The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1775-04-10 00:00:00, page 2

-^r GENERAL ASGEMBL%
For the City gfNew-York.
7& Cruger, The present Speaker, a Merchant,
uncle tothe Counfellor who married Brigadier De
Lancey's daughter, and to one of the present Mem
bers for Bristol, in Parliament,
James De Laxcey, Nephew to Brigadier De Lancey,
and brother-in-l^w to Governor Penn.
James Jauncey, A Merchant, Father to the Coun
cellor, who married Sir Gilbert Elliot's neice.
Jacob Welton, A Merchant, brother-in-law to Mr.
Cruger, the Councellor, and nephew to the Speak
er.
Richmond County.
Benjamin Seaman, A Shop keeper, Col. of the
militia, and Judge of the county during pleasure,
and father-in-law to the Clerk of the county, who
holds his office likewise during pleasure.
Chrifopher Billop, A Farmer who married Cel.
Seaman's daughter, --Also a Col. of the militia.
King's County.
Simon Batrum, Clerk of the county, and one of the
Delegates at the General Congress.
John Rapalje, Colonel of the militia---A Farmer.
Queen's County.
Zebulon Williams or Seamans, A Farmer, and Cap
tain in the militia.
Daniel Kiffam. A Farmer, and Justice of the Peace
during pleasure.
. Suffolk County.
Nathaniel Woodbull, A Farmer, Col. of the militia,
and Judge of the Inferior Court,
William Nicoll, Clerk of the county---A Lawyer.
West-Chester County.
Isaac Wilkins, A native of Jamaica, educated un
der Do&or Cooper, a§ the New-York College, now
Studying Divinity, and intending soon to go home
for Episcopal Orders; likewise an intimate friend
ofDr. Chandler of Elizabeth town.
John Thomas, Judge of the County during plea
sure.
Frederick Philips, Col. of the militia, and brother
in-law to Col. Morris, the Counfellor.
Pierre Fan Cortlandt, Col. of the militia.
Dutches County.
Dirck Brinckerhoff, A Shop-keeper, and Col. of
the militia.
Leonard Fan Kleck, A Shop-keeper, and Col. of
the militia.
Albany County.
Peter R. Livingston, Col. of the militia, eldest son
of the Proprietor of the manor of Livingston, and
brother-in-law to Mr. Duane, one of the Delegates,
and nephew to Philip Livingston, another of the
Delegates.
Philip Schurjler, Col of the militia,and firft Judge
of Charlotte county.
Jacob H. Ten Eyck, A Justice of the Peace, and
father to the Sheriff of Albany county, both holding
their offices during the pleasure of the Governor.
Abraham Ten Broek, Col. of the militia, uncle to
the Lord of the manor of Renfelaerwyck, and bro
ther-in-law to Philip Livingston, Esq; one of the
Delegates at the Congress.
Jacobus Mynderffe, A Farmer of Schenedady.
Cumberland County.
Samuel Wells, Col. of the militia, Judge of the In
ferior Court, and father-in-law to Mr. Gale, Clerk
of that county.
Crean BruJb, A native of Ireland, praftifing the
Law in Cumberland county, who fold the Clerk
drip of the county to Judge Webb's son-in-law.
Tryon County.
Guy Johnson, Superintendant of the Indian affairs,
in the room of Sir William Johnson, Col. of the
railitia, and Judge of the inferior Court.
Hendrick Frey, Col. of the militia, and Judge.
Ulster County.
George Clinton, A Lawyer, and Clerk of Ulster
county.
Charles De Witt, A Farmer.
Orange County.
John Goe, A Judge of the Inferior Court.
Samuel Gall, A Tavern-keeper at GoShen, and
Major in the militia.
When the grand question was put for considering
the proceedings of the Congress, there appeared for
taking them into consideration,
Messrs. Boerum, Seaman, or Williams, Wood
hull, Nicoll, Van Courtlandt, Livingfton,Schuyler,
Ten Broek, Clinton, De Witt.
And against taking them into consideration,
Messrs. Jauncey, Billop, Philipfe, De Lancey,
Rappelje, Van Cleck, Walton, Kiffam, Brush, Col.
Seaman, Wilkins.
