The Bill appointing Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia was then in part Read and Referred to further Consideration. The Governor having received a Petition from the Inhabitants of the Northern parts of Lancaster and Berks Counties, praying that those parts may be erected into a new County, The Secretary was directed to carry the same to the Assembly, and to acquaint them that, as his Honor Conceived that Petition ought rather to have been addressed to the House than to him, he therefore thought proper to lay the same before them for their perusal and Conside ration. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 11th February, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant GoverLor, &ca. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esquires. The Board resumed the consideration of the Bill for appointing Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia; and a few amendments being made to it, the Bill was ordered to be returned with the same to the Assembly. The Governor then laid before the Board five Bills sent up by the Assembly for his concurrence, entituled as follows, Viz: "An Act for erecting part of the County of Bedford into a seperate County." "An Act for regulating vendues in the City of Philadelphia, the district of Southwark, the Townships of Moyamensing and the Northern Liberties." "An Act to enable the persons therein named to hold Lands, and to invest them with the Privileges of Natural born Subjects of this Province." "An Act for confirming the Estate of William Martin, in and to a certain Tract of Land in the Township of Charlestown, in the County of Chester." "An Act for making perpetual the Act entituled An Act for laying a duty on Negroes and Molatto Slaves imported into this Province, and laying an additional duty on the said Slaves." The first mentioned Bill was read and Considered, and being approved, was ordered to be returned to the House with the Governor's assent. The other four Bills were in part considered and referred for further Consideration. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 17th February, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Richard Peters, Benjamin Chew James Tilghman, Edward Shippen, junt. Esquires. The Board resumed the Consideration of the Bill for regulating Venders, &c, and several amendments being made to it, the Bill was ordered to be returned with them to the Assembly. Then were also re-considered three Bills, entituled "An Act for making perpetual the act entituled an Act for laying a duty on Negroes, &c." "An Act to enable the persons therein named, to hold Lands, &c" and "An Act for confirming the estate of William Martin, &c," which being approved, the Secretary was directed to return them to the Assembly, with a Verbal Message that the Governor agreed to them, and would be ready to pass them into Laws whenever the House shall present them for that purpose. A Member of Council acquainting the Governor that a new Commission was wanted for the tryal of Negroes in Lancaster County, his Honour was pleased to direct that a Commission be accordingly made out, appointing Emanuel Carpenter and Isaac Sanders, Esquires, Justices for holding Courts for the Tryal of Negroes in the said County. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday 22 February, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, } Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board four Bills sent up by the Assembly for his Concurrence, entitled as follows, viz: "An Act to erect a new Gaol, Work-house, and House of Correction in the City of Philadelphia." "An Act appointing Trustees to take care of the Person and Estate of Richard Gardner, a Lunatic." "An Act for Vacating a part of a Road in the township of the Northern Liberties, and for Confirming a new Road laid out and made instead thereof;" And "A Supplement to the Act entituled "An Act for making the River Schuylkill navigable, and for the Preservation of the Fish in the same." Which Bills being severally read and considered by the Board, the Secretary was directed to return them to the Assembly in the Afternoon, with a few amendments made to the first, and to acquaint the House that the Governor could not consent to pass the second Bill into a Law; but that he agreed to the two last mentioned Bills, and would be ready to pass them whenever presented to him for that purpose The Vendue Bill being again sent up to the Governor by the Assembly with a Message that the House adhered to the Bill, The Governor, by the advice of the Board, directed the Secretary to return the said Bill to the Assembly, with a Verbal Message that the Governor adhered to his proposed amendments. The Governor also laid before the Board a Message he received last week from the Assembly, which was read, and follows in these Words, Viz: May it Please your Honor: "When we considered your Message of the 29th of January, recommending the support of a Garrison at Fort Pitt, founded on apprehensions in the Back Inhabitants of Danger from the Indians, at a time when we imagined the treaties of Friendship were perfectly observed between his Majesty and them, we thought it our duty to enquire into the Reason and Grounds, if any, for those apprehensions. We were, therefore, induced to apply to Government for information whether there appeared a disposition in the Natives to Violate those Treaties; and from your last Message we cannot find that there is the least Cause for such a suspicion, otherwise we have no doubt you would, on our Request, have communicated it; From whence we are led to conclude that the uneasiness of the Back Settlers is without Foundation, and by no means a sufficient Reason for a Measure which we fear may be productive of the very mischiefs it may be intended to avert. "We well known that from the first Settlement of the Province, down to the late French and Indian War, the most perfect good understanding and Friendship were preserved between this Government and those People, by a Conduct uniformly just and kind towards them; that since the late Indian War, the like happy effects have been produced by the like Policy, and that on the Contrary, the maintaining of Garrisons in or near their Country, has been frequently an object of their Jealousy and Complaints; to this we may add, that it appears by Intelligence now before us, from the Deputy Superintendant of Indian Affairs in that Quarter, that having in pursuance of his Majesty's Orders communicated to the Western Indians the Evacuation of Fort Pitt, that pleasure is so entirely agreeable to them, that it is likely to effect a Removal of their Jealousies, and a Conciliation of their Affections to this Province. "We might offer other Reasons for not concurring in Sentiments with your Honour, on the Propriety of supporting a Garrison at Fort Pitt, but being of Opinion that any warlike Preparations, even within our own Frontiers, at a time of prevailing Harmony between us and the Natives, may be attended with more Ill than good Consequences, we shall wave them as unnecessary, and Content ourselves with assuring you that we shall, and we have no doubt but all future Assemblies will be ever Ready when there shall be real Occasion, to afford every kind of Protection to the back Inhabitants the Circumstances of the Province will allow. "Signed by order of the House. "February 19th, 1773." "JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker. At a Council held at Philadelphia, the 25th of February, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Richard Peters, Edward Shippen, jun'? Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board two bills sent up by the Assembly for his Concurrence, entituled: "An Act to amend the act entituled An Act to regulate the assize of Bread, and for other purposes therein mentioned,'" and "An Act for vesting a Certain Tract of Land in the Township. of Middletown, & County of Cumberland, and a Lot in the Town of Carlisle, in the said County, in Trustees, to be sold for the purpose therein Mentioned." Which Bills being read and considered, The Secretary was di rected to carry them back to the Assembly, with one amendment made to the first, and to acquaint the House that the Governor agreed to the other, and would be ready to pass it whenever presented to him for that purpose. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 26th of February, 1773. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. James Tilghman, Edward Shippen, Jun", } Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board two Bills sent up by the Assembly for his concurrence, entituled as follows, viz":" "An Act to repeal the act entituled 'An Act to prevent Frauds and abuses in the Manufacturing of Leather;'" and "An Act for the Relief of William Richie, a Languishing Prisoner in the Gaol of Philadelphia, and John Milleron, a Languishing Prisoner in the Gaol of Lancaster County, with respect to the Imprisonment of their Persons." Both which were read and considered, and the Secretary was ordered to return them to the assembly, with the Governor's assent to the first mentioned Bill, and a few amendments to the last. The Governor then informed the Board that he yesterday received a verbal Message from the assembly, acquainting him that the House proposed to adjourn to the 20th of September next, if his Honor had no objections to it, and desired to know at what time to-morrow they should wait on him in order to enact into Laws the Several Bills to which he had given his assent, and that he replied, he had no objection to the proposed time of their adjournment, and would send them notice at what time he should be ready to pass the Bills; the Governor therefore directed the Secretary to inform the Speaker that he would meet them at the Council Chamber in the afternoon, as soon as he should be acquainted that the House had the Bills in readiness to present to him for that Purpose, and that he had appointed two Members and the Secretary to join with three Members of the House, in Comparing the engrossed Bills with their Originals. Eodem die, P. M. The several engrossed Bills being Compared with their Originals and found to agree. The Governor sent a Message to the assembly by the Secretary, acquainting them that he was now in the Council Chamber, and that he required their attendance in Order to enact into Laws the several Bills to which he had given his assent. The House accordingly attended, and the Speaker presented to the Governor Fifteen Bills, which his Honor enacted into Laws, and signed a Warrant for affixing the Great Seal to them. The said Laws were accordingly Sealed, and were afterwards deposited in the Rolls office, and are entituled as follows, vizt: "An Act for emiting 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." "An Act appointing Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia, and for other purposes therein mentioned." "An Act for preserving the Navigation of Shearman's Creek, in the County of Cumberland, and to prevent the destruction of Fish in the same." |