The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-09-21 00:00:00, page 2

“ As I think they contain matter that, upon a
conference and cool dilcuflion; might be wrought
into a plan of permanent union, I shall, with great
latisfadion, embrace the firlt opportunity that may
be offered upon those grounds, to promote so defi
rablc an event. I have the honour to be, my Lord,
your Lordship's mod obedient servant, HOWE.
" light Hou. the Lord Drummond."
The following is the purport of the message sent
from Lord Howe to Congress, by General Sullivan.
" That though he could not at present treat with
Congress as luch, yet he was very desirous of hav
ing a conference with some of the members, whom
he would confider for the present only as private
.gentlemen, and meet them himfelf as such, at such
place as they should appoint.
" I hat he, in conjunction with 'Generali Howe
had full powers to compromise the dispute between
Great-Britain and America, upon terms advanta
geous to both, the obtaining of which delayed him
near two months in England, and prevented his ar
rival at this place before the Declaration of Inde
pendency took place.
“ That he wished a compact might be fettled at
this time, when no deci five blow was struck, and
neither party could fay that they were compelled
to enter into such agreement.
" That in case Congress were disposed to treat,
many things, which they had not as yet asked,
might and ought to be granted them; and that if,
upon the Conference, they found any probable
ground of an accommodation, the authority of
Congress mutt be afterward acknowledged, other
wise the cornpad could not be complete."
Extract from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
In CONGRESS, September 5, 1776.
Resolved, That General Sullivan be requested to
inform Lord Howe, that this Congress, being the
representatives of the free and Independent States
of America, cannot with propriety lend any of its
members to confer with his Lordship in their pri
vate characters but that, ever desirous of eftablilh
ing peace on reasonable terms, they will fend a
Committee of their body, to know whether he has
any authority to treat with persons authorifed by
Congress for that purpose, in behalf of America,
and what that authority is, and to hear fucli pro
positions as he shall think fit to make refpedive the
fame.
Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for electing
the Committee.
September 6, 1776.
Resolved, That the Committee to be sent " to
know whether Lord Howe has any authority to
treat with persons authorifed by Congress for that
purpose, in behalf of America, and what that au
thority is, and to hear such propositions as he shall
think fit to make refpedive the fame," consist of
three.
The members chosen, Mr. Franklin, Mr. John
Adams, and Mr. E. Rutledge-
Extrafl from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
The Committee, who were appointed to wait on
Lord Howe, having returned to Congress, made
their report in the following words:
" In obedience to the order of Congress, we have
had a meeting with Lord Howe. It was on Wed
nesday last, upon Staten-Island. opposite to Amboy,
where his Lordship received and entertained us
with the utmost politeness
“ Eag% of Staten-Island, ^#gufl 15, 1776.
" Ms Lord,
" I have received the honour of your Lordship's
^trer'of the 12th, indofing a sketch of the propo
sitions mentioned in your late conversation, which I
return herewith.
" His Lordship opened the conversation by ac
quainting us, that though he could not treat with
us as a Committee of Congress, yet as his powers
enabled him to confer and consult with any private
gentlemen of influence in the colonies, on the means
of restoring peace between the two countries, he was
glad of this opportunity of confering with us on
that fubjed, if we thought ourselves at liberty to
enter into a conference with him in thqt character.
We observed to his Lordship. that as our business
was to hear, he might confider us in what light he
pleased, and communicate to us any propositions he
might be authorifed to make for the purpose men
tioned; but that we could confider ourselves in no
other character than that in which we were placed
"by the order of Congress. His Lordship then en
tered into a discourse of considerable length, which
contained no explicit proposition of peace except
one, viz. that the colonies should return to their al
legiance and obedience to the government of Great-
Britain. The rest confided principally of assurances
that there was an exceeding good difpofirion in the
King and his Ministers to make that government
easy to us; with intimations that in case of our sub
mission they would cause the offenfive a&s of Par
liament to be revised, and the inltru&ions to Go
verors to be reconsidered, that so if any just causes
of complaint were found in the ads, or any errors
in government were perceived to have crept into the
inftruftions, they might be am nded or withdrawn.
“ We gave it as our opinion to his Lordship,
that a return to the domination of Great-Britain
was not now to be expected. We mentioned the
repeated humble petitions of the colonies to the
King and Parliament, which had been treated with
contempt, and answered only by additional injuries;
the unexampled patience we had shewn under their
tyrannical government, and that it was not till the
lad a& of Parliament which denounced war against
us, and put us out of the King's protection, that
we declared our independence. That this declara
tion had been called for by the people of the colo
nies in general, that every colony had approved of
it when made, and all now considered themselves as
Independent States, and were fettling or had fettled
their governments accordingly; so that it was not
in the power of the Congress to agree for them that
they should return to their former dependent Rate.
