with me in these sentiments, and think proper to frame a new bill conformable thereto, I shall with pleasure agree to pass it into a law. "March 12th, 1772." Colonial Records, Vol. X, p. 30. Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 385. "RICHARD PENN. 13. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday, the 18th March, 1772. Two members of assembly then waited on the Governor and presented to him a message from the House, which was read at the board, and follows in these words, viz.: "May it please your Honor: "Having spent much time in forming the loan office bill, on such principles as we apprehend, would secure the solidity of the funds and credit of the bills, and at the same time give to all the counties an equal opportunity of participating in the benefits to arise from the loans, we thought we had performed that part of our duty on a plan the local circumstances of the province considered the most unexceptionable. But as we find ourselves, notwithstanding, so unfortunate as to differ in sentiments with the Governor on the subject, and as he might otherwise be a stranger to the reasons and motives. of our conduct in this particular, we think it necessary to communicate them, so far as they relate to objections mentioned in his last message. "In our estimation, this bill is one of the first consequence to the public interest and welfare. We expected by it greatly to advance the improvement, population and commerce of the province, besides raising on the people in the most easy and eligible manner, a considerable revenue. These important objects in view, and earnestly desirous to accomplish them, we first debated and fully considered a bill brought in on the plan recommended by your Honor, of former loan office laws. In these 'the establishment of offices in the several counties' were omitted, and the legislature contented themselves with instituting only one in Philadelphia; nor were more necessary to the infant state of the province, when it consisted of four counties only. The people and their settlements were confined within a narrow compass; the trustees from the neighboring counties could attend their duty, and the borrowers procure their money and make their annual payments with little trouble and expense, on the days appointed. But, upon applying this plan to the present circumstances of the province, so essentially varying from those which existed at the time it was adopted, and taking into our consideration the addition of five new counties, the great extent of their settlements, the distance of their inhabitants from the city, the difficulties, trouble, and expense which their trustees in attending their duty, and their people in procuring the money and making their annual payments, would incur, it appeared to us, that adhering to the form of the old bills in establishing but one office, and that in Philadelphia, would operate in a great measure to exclude the people who were particular objects of the bill, and as many of them are indebted to the proprietaries for lands, stand most in need of its aid from a participation in the benefits to arise from the loans. From these inconveniences, however calcu lated those laws might be to the situation of the province at the time they were formed, it seemed to us necessary, in our present bill, so far to deviate from them as to put the five new counties in a capacity to partake of the loans, in common with the rest of the people. To effectuate a purpose so desirable and just, we knew of no mode so adequate as that of instituting an office in the several counties.' If, then, an office in each county is necessary, impartially and extensively to diffuse the advantages to be derived from the loans, and it be just (which your honor does not seem to controvert) to oblige the several counties to the payment of their respective deficiencies, which might arise from defective titles and want of value in the estates mortgaged, we thought it also but reasonable and just that the people on whose property those deficiencies were to be levied, should have a share in the appointment of the trustees who were to judge of the validity of those titles and that value. Nor were we apprehensive that 'great inconveniences,' if any, would arise from 'vesting the power of appointing them' in the commissioners of the 'counties, in conjunction with any three justices of the peace,' as in this, as well as in constituting an office in each county, we did not materially deviate from that policy which the legislatures of neighboring colonies, whose circumstances are, in the point before us, similar to those of this province, have for the like reasons, thought proper to adopt. Thus your honor will perceive, that if we have deviated from old forms, we have followed more applicable precedents of a modern date, which have met with His Majesty's royal appro bation. We assure the Governor, as he has been pleased to intimate that he has no objection to a loan office bill, it is with real concern we find that we have failed in obtaining his concurrence in a measure of so much public importance, on a difference of sentiment respecting the form. But after the unusual length of our sitting, we must content ourselves with thus explaining the reasons which moved us to fix in the present plan of the bill, in hope that on consideration of them they will have their due weight with the Governor. JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker. March 17th, 1772. Colonial Records, Vol. X, pp. 35-39. Votes of Assembly, Vol. VI, p. 391. 14. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday, 23d January, 1773. Present: The Honorable Richard Penn, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov Benjamin Chew, Lynford Lardner, ernor, &c. Esquires. The Governor laid before the board two bills sent up to him by the House of assembly for his Honor's concurrence, entitled 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 entitled '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. Colonial Records, Vol. X, p. 67. 15. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday, 27th January, 1773. Present: The Honorable Richard Penn, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov Richard Peters, Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, Andrew Allen, ernor, &c. Esquires. The board resumed the consideration of the bill entitled "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 Strettel]. Same page, lines 12, 13. Dele the words [Benjamin Jacobs, of the county of Philadelphia]. Page 36, last line. Page 37, line 10. Instead of [on] say [an]. After the word [from], insert the words [all arrearages of the proprietors' quit rents and]. Same page, 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 page, 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]. Colonial Records, Vol. X, p. 67. 16. 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 Honor's amendments, wherein the House agreed to them all, proposing only to make one alteration in the 7th amendment by striking out the word appointed to, and instead of 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 said amendment. Colonial Records, Vol. X, p. 68. |
