Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-03-06 00:00:00, page 5

B; the feip Chalkley, Capfair Stain, arrived
here drum B:f^, cue cave received tbe Jodraing
.advices.
From the London Chronicle of Jan. 14.
^a ADDRESS to the People of England,
Scotland and Ireland on the p r esent im
portant Crisis of Affairs. By CatAe
rinn Macauley. Octavo, pp. 29.
," xrX'HUS Lady censures the measures of
^ ^ Administration with relpect to the
* T * British Colonies, and condemns the
^^ r« American Ads parted in the last fef
^i ^.^ fion of the last Parliament, as injuri
ous and oppressive to the Colonists in a high de
§ee. The foilowing are some of her sentiments
@n this fnbje&:
'• 'IT can be no secret to you, my friends and
fellow citizens, that the Ministry, after having ex
hausted all those ample sources ofcoruption, which
your own tameness under oppressive taxes have
arfoided, cither fearing the unbiaffed judgment of
the people, or impatient at the flow, but Ready
progress of despotism, have attempted to wrest
from our American Colonists every privilege ne
cessary to freemen; —privileges which they hold
from the authority of their charters, and the prin
ciples of the constitution.
ri ith an entire supineness, England, Scotland,
and Ireland, have seen the Americans, year by
year, dripped of the mod valuable of their rights ;
and, to the eternal shame of this country, the
damp ad, by which they were to be taxed in ah
arbitrary manner, met with no oppofitiun, except
loom those who are particularly concerned, that
the commercial intercourse between Great-Britan
and her Colonies Should meet with no interrup
tion.
With the fame guilty acquiescence, my coun
trymen, yen have seen the last Parliament finish
their venal course, with passing two ads for Shut
ting up the port of Boston, for indemnifying the
murderers of the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay
and changing their chartered constitution of go
vernment: And to Shew that none of the funda
mental principles of our boasted constitution are
held sacred by the government or the people, the
fame Parliament, without any interruption, either
by petition or remonstrance, parted anothe ad for
changing the government of Quebec; in which the
Popifh religion, instead of being tolerated, as by
the treaty of peace, is ertabliihed; in which the
Canadians are deprived of the right to an assem
bly, and of trial by jury; in which the English
laws in civi. cases are abolished, the French laws
cttabliflied, and the Crown empowered to ered
arbitrary courts of judicature; and in which, for
the purpose of enlarging the bounds where defpo
trim is to have its full sway, the limits of that
province are extended so as to comprehend those
vast regions that lie adjoining to the northerly
and westerly bounds of our colonies.
The anxious desire of preserving that harmony
which had so long and so happily existed between
the Parent State and her Colonies, occasioned
the Americans to bear with an almost blameable
patience, the innovations which were continually
made on their liberty, 'till the Ministry, who
imagined their moderation proceeded from igno
rance and cowardice, by depriving them of almost
every part of their rights which remained unvio
lated, have railed a spirit beyond the Atlentic,
which may either recover the opportunities we
have lull of restoring the breaches which for near
a century have been making in our cenftitution,
or of finking us into the lowest abyls of national
misery.
In ihefe times of general difeontent, when al
most every ad of our Governors excites a jea
lousy and apprehension in all those who make the
interest ofthe community their care, there are
several amongst us;who, dazzled with the sun-shine
of a Court, or fattening on the spoils of the peo
ple, have used their utmost endeavours to darken
your understandings on these fubje&s, which, at
this time, it is particularly your business to be
acquainted with. There are others who, whilst
they have the word freedom, constitution, and
privilege, continually in their mouths, are using
every mean in their power to render those limi
tations useless, which have from time to time been
creeled by our ancestors, as mitigations of that
barbarous system of defpotifmimpofed by the Nor
man tyrant on the inhabitants of this island.