The other Members, viz. Thomas, Brinkerhoff,
Ten Eyck, Mynderffe, Wells, Johnson, Frey and
Coe being absent, when the question relating to the
proceedings of Congress was proposed, the public
must wait for some future opportunity to be inform
ed of their fentimerots on the interesting measures of
the continent, for the preservation of the Liberties
of America
Second, Whether though the highest honour is due
to the integrity of so many gentlemen, who nobly
risked their offices by their fidelity to the country, it
is not nevertheless a Scandal to the province, that
we have as yet no place bill to exclude such from
the House of Assembly as after ah eledion render
themselves dependent upon the Crown for offices
held during pleasure. And
Third, Whether upon the arbitrary project of the
late Parliament for introducing a council into the
Maffach ufett's- Bay, at the pleasure of the Crown, it
does not appear to be an indifpenfible duty firmly to
infill upon a law utterly to exclude the dangerous
influence ofhis Majesty's council, at the elections
for representatives of the people.
A Correspondent, $& cad of this lift, railed the
following very pe-tinent queries ;
Firs, Whether the great number of crown officers;
or their near relations in the Affembly,is not a proof
either of our extreme negligence of our Liberties,or
of the vigilance of government for biaffing our
Members ?
Mr. Speaker,
THE business before th^Houfe refpeding Ameri
ca is of as great importance as was ever debated
in Parliament. It comprehends almost every ques
tion relative to the common rights of mankind, al
most every question of policy and legislation. Ido
not mean to enter into so vast, so well trodden a
field. I will confine myfelf to the business before
us. The Address now reported from the Committee
of the whole House appears to me unfounded, raffi
and sanguinary, and moll unjustly to draw the
sword against America; but before Administration
are^fuffered to plague the nation into the horrors of
a civil war, before they are permitted to force Eng
lishmen to Sheath their swords in the bowels of
their fellow-fubjebts, I hope this House will serious
ly weigh the original ground and cause of this un
happy difpute,and in time reflet whether justice is
on our fide. The assumed right of taxation with
out the consent of the fubje& is plainly the primary
cause of the present quarrel. Have we, fir, any right
to tax the Americans ? That is the question. The
fundamental laws of human nature, and the princi
ples of the Engliffi constitution, are equally repug
nant to the claim. The very idea of property ex
cludes the right of another's taking any thing from
me without my consent, otherwile I cannot call it
my own. What property have lin that which ano
ter can seize at his pleasure? If we can tax the A
mericans without their consent, they have no pro
piety, nothing which they can call their own ; we
might take their all. The words '' Liberty and
Property," so dear to an Englishman, so pleasing in
our ears, would become mockery and insult to an
American. The laws of society are profeffedly cal
culated to feeure the property of each individual, of
every fubjeftof the Rate. The great principles of
the constitution under which we live, likewise clear
ly determine this point. All subsidies to theCrown
are grants from the Commons, free gifts from the
People. Their full consent is always expressed in
the grant. Much has been said of the palatine of
Chester, and the principality of Walq, and thb pe
riod of their taxation ; but, fir, there is a more re
markable case in point, which alone would deter
mine the question. If gentlemen will search the
records in the Tower, they will find that the town
ofCalais in France,when it belonged to the Imperial
Crown of these realms, was not taxed till it sent
Representatives to Parliament. The Burgesses from
Calis actually fat and voted in this House. Then,
and not till then, was Calis taxed. The writ out of
Chancery, and the return to it, in the reign of Ed
ward VI. with the names of the Burgesses, are dill
extant. I faithfully gave them to the public from
attested copies.
But, fir, it will be said, Is America then to enjoy
the protection of Great-Britain, and to contribute
nothing towards the support of that very state, which
has so long given it protection and Security, which
has nursed it up to its present greatness ? The
Americans themselves have given the fulleft Answer
to this objection in a manner not to be controverted,
by their conduct through a long series of years, and
by the most explicit declarations. Equally in words
and actions, of the most unequivocal nature, they
have demonstrated their love, their ardor, their
strong filial piety towards the mother country.
They have always appeared ready not only to con
tribute towards the expenses of their own govern
BOS TO N, April 6.
Yeflerday Capt. Andrews, arrived at Marblehead from
Falmouth, which he left (in company with the Packet)
the 27th of February, by whom we have received a
London Print of the 1 ith of February, from which ice
have taken the following
Important ADVICES, viz.
L O ND O N, February 0.
