The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-05-29 00:00:00, page 1

Philadelphia, Ma, tgtb, 1779° -
Mb. DUNLAP,
" Oft <when the Judge declares the felon's doom,
Might be more juftl, suffer in bis room?'
TH E reputation whicn requires the aid of anonymous
scribblers to fupp@rt it, is of little worth; and they
who suppose that the pub Rations of such perfohs cau? es
sentially injure the character of an honest man, have but
little knewled ;e of the world. Honesty is the best policy ;
and he who makes it the bafi , of his a&ions, has nothing
to dread from an,enquiry into his condu&. A man of
candor makes truth the object of his enquiries, and will be
ashamed to wound secretly the reputation of any perfoh.
Much hath been said of peculation an 1 fraud in the ex
penditures of public money. If such things have not hap
pened in America, it may be cohfidered as a miracle ; but
where re the instances, and who are the perfohs guilty of
such crimes? It behoves all ranks of people to afiift in
detecting and bringing to punishment every such offender.
Can it be a matter of surprise then, that M v . Smith should
make a motion in Congress evidently designed to do juftire
to the public? Is it not rather astonishing that there should
have been any opposition to the enquiry proposed ! If it
be asked what could stimulate him to make the motion, I
will tell you,—it was an independent fpifit, t ? e love of jus
tice, and the public good ;—which led him also to take
an early, open, Active and diSuterefted part in the prefect
contest with Britain; and have established his character
upon a foundation not to be shaken by Mr. Laurens or
any of his adherents. I request you to publish the pro
ceedings of Congress upon this occ fiott, I will not, at
prefect, make any ftridures up ri them. .The public will
take a comparative view of the condor of all concerned,
and be able to judge for itfelf. By what is on the journal,
Mr. Laurens has, acknowledged that 'he wrote a private
Liter o. : a certain date to Governor Houston. The letter
R-Riviugron's peper is marked (private) and is of the
fame date^ The public will conclude that the letter pub
lished is genuine. Where then are the shining virtues of
Mr. Laurens, and the dignity of Congress? The fallow
ing anecdote will Row you. It is said that Mr Laurens,
in opposing Mr. Smith's last motion, observed, " that he
'' did not expert his address would have been entered tip
" on the journal ;—that the entering it was a very ?mpru
" dent measure , —that had he voted upon t, he would
" have voted no — that when he saw the pnanimpus vote,
" he thought the lying spirit had got into the House."
Ergo, they had got out of the House.
BRUTUS.
In CONGRESS, Friday, May 14, 1779.
AFTER reading the journal Mr. M. Smith arose, and
in his place informed the House, that he saw printed in a
News-paper intitled Royal Gazette, pubhfhed in New-
York by James Rivington, a letter written by Henry Lau
rens, and directed to Governor Houston of Georgia, which
Contained matter derogatory to the honor of Congress, in
jurious to the interest of these United States, and tending
to destroy that confidence which the States should repose
in this Body ; and therefore he moved, as a matter of pri
vilege, thAt the said letter be read, and that Mr. Laurens
be called on to declare whether he wrote that letter.
Objections were made to the said motion as out of order,
being contrary to the order of yesterday, that after read
ing the journal this morning the report on finance should
be considered. But Mr. Smith infixing on his motion as a
matter of privilege, the debate was proceeding on the
question of order, when intelligence was communicated to
the house in the words following:
" Extract of a letter from his Excellency Thomas John
ston, Esq; dated Annapolis, 12th May,— 79, to Col. Henry
Hollingfworth. Sr, Last night Capt. Hanson, withwhom
Capt. Plunkett was going as a supercargo, put back to this
place; they inform they saw a frigate, a brig of about 14.
or 16 gums, a small armed v^effel or two, and two prizes in
the bay. Hanson narrowly escaped being taken. Capt.
Jack Nicnofon was drove on fl^ore on or near Gwin's
Island. Yesterday near the mouth of Patuxent they met
with one Mr. Robinson, in a boat bclon. ing to Choptank^
bound down the bay. Robinson told them that on Mon
day morning he spoke a schooner in the mouth of Puan
katan^, bound to sea, and chaced in by a fleet of between
zo and 30 foil, among them several large ships ; that she
made this fleet oft the Horse shoe on Saturday morning,
but it being hazy they could not make out the exaft num
ber ; that there were several sloops and schooners amongst
them. We have yet heard nothing further. I am, Sir,
Yours, &c. Thomas Johnston."
