Leeward Islands, Occasioned by the late dreadful Hurricane, and warmly recommending it to the Merchants and others of this City and Province to afford them assistance and Relief, by dispatching Vessels with Provisions and such other articles as were necessary to supply their immediate Wants. A Draught of a Proclamation was drawn at the Table and ordered to be published in the Publick papers, and it follows in these words, Viz1: "By the Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware: "A PROCLAMATION. "WHEREAS, his Excellency Sir Ralph Payne, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over all his Majesty's Leeward Charibbee Islands in America, by his letter of the fourteenth of September last, hath informed me that on Monday the thirty-first of August last, it pleased the Almighty to visit the Island of Antigua, and all the other Islands of his Government, with a Hurricane, more violent and dreadful than perhaps ever before happened in the Memory of Man, and (as he believed) unparalleled in its Effects by any Recorded in the Annals of History; That the scene of Ruin and Desolation which that event had laid, as well over the face of the Country, as in all their Roads and Harbours, where most if not all the shipping had Perished, was not to be described; but that the Terrors of the Storm were Scarcely superior to the Miseries of its Consequences, and among the other dreadful Shapes in which those already appeared, was the Melancholy Prospect of an approaching Famine, unless that terrible disaster was averted by the early arrival of Provisions from the Continent of America; that the Legislature of the said Island of Antigua had come to the Resolution of dispatching Vessels to the neighbouring Collonies, from whence Such Succour might be expected; and on that account, he hath been pleased to request of me that I would Contribute my best assistance to relieve their Distresses, by making their Distresses known throughout my Government, and be promoting a Commerce with them at this time, which is immediately and indispensably Essential to their very Existence. Wherefore, being most sincerely affected with the Distresses of our fellow Subjects in the said Islands, and anxious that no time may be lost in relieving them from their Calamitious Situation, I have thought proper, by the advice of the Council, to Issue this Proclamation, not only to make their necessities known to the Good People under my Government, but most earnestly to Recommend it to them, and more particularly to the Merchants and Traders, to give immediate assistance to the afflicted Inhabitants of the said Islands, by dispatching Vessels there with Provisions, and such other necessaries as they may be supposed to be most in want of. "Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the ninth day of October, in the twelfth year of his Majesty's Reign, and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two. "By his Honour's Command. "RICHARD PENN. "GOD SAVE THE KING." The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for Northumberland and Bedford Counties being now made, the following persons were appointed and Commissionated as Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties where they respectively reside, Viz": Samuel Hunter. Names of Counties. Officers. Names of Officers. Sheriff's Sureties. Bedford, Council Chamber, Memorandum, the 15th of October, 1772. A Committee of the Assembly waited on the Governor yesterday, and acquainted him that pursuant to the Charter and Laws of this Province, a Quorum of the Representatives had met, and had proceeded to Chuse their Speaker, and desired to know when his Honour would be pleased to receive the House, that he might be presented for his Honour's Approbation. The Governor having appointed this day, at twelve o'clock, for that purpose, acquainted the House, by the Secretary, that he attended his appointment in the Council Chamber, and was ready to receive the House with their Speaker. The whole House waited on the Governor, and presented Joseph Galloway, Esquire, as their Speaker, who, after receiving the Governor's Approbation, claimed the usual Privileges in the name and behalf of the House, to which the Governor Replied that he thought those privileges essentially requisite in a Representative Body, and he should be careful to protect the House in the full enjoyment of them. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday 16th of October, 1772. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, Esquires. Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor, and acquainted him that the House proposed to adjourn to the 4th day of January next, if his Honor had no Objection thereto, to which the Governor replied that he had no Objection to their proposed Adjournment, but that he had something to lay before the House, which he should Communicate to them Immediately by a Messuage. The Secretary was then ordered to deliver the following Verbal Message to the House, with Sir Ralph Payne's letter therein refer red to: "Sir: "The Governor commands me to lay before the House a Letter he received a few days ago from Sir Ralph Payne, Captain General and Governor-in-chief of the Leeward Islands, acquainting him with the Extream Distress the Inhabitants of the said Islands are reduced to, occasioned by a most Violent Hurricane in the month of August last, and to inform the House that if they are disposed to take any Measures for their Relief, he will most Chearfully Concur with them therein. "October 16th, 1772." MEMORANDUM, the 17th October, 1772. Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor, and delivered him the following Verbal Message from the House, in answer to his Message to them of yesterday: "Sir: "We are Commanded by the House to inform the Governor, in answer to his Verbal Message of this Morning, that they have taken into their Consideration the Letter from Sir Ralph Payne, Captain General and Governor-in-Chief of the Leeward Islands, and very sincerely commisserate the extream distress the Inhabitants of those Islands are reduced to by the late violent Hurricane; but as they find that your Honour has wisely pursued the most proper Measure to relieve them, by your late Proclamation in their behalf, and that, in Consequence thereof, a number of Vessels with Provisions and other Necessaries have already sailed, and more will soon be ready to depart from this Port for those Islands, the House have no doubt but the unhappy Sufferers will be relieved, and the Good intention of Sir Ralph Payne's Letter effectually answered by those means. At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Monday 23d November, 1772. PRESENT: The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Govnor, &c. Benjamin Chew, 7 James Tilghman, Esquires. The Governor laid before the Board the Transcript of two Records of Conviction, by which it appears that at the last Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Goal delivery, held at Philadelphia for the County of Philadelphia, Michael Magary and Thomas McFeteridge, both of the said County of Philadelphia, Labourers, were severally tried for and Convicted of Felony and Burglary, and have each of them received Sentence of death for the same. The said Records being taken into Consideration, and the Jurors having petitioned the Governor in Behalf of each of the above-mentioned Criminals, and recommended them as proper Objects of Mercy, his Honour, with the advice of the Board, was pleased to order a Pardon to be made out for each of them, under the Great Seal of the Province. Then was read the Transcript of a Record of the last Court of Oyer and Terminer held in New Castle County, by which it appears that John Keener, of the said County of New Castle, was tryed for and convicted of Felony and Burglary, and hath received Sentence of Death for the same; but the Governor of the said Court having recommended him to the Governor for Mercy, His Honor, with the advice of the Board, was pleased to order a Pardon to be made out for him also, under the Great Seal of the Province. At a Council held at Philadelphia on Thursday 26th November, 1772. PRESENT: The Honorable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c. Richard Peters, Esquires. William Logan, James Tilghman, Joseph Peepy, and another Delaware Indian came to Town last week, from the Ohio, with a Message from Netattwallaman, or new Comer, Chief of the Delawares on the Ohio, which Jo Peepy delivered to the Governor, with a String and Belt of Wampum, on the 19th Instant, in the following words, Viz" : "Brothers and Friends: "I have been often told that there is a great King over the Great Waters. "Brothers and Friends: "I am ready to go over the Great Waters to see that Great King. Now Brother Governor and Friends, I desire you to prepare a Ship for me next Spring. I am your Brother and I am your friend, and I hope we shall soon be united together." The Governor having since taken the said Message into Consideration, returned the following answer thereto, by the advice of the Council, Viz": "Brother Netattawalaman : "I received Your Message by Jos. Peepy, and have considered it well. I have been looking over what past between us last Spring was twelve Months. You then mentioned to me the same business you have now repeated by Jos. Peepy; You may remember I then told you that Sir William Johnson was appointed by the Great King, my Master, to confer with and advise all our Brethren, the Indians, in any matters of Importance; all Indians know this Well. I then recommended you to go to him and Inform him of your Intentions of going over to England to see the Great King, and tell him what you had particularly to say to him. You have not informed me by Jo. Peepy, whether you follow'd my advice in going to Sir William, and if you did, what passed between him and you. When I hear this I shall be better able to Judge of this Important Matter, and give you my Sentiments and advice thereon; at present I can only once more request, if you have not already been to Sir William Johnson, that you would go to him and lay this matter before him to consider of, and know his mind thereon, before you determine to go over Sea. When you have done this, I shall be ready to hear what you may have further to say to me, and do every thing in my power to please and Serve you in this or any other affair." Delivered a String of Wampum. "Dear Brother Governor : "I have considered very well at my Council Fire of what you said in your answer to the Message I sent you by Killbuck, respecting my design of going over the Great Waters to see the Great King, and I cannot agree to what you then recommended to me of going to Sir William Johnson to consult him upon that Business. You know there was formerly a Council Fire established at Philadelphia by our forefathers, where we have always been since used to do all our Business with our Brethren the English; and I do not think it necessary at this time for me to give myself the Trouble of |