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The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, October 30th, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President. The Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President. Honorable James Irvine,

John McDowell,

George Wall, Jun'r, Esquires.

Samuel J. Atlee,

A letter from Adam Hubley, Esquire, soliciting the permission of this Board to resign his appointment of Lieutenant of Lancaster county, was read, and his resignation accepted.

A letter from John Gloningher, praying the reversion of Colonel Hubley's late appointment, was read.

1788.

See 20th Nov.,

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Friday, October 31st, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President.
The Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.
George Wall, Jun'r, Esquires.

The Honorable James Irvine,

John McDowell, Samuel J. Atlee,

The resignation of John Clark, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace for the county of Bucks, was read and accepted.

The petition of Henry Dyerman, convicted of selling spirituous liquors contrary to law, was read, and the fine adjudged to the use of the State remitted.

Upon consideration,

Resolved, That Dorsey Pentecost, Esquire, be appointed a Judge in and President of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Washington.

Resolved, That a similar commission shall issue to Alexander McClean, Esquire, for the county of Fayette.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable John McDowell, for the sum of fifty-eight pounds five shillings specie, in full of his pay as a Councillor till this day, inclusively, and his mileage.

Mr. Hannum and Mr. McPherson, a Committee from the General Assembly, attended, and informed the Council that the House was now met, and ready to receive any business Council might have to lay before them.

Upon which the following message, accompanied by sundry original papers, was presented by the Secretary.

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

GENTLEMEN :-The Secretary will lay before you a letter from the President of Congress of the second instant, letters from the Delegates of this State of the twenty-fifth and twenty-eighth of last month, and of the second and twenty-fourth of this, with our answer to that of the twenty-eighth, and also letters from Messieurs Patterson and Meade, and one from Captain Schrawder.

By the answer just mentioned, you will perceive the steps we have taken in pursuance of the resolution of the General Assembly at the last session, of the twenty-fifth of September, respecting Indian affairs.

The late election in Northumberland has been so irregular, that we have not issued a commission to any person as Sheriff of that county, nor have we determined which of the gentlemen returned as Councillors shall take his seat at our Board. We did not chuse to make a hasty decision, and as double returns were made to us of members of Assembly, we were desirous of avoiding an encrease of expence, and at the same time of corresponding as much as possible with your Honorable House in the measures to be adopted for obtaining proper evidence.

Some directions should be given concerning the public storehouse at Lancaster, and the Barracks there, and those near this city, and we should be glad if you would be pleased to consider to what use they can now be applied most advantageously for the State.

Gentlemen, as the Pennsylvania line have, with a virtue and fortitude that are an honor to their country, so highly contributed to the establishment of the freedom, peace, and sovereignty which this Commonwealth now enjoys, and it becomes a just and grateful people to acknowledge and reward eminent benefits, we wish the thanks of the State might be given to them for their faithful services; and we are convinced that a declaration of the public sentiment and esteem, authenticated and dignified by the approbation and concurrence of your Honorable Body, would afford them a most sincere satisfaction. JOHN DICKINSON.

COUNCIL CHAMBER, Philadelphia, October 31st, 1783.

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The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, November 1st, 1783.

PRESENT:

The Honourable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.
The Hon'ble James Irvine,
Samuel J. Atlee,

George Wall, Junior, John M'Dowell, & Esq'rs.

Mr. Clark, Mr. Evans, and Mr. M'Pherson, a Committee of the House, attended in Council, and a conference was had upon the time when the election of the President and Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council should take place, and the manner in which it should be conducted.

Upon which it was ordered that Thursday next shall be the day of election, and the usual mode of procession be adopted on this

occasion.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Frederick Sneider, for fifteen pounds, being his wages as Doorkeeper from the first till the thirty-first of October, 1783.

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The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Monday, November 3rd, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President.
The Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.

The Honorable Samuel J. Atlee, James Irvine, and Esquires.

John M'Dowell,

Mr. Balliot, of Northampton county, attending in Council, took the oaths of qualification for a seat at this Board.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Honor. able John Montgomery, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred and sixty-three pounds ten shillings specie, in full for his attendance in Congress from the fifteenth of July till the first day of November, 1783, inclusively.

The Vice President and Mr. Atlee are named to the Board of Property which sits this morning.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 4th, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President.

Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.

James Irvine,
John M'Dowell,

Stephen Balliott,
Samuel J. Allee, Esquires.

The memorial of Mr. du Ponceau, praying to be appointed to the place of Notary Public, &ca., &ca, lately held by Paul Fooks, deceased, was read. A number of certificates in support of Mr. du Ponceau's pretensions, were also read.

A recommendation of James Ross, Esquire, to the office of Lieutenant, lately held by Colonel Adam Hubley, was read and postponed for censideration.

The petitions of John Foster and James Kelly, convicted of larceny, in the late sessions of the City Court, with the recommendations of the Magistracy, &ca., &ca., annexed, were read and postponed for consideration.

The petition of Daniel Clymer, Esquire, praying to be appointed Naval Officer, was read.

The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, November 5th, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President.
The Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel J. Atlee, and 7

The Hon'ble James Irvine,

George Wall, Junior, Stephen Balliot,

John M'Dowell,

Esq'rs.

The petition of Matteo Brattelli, a prisoner under sentence of death, was read.

A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi dent, to Andrew Boyd, for two tracts of land late of Curtis Lewis, an attainted traitor, one containing two hundred and thirty-five acres and eighteen perches, and the other containing one hundred and fifty-four acres; situate in East Caln township, in the county of Chester: Seized and sold, agreeably to law, for twenty-two thousand pounds Continental money. Deed dated this day.

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The Council met.

PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 6th, 1783.

PRESENT:

His Excellency JOHN DICKINSON, Esquire, President.
The Honorable JAMES EWING, Esquire, Vice President.
Samuel J. Atlee, and

The Hon'ble James Irvine,

George Wall, Junior, Stephen Balliot,
John McDowell,

Esq'rs.

The Comptroller's report upon the quarterly account of John Armstrong, Junior, Esquire, as Secretary of Council, was read and approved.

The petitions of John Foster and James Kelly, were read the second time, and order taken upon them, vizt: that the cropping, which is part of their sentence, be remitted.

Upon consideration,

Resolved, That Peter S. Du Ponceau, Esquire, agreeably to his petition of yesterday, be appointed to succeed the late Paul Fooks, Esquire, in the offices of Notary Public, and sworn Interpreter of ye English, French, Italian, and Spanish languages.

The Clerk of the General Assembly attending in Council, informed the Board that the House was now ready to proceed to the election of a President and Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council, agreeably to the order of Friday last.

Resolved, That the President and Council do immediately repair to the Assembly room, and there proceed to the intended election. A meeting was had in consequence of this resolution, the Secretary of Council and Clerk of the Assembly proceeded to take the votes for a President and Vice President; upon which it appeared that John Dickinson, Esquire, was unanimously elected President, and James Ewing, Esq'r, was unanimously elected Vice President. A declaration of the election was then made and signed, as follows, vizt:

To all People to whom these presents shall come or may concern. The General Assembly and Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania send greeting:

Know ye, that we, the Representatives of the freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, in the State House at Philadelphia, together with the President, Vice President, and other members of the Supreme Executive Council of the same Commonwealth, in the same place convened, to elect a President and Vice President of the said Commonwealth, have, agreeably to the directions of the nineteenth section of the Constitution of the said Commonwealth, duly and fairly elected and chosen,

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