The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-06-04 00:00:00, page 2

PHILADELPHIA, June 4.
To the Worftipful Justices of his Majesty George the Third,
of his Courts of Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas for
the county of Philadelphia,
The Memorial of the Committee of Infpedion and Observa
tion for the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, &c.
Refpe&fully ffieweth,
THAT the Honorable the Congress, by a resolution of
the 15th of May last, have declared, “ that it appears
absolutely irreconcileable to reason and good conscience for the
. peopleof the colonies now to take the oaths or affirmations ne
cessary for the support of any government under the crown of
Great-Britain, and that it is necessary that the exercifeofaty kind
of authority under the said crownlhould be totally fappreffed,"
&c. That this Committee conceive it to be their duty, as it
is their inclination, to exert their utmost endeavors for carry
ing into execution the said refelve as well as others of that
honorable body, and therefore they thus apply to your Wor
lhips to surcease the exercise of any authority in the present
courts until a new government is framed, and all the powers,
thereof exerted, under the authority of the people of this pro
vince.
The Committee need not remind your Worships of the
qualifications of grand-jurors, and how incompatible they
are with the present opposition to the King of Great-Britain,
and the execution of the Resolves as well of the Congress as
of the House of Assembly of this province, when they reflet
that the disposition of many of your Worships is friendly to
the cause of liberty and your country, and that a continuance
in the feats you have so worthily filled is no longer conducive
to the happiness or fafety of the people.
It is with great concern that the Committee have beheld
some persons in office in this province, so influenced by their
salaries as to prefer their own immediate power and interest
to that of their country and their pofteiity ; and they are
sorry to find themselves constrained to exert their most ftrenu-
Ous efforts for obtaining those desirable ends, .personal secu
rity, and the preservation of private property, which they
apprehend every honest man would be anxious to fee fixed on
a firm and permanent basis. It is with equal concern that
they have seen another set of men in this province, heretofore
notoriously opposing the ele&ions and authority of Commit
tees of all kinds (bodies, it is confeffed, constituted by ne
cessity alone) now profeffing a desire for the continuance of
them, tho' evidently militating against the authority of the
crown, and the execution of some of the criminal laws,, as
well as tending to the discontinuance of trial by jury, and.
the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, those bulwarks of
liberty. This conduct they can only ascribe to an inclination
in'thefe men to prefer confufion to order, tyranny to liberty,
and anarchy to legal government, and thereby, in time,,
to make the people so difeontented and unhappy as to desire
peace at the expence of every thing valuable in this life, as
was effected by similar means at the Restoration.
Upon the whole, the Committee think it their duty to
themselves, their constituents,. and to the Congress, to request
your Worships to postpone the business ofthe above mentioned
courts until a new government flhall be formed, which they
apprehend will be effected so speedily that the. delay will be of
small if any injury to the present suitors, and. in the mean,
time the minds of men will be quieted from the apprehension
of a difaffe&ed grand jury or court attempting to censure or
condemn the virtuous measures now pursuing for the happi
sefs and fafety of the good people of this province in particular,
and America in general. Signed by order of the Committee,
June 3, 1776. THOMAS M'KEAN,. Chairman.
(%^V
278
At a Special Meeting of the COMMITTEE of Infpedion of
the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, June I.
Whereas the Hon rable Congress, by their resolve of the
30th of May, have empowered the Committees of Infpedion
to regulate the price of SALT.
Resolved, That that article Ihall not exceed the following
prices—COAßSE SALT Seven Shillings and Sixpence per
bulhel, Three Shillings and Ninepence per half bushel,
and Two Shillings per peck.—FlNE SALT Eight Shillings
per bulhel, Four Shillings per half bushel, and Two Shk=
lings and Twopence per peck. And whereas the Congress
have empowered the Committees of Infpedion to regulate the
price of GREEN TEA as well as to execute their refelve
limiting the price of Bohea Tea at Three Fourths of a Dollar
per pound.
Resolved, That the price of the best Green Tea Ihall noL
exceed Thirty-two Shillings and Sixpence per pound.
Resolved likewise, That if any persons ihall by any art or
evasion elude the above resolutions, by refufing to fell the
above articles at the said limited prices, they may depend up
on being held up as enemies to their country without refpeft
to persons, and they may be assured, the Committee will take
such farther steps (if necessary), as will effectually carry the
above resolutions of Congress into execution.
The Committee request that all virtuous citizens will use
their utmost endeavors to detect and bring to justice all such
persons as dare to offend against the above necessary and highly
useful regulations J. B. SMITH, Secretary.
Gentlemen, In Committee, Eagon, May 30th, 1776.
ON receiving your letter of 'the 21# instant with the papers,
therein inclofed, the General Committee of this county
were immediately called, and met this day.
The several matters laid before the Committee were cor.-.
ceived by us of the greatest moment. We diredly proceeded
thereon^ and unanimously agreed to the inclofed resolves.
Animated by that good spirit, which in a very remarkable
manner has hitherto smiled on the laudable endeavors of the
United Colonies, for. the preservation of invaluable liberty,
the free gift of God, our business was carried on without the
leaf opposition ; and in .full confidence of the continued pro
tection and assistance of him in whose sovereignty is the difpe-.
fal of all things, we are; Gentlemen, your most obedient
humble servants. Signed by order of Committee,
ROBERT LEVERS, Chairman.
To,the Committee of Infpeclion and Observation,
at Philadelphia.
At a meeting of the General Committee of the county of
Northampton, held at Eafton the 30th day of May,,
anno 1776.
Present thirty-one members.
On motion, Robert Levers, Esq; was appointed to, and
seated in the chair..
The Committee were informed that they had been called
together in consequence of a letter from the Committee of
Infpeftion and Observation of the city and liberties of Phila
delphia, dated the twenty-firft of May instant, and delivered
the twenty-sixth instant to Lewis Gordon, Esq; Chairman, at
present indisposed, by Mr. Frederick Kuhl, and Mr. Chris
topher Ludwig, two es the said Committee of Infpe&ion.
Moved, That the said letter Ihould be read, and it was,
read accordingly.
Moved,.That the Resolve of Congress of t¥ 15th inff.
be read,,with the proceedings at the S^^V '? at Plulat
delphia, the 20th instant, ,which " '^