ELECTION RETURNS.

George Kline

2479 Jacob Marshall

John Stauffer

2627

John Ziemer

Philip A. Good

2346 | John Hughes

1982

I herewith send you the official returns of the election in Columbia county. The election was governed pretty much by the presidential politics of the voters.

A. Marr

J. Ford

P. Stevens

CONGRESS.

543

440

507

510

LAW CASE.

Margaret S. McAlpin,

v8.

James Arrott.

Common Pleas, Oct. 22;

This was an action, brought in the name of the 2029 plaintiff, for the recovery of $47 50, the amount paid 1997 the defendant for a bil! of exchange, purchased by hr father on March 29th, 1817, for 10 pounds sterling on Extract of a letter to the Editors, dated Danville, October C. Arrott & Co. in Glasgow; all interests in the suit in 17, 1828. question being assigned to his daughter. Mr. James McAlpin, as a witness stated that he purchased the bill in order to remit it to a widowed sister in Scotland, for whose use he had endorsed it; that he purchased bills of Mr. Arrott previously, all of which had been duly honoured; that the bill had been sent on, but that previous to its arrival, he had advices of the decease of his sister, and that the bill had therefore never been presented, since which time nothing had been heard of it, and it was supposed to be lost or destroyed; that he had made frequent applications to Mr. A. for a settlement of the business in question, stating the circumstances of his sister's death, and that he had received a letter from his nephew, the son of the deceased, stating that on that account the bill had not been presented; that Mr. Arrott refused, alleging the absence of the first of exchange, as a reason; that he (McAlpin) offered him the second, with an indemnification, if the first should have been paid, and proposed leaving it to arbitration, all of which was of no avail. The business lay over till the 150 year 1821, when Mr. Arrott took passage for Scotland, and on his return told him (McAlpin) that he had seen his brother of the house of Arrott & Co. in Glasgow, 405 and "was satisfied, and would settle with him;" that Mr. Arrott never pretended that the bill had been paid by his brother.

J. Drumheller

1439 N. Beach

ASSEMBLY.

John M'Reynolds

1613 Christian Brobst

558

John Robinson

489

The President, Judge King, (after the arguments of the different counsel,) proceeded to charge the jury, in which he sustained some part of the objections of the defendant's counsel; but considered it an action of assumpsit, and put it to them on its merits, and their belief and understanding of the declaration of the defendant, made to the plaintiff on his return from Scotland in 1821. The jury shortly returned a verdict for plaintiff of $67 98 cents, being the original amount, with seven years interest.

W. L. Hirst and J. Randall, Esqrs. for plaintiff. Chester, Esq. for defendant.

Aurora & Penn. Gaz.

Printed every Saturday morning by William F. Geddes, No. 59 Locust street, Philadelphia; where, and at the Editor's residence, in North 12th st. 3d door south of Cherry st. subscriptions will be thankfully received. Price five dollars per annum payable in six months after the commencement of publication--and annually, there 953 after, by subscribers resident in or near the city, or wher 971 there is an agent. Other subscribers pay in advance.

1000

REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE.

VOL. II.-NO. 16.

EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD.
PHILADELPHIA, NOV. 1, 1828.

STAMP ACT TIMES.

"We copy from "Prior Documents," the following papers relating to the Stamp Act in 1765. They are published not with a view to revive the feelings, but to ex

hibit the spirit of that time, and as being intimately connected with the revolutionary history of the state; to which, in the course of this work, the attention of the reader will be frequently directed. The sketch of history, which precedes these documents, appears sufficiently full and connected without further additions.

NO. 44.

ties to be paid, in specie, into the exchequer of Great Britain. As to the Spanish trade, the court of Madrid court, as well as in compliance to the old law, and treahad always been against it; and in complaisance to that ties with Spain, it continued to be prevented as much as possible.

and of the unexampled hardship, of first being deprived The Americans complained much of this new law; of obtaining specie, and next being ordered to pay the new duties in specie, into the treasury at London; which, they said, must speedily drain them of all the specie they had. But what seemed more particularly hard upon them, was a bill brought in the same session, and passed into a law, To restrain the currency of paper money in the colonies.'

"The dispute between Great Britain and America commenced in the year 1764, with an attempt to pre- At the same time, (March 10, 1764) the House of vent smuggling. There are some persons who appre-Commons resolved, that it was proper to charge certain hend the seeds of it were sown much earlier.

stamp duties in the colonies and plantations.

In 1764, the British ministry having come to a reso- In the spring of 1765, the American agents in London lution, to prevent, as much as possible, the practice of were informed by administration, That if the colonies smuggling, not only the commanders of the armed cut-would propose any other mode of raising the sum inters stationed on the British coast, but of the ships sent tended to be raised by stamp duties, their proposal to America, were ordered to act in the capacity of reve- would be accepted, and the stamp duty laid aside. The nue officers, to take the usual custom-house oaths, and agents said they were not authorized to give any anobserve the custom-house regulations; by which that en-swer, but that they were ordered to oppose the bill terprising spirit of theirs, which had been lately, with when it should be brought into the house, by petitions great success, exerted against the common enemy, was questioning the right claimed by parliament of taxing now directed and encouraged against the subject. Trade the colonies. was injured by this measure. The gentlemen of the navy were not acquainted with custom-house laws, and therefore many illegal seizures were made: The subject in America could get no redress but from England, which was tedious and difficult to obtain.

at.

The bill laying a stamp duty in Ameriea, passed in March 1765.

About the beginning of August the colonists began seriously to think of the steps they were to take. A General Congress of representatives of all the colonies, was agreed on, to meet at New York.

The Stamp Act was printed and cried about the streets at New York, by the title of The Folly of England and Ruin of America. On the 14th of April, the A trade had for many years been carried on between guns at Philadelphia, were discovered to be all spiked the British and Spanish colonies, consisting of the manu-up, and on looking at those of the barracks, they were factures of Great Britain, imported by the British colo- found to be served in the same manner, to the great nies for their own consumption, and bought with their surprise and uneasiness of the inhabitants. own produce; for which they were paid by the Spaniards in gold and silver, sometimes in bullion and sometimes in coin, and with cochineal, &c. occasionally. This trade was not literally and strictly according to law, yet the advantage of it being obviously on the side of Great Britain and her colonies, it had been connived But the armed ships, under the new regulations, seized the vessels; and this beneficial traffic was suddenly almost destroyed. Another trade had been carried on between the North American colonies and the French West India islands, to the great advantage of both, as well as to the mother country. These matters had been winked at many years, in consideration of the quantity of manufactures our North American colonies were thereby enabled to take from us. This advantageous commerce not only prevented the British colonies being drained of their current specie by the calls of the mother country, but added to their common circulation of cash; which increased in proportion with the trade. But this trade being also cut off by the cruisers, all America

On the 10th of September, the assembly of Philadelphia, having appointed a committee to attend at the General Congress at New York, a letter from the speaker of the Massachusetts assembly was read, and the house came to the following resolutions on the questions:

First, Whether the house are of opinion, that, in duty to their constituents, they ought to remonstrate to the crown against the stamp act, and other late acts of parliament, by which heavy burdens have been laid on the

colonies.

Resolved in the affirmative.

Secondly, Whether this house will appoint a committee of three or more of their members, to attend the congress proposed in the foregoing letter, to be held at New York on the first of October next, for the purposes

therein mentioned.

Resolved in the affirmative.

In Philadelphia, the house of assembly met on the 21st of September, and came to the following resolutions:

"The house taking into consideration, that an act of parliament has lately passed in England, for imposing

certain stamp duties, and other duties on his Majesty's nued to toll until evening, and every countenance added subjects in America, whereby they conceive some of to the appearance of sincere mourning. At four in the their most essential and valuable rights, as British sub-afternoon, several thousands of citizens met at the State jects, to be deeply affected, think it a duty they owe to themselves and their posterity, to come to the following resolutions; viż.

Resolved, N. C. D. That the assemblies of this province have, from time to time, whenever requisitions have been made by his Majesty, for carrying on military operations for the defence of America, most cheerfully and liberally contributed their full proportion of men and money for those services.

House to consult on proper measures to prevent the execution of the stamp act. It was agreed to send a deputation of seven persons to Mr. Hughes, the stamp-master for that province, (who was then sick in bed) to re quest he would resign his office. He readily declared, that no act of his should assist the carrying of that law into execution, till it was generally complied with in the other colonies, but refused to sign any resignation. When this report was made by the deputies to the State Resolved, N. C. D. That whenever his Majesty's ser- House, the citizens were enraged to that degree, that it vice shall, for the future, require the aids of the inhabi- is hard to say to what lengths their fury would have cartants of this province, and they shall be called upon for ried them, had not the deputies represented Mr. Hughes that purpose, in a constitutional way, it will be their in- as at the point of death; this moved their compassion, dispensable duty most cheerfully and liberally to grant and they agreed to make their demand in writing, and to his Majesty their proportion of men and money, forgive Mr. Hughes till the Monday following to make a the defence, security, and other public services of the reply. And on Monday the deputies read the following British North American Colonies. answer aloud to all the multitude assembled:

Resolved, N. C. D. That the inhabitants of this province are entitled to all the rights and privileges of his Majesty's subjects in Great Britain, or elewhere; and that the constitution of government in this province is founded on the natural rights of mankind, and the noble principles of English liberty, and therefore is, or ought to be, perfectly free.

Philadelphia, Monday morning,
October, 7, 1765.

"Whereas about six o'clock, on Saturday evening last, a paper was sent to me, expressing, that a great number of the citizens of Philadelphia, assembled at the State House, to demand of Mr. John Hughes, distributor Resolved, N. C. D. That it is the inherent birth- of stamps for Pennsylvania, that he will give them assurright, and indubitable privileges of every British sub-ance, under his hand, that he will not execute that office; ject, to be taxed only by his own consent, or that of his and expect that he will give them a fair, candid, and dilegal representatives, in conjunction with his Majesty, rect answer, by Monday next at ten o'clock, when he will be waited on for that purpose." Saturday, October 5, 1765.'

or his substitutes.

Resolved, N. C. D. That the only legal representatives of the inhabitants of this province, are the persons they annually elect to serve as members of assembly.

"I do therefore return for answer to those gentlemen' and all their associates, that I have not hitherto taken any step tending to put the late act of parliament into execution in this province; and that I will not, either by

Resolved therefore, N. C. D. That the taxation of the people of this province, by any other persons whatsoever than such their representatives in assembly, is un-myself or my deputies, do any act or thing that shall constitutional, and subversive of their most valuable rights.

Resolved, N. C. D. That the laying taxes upon the inhabitants of this province in any other manner, being manifestly subversive of public liberty, must of necessary consequence, be utterly destructive of public happiness Resolved, N. C. D. That the vesting an authority in the courts of admiralty to decide in suits relating to the stamp duties, and other matters, foreign to their proper jurisdiction, is highly dangerous to the liberties of his Majesty's American subjects, contrary to Magna Charta, the great charter and fountain of English liberty, and destructive of one of their most darling and acknowledged rights, that of trials by juries.

Resolved, N. C. D. That it is the opinion of this house that the restraints imposed by several acts of parliament on the trade of this province, at a time when the people labour under an enormous load of debt, must of necessity be attended with the most fatal consequences, not only to this province, but to the trade of the mother country.

Resolved, N. C. D: That this house think it their duty thus firmly to assert, with modesty and decency, their inherent rights, that their posterity may learn and know, that it was not with their consent and acquiescence, that any taxes should be levied on them by any persons but their own representatives; and are desirous that these their resolves should remain on their minutes, as a testimony of the zeal and ardent desire of the present house of assembly to preserve their inestimable rights, which, as Englishmen, they have possessed ever since this province was settled, and to transmit them to their latest posterity."

have the least tendency to put the said act into execu tion in this province, until the said act shall be put into execution generally in the neighbouring colonies, and this I am determined to abide by.

"And whereas my commission includes the three counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware; I do, therefore, hereby voluntarily inform the good people of those counties, that no act of mine shall, either directly or indirectly, involve them in any difficulties with respect to the said stamp act, before the same shall take place generally in the neighbouring colonies.

JOHN HUGHES."

Philadelphia, Oct. 12, 1765.

Gentlemen--Having been confined to my bed twen ty-five days past, with a violent disorder that was expected would have proved mortal, but thank God am now able to set up in bed, I shall attempt to give you a sketch of not only my own conduct, but also that of the presbyterians and proprietary party here, relative to the stamp office.

In May last I received information by a letter from Doctor Franklin, that he had recommended me for chief distributor of the stamps in this province, and thus the matter rested, until some gentlemen to the eastward received their commissions, whereupon mobs arose in several of the eastern provinces, and the officers were obliged to resign; but as a prelude to the destruction and disorder made by those mobs, the printers in each colony, almost without exception, stuffed their papers weekly, for some time before, with the most inflammatory pieces they could procure, and excluded every thing that tended to cool the minds of the people; these On the 5th of October the stamps arrived at Philadel-measures they pursued, until the presbyterians in partiphia, the ship which brought them having laid some time at Newcastle upon Delaware, under protection of a man When the ships first appeared round Gloucester point, all the vessels in the harbour hoisted their colours half-staff high, the bells were muffled, and conti

of war.

cular, in every colony, began to threaten the stamp offi-
cers; and those gentry in this province, about the begin-
ning of September, began to be very noisy, and some of
them said, I ought to resign; I gave them for answer,
I had as yet no commission, therefore could not resign

stamps, as they assumed the supreme power in the province; they then looked at one another for awhile, and seemed somewhat confused; but, at last, Mr. Tilghman replied, we did not come here prepared to speak to that head; then another replied, let Mr. Hughes take care of them. I answered, Gentlemen, that cannot be, as you have now fixed matters; for were I to take the stamps into my care, I should have your party come about my house, and pull it down, and destroy both me and them. Well, says another, let the governor take care of them; another then says, perhaps the governor will call upon Mr. Hughes to put the act in execution, and when he declines, the governor perhaps will appoint an officer, and the act may take place. Here a general pause ensued, but at last one and all cried out, let us see who will dare put the act in execution; upon the governor's appointment we will take care of that; by this time the paper (No. VII.) was transcribed, and after I had signed it, they went away to proclaim it to their friends, and the next day I wrote the letter (No. VIII.) to the governor, and received the under-written verbal answer by my son.

"My health, at this time, will not permit me to be what I have said, is sufficient to inform you, gentlemen, more expeditious on this very extraordinary transaction; and the lords commissioners, that unless my hands are strengthened, it will never be in my power to put the

act in execution.

