■^12 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



there, several vagabonds and other dissolute people harbour among them, 

 thinking themsefves safe from justice in so remote a place ; and therefore 

 praying°that a Division Line be made between the upper and lower part 

 of the said county, and the upper part thereof erected into a county, with 

 all the immunities, rights and privileges which any other county of this 

 Province does now enjoy. 



The Board taking the same into consideration, are of opinion that the 

 Governor is fully empowered by virtue of his commission, to grant the 

 prayer of the petition, if the same shall appear necessary ; but as it is a 

 matter of some moment and will require a mature deliberation, it was 

 moved and agreed that the further consideration thereof should be de- 

 ferred till to-morrow at nine o'clock, beforenoon, to which time the 

 Council is adjourned. 



At a Council held at Philadelphia, February 7th, 1728-9. 



PRESENT: 



The honorable Patrick Gordon, Esq., Lieut. Governor. 

 James Logan, Clement Plumsted, ^ 



Kichard Hill, Ealph Asheton, 



\- Bsq'rs. 



Isaac Norris, Samuel llazle, j 



Wm. Fishbourn, J 



The Minutes of the three preceding Councils being read and approved, 

 the Board, according to order, entered into the consideration of the peti- 

 tion in the Minute of yesterday, touching the Division of Chester county, 

 and after the same had been fully considered and debated, the Board 

 came to the following Resolution : That, as well for the reasons set forth 

 in said petition, as the security, peace and good order of the whole Gov- 

 ernment, there doth appear a real neccessity that a new county should be 

 erected, according to the prayer of said petition ; and although the power 

 of erecting counties is wholly vested in the Proprietory, and therefore in 

 the Governor, as his Lieutenant, yet, inasmuch as this will require the 

 establishment of Courts of Judicature, with other alterations, for which 

 a due provision will best be made by a Law, it may be convenient that 

 the Governor should acquaint the House of Representatives now sitting, 

 with the application made to him, that the same may be carried on with, 

 and strengthened by the joint and unanimous concurrence of the whole 

 Legislature. 



At a Council held at Philadelphia, February 20th, 1728-9. 



PRESENT: 



The Honourable Patrick Gordon, Esq. Lieut. Governor. 

 Richard Hill, Clement Plumsted, ^ 



Isaac Norris, Thomas Laurence, [ Esq'rs. 



Samuel Preston, Samuel Hazle. J 



