RESOLUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1781. State of Pennsylvania Monday, 12th March, 1781. Whereas the Confederation of the United States is now happily compleated, and an opportunity is thereby offered to bring to final Settlement the long depending dispute between this State and that of Connecticut, Therefore Resolved, That it be recommended to the Supreme Executive Council to take all necessary and expeditious measures for the consideration and determination of the said 'dispute agreeable to the ninth Article of the Confederation of the United States. Directed, Extract from the Minutes, SAMUEL STERETT, Clerk.* His Excellency Jos. Reed, Esq., President, &c., of Pennsylvania. RESOLUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1781. State of Pennsylvania In General Assembly. Tuesday, 13th March, 1781. The Report of the Committee of accounts on the allowance to be made to the Commissioners for extending Mason & Dixon's Line, &c., was read the second time, Whereupon Resolved, that the sum of twenty shillings per Diem be paid to each of the Commissioners aforesaid during the time of their being employed in manner aforesaid, exclusive of all necessary contingent expenses which will be paid by the State. Extract from the minutes, SAMUEL STERETT, Clerk.t * See Col. Rec., Vol. XII., p. 657. RESOLUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1781. State of Pennsylvania In General Assembly. Tuesday, 13th March, 1781. The Report of the Committee appointed to confer with a Committee of Council respecting the Property of Hog Island in the River Delaware, recommitted on the 24th ult., was returned by the Committee and read, Whereupon Resolved, that the Supreme Executive Council be directed to prosecute the Claims of this State to the said Island as part of the forfeited estate of Joseph Galloway, an attainted Traitor. Sir, Extract from the minutes, SAMUEL STERETT, Clerk.* PRES. REED TO ASSEMBLY, 1781. We lately address'd you on the 'Subject of the Convention Prisoners-A matter which appeared to us of the greatest Importance to the peace & Interests of the State, & which we hoped would have engaged the Attention of the House of Assembly. As the movement of the British Prisoners has been founded on the Representation of the Legislative Power of Virginia & Maryland it appeared proper to oppose the like Weight to their remaining in this State. The Expence of these Troops we compute at £8,576 monthly, the furnishing of which cannot be delayed or dispensed with but at the Risque of the most alarming Consequences. If no Relief can be given on this Occasion we shall probably comply with the Direction of Congress as to the Places, only assigning Lancaster for the British & York for the Germans. We have hitherto delayed giving orders for the militia Guards or the providing these Troops, flattering ourselves that the Germans at least might be forwarded to some other State. We therefore request that if the House think it of Consequence they will immediately take it into Consideration, & for their Information we forward the last Letter received from the Board of War on the Subject. I am Sir, with due Respect & Consideration. Indorsed,-March 13, 1781. *See Col. Rec., Vol. XII, p. 661. Sir, PRES. REED TO WILLIAM HENRY, 1781. Your several Favours of the 3d & 7 & 12* Inst. have been received & would have been answered sooner but for my Indisposition. We are sorry to find the Officers of the Army decline accepting the two Dollars, as we hoped in their distressed State for Want of Pay & Necessaries that this Sum would not have been beneath their Notice. If as a Symptom of finding themselves in a more comfortable State of Finance we should rejoice to hear it, but if it is too little for the Officers we think it too much for the Serjeant. Mr. W.'s Conduct has been the Subject of much Consideration & we are partly determined to remove him, but the Difficulty is to appoint the Successor- -We really have a Reluctance to appoint Persons to Offices who have declined them in Days of Difficulty & are also disinclined to the Government, but if suitable Persons of another Character cannot be had we must appoint the others-You may depend upon it some Thing will be done shortly on this Subject. With Respect to the Guard at the Magazines we supposed the Property to be of the United States, & have accordingly made strong Representations to the Board of War, accompanied with an Extract from your Letter & also from Col. Hubley on that Subject-As soon as any Determination is had we will let you know. As Col. Atlee is now going home we hope he will put his Lieutenants Accounts in such Train as that you may receive the Money which may be due the Publick from that Quarter. We are most exceedingly distressed for Want even of small Sums, the Treasury being deplorably low & not in any likely Way to be recruited very soon. You may depend upon it that no Use will be made of your Name in any Proceedings which respect Mr. W. We are very apprehensive that Congress will order the Convention Prisoners to the Number of 2500 or 3000 to be stationed at Lancaster & York. We have wrote to our Delegates & done every Thing in our Power to prevent