The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-07-13 00:00:00, page 3

it was contrary to the custom and practice of other na
tions, and as it would be, in his opinion, contrary to
the soundest policy,by giving the enemy a great and per-,
manent ftr&ngth, for which we could receive no com pen
fation, or at best, but a partial and temporary one, he
did not think it would be admiffable ; but as it appear
ed to him, from a variety of well authenticated infor
mation, the present misery and morality which prevail
ed among the naval prisoners, were almon entirely, if
not altogether, produced by the mode of their confine
ment, being closely crouded together in infectious pri
son ships, where the very air is pregnant with disease,
and the ships themselves (never having been cleaned in
the course of many years)a mere mass of putrefaaion;
he would therefore, from motives of humanity, write
to rear admiral Digby,in whose power it was to remedy
this great evil, by confining them on there, or having
a Efficient number of prison ships provided for the
purpose ; for he observed it w s as prepofieroufly cruel
to confine 800 men, at this sultry season, on board the
Jersey prison ship, as it would be to shut up the whole
army of lord Cornwallis to perish in the new goal of
Philadelphia; but if more commodious and healthy ac
commodations was not afforded we had the means of
retaliation in our hands, which he thoud not hefirate in
that case, to make use of, by confining the End priso
ners with as much severity as our seamen were held.
The gentlemen of the committee appeared to be fenfi.
ble of these reasons, however repugnant they might
be to the feelings and wishes of the men, who had de
flruaion and death flaring them in the face. His ex
cellency was further pleased to fuffer me to go to New-
York, to examine into the ground of the fuffering of
the prisoners, and to devise, if possible some way or
another for their liberation or relief; with this permiffi
on, I went to your lines, and in confluence of the
authority I had been previously inverted with from the
secretary at war, 1 made the proposal contained in my
letter to you of the ninth instant, although I could not
claim this as a matter of right, I flattered myfelfit would
have been granted from the principles of humanity as
well as other motives: There had been a balance of
four hundred and ninety-five land prisoners due to us
ever since the month of February last, when a settlement
was made,befide& which to th# best of my belief, four hun
dred have been sent ip (this is the true slate of the fad
though it differs widely from the account of 250 men,
which is falfly dated in the note annexed to my letter,
in the New-York paper) notwithflanding this balance,
I was then about fending into your lines a number
of land prisoners, as an equivile nt for ours who were
then confined in the Sugar house, without which (though
the debt was acknowledged) I could not make interest
to have them liberated, this business have since been
actually negociated ; and we glory in having our condu^
such as will bear the ftri&eft scrutiny. and be found
conflant to the diHates of reason liberality and justice.
But, fir, since you would not agree to the proposal I
made; since I was positively refufed being permitted to
visit the prison ship, (for which I conceive no other rea
son can be produced than your being ashamed or afraid
of having those graves of our seamen seen, by on* who
dared to represent the horrors of them to his country
men) since thecommiffioners from your fide, at the late
meeting would not enter into an a^juftment of the ac
count for supplying your naval and land prisoners, on
which there are large fumsdue to us ; and since your
superiors will neither make prevision for the support of
your prisoners in our hands, nor accommodation for
.the mere exigence of ours, who are now languishing in
your prison ships; it becomes my duty, fir t) Rate
these pointed faaß to you, that the imputations may
recoil where they are deserved, and to report to those,
under whose authority I have the honour to aft, that
fueLmeafures as they deem proper may be adopted.
And. now, fir, I will conclude this long letter with
observing, that not having a fufficency of British sea,
men in our possession, we are not able to rc-leafe ours
by exchange, this is our misfortune; but it is not a
crime, and ought not to operate as a mortal ponifh
ment against the unfortunate. We ask no favour, we
claim nothing but common justice and humanity,
while we assert to the whole world, as a notorious faft,
that the unprecedented inhumanity, in the mode of
confining our naval prisoners, to the amount of 800 in
©ne old hulk, which has been made use of as a prifon
lhip for more than four years, without ever having
been once purified, has been thereal and fold cause of
the death of hundreds of brave Americans, who would
not have perished in that untimely and barbarous
manner, had they (when prisoners) been fuffered to
breath a purer air and to enjoy more liberal and con
venient accommodations, agreeably to the practice of
civilized nations when at war, and the example which
has always been let you by the Americans. You may
fay, and I shall admit, that if they were placed on
inlands and more liberty given them, that some might
desert; but is not this the case with your prisoners in
our hands ? and could we not avoid this also, if we were
to adopt the fame rigid and inhumane mode of con
finement that you do?
I beg, fir, you will be pleased to confider this as ad
dressed to you officially, as the principal executive
officer in the department of naval prisoners, and not
personally ; and that you will attribute any uncom
mon warmth of flile, which I may have been led into,
to my feelings and animation on a fubjed, with which
I find myfelf so much interefled, both from the princi
ples of humanity and the duties of office.
Jam, fir, Your most obedient servant,
ABRAHAM SKINNER,
Commissary-general Prisoners.
P. S. Left there should be f^mething in the forego
ing which may prevent your wishing for the publica
tion of it, I will save you the trouble myfelf, by fend
ing a copy to the printer.
NEW - YOR K, July 3.
(COPY-)
S'l R, Head -Quarters, June sth,. 1782.
BY a parole granted to two gentlemen, Messrs-
Aborn and Bowen, I preceive that your excellen
cy has granted them permission to come to me with a
reprefentatien of the bufferings of the American naval
prifoners at New-York.
As I have no agency on naval matters, this appli
cation to me is made on mistaken grounds—. But curi
osity leading me to enquire into the nature and cause
of their fufferings, I am informed that the prin^
cipal complaint is, that of their being crouded, es
pecially at this season, in great numbers on board of
foul and infectious prifon-lhips, where disease and
death are almost inevitable. This circumstance lam
persuaded needs only to be mentioned to your excel
lency, to obtain that redress which is in your power on
ly to afford, and which humanity so Wrongly prompts.
If the fortune of war, fir, has thrown a number of
these miserable people into your hands, I am certain
your excellency's feelings for fellow men, must in
duce you to proportion the ships (if they must be con
fined on board ships) to their accommodation and com
fort, and not by crouding them together in a few,
bring on disorders which consign them by half dozens
in a day to the grave.
The soldiers of his Britannic majesty, prisoners with
us, were they (which might be the case) to be equal
ly crouded together in close and confined prisons,
at this season, would be exposed to equal loss and
misery. I have the honour to be, fir,
Your excellency's most obedient,
Humble servant,
(Signed) G. WASHINGTON.
His excel'ency rear-admiral Digby.
(COPY) New-York, June 8, 1782.
SIR,
MY feelings prompted me to grant Messrs. Abron
and howen, permission to wait on your excel
lency, to represent their miserably situation. And if
your excellency's feelings on this occasion are like
mine, you will not hesitate one moment relief ng both
the British and Americans fuffering under confinement.
I have the honour to be,
Your excellency's
Very obedient servant,
(Signed) R. DIGBY.
His excellency general Waihington.
Philadelphia, July 13.
Extra& of a lett r from an officer in South-Carolina,
dated May 13, to a gentleman in this city.
" Inclofed you have a copy of the proclamation itTu
ed by the governor of our date, offering free pardon
to those of our deluded fellow citizens now in the British
lines, with a few exceptions. Since this, sundry inha
bitants have left'Savannah ; amongfl them are, fir Pa
trick Houflon, Mr. William Houston, (late from Eng
land) major Douglass and others of less note, although
they are expressly excepted in the laid proclamation.
“ Desertion yet prevails amongst the Hefflan to a
very great degree: in orde, to encourage and facilitate
it, the governor hath iflued another proclamation,
which is hourly expected to be received, offering to
every deserter 200 acres of land, one milch cow and
two breeding swine: this has so effectually answer d
the purpose, that they come off in great numbers. It
is conje&ured by many, they will very shortly evacu
ate that post, many negroes (the property of fir James
Wright and James Butler) having been seen removing
by water to Augustine, and other circumflances which
seem to corroborate and fix this idea beyond a doubt."
WHEREAS many of the citizens of this Rate, from
local situation or mistaken policy, have been
seduced from their allegiance, taken protection from
and joined the arms of the enemies of America,,who,
now feeing their error, would wish to return to their
allegiance and attone for their past conduct, by assist
ing their fellow citizens to refeue this country from
British tyranny and oppression, an event that must in
evitablyjake place, from the united exertions of the
continental and other troops assembled for that purpose.
Moved with compaffioir for this cla(s of citizens, and
being always more inclined ro forgive than to punish,
where it can be .done confident with the peace and bap
pinefs of the people. Ido therefore, by and with the
advice and consent of the honourable the executive
council, issue this my proclamation, hereby offering
full pardon and protection to all citizens and others,
fuhje&s of this state, now within the British lines, ex
cepr those who have been proscribed in a former bill of
attainder, those who have held or now' hold any ci
vil or military commission under the crown of Great-
Britain, all murderers and those whose names are under
written, viz. Samuel Douglass, Thomas Gibbons,
David' Zubly, junior, John Glen, Lachlan M'Gilliv
ray, John Fox, junior, Luke Man, Levi Shift 11, Na
thaniel Hall, Alexander Wright, Bazil Cowper, John
Smith, George Fox, George Cu hb.rt, Francis Cod
dington, David Delegall, Pnilip Delegall, Christopher
Frederick Tribner, Jacob Riinler, James Pall, senior,
Philip Dili, senior, Andrew M'Lean, John Douglass,
Jame Seymer and John Charles Lucina, on condition,
that he or they, 00 or before the sth day of March/
next, surrender him or themselves to the honourable
brigadier general Wayne, or the commanding officer
for the time being, and do duty in such Corps, as he
shall direct, until the enemy are compelled to abandon
this country or made prisoners.
Given under my hand and the great seal of the
said Rate, at Ebenezer, the twentieth day of
February, one thousand, seven hundred and
eighty-two, and in thefixth year of the inde
pendence of America.
JOHN MARTIN.
By his honour's command,
ABRAHAM JONES, secretary.
Extract of a letter, dated head-quarters, South-Caio
lina, May 19, 1782.
" The slate of Georgia has puffed a bill, conficating
more than gooeftates. The fi r ft sale of which is to com
mence in June; the terms 7 years credit ; a mortgage of
the land for landed property, and perfou.il fecurrty for
S T'A T E of G EORG] A.
By the honourable JOHN MARTIN, esquire, cap
tain general, governor and commander in chief of
the said Bate.
A PROCLAMATION.
BE it ordained by the un ted dates in congress as
sembled, that so much of the Ordinance, entitled
" An Ordinance, ascertaining wh;t captures on
water shall be lawful," as ordains, that upon the cap
ture of a vessel commissioned as a man of war or a
privateer, by any of the vessels of war of the united
hates of America, the whole of the property condemn
ed shall be adjudged to the captors, be and the fame
is hereby repealed ; an^ that in all such cases of cap
ture the whole of the property condemned (hall be ad
judged to the use of the captors, if the vessel taken
shall be of equal or superior force to the vessel making
the capture; if otherwise, one half only shall be ad
judged to the captors, and the other half to tie use of
the united dates, and shall, after condemnation, be so
appropriated; unless the united slates in congress as
sembled, in reward of distinguished valour and exerti
on, shall otherwise specially dired,
And be it further ordained by the authority afore
faid, that the resolution of the 15th day of November,
1776, giving to the commanders, officers and men
of ihips or vessels of war, a bounty for every can
non and for every man belonging to British ships or
vessels of war captured by them, be and the fame is
hereby repealed.
Done by the united slates in congrefoaffembled,
the 10th day of July, in the year of Our Lord,
1782, and in the seventh year of our independence
Attest. JOHN HANSON, President.
Charles Thomson, Secretary,
Mr, CLAYPOOLE,
You will do a kindness to the public by publishing,,
in your ufeful paper, the following simple Core for
that unhappy, wafting disorder, the CONSUMPTI
ON ; the which has been communicated by an inha
bitant of South Carolina, where it has proved fuccefsful
in some very dangerous cases ; and has lately admini
ftred to the relief of Several persons in this slate
'r AKE of the bark of the small wild black cherry-tree,
1 and of the low-land beech-tree (not button wood)
equal quantities, of which make a strong decodion;
give a pint thereof, per day, in several portions, or
more if the stomach will bear it ; and to render it more
palatable it may be mixed into a weak toddy or tea,
as may be mod agreeable to the patient: and although
a few days use of it may occasion sensible alterations for
the better in the afflifted person, yet this course of
drinking it must be persisted in for at least three months
to render the cure effedual.
[The Printers throughout the united States would do
well to communicate this ufeful discovery through the
.channel of their Several Papers.]
RECEIPT of continental taxes from the slate of
Delaware, published in puffuance of the 6th article of
jnAruftiens from the Office of Finance, dated the 12th
day of February last:
For the month of Jape, 1782, received nothing.
, Newcastle, July 1, 178,2. JOHN READ,
Receiver of continental taxes for Delaware.
%* The SALE of Mr. Hemings's Plantation in
Paffyunk, advertjfed in our late Papers to have been
on Wednesday Evening last, is post poned till Wednes
day Evening next, at the Coffee house, at 7 o'clock.
To be Sold by Public Sale,
Ou ITEDNESDAT,
The 17th of July instant, at seven o'clock in the after
rood, at the Coffee house, (if not disposed of before
at private fa'e)
A COMMODIOUS BRICK MESSU
AGE or Ten ment nd bank lot 0 GROUND,
situate on the east file of F .ont street and welt fide of
Water street, within five doors from the corner of
Vine street, in the city of Phia 'elpha, fubje& to a year
ly -ent-charge of two pound# five shillings fteding.
The Meffuage rents as two Tenements, and now
brings in Seventy pounds per annum, and would let for
more. It is three stories high on Front street, and four
ftorirs on Water-street, and has a good vault.
Any perlon willing to purchase at private sale, may
know the terms by applying to RICHARD W-HTE
HEAD, Scrivener, at the coiner of Vine and Water
fteits.
An ORDINANCE for the better Diflribution of
TO BE SOL D,
At the upper Market in the city of Burlington, on
Wedneiday the 17th of this instant, at t<u o'Ciock in
the forenoon o' the fame day,
Three Tierces of elegant Cut Glass Decan
ters, and two Boxes of Wine Giaftes; lately seized and
condemned as corning from the lines of the enemy.
THOMAS M. GARDNER, colleger.
Burlington, July 10, 1.782.
personal property and the interest. They have alf
granted general Greene 5000 and general Wayne 4000
guineas in land, &c."
Enghih Muskets, Gunpowder, and a varie
ty of Dry Goods,
TO BE SOLD, BY
Lacaze and Mallet,
Strayed aboutthe middle of last
week, fr< m the Bun r h cf Grapes Tavern, in Third
fireet, a Red Mi'ch COW, a little woolly in her fore
head. Wnocvrr will give information of her to the
SuHferiher, or the Printer hereof, thall be h nd<ome;y
rewarded. JACOB G. BERGEN.
July 5, 1782,
In Water-street, between Arch and Race-streets.
Prizes in Certain Cases.