The SPEECH of the LORD MAYOR on the Motion of
Lord North, for an Address to his Majesty against the
Americans.
meu., but Akew#fe to the wants and^he necefiities
of this State, although perhaps they may not be over
fond of all the proud, expensive trappings of royal
ty. In the twe last wars they far exceeded the cold
line of prudence. With the molt liberal hearts the,
gave you almost their all, and they fought gallant
ly by your fide with equal valour against our and
their enemy, against the common enemy of man
kind, the ambitious and faithlefs French, whom we
now fear and flatter. Our journals, iir, will hear
witness to the grateful sense we had of the imperto^
services of the Americans, and the great Suns! >
voted to be repaid them for what they expended in
tlie Spirited expeditions, which they carried thf&iirh
with equal courage and conduct, fofactimes with
out the least knowledge or participation on our patt,
will demonstrate the warm affection of their hearts
to this country, but, fir, the whole was the gift
of freemen, of fellow-fubjeds, who feel that they
are, and know that they have a right to ^^ free
as ourselves. What is their language hoW, when
you are planning their dellrtiClion, when you are
declaring them rebels? In the hue petition of the
General Congress to the King, they declare " they
are ready and willing, as they ever have been,when
constitutionally required, to demonffrate their loyal
ty to his Majesty, by exerting their moftftenuous tyorft
tn granting supplies and raiding forces?' This is the
unanimous resolution of a Congress composed of de
puties from the several Colonies of New-Hamp
shire, Maffachufects-Bay, Rhode-Ifland and Provi
dence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-
Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Counties of Newcafilc,
Kent and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
and the two Carolinas.---! have heard, fir, of a plan
of accommodation, which I believe would reconcile
all differences. But, alas ! fir, it did not come fiora
t"'/"""" 0 ' " e ° row "° I' comes from the noble
Lord for whom this country has the most essential
obligations, & is so much indebted for its late fplen^
dor and glory. It is to assemble another Congress
in the spring, under the authority of the Parlia
ment of Great-Britain ; the Deputies of the several
Colonies to meet together,and to be jointly empow
ered to regulate the various quotas to be paid by
each province to the general treasury of the whole
'{"P'"' 4 would in addition to that plan, propose,
that a regulation similar to what actually takes pk;ce
with refpecl to Scotland be adopted in America.
The proportion of tach colony might be fettled ac
cording so the land tax in England, at one, two, or
more Killings in the pound# lam not deep politi
cian enough to know what the proportions fliould
be of each province, and they will vary greatly in
half a century, but I speak of their quota being al
waysto be regulated according to the land tax of
this country. The very flourishing Colonics, of the
Massachusetts-Bay, Virginia, and South Carolina,
for instance, Should contribute more, the smaller &;
poorer Colonies of New-Hampfliire and New-Jer
sey less, but, fir, I infill not a single Shilling can be
taken without their consent; and after this day's
debate, Should the Address be carried, I greatly fear
every idea of a reconciliation will be utterly im
practicable#
The Americans, Sir, have of late both within
doors and without been treated with the greatest in
jutfice, and even wanton degree of cruelty. An
honourable gentleman has just told us, that they
complain of the Navigation A&, and infill on its re
peal. We have authentic evidence to the contrary#
In the refoliations of the Congress, they repeatedly
desire to be put on the footing they were at the cloJit
of the late war, " as to the system of statutes and re
gulations;" not among the various Ads, of which
they desire the repeal, do they once mention either
'^ Navigation or the Declaratory AAs« It is said
likewise, they wiffi to throw oft the supremacy of
this country. Many express resolutions, both of
the General Congress, and Provincial Congresses,
are the fulleft evidence of the sense which the Ame
ricans entertain of their obedience and duty to this
country. Their full claim, as Slated by themselves,
is so well worded, I beg leave to read it to the Houle
from their petition to the King. We as but for Peace,
Liberty and Safety., Surely, Sir, no requett was e
ver more reasonable, no claim better founded. We
wife not a diminution of the prerogative, nor do we so
licit a grant of any new right in our favour. Your roy.
al authority over us, and our conneaion with Great-
Britain, wefall always carefully and zealous, endea
vour to support and maintain; while Administration
are endeavouring to tear afuader those ties, which
have Sb long and happily bound us together.
The Address, Sir, mentions the particular pro
vince of Massachusetts-Bay as in a state of adual re
bellion, and the other provinces are considered as
aiding and abetting them. Much has been said by
fomelearned gentlemen to involve them in all the
consequences ofa declared rebellion, and to encou
rage bur officers and troops, to a& against them as
against rebels. Whether their present Slate is that
of rebellion, or of a fit and proper refinance to u&