These men attempt to persuade you, that those
who appear the mold anxious for the fafety of
their country are the least interested in its wel
fare. I hey hate hadthe inference to tell you,
though in contradiction to the evidence of your
feelings, that all goes well, that your Governors
faithfully fulfil the duties of their office, and that
there are no grievances worthy to be complained
of but those which arise fiorn that spirit of faction
which, more or less must ever exist in a limited
government. These men have told you, that
you are no judges of the State of your political
happiness ; that you are made of too inflammable
materials to be trusted with the knowledge of
your injuries, even if you have buffered any : and
that those whoappeal to you, do it only withan
intention to betray you. They have told you that
Quebec being on the other Side of the Atlantic,
it is of little consequence to you what religion is
there established; that the Canada bill only se
cures to the inhabitants of that province privileges
which were stipulated to them on yielding the
place to the English ; and that those are as bad
as Papists who refufe to any people the enjoyment
o'tbeir religion.
I hefe men, my fellow citizens have attempted
to divert you from the exacting a test as the rule
of Parliamentary conduct, and to bring into sus
picion those who have been willing to enter into
salutary engagements : They have told you, that
such candidates, by promising more than they
Wire a de to perform, only meant to delude you
by an empt, clamour of ineffectual zeal. These
0 STSCRIPT to the Pentffoania Packet. A^arcF§,' 177.^
men, in afrerting that you are too profligate, too
needy, and too ignorant to be adequate judges of
your own business, endeavour to throw disgrace
and contempt on those who have made an indefi
nite promise of obeying the mandates of their con
stituents.
These men have asserted that unlimited obedi
ence is stipulated in the acceptance of protection;
and though such an afl'ertion involves you and the
fubje&s of every state in unlimited slavery, and
unlimited slavery excludes every idea of right and
power, yet they have also told you, that it is in
vindication of your authority that your Governors
have exerted an arbitrary power over your bre
thren in America.
In order to confound your ideas on the merits
of the dispute, and to Rifle your feelings for hu
manity, they have told you, that the Americans,
though neither adequately or inadequately repre
sented in the case of taxation, Rand on the fame
predicament with yourselves, and that there is no
more injustice in inflicting a severe punishment on
the whole town of Boston, for the supposed of
fence of a few of its inhabitants, than in the bom -
barding a town in the p iffeffion ofan enemy, when
by such an ad of hostility, a fewof our own peo
ple dwelling in the town might accidentally be de
stroyed.
This; my friends and fellow citizens is treating
you, indeed, according to the appelations of ig
norant and profligate, so freely given you; but
as there are many of you who I trust delerve not
these severe terms ofreproach, I shall appeal to
that measure ofunderftandiog which the Almighty
has given in common to man, and endeavour to
convince you of the falfhood oftheir assertions.
Men who are rid of the numerous ills which
narrow circumstances occasion, and this by pensi
ons taken from the public treasure, may, from a
felfilhnelsinfeparable to human nature, fancy that
the times cannot be better ; but that this is the
mere delusion of those who rejoice at your ex
pence, your own experience must I think fully
shew you. Let the once opulent trader, let the
starving mechanic, bear witness to this truth, that
our commerce has been declining with hasty steps
fur these last ten years :—Let the numerous half
famifhed poor which we meet at every turn in our
streets ; let the needy gentry, whole honed inde
pendent ancestors have handed down to them a
moderate income, and who find that income year
ly linking from bare fufficiency to poverty, bear
witness, that the high price of all the necessaries
of life, with the oppreflive burden ofour taxes are
very weighty evils.
1 hough men of true virtue, my fellow citizens,
(that is, men who have a just regard for the rights
of nature, for the general happiness of the human
fpeci.es, and for the happiness of thir countrymen
in particular) will not willingly aflociate with
those of looser principles, yet they will undoubt
edly endeavour to stop the career of that govern
ment, whose impolitic measures are every day ad
ding numbers to the wretched mass of the igno
rant, the needy, and the profligate.
