or this 'government, and are approved by the chief jus tice, the speaker of the assembly, and the attorney general of this province for the time being, under their hands and seals. And the said contributors shall be, and are hereby made a body corporate in law, to all intents and purposes, and shall have perpetual succession, and may sue, or be sued, plead, or be impleaded, by the name of the Contributors to the Pennsylvania Hospital, in all courts of judicature within this province, and by that name, shall and may receive and take any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, not exceeding the yearly value of one thousand pounds, of the gift, alienation, bequest, or devise of any person or persons whomsoever, and of any goods or chattels whatsoever; and the said contributors are hereby impowered to have and use one common seal in their affairs, and the same at their pleasure to change and alter..

"Provided nevertheless: That no general meeting of the said contributors, nor any persons acting under them, shall employ any money or other estate, express ly given or added to the capital stock of the said Hospital, in any other way than by applying its annual interest or rent towards the entertainment and care of the sick and distempered poor, that shall be from time to time brought and placed therein, for the cure of their dis eases, from any part of this province, without partiality or preference.

"And for the further encouragement of this beneficent undertaking. Be it enacted by the authority afore. said: That when the said contributors shall have met and chosen their managers and treasurer as aforesaid, and shall have raised by their contributions, a capital

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stock of two thousand pounds value (the yearly interest or rent of which is to be applied to the accommodating of the sick poor in the said Hospital, free of charge for diet, attendance, advice and medicines) and shall make the same appear to the satisfaction of the speaker of the assembly for the time being; that then it shall and may be lawful for the said speaker of the assembly, and he is hereby required to sign an order or orders on the provincial treasurer, or trustees of the loan office, for the payment of two thousand pounds, in two yearly payments, to the treasurer of the said Hospital, to be applied to the founding, building, and furnishing of the same.

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid: That the accounts of the disbursements of the said two thousand pounds, so ordered by the speaker of the assembly aforesaid, or any part thereof that shall be hereafter expended, as the case may be, and of the rents, products, and interests of any real or personal estates or sums of money charitably given to the use of the said hospital, together with a list of such donations, shall be fairly drawn out and published annually in the Gazette, or other newspapers: and the managers of the said Hospital shall at all times, when required, submit the books, accounts, affairs, and economy thereof, to the inspection and free examination of such visiters as may from time to time be appointed by the assembly of this province, to visit and inspect the same.

"Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if at any time hereafter, there should not be a constant succession of contributors to meet yearly and choose managers as aforesaid, then the said Hospital, and the estate and affairs thereof,

shall be in the management, and under the direction of such persons as shall be from time to time appointed by act of general assembly of this province for that pur. pose."

As soon as the law was published, the promoters of the design set on foot a subscription, which in a short time amounted to considerable more than the sum required by the act. And on the first of the month called July, 1751, a majority of the contributors met at the state-house in Philadelphia, and pursuant to the act, viz. chose by ballot twelve managers, and a treasurer,

Managers, Joshua Crosby, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Bond, Samuel Hazard, Richard Peters, Israel Pemberton, junior, Samuel Rhodes, Hugh Roberts, Joseph Morris, John Smith, Evan Morgan, Charles Norris.

Treasurer, John Reynell.

The managers met soon after the choice, and viewed several spots of ground in and near the city, which were thought suitable to erect buildings on for this purpose; and agreeing in judgment, that one particular lot, belonging to the proprietaries, would suit as well or better than any other, they drew up the following respectful address, and sent it (with the following letter) to Thomas Hyam, and Sylvanus Bevan, to be presented by them to the proprietaries. And that it may be seen at one view, what has been hitherto done in that affair, it is thought proper to add the answers the managers received from their agents, and other papers relative thereto.

To the honourable Thomas Penn, and Richard Penn, esquires, proprietaries of the province of Pennsyl. vania, &c.

The address of the managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital.

MAY IT PLEASE THE PROPRIETARIES,

It hath been long observed, that this your province, remarkable for the goodness of its constitution, laws, and government, and many other advantages, is yet deficient of a common Hospital or Infirmary, for the relief of such poor as are afflicted with curable diseases.

Your good people here, to supply this defect, and out of a tender, charitable regard for their fellow creatures, have voluntarily subscribed, and are still subscribing, large sums towards a stock for the support of such a Hospital: And the general assembly being peti tioned by a number of the inhabitants of all ranks and denominations, have passed an act to encourage the same, and granted two thousand pounds for the founding, building, and furnishing thereof.

In pursuance of that act, we the subscribers were, on the first of this instant, chosen by the contributors to be managers of the said Hospital, and think it our duty to take this first opportunity of laying the affair before our proprietaries, in the humble confidence that so good and pious an undertaking will not fail of their approbation; hoping withal, from the accustomed bounty of the pro. prietary family, in encouraging former designs of publick utility to the people of their province, the present will also receive their kind assistance; and as private persons raise a stock to support the Hospital, and the

assembly build the house, so (that all concerned in the province may share in the honour, merit, and pleasure of promoting so good a work) the proprietaries will be pleased to favour us with the grant of a piece of ground for the buildings, and their necessary accommodations.

If any thing should occur to the proprietaries, that they may think of service with respect to the management or rules of the Hospital, we should he obliged to them for their sentiments, being desirous that what falls within our duty, may be done to the greatest advantage for the publick.

We are, with great respect, your very affectionate friends, Philadelphia, July 6, 1751.

JOSHUA CROSBY,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,

THOMAS BOND,

SAMUEL HAZARD,

ISRAEL PEMBERTON, junior.

HUGH ROBERTS,

SAMUEL RHODES,

JOSEPH MORRIS,

JOHN SMITH,

EVAN MORGAN,

CHARLES NORRIS.

Philadelphia, July 6, 1751.

Esteemed friends, Thomas Hyam, and Sylvanus Bevan, "The opinion we have of your beneficent principles, induces us to make this application to you, and we hope the opportunity of exerting your tenderness to the afflicted and distressed, will be so acceptable, as to render any apology unnecessary for our freedom in requesting your friendship in delivering and soliciting the address we herewith send to our proprietaries, Thomas and Richard Penn.