The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-12-04 00:00:00, page 2

PHILADELPHIA.
EXTR ICTS from the Journals of Congress.
September 24, 1779-
ONGRESS took into consideration the refolutiqns
( reported from the Committee of toe whole, which
agreed to, as follows: , ,
Whereas on the firft day of June last Congress, by a
certain resolution reciting “ That whereas divers applica
tions had been made to Congress on the part of the State
of New-York, and of the S^atecf New-Hampshire, re
lativeto disturbances and animosities among inhabitants of
a certain diftrid known by the name of the New- Hamp
shire Grants," praying their interference for quieting there
of did resolve, “ Tnata Committee be appointed to re
'ir to the New-Hampshire Grants, and enquire into the
reasons why they refufe to continue citizens of the respec
tive Sates, which heretofore exerciied jurifdi&ion over
the said diftria : For that as Congress are in duty bound
on the one hand to preserve inviolate the rights of the se
veral Stites, so on the other they will always be careful to
provide ' that the justice due to the Stites does not inter
fere with the justice which may be due to individuals :
That the said Committee confer with the said inhabitants
and that they take every prudent measure to promote an a
micable fettlemcnt of all differences and prevent divisions
and animosities so prejudicial to the United States :” And
did farther resolve, " That the farther consideration of
this fubjed be postponed untilthe said Committee shall
have made report c r
And wheres it so happened that a majority of the Com
mittee appointed in pursuance of the afore-mentioned re
solution did not meet in the said diftriß, and therefore
have never executed the business committed to them, or
made a regular report thereupon to Congress :
Ordered, That the said Committee be discharged.
And whereas the animosities aforefaid have lately pro
ceeded so far and risen so high as to endanger the inter
nal peace of the United States, which renders it indifpen
fibly ne^ efftry for Congress to interpose for the restoration
of quiet and good order:
And whereas one of the great objects of the Union of
the United States of America, is the mutual protection and
security of their refpeaive rights : And whereas it is of
the lai importance to the said Union that all causes of jea
lousy and disc ntent between the said States fliould be re
moved; and therefore that their several boundaries and
jurifdi&ions be afeertained and fettled ; Awd whereas
disputes at present subsist between the States of New-Hamp
shire, Maffachufets-Bay, and New-Yorii, on the one
part, and the people of a diftrid of country called
New-Hampshire Grants, on the other, which people deny
the jurifdiaion of each of the said States over the said
diftrift, and each of the said States claim the said diftria
against each other as well as against the said people, as
appertaining in the whole or in part to them refpedively :
Resolved unanimously, That it be and hereby is most
earnestly recommended to the States of New-Hampshire,
Massachusetts Bay, and New-York, forthwith to pass
laws, expreflly authorizing Congress to hear and deter
mine all differences between them relative to their respec
tive boundaries, in the mode prescribed by the articles of
confederation; so that Congress may proceed thereon by
the firft day of February nextat fartheft : And further,
that tie said States of New-Hampshire, Maffachufetts
gay, and New-York, do by express laws for the purpose
refer to the decificin of Congress, all differences or disputes
relative to jurifdidion, which they may refpedively have
with the people of thediflrid aforefaid, so that Congress
may proceed thereon on the said firft day of February next,
and also to authorize Congress to proceed to hear and de
termine al! disputes fubfi fling between the grantees of the
federal States aforefaid, with one another or with either of
the said States refoefling title to lands lying in the said
diflrift to be heard and determined in the mode prescri
bed for such cases by the articles of confederation afore
faid : And further to provide, that no advantage be ta
ken of die non-performance of the conditions of any of
the grants of the said lands, but that further reasonable
time be allowed for fulfilling such conditions.
Resolved unanimously, That Congress will and hereby
do pledge their faithdo carry into execution and support
their decisions and determinations in the premises, in fa
vour of whichfoever of the parties the fame may be, to
the end that permanent concord and harmony may be esta
blished between them, and all cause of uneasiness removed.
Resolved unanimously, That Congress will on the said
firft day of February next proceed, without delay, to
hear and examine into the disputes and differences relative
to jurifdiaion aforefaid, between the said three States re
fpedively, or such of them as shall pass the laws before
mentioned on the one part, and the people of the diftria
aforefaid who claim to be a separate juritdidion on the o
ther ; and after a full and fair hearing will decide and de
termine the fame .according to equity; and that neither
of the said States shall vote on any question relative to the
decision thereof. And Congress do hereby pledge their
faith to execute and support their decisions and determina
tions in the preniifes.
And whereas it is essential to the interest of the whole
confederacy that all intestine diffentions be carefully avoid
ed, and domestic peace and good order maintained :
Refolded unanimously, That it is the duty of the peo
ple of the diftrifl aforefaid, who deny the jurifdidion of
allthe aforenamed States, to abstain in the mean time from
exemfing any power over any of the inhabitants of the said
diftria who ptofefs themselves to be citizens of, or to owe
allegiance to, any or either of the said States : but that none
of the towns, either on the east or weft fide of Connecti
cut river, be considered as ins'uded within the said diftrift
but such as have heretofore adually joined in denying the
iurifdi&ion of either of the said States, and have assumed
irate jurisdiction which they call the State of Ver
^^. And further, that in the opinion of Congress the
j hree States afore named ought in the mean time to
nd executing their lawsover any of the inhabitants of
nd diftrid, except such of them as shall profefs alle
e to, and confefs the jurifdi&ion of, the fame re
lpd vely. And further, that Congress will confider any
• > aces committed against the tenor, true intent and
ring of this resolution, as a breach of the peace of the
• . deracy, which they are determined to keep and main
-1 And to the end that all such violences and breaches
'public peace may be the better avoided in the said
' t, it is hereby recommended to all the inhabitants
4 to cultivate harmony and concord among them
feives, so forbear vexing each other at law or otherwise,
and to give as little occasion as possible to the interpositi
on of Magistrates.
Resolved unanimously, uat in the opinion of Congress,
no unappropriated lands or crates which are or may be
adjudged forfeited or co^fifcat^l, lying in the said diftria,
ought, until the final de-tfon of C ngrefs in the premises,
to be granted or fold.
Ordered, That copies of the afor, oing resolutions be
sent by express to the States of Newt irk, New Hamp
thire and Massachusetts-Bay, and to \he people of the dif
tri& aforefaid, and that they be rerpeftively desired to lose
no time in appointing their Agent or Agents and other
wise preparing for the hearings aforefaid.
The aforefaid resolutions being read over, and a ques
tion taken to agree to the whole,
Resolved, unanimously in the affirmative.
And be it further enaded by the authority aforefaid,
That the Commissioners of the several and refpeaive coun
ties of this State,ihall cause to be written and made out fair
duplicates of the names and firnames and sums of money
chargeableby virtue of this AH, monthly as aforfaid, of and
on all persons within their refpedive counties, and fliall deliver
a counterpart thereof with proper warrants and direc
tions to the Coliedor of the county, and the said Collector
shall proceed tocolleft the fame in the manner and within
the time herein before fpecified, and shall pay at the end
of every month the fame without delay to the Treasurer
of the proper county, and the Treasurers of the several
counties of this State, shall immediately after they re
ceive the monies by virtue of this Ad or any part thereof,
transmit and pay the fame to the Treasurer of this State, to
be by him paid over to the amount of Eighteen Millions
Four Hundred Thousand Dollars, to 'the Treasurer of the
United States, or to the order of Congress, for the sup
port of thefcederal army and navy, the State Treasurer
retaining in his hands the rtfidue of the Tax imposed by
this A&, for the use of this State, fubjeftto the disposal
of the House of Assembly.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That the Commissioners of the several counties of this
State, shall have and exercise lice authority to enforce the
collection and payment of the (aid tax, and that like fines
and penalties shall be incurred by delinquent CommiiTion
ers, Collectors and county Treasurers, to be imposed and
levied on such delinquents, in like manne^nd by like pro
cess as are directed in like cases, in and by the Aft before
mentioned ; and that all necessary powers for the effectual
and timely railing, collecting, and bringing into the Tr-a
fury of this State, the said sum of two millions Ive hundred
thousand dollars, by monthly payments as aforefaid, and
like reward for the services done in execution of this Aft,
shall be exercised and used as were authorized, given, and
directed to be exercised, and used in the execution of the
Aft of Assembly herein before mentioned; or of an Aft of
Assembly intitled, " An AC t for railing the supplies for the
year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine ," in
similar cases, and for like purposes.
