The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1778-04-22 00:00:00, page 1

An ACT Jor the attainder of divefrs traitors, if they
render not themfel^es by a certain day, and/or vejiing
their efaies in this Common Wealth; andjor more ej
feduady diferoering the fame, and for ascertaining amt
ratifying the tawjut debts andclaims thereupon.
rfw 7 HE REAS Jofekb Calloway and Andrew Al
ten, Elquires, late Members of the Congiefs
of toe Thirteen United Colonies, now States, of A
merica, for Pennsylvania fr John Allen, Elqu.re, late
Member of the Committee of Infpe&ion and Observa
tion for the City and Liberties of Philadelphia; Wil
liam A/len, the younger, Enquire, forhe time a Cap
tain, and afterwards a Lieutenant- Colonel of a regi
ment or battalion of foot, in the Service of the said
United Colonies, now States, of America; fames
Rankin, late of the County of York, Yeoman ; Jacob
Duche/the younger, late Chaplain to 'the Congress ;
Gilbert Hicks, lae of Bucks County, Yeoman ; Samuel
Shoemaker, late Alderman of tne City of Philadelphia;
John Potts, late of Philadelphia County, Yeoman;
Nathaniel Vernon, late Sheriff of Chester County ;
Chilian Fouts, late Lieutenant-Colonel of Militia of
the County of Lancaftef; Reynold Keen, late of the
County of Berks, Yeoman; and fohn Middle, late of
th/foe County, Yeoman, late Collector of Excise
for the said County, and late a Deputy Quarter-Mat
ter in he Army of the United States, being all fub
ie&s and inhabitants of the State of Pennsylvania; have
molt traiterouSly and wickedly, and contrary to the
alliance they owe to the said State, joined and ad
hered to, arid hill do adhere to, and knowingly and
willingly aid and assist the army of the King of Great-
Britain, now enemies at open war against this State
and the United States of America, and yet remain with
the Said enemies in the City and County of Philadel
phia, where they daily commit divers treasonable a&s
without any sense of honour, virtue, liberty, er fideli
ty to this State. ,
Be it therefore exacted, and it is hereby enabled by the
Reprefentdt^es of the Freemen of the Common Wealth of
frnfoania, in General Afembb , ^d I, ^ au
toorfj .f fafor, That it the laid Jojeph Galloway,
John Alien, Andrew Allen, William Alien, the younger,
fames Rankin, Jacob Ducke, Gilbert Hicks, John Potts,
Nathaniel Vernon, Christian Fouts, Samuel Shoemaker;
Reynold Keen, and John Middle, Shall not render them
selves refpe&ively to ome or one of the Jultces of the
Supreme Court, dr of the Juftieds of the Peace of one
of the Counties within this State, on or before the twen
tieth day of April next ensuing, and allo abide their
legal trial forJych their treasons, then every of them
the said Jofe,' Galloway, -Job* Alien, Andrew Allen,
William Allen, fames Rankin, Jacob Ducke, Gilbert
Hicks, John Potts, Nathaniel Vernon, Cbriflian Fouts,
Samuel Shoemaker, Reynold Keen, and John Biddle, not
rendering himielf as aforefaid, or not abiding the trial
aforefaid, Shall, from and after the said twentieth day
of Apr! next, stand and be adjudged, and by the au
thority of this present Ad be cortvi&ed and attainted
of high treason, to all intents and purpoles whatsoe
ver, and Shall fuffer ,nd forfeit as a perfori attaint of
high treason by law ought to fuffer and forfeit.
"And be it further entiled by the authority afopef^id,
That all and every person and perlons, being Subjects
or inhabitants of this State, or those who have real
estates in this Common-Wealth, who now do adhere
to, and knowingly and willingly aid and affid the ene
mies of this State, or of the United Stater of America,
by having joined their armies within this State, or else
where, or who hereafter shall do the fame; and whem
the Supreme Executive Council of this State, by their
proclamations to be issued under the State Seal, during
the continuance of this war with the Kng of Great-
Britain, shall name and require to render themselves,
by a certain day therein to be mentioned, to fame or
one of the Judices of the Supreme Court, or of the
Judices of the Peace of one of the Counties within this
State, and also abide their legal trial for such their
treasons, and shall not render themselves accordingly
Ind abide their legal trial aforefaid, shall; from and
after the day to them to be prefixed by such proclama
tion, stand and be attainted of high treafori to all in
^ents and purposes, and shall fuffer such pains and pe
;~abie„ and undergo all such forfeitures as persons
attainted of high treason ought to do. Provided, That
the rime to be prefixed by such proclamation, for the
persons therein to be named to render themselves, be
hot less than the time and term of forty days from and
after the date of such proclamation.
