At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 21st September, 1775. PRESENT: The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor. William Logan, Andrew Allen, Edward Shippen, Jun. Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board a Transcript of the Record of a Court of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chester, for the County of Chester, by which it appears that James Willis was convicted of Felony and Murder, committed on the Body of a certain Daniel Culin, and had received Sentence of Death for the same; and the Judges of the said Court having reported no Circumstances in favor of the Criminal, it was the Opinion of the Board that the Sentence of the Court should be executed upon him on Saturday the thirtieth of September Instant, and the Governor issued a Warrant for that Purpose accordingly. The Governor having received Imformation from the Prothonotary of Bedford County, that a Man is confined in the Gaol of that County for the murder of his Master's Child, and that as the Gaol is very insecure, it is apprehended he may make his Escape before it may be convenient for the Judges to go up to try him, The Board advised the Governor to appoint special Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer for that Purpose; and the Governor accordingly issued a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer, directed to Arthur S Clair, Bernard Dougherty, and George Woods, Esquires, to hold a Court at Bedford, for the trial of the said Criminal. The Governor, by the Advice of the Board, also directed a Commission to be made out, Re-appointing Thomas Willing, Esquire, third Justice of the Supream Court of this Province. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 27th September, 1775. The Governor laid before the Board a Bill for the support of the Government of this Province, and Payment of the Public Debts, which being read, The Governor sent a Verbal Message to the House by the Secretary, requesting them to furnish him with a List of the Draughts and Certificates intended to be discharged by the said Bill, which was referred to further Consideration. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday 30th September, 1775. PRESENT: The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Edward Shippen, jun", } Esquires. A Committee of Assembly having yesterday brought up to the Governor a List of the Certificates and Incidental Expences of Government, intended to be discharged by the Bill for the Support of the Government and payment of the Public Debts, and being read over, it follows in these words, Viz": Incidental Expences for the Year, 1775. To the Honorable John Penn, Esquire, Governor and £1,000 0 0 To the Honorable John Penn, Esq'r, for sundries To Benjamin Franklin, Esq'r, Agent for this Province To Benjamin Chew, Esq'r, Chief Justice of this To John Lawrence, Esq'r, one of the Assistant 35 11 11 -266 13 4 -400 0 0 -200 0 0 0 0 To Thomas Willing, Esq'r, do. for part of the Year, -200 To Thomas Mifflin, Esq'r, for Service on Committee of Acco'ts, 1 day, To Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, for his Service on Com'ee of Accounts, 21 days at 10s per Diem, To Isaac Pearson, Esq'r, for ditto, 21 Days, To Abel James, for his Services as Assistant Clerk, · To Do. for his Acco't of Postage of Letters in public 10 10 0 900 2 10 0 000 30 0 0 30 0 0 To Do. for Stationary for the use of the Gov'r Proclamations, &c, To Edward Duffield, for his Care of the State House To David Rittenhouse, for do. do. To Joseph Fox, Esq'r, his Salary as Barrack Master, To William Bowsman, his Salary as do. for Lancaster, To To Edmund Physick, Esq'r, as Keeper of the Great To William Parr, Esq'r, as Master of the Rolls, To Messrs. Hall & Sellers, for printing Laws, Procla To the Estate of David Hall, late Deceased, To Do. as Door keeper to the Council, 30 times @2s. 6, 3 15 0 25 9 7 228 To And'w M'Nair, for his Attendance as Doorkeeper to the House, & Disburs'ts, To Henry Miller for printing Votes, &c as Account 317 12 6 To Hugh & George Roberts, as p'r Acco't, To Israel Pemberton, his Acco't for Indian Expences, 10 10 9 To the Committee appointed to view the River Schuylkill, 20 Days @ 8s. p'r Diem, & Expences, To Joseph Ogden, as Acco't for Committee for viewing Schuylkill, To Samuel Taylor, for Bookbinding, To Jacob Myers, for Draughts of Bridges, &c. To the Overseers of the Poor of Philad'a for the Neutrals, 900 To Arthur Donaldson, for a Machine for cleaning To John Reed, for his Map of the City & Liberties To Richard Mason, for unspiking Cannon, To Do. for his Service as Paymaster, &c To William Dewees, Esquire, as Acco't, 16 7 6 To John Palmers, Acco't for Expences for the Commissioners appointed to view the River Schuylkill, To Caleb Parry, for ditto, To Shutes' Acco't for repairing the State House, To John Reed, as Acco't, Foo 16 9 0 877 4 1 0 34 15 41 15 1 6 4 17 9 7 6 0 0 20 0 0 To John Morton, Esq'r, for Postage of Letters, - To the Honorable John Penn, Esq'r, for Indian Expences, 75 0 0 75 0 0 - 100 0 0 The Board then resumed the Consideration of the Bill for the Support of the Government and payment of the public Debts, and there appearing no Objection to it, The Governor returned it to the Assembly by the Secretary with his Assent. Two Members of Assembly immediately afterwards waited on the Governor, and requested to know at what Time His Honor would be pleased to receive the House, in order to pass the Bill which had received his Assent; to which the Governor answered, that he would be in the Council Chamber in a Quarter of an Hour for that purpose. Eodem die, 12 o'clock. The Governor being in the Council Chamber, sent a Message to the Assembly by the Secretary, to acquaint them that he required their Attendance there, in order to enact into a Law the Bill to which he had given his Assent. The whole House immediately attended, and the Speaker presented to the Governor the following Bill, which His Honor enacted into a Law, and signed a Warrant for affixing the Great Seal thereto. The Law was afterwards sealed and deposited in the Rolls Office, and is entituled as follows, Viz" : "An Act for the Support of the Government of this Province, and Payment of the Public Debts." The Speaker then, in behalf of the House, presented the Governor with a Certificate for five hundred Pounds towards his Support, for which His Honor returned the House his Thanks. MEMORANDUM, 5th October, 1775. The Secretary having, by the Governor's Direction, prepared a Draft of a Proclamation, offering a Reward of fifty Pounds for apprehending and securing in some Gaol of this Province a certain Fleming Elliot, who stands charged with the Murder of John Faughnar, late of Chester County, Pedlar, pursuant to a Resolve of the House of the 30th of September last, requesting His Honor to issue one for that Purpose, the Governor this day issued the same accordingly, and ordered it to be published in the several News Papers. The said Proclamation follows in these words, viz": "By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Delaware: "A PROCLAMATION. "WHEREAS, I have received Information that on the Sixteenth day of last Month, a certain John Faughnar was robbed and inhumanly murdered on the Highway near the Red Lion, in Uwchland Township, in Chester County; And Whereas, a certain Fleming Elliot stands charged on Oath, with the perpetration of the said Robbery and Murder, and it is necessary for the safety and well being of His Majesty's Subjects, that the authors of such atrocious and inhuman Crimes should be brought to condign and exemplary punishment, I have thought fit, by and with the advice of the Council, to issue this, my Proclamation, hereby strictly enjoining and requiring all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Constables, and other Officers, as well as all other His Majesty's Subjects within this Province, to make diligent Search and enquiry after the said Fleming Elliot, and to use all possible Means for apprehending and securing him, that he may be proceeded against according to Law. "And I do hereby promise and engage that the Public Reward of Fifty Pounds shall be paid to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend and secure the said Fleming Elliot in one of His Majesty's Gaols of this Province, so that he be prosecuted to Conviction. "Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the fifth day of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, and in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. "By His Honour's Command. "JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun'" Secretary. "JOHN PENN. GOD SAVE THE KING." |
