The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-11-23 00:00:00, page 2

An ACT for railing the sum of Two Millions Five Hun
dred Thousand Dollars monthly in the year One thou
faid seven hundred and eighty, for the supply of the
Trtafury or the United States of America and the Trea
furyof this Shite.
WHEREAS the Honorable Congress, by an Aft of
their & dy dated the fourth'day of October last, did
call upon die several States to raise in such manner as each
State may judge expedient, Sufficient Sums to enable the
said States to pay into the Continental Treasury, or to the
order of Congress, on or before the firft day of February
next, and on or before the firfl day of each succeeding
month, until-the firft day of September next inclusive, their
refpefbve proportions cf Fifteen Millions of Dollars :
AND WHER EAS the proportion of this State for
the perfect is set at Two Millions Three Hundred Thousand
Dollars, and it i$ highly proper that the good people of
this Commonwealth Should exirt themselves in furnifhipg
this necessary supply.
AND WHERE AS it is expedient.that the tax
which will- be proper for railing 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.Ad entitled,
66 An Aa for raffing the additional sum of Five Millions
Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars, in the year One thou
sand seven hundred and Seventy-nine, " whereby much
expence and trouble, and also much time will be saved, and
yet the payment thereof be (efficiently equal :
AND WHEREAS it is necenary that the Treasu
ry of this State be supplied :'
Be it therefore enabled, and it is hereby enabled, by
the Representatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and by the
authority of the fame, That in the month of January next
and io in every succeeding month after, for and during
eight months, ending on the thirty-firft day of August
next, there Ihall be charged'upon, and colleded of every
person in this State, who is or ihall be rated,, assessed and
charged in any of tiie counties of this State, with any part of
the said sum of Five million seven hundred thousand dollars,
by virtue of th^ Aft aforefaid, or who was or ought to be
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY. November 22, 1779.
Theßib entitled, " An A& for railing the sum of Tw.
Millions Five Hundred Thousand Dollars monthly in the
year One thousand seven hundred and eighty, for the sup
ply of the Treasury of the United States of America and
the Treasury of this State," was read a second time, and
being debated by paragraphs, was ordered to be tran
scribed and published for consideration.
Extrad from the Minutes,
THOMAS PAINE,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
hud for good and genuine, knowing the fame to be forged
^counterfeited ; every such person being thereof lawfully
conviaed or attainted, in any Court of oyer and Termi
ner within this State, by verdict of a Jury, or confeffion
of the party offending, or being indided thereof shall
stand mute, or not diredly answer to the indidment ; or
shall preremptorily challenge the number of twenty persons
legally returned to be of the Jury for the trial of such of
fender; shall be adjudged a felon, and ihall fuffer death
without benefit of Clergy. And if any person or persons
shall counterfeit any of the said Bills of Credit, Loan-
Office Certificates or Bills of Exchange by altering the deno
mination thereof, with design to increase the value of such
Bills, Certificates or Bills of Exchange, or shall utter
such Bills, Certificates or Bills of Exchange, knowing them
to be so counterfeited or altered, as aforefaid, and shall be
thereof legally convicted in any Court of Record in this
State, such person or persons shall be sentenced to the pil
lory and have both his or her ears cut off, and mailed to
the pillory, and be publicly whipped on his or tier bare
back with thirty nine lathes, well laid on ; and moreover
every such offender shall forfeit the sum of two thousand
pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania, to be levied on his
or her lands and tenements, goods and chatties, the one
moiety to the use of the State, and the other moiety to the
discoverer ; and the offender shall pay to the party grieved
double the value of the damages thereby sustained, toge
ther with the costs and charges of prosecution ; and in case
the offender hath not fufficient to fatisfy the discoverer, for
his or her damages and charges, and to pay the forfeiture
aforefaid, in such case the offender shall, by order of the
Court where he or she shall be convicted, be fold as a ser
vant, for any t^rm not exceeding seven years, for fatistac
tion.
And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid,
That if any person or persons shall, within this State, pre
pare or make any paper of the similitude or likeness of the
paper prepared or made for, and used by the Congress of
the United States of America, or the person or persons
employed by them, for the purpose of firiking their pa
per Bills of Credit, Continental Loan-Office Certificates,
or Continental Bills of Exchange, upon, and on which,
the fame are or shall be fltruck, printed or made; or if any
person or persons, shall within this State, prepare or make
any paper of the similitude or likeness of the paper pre
pared or made for, and used by the Legislative Authority
of this State, for the purpose of striking their Paper Mo
ney upon, and on which the fame is, or shall be printed or
made ; and Ihall give, fell, deliver or otherwise employ,
or willingly fuffer the fame to be taken by or delivered, or
otherwise d/pofed of to any person or persons whomsoever,
except to Congress, orto the Legislature of this State, or
of some other of the United States, or to their order, or
the order of some person or persons authorized by them
refpeflively; he, she or they, being legally convicted
thereof, in any Court cf Record in this State, shall be irr
prifmed at the discretion of the court, and moreover shall
forfeit all his, her or their goods and chatties, and one moi
ety of the la^ds to the use of the Commonwealth.
And be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That if
any person or persons, shall take and prosecute any of the
herein before mentioned felons to convidion, within this
State, upon every such conviftion, and procuring a Certi
ficate thereof, under the hands of the Judges, before whom
the conviction shall be, or either of them, which the said
Judges are hereby directed and required to give, such per
son or persons, shall receive of the Tteafurer of this Com
monwalth, the sum of one hundred pounds lawful money
of this State, which the said Treasurer is hereby directed
and required to pay out of the public money in his hands,
and the fame ihall be allowed to him at the Settlement of his
accounts.
The EXAMINATION of JOSEPH GALLOWAY,
Esq; before the House of Commons.
( Continued )
Q TT O W long before ?
H A. I cannot give a fatisfaftory answer.
Q Vvas it in the year 1775?
A. I do not remember whether in the latter end of 1775,
or the beginning of 1776 —but I rather think in 1775.
Q Were they the greater number of the people that
were so disarmed ?
A. I rather fufped not;--they did not disarm those whom
they did not fufpeßof making use of arms against them.
Q How may do you think might have been so diCrm
ed?
liable to, and chargeable therewith, a sum of money amount
ing to one half part of the whole amount of the tax, which
such person was, or is, or ought to be chargeable with, and
liable to pay as aforefaid.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid, That
the Commissioners of the several and refpedive counties of
this State, fliall cause to be written and made out, fair du
plicates of the names and firnames and sums of money
chargeable by virtue of this AH, monthly as aforefaid, of,
and on, all persons within their refpeaive counties, and
shall deliver a counterpart thereof, with proper warrants
and directions to the Collector of the county, and the
said Collector shall proceed to colled the fame, in the man
ner, and within the time herein before fpecified, and ihall
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 receive the monies by virtue of this Aft, er 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 Trea
surer of the United States, or to the order of Congress,
for the Support of the fcederal army and navy, the State
Treasurer retaining in his hands, the refidne of the tax im
posed by this A&, for the use of this State, fubjed to the
disposal of the House of Assembly.
And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid,
That the Commissioners of the several counties of this State,
shall have, and exercise, like authority to enforce theelec
tion and payment of the said tax, and that like fines and
penalties shall be encurred by delinquents, Cornmidi oners,
Collectors and county Treasurers, to be impressed and le
vied on such delinquents, in like manner, and by like* pro
cess as are directed in like cases, in and by tae AH before
mentioned, and that all necessary powers for the effectual
andt imely railing, collecting and bringing into the Trea
sury of this State, the said sum of Two Millions Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars by monthly payments as a
forefaid, aad like reward for the fervicesdone in execution
of this AH, shall be exercised and used as were authorifed,
given and directed to be exercised and used in the execution
of the Alt of Assembly herein before mentioned, or of an
ACt of Assembly entitled "An Aft for railing the Supplies
for the year 1779, in similar cases and for like purposes.