And be it further declared and enaßed by the authority
aforefaid, That all and every the fubje&s or inhabi
tants of this State, who from and after the publication
of this Aft, shall, at any time during the continuance
of the said war, willingly and voluntarily serve the
^##WPW
O R
GENERAL
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22d, 1778.
King of Great Britain, either by land or fa as a civil
military officer, soldier or foamen, {hull be, ana are
hereby attainted of high treason, and shall luffe" and
frieit to all intents and purposes as persons attainted
of high treason ought to do.
AND WHEREAS it is highly : reasonable that the
estates, real and personal; of the I'u.je&s or inhabitants
of this State, who have engaged in ibs present most
unnatural, unjust, barbarous and execrable war, and
who shall be duly attainted as guify oi tr afon, fhculd
be difcoveied and appied to t.e use of the State,
and that provision be made far te Wisfaftion of all
just and lawful claims which any of the dutiful and
faithful fu.jeCts of this State, or of any of the United
States of America, 01 of any foreign State not at war
with the said United States; may hew to the estates of
such rebels and tiaitorl, or ugaipE tcm for any debt of
demand whatsoever; it is there!oreexited hj the autho
rity aforefeid, That alland every h : ^d*, tenements,
hereditaments, debts or funys of money, or geo, <^
chattels whatsoever, and generally the estates, real and
perfonxl, of what nature or kind fotver they b(, with
in this State, whereof die atoreOid j<fepb Galloway,
John Allen; Andrew Al.&n, William Alien, the founger,
fames Rankin, Jacob Duch/ Gilbert Hicks, John Potts,
Nathaniel Vernon, Cbrijlian Fouts, Samuel Shoemaker,
Reynold Keen, and John Fiddle, ui any of them, shall
have been possessed of, iritefefted in, or intitled unto,
on the fourth day of Jul,; in the year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and fevemy-hx, or at any time
afterwards, in their own right, or to their use, or
which any other person or perTns Lail have been pos
sessed of, incerefted in, or intitled unto; to the use of,
or in trust for them, or any of them, shall, according
to the refpe&ive estates and interests which the persons
aforefaid, 01 any in tiuftfor them, or any of them,
shall have had therein, stand and be forfeited tothis
State, from and after the laid twentieth day of April
next ensuing, unless they (half refpe&ivejy render them
selves on or before the fame day, and abide their legal
trial as herein before is direct J; and that all and
every the lands, tenements, Hereditaments, debts, or
sums of money, and goods and chattels whatfoever,'
and generally the estates, real and personal, of shat
hature or kind soever they be, within this State,
which any other peAon or persons who th 11 be a traint
of high treason, by virtue; or in cOniequence of this
Act, shall have been poflelfed of, interfiled in, or in
titled unto, on the aforefaid fourth day oi July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand seven numbed and se
venty fix, or at any time afterwards, in their own
right, or to their use, or whereof any other perfun or
perlons shall have been poifeffed of, interested in, or
intitled unto, to the use ot, or in truss for theifi, or any
of them, shall, according to the refpedtive eita es and
interests, which the persons to be attainted as Uo^faid,
or any in trhft for them, shall have had the/^ip, or
might forfeit by such attainder, stand and be forfeited
to this State, without any office or inqutfition thereof
hereafter to be taken or found.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That the President or Vice Frefidem, and Supreme
Executive Council of this State, shall enq ore into all
such estates, both real and perfo al, as ihxH be heie
by veiled, or are intended to be vetted in this State ;
and cause all the rents, issues and profits of the fain
real estates, until sale thereof, to be levied and paid
to tne State Treasurer for the time being, who is to
account for the fame as for other public monies, ahd
seize, or cause to be leized and fold, all such goods and
chattels, and collea and receive, or cause to be col
le&ed, all such debts and sums of money as shall be
hereby vested in the State; and fell, and under the
hand of the President or Vice-President, and the State
Seal, convey the said real estates, after the claims re
lating to them refpe&ively shall be determined, or
otherwise dispose of the fame in the manner herein af
ter provided; and out of the produce of the said es
tates, real or personal, shall cause payment to be made
of such money as shall be due to any claimants upon
the fame as aforefaid. And the said President or Vice
PreOdent, and Supreme Executive Council, shall from
time to time, as occafian shall require, appoint Agents
or factors, surveyors, messengers, or other neceffa y
officers or persons, for the execution of this A&, who
are to execute their trust without taking any thing for
their service (other than such fees, falsies and rewards
as the laid President or Vice President arid Council
shall dir&a and allow in that behalf) aud every such
person cr officer, before he enters on the execution of
his employment, shall take the oath or affirmation of
allegiance and fidelity, unless he bath already done so,
prescribed by an Act of General Assembly enacted the
thirteenth day cf June last, and also an oath for his
THE
§F^o&fo ^@&^ &^^ ^w^rc^^
I rayfira 1 I
M^^ 1 1
THE /
ADVERTISER.^
faithful demeanour in all things relating to the trull
reposed in him, and that he will not, directly nor in
dir^aiy, take ahy fee or reward, or accept the pro
mile ot any, for any thing to be done by him in the
execution of said trust (except what shall be allowed
as aforefaid) and that he will not, direftly or indi
re&ly, have any part or interest in, or make any be
nefit by difeovery of any forfeited or forfeitable estate
or inter ft, intended to be applied to the use of the
Sthte, or conceal, or cause; or willingly permit, to be
concealed, the fame or any part thereof.
Aud be it further enacted b, the authority aforefaid,
That the President or Vice-Piefident and Council, u^y
fend, upon oath br affirmation ot iufyirion being made,
their precepts tor such persons, books; papers, writ
ings and records, as they shall think rAtedary for their
information in any matters fubj^& to their enquiry by
virtue of this Att, without any fee to be paid for the
fame, and may detain such books or writings io long
as they shall have occasion, and then retain them to
the persons to whom they belong; and may adminis
ter oaths or affirmations, for the difeovery of the truth
cf the enquiries, to the parties conce:ped, or to any
cither persons what oever; and tli rs ail Sheriffs, Cor-,
stables, and other officers and punitters, shall execute
such precepts and orders as th di he fenfto them by th&
said President 0 Vice President and Council, as they
will answer the contrary at their perils; and the said
PrefiLntor Vicc-Prefidenr and Council, may and shall
proceed in their inquiries in a fumraary way, upon,
the testimony of witness s and examination of persons
intercited, upon their oaths or affirmations, in/peßion
and examination of deeds; writings 'and records, or
by all or ahv the said ways, or otlierwife according to
their diferetions, as f. on at conveniently may be; and
fha'd ra^ke a register of tne names of all such penons
attainted, cr to be attainted, of 1 igh treason by virtue
of this Aft, and of all real and personal estates and
interns by this Act or otherwise vested in this State
by reason of such attainder; arid by whom such es
tates ere refpeAively forfeited, and whatintereft eve
cry such person as atorefam bad in any of the premiss,
on the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thouGqd seven hundred and seventy-six, or at
any time Afterwards, and by what tenures the fame
w#re rbfpecrivel} holdeh, arid of all iricufribrances to
which the said estates were fabje& before and upon
the Line days; and if any perlon fuinmoneJ to appear
before the said President or Vice FrrfiJent and Council,
for difeovery of the premises, shall uegle& to appear
or be examined as aforefaid, the said Frefiderit of Vice-
President and council shall commit such person to the
common gaol of the County, therf to remain without
rail or mainprze until he shall submit to be examined;
.nd if any officer shall neglect to give obedience to
sch precepts or order., the sud Tefident or Vice-
President and Council may and shall impose any fine
on him, not exceeding One Hundred Pounds for any
one offence, and shall commit him till the fine shall be
paid unto the State Treasurer for the use of the State.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
Tint every person, who ihul make a full difeovery to
the said F^iident or Vice Prefdent and Council, of
any concealed 'debt, er sum of money, payable unto
any perlon or persons so attainted, Or to be attainted
as aforefaid, (not being a debt by judgment, mort
gage, recognisance, or any registered bond or con
trat?) and (hall pay three-fourths thereof before the
expiration of three months after such attainders re
fpe&ively unto the State Treasurer for the use of the
State, shall be difebarged of the entire debt or sum of
money aforefaid ; nut every person indebted as afore
faid, who flfall neglect to make such difeovery withirt
the time aforefaid, shall forfeit double the value of such
debt or sum of money, to be recovered by action, bill,
suit or information, for the use of the State; and all
persons who shall be pofleffed of any personal goods or
chattels belonging to any such persons attainted, or to
he attainted as aforefaid, when the fame shall be for
feited, or at any time afterwards, are he eby ftri&ly
charged to difeover the fame to the said Pretident or
Vice President and Council, within three months after
the said attainder, ..ho (hall thereupon allow to every
such person such proportion as they shall think reason
able for such difeovery, not exceeding one full fourth
part of the said goods and chattels, or the proceeds
thereof; but every person having fu*h goods and
chattels in his Cuffody or power, and neglecting to dif
eover the fame within the term aforefaid, shall forfeit
double the value thereof, to be recovered for the use
of the State as aforefaid ; and the said President or Vice
President and Council are empowered to make such
competitions or agreements, touching any such debts;
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