The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-01-19 00:00:00, page 2

fold in the Sip an ir.telhg'cnt, dijereet and jaitrfal ferfon
with lowers to receive the Money „ merchandize andpow
der, and to' make the remittances in tobacco which I can
nomore do without than your Friend can without what 1
fend to him, in a word let him give bis notes to my house
for what he shall not be able to pay in tobacco, and make
certain or solid arrangements w^h my Agent at the Cape,
' for the future.
The Captain on his arrival at the Cape, muff inquire of
the ~rft Magiftr te, who is the merchant entrusted with
the affairs of Ro.lerique Hortalez find Co. and ne'will in
troduce him to the correspondent of your tumble servant.
Second LETTER of MARY JOHNSTON,
14th June. *
SIR,
y H AVE but one moment to thank you m for your
1 letter of the 6th of June, winch I received fafe this mo
ment. I mid do nt, utmoji to anjwer jour wtjbts, ku? I
aavtfe you. as 1 aduije 'ey friends to c nfJer always that
the communication f Jt^ttments ts afficu/t, and fdr that rea
son we ouyht to do all in our power without infixing on a
certain and immediate return.
Another LETTER of MR. L E E, under the name of
Mary Johnson, 1 ft June, 1776.
In C YPHERS.
,^ H E army of England in America, consists of forty
r tuouEnd men, and their fleet of one hundred (hips,
of whichbut two are of seventy four guns, their officers
both by sea and land and engineers are good, they are
well supplied witharttilery and flores. Confider then Sir,
how difficult it will be ior tne Americans to refill such
forces if they are rot afftd by France with fibers, engi
neers and a r ge foipsof trar. Ym may fend them out
without the least rifeue, Ten Frencl ih : ps of war difp dh
ed secretly, and to'the Cipe or Martinico, and joined
with the American fleet mi : ht scour t e American coast,
and destroy the whole English fleet Jifperfed as it is at
present. On whih the land army deprived of fuccour
would be e fry 'efeate 1. And by this ftrok the English
marine would be mortlly wounded. Do you fear that
this will Kindle a war between the two nations ? But
how will England be able to support a war wit.,out fleets,
without colonies, without seamen and without resources ?
On thecontriry, if ' you fuffer America to fall again un
der the dominion of England, the latter will forever be
invincible. A d"u.,
Decyp ermert of my LETTER toMARY JOHN-
S TON, nth June, 17 6.
I REFER you to my former letter of the 6th of June,
of wb'cb ipret" yea to Jo tow the aij, Jain.
The difficulties which 1 heave met with m my negotiation
<witb the Minister heave made me ake the refiutva effort
tatng a company which foadft net out the fifties of powder
and fores to yourfriend, de, eliding in tie mean time on re
mittawes in tobacco at Cape Franc is, and always under
the name of your servant,
RODERIQUE HORTALEZ and CO.
The whole ten®r'of these letters prove two points which
Mr. Payne has been hhiducufly laboring in his I.te pub
lication to contradict ; the firft that these supplies were
<f a commercial nature, these: ond, that this country owes
inch to Mr. Deane for his indefatigable services in pro
curing them. Little or no remittances being sent from
Amenca, the house of Roderique Ilortaiez and Company,
sent over Mr. Francy their Agent, (now in this cry) to
lay before Cshgrefs a state of that company's accounts,
and to afeertain the mode of payment. He arrived at York-
Town during t. c course of laii win 3., and I am autho
rif^d to fay from good authority tuatan engagement was
then entered into with him by Congress acknow edg^.g
the debt in behalf of these States, wi b a promise o' interest
till the day of p ymtnt. Tais solemn public all proves
demonhr lively in what gkt these supplies were consi
dered by Congress. Till Mr. P yuecan pro luce s strong
proofs in Support of cis wild affection is I nave in contra
dilion of it, { which I know he cannot, any insinuations
which he m y throw out, or suspicions wuieh may operate
on bis mind, are o' no to il.
As the obi a of this publication is to inform my coun
trymen on 1 point of great importance to the interest of
these States, wb : :h depends much on a continuation of
harmony betwikt them mid them allies, I (hall nor at pra
fent follow Mr. Pyae in the extravagancies he has tarown
out in all his publications, but 111 11. content myfelf with a
rem irk, whi- h strikes me f rcibly, and which I beg leave
to press home on the c®nfilerat on of the public.