Provided always, And be it further enabled by the au
thority aforefaid, Th^t if by reafen of any unavoidable
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 intent of
this Aft ; that in such case,, the fame Shall be levied, col
lefted and paid as soon after as may be, and applied in the
manner herein before mentioned and directed.
Provided also, That if any person liable to pay the
monthly affeffmentnts aforefaid, ftiall be disposed to advance
the sums he or the 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 difeharge for the lame.
A. I really cannot fay what pi ^portion ; —I know they
called on me for ray arms.
Q D® you think that the greatest part of the Pennfyl
vanid militia were compelled at that time to serve by force ?
A. The militia laws whtch were made in Pennsylvania,
I think, were made after that time ; —but I do not recoi
led that any of the militia, before those laws were made,
were compelled to serve.
Q Did they obey those laws?
A. Not generally.
Q The Quakers excepted, I mean ?
A. There were Quakers, and a number of other feds,
who fciupled carrying arms.
Q. Do you remember the march of Sir William Howe
from Elk to Philadelphia—was you with him ?
A. 1 was.
Q. Is it not almost the whole lentgh of the Province in
that dredion?
A. By no means.
Q Is the Province more extensive in that direction than
from the Elk to the Delaware?
A. Not in that hraight direction from the Elk to Phila
delphia.
Q Had Sir William Howe a strong army with him ?
A. I Should think a very strong army, considering the
force in opposition to him.—The force in opposition to him
at the battle of Brandy Wine, did not consist of more
than 15,000 men, the army and its attendants, including
officers and all, save ab®ut rooo militia, for whom they
could not procure arms.
Q. How many of the King's loyal fubjeds joined the
army of Sir William Howe on that march ?
A. There were many came into camp, and returned a
gain to their habitations Ido not know of any that join
ed in arms---not one --nor was there any invitation for
that purpose. By Sir William Howe's declaration, which
is before this Committee, he only requeued the people to
flay at home.
Q If the people were so desirous of repressing the ty
ranny of the Congress, how came they not to take that
opportunity of riling to proted themselves, and to deli
ver the usurping Magistrates?
A. The people in the Province of Weft New-Jarfey
had been deferted;--- many of them who had taken an
a&ive part, and been affifling to the General, were obli
ged, to save their lives, to fly to New York for protec
tion, and desert their wives, their families, and property ;
and more, it is not natural to think that people of proper
ty will join an army passing as that did, from the head of
Elk to Philadelphia, leave their wives and families, and
their property, liable to be destroyed every moment afte r
the departure of the army, without feme assurance, 0
it
without some proteaion left with them--, or assurances that
the army would continue with therr, or be ready to pro
ted them.
Q_ Is that so in all the Provinc *?
A. I think it will be so all the World over.
Q So that the loyal people are not able to protea there
selves, after the withdraw ng of the arrey?
A. I do'nt make that conclusion.—ls an army go into
the country with design to reduce it, and Iheuid find it
necessary to make use cf the force of that country for its
defence, after the army may leave it to go on other opera
tions ; common policy, nd the pra&ice, I believe, of all
Generals has been, for the army to remain in that country
until the proper measures are taken, by proper rules and
regulations, to embody that force, by which it may be
protected when the army shall leave it.
Q How long did Sir William Howe flay at Philadel
phia.
A. The British army, part of it passed into Philadelphia,
the 26th of September, ,777—aud evacuated it, I think
the 18th of June following.
Q Was not that a fufficient time for the loyal people te
colled and arm themselves, for their own defence, in case
Sir William Howe had chosen to quit that place, and pro
ceed on other operations ?
A. During that time, Washington had as much poffefi
on of the country of Pennsylvania, except the lines within
which the British army were contained, as any enemy could
be in possession of a country.
Q Did General Washington no* confider himfelf as ire
an enemy's country, and the people as generally difaffed
ed to him?
A He did so in refped to intelligence, and I believe in
refped to procuring provisions; —But Washington knew
he could, and the people without the lines knew he would,
in case they atemp^ed to rife, fend a party of his army to
suppress them, which might be eifily done, as the people
well effeded to government were before disarmed.
Q. Was not General Washington defeated at Brandy
Wine ?
A. He was driven off the ground — which I call &
defeat.
Q Did the people take that opportunity to rife, or did
they in very considerable bodies apply to Sir William
Howe for arms and Support, engaging to embody alter
thardefeat?
A. Tn a few days after that defeat, Washington collect
ed his army ; —the people saw Washington again in force
force, —they saw him march from Philadelphia round is
Goflien, to det Sir William Howe—that defeat gave them
but little opportunity to rife.
Q Did they rife, or fend a message, promising to rife if
protested ?
A. They did not at that time.
Q Til they, when General Washington retired, and
Sir william Howe entered into Philadelphia ?
A. I cannot answer any geftion which may tend by a
Short answer, to centradiff what I said before, without gi
ving ray reasons for it.
Q Upon the retreat of Washington, and the entry of
Sir Wiliam Howe into Philadelphia, was there any con
siderable rifiog of the people in favour of the King ?
Again called in. Withdrew.
Qeftion repeated?*
A. There was not; after the army went into Philadel
phia Sir William Howe remained at German town ; and al
though Washington's army retreated when Sir William
Howe crossed the Schuylkil, up towards Read ing, ery soon
after he returned nearer to Sir William Howe's army
about Skippack.
Q After the battle of Brandy Wine, had General Wash
ington any considerable army in the Lower Counties ?
A. He had not.
Q Was there any infurreftion in those counties again*
the Congress ?
A. There was mot ;---but those counties very general
ly, in my clear opinion, from the head of the Elk, near
200 miles to the Capes, would have rote in arms, could
Sir William Howe, confident with his operations, have
remained for a month at the head of Elk, or about New
castle, that covered that peninsula, a reasonable time t.
admit of their putting themselves into a regulr posture of
defence, providing they had assurances of this, and am in
vitation and authority for him to do so.
Q. You having said that General Washington had n®
army in these counties, was there not a royal naval force ire
the river?
A. There was in the rivers ;-- but there were mi'itia in
those parts who had arms in their hands, and prevented
the rest of the people from putting their wishes into exe
cution.
Q. Did they apply to Sir William Howe, or Capt.
Hamond, or Lord Howe, or any other people in authority,
for arms and affi fiance ?
A. I don't know that they made any personal applica
tion to any of the^m§ but I understood from Mr Robin
son, a gentleman of the firft weight ?ad influence in
those counties, who came in to Sir William Howe at
New-York, that he had mentioned it either to Sir Willi
am Howe or his Aid de camp, that he would witha few
men, land in the peninsula below, in the course of the
fleet's going round to the Chefapeak, he would engage to
raise men enough, if he was provided with arcs to disarm
the Rebels in that peninsula, and meet Sir William Howe
at the head of Elk.
Q Was that, or any such application, made to Sir
William Howe when he was in the city of Philadelphia ?
A. I don't know there was.
Q Did Mr. Robinson, when he made that application
for joining Sir William Howe towards the Elk, know that
Sir William Howe intended to proceed by the Elk and
the Chefapeak?
A. I believe he did not know it, but I know that he
hoped or fufpeded it, because we had many conversations
about it ;---he hoped it, because he had his family and
property there.
Q, What was the time of the firfl of these conversati
ons?
A. It was about the time that the fleet was got ready at
New-York, and I repeatedly conversed with him on the
fame fubje& at Philadelphia---when we often regretted that
he was not put on Thore.
Q Was not Sir William Howe out of the lines at the
battle of Germantown?
A. Certainly he was ; it was about four miles from the
lines to Sir William Howe's head-quarers.