Richard Cornwell

SiLVANus Palmer.

18 Deer 1733. Read & referred.

Vol. 111. 64

1010 PAPERS RELATING TO

EEPORT ON THE PRECEDING PETITION.

Att a Committee of the Coimcill held at flfort George

in New York on friday the 28'h.'Day of December 1733.

Present M"" Harrison M^ Delancey M' Couitlandt M^' Lane

M' Horsmanden. May it please your Excie

In Obedience to Your Excies Order in Council of the 18'^ Deci' instant referring to us the Consideration of the Matters of Complaint mentioned in the petition of Richard Cornwell & Silvanus palmer in behalf of themselves & others of the people called Quakers agt Nicholas Cooper Esq' High Sheriff of the County of West Chester & set forth in the minutes of Councill of that day to which We beg leave to referr We having heai'd & examined both partys as well in defence as in Justification of the said Matter of Complaint Do humbly report to youi' Excie

That as to the Sheriffs refusing the Complainants their votes at the late Election for a Representative for the County of West Chester or their affirmation of their being freeholders in the Said County We find that the Complainants having offered their Votes for Lewis Morris Esq^" one of the Candidates at that Election were Challenged by W^ flforster the other Candidate who required the Slieriff to tender to the Complainants the oath of ffreehold That the Complainants conceiving themselves as being of the people called Quakers entitled to the Liberty & priviledge of giving their afiirmation instead of an oath refused to take the Oath required but offered their afiirmation of their being freeholders that thereupon the Sheriff told the Complainants he could not admit them to poll unless they would take oath of ffreehold as directed by act of assembly which by the other Candidate he was required to administer ; That the Complainants having refused to take Such oath the Sheriff refused their votes.