The fine imposed upon Hannah Harris, upon conviction of a misdemeanor, in receiving stolen goods, knowing them to be such, was remitted; and an order taken that she be released from confinement upon payment of her fees.

The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt:

In favor of John Nicholson, Esquire, for one hundred and twenty-five pounds, for defraying the contingent expences of his office, for which sum he is to be accountable.

In favor of Andrew Ellicott, Esquire, for three hundred and sixtyfive pounds twelve shillings and six pence, in full of his account for his pay as a Commissioner for running and ascertaining the Northern boundary of this Commonwealth, according to the Comptroller General's report.

In favor of John Nicholson, Esquire, for two hundred pounds, being one quarter's salary due to him as Comptroller General, and ending the 13th of October last.

In favor of James Chandler, for forty-eight pounds, in full of his acco't for riding express from Wilmington to Chester, and from Wilmington to Cantwell's bridge. sundry times, on public business, in the years 1776 and 1777, according to the Comptroller General's report.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Friday, November 10th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

Two orders were drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable George Bryan, Esquire, for two pounds twelve shillings and six pence in bills of credit, in pursuance of the resolution of Congress of 18th of March, 1780, and the other for seven pounds ten shillings in State money, dated the 7th of April, 1781, being ballances due upon a settlement of the account of the Trustees of State (late Province) Island, according to the Comptroller General's report.

In favor of William Gilleland, for one hundred and thirty-three pounds ten shillings and four penee State money, in full for principal and interest due upon his certificates for two horses furnished for public service, according to the Comptroller General's report, and a resolution of Assembly dated 8 April, 1782.

In favor of Samuel Dale, Esquire, for eight pounds fifteen shillings, in full of his account for seven days going to and coming from Wioming, on public business, by order of Council, according to the Comptroller General's report.

The Council met.

PHILADELP'A, Saturday, November 11th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

An order was drawn upon the Treasury in favor of the Honorable Jonathan Hoge, Esquire, for eight pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance until the 12th of November, 1786, inclusively.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Monday, November 13th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

Henry Hill,

Samuel Dean,

James McLene,

William McClay, and
John Smilie,

and}:

Esquires.

The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt: In favor of Clement Biddle, Esquire, for seventy-seven pounds sixteen shillings and three pence, amount of his account for rations furnished to the Invalid corps, in the months of August, September, and October, 1786, according to the Comptroller General's report and an Act of Assembly dated the 22nd of September, 1785.

In favor of George Pearson, for thirty-two pounds ten shillings, for making a new roof for the Committee room of the State House, under a contract with the General Assembly of the 27th of September, 1786, according to the Comptroller General's report.

The fine imposed upon John Besler, on conviction of horse stealing in the county of Berks, was remitted.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 14th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire. Vice President.

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

Henry Hill,

Samuel Dean,

James McLane,

William McClay,

John Smilie, and Esquires.
Peter Muhlenberg,

On the letter from Messieurs Samuel Caldwell and John Barclay, Ordered, That William Bradford, Jun'r, Jonathan Dickinson Serjeant, and Edward Tilghman, Esquires, be employed as counsel in behalf of the Commonwealth, in the cause now depending between Thomas Proctor, Esquire, and the State, respecting the right to Hogg Island.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Henry Hill, Esquire, for twenty pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council until the 31st of October last, inclusively.

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

A message from the President and the Supreme Executive Council to the General Assembly.

GENTLEMEN:-The following subjects have presented themselves to us as important, and are submitted to your consideration.

By a report of the 4th of October, from Messieurs Porter and McClean, we are informed, that the business upon which they were employed is now finished, and that the Western line of this State extends some distance into Lake Erie.

The advantages which may result to the public from this circumstance, if well understood and properly improved, have led us to suggest the expediency of setting off and reserving to the use of thi Commonwealth a tract of land, of such shape and dimensions as all take in all those parts of the Lake falling within our limits.

By a law passed on the 16th day of September, 1785, the 10th day of April next has been made the period for compleating all tithes to lands held by location, or other office right, obtained before the 10th day of September, 1776, and yet remaining unpatented. On this we would state our information, that the indulgence offered by this law has been seldom used, and our belief, that notwithstanding the wishes of the people to accommodate, it will, eventually, meet with but little compliance. Should the penal part of it be strictly observed, it is hard to say what evils it might originate, or where they would cease. The presumption is, that they would be many and extensive; and, in this event, we need scarcely suggest how much safer and better it would be to alter the law, than to risk the experiment. Another objection to the law, as it now stands, will arise from the mode prescribed for its execution. By reference to an Act of Assembly passed the 9th day of April, 1781, the Land Officers are directed to make out and transmit "to the respective County Commissioners, list of delinquents for purchase money and interest, or arrearages of purchase money and interest, in their 'counties, respectively, upon which lists the Commissioners are required to issue their Warrants of Sale, &ca. ;" but from a view of the Land Office books, it appears that all accounts are in the names of the original warrantees, who in many instances are dead, and who in others have transferred the property, whence it must follow that these lists cannot be made a directory for the processes to be instituted. Under these circumstances, two expedients offer, which in our opinion, obviate all objection, and make compliance easy. The first of these is, to extend the term given for compleating titles; the other, to make all funded certificates of the State receiveable at the Land Office, for every description of debt due therein. To the former no objection has occurred, and to the latter such only as may be drawn from the law entituled "An Act for emitting the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, &ca. ;" and which may be easily and fairly removed by commuting the fund. To this, we would only add, that we cannot enter into cither the justice or policy of keeping a resource of so much promise as the arrearages are stated to be, exclusively charged with the redemption of a sum which does not, in fact, amount to more than sixty-five thousand pounds, when, if made immediately to operate upon the certificates of the State, they would, soon and necessarily, absorb a much greater proportion of our debt. Number one of the papera inclosed, will illustrate this caloulation.

Our duty has occasionally led us to enquire into the sales of land within the new or last Indian purchase, and it is with some regret, that we find ourselves able to assure you, that they fall far short of every hope and calculation that we had entertained concerning them. This failure we attribute to the high and very unequal price set upon the land. To liberate this fund, therefore, from is present inactivity, and make it as productive as we had originally expected,

we think it only necessary that the price of the land be lowered. The nearer it can be brought to that of the old purchase the better.

We are of opinion the reserved tract opposite to Pittsburgh, should now be sold, and that if divided into small lots, for the accommodation of the town, it would sell to the greatest advantage. We enclose the petitions of John Sharp and Anthony Selin. B. FRANKLIN.

An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Charles Biddle, Esquire, for eighty-three pout is six shillings and eight pence, in full for two months salary as Vice President, due and ending the 10th instant.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 16th, 1786.

PRESENT:

The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President.

Henry Hill,

Samuel Dean,

James McLene,

William McClay,

John Smilie, and Esquires.
Peter Muhlenberg,

The fine imposed upon George Davis, of Dauphine county, on his conviction for horse stealing, was remitted.

Thomas Grant, Esquire, was commissioned Sheriff, and John Scott, Esquire, Coroner, for the county of Northumberland.

The Comptroller's report upon the accounts of Stephen Bowen, Lewis Grenow, and John Traynor, for transporting militia baggage in 1781, was read and approved, and orders drawn in favor of said Bowen, for the sum of ten pounds ten shillings, and in favor of Grenow and Traynor for ten pounds.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable William McClay, Esquire, for twenty-six pounds five shillings, in full for his attendance in Council until the 16th instant, inclusively, and his mileage.