John Smilee (present) member of the Honr'''!^ the supreme Executive Council for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

David Redick, Vice President of the S. E. Coimci! aforesaid.

James Hutchinson one of the Secretaries, of the Philosophical Society.

Timothy Matlack (late) Secretary to the S. E. Council aforesaid.

Charles Pete (late) member of Congress for the Commonwealth aforesaid.

Jonathan Bayard Smith (late) prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas for the City & County of Philadelphia.

David Rittenhouse Treasurer for the Commonwealth aforesaid.

John Poor, Teacher of the young Ladies Accd'y --

John Ely, Teacher of Arch Street School --

Jonathan Heart Captain of the first United States, Regt

In Testimony whereof I the said notary have hereunto set my hand affixed my seal of Office of notary at Philadelphia aforesaid the twelfth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty eight

W-n Cavenough, Notary Pubhc &c 1788.

10S2 EARLY STEAM

To tlie Honorable the Representatives for the Commonwealtk of Pennsylvania

The petition of John Fitch of the city of Pbi.ddelphia humbly Shcweth

That he hath this niorning seen with surprise in the public papers, that a petition has been presented to your honorable body by James Rumsey praying you to grant him an exclusive right to the use of Steam boats, the very right which by special Act of Assembly passsed the 28'^ of March 17S7, is vested in your petitioner, who is confident he need do no more than remind the Honorable House that such a law exists, when he conceives it will be even unnecessary to pray that you will not grant that to another which has already been granted to him -- Justice, Honor and d#ingerous president forbid the depriving an honest citizen of the fruits of his dear earned labour and to whom the faith of the government has been so solemnly pledged -- the very attempt to draw the House into such a measure, is your petitioner conceives offering them the greatest indignity -- Your petitioner's property in the exclusive right to all Steam boats in the State of Pennsylvania is as firmly established in him as the right of any man in the state to his House or his Farm he therefore trusts that Honor of the House to protect him from so cruelly an intended injury -- and your petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray.