The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-05-29 00:00:00, page 2

Resolved by Nine States,
THAT it be recommended to the several Bates, as
indifpenfibly necessary to the refloration of pub
lic credit, and to the punctual and honourable dis
charge of the public debts, to invest the United States
in Congress assembled with a power to levy for the use
of the United States, the following duties upon goods
imported into the laid Rates from any foreign port,
island or plantation.
Upon all rum of Jamaica proof,
per gallon, q-^oths of a dollar.
Upon all other spirituous
liquors, g-goths do.
Upon Madeira wine, 12-goths do.
Upon all other wines, 6 goths do.
Upon common Bohea tea per lb. 6 goths do.
Upon all other teas, 24 goths do.
Upon pe per per lb. 3.goths do.
Upon brown sugar per lb. frgoths do.
Upon loaf sugar, 2 goths do.
Upon all other sugars, i-Qoth do.
Upon mobaffes per ga lon, 1 goth do.
Upon cocoa and coffee per lb. 1 goth do.
Upon all other goods a duty of five per cent, ad va
lorem at the time and place of importation.
Provided that none of the (aid duties shall be appli
ed to any other purpose than the difeharge of the in
terest or principal of the debts contrasted on the faith
of the United States, for fupporhng the war, agreea
bly to the reflation of the 16th day of December last,
nor be continued for a longer term than 25 years ; and
provided that the collectors of the said duties shall be
appointed by the states, within which their offices are
to be refpeCtively exercised ; but when so appointed,
fltali be amenable to and removeable by the United
States in Congress assembled, alone; and in case any
flare (ball not make such appointment within one month
after notice given for that purpose, the appointment
may be made by the United States in Congress assem
bled
That it be further recommended to the several states,
to establish for a term limited to twenty-five years,
and to appropriate to the difeharge of the intere f l and
principal of the debts contracted on the faith of the
United States, fdr supporting the war, fubflantial and
effectual revenues of such nature as they may judge
molt convenient, for supplying their refpeCtive pro
portions of one million five hundred thousand dollars
annually, exclusive of the aforementioned duties,
which proporti ns shall be fixed and equalized from
time to time according to the rule which is or may be
prescribed by the articles of confederation ; and in case
the revenues eflablifhed by any Rate, shall at any
time yield a sum exceeding its actual proportion, the
excels shall be refunded to it ; and in case the revenues
of any Rate shall be found to be deficient, the im
mediate deficiency shall be made up by such Rate
with as little delay as possible, and a future deficien
cy guarded against by an enlargement of the reve
nues established: provided, that until the rule of the
confederation can be carried into practice, the pro
portions of the said 1,500,000 dollars shall be &s fol
lows, viz.
The remaining class of creditors is composed partly
of such of our fellow -cit^ens as originally lent to the
public the tie of their fuhds, or have fime manifefted
molt confidence in their country, by receiving trans
fers from the lenders ; and partly of those whose pro
perty has been either advanced or assumed for the pub
iic service. To ddcriminate the merits of these (eve
rd descriptions of creditors, would be a talk equally
unnecessary and invidious, if the voice of humanity
plead more loudly in favour of some than of others,
the voie of policy, no lets than of justice, peads in
favour of li. A Wife nation will never permit those
who relieve the wants of their country, or who rely
most on its faith, its firmness, and its resources, when
either of them is diflrußed, to fuffer by the event.
Let Ie be' remembered fin Ily that it has ever been
the pride and boast of America, that the rights for
which the contended, were the rights of human nature,
fry the blessing of the author of these rights, on the
means exerted for their defence, they have prevailed
against all opposition and form the basis of thirteen in
dependent states. No inßance has heretofore occurred,
nor can any instance be expected hereafter to occur, in
which the unadulterated forms of republican govern
ment can pretend to so fair an opportunity of juftifying
thernfelves by their fruits. In this view the citizens of
the United States are responsible for the greatest trust
ever confided toa p liricalfociety. If juflice, good faith,
honor, gratitude, and all the other qualities which
cobble the charaaer of a nation, and fulfil the ends of
go ernment, be the fruits of our establishments, the
cause of liberty will acquire a dignify and lufire which
it has never yet enjoyed •,and an example will be set
which cannot but have the moR favourable influence
on he rights of mankind. If on the other fide, our
governments should be unfortunately blotted with the
• reverie of t efe <ardmai and essential virtues, the great
& cause which we have engaged to vindicate, will be dif
horored and betrayed ; the last and faireft experiment
in favour of the rights of human nature will be turned
a, ?inR them, and their patrons and friendsexpofed
to be inflated and fi'enced by the votaries of tyranny
and usurpation.
By order of the United States in Congress assembled.
Recommendations to the several States,
by the United States in Congrels assem
bled.
New Hampshire, 52,708
Massachusetts, 224,427
Rhode-Ifland, 32,318
Connecticut, 132,091
New York, 128,243
New- lerfey, 83,358
Pennsylvania, 205,189
APRIL 18, 1783.
Delaware, 22,443
Maryland, 141,517
Virginia, 256,487
North Carolina 109,006
South Carolina, 96,183
Georgia, 16,030
That as a fur her mean, as well of hastening the ex
tinguifhment of the debts, as of establishing the har
mony of the United States, it be recommended to the
Rates which have passed no a&s towards complying
with the resolutions of Congress of the 6th of Septem
ber and 10th of October, 1780, relative to the cession
of territorial claims, to make the liberal cessions there
in recommended, and to the Rates which may have pal
led acts complying with the said resolutions in part on
ly, to revise and compleat such compliance.
That as a more convenient and certain rule of as
certaining the proportions to be fupp.ied by the Rates
respectively to the common treasury, the following al
teration in the articles of confederation and perpetual
union, between these Rates, be and the fame is hereby
agreed to in Congress ; and the several Rates are ad
vised to authorife their refpedive delegates to subscribe
and ratify the fame as part of the said instrument of uni
on, in the words following, to wit.
So much of the Bth of the articles of confederation
and perpetual union between the thirteen Rates of A
thefica, as is contained in the words following, to wit.
" All charges of war and all other expences that
shall be incurred for the common defence or general
welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress
assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury,
which shall be supplied by the several Rates in propor
tion to the value of all land within each state granted
to or surveyed for any person, as such land and the
buildings and improvements thereon, shall be eflimated
according to such mode as toe United States in Con
gress assembled shall from time to time dire& and ap
point," is hereby revoked and made void ; and in place
thereof it is declared and concluded, the fame having
been agreed to in a Congress of the United States, that
all charges of war and all other expences that have
been or shall be incurred for the common defence or
general welfare, and allowed by the United States in
Congress ass mbled, except so far as shall be otherwise
provided for, shall be defrayed out of a common
treasury, which shall be supplied by the several Rates
in proportion to the whole number of white and other
free citizens and inhabitants, of every age, sex and
condition, including those bound to servitude for a
term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not
comprehended in the foregoing def.ription, except In
dians, not paying taxes, 10 each slate; which number
shall be triennally taken and tran mitted to the United
States in Congress assembled, in such mode as t^ey shall
direst and appoint.
The said last mentioned revenues to be collected by
persons appointed as afortfaid, but to be carried to
the (eparate credit of the Rates within which they
shall be collected.
That an annual account of the proceeds and appli
cation of all the aforementioned revenues, shall be made
out and transmitted to the several Rates, dißinguifh
ing the proceeds of each of the fpecified articles, and
the amount of the whole revenue received from each
Rate, together with the allowances made to the several
officers employed in the collection of the said revenues.
That none of the preceding resolutions shall take ef
fect until all of them shall be ac eded to by every Rate,
after which unanimous accession, however, they shall
be considered as forming a mutual compact among all
the Rates, and shall be Irrevocable by any one or more
of thrm without the concurrence of the whole, or of
a majority of the United States in Congress assem
bled.
The Papers referred to in the foregoing are as follow —
No. 1. Efiimate of the National Debt.
No. 2. Answers to the Objedions of Rhode Island to
the five per Cent, Impost.
No. 3. Efimate of the produce of the Impefl on im
ported articles.
No. 4 Extrall of a letter from the hen. B. Franklin
to the Superintendant of Finance, and a Letter
from the hon the Minifler rs France to the Su
perirtendant of Finance.
No. 5- Contrast between his mos Chrifiian Majefly
and the United States.
No. 6 Contrail entered into by the hon. J. Adams,
fo r ll Loan op five millions of Florins.
No. 7. Address and Petition of the Officers of the
army to the United States in Congress assembled.
No. 8 Proceedings of the Officers reflecting their
Grievances, &c, &c.
[We shall continue to publish this interesting
matter in such large portions as to be comprised
in as few of the succeeding papers as poffible.]
Philadelphia, May 29.
Last week the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia
met in this city, when they addressed the people un
der their care in the following letter:
A PASTORAL LETTER from the Synod of New-
York and Philadelphia to the People under their
Charge.
Very dear Brethren,
YOU will easily remember, that in May 1775, the
synod thought proper to address a pafloral letter
to the people under their infpedion, on the Rate
of public affairs. At that interesting period hostilities
had just commenced between Great Britain and Ameri
ca, and a long and bloody conflict was to be expe&ed.
Now that conflict s over, and we have the belt reason
to suppose (the preliminaries being signed and ratified)
that a happy and honourable peace will be fpeedi y fet
tled by a definitive treaty. We could not therefore
longer delay adddreffing to you the following letter,
which will contain our sentiments on this happy occa
sion, and our advice as to the duty incumbent upon
all ranks in return for so great a mercy.
We cannot help congratulating you on the general
and almost universal attachment of the Preibyterian
body so the cause of liberty arid the rights of mankind.
