Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-10-23 00:00:00, page 2

From a Late London Paper.
LN a nation is loft in indolence amjdft
VV its dilhefs, when a people appear uncon
cerned in the (hipwreck of the Rate, every method
Ihould be taken to rouse them from their lethargy,
that by a general alarm they may be incited to ac
tivity and exertion in their own defence. No
pains should be spared to teach them that to en
counter prefeat difficulties is co avoid future mif
fortunes..
A series of inconsistent measures has brought
the affairs of this country to an alarming crisis.
May the moment of projection reward our labours
and cares ! The deftru&ion of a wicked and a bad
mioilter may perhaps, tor the fake of the example,
be a recompense for the danger into which he has
led MS. It is the birth-right of every Englishman
to examine with freedom ihto the conduct of every
one in a public Ration. There is a criterion of
light and wrong in every honed man's breast by
which he may measure every action. Ingenuity
and ability cannot assist bisjudgment.—The faith
ful servant of the public wishes for the most mi
nute infpeaion into all his tranladioos. He knows
he cam justly claim most praise where his charact
er is best known. He loves the approbation of
the people as it is dilated by sincerity. Every
honourable title was anciently derived from the
public applause. It was the root and branch of
primitive nobi'ity. May we once more fee ho
nors spring from so pure a fourth I—But unfor
tunately we fee the minister wishing to level every
mark of diftindion, that they may be universally
incompatible with the esteem and refpea of socie
ty. He flatters himfelf he may escape without
notice in the general disgrace.
Every kind of plan in regard to America has
during this adminitbation been hastily adopted,
pursued with eagerness, defended with ignorance,
and at last dropped through indecision. The
system of domestic corruption has however been
prosecuted ^ith unremittted industry, and the
year of probation has gratified the minister's warm
est wishes. But he was unwilling to render his
friends' at once disgraced and odious. He felt for
their character more than his own. He would not
push their complaisance at once to servility, and
deferred putting their virtue too suddenly to the
proof He knew by experience that antient puri
ty is by degrees corrupted, that vice is confirmed
as it deviates by a regular gradation from virtue.
The convert to religion returns to his old courses
if.he a&s from the sudden impulse of passion, and
not from the flow process of conviction, he gives
way to an ardent imagination without cbnfulting
his reason; and is led at one moment into enthu
' fiafm, at another into error.—The hardened /in
ner muff have time to deaden every feeling as he
advances in profligacy, flung by shame and remorse
he reverts to his original character. The minister
has sent his friends to their constituents with at
least the appearance of their conduct having been
dilated by integrity and judgment. They carry
With the smile of confidence in one hand the ad
dress, in the other the conciliatory motion, that
they may alternately oppofc determination to firm
refs, and relenting moderation to lenity. Here
the most wavering indecision may never cease to
find argument. Theory and practice at the fame
time remain uncontradi^ed And for once we
fee human maxims, as if enlightened by a ray of
divinity, uncontrovertible. These two measures
contain every system of American politics. T^y
include in an extensive outline, every iota of rea
son ^ad experience ; as we are told, the doctrine
of feience is included in two simple rules, one to
defend one's felf, the other to attack one's adversary
with fuccefs'.
