The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-02-20 00:00:00, page 1

The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
HOUSE of LORDS, Saturday, Nov. ii.
r°f~^.HE Lords were yesterday assembled for the purposes
I 'of examining Governor Penn, and of dilcuffing a
■ ' motion which the Duke of Richmond proposed to
ground on such information as that gentleman
should afford the House.
Previous to the calling of Mr. Penn to the bar, the Duke
of Richmond announced the mode he had adopted preparatory
to the Governor's examination. His Grace confeffed, " that
he had apprized Mr. Penn of the questions which would be
propounded to him ; but the noble Duke disclaimed having
entered into any fort of conversation with the Governor, left
such conversation Should be malevolently construed into a de
£gn of anticipating the answers Mr. Fenn might think proper
to return." - .„
The Duke of Richmond having finifhed his preliminary re
marks, Mr. Penn was called to the bar, and interrogated
nearly to the following purport :
Q How long had he resided in America ? #
A. Four years. Two cf those years in the capacity of Go
vernor of Pennsylvania.
Q Was he acquainted with any of the members of the
Continental Congress ? „ , f
A. He was personally acquainted with all the members of
the Congress.
Q. In what estimation was the Congress held?
A.' In the highest veneration imaginable by all ranks and
orders of men. , c
Q Was an implicit obedience paid to the resolutions of
ihatCongrefs throughout all the provinces ?
A. He believed this to be the case.
Q How many men had been raised throughout the pro
vince of Pennsylvania?
A. Twenty thcufand effective men had voluntarily enrolled
themselves to enter into adual service, if necessity required.
Q Of what rank, quality, and condition were these per
sons? .
A. Men of the most refpedable characters in the province.
Q Were not a considerable number of them entirely desti
tute of property ?
A. It was presumed that, fubtraded from so large a num
ber as twenty thousand, there were some necessitous, but the
major part were in flourifhi^g situations.
Q. Besides those twepty thousand, who voluntarily enrolled
themselves to aft as exigencies might require, what other for
ces had the Provincials of Pennsylvania raised ?
A. Four thousand minute men, whose duty was pointed out
by their designation. They were to be ready for service at a
minute's warning. . „
Q. Did the Province of Pennsylvania grow corn fufficient
for the supply of its inhabitants ?
A. Much more than fufficient, there was a surplus for ex
portation, if required.
Q Were they capable of making gunpowder in Pennsyl
vania?
A. They perfectly well underflood the art, and had effeded
it.
Vol. ll.]
Price only Two Coppers.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1776.
Published every Tuesday, Pburfday, and Saturday Evenings.
87
Q Could faltpetre be made in the province ?
A. It could ; mills and other instruments for effecting such
an undertaking had been erected with success.
Q Could cannon be cast in Pennsylvania ?
A. The art of casting cannon had been carried to great
perfection ; they were amply furnifhed with iron for the pur
pose.
Q Could small arms be made to any degree cf perfection ?-
A. To as great a degree of perfection as could be imagined.
The workmanship employed in finifliing the small arms was
universally admired for its excellence.
Q Were the Americans expert in fllipbuilding?
A. More so than the Europeans.
Q To what extent of tonnage did the largest of their Dip
ping amount ?
A. A ship of about three hundred tons was the largest they
were known to build.
Q Circumflanced as things at present were, did the wit
ness think, that the language of the Congress expressed the
sense of the people of America in genera!?
A. As far as the question applied to Pennsylvania, he was
sure this was the case ; for the other provinces, he replied in
the affirmative from information only.
Did he suppose that the Congress contained Delegates
fairly nominated by the choice of the people ?
A. He had no doubt but that the Congress did contain
Delegates chosen under this description.
Q By what mode were the Delegates in Congress ap
pointed ?
A. By the votes of Assemblies in some places, by ballot in
others.
Q In what light had the petition, which the witness had
presented to the King, been considered by the Americans ?
A. The petition had been considered as an olive branch,
and the witness had been complimented by his friends, .as the
messenger of peace.
Q. On the supposition that the prayer of this petition should
be rejected, what did the witness imagine would be the con
sequence?
A. That the Americans, who placed much reliance on
the petition, would be driven to desperation by its non
fuccefs.
Q. Did the witness imagine, that sooner than yield to what
were supposed to be the unjust claims of Great-Bfitain, the
Americans would take the desperate resolution of calling in
the aid of foreign assistance?
A. The witness was apprehensive, that this would be the
case.
Q What did the witness recoiled of the stamp-ad?
A. That it caused great uneasiness throughout America.
Q. What did the witness recoiled, concerning the repeal
of that ad?
A. The anniversary of that memorable day is kept through
out America, by every teftirnony of public rejoicing, such
as bonfires, illuminations, and other exhibitions of glad
ness.
Q Would not the negled with which the last petition was
[Num. 169.