Ift. is writer end t: ole who do not Nu, to support him,
(forf&mel am afrii i there mull be in high Ration, will,
in order to elfed the r p rpofe o blasting Mr. Deme's
charaHer cs a public Minister boldly assert a molt neto i
wt untrubat the hazard ofthe i iterett of these States, and
of the honor of a great an I go id Prince, to whom this
country owes much, what can be except d they will not
assert to effect their end, when unrestrained by less power
ful confid'rmiens?L'tus confi ler for a moment the na
ture and probable consequences of Mr P yneWaffeition.
The King of France founds his right o c entering into a
treaty of comm re, and defensive alliance with these
States upon this principle, “ teat we were in turi cfofon
of independnee in ^mpqoence J our own efforts. During
the centeft he has solemnly protefled to the British Court,
that no supplies were furnished to America by the French
Government ; and that whatever aids merchants, (who
in all States will rifoue where there is a propped of profit)
might have sent to America. France has fe retly observ
ed her treaties with Great- Britain. He was juftified in
staking this declaration, and yet Mr. Payne under a fef
created title modeflly undertakes to impeach the honor
and veracity of this Prince, and that without any proof or
puk'ic ground of fufticion What can be his motives for so
extraordinary an affection I will not pretend to fathom ;
but J cannot help observing, that the very, fame person
who, though in a public character thought proper to advo
cate in a public paper the character of Dr. J^erkrnhout, at
a time when be was notoriously known 10 have been an
emiffaryfrom the enemy, has under an affined title of office
(which in Europe will be considered of the firfl impor
tance) furnilhed the King of Great-Britain, with a spe
cious plea of impeaching the honor and veracity of our
great and generous ally.
Was this writer retained in the pay of Great Britain, in
flead of these States, could he have promoted the views of
the enemy more effc&ually tharahe has done by these two
ads? Certainly not, having .thus proved that Mr. Payne
in order to give greater weight to his assertions has usurp
ed a title, which be is confrious does not belong to him, and
that under the Jau&ion oj this cbaradier he has asserted a
falfehood of the molt dangerous nature. The public will
be apt to enquire, what punishment does he deserve ? Hap
pily this writer nas furnilhed us with his ideas on this mat
ter. In his address to the public, under the signature of
Thomas Payne, &c. he fays, “ there is a premeditated
" baLnefs lurking femewhere, and it ought to be detected
" Either the one or the other are deceiving you If on my
" pirt you have a right to resent it is you please, and e
" ven thegood I have ever rendered so far from becoming
"my excuse, ought to provoke you the more. I have
" either disturbed a viperous neft,or deserve to be thrown
' into one myfelf." Mr. Payne has himfelf enabled the
law ; I have proved him guilty under it. It depends on
t e mere mercy o f the public, whether the sentence ih ill
be carried into execution.
PHILALETHES.
P. S. The above publication was sent to the Friner pre
vious to his r<<ivin the resolutions of Con^rft, disavow
ing Mr. Payne's affirtion relative to the supplies sent
from Fr p e. But as the public may with to be informed
0. th grounds on which the resolution o Congress were
founded, the writer his thought proper to furnilh them
with the evidence whi. h he has obtained on this point.
From the VIRGINIA GAZETTE of January 1, 1779.
Sir,
111 AV E read in the Pennsylvania Advertiser, of Dec.
sth, a long libel signed S.las D, ane; but I have
read it with that composure which ever attends a good
cons, ience, and that fatisfadion which arises from an ad
ditional proof that I have well done my duty as a servant
of the public. H d the latter not been the case, had I
winked it all information f public abuse, Ido not think
that I should have incurred Mr. Deane's censure. but
thilft lam honoured with public trust, it shall be my
confiant endeavour to prevent the community from being
i iured, and certainly .to insist that all those who have fin
ger d large films of the pu lie money should be called up
on for fir and honest settlement. From the firfl erigin of
Congress, to the present day, I have copftantly been a
member of that body: and I can fafely appeal to every
gentleman with whom I have served ti ere, and to all who
know me in private life, whether I have yielded to any of
my colleagues in zeal for the American cause, an 1 indußry
to pro o~G its success; whether, through the varying Ra
ges of prosperity and adversity, my (ent'iments and conduct
have not been uniformly warm and active to secure the
freedom, happiness, and independence of my country.