The Minister loft in pleasure and inaction, has
established for his creed that " fufficient for the
day is the evil thereof." He deals out resources
and arguments by retail—every expreflion is in
Interring. He lays out plans for the day for the
Public and himfelf. They are not however ex
ecuted with the fame fatisfadion. His American
operations adapted to immediate requisition, un
less he can exercise the magic of the Comptroller's
wand, cannot be enforced without a delay offome
months, at a time too when circumstances and
tempers are probably changed. Passions much
agitated counteract each other in the extreme :
Violent rage finks into torpid indifference, and is
focn re excited ; as we fee the storm and the calm
in alternate succession. What may be necessary
in one instance ceases to have good effect in the
othre. In politics as well as in law there should
be an invariable rule fundamentally established
confident with reason and equity. Novelty in de
cision creates doubt, uncertainty, and confusion
in the one, disobedience to laws, contempt of su
periors and dissoluteness of manners must be the
consequence of change in the other. To what a
situation are we then reduced when contradictory
measures can alone render our resolutions practi
cable, and ensure us from being odious and con
temptible, and when at so great a distance from
America as we are, we even fee the impossibility
of such a necessary variation, as circumstances re
quire, being attended to without great diminution
of the desired effe&. Thus we find by fatal ex
perience a thousand errors are iodilpeufable to
Support one, rather than avow a fault, as a thou
sand falfhoods must be told to hide one, rather
than confefs a crime. Amidst our confufion which
appears unlikely to be remedied, and our distress
which become daily more ridiculous, we fee our
commerce in a fair way of being ruined. Public
credit mu< be loft, and land will fink to its origin
al value. Our Treasury is al eady exhausted,
and the King is more in debt than would be cre
ditable or even fafe for a private Gentleman. This
too is a fatal epoch to be marked in Epglifh His
tory, while our soldiers are trained up to fight
against liberty. Our army is employed to shed
the blood of fellow fubjech, and is alike exposed
to the inclemency of an inhospitable climate, and
the dark furious revenge ever exerted against those
who are unhappily employed in making freemen
slaves. These troops must be relieved by the
guards, no other regiments being in a fitaation
When a kingdom by its constitution is free, as
this of ours is, every member thereof who gives
away his own and his posterities liberties for mo
ney, or temporal advantage, which is one and the
fame thing, does that which is offenfive in the fight
of his Maker, who has always given the vidory to
the people of this nation, whenever their Gover
nors fought to take it from them.
This ought to have been considered, for it was
attempted to be rivited in the minds of the elec
tive part of this kingdom at the late general elec
tion; instead, as some did, of putting the candi
dates to such enormous expences, as can be ac
counted nothing less than a natural inducement for
them to fell their votes to those who (hall bid mo
ney for them, as the electors did theirs to their
representatives; for in all nations it will be found
to be a standing rule, that those who are compel
led tobuy others votes, render themselves as it
were neceflitated to fell their own.
As the present government have a multitude of
places in their gift, and it has been, and still is a
maxim with corrupt statesmen, to remove any
,person from his place, if he gives his vote in any
affair against the inclination of such statesmen, al
though it be for his country's interest, and as his
conscience directs him; by which aft of corrupt
statesmen, the liberties of a free people are in dan
ger of being loft ; therefore to strengthen the li
berties of the fubjed, it will be necessary to guard
against such undermining practices for the future,
which may be done by some aft to the following
effect: That no member of Parliament, possessed
of a place under government, shall be turned out
of his employment but for neglect of duty, or
mal-pradices in the execution of his office; for
should a nobleman or gentleman be removed from
his employment for only voting as his conscience
directs him, when it may be proved it was for the
good of his country, and his removal must be pre
judicial to his said country, and serve the base
purposes of corrupt statesmen, by placing those in
their room who have no consciences at all, this
in the end must prove fatal to a free people; for
those nations which have loft their liberties, were
deprived of them by the very fame steps taken by
corrupt and corrupting statesmen.
to quit the kingdom upon service. WcfhJlihen
be defenceless by land, unless we put a confidence
in the militia or raw recruits. The army money
already granted th:s year will be loon expended,
and extraordinary supplies must be levied early in
the Winner; the taxes will be necessarily encrea
fed, and notwithstanding this augmentation, there
will be a difficulty to difeharge the interest of the
public debt, an enormous sum, which is scarce di
minished during a long peace, in which period
trade has flounced with a vigour never to return.
Amidst these calamities our possessions in the Medi
terranean are in the utmost danger from the Spa
nish armament, and we are perhaps on the eve of
a war, which in our prefect unhappy Rate must
complete our ruin
These fads are brought, stripped of all orna
ment, as an appeal to the good sense of the pub
lic. They evidently shew the affairs of the nati
on cannot be fafe in the hands of a Minister who
has reduced us to these calamities. The dag
ger is plunged into the bosom of my country.
Like the Roman I have drawn it out reeking with
blood, and will not desist till I awaken the attenti
on of the people. May theyagain prove the aveng
ers of tyranny and deflowered virtue.
J. BRUTUS.
AS the free circulation of the blood in the na
tural body of man, tends to the health of
the body, so does the wealth of this nation, which
is its political body, tend to its well being and
happiness, when rightly applied; 'but a corrupt
application of its wealth, must tend to its ruin
and deftruclion, if not timely prevented.
As it is the duty of the people to pay those
taxes which are laid on them by their sovereign
and Parliament, as long as they are able, so on
the other fide, it is the duty of the Government not
to apply any of the public money to any other
purpose than that for which it was given : There
are four principal things for which this money so
railed is to be applied, viz. The Civil Lift, or
maintenance of the Royal Family, for which there
is a certain part of the taxes set apart ; the pay
ment of thearmy, the payment of the fleet, and
the interest of the national debt ; besides tome of
lesser notc. But if any of the public money fe
railed, should be applied to undermine the liber
ties of the people, by corrupting members ap
pointed to serve in Parliament, and devoting them
to the interest of the Ministry, this is not only a
manifeft breach of the trust reposed in them that
do it, but an infallible method of rendering such
ministers arbitrary, and enabling them to aft con
trary to the general sense of the nation, and its
true interest.
When a free nation's wealth is employed to un
dermine those liberties, it is high time for the peo
ple to look to themselves and their posterity; and
to take such care for the future in the choice of
their representatives, as to choose none but such
whom they judge, or are pretty well assured are
in the true interest of their Sovereign and his king
dom.
We have had instances of this fufficient one
would think to deter all future Princes and Go
vernors from making encroachments upon the li
berty of the people (future Princes I fay, for there
is no reason to make the least application of this
caution to him who now governs Great Britain,
according to the known laws and constitution of
our country) always remembering, that before the
British nation tender their allegiance to their
Prince, he himfelf takes a solemn oath to preserve
the nation's liberties both in church and state ; and
the Almighty, whose sacred name is invoked by
both parties, is the guarantee between the Prince
and people.
From the Morning Chronicle.
HONESTUS.
Last Monday was brought in here by an armed
schooner in the service of this colony, a large ship,
Barron raafter, which she met with near
IStonington.lStonington. The ship had on board 8000 bushels
l of wheat, which he took in at Baltimore, and
cleared out from New- York for Falmouth in Eng
ilaud, but on the 10th of September, in lat. 38.
long. 66. met with a gale of wind, in which Ihe
was overfet, and loft her mainmast; after which,
it is supposed, she intended for New-Port, but
meeting with head winds, they put into Stoning
ton. She is owned by Christopher Champ
lin, in New-Port, and is said to be the fame vessel
and master which some months since cleared from
Baltimore for Ireland, with a load of flour, and
was taken by some of the King's Ihips on this stati
on, and carried into New-Port. She is gone with
her cargo to Norwich.
Extrafi of a letter from the wafer of a transport in
the Spanish service, to a gentleman in this town,
dated Alicant, July 28, 1775.
“ We have made one attempt upon Algiers
with our formidable fleet of near 400 fail, corapof
ed of all nations, and came off unfuccefsful, hav
ing loft 7225 killed and wounded. Although the
army behaved very well, yet the fleet a&ed as
Spaniards always do—never went within two miles
of the batteries (except some frigates and xebecks
that went to cover the army in landing, who went
within half a mile of the shore, trimmed their trees
for them, and did little else) The army was on
shore near 20 hours (some of them) where they
got warm reception, and was glad to get off with
the loss of fix field pieces and a deal of other ftuff.
The next day the Algerines diverted themselves
by burning the fafeine batteries and the dead bo
dies that were left behind. There is some talk
of their making another attempt ; if they take up
with my advice they will stop this season."
Extrafl of a letter from the wafer of another vessel
in the fame Jeriice, to a gentleman here, dated
Alicant, Jul, 2,, 1775.
" The fleet which I now belong to was defeated
at Algiers. The navy (offered very little as they
took care to keep out,of Paot, but the army fuffer
ed much. They landed under the command of
General O'Reiley, the Bth inst. in the morning,
about four miles distant from the town of Algiers^
and had a v^ry warm reception from the Turks'
both horse and infantry. The battle lasted from
four in the morning until twelve at night, at which
time the Spanish army was obliged t'o reimbark :
From tie Sr> JAMES'S CHRONICLE.