That there was no doubt of their inclination to
peace,, and.their willingness to enter into a treaty
with Britain, that might be advantageous to both
countries. That though his Lordship had at pre
lent no powers to treat with them as Independent
States, he might, if there was the fame good dispo
sition in Britain, much sooner obtain frefh powers
for that purpose, than powers could be obtained by
Congress from the several colonies, to consent to a
submission. His Lordship then, faying that he was
foiry to find that no accommodation was like to
take place, put an end to the conference.
‘Upon the whole, it did not appear to vour
Committee, that his Lordship's commission contain
ed any other authority of importance, than what
is expressed in the AH of Parliament,, viz. that of
granting pardons with such exceptions as the Com
missioners shall think proper to make, and of decla
ring America or any part of it to be in the King's
peace upon lubmifhon. For as to the power of
enquiring into the date of America, which his Lord
fliip mentioned to us, and of conferring and consult
ing with any persons the Commissioners might think
proper, and repr.fenting the result of such conver
iations to the Ministry, who (provided the colonies
would lubjeH themselves) might after all, or might
not, at their plealure, make any alteration in the
former inftruHions to Governors or propole in
Parliament any amendment of the ads complained
of, we apprehended any expiation from the effeH
of such a power would have been too uncertain and
precarious to be relied on by America, had she Hill
continued in her date of dependence."
din ORDINANCE for rendering the Burthen
^Associators and Non-Associ ators, in the
defence of this State, as nearly equal as may be.
WHEREAS the Associators of this State have
bellowed much of their time, and been at a
Considerable expence in qualifying themselves for
tlie defence of their country, and are now gone forth
into aHual service, to the great prejudice of their
private concerns, while others, by not associating,
have exempted themselves from those difficulties, and
pursued their business to advantage And whereas
no effe&ual measures have liitherto been taken to
render the burthen of the defence, which is a com
mon benefit, as nearly equal as possible:
I lieretore be it oi daihed and declared, and it is
hereby ordained and declared by the Representatives
of the Freemen of the State of Pennsylvania, in Ge
neral Convention met, That every Non-Associator,
between the ages of sixteen and fifty years, shall pay,
for and during the time of his continuing a Non-
Associator, at the rate of Twenty Shillings for each
and every month, to commence from the publica
tion of this Ordinance, and to continue until the
end of the firlt leffion of the future AfTembly of this
State, unless the said Assembly shall, before that
time, alter or repeal the fame.
And be it furtlier ordained and declared by the
authority aforefaid, That every Non-Associator a
bove the age of twenty-one years, sh di pay in addi
tion to the aforefaid fine, at the rate of Four Shil
lings in the pound on the annual value of his efface,
as lated under the late laws of this State for railing
provincial taxes.
And De it farther ordained, by the authority
aforefaid, That all the monies which shall be railed
by the aforefaid aft ffments and fines, after difeharg
ing the necessary expences attending & collecting the
lame, shall be paid into the hands of John Bayard,
Esq; for the relief and lupport of the families of
poor associators of this State, while out in the fer
vice, and to afford afliftance to thoie poor associa
tors who are by the service rendered incapable of
supporting themselves and their families, and also
to afford such assistance to the widows and children
of Inch poor associators as lole their lives in the
service of their country.
And be it further ordained and declared by the
authority aforefaid, That when any of the said as
sociators, or their widows and children, shall be so
entitled to a share ot the monies arising from tlie
aforefaid affeflment and fines, the field officers of
the battalion, or any three of them, and a private
of the company to which such associator, at the
time when he or his widow and children became so
entitled, did belong, shall certify the particular cir
cumstances of the said associator or his wife, (or of
his widow and children, if he should be killed) to
the future Assembly of this State, in order to enable
them to fulfil the intent of this Ordinance. And to
tlie end that the laid four Shillings in the pound,
and the laid monthly fines of Twenty Shillings
1
And Liat Patrick Maxwell, Samuel Leard and
James Pollock be, and arc hereby appointed Com
missioners; and that Henry Polling, John Davis,
James Lyon, Alexander Morrow, John Carson and
William Rippey, Assessors for the county of Cum
berland, who, or a majority of them, shall be a
Board of Commissioners and Assessors for the county
of Cumberland.
may be duly assessed, levied, colle&ed and paid, for
the purpoles herein before mentioned.
Be it further ordained and declared by the au
thority aforefaid, That Jacob Morgan, Joseph
Moulder and Jacob Bright be, and are hereby ap
pointed Commissioners; and that Isaac Snowden,
James Millegan, Michael Shubart, Benjamin Har
befon, William Will and William Hollingfhead,
Assessors for the city of Philadelphia, who, or a
majority of them, shall be a Board of Commissioners
and Assessors for the city of Philadelphia.
That Fhomas Potts, Samuel Erwin and John
Williams be, and are hereby appointed Commiffo
oners; and that John Brown, William Robinson,
Samuel Ingle, Andrew Knox, Henry Derringer
and Isaac Hughes, Assessors for the county of Phi
ladelphia, who, or a majority of them, shall be a
Board of Commissioners and Assessors for the county
of Philadelphia.
And that James Benezet, Captain William Ro
berts and Abraham Middlefwarts be, and are here
by appointed Commissioners, and that Gilliam
Cornel, Abraham Britton, James Wallace, Tho
mas Armstrong, Benjamin Sagal and George M'll
roy, Assessors for the county of Bucks, who, or a
majority of them, shall be a Board of Commission
ers and Assessors for the county of Bucks.
And that Thomas Levis William Evans and
Thomas Taylor be, and are hereby appointed Com
missioners; and that Caleb Davis, Richard Thomas,
David Cloyd, Benjamin Brannon, Thomas Evans
and Jotep Gardner, Assessors for the county of
Chester, who, or a majority of them, shall be a
Board of Commiffionersj and Assessors for the
county of Chester.
And that Alexander Martin, Christian Wirtz
and Casper Snevely be, and are hereby appointed
Commiffioners^ and that John Bokenftole, John
Rowland, Philip Greenwalt, Thomas Clark, of
Diomore, Casper Shaffner and John Jemihilon,
the younger, Assessors for the county of Lancaster,
who, or a majority of them, shall be a Board of
Commissioners and Affeffers for the county of Lail
caller.
And that Peter Wolfe, John Nefbit and Archi
bald M'Clean be, and are hereby appointed Com
missioners; and that Patrick Scott, Benjamin Pid
don, Frederick Wolfe, John Agnew, Christopher
Lowman and James Dill, Assessors for the county
of York, who, or a majority of them, shall be a
Board of Commissioners and Assessors for the coun
ty of York.
And that Henry Reetmeyer, Christian Lower
and Moi decai Lincoln be, and are hereby appoint
ed Commissioners; and that Conrad Herffiner, the
elder, Nocholas Jones, Frederick Mayerle, George
Kelchnei, Warner Stam and John Robinson, Af
ieffors for tlie county of Berks, who, or a majority
°' J'^""' ''" be " Board of Commissioners and
Assessors for the county of Berks,
And that Peter Burkhalter, Jacob Opp and Hen
r) Lauald be, and are hereby appointed Commis
sioners; and that Peter Koler, Abraham Arndt,
Benjamin Dupui, Peter Haas, Peter Beifel and
John V an Camp, Assessors for the county of North
ampton, who or a majority of them, shall be a
Board ot Commissioners and Assessors for the coun
ty of Northampton.
And that Charles Ciflha, Edward Coomb and
John Ciffna be, and are hereby appointed Commis
sioners; and that Matthew Patton, Harman Hus
bands, William Todd, William Parker William
Philips and benjamin Elliot, Assessors for the coun
ty of Bedford who, or a majority of them, shall
be a Board of Commissioners and Assessors for the
county of Bedford.
And that Thomas Hewit, William Gray and
John Weitzel be. and are hereby appointed Com
missioners; and that Jonathan Loudge, Walter
Clark, Peter Holfterman, James Harriton, Nicho
las Miller and Jacol iHeverlan, Assessors for the
county of Northumberland, who r a majority of
"',' shall be a Board ot Commissioners and As
sessors for the county of Northumberland.
And that Robert Hanna, James Cavat, and
James Pollock be, and are hereby appointed Com
missioners; and that William Elliott, John Shields,
Samuel Moorhead, James M Clean, James Beard
and 'hrifloplier 1 ruby Jfflors of the county of
Weftmoreland, who, or a majority of them, shall
be a Board of Commissioners and Assessors for the
county of Weftmoreland: Wno shall meet at the
Couit-houles ot their several and relpeffive coun
ties, on Monday, tlie iqtli day of October next en
fi"ng, 0! as soon after'as they can conveniently
meet and appoint proper perlons to make returns
to them of all the Non-Associators in their respec
tive diftrids, on or before the iecond Monday of
November next ensuing.
And be it furtlier ordained and declared by the
authority aforefaid That the said Commissioners
and AlfelTors shall have all the powers, authorities