That tne alliance with France has been my constant with
and hope, no man, who knows me will deny and all
the gentlemen of that country, with whom I have had ; u
finefs, can be ir me w tnefs of my attention an 1 regard to
their affairs. With fuce unvarying condu& nd sentiments,
when I had ndt a puTe but bear to indepenJen e, nd with
a mind filled with reverence and gratitude for France in
tonfequ nee of her wisdom and goodness in allyin with us,
it seems hard to be attacked by an inuendo m n for sinis
ter designs in favour of a eleteßed enemy against a good
and able friend. To all witn whom I nave the honour of
being acquainted, t ris suggestion will be considered as fa
bulous as if it had supposed a m fer to be in league with an
other to deprive himfeff of his beloved gold. But the case
of Dr. Berkenhout is the,foundation whereon this c lum
ny rests. A worse foundation was never given to an abom
inable f^peißru&ure. It has already been related, in a
former p iper, how I c me to know that such a man was in
America. The truth is, that I was a total Rran^er to
him : and when I received a letter from General Maxwell
informing me that such a person had been with him, it
was some mnutes before I could recollect the name, having
only heard I r. Lee fay, ten years ago, that a person of
that name was tle author of a good pharmacopeia, with
whom he was acqu inted, and that he was a man of parts.
I immediately real the letter to Congress, and informed
them what I knew of Dr. Berkenhout. Soon after tin's he
arrived in town, and sent me ticket to know when he
should wait on me. Beinn at dinner, when we arose from
table I asked n honourable member of Congress (Col.
Scudd r of New-Jersey) to walk with me to fee Dr. Ber
kenhout We went, and ifter fame gener .1 conversation
he ad<ed me if I had received any letter from Dr. Lee con
cerning him. I anfivered no. He appeared concerned,
and imputed it to his saving left En.land too soon a ter re
quefling such jutroduaory le ter. This is a strong
circumstance ag inst the fuppofltion that be broug: t letters
for me for if bd had, w y not then produce them ? He
brought neither letter or letters for me, nor carried any
from me to others, although both are insinuated. The
next day, I think, he came to my lodgings and informed
me that his intention in Qoming to America was to provide
a fettiement for h s family in a land ofliberty, and t© And
a place where he could pra&ife phyfick to advantage, en
which fublefts he ailed my advice I gave him the best
in my power , and I prom ifed to introduce him to the de
legafes of M iffaGhufetts, th the might be informed whe
ther Boston afforded a good opening for a physician. I
did so, as those gentlemen know, and finished the after
noon by walking round a fqware or two of the town, and
parted. After this, I never saw Dr. Berkenhout, but a
few minutes in company with other genthemen in a public
room of the house where I lodged. Ido declare upon the
honour cf a gentleman, and the faith of a C riftain, that
I had not the most dißaht c use to suppose that he had
other views in coming t© America than these already men
tioned, which he relate to me as the true.ones. In all his
conversation, whi'h was sensible, he di covered strong at
tachments to America, and to confirm this opinion, he
gave me a pamphlet, as written by himfelf and published
in England in 17^7, which Rrongly contended for the in
dependence of North America. From on e reading tnis
pamphlet, I thought it well written. In this situation of
things, it may easily be imagined that I was surprised at a
publi at : cn in the Advertiser Rating Dr. Berkenhout and
Mr. Temple as minißerial agents from a newspaper publi
cation in England. This I understood procured the arrest
of the former. How long he remained in prifoo, when,
and how he was dlfcharged, lam an utter ftrahger to.
But when I was firft toll of his difeharge, I was told at
the fame time that he had been gone to New-York several
days. It is certain, that lis conversation had Rrongly
impressed my mind with an opinion of his attachment t©
our cause and as a frieddlefs stranger, it is not to be won.
dered that I expressed favourable sentiments of him when
he was mentioned in conversation. If I think a man in
nocent, and believe him to bea friend of America, it ap
pears to me both unjuß and ungenerous not to fay so w lin
I fee him oppressed. Give me Ltisfadory proof that any
man willingly in ures, and is an enemy to the independen
cy and interest of my country, be he who he will 'j am
from that moment his euemy. Itis said by Mr. 'eane
that Dr. Berkenhout was sent back with the knowledge he
had been able to colled.. lamat a loss to Jif over what
collections injurious to us he could have made in jail fcr^
I believe he was but a few days at large, and in a city
where I believe he was but little known. It seems how
ever, that Dr. Berkenhout has said, that by the alli nee
with France America was at liberty to m he peace without
confuting hegally, unless England decked wa ; and it
is confidently asserted, that! have constantly and'pertina
cioufly maintained the lame doftrine. Inuendo, t at Dr.