To THE PRINTE R.
IT would be happy for the people of this coun
try, that such a law as that devised by one
Charoudas, a great legislator among the Syba
rites, an ancient people of Italy, were in being
in this country, in the year 1764, when George
Grenville, on an unlucky day, firft proposed to
carry into execution his scheme for railing taxes
on America, by the sole power of a British Par
liament. The law I allude to, was intended to
prevent people, fond of their own notions, from
altering the ancient constitution, or introducing
innovations into the form of government, or ex
ecution of the lupreme power, and was to the
following effedt : “ That whoever proposed any
such alteration should step out, and do it with a
rope about bis neck." If the matter was gene
rally approved, then it was to pass into a law ; if
on the contrary, it received a negative, the pn
jeftor was to be hanged. But the art of bribing
majorities against their judgment and consciences,
was not as yet discovered; for now-a-days, every
improvident medler and vifongr, Jchemifl in pow
er may try whatever experiment he pleases, with
out the least fear of the gallows. This it is that has
given birth to bills of taxation, a Royal Marriage
Bill, East-India Bills, the Boston Port Bill,
Restraining Bills, Fishery Bills, and the whole
lift of etceteras, which are no less a disgrace to
our statute baoks, than to our policy, our justice,
and our constitutional engagements, as the heads,
but still members of one great community.
I am, Sir, your's &c.
R. S. T.
^^^^^^^^-^O-O*ss<,sss§
CAMBRIDGE, ORober 12.
LAST Tuesday one of our privateers from Be
verly, having been on a cruise in the Bay, was
followed, on her return into port, by the Nautilus
man ofwar. The privateer run aground in a cove a
little without Beverly harbour, where the people
speedily assembled, stripped her, and carried her
guns, &c. afliore. The man of war was soon
within gunffiot, when she also got aground; she
however let go an anchor, and bringing her broad
side to bear, began to fire upon the privateer.
The people of Salem and Beverly soon returned
the compliment frora a number of cannon on shore,
keeping up a warm and well directed fire on the
man of war for two or three hours, and it is sup
posed did her considerable damage, and probably
killed and wounded some of her men ; but before
they could board her, which they were preparing
to do, the tide arose about eight in the evening,
when she cut her cable and got off. Some ofher
shot struck one or two buildings in Beverly, but no
lives were loft on our fide, and the privateer da
maged very little, if any.
No express is yet arrived here with an account
of the taking of Montreal.
The enemy fired above 90 cannon balls into
Roxbury on Friday last, which did no other da
mage than killing two cows, and wounding the
arm of a marine, taken at Lexington, and since in
lifted in the Continental army.
Gen. Washington has heard from Col. Arnold,
who had then paHed the Carrying-Place, and was
going to embark on the river Chaudiere, and writes
that he was assured there were no forces of conse
quence to refill him at Quebec, where it is thought
he is arrived.
WORCESTER, Odober r 3.
It is said Gen. Gag^is actually failed for Eng
land.
N E W-LON DO N, October 13.
“ WHITEHEAD HICKS.
" To bis Excellency William Tryon, E'q;
Committee Chamber, October 17, 177 c
"S IR, ' '
" T-T '” Excellency Governor Tryon's second
I letter to your worship of the 14th inst.
has been laid before the Committee. We flatter
ed ourselves that the fentimrnts of refped expres
sed in answer to his Excellency's firft letter to your
worship, and the &ffurasces that his information
from Philadelphia was ill grounded, would have
removed every suspicion of injury intended to his
person or property.
" We can with great truth assure his Excel
lency, that we are not apprehensive of the least
danger to his person or property; and tha he may
rest assured, of all that protiftion fromus, and
our fellow citizens, which wil be confident with
the great principle of our fafety and preservation:
Declaring, at the fame time,, that we have the
utmost confidence in his Excellency's difpofrion
The following are copies of letters which lately pafed
betwixt his Excellency Governor Tryon, and
Whitehead Hicks, Esq; Mayor of this city.
[For Governor Tryon's firft letter fee the fourth
page-]
'' New-York, Oflober 14, 177 c.
“S IR,
" TNSTANTLY upon the receipt of your Ex-
JL cellency's commands, fignified by your let
ter of yesterday, I called the Magistrates and as
sistants to a Common Council, upon its important
contents. The members of the corporation una
nimously expressed themselves upon this occasion
in terms of the strongest affection and confidence,
refpeaing their Governor; and I am persuaded,
Sir, that their fellow-citizens (for I consulted as
many individuals without doors, as the time would
permit) are Utterly disinclined to your removal
from the capital of your province.
" The city committee which is a very numer
ous body of reputable inhabitants elected at a con
vention of the whole town, before your last arri
val, were immediately convened, upon my ac
quainting the chairman with your Excellency's
letter, and in a very little time Ihad their senti
ments in writing, under the signature of their chair
man, which I now communicate, as a confirmati
on of what it gives me the greatest pleasure to de
clare, that the citizens confiding in your friendfhip
to a colony, which you have governed, with so
much reputation, earneftly' desire you will still
continue your residence among us ; and from the
declarations and temper of the people at large, I have
not the least doubt of your enjoying the most am
ple proteaion. I have the honour to be, with
the highest esteem and refpe&,
" Your Excellency's most obedient servant,
WHITEHEAD HICKS.
“ His Excellency William Tryon, Est."
“ New-York, ORober 14, 177 c.
“S I R,
“ TH AVE received your letter in answer to
my application to the corporation and citi
zens of yesterday, to obtain their assurances either
of prote&ion while among them, or security to
remove on board the King's (hip; but as they
have not authorifed you, to pledge to me their as
surances of security in either case, my duty io this
hour of alarm, will not juftify me to my Sove
reign, in flaying longer on shore, without positive
declarations of their full protection under every
circumstance.
66 I beg you will present my best thanks to the
corporation and citizens, for their affectionate and
friendly wishes towards me. I am, Sir,
“ Your most obedient servant,
WILLIAM TRYON.
“ Whitebead Hicks, Esq; Mayor
of the city of New-York."
“ New-York, ORolser 18, 177 g
“S I R,
" XAZ"'" your Excellency's letter of Sa-
VV turday came to hand, the day was so
far spent, that I had no prolped of an opportu
nity to take the sense of the citizens upon it, till
Monday, and then unfortunately the chairman and
deputy chairman of the committee, I mentioned
in my last letter, and many of the members were
out of town.
“ On Tuesday raorning they met and delibe
rated upon it, and had a second convention for
that purpose in the evening, and the result of their
councils appear in the written answer they sent me,
and which I now have the honour to transmit to
your Excellency.
“ Permit me to add, Sir, that the friendly anrf
refpeftful terms in which pec^e of all ranks ex
press themselves, concerning four Excellency, en
this occasion, and their anxiety at the thought of
your retiring from the capital, are very fatisfa&ory
to the corporation, and in particular to your Ex
cellency's Most obedient humble servant,
NORWIC H. Oflober 9.
We are this moment informed, that a brig from
New-York, loaded with flour for the use of the
ministerial army at Boston, ran afliore on Satur
day last on a reef of rocks off Stonington Capt.
Niles, of an armed vessel belonging to this town,
is now along fide and easing her of the cargo.
The loss on both sides was very considerable : By
the best intelligence we can get from the Spanifa
army, the killed and wounded amount to 7500
Spaniards. The action on both sides was vigo
rous, but our troops loft the day. The Spanish
army amounted to 20,000 men ; as to the Turks
we cannot give you an account of the number, but
by what I saw I rather think their number was su
perior to ours.—The day after the battle, in the
presence of our fleet, the Turks cut off the heads
of ths dead Spanish troops, and burnt their carca
ses. We arrived at this place after a passage of
three days.—Spain is in great confusion on account
of their ill luccefs, &c.
A letter from a merchant at Alicant to a gen
tleman in this town, dated July 25th, fays,
Another expedition is talked of at all events.
N E W - YOR K, October 19.