what I had not. However, about the middle of September, it was reported that the stamps would arrive in captain Friend, who was then expected, and these riotous gentry began to threaten they would destroy the stamps as soon as they arrived; I therefore being desirous, or as far as in me lay, to preserve the stamps, wrote on the 17th the letter (No. I.) to his honour the governor, but received no answer, and as the stamps did not arrive in captain Friend, matters rested until October the 2d, when I received the paper, (No. II.) being a note from Captain William Dovel, a tool of the party, and therefore I wrote my answer (No. III.) to Mr. Dickeson, the owner of the ship, and on the next day wrote my letter (No. IV.) to his honour the governor, but received no answer, and here matters rested until Saturday the 5th of October, when I received information, that the ship with the stamps was come up to the town that day, and that a mob would be collected, by beating muffled drums through the street, and ringing the state-house and church bells muffled, which was accordingly done all the afternoon, but at two o'clock the post arrived with the mail and packet, and, among other things, my commission; this the party ventured to allege, because there was a large packet for me; accordingly the mob collected, chiefly presbyterians and proprietary emissaries, with the Chief Justice's (Mr. William Allen) son at their head, animating and encouraging the lower class. About three o'clock the following persons, viz. James Tilghman, Esq. attorney at law, Messieurs Robert Mor"Perhaps their lordships, and you, gentlemen, may ris, Charles Thompson, Archibald M'Call, John Cox, William Richards, merchants, and Mr. William Brad expect that the governor will exert himself on the occa sion, and strengthen my hands; but this will not happen, ford, printer, came to me on a deputation from a great for on the day that the mob were collecting, and after number collected at the state-house, to request my resig- the drums began to beat, I am informed his honour left nation. I answered, it is true, I now have my commis- the city, and probably after the attorney-general, who sion, but as two gentlemen are bound for my perform-is recorder of the city, left it also; whether the mayor ance, in the sum of £5000, I could not resign unless indemnify my bail. Altercation on this subject took up near an hour, (low as I was) and at last they said, all that was expected of me, was, that I would not put the act in execution in the province, until his majesty's further pleasure was known, or until the act should be put in execution in the neighbouring colonies; to this I thought proper to signify some disposition to comply, because I had many informations by my friends, that the mob intended to proceed to the last extremities, if I did not resign; upon this the deputation withdrew to consult their associates, and at six o'clock I received the paper, (No. V.) being a peremptory demand; then the matter rested until Sunday morning, when having recovered my "In paper (No VII.) you will observe the three spirits a little from the fatigue of that long altercation counties upon Delaware included in my resignation, the aforesaid, I looked over the paper, and found it more poreason of which was, that on Saturday the 6th of Octositive than what had been mentioned the day before, and ber, a friend of mine privately sent up a little boy to intherefore sent for Mr. Charles Thompson, one of the de-form me, that he had reason to believe, a mob was unitputation, and asked him if they were sincere the day before, or whether they came to wiredraw what they would first, and then force the rest, because, I observed, the paper sent me did not agree with the proposition made to me; he said he was sincere, and could only answer for himself: I replied, well, gentlemen, you must look to yourselves, for this is a high affair; he made answer, thus I do not know, but hope it will not be deemed rebellion. Indeed, sir, I know no other name for it. Well, says he, I know not how it may end, for we have not yet determined, whether we will ever suffer the act to take place here or not, and took his leave. On Monday morning, at ten o'clock, the whole deputation came, and I offered them the paper (No. VI.) and after some consultation, among themselves, they objected to their names being inserted. I said, why sure, gentlemen, you have not done a thing you are ashamed to own; not in the least, they said, but there was no necessity for their names being inserted, nor would they receive that resignation: whereupon, I said to Mr. Tilghman, come, sir, take the pen and please yourself, for I see you are determined to be arbitrary; he then took the pen, and formed the paper (No. VII.) and when it was transcribing, I asked them what they intended to do with the

and chief justice are now in the city I cannot say, but this is certain, that no one magistrate or public officer appeared abroad the whole day, to discourage the mob, I shall add on this head, is, that if ever my hands are or give the least aid or protection. All, therefore. that strengthened, so as it will be in my power to do my duty, as chief distributor of the stamps, I shall not fail to comply with the duties of my office in the strictest manin their lordships and your opinion, as it is now out of ner, and then I hope will sufficiently save my securities my power to discharge my duty until the face of affairs are changed.

ing in those counties, and would soon be up at Philadelphia. This I knew would raise a second mob, and therefore I did not prevent it, and it has had the desired ef

fect.

"I am now to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from the secretary of the stamp office, and also a bill of lading for three cases and seven packs of stamps for this province, exclusive of those for New Jersey and Maryryland, but there is neither invoice, nor bills of parcels, nor any account of the prices of the stampt paper, or parchment, is to be sold at. I have seen a printed paper, said to be the prices of the stamps, &c. but as the bill of lading makes me liable to the freight, I should be glad to know whether the freight is included in these printed papers, or not; if I had received the stamps, I should have been at a loss on the 1st of November how to proceed, but as things now stand, there is time for my being fully informed, and especially with respect to the invoices or bills of parcels, without which it is impossible for me to know what I am charged with at the stamp office, and how far the goods received agree with the charge.

"I am further to inform you, that I received in the packet sent by your secretary, a bond, which,in his letter