Tooppofe government witn success, such ho
nest individuals must make use of the assistance of
the multitude, and consequently, of good and bad
citizens, of the rich and the poor, the learned and
the unlearned, of the wile and the foolifh, that
is, of every man who will co operate with them
in their designs, whether he be led to such co
operation by the principle of justice, by interest,
or by partion.
1 hough Quebec is Situated beyond the Atlantic,
my fellow citizens, you are Rill to remember,
that it is part of the British empire; and that,
though a toleration of all religions, where such
indulgence can be used with fafety to the welfare
of the community, is undoubtedly laudable, be
cause agreeable to the principles of justice and
the rights of nature, yet the establishment of
Popery, which is a very different thing from the
toleration of it, is, for very just and wife reasons,
altogeth r incompatible with the fundamental
principles of our constitution.
I will, however, wave a fubje6t which must
ever be an invidious one while there are so many
of us in communion with the Roman church, and
which is perhaps impertinent, because it carries
with it the appearance of a remote danger, while
so many nearer mifehiefs demand our present and
our earned attention
In the adt for the government of the province
of Quebec, my friends and fellow citizens, we read
despotism in every line—The poor Canadians,
instead or being put in poffeflion of all the privi
leges and immunities of English fubjeds, accord
ing to his Majesty's proclamation of 1763, are
indeed favoured with the full possession of their
religion as long as his Majesty, is graciously in
clined to continue to them such indulgence ; vet
in refpeft both to their civil and religious rights,
they are in a more abject state of slavery than
when they were under the French government.
The conquests of foreign nations are dangerous
triumphs, even to the liberty of republican states;
but in limited monarchies, when on the conquered
are imposed laws, opposite and hostile to the li
mitations of power in these governments, it never
fails of fubje&ing the conquerors to the fame mea
sure of Lavery which they have imposed on the
conquered.
§+ ^ftt^ +o+s+fl++^
VIE N N fl, December 28.
WE are allured that the Emperor hath in
vited the Grand Duke of Tuscany to ac
company him in the journey which his Majesty
proposes to take, towards the spring, into Hun
gary, Poland, and Transylvania.
Rome, Dec. 31. Yesterday the Cardinal de
Solis made his entry into the Conclave. We
doubt not, the election will very soon take place,
and that the new Sovereign Pontiff will be agree
able to the Catholic Courts, and worthy to replace
Clement XIV.
Paris, Jan. 2. On Christmas day a promotion
of Marshals was made; and the King hath ele
vated to that dignity the Duc d@ Choifeul, the
Duc de Aguillon, the Prince de Beauvau, and
the Prince de Tingry.
Exeter, Dec. 19. Ihe distresses of the poor
encreafe here; trade is totally at a stand, and
every necessary article of life is engrossed by the
monied people who bring their goods to market
very seldom, which makes them so dear that the
poor and middling tradesmen are not able to pur
chase any; so that this once flourishing city is re
duced, by the loss of trade, &c. to a feene of
misery and distress; and though the corporation
have done every thing in their power to give them
relief, yet they cannot fix upon any method to
reduce the price of provisions.
Briflol, jam 11. Mess. Cruger and Mallard
have had, in the last ten days, no less than five
Ships arrived from New-York, two ofthem loaded
with wheat and flour, one with timber, the other
two with rich aborted cargoes of rice, oil, &c.
This day the society of Merchant Adventurers
held a hall to confider of a petition to Parliament
refpedfing American affairs: the heads of a very
unexceptionable commercial petition were read;
and another hall is to be held on Monday to de
termine on the question.
A meeting of the Merchants, Mantifaaurers
and Tradesmen is to be held at Guildhall on Fri
day next, at eleven o'clock, on the fame business.
Extract of a Letter from London, dated tie ^tb inf.
" The commercial part of this city begin to feel
a very sensible alarm at the firm and teraperate
proceedings ofthe American Congress; and many
wife men entertain the most melancholy apprehen
fious at the p^fped of approaching ruin to all the
manufa&uring towns in the kingdom. The Mer
chants trading to America, have resolved to peti
tion Parliