The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-11-25 00:00:00, page 2

met, and by the authority of the fame, That the
Ipay aforefaid, so far as it refptfts the military Com
^iffioned officers of this State, in the service of the United
States, shall be continued to the said officers and every of
them, surviving the said term of seven years, and who
Shall be intitled and admitted to the fame, in purfuanc&of
the fail refoive% for and during the lite of such officers and
officer: and that the rules following shall be duly observed,
inthe application and payment thereof; that is to fay,
First, that no person ihali have or receive any part of the
fame, who was a minor under the age of 16 years, when the
regiment or comapany in which he served, shall be redu
ced.
Secondly, That no persons (hall have or receive the said
half pay, or any part thereof, but such as have done actu
al fervi e in some regiment or company.
Thirdly, That the said half pay, nor any part thereof,
shall be allowed to any person, by virtue of any warrant
or appointment, except to such persons as would have been
otherways entitled to receive the fame as reduced officers,
or to such brevent officers as are hereafter mentioned.
Fouthlz, That the fame shall not be allowed or extended
to the officers of any new raised corps, or of any troops
who have been enlisted for a Shorter term than the conti
nuance ofthe present war.
Fifthly, That the fame shall not be allowed to any offi
cer, who shall net have taken the oath or oaths of allegi
ence, which now are, or hereafter may be, required of the
other fubje&s of this State; and also reside in some one of
the United States.
And be it further enabled, &c. That from and after the
publication of this All, the widows of such commissioned
military officers as have fallen in battle or died in actual
service or captivity, and whofc husbands, if they had lived,
would have been entitled to such half pay, and those who
tnay hereafter become the widows, of officers so falling in
battle, or dying in actual service or captivity, during the
continuance of the present war, shall be entitled to the half
of the pay which their husbands were refpedively intitled
to, whilil in said service, during their widowhood, and
no longer.
And be it further enaded, &c. That on the petition of
any of the said widows, to the Orphans Court, in any
county in this State, the said Court shall io a funimery
way enqire into the claim ofiuch widow, tn the half pay
allowed by this Act, and the said Court, on receiving Sa
tisfactory proof of the marriage, and that the huSband 01 the
said widow, would if he had lived, have been entitled to
half pay under tins Aft, which proof Shall be by a Certi
ficate under the hand and seal of the Colonel or other com
manding officer of the regiment, battalion or company
to whica the dece rfed last belonged, felting forth the com
rriffion which he las theld, add the regiment, battalion or
company in which he laid ferved,and also the timeand placa
of his death; such Certificate to be attested under the hands
of two witnesses : or in the case of the widow of such com
manding officer, from the officer next in command,and the
said petitioner ihall also produce to the Court the commissi
on under which such claim shall be made, or at leaf! a Cer
tificate from toe Hon. the Board .of War of the United
States, that such cemmiffion had issued; Whereupon, if
the said Court shall be fatisfied of the justice of such claim,
it shall proceed to cast up and afeertain the fame by way of
annuity, and make an order on the county Treasurer for
the payment of such annuity, either quarterly or annually,
as to the said Court shall feein meet, according to the true
intent and meaning of this Act ; and the faidTreafiirer shall
advance and pay the fain annuity, as it becomes due, out
of any monies belonging to the State, waich he may have
in his hands, and shall be allowed the fame in passing his
accounts
And be it further enacted,&c. That all lands which have
been, or may hereafter be granted within this Slate, to
any officers or soldiers of the line of this State, by virtue of
any resolution of Congress or law of this State, as a reward
for their Services, shall be and are hereby exempted from
taxation for, and during the life of such officer or soldier,
refpedively, unless the fame shall be transferred or aliened
to any other person.
And be it further enacted, &c That every Major Gene
ral, Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel,
Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Ensign, Chaplain, Sur
geon and Surgeon's Mate, belonging to the line of the
troops of Pennfylv uia, and engaged to serve during the pre
sent war, shall during his continuance in actual service, be
furadhed with one compleat suit of regimental uniform
cloaths, once in every year, and no more, and that the Su.
preme Executive Council, shall from time to time purchase
and procure the fame, at the charge of this Commonweal h,
out of any of the unappropriated monies in the State Trea
sury, the said suit of cioaths to consist of the following ar
ticles, viz. one hat, one coat, one wailtcoat, two pair of
breeches, three pair of flockings thread or worsted, three
pair of shoes, three shirts, three flocks.
AND WHEREASthe officers and soldiers of the
troops of this State, in the array of the United States of
America, enlisted for, and during the continuance of the
present war, and Curving in the field, have been greatly
distressed by the excessive advance in the price of divers
necessaries arid accommodations, not included, in the rati
on of provisions furnished to them by the public, and also
by the difficulty of procuring them at places distant from
the place of manufacture or importation.
AND WHEREAS this House did heretofore, by
sundry resolves, authorife and impower the Supreme Exe
cu ive Council of this State, to draw wpon the State Trea
surer from time to time, for any sums of money which they
Should judge necessary, to relieve in some measure, the ne
cessities of the officers and soldiers now serving in the army
of the United States, and to appoint Commissaries to pur
chase rum, sugar, coffee, tea, chocolate, tobacco, and
hard soap, and such other articles as to tee said Council
might appear necessary and suitable, for the comfort of the
said troops, under such regulations and reftriCtionsas are
let forth and expressed in the said resolves: AND
WHERE AS the Council, in the execution of the said
And be it further enabled, &c. That the said Orphans
Court th ill once in three months in every year, examine the
record of such annuities, and fend an authentic lift of the
names ofthe said widows, end fams to which they are re
fpeftively entitled, to toe county Treasurer, distinguishing
therein, the names of such annuitants as have died <or been
married again : and the Clerk of the said Court once in
every year, or oftener if required, shall transmit a copy of
such lift to the Secretary of the Supieme Executive Coun
cil v s thi;Sta(e
For the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
Some REMARKS on the COLLEGE BILL.
EY AVINGa few minutes to spare from bufinef s an"
l conversation, I fit down to throw together, a few
thoughts which occured in a circle of Friends on the Col
lege Bill. I confider the education of Youth of the utmost
importance to a country. It ought therefore to have no
partial c^nnetton with parties in politics, profeffions of
religion, or other denominations among men. Jt is the
concern and the interest of all. it is the foundation on
which' every thing else Hands, and without which, men
would again degenerate into uncultivated rudeness.
I approve the title of '' University" in preference to
that of ' College," because a Col ege is generally under
stood as making only a part of a University. Consistent
therefore with this enlarged idea, I with to fee it as aniver
fal as the Constitution of this country, and the interest of
the foundation require. The Bill itf^lf is on this princi
ple, but I cannot think the proposed lift of Trustees comes
fully up thereto
I hold it as a rule, that the Truflees of all luminaries of
learning, should be men of property. Sufficient to account
for the trust put into their hands, and likewise men of lite
rature, in order to understand the nature of their duty, and
whenever this rule is much departed from, such seminaries
will not flourifli. Universities and Colleges are generally
Be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, that the pur
chase and supply of the said enumerated articles, ihall be,
and are hereby continued, for the benefit of the said offi
cers and soldiers of this State, during their actual service
in the army of the United States : and that the said arti
cles shall bedifiributed and issued to them, in the propor
tions above set forth, and at the following prices, to wit,
rum or spirits by tne gallon 5/. mufeovado sugar 3/9 per
pound, tea at 12/. per pound, hard soap at 1/3 per pound,
tobacco at gd per pound : and that the Supreme Execu
tive Council shall defray the expence of procuring the said
articles, and the distribution thereof from time to time,
out of such monies as are or may be in the the State Trea
sury, not specially appropriated. Provided that if any
one or more of the said articles cannot be procured, the
said officers and soldiers, shall be supplied with so much
of some one or more of the other articles as will be equal
in value thereto : And provided also, that no officer shall
be deemed intitled to a proportion of the said cloathing,
or for more than one commission, nor any efficet holding
or appointed to any rank by brevet, unless when so appoin
ted and distinguished by ihc Hon. Congress, for ex
traordinary merit and so lignified in his commission;
in which case, and the fame being duly made known
to the Supreme Executive Council, such brevet offi
cer, shall be impowered by Special order of Council to
receive like privileges and benefits as other officers in the
line.
And to prevent any doubts which may hereafter arise
as to the persons intitled to tie Nuefils of this Ad, Be it
enacted by the authority aforefaid, That by the line of
Pennsylvania, is meant and to be understood, the Eleven
regiments of Infantry now in actual service, and the regi
ment of Artillery now commanded by Colonel Thomas
ProCtor.
And be it further enaCted by the authority aforefaid,
That all the officers and soldiers, who have been or shall
be transferred, from any of the regiments forming the line
of this State, or by a reSolve of Congress, made part of
the quota of this State; and regularly transferred to the
Invalid regiment, shall be, and they are hereby intitled to,
all the benefits, privileges and advantages, which are by
this Aft granted, to any officers or soldiers belonging to
this State. °
Eeit also enacted by the authority aforefaid, That if a
ny difficulty or doubt Shov'd arise, concerning the perlons
intitled to the benefits and advantages, granted by this
Act, (other than the widows and children aforefaid,) the
fame shall be adjusted and finally determined by the Su
preme Executive Council of this State.
Be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid, That
the officers, seamen and marines, em,loyed in the service
of this State, and who were in actual service on the thir
teenth of March last, continuing therein till the end of the
present war, or till regularly discharged, shall be entitled
to the allowances and benefits herein before granted to the
military officers and soldiers refpeftively ofthe Pennsylva
nia troops, as to half pay and eloathing, and to like supply
and distribution of the articles above enumerated, fubjeCt to
the fame limitations and conditions; the half pay of the
said officers of the navy to commerce at the expiration of
the present war, or their discharge.
Be it also enaCted by the authority aforefaid, That
the widows of any of the said officers of the said navy
who now are, or have been in actual service, and have been
killed or died in such service, shall be intitled to half pay,
in the fame manner and under the fame limitations and
conditions, as the widows of officers in the land service
herein before mentioned. AN D WHEREASit may
often happen, that officers in both the sea and land service,
may be killed or die therein, having a child or children,
and no wife, or such widow may re-marry or die, in which
case the said children may become destitute :
Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That
in such case, the said Orphans Court shall, and it is here
by impowered to, nominate one or more suitable persons,
to be guardians of the said child or children, and to order
and dirtit the half pay to which the Father would have
been intitled, to be paid to such guardian or guardians,
for such time, and in such manner, as to the said Court
Ihall seem meet, so as the fame be not longer than such
child or children, respectively attains the age of Fourteen
years, and in like manner, in case of the death or marri
age of any officer's widow, having a child or chi dren, to
transfer and set over the half pay by her enjoyed, to the
use and benefit of such child or children, not exceeding
the term aforefaid.
resolves, did direct that the distribution and issue of the
said enumerated articles, should not exceed the ratio or pro -
portion following, that is to fay; for each ration of provi
fionsto which each officer and soldier aforefaid, shall be
refpeftively entitled by the Ads of Congress, one pint of
rum, half a pound of fwgar, a quarter of a pound of coffee,
one ounce of tea, half a pound of chocolate, and one quar
ter of a pound of tobacco, once in every week: and the
fame having been found by experience to be beneficial and
Satisfactory:
fopported by the donations ®f able and liberal disposed
persons, and therefore the Trustees ought to be men whose
acquaintance in life runs in that line. In making this re
mark, I attend to the interest and prosperity of the Uni
versity, leaving all parties and party connexions out of
the question. Trustees ought likewise to be men who are
not depen lant on or under obligations to each other, for
where that is the case, either their freedom as Truflees will
be endangered, or their private interest fubjef tto injury.
We take it for granted, that certain officers in govern
ment will always be filled with persons proper to be Trus
tees : But this ought to be confined to the firft cl.ds of offi
cers, and not to extend to any such as makes the person
who holds it, the immediate servant of any board or body
es men in the government, part of whom may, by virtue of
their office, be Trustee, because such a person so Circum
stanced, cannot be considered as fufficiently independant.
And I cannot but observe in this place, that the President,
Vice-President, and Speaker cf the Assembly, are only
Trustees during office, confequenfly they cannot aft more
than Three years, yet some inferior officers are proposed by
name as Trustees for life. Here is I thinly an indelicate
inconsistency.
If only fix persons are to be Trustees by virtue of of
fice, it certainly is the intention of the Bill not to exceed
that number; neither (if fix is to be the number) would
I allow more, than fix men holding office to be Trustees,
otherwise it will become a precedent to fill up . all the vacan
cies with officers of government, contrary to the design of
the Bill. I am a friend to the Constitution, and there
fore I wish to fee the University not too much in the hands
°f a py government, for who can tell what government
may hereafter be ?
The proposed Bill, as I before observed, confines their
number by virtue of office to fix, yet in the proposed lift
of Trustees, there are not Jess than ten who hold offices,
which, certainly, is not the design of the Institution, and
as I would not with to fee theßnl censured as a deception,
and as I am confident it is not the intention of the House,
that it should be liable thereto, I throw out these hints to
prevent it in time, because mistakes of this kind' are very
apt to Aide off unobserved.
As I would by no means, leave Mr. Rittenhoufe out as
a Trustee, I would put him in by virtue of his office as
Treasurer of tha State. I would likewise wish to fee two
more added to the fix who are to succeed by seniority of
miniflerfhip, viz. one from the Roman Cathol.c Church,
and one from theQuakers.The oftener men of different ptr
fuafions associate together, the more liberal they become,
and the more does bigotry, that enemy to all religion and
happiness, get expelled from the world. It is arts, feiences
and literature that form the line of College education ; re
ligion, as to peculiarity of profcffion, is taught by private
pastors and friends, and who ever can promote these ge
neral studies, is the ufeful friend of mankind. Butin wish
ing this addition to be made, I have the interest of the uni
versity as well as the happiness of the State in view. It
will extend the chance of donations, and invite them even
from Europe. It will lhew to all the world that we are a
liberal minded people, and tho' we severally keep to our
profeffion of religion, we explode bigotry from among
us.
PHILADELPHIA, November 25.
DoXor Franklin is appointed one of the Members of
the Royal Medical Society of France.—This Society was
constituted by letters patent of His Most Christian Ma
jesty in 1773. The young Monarch honors it with his
royal protection. It consists of thirty Members, all Doc
ters in Physic and lefidents in Paris, of whom twenty are
to be of the Medical Faculty of the University of that city ;
of sixty other Members, residents in any part of France ;
and of sixty other Members, fubjefts of any other State.
Besides these, the Society may honor with the title of Cor
respondents any number of gentlemen in France or else
where. We have the pleasure of feeing the name of the
American Philosopher and Patriot at the head of the lift
of he foreign Members of this Society, named by His Ma
jesty.
Extract of a letter from Martinico, dated October 13.
" A frigate has arrived here from France, which brings
a certain account of 60,000 troops being embarked, and
ready to take their departure. Their objeCt is a defeent
on the coast of Great Britain, which, from the fupericri
ty of the conjoined fleets of France and Spain, to favour
the operation, has the faireft propped of fu:ceeding."
“ The politicians in Europe are uniformly of opinion,
that a general peace will take place in the spring, and
many orders have been received here by the merchants,
from their friends in France, to enter into {peculations oa
that fyfhm,”
If this addition be made, there will then be ten other
persons, (provided the number be confined to twenty-four)
who are to betaken from the citizens at large. But I think
there is something of a solecism in admitting officers of
government among this number, not only because it is gi
ving them a duration which thehigheft officers in govern
ment are, by rotation, excluded from, but because it is
somewhat repugnant to the principle and intention of the
Bill, and may hereafter be fatal to the universality of the
in Hitution.
Upon the whole I beg leave to submit an opinion to the
judgment of the house and the public, which is, to cast the
twenty-four Trustees into three eights, viz. eight officers
of government by rotation ; eight by minifterihip ; and
eight from the citizens at large, who Ihall be neither mi
nisters nor officers.
If this should be approved, the other two Judices ofthe
Supreme Court of Judicature can be admitted among the
firft number, and certainly the sedate character, necessary
for the bench, cannot be improper for the university.
I always love to fee the principle of a Bill clear, and
fubjeX to no equivocal conftruaion. Nothing of inti
mation, allusion, or doubtful meaning, should ever appear
in a Bill, and the greatest care ought to be had that the
firft practice upon it be not an invasion of its spirit, left it
should for ever after become fubjed to that explanation.
As I understand, the points I have herein touched up
on, have not yet been debated in the House, those remarks
are in season, and the candour with which I have treated
the matter, will show that my objeX is the interest and
profparity of tne institution, and the honor, equity and
precision ofthe law.
A UNIVERSALIST.
[The above Remarks were received for our last paper,
but for want of room were omitted till this day.]