the immediate Reduction of Canada, with Troops to be raised in the Northern Colonies.

"You will observe from his Grace's Letter which I have order'd to be laid before You, that I am directed to recommend to You the providing a sufficient quantity of Provisions for the subsistence of the Troops which shall be raised here.

"As it is recommended to me likewise to take care that the Sol

diers may be provided with Arms and Cloathing, I must apply to You for an Advance of so much of the Publick Money as may be necessary for these purposes, which Expence Lieutenant General St. Clair is authorized and empowered to defray.

"The shortness of the Time requiring the utmost Dispatch, a Bounty for the Encouragement of able-bodied Men to engage in this Service will very much expedite the Levies.

"Until I see what number of Men can be raised it is not possible for me to make an Estimate of the Sum necessary for this Service; but if I may be allow'd to form a Judgment from the Importance of the undertaking to this and the rest of the Northern Colonies, the number will be very considerable; for Success in it will not only deliver them from their present apprehensions of a vigilant and enterprizing Enemy, but in all humane probability ensure quiet and Security to them and their Posterity—and this shews what Returns of Duty & Gratitude are due to a King who has meditated such Blessings to his North American Subjects. "GEO. THOMAS.

"June 10th, 1746."

The Governor likewise laid before the Board a Letter from Governor Clinton, informing him that he had laid an Embargo on all Provisions for four Months, & desiring the same might be done in this Government, which was propos'd to the Council, and they were unanimously of Opinion that it was not necessary to lay an Embargo on any Provisions here, as there was a vast Quantity of all sorts in the Country, and as such Embargo might disappoint his Majestie's Ships of the Supplies contracted to be deliver'd them from this port, besides that such a stop must at this time be peculiarly prejudicial to all the Islands.

MEMORANDUM.

Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor & acquainted him that the House was met pursuant to his Summons & ready to receive what he might have to lay before them, & desir'd a Copy of the Writts by virtue of which the House was Summon'd. The Governor, in Answer, told them he wou'd send a Message to the House with the Writts to-morrow morning.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, 23d June, 1746.

PRESENT:

The Honobl. GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor.

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The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and approv❜d. The Governor inform'd the Board that sundry Messages had passs'd between him & the Assembly on the Subject of his last Message, & that having received Letters from the Governors of New England & New York, pressing him to appoint Commissioners for securing the Indians of the Six Nations in their fidelity to his Majesty, he had likewise sent a Message to the House on this Subject, all which were read and are as follows, viz:

A Message from the Assembly to the Governor.

"May it please the Governor:

"We are deeply sensible of the many and great Blessings we enjoy under the Crown and present Government, and in Duty and Gratitude hold ourselves obliged to yeild chearful obedience to the King's Commands so far as our Religious Persuasions permit; Yet as the Governor well knows, many of us labour under great Difficulties when called upon to be concern'd in Warlike Enterprises, such as appear to us inconsistent with the Peaceable Principles we profess. The only expedient hitherto found to remove these difficulties hath been to demonstrate our Loyalty and hearty Affection to the Crown by giving a Sum of Money to the King's Use. This we are now willing to do, but upon Enquiry are informed that neither the Treasury or Loan-Office are furnish'd with such a Quantity beyond what other Exigencies of Government will require as we are willing to give, Nor do we see any other way by which such a Sum can be speedily raised unless it can be by striking a further Quantity of Paper Money; And this we hope the Governor will be of Opinion with us may be done, as that the Sum given may be repaid by the Interest to arise by the residue placed out in like manner, as are the Bills of Credit current by the Act sometime since past in this Province, & which, having had the Royal Approbation, will, we presume, be liable to few if any Exceptions, and the Money thus raised least Inconvenient to the Inhabitants of the Province.

"Signed by Order of the House,

"JOHN KINSEY, Speaker.

"4th Mon. 12th, 1746."

A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.

"Gentlemen:

"I am very much pleased with your Intention to grant a Sum of Money to His Majesty upon this Important Occasion, and I wish it was as much in my Power as it is in my Inclination to agree with you in the Method proposed for raising it; but you must be sensible, from the Royal Instruction communicated to a former Assembly, and I suppose enter'd in the Minutes, that I am forbid, under pain of His Majestie's highest displeasure, from passing any Act for striking Bills of Credit, without a Clause restrain'g its operation. until the King's pleasure shall be known. Besides, an addition to your Bills of Credit at this time, I apprehend, would very much lessen the value of those already Current, as Exchange to London is already higher than has ever been known in this Province. grant, where I at liberty to pass such a Bill as you expect, it might be a present Convenience, but the future Inconveniences would abundantly outweigh it. The Legislature of this Province has hitherto maintain'd its Reputation this Point, whilst others are sinking under the Load of their numerous Emissions. You may unquestionably procure any Sum upon Loan which you shall be willing to grant to His Majesty, upon Security to repay it out of the Excise or the Interest of the Bills of Credit already issued.

I

"Whatever you do, Gentleman, let it be done with Dispatch, for the time presses, and your Example will have a considerable influence upon the Spirits of the People.

"June 13th, 1746."

"GEO. THOMAS.

A Message from the Assembly to the Governor.

"May it please the Governor:

"It is very agreeable to us to find our Intentions of giving Money to the King approved of by the Governor; And we are equally pleased with the kind Inclinations he is pleased to express towards raising the Money in the Method we propose; And we are willing to hope that the Governor, on reconsidering the Royal Instruction he is pleased to mention, may think himself at Liberty to give his Assent to a Bill for striking a further sum of Money in Bills of Credit when any extraordinary Emergency requires it.

"It must be confess'd Exchange hath of late risen amongst us, & is at present high; but we think it clear this rise is not owing to the quantity of our Paper Money but the Exigences of Trade, since for some time after the Emission by the last Eighty Thousand Pound Act, which is the greatest Sum in Bills of Credit that were ever Current at one time amongst us, Exchange was lower than at any time before. As, therefore, the Sum proposed to be Emitted

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