it, but we fear with little Effect. A Representation from the Inhabitants of Lancaster to their Members of Assembly would probably have a good Effect if the Measure appears to them disadvantageous to the State in general or the Town in particular. I am Sir, your Obed. Hbble. Ser. P. S. You will please to pay the Recruits their second Bounty as it becomes due, Council having given Directions for that Purpose which we hoped you had received. Indorsed, March 13, 1781. * See Vol. VIII, pages 754, 761, Sir, BOARD OF WAR TO PRES. REED, 1781. War Office, March 13, 1781. The Board have been honoured with your Excellency's Letter of yesterday. We shall send for Col. Procter & examine into the Affair of the Boy whose Case you have been pleased to mention. By the Articles of War the Col. or commanding Officer of the Regiment is the proper Person to grant Discharges. We could have wished that the Gentlemen who undertook the Business of the Pennsilvania Line had determined this Matter, as it seems in its Nature to be similar to the Cases they have already decided upon. We are daily applied to by Soldiers who wish to have Discharges on one pretence or other, & are fearful of beginning the Practice of granting them, as we do not know how far it may lead. We shall not however be inattentive to your Recommendation, to which we wish to pay every Respect. A very considerable Time ago we ordered the Dragoons of Col. Moylan's Regiment to take the Guard at Lancaster of the Magazine & publick Stores, & are at a Loss to know why our Orders were not complied with. The Stores & Ammunition are by no Means so considerable as the Inhabitants represent, but some Attention should be paid to them, & we thought we had provided for their Security by ordering the Guard before mentioned. We shall call upon the Commanding Officer to know the Reasons of his Failure to put our Directions into Execution. We are not a little uneasy under the Situation of the Affairs of the Convention Prisoners who must e'er this, be far advanced on their Way to this State. It does not appear that Congress have made any Alteration in their first Determination upon this Subject, nor is it likely they will supercede their former Resolve, as we understand the Committee to whom the Matter was referred have reported that the Measures recommended therein should be persued. Taking it therefore for granted that the first Resolve will stand, we beg that Council will be pleased to adopt the proper Measures for sustaining & guarding these Prisoners at such Places as they shall deem most convenient in this State. The Artificers being at Carlisle we hope that Place will not be thought of, as we are preparing for vigorously carrying on the several Branches of Business necessary for the ensuing Campaign. These Preparations would have been now far advanced had it been in our Power to have kept the Men at Work, which could not be done for Want of Provisions & Money. Whatever Derangements or Disadvantages the Post at Carlisle labours under, it is the chief Dependance we have for the Preparation of Ordnance Stores. We conceive that at least four hundred Rank & File of Militia, properly officered, will be necessary as Guards on a Supposition that one Division of the Prisoners is kept at Lancaster, where they may be guarded by about one hundred & fifty Men. The Magazine at that Place should then be also guarded by the Militia. We know not in what Situation the Barracks at Lancaster are but presume if the Prisoners are to be there Council will be pleased to direct them to be put in Order at the Expence of the United States. Altho' at the Close of the Resolve of Congress on this Subject it should seem that this Board are to take Measures for providing Guards & Supplies for the Prisoners; we think it necessary to inform that we have no other Means in our Power than by calling on your Excellency & the Houble Council for Militia as Guards & for Supplies of Provisions in Part of the Quota requested by Congress of the State. When the Prisoners arrive we shall appoint an Officer to superintend them & see that due Order is preserved & the Supplies properly distributed. Sir, PRES. REED TO COL. ADAM HUBLEY, 1781. March 14, 1781. Your Favour of the 34 Inst. has been duly received-inclosed you have the Resolutions of Council with Respect to the Volunteers, to whom you will observe that the Pay is due from the United States & that the Soldiers who are engaged for the War & served during the same Period have not yet received theirs. Col. Atlee being now returned we hope you will be able to get the Business of the Lieutenants in Train, so as to have all due Arrangements made-This will be the more necessary if the Convention Prisoners should be brought into this State as proposed, Lancaster & York being the Places thought of for their Reception. We have wrote to the Board of War respecting the Magazine, for as the Property is of the United States, we think it quite sufficient to find the Building without adding the Expence of a constant Guard. As soon as the Answer is received will let you know. Council would have you bring down the Arms &c. from Cox's Town, & have them put in Order as soon as possible. |