Whereupon a motion was made by Mr. R. H Lee
seconded by Mr. S. Adams,
That the consideration of the question of order be post
poned until order be taken on the intelligence aforefaid.
On this question the Yeas agd Nays being required by
Mr Smith, ^^ ,
New-Hampshire, Mr. Whipple, „
Massachusetts Bay, Mr. S. Adams, a,
Mr. Lovell, a,
Mr. Gerry, 4,
Mr. H@lten, 4,
SATURDAY,. MAY 29 , %
THE
OR THE
GENERAL ^^iil^ ADVERTISER
[Price 2,5. 6d. single, 2s. by the quantity.
RhodeTfland, Mr. Ellery, a,
Conneaicut, Mr. Sherman, a,/
Mr. Spencer, a,
New-York, Mr. Jay, ay
Mr. Duane, ay
, Mr. Floyd, era
New-Jersey, Mr. Judder, ^
Mr. Fell, ty
Pennsylvania; Mr. Armfirong, ay
Mr. S^ippen, ty
Mr. Atlee, a,
Mr. Searle, a,
Mr. Muhlenberg, a,
Mr. Wynkoop,
Maryland, Mr. Plater,
Mr. Paca,,
Mr. Carmichael, —
Mr. Henry,
; Mr. Jenifer,
Virginia, Mr. Smith,
Mr. R. H. Lee,
Mr. Griffin, „
Mr. Flemming,
North Carolina, Mr. Penn,
Mr. Burke, ay
Mr. Sharpe,
South-Carolina, Mr. Laurens, ^
Mr.Draytoh,
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The intelligence being again read,
Resolved, That the feid intelligence be Committed to
the Board of War, and that they be directed t Hake mea
sures to prevent any stores from falling into the hands of
the enemy, should the fleet in the said intelligence menti
oned attempt a defeent any where in the bay ofChefapeak
or the rivers tint empty therein. And that copies of the
faid.letter be transmitted 'to the Command, r in Chief, the
President o' Pennfy.ivania, aad the Governor efDelaware.
Congress resumed the Confederation of the question un
der debate, and adivifion bein^ celled for by Mr. Duane
on the question Is the motion of Mr. Smith for reading
the letter referred to in his information i w @rde r ? The
Yeas and Nays being required by Mr. Laurens,'
New-Hampftiire, Mr. Whipple, ^'
Massachusetts-Bay, Mr. S. Adams, no
Mr. Gerry, no
M 3. Lovell, no
Mr. Holten, no
Rhode-Ifland, Mr) Ellery, no
Connecticut, Mr. Sherman, „g
. Mr. Spencer, no
New-York, Mr. Jay, a ,
Mr. Duane, a,
, Mr. Fioyd, a,
New-Jersey, Mr. Scudder, no
Mr. Fell, ng
Pennsylvania, Mr. Armfirong, to
Mr Sippen, ' no
Mr. Atlee, aw
Mr. Searle, no
Mr. Muhlenberg, no
Mr. Wynkoop, ay
Maryland, - Mr. Plater, ^
♦ Mr. Carmichael, i,
Mr. Jenifer,
Virginia, Mr. Smith, a?
Mr. Griffin, „
Mr. Flemming, a,
Mr. Lee, °„
North-Carolina, Mr. Penn, #y
Mr. Burke, a y
- Mr. Sharpe, a,
South-Carolina, Mr Laurens, no
Mr. Drayton, a.
So it puffed in the negative.
°", e question, Is that part of Mr. Smith's motion,
tuat Mr. Laurens be called on to declare whether he wrote
that letter, in order ? The Yeas and Nays being required
by Mr. Laurens, 1
New Hamplhire, Mr. Whipple, no
Massachusetts-Bay, Mr. S. Adams, no
Mr. Gerry, - no
Mr. Lovell, %§
Mr. Holten, n o
Rhode-Ifland, Mr. Ellery, , r .o
Connecticut, . Mr. Sherman, no
, Mr Spencer, no
New-York, Mr. Jay, „ o
Mr. Duane, no
Mr. Floyd, no
New-Jersey, Mr. Scudder, „
Pennfylvahia, Mr. Armstrong, no
Mr. Shippen, no
Mr. Atlee, u o
Mr. Muhlenberg, no
. Mr - Wynkoop, %,
Maryland, Mr. Plater, „
Mr. Carmichael, no
Mr. Jenifer, no
Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ]
Virginia, Mr. Smith, no
Mn R. H. Lee, no
Mr. Flemming, no
. Mr Griffin, no
North-Carolina, Mr. Penn,, no
Mr. Burke, no
Mr. Sharpe, no
South-Carolina, Mr. Laurens, %,
Mr. Drayton, no
. So it passed in the negative.
