The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-02-13 00:00:00, page 2

[Concluded from our laft.j
IT EREUPON' Dr. Lawrence invited our injured
1 friends to his house ; and inan inclefureby his door,
Mr. Fletcher finished his sermon, though not without mucro
hoife and disturbance from the opposite party. And
while Mr. Parker wa. at prayer, after sermon, John
Gr^a, junior, and Joihua Blood, who flood near him,
'made open disturbance, though Mr. Parker fays, that
from a sense of their fafety under the divine protection he
bluffed God, that there were none to make him afraid ;
upon which (as others teftify) one of them said aloud in
prayer time, That is a d-d lie! After which, some of
thole officers, with abowlc of liquor, hiied Abranam
Boynton, and Jeremiah Lawrenfe, to go into a river that
was nea^where Boynton dipt Lawrence, and then a^.ed
him if ha believed ? And upon faying he did not, he plun
ged him again, if not a third time. And as if all this was
not enough, two dogs were carried into the water, m the
prince of theaforenamed leaders of the town, and as they
were put under water, Mr. Hubbard said aloud, There is
one dipt! There is another, tie. with laughter and iQfult
among the multitude.
But left all this should not deter our friends from their
purpose, Col. Woods, Capt. Lakin, and Mr Hubbard,
came into Dr. Lawrence's house; and when Mr. Parker
asked them, whether they would protest the Baptists m
obeying Christ, in Baptism? Or whether the,
at the head of their moleftors ? They routed a direct an
fiver; but, calling for Mr. Fletcher out of another room,
they informed these ministers, thatthey appeared there in
behalf of the majority of the town of Pepperell, who were
against having any Baptist preaching or baptizing there
and therefore they advised said ministers, immediately
to depart out of the town, for /heir own fafety-Do you
mean said Mr. Parker, that our lives will be in danger it
do not thus depart? This question they would not an
told them he ftroud take that to
betheir meaning rfthey did not exp amit ^herwife. Af
ter other dikourfe, Mr. Parker addressed them in this
manner, ^z. I appeal toyour cogences, in the preface
of God, before whom we must al ? appear hereafter, whe
ther you have come up against us in the spirit or Christ and
bis hfciples, or in the temper of the perfecutingJews against
Them. 'To this they made no answer ; but soon bit he
house. Whereupon' our friends privately agreed to dis
perse, and by different ways to draw together to a dittant
place of water ---which was effected in such manner, that
those fix persons, were decently baptized, notwitnfland
in^ the arrival of some mockers before it was over : And
a 3 %ey were returning to our friend Shattuck's house, they
were met by Col. Woods and his followers, who shook
their whips over them, and ftrack some of the company.
And after their entrance into our said friend's house, many
surrounded it. declaring they would have those Baptilt
preachers out of town that night. ^ Yet, as they praye
and fang praises to God, the mob dispersed, and they ief
ted there quietly ; and returned home fafely the next day,
according to their purpose. ,r
A narrative of these p-anfaßons was laid before our as
sociation at Leicester, on the 9th instant ; and upon con
sideration thereof, it was judged to be expedient that 1
ftiould visit those injured friends, and collect as exalt an
account as I could of the true Rate of the most material
those fads, and to lay the fame before the public. For
though far Jess glaring breaches of the peace in such re
fpefds, have heretofore been punished by authority, in the
foutherii parts of this State; yet we had no certainty that
these would meet with like treatment. For there were net
only a principal part of Pepperell Concerned therein, but
Col. Woods was one of our law givers last year, and ma
ny others of them are greatly afraid of losing tneir legi
slative power o' *er us in religious affairs ; which according
to their own principles, depends intirely upon their con
tinuing to be the majority of this State. The author 0
their election sermon two years ago fays, " The law of
felf-prefervatian' will always juftify opposing a cruel and
tyrannical imposition --except where opposition is atten
ded with greater evils than submission, which is frequent
ly the case, where a few are oppressed by a large and pow
erful majority. This (fays he) shews the reason, why
the primitive chriftians did not oppose the cruel perlecu
tion-, that were inflicted upon .them by the heathen m.:gi-
Brates. They were few, compared with the heathen
world ; and for them to have attempted to refill their en
emies by force, it would, without a miracle, have brought
upon them inevitable ruin and deftruftion." t Accord
ing to wnich opinion, Christ would have ordered tee use
oi'forge in the firft erecting of his church in the 'world, if
tie had not been so unhappy, as to begin the work at a
time, when the heathen idols had a more powerful party
than he had. But since the baptAs worship a Saviour,
• who always has had the mod powerful party; and firice
he has taught them that the reason wLy he forbid the use
of force in religion, is becatife his kingdom is not 0, t~ts
quorld; they expert, according to his word, to overcome
all their accusers, by the b^od of the Lamb, and by toe
wordoftbeitefimon,; and think it their duty to attend
Upon the use of those means for that epd. Indeed we ap
prehend that we have the fame right to have our persons
and properties protected by authority, as our nighboars
have; but party influence >has denied it to us, in ^ny
inftaoce.—Three bapti s in Chelmsford, were imprisoned
abovedive years ago, for ihipifierial taxes ; and after Ipen
ding the vatoe of above an hundred silver dollars, the Court
at Charleftown, gave judgment in their favour; yet the
assessors who taxed them contrary.to law, soon had all
their expences paid by ther town; while the Saptids
have had neither expences nor damages paid them to this
time, as they assured me this week.. Who then can blame
us for appealing t® the impartial public; against such op-
P 'l have been to Pepperell, where I preached twice, and
baptized two persons, without moleftatisn. And ftom
the b^ft light I could gain, from many witnesses, the a
bove "state of falls is not exaggerated in any one circum
stance ; which is published to prevent the like for the tu
""' ISAAC BACKUS.
Boflon, September 19, >77^
t West's Election sermon, at Boston, May 29th, 177^
^ XIX.
Londo n.
Admiralty-Office, Odober 15, 177,
Lieutenant Dod, of his Majesty's armed brig the Cabofy
arrived at this office from Halifax on Tuesday last, with
difpatchej from the Hon. Vice Admiral Byron, and Sir
George Collier, to Mr. Stephens, of which the following
are extracts:
Extract of a letter from the Hon. Vice-Admiral Byron,
dated on board the Princess Royal, Halifax Harbour,
August 27, 1778.
IN consequence of their Lordfllips orders of the sth of
June, I failed on the morning of the 9th, front Ply
mouth found, with the squadron under my command,
and worked out of the channel against a frefh wind at S.
W. Nothing very material happened till the 3d of July,
when the squadron was separated in lat. 49, 4. North, lon.
26, 48, Weft, from the Lizard, in a mos tviolent gale at
North," with exteffive heavy rain. At eight o'clock next
evening the florm abated, and fliowed only the Princess
Royal, Invincible, Culloden, and Guadaloupe, of the
squadron. On the 6th the Culloden was directed to look
out in the North-east quarter, and the Guadaloupe in the
South-weft quarter. The Guadaloupe joined again next
afternoon, and kept company till the 21st, when she and
the Invincible separated in a very thick fog, upon the
banks of Newfoundland. On the sth of August we fell in
with the Culloden, after beiag a month from us; but Rie
parted company again in the night of the nth. The Prin
cess Royal being thus left by herfelf, I continued my best
endeavours to get to Sandy^hook, but the prevailing winds
being from the south-west to weft, we made very flow pro
gress. On the 18th of August, at fiveo'clockin the mor
ning, we difeovered twelve failof Ships at anchor to olee
ward of us about nine or ten miles, Sindy-hook then
bearing North 40, Weft, distance 28 leagues. Weim
mediately bore away for them, but at fix "oclock we per
ceived they were large fliips, and several of them getting
under way and making signals to each other, which we
did not understand, we hauled our wind to the westward,
in order to clear thip; at half past seven having cleared
ship, we tacked and took in the rerft reef of the topsails,
flung the yards, &c. and got the ship in every refpecl fit
for a&iod. At nine we tacked to the westward, twofhtps
of the lime were then in chafe of us from the fleet, and one
of them, which appeared to be the smallest, came up with
us very faft. At ten we made the private figna) eflabfi
ihed for the American squadron, which was not answered;
before this „e had loft fight of the fleet, and in half an
hour after the headmof iand the fmallefl of the chafing
ships backed her mizen top fail, to let the fternmeft and
largest fhip,^which appeared to be of 74 or 80 guns, come
up with her ; as soon as the got up, they made some fi.gnal,
and both bore away for their fleet; which furpnzed us
greatly, for they were not above three miles distant, and
had so mach the advantage in failing, that they might have
been up with us in less than two hours, had they continued
the chace. The weather was hazy when we were at the near
est to this fleet; one ship was observed to have loft her bow
sprit, and another to have jury top-masts ; one carried a
flag at the main, and another at the fore-top-gallant
mast heads, which, with the fignaJ they made to each 0-
ther, and the whole of their conduct and appearance, left
us in no doubt of their being the French squadron under
the command ofMonf. D'ERaiag ; and I flatter m,felf,
that if the squadron I was entrusted with, had not been
separated, I should have completely fulfilled his Majesty's
intentions and their Lordfllips orders; but unfortunately
I bad no ship with me. I did not think it advisable, af
ter this to try with the Princess Royal alone to reach San
dy-Hook, neither cou Id I attempt to get to Rhode-Ifland,
as the enemy's squadron lay direßly between us and both
these places; I therefore determined to puih for Halifax,
and arrived there last night. I found no ship left here of
any force except the Culloden, whose commander had
judged expedient to bear away for this harbour, where he
arrived the 16th. Not a moment shall be loft in getting
the Princess Royal put in a condition for sea : As soon as
that is done, I purpose failing with her and the Culloden,
t® form a junction with Lord Howe, of which I have en
deavoured to give his Lordihip notice, by a (mall sloop
belonging to the nwal yard, which commissioner Hughes
has lent for that service.
Copy of a letter from Lieutenant Albemarle Bertie, to
Mr. Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty, dated on
board the Fox, at Brest, the zeth of September, 1778,
'' I am directed by Captain Windsor to desire you will
inform their Lordships, that being ordered by Admiral
Keppel to cruize in search of the French fleet, on the loth
of September we perceived in the N. E. (it being thick
fqu^lly weather, and we at the fame time in chace of a ship
and a floop)a French frigate bearing d®wn upon us, on
which we Ihortened, and engaged , her for three hours and
a half. Having loft all our mafia, most of our guns dis
abled, and the enemy being perfectly in a condition to
continue the adion, we were obliged to strike to the Juno,
who has brought us into Brest. The reason of in, wri
ting is, that Captain Windsor has a musket ball in the
right arm, ° ne °f the bones of which it has splintered ;it
was not till last night the ball could be extracted ; at pre
sent there is no fear of his losing his arm. Captain Wind
sor is slightly wounded in four other places. The Juno is
commanded by the Vifeount de Beaumont. She fought
on each fide fourteen 12 pounders, fix 6 pounders, and
had 333 men.
“ Captain Windsor particularly desires me to mention,
that attention and civility has be® paid to himfelf and his
officers, particularly by Monsieur de Beaumont, and
Monfi cur la Porte, the Intendant, at whose house he is at
present lodged. The greatest care has likewise been taken
of the sick and wounded. lam, Sir,
your very humble Servant,
A. BERTIE.
On board the Fox,
Brest, Sept. 20, 1778.
" The nearefl account I can give of the killed and
wounded is,
Killed - 11
Dead of their wounds 3
WOUNDE D.
Captain Windforl
Lt. Wilson, of Marines, recovering, 1
Midfhipn^en - - .2
Boatswain . - - - 1
Seamen and Marines 27
Wounded 32
Killed 14
Total 4.6
Note. The Fox had twenty-four 9 pounders, four
three pounders, and 200 men.
PHILADELpITi A, February 13.
Wednesday morning Captain Young arrived here in an
armed fchconer from the Havannah.
In COUNCI L,
Philadelphia, February yz, 1779.
W H F, RE A S it is reprefenfed to this Board that
several sailors in the service of the fiate, ,and who have
been kept in pay and rations during the winter, that they
might be ready for the defence of the city and navigation
of the river in time of danger, and also deserters from the
army, have been engaged by matters of vessels and others,
and have deserted the fa-vice. Therefore,
Ordered, That a public caution be given to all owners
and matters of vessels against employing or harbouring
any such deserters, as they wish to avoid a detention of
their ve'els and a severe profecutiou of all offenders in the
premises. ,- Extras from the Minutes,
T. MATLA C K, Secretary.
I ottery Off cf, February 13, 1779.
Yesterday N® 84,653 was drawn a prize of 20,000
dollars ; nowith landing which, on infpeding the check
book of the Lottery this day, we can assure the Public, it
is 71,470 dollars richer than at the commencement of
drawing , • and that there are yet in the wheels the follow
ing prizes—
* 2 of io,coo Dollars.
9 of 5,000
84 Of 1,000
691 of 500
16,664 of 30
PAUL FOOK S, Check Clerk.
Camp,, Raritor, Feb. 9, 1779.
To the PUBLIC.
CONSCIOUS of having served my country faith
fully for near four years, without pace having my
public condud impeach'd, I little expelled at tnis time ta
be charged with crimes of which I believe few who know
would have fufpefted me. I find jiuce I left Philadelphia
that the President and Council of the fiate have preferred
to Congress eight charges again ft me, for mal administra
tion while commanding in the flue; and that, not con
tent in endeavouring in a cruel and unprecedented manner
to injure me with Congress, they have ordered copies of
the charges to be printed and dispersed thro ' the several
Rates, for the purpose of prejudicing the minds of the pub
lic against me,, while the matter is in fufpence. Their
conduct appears the more cruel and malicious in making
the charges after I had left the city, as my intention of
leaving it was publicly known for four weeks before.
I beg leave to inform the public, that I have requefled
Congress to dired a Court Martial to enquire into my con
duit, and truf tmy countrymen will do me the justice to
suspend their opinion in the matter until I have an oppor
tunity of being heard, and condemn'd or acquitted. I
hope the issue will ihow that, inßead of my being guilty
of the abuses of power with which I am accused, the pre
fect attack upon me is as gross a prostitution of power as
ever disgraced a weak and wicked Ad mini ft ration. and
manifefis a spirit of persecution against a man (who has
endeavored to deserve well of this country) which would
diferedit the private refehtments of an individual, and
'which ought to render any public body who could be in
fluenced by it, contemptible.
BENEDICT ARNOLD.
The Printers who have inserted or may insert the char
ges of the President and Council against me, are requested
to insert the above address. E. A.
To" the P ÜBLI C.
IN Mr. Dunlap's paper of the 9th inflant, after the pro
ceedings of the Council against General Arnold, the
following paragraph is inserted----" By order of Council a
" certified copy of the foregoing RefoFues <were delivered to
" Major General Arnold before be left this fate." It is to
be presumed that this extraordinary assertion is designed
to Support the falfe and scandalous insinuations indultri
eufly circulated that General Arnold went out of tewn to
avoid a prosecution. The General left Philadelphia on
the 3d early in the day, and passed the ferry from the ci
ty direftly into New-Jersey, on account of the roads being
better on that fide of the river. The Council came to the
refofutions published by them, on the fame day, and as
they Teldon zmeet so early as the General set out, the pre
emption must be, without other circumstances to evince
it, that they were acquainted with his having left the Rate,
at the very inflant the Resolutions passed; but this is re
duced to a certainty by the Resolutions themselves. In
the second Resolution it is determined by the Council not
so fubje& the militia of their state to the command of Ce.
neral Arnold, " should be refame it on bis return." In
their order for advancing a sum of money to Jesse Jordan,
it is mentioned as a reason, that " General Arnold is de
parted from the city ivbi/f the complaint against bim ovas
depending". And yet in this paragraph, printed direUly
after the resolutions, it is asserted, that Council ordered a
certified copy of them to be delivered to him before be left
this fate. It may indeed have happened th at.thefe Reso
lutions were delivered to General Arnold, who finding
the roads bad crossed the river again into this state, before
he had again passed the line of the state---and this I be
lieve was the case---But the obvious drift of this paragraph
is to support the insinuation that the General fled frora
enquiry. It can hardly be supposed that the Council, or
any of their officers, would endeavour to give a colouring
to so wicked an insinuation, by so low and pitiful a quib-
It is, however, my duty, in the absence of my General,
to point out the low artifices made use of to injure his chart
rafter. From toh fpecimcn, and the general spirit of Q