Berkenhout spot this information from me. I' ibfolutely
deny having ever cenverfed with him on any such sub est
and I do as politicly deny having eve r maintained that
Amer ca had a right by the alliance to make peace with
out confuting her ally, if Engl in I did not dedare wa ? . I
know t at war may be made without declaring it, and I
have both within and without doors said, that i En land
would acknowled. e the independence of Amerk a, and not
ref nt the p^rt that France had t ken, America was at li
berty to make a fimihr treaty with Engl n ', or any ether
n tion. And I should be glad to know if the miniflers of
France hive not made the fame de lar tion at ri e courts
of London and the Harne. Was not the fad so ? But
there is no end to disingenuous and m levoient inifinter
pretation, nor to the dark art o f inuen 0 and evil fu^gef
tion.But calumnies, or assertion unfopported by evidence
should affeft only the ch racter of him that utters them.
I am to ask pardon of the public, an I,of you, Mr. Purdie,
for having said so much on so frivolous an occasion ; but I
have such deep refpef tfor t,.e public op nion, and such
desire not to be mifunderftco :or disesteemed by one worthy
m in in t..e United States, th it I ihall not regret my trouble
iI prevent afingle honeß friend to America from being im
posed on. For thecurious charges brought by Mr. Deane
against Mr William Lee and Dr. Lee, he will be called to
answer at another time and in another place. Forti^epiefent
I can fay, that from a very intimateacquaintance wit 1 those
gentlemen, and from their uniform' public conduH, so
far as the fame has come to my knowk-d.,, I know them
to be devoted to the cause of America; that they have
made great fa^rifices to this cause, "and that their hopes
rest alone upon its success; th t'Mair prefect political ap
pointments did not arise from the felicitations of themselves
or their relations. Mr. Deane talks mint about his,eat
services and good conduct ; but how happens it, tof
four commissioners besides himfelf. three are so clear \rY'
so strong in re probating that conduce ?, Nor are tl^D the
only men that 1 ave done so, as I shall make appear here
after. I cannot help c deluding this hasty narrative with
cautioning my countrymen to be upon their guard against
the malignant artifice of cur enemies, who are every
where, and in every manner, en leavouring to excite
doubts concerning the firm invariable friends to our glo
rious cause, and to throw the public ounrils of America,
into confufion an I contempt. But this I trust, will be
as, efFe&u lly bailed by the virtue of America, as their
other arts, whether of for. e or fraud.
RICHARD HENRY LEE.
To the FREEMEN of tbe UNiTED STATES
of AMERICA.
Friends and Countrym%
IT falls to the lot of but very few to partake in the
councils of this new Empire, and yet the various Go
vernments we have eßablilbed call upon every Freemen,
either mediately or immediately, to aft a part; for the
due performance of which he ought to have every informa
tion, the disclosure of which will not expose the public
interests to great and eminent danger. It is therefore be
come highly necessary that the votes and minutes of Con
gress, exc pt those which relate to military operations, er
in some extraordinary, case, Ihould be published weekly at
least. It is now above two years since the lafi volume of
minutes was published, anj whatever confidence we may
repose in the wisdom and virtue of Congress, I am one of
those who think the liberties or peace of any country can
not long exist, if the ruling powers either wilfully or neg
ligently kep the people ignorant of their proceedin s.
Should a Spirit of party and private animefity ever enter
those wails, where the language of patriotTm and public
integrity ihould alone be heard, nothing will be so likely
to extinguish it, as to remove from the feene of action the
zealots of every party. But how can this be done if week
after week, month after month, and year after year, is
to roll on, and the proceedings of Congress and conduct
of ti e Members in many important points are as unknown
to their constituents as the edicts of the Great Mogul?
I am so fully persuaded, and every man who lives in this
city the least conversant with public affairs I think will
be of the fame opinion, that under proper rer ularions, a
frequent publication of the proceedings of Congress will
have a happy effect, that I trust if longer delayed every
State will dem n 1 it. Andrit feem^ the more necessary as
the press may not in future handle public tranHaions with
the fame freedom it has done. And now Mehrs. Deane,
Common Sense, Plain Truth, Senex, &c as you all pro
fefs a genuine regard for the public good, you must by
tlrs time be fully sensible how unprofitable it is to enter
the lifts of political controversy with such perferaal acri
mony, and how little either has gained. Assertion has
been met with assertion, and plain faHs opposed to plain
fads, till the candid mind perplexed, vexed with the
fllifting feene, and unknowing where to fix, yields with
unfatisfied curiosity to the unpleasant sensation of feeling
the public interetfts materially injured by the effect, with
out knowing how to apportion the blame : It will teach
us, however one ufeful lesson, and now it is the only be
nefit we can derive from the tranfaaiou, that the servants
of the public (for such they all are however dignified their
Rations) will learn how dangerous it is, upon real or sup
posed injuries, to complain to the world, and gratify their
private feelings at the expence of national interest ; for we
may truly fay as the frogs in the fable, though it may be
(port to them, it is death to us.
LYSANDER.