Refolded, That the order of the day be postponed.
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.
In CONGRES S, May 15, 1779.'
After reading the journal, Mr. Laurens arose, and
with the leave of the tioufe read in his place a paper, which
he delivered in, and which being read at the table, was
ordered to be entered on the journal, and is as follows:
'Mr. President. Ihe motion which was^made yester
day by one of the Honorable Delegates from Virginia, for
reading a presumed copy of a letter, said to have been
written by me, and printed in the gafrifon of the enemy;
on Nev-York Island, and for calling upon me to declare,
whether I had written such a letter, appeared to me to be
irregular, unprecedented and full of dangerous consequen
ces, derogatory to the honor and dignity of Con; refs; and
Alarming to the free and independent citizens of these Unit
ed States, thense arose those cautions and admonitions,
which a frnf@cf duty prompted me to offer to the House,
While the subj:& was under debate, and I rejoice in that
wisdom, which was displayed by the House, itrover luling
the attempt.
S f r, Had the gentleman who made the motion, called
oh me, and in proper terms enquired, whether the printed
letter was a copy of an original address from me to Gover
nor Houston, 1 would have given hip all the farisfaaion
that could have been d^fired by any man of true honor.
And now, Sir, as, if I have been guilty of aught crimi
nal, or have inadvertently expressed any thing amiss in my
correspondence as a private citizen with Mr. Houston, I
would rather receive a censure or reproof from Congress,
than be charged with a want of candor, or commit my
conduct to the whispers of malice. I take the liberty ofin
forming Congress that I did, on the 27th Augu'ft, write a
private letter to Governor Houston.
If the House ihall judge it proper to determine by a vote,
that they may of right demand a copy of that private let
ter, and shall in consequence of such vote call on me ; or
if Congress shall be pleased by a vote to direct their Presi
dent in writing to request me to lay before them a copy of
that letter, I will in either case produce a genuine and true
^°Py> referring to myfelf n the mean time the privilege
of voting, as I certainly should vote, if I were not a party
concerned.
Jeenfide ill the candor es the House, to order this ad
dreis to be entered on the journal, and if the House shall
be pleased to call for or request a copy of my letter, I shall
expect that will also be entered on the journal.—ls May,
*779° '
On the question for entering the above on the journal,
tie yeas and nays being required by Mr. Laurens.
Hampffiire, Mr. Whipple, ay
Massachusetts-Bay, Mr. S Adams, %
Mr. Lovell, 'a,
J . "• Holten,
Rhode Island, M r . Ellery, ay
'dr. Collins, a,
Conneaicut, Mr. Sherman, a,
Now-York, Mr. Jay,
New-Jersey, Mr . Scudder,%
ennfylvania, Mr. Armstrong aj
Mr. Shippen, ay
Mr. Searle, a,
Mr. Muhlenberg, ay
art Mr.Wynkoop, ay'
Maryland, Mr. Plater,
. Mr. Jenifer,
Virginia, Mr. Smith, „
Mr. R. H. Lee, %
L Mr. Fleming,
North-Carolma, Mr. Penn,
o Mr ° Burke,„
South Carolina, Mr. Drayton,
So it was resolved in the affirmative.'
r ß '^ then * oved > flooded by' Mr. Penn that
full ^ attempt irregular, unprecedented
and full o dangerous conferences, derogatory to the ho
nor and dignity of Congress, and alarming to%efree
independent citizens es these United States "'
Amotion was made by Mr. Burke, funded by Mr.
I^%. ' asa fubAltute t@ the foregoing, in the words fol
de^e^V^ "^ ° nthe i° v ^ the paper
delivered in by Mr. Laurens, Congress did not mean
^ m %^°: fU F flion " ierein contained thlt
foil dn d b ?'' smi * was unprecedented and
fotv^ honor ^d"
Dignity of Congress, and alarming tc the free and indenen
dent cifizensof these United Stated. indepea
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