The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, September 5th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CIARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Samuel Dean, Esquire, for twenty-five pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council until this day, inclusively.

The reports of the Comptroller General upon the following accounts for materials for houses at the Barracks in the Northern Liberties, sold May the 8th, 1784, were read and approved.

Of George Forepaugh, Matthew Clarkson, Christlieb Bartling, Quarrier and Hunter, John Keen, Nicholas Brooms, William Williams, Nicholas Ribbell, and Michael Groves.

The following draft of a message from the Vice President and Council to the General Assembly, was read and approved:

A Message from the Vice President and the Supreme Executive Council to the General Assembly:

GENTLEMEN:-Having observed with the greatest satisfaction, a revival of that spirit and those habits which have so highly distinguished the militia of this city and its vicinity, and wishing to give them such countenance as will most effectually tend to diffuse them throughout the State, we have, during your late recess, unanimously appointed Colonel Francis Mentges to the place of Inspector General. Under this appointment it will become his business to encourage and direct this rising disposition, to mark out and establish a uniformity of appearance and discipline in the several corps, to examine into the state of arms and accoutrements, and to notice and report all abuses of such public property as may fall within his care or observation. In executing this necessary and important trust, some expence must be incurred and much time given. 'Tis, therefore, the object of this message, to request that for these such compensation be made as the House in their wisdom will think proper to direct.

We take this opportunity of communicating also a letter of the twenty-third ult., from President Sullivan, containing several papers relating to the capture and condemnation of the brigantine

Susannah, &ca. And a letter of the 28th from Mr. Jay; and a proposition from the house of Coxe and Frazier, on the subject of

arms.

Council met.

CHARLES BIDDLE, V. P.

PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, September 6th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of James McCutcheon, for nineteen pounds seventeen shillings and six pence, for seven hundred and ninety five pounds of beef furnished to a number of the natives of China and India, under a resolution of Assembly dated the 5th of November, 1785.

A letter signed "John Franklin and John Jenkins, Agents for the claimants under Connecticut, now residing in and near Wyeming, and stating, that under the protection lately granted them by Council, they had now arrived in this city and wished the oppor tunity of laying their grievances before the Board," being read; an order was taken that agreeable to their request, they be admitted and heard, and that to-morrow 10 o'clock, be appointed for that purpose.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, September 7th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

Samuel Dean,

Henry Hill,

Stephen Balliet,

Jonathan Hoge,

John Boyd,

John Woods,

Isaac Meason,

John Neville,

William Brown,

James McLene, and Esquires.
John Whitehill,

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Captain James McLean, for ten pounds seven shillings, for his subsistence

for the months of July, August, and September, according to the Comptroller General's report.

Agreeably to the order of yesterday, Council proceeded to hear John Franklin and John Jenkins, Agents for the claimants under Connecticut, upon the subject of grievances alledged by the said claimants; and some time being spent therein, the further hearing was postponed until to-morrow at 11 o'clock in the forenoon.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Friday, September 8th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

A petition from a number of persons styling themselves "late Bettlers of Wyoming, under legal titles from Pennsylvania, but now expelled from their possessions by persons claiming under Connecticut," was read; and an order taken that the same be transmitted to the General Assembly, together with a letter in the following words, vizt:

To the Honorable the Speaker of the General Assembly.

SIR-Enclosed is a petition from a number of persons "styling themselves late settlers at Wyoming, under legal titles from Pennsylvania, but now expelled from their possessions by persons claiming under Connecticut."

It may also be proper to advise the House that the Agents of the claimants under Connecticut are now here, and wish to be heard by the Legislature.

I am Sir, with great regard,

Your most obedient humble servant,

CHARLES BIDDLE, V. P. COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philadelphia, 8th September, 1786.

The following draft of a proclamation was read and adopted, vizt:

By the Vice President and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Fennsylvania :

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS, By the examination of a negro boy named Jim, taken before the Honorable Francis Hopkinson, Esquire, Judge of the

Admiralty, it appears that on or about the fifteenth ult., a certain James Burn did feloniously run away with, and carry off the negro boy aforesaid, and a sloop called the Bumper, Simpson, master, the property of David King and William M'Dowal, of the Island of Antigua:

And whereas, It appears by the deposition of James Kennard, Pilot, taken as aforesaid, that on the 29th of August last, being near Lewistown, in the bay of Delaware, he found the sloop aforesaid at anchor, with the negro boy Jem on Board, (the said Burn having previously quitted the sloop and gone ashore :)

And whereas, It is of the utmost importance that the perpetra tor of such attrocious crimes be brought to condign punishment; we have thought fit to offer, and do hereby offer a public reward of one hundred dollars for the said James Burn, to any person who shall apprehend and secure him, to be paid on his conviction for the same: And all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs and Constables, are hereby strictly enjoined and required to make diligent search and enquiry after, and to use their utmost endeavors to apprehend and secure the said James Burn, his aiders, abettors and comforters, and every of them, so that they may be dealt with according to law.

Given in Council, under the hand of the Vice President and the seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eightysix.

CHARLES BIDDLE, V. P.

Attest-JOHN ARMSTRONG, Jun'r, Secretary.

GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH.

The Comptroller General's report upon the claim of Colonel James O'Hara, for depreciation upon his pay as late Commissary in the general hospital, was read and referred to the Attorney General for his opinion thereon.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Monday, September 11th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt:

In favor of the Honorable Henry Hill, Esquire, for twenty-four pounds, in full for attendance in Council untill the thirty-first day of August last, inclusively.

In favor of the Honorable Charles Biddle, Esquire, for eightythree pounds six shillings and eight pence, in full for two months salary due to him as Vice President of the State, ending the 10th instant.

In favor of Frederick Sneider, for thirty pounds, for purchasing firewood for the use of Council and the Secretary's office, for which sum he is to account.

The petition of Joseph Miller of Lancaster county, stating that by neglecting to enter 425 gallons of rum and 50 gallons of wine, in the office of Collector of Excise of Lancaster county, he hath incurred the forfeiture of the same, and is also subjected to the payment of a considerable fine, one-half to the use of the State, and the other half to the said Collector, and praying Council to remit such part of the said fine and forfeiture as belongs to the State, was read; and an order taken that the fine due to the State be remitted.

VOL. XV.-6.