Whereas, It appears to us that about midnight, between Tuesday the sixth and Wednesday the seventh instant, a most daring riot was committed by a large company of disorderly and evil minded persons, unknown, at and on the dwelling of Major Alexander Boyd in sixth Street, in the city of Philadelphia, which company violently assaulted the same house by throwing stones thereat, and damaging the same to the great disturbance and annoyance of the Honorable John Baird, Abraham Smith and John Smilie, members of Council, and of James M’Lene, James M’Calmont, William Findley and John Piper, Esquires, members of the General Assembly of this Commonwealth, who were there asleep, within the same dwelling:

And whereas, It is manifest that the said rioters did perpetrate the riot and outrage aforesaid, with design to affront and injure the gentlemen aforesaid, in a much as they at the same time declared that they knew that they were lodgers with the said Alexander Boyd, and did speak concerning them in the most contumelious and threatening terms:

And whereas, The General Assembly of this State have transmitted to Council the following resolutions, intered into by them on this occasion, vizt:

Saturday, November the tenth, 1787. The committee to whom was referred this forenoon, the motion respecting the insult offered to some members of this House, made report, which was read, and on motion, and by special order, the same was read the second time, and unanimously adopted as follows, vizt:

Whereas, Complaint hath been made to this House by James M’Calmont, James M’Lene, John Piper and William Findley, Esquires, members thereof, that on the night of Tuesday the sixth instant, the house of Major Boyd of this city in which they resided, was riotously attackted by a number of persons to the said members unknown, and themselves abused and insulted by reproachfull language,

Resolved That such outrageous proceedings is highly disapproved of by this House, and is a breach of the privilege of its members.

Resolved, That this resolution, together with the affidavits which the said members have thought proper to produce on the subject, be transmitted to the Supreme Executive Council, and that Council be requested to issue a proclamation, offering such rewards as they may deem necessary for apprehending the perpetrators of the said outrage, in order that they may be brought to punishment, and that this House will provide for the payment of such rewards:

And whereas, It is highly proper that the authors of such high contempts, so inconsistent with the dignity and good order of government, and of the most pernicious example, should be immediately discovered and brought to condign punishment: we do therefore by this our proclamation offer and promise the reward of three hundred dollars, for the discovery of the rioters aforesaid, so that they be duly convicted of the same offence, to be paid out of the public Treasury of this Commonwealth, to the person or persons who shall furnish the necessary information concerning the premises; and we do hereby charge and require all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs and Constables to make diligent search and inquiry after, and to use their utmost endeavors to apprehend and secure the said rioters, their aiders, abettors and comforters, so that they may be dealt with according to law.

Given in Council, under the hand of the President, and the seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven.