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 recommend 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 the money and make their annual Payments with little Trouble and expence, 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 expence 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 calculated 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 oblidge 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 inconveniencies,' 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 neighbouring 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 Honour 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 approbation.

"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 in 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 on the Present Plan of the Bill, in hope that on Consideration of them they will have their due Weight with the Governor.

"March 17th, 1772."

"JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker.

Friday 20th of March, 1772, A. M.

Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor, and acquainted him that the House, intending to adjourn to-morrow, requested he would be pleased to appoint in the meantime two Members of Council to join with two Members of Assembly in Comparing the Engrossed Copies of the Bills which have been agreed to with their Originals; His Honor reply'd that he would Comply with their Request.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday 20th March, 1772.

PRESENT:

The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Govvernor &c.

Benjamin Chew,

Edward Shippen, jun"} Esquires.

The Governor laid before the Board a Bill entituled "An Act for laying out Roads and highways within this Province," which was read, and it being found to contain a Clause repealing that part of an Act of Assembly passed in the 12th year of the Reign of William the third, entituled "An Act to Impower the Justices in each County to Lay out and Confirm all Roads except the King's Highways and Public Roads, which impowers the Governor and Council to lay out public roads in this Province, it was returned to

the House by the Secretary, with a Message that the Governor could not agree to pass it into a Law.

Then was Read and Considered a Bill entituled "An Act for the Relief of Richard Stephens with respect to the Imprisonment of his Person, which was agreed to and returned to the House with the Governor's assent.

A Committee of two Members of Assembly then waited on the Governor, and presented him for Concurrence two Bills entituled "An Act for Confirming the Estate of Samuel Phipps in and to Certain Lands in the Township of Goshen in the County of Chester;" and "An Act to declare and make void the pretended Marriage of Rebecca Vanakin with a Certain John Martin, and for other purposes therein mentioned," both which was read, and there appearing no objection to the first mentioned Bill, it was returned to the Assembly with the Governor's assent, and the latter was refered to for further Consideration To-morrow.

The same Committee acquainted the Governor that the House proposed to adjourn to the 18th of May next, if His Honour had no objection thereto, and also Requested the Governor would be pleased to appoint a time for passing the Bills for which he had given his assent. The Governor answered that he had no Objection to their proposed Adjournment, and that he should be ready to pass the Bills at 12 o'Clock to-morrow.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday 21st March, 1772.

PRESENT =

The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c.

Lynford Lardner,
Benjamin Chew,
Edward Shippen, jun

James Tilghman,
Andrew Allen,

Esquires.

The Board resumed the Consideration of the Bill for declaring and making void the Pretended Marriage of Rebecca Vanakin with a Certain John Martin, &ca., and the Secretary was directed to deliver a Verbal Message to the Assembly, that the Governor thought proper to keep it under Consideration till their next sitting.

Council Chamber, Saturday 21st March, 1 o'clock, P. M.

Mr. Edward Shippen, Mr. Allen, and the Secretary, having Compar'd the several Engrossed Bills with their Originals and found them

to agree, The Governor sent a Message to the Assembly by the Secretary, requiring their attendance, that he might enact into Laws the several Bills which had received his assent. The House accordingly attended, and the Speaker presented to the Governor twenty nine Bills, which His Honour enacted into Laws, and signed a warrant for affixing the Great Seal to them. The Laws were afterwards Deposited in the Rolls Office, and are entituled as follows, Viz':

"An Act for the support of the Government of this Province, making the Excise upon wine, rum, Brandy, and other Spirits more Equal, and preventing Frauds in the Collecting and paying the said Excise."

"An Act for vesting a certain tract of 450 acres of Land, situate in Frederick township, in the County of Philadelphia, commonly called the Perkioming Copper mine tract, in trustees to be sold, and for other purposes therein mentioned."

"An Act for opening and better amending and keeping in Repair the Public Roads and highways within this Province."

"An Act for the sale of Goods distrained for Rent, and to sesure such Goods to the Person destraining the same, for the better security of Rents, and for other purposes therein mentioned."

"An Act to prevent Frauds and abuses in the Manufacturing of Leather."

"An Act for regulating Chimney Sweepers within the City of Philadelphia, the district of Scuthwark, and the Township of the Northern Liberties."

"An Act for Preventing Frauds and Perjuries."

"An Act for Granting to his Majesty the Sum of Four thousand Pounds, for the purposes therein mentioned."

"An Act to regulate the Assize of Bread, and for other Purposes therein mentioned."

"An Act to enable William Kemble of the City of Philadel phia, taylor, to hold lands, and to invest him with the Privileges of a natural born Subject of this Province."

"An Act for the recovery of divers sums of Money from the Persons therein Ment."

"An Act for rendering Justices of the Peace more safe in the Execution of their office, and for indemnifying Constables and others in acting in Obedience to their Warrants."

"An Act to enable the Commissioners therein named to settle the accounts of the managers of a Lottery, set up and drawn for repairing the meeting House, and building or repairing the House for the Residence of the Minister of the Presbeterian Congregation of Newtown, in the County of Bucks, and to sue for and Recover such sums of money as remain due and unpaid on account of the said lottery."

"An Act to enable the owners of y. Lands called the Pidgeon Swamp, in the Township of Bristol, in the County of Bucks, to

dig, maintain, and keep open a ditch through the said Swamp, and to raise money to defray the expence thereof."

"A Supplement to the act entituled An Act for the advancement of Justice and more Certain administration thereof."

"An Act for explaining and better ascertaining the Boundary lines of the County of Bedford.”

"An Act for the more easy recovery of Legacies."

"An Act to enable the owners and possessors of a Certain Tract of Meadow Land, situate in the Borough of Chester, in the County of Chester, to keep their Dams, banks, Sluices, and flood-gates in good Repair."

"An Act to dissolve the Marriage of George Kehmle, of the City of Philadelphia, Barber, with Elizabeth his wife, late Elizabeth Miller, and to enable him to Marry again."

"An Act for confirming the Estate of Adam Simon Kuhn, in and to a Certain lot of Ground in the borough of Lancaster, one of the Title Deeds whereof is lost."

"A Supplement to the Act entituled 'An Act against adultery and Fornication.""

"An Act for the Relief of such persons as Conscientiously Scruple the taking of an Oath in the Common Form."

"An Act for erecting a part of the Counties of Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, Northampton, and Bedford, into a Separate County." "An Act for raising a fund to pay the damages done by Dogs in the City and County of Philadelphia, and the County of Bucks." "An Act for the safe keeping and preserving the Records and other Public papers of the County of Bucks."

"An Act for the Relief of William Faries, John Gillard, Charles Hicks, and John Reynolds, languishing Prisoners in the Goal of Philadelphia, and William Bennet and Felix M'Cowan, languishing prisoners in the Goal of York County, with respect to the Imprisonment of their Persons."

"An Act for Confirming the Estates of John Pawling, Joseph Pawling, Abraham Sahler, Peter Reimer, Bernard Kepler, and Andrew Heiser, in and to Certain lands in the County of Chester."

"An Act for Confirming the Estates of Samuel Phipps, in and to Certain Lands in the township of Goshen, in the County of Chester."

"An Act for the Relief of Richard Stephens, with respect to the Imprisonment of his Person."