This has been visible in their condud, and has been
confeffed by the complaints and resentment of the
common enemy. Such a circumflance ought not only
to afford us fatisfadion on the review, as bringing cre
dit to the body in general, but to iocreafe our grati
tude to God for the happy issue of the war : had it:
been unfuccefsful, we mufthave drunk deeply of the
cup of (uffering. Our burnt and wafted churches, and
our plundered dwellings, in such places as fell under
the power of our adversaries, are but an earnest of
what we must have (offered had they finally prevailed.
The synod therefore request you to render thanks
to Almighty God for all his mercies spiritual and tem
poral, and in a particular manner for eflablifhing the
independence of the United States of America. He is
the Supreme Disposer of all events, and to him belongs
the glory, the vidory, and the majefly. We are per
suaded you will easily recoiled many circumflances in
the course of the struggle, which point out his speci
al and signal interpolation in our favour. Our moR re
markable successes have generally been when things
had just before worn the most unfavourable afped, as
at Trenton and Saratoga at the beginning, in South-
Carolina and Virginia towards the end of the war. Ie
pleased God to raise upfor us a powerful ally in Eu
rope, and when we confider the unwearied attempts
of our enemies to raise diffention by every topic that
could be supposed inflammatory and popular, the har
mony that has prevailed not only between the allied
powers, but the troops of different nations and lan
guages ading together, ought to be ascribed to the
gracious influence of DTvine Providence. Without
mentioning many other instances, we only further put
you in mind of the choice and appointment of a com
mander in chief of the armies of the United States,
who in this important and difficult charge has given
universal fatisfaftiort, who alike acceptable to the
citizen and the soldier, to the Rate in which he wa,
born, and to every other on the continent, whose cha
racter and influence, after so long service, are not only
unimpaired but augmented. Of what consequence this
has been to the cause of America, every one may judge,
or if it needs any illustration, it receives it from the
opposite situation of our enemies in this refpe&. On the
whole, every pious person, on a review of tha events
of the war, will certainly be disposed to fay, with
the Psalmist, the Lord hath done great things for us,
wereof we are glad.
Suffer us to put you in mind of the duty which yon
owe to God in return for this great national deliver-'
ance. You ought to teflify your gratitude by living
in his fear. This is the only way by which public
prosperity can become a real mercy to you. It were
to be wished, indeed, that in our contests about the
most important interests of a temporal nature, we could
itill remember, not only that eternity is of greater
moment than any thing that relates merely to the pre
(ent life, but that all outward things, and even civil
liberty itfelf, ought to be considered as subordinate
and subservient to an everlasting happiness. It would
not be an honour to us to be wholly unconcerned
about the rights of ourselves and others, as men and
as citizens, yet the great obje& of our duty, and, we
hope, of our desires, is to watch for your&ouls, as
those that must give an account to God. We there
fore earnestly beseech every one who is nominally of
our communion, not to be fatisfied with a form of
godliness, denying the power thereof. The fubflance
of religion is the fame to all denominations, neither is
there any preference due to one before another, but
in so far as it has superior advantages in leading men
to the saving knowledge of the only living and true
God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath (ent, whom to
know is life eternal.
There is no doubt that you look upon it as a hap
py circumflance in the late revolution, that the rights
of confeience are unalienably secured, and even inter
woven with the very constitutions of the several Rates.
The duty which you owe to the community at large
for this inestimable b lefflng, is to support civil autho
rity, by being fubjeft not only for wrath, but also
for confeience fake, and by living quiet and peacea
ble lives in all godliness and honefly. It is a truth
of much moment, and particularly to be remembered
at this time, not only thatthe virtue of the people in
general is of consequence to the flability of every civil
society, but that it is of much greater moment to the
liability of republics or free Rates, than those of a
different kind. In monarchies, a sense of honour, the
subordination of rank in society, and the vigour of
despotic authority, supply in some measure the place
of virtue, in producing public order; b,ut in free
Rates, where the power is ultimately lodged in the
body of the people, if there is a general corruption
of the mass, the government itfelf must speedily be
dissolved.
You cannot but have observed, that the war has
occasioned great irregularity and relaxation as to the
observation of the Sabbath, and attendance on public
ordinances. In some places, congregations are broken
up; in some places, for a considerable time, attend
ance was difficult, dangerous or impossible. The pub
lic service also, which made some things realty neces
sary, was often made a pretence for irregularity when
no necessity exifled. It is therefore your duty now,
that peace and harmony have returned, to revive and
restore the refpea due to the Sabbath and the worship
of God's fan&uary. The regular administration of
Divine ordinances is a bleffiog that cannot be too high
ly valued or purchased at too great a price. We hope,
therefore, that you will, in general, exert yourselves,
and do every thing in your power that will serve to
promote so noble a purpose. Be cheerful and liberal
in affixing to educate pious youth for the mioiftry.
Let vacant congregations be active and diligent to
supply themselves with fixed pastors: and let those
which have fix d pastors strengthen their hands in their
Maker's work, not only by obedience in the Lord,
but by making such provision for their comfortable
subsistence as that their duty may be practicable. We
make this demand clearly and explicitly, because it
is founded upon the plainest reason—upon the word