Upon consideration of the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of Catherine Moore, now confined in the workhouse of this city, with an instruction to make enquiry into the particular character of the petitioner, Resolved, That the said Catherine Moore be pardoned. On motion, Resolved, That new commissions of the pleas issue to William Brown, William McCoy, William Bell and James Burns, Esquires, Justices of the Peace of Mifflin county. The Council met. PHILADELPHIA, Monday, October 26th, 1789. PRESENT: His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President. Resolved, That the Vice President, Samuel Miles and Mr. Smith, be appointed a committee to prepare and report to Council a draft of a message to the General Assembly. The Council met. PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, October 27th, 1789. PRESENT: His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President. Resolved, That the election of a Surveyor General, in the room of John Lukens, Esquire, deceased, (appointed for this day,) be postponed untill Tuesday next. Upon the second reading of the petition of John Archibald for remission of a fine of ten pounds, payable to the use of the Commonwealth, which was imposed upon him at the last Mayor's Court, upon his being convicted of keeping a tippling house, Resolved, That the said fine be remitted. Upon consideration of the report of the committee to whom was referred the account of Jacob Bennett, Esquire, Sheriff of the county of Bucks, for the expences of attending the citation of witnesses to attend the hearing before Council of the late contested election of Justices of the Peace in the townships of Northampton and Southampton, in the county of Bucks, amounting to six pounds eleven shillings and five pence, Resolved, That the Council approve of the said account, and that three pounds thirteen shillings and eleven pence be paid by the Overseer of the Poor of the township of Northampton, and two pounds seventeen shillings and six pence by the Overseer of the Poor of the township of Southampton, according to the seventeenth section of an act of Assembly passed the fourth day of March, 1786. The Council met. PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, October 28th, 1789. PRESENT: His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President. A letter from the Secretary at War, at New-York, requesting a list of persons entitled to pensions by the laws of this State, was received and read, and an order was taken that the Secretary apply to the Comptroller General for information on that subject. A report from William Clingan and John Culbertson, two of the Justices of the Peace appointed to investigate the complaint against an election of Justices of the Peace held in the district of the townships of Kennet, East and West Marlborough, in the county of Chester, on the twentieth of December, 1787, was received and read; and no sufficient reason appearing to set aside the said election, an order was taken to confirm the same; and thereupon Robert Cooper was appointed and commissionated a Justice of the Peace and Court of Common Pleas of the said county of Chester, he having a majority of votes. An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Francis Bailey for one hundred and forty-one pounds and six pence, in full for printing work done for Council from February the fourth, 1788, to October tenth, 1789, according to the Comptroller and Register General's reports. Three setts of the journals of the first sessions of the House of Representatives of the United States was received. On motion, Resolved, That Colonel William Henry, Lieutenant of the city and liberties of Philadelphia, be directed to furnish to Anthony Wright, Quarter Master Sergeant of the battalion of Artillery in this city, fifty weight of gunpowder and ten yards of flannel, to be used by the said battalion on the day of the election of a Presid't and Vice President. The Council met. PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, October 29th, 1789. PRESENT: His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE Ross, Esquire, Vice President. Agreeably to the Comptroller and Register General's reports, the orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt: In favor of John Nicholson, (gunsmith,) for the sum of twentythree pounds five shillings and two pence, payable out of the fund appropriated for claims and improvements, according to act of Assembly dated the twenty-ninth of September last, being the ballance due upon his account for repairing public arms belonging to the city and liberties of Philadelphia, as settled by the Comptroller. General on the ninth instant. In favor of George Troutner, for the sum of one pound ten shillings, payable out of the monies arising from militia fines in the county of Northumberland, being the amount of his account as settled by the Comptroller General, for militia services for twelve days in making a return of the male white inhabitants of Penn's township, in the said county, according to the act of Assembly passed the fourteenth of February, 1777. Agreeably to the order of the day, Council proceeded to the consideration of the letter from Doctor Thomas Ruston, of the twenty-sixth instant, claiming his seat in Council for the county of Chester; and thereupon, Resolved unanimously, That Doctor Thomas Ruston cannot be admitted to take his seat as councillor for the county of Chester, that county being represented in Council by Colonel Richard Willing, who was elected on the fifteenth day of October, 1788. A return of the general election of a Councillor and Sheriffs, and Coroners, held in the county of Fayette, was received and read, by which it appears that Nathaniel Breading was duly elected Councillor, and Joseph Torrence and Joseph Hewston, Sheriffs, and Henry Beeson and Thomas Rogers, Coroners of the said county; whereupon, Resolved, That Joseph Torrence, Esquire, be appointed and commissionated Sheriff, and Henry Beeson, Coroner of the said county. The Council met. PHILADELPHIA, Friday, October 30th, 1789. PRESENT: His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President. The Honorable GEORGE ROSS, Esquire, Vice President. Agreeably to the request contained in the letter from His Ex-. cellency the President of the United States, of the third instant, a draft of a Proclamation was laid before the Board, read, and agreed to as follows, vizt: Pennsylvania, 88: By the President and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, The President of the United States hath transmitted to this Council, this Proclamation for a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, requesting that the same might be published and made known in this State in the following words, vizt: By the President of the United States of America: Whereas, It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor: And whereas, Both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with gratefull hearts, the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twentysixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection of the people of this country, previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly, the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing usefull knowledge, and in general, for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the Great Lord and Ruler of nations, and beseech him to pardon our national, and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or in private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations, (especially such as have shewn kindness. unto us,) and to bless them with good government, peace and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us; and generally to grant un to all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. GEORGE WASHINGTON. Now, we, the President and Supreme Executive Council aforesaid, do recommend the said Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be set apart and observed throughout this State |