Provided always, and be it further enacted by the
authority aforefaid, That if by reason of any unavoida
ble delay, the sums hereby directed to be levied, collected
and paid, shall not be levied, collected and paid, in the
several months herein before provided according to the in
tent of this Aft, that in such case, the fame shall be levied,
collected and paid as soon after as may be, and applied in
the manner herein before mentioned and directed.
Provided alto, That if any person liable to pay the
monthly assessments aforefaid, shall be disposed to advance
the sums he or she is liable to pay in any other month or
months, than the monthly Tax demanded of him or her,
the Collector upon tender thereof shall be obliged to re
ceive and give a discharge for the fame.
JOHN BAYARD, Speaker.
EnaCted int® a Law at Philadelphia on Thursday
the twenty-fifth day of November, A. D. One
thousand seven hundred and seventy nine.
THOMAS PAINE,
Clerk of General Assembly.
An ACT for railing the sum of Two Millions Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars monthly during eight months
in the year One thousand seven hundred and eighty, for
the supply of the Treasury of the United States of A
merica, and the Treasury of this State.
WHEREAS the Honorable Congress, by an
Aft of their Body, dated the fourth day of Odo
ber last, did call upon the several States to raise in such
manner as each State may judge expedient, fufficient sums
to enable the said States to pay into the Continental Trea
sury, or to the order of Congress, on or before the firft
day of February next, and on or before the firft day of
each succeeding month until the firft day of September
next inclufivr, their refpedive proportions of Fifteen
Millions of Dollars.
AND WHEREAS the proportion of this State,
for the present is set at Two Millions Three Hundred
Thousand Dollars, and it is highly proper that the good
people of this Commonwealth thould exert themselves in
furnishing this necessary supply.
AND WHEREAS it is expedient, that the Tax
which will be proper for raising the monies aforefaid, be
grafted upon the returns made or to be made, for the Tax
now levying in this State, by virtue of an Aft intitled,
" An Aft for railing the additional sum of Five Millions
Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars, in the year One thou
sand seven hundred and seventy nine," whereby much ex
pence and trouble, and also much time will be saved, and
yet the payment thereof be (efficiently equal.
AND WHEREAS it is necessary that the Treasury
of this State be also supplied.
Be it therefore ene&ted and it is hereby enabled by the
Representatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of
Fennfylvania in General Assembly met, and by the autho
rity of the fame, That in the month of January next,
and so in every succeeding month after, for and during
eight months ending on the thirty firft day of August next,
there shall be charged upon and collected, of every person in
this State, who isor shall berated, assessed and charged, in
any of the counties of this State, with any part of the said
sum of Five Millions Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars,
or for the Tax 011 ready money by virtue of the Afi afore
faid, or who was or ought to be liable to, and chargeable
therewith, a sum of money amounting to one half part of
the whole amount of the Tax, which iuch person wai or is,
or ought to be chargeable with and liable to pay as afore
faid.
An A C T for the effectual suppression of public Auctions
and Vendues ; and to prohibit male persons capable of
bearing arms from being pedlers or hawkers.
HEREAS the practice cf felling goods and mer
chandizes, by public Auction or Vendue in the pre
sent embarrassed fate of commerce, occasioned by the war
now carrying on between the United States of America
and Great Britain, hath been made use of as a device for
enhancing the prices of commodities, and of depreciating
the Bills of Credit of this State, and of the United States
of America. AND WHEREAS the reftriftions and
prohibitions heretofore layed upon sales by public Antlion,
or Vendue, have not proved effectual ; for remedy where
°f)
Be it enabled, and it is hereby enacted, by the Repre
sentatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, in General Assembly met, and by the authority
of the fame, That from and after the publication of this
Aft, no goods, wares or merchandizes, or other property
whatsoever (except as is herein after excepted) fliall be of
fered or exposed to sale, of fold by public Auction, Ven
due or Outcry, in any place within the territories of this
Commonwealth, by any person or persons whatsoever.
And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid,
That if any person or persons shall contrary to rhe directi
ons of this Act, offer or expose to sale, or fliall fell by pub
lic AuCtion, Vendue or Outcry, within this Common
wealth, any goods, wares or merchandizes or property
(except as is herein after excepted) he, flie or they, so of
fending, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence, afum
of money equal to t^e value of the goods, wares or mer
chandizes, and other property, so offered or exposed to
sale, or so fold by public Auction, Vendue or|Outcry, to be
recovered by action of debt, or by indictment, by any
person who will sue or prosecute for the fame; the one half
part thereof to the use of the person so suing or prosecuting,
and the other half part thereof to the use of the Overseers
of the Poor, of the city or place where the offence shall be
committed.
Provided always, That this Aft shall not be construed
to extend to sales at public Auction or Vendue, which shall
be made by any Sheriff orfother officer, in the execution of
his office, who is not specially reßriCled by this Aft ; nor
to sales by public Auction or Vendue, holden by Execu
tors or Administrators, of any real or perfowal estate
which were bona fide cf their refpedive Teflators or Intes
tates; nor to the sale of lands, houses and other real
estate; -nor to the sale o' the homehold goods, (which
have been in wear and use.) horses, cattle and live flock,
being the bona firtz property of resident houfe-keepors ac
tually removing from any townfllip or diftria of this State,
to another, or out of s he State.
Provided nevertheless, that all sales by public Audion,
Vendue or Outcry, permitted by this Aa, which shall be
holden or made within the city of Philadelphia, or within
two miles of the Court-house in High-street in the said
city, other than the sales by Sheriffs and other officers.
Executors and Administrators as aforefaid, fliall be hol
den and made in the manner herein after limited and di,
reded, and not otherwise.
And altho' a monopoly of the sale of goods, by public
Auction or Vendue, in time of peace and order, as the
fame w2s heretofore established in the city of Philadelphia,
might be an unjuftifiable limitation of private right, and
productive of inconvenience, yet for themore effectual at
tainment of the purposes of this Ad, within the city of
Philadelphia, and the vicinity of the fame, it is necessary
that a sole Auctioneer be established in the said city, du
ring the continuance of the restraint introduced by this
Aft.
Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That
the sale by public Auction, Vendue or Outcry, within tte
said city, and within two miles of the said Court-house,
from and after the publication of this AH, of all lands and
other real estate, and of all other property permitted by
this Aft to be fold by public Auction, Vendue or Outcry,
other than the sales by Sheriffs and other officers, Execu
tors and Administrators as aforefaid, fliall be performed
by an officer who shall be appointed and commissioned for
that purpose, by the Supreme Executive Council, and who
fliall be stiled the Auctioneer of the city of Philadelphia ;
and if any person or persons other than the said Auctioneer,
his Deputy or Assistants, shall in the said city, or within
two miles of the said Court-house, offer or expose to sale, or
shall fell by public Auction, Vendue or Outcry, any lands,
houses or other property, permitted by this Aft, to be
fold by public Auction, Vendue or Outcry as aforefaid,
he, flie or they so offending, shall forfeit and pay for
every offence, a sum of money equal to the value of the
lands, houses, goods or other property, so offered or ex
posed to sale, or so fold by public Auction, Vendue or
Outcry, to be recovered by action of debt, or by indiß
menty in like manner, and to like use, as in the case of
persons who shall fell by public vendue, any goods by this
Aft prohibited to be so fold as aforefaid.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid.
That the recompence of the said Auctioneer for felling at
public Auction, collecting the money and paying over
the fame, without loss or waste, shall be as follows; for
household goods, cattle and live flock, five per centum ;
for horses, two and a half per centum ; and for Ships, houses
and lands, an half per centum:
AND WHEREAS the sale by public Auction or
Vendue, of goods taken as prize upon water, and condemn
ed in the Court of Admiralty, has been found very pre
judicial to the credit of the Paper Mohey of the United
States, emitted by the Honorable Congress, by affording
frequent and easy opportunities of gratifying private ava-
And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid.
That it shall be the duty of the said Auctioneer, to enquire
diligently after all offences against this Aft, which shall
be committed within his jurifdiftion, as above described,
and to inform against the offenders, and to recover the pe
nalties directed and provided by this Ad, but not exclu
sive of any other person who will sue or prosecute for the
fame; and the said Auctioneer shall, before he enter upon
the duties of his said office, become bound with two fuf
ficient sureties unto the President of the Supreme Executive
Council of this State in the sum of twenty thousand pounds,
conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties re
quired of him, and for the honest and just fatisfaßion and
payment of his employers and every of them ; and besides
the usual atteftati@ns required of the officers of this State
by law, sh II take an oath that he will t® the best of his
(kill and abilities, faithfully perform and execute the du
ties required of him, by this Aft.