Gazette Of The United States & Evening Advertiser

Pennsylvania Legislature.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Saturday, February 4.

After reading a few petitions, the house resumed the consideration of the bill for the defence of the river Delaware, and the western frontiers of this commonwealth.

The preamble implies, that the declared neutrality of the United States renders it expedient to provide for more effectual ly securing the trade, peace, and safety of the port of Philadelphia, during the continuance of the war in Europe, and that the necessity of co-operating with the general government in the defence of the western frontiers, requires the passing a law, &c.

The first section will empower the governor to raise by voluntary enlistments, from the militia of the commonwealth, 3 infantry companies, of experienced riflemen, and one company of artillery, to serve under his instructions, for eight months, from the 1st of April next—and this section will also fix the pay, &c.

The second section will provide for stationing the artillery at Fort-Mifflin. One company of infantry on the frontiers of Westmoreland; another in Washington, and the third company in Alleghany.

The third section will empower the governor to draft some of the artillery, &c. and to station them at Presque-Isle, on Lake-Erie.

The fourth section will appropriate a sum of money for the purposes aforesaid, and to pay off the expenses already incurred by the protection of Mud-Island. The sum agreed to by the house, on motion of Mr. Nevil, is 50,000 dollars.—The pay of captains per month, 40 dollars, lieutenants 26, ensigns 20, sergeants 8, corporals 7, drummers, fifers, and buglers 7, and privates 6 67-100.

The bill was gone through, and ordered to be transcribed for a third reading.

The clerk of the senate brought down a message with a bill to prevent receiving any more applications, or issuing any more warrants for lands in this commonwealth after a certain period. Read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Morgan called for a second reading of the report of a committee on the memorial from the city and county commissioners. This report recommends, that a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill authorizing the governor's drawing a warrant for a sum of money equivalent to the purposes of paying off the sums advanced by the commissioners over the money already appropriated, also for completing the improvements in the county court house, now occupied by Congress—viz. to erect galleries &c. On motion of Mr. Torrence the further consideration of this subject was postponed: in order to give time for a joint committee of the Legislature to inspect the buildings, and report on the state of the expenditures already made. A committee of five were accordingly appointed, viz. Mr. Morgan, Mr. Lilley, Mr. M'Lene, Mr. Wynkoop, and Mr. Torrence.

The order of the day, viz. bill for regulating the fisheries and removing obstructions in the rivers Delaware and Lehigh. Mr. Wynkoop moved for a postponement till this day two weeks, agreed.

Mr. Morgan presented a petition which was read the first time, from the Philadelphia Society for promoting agriculture, praying to be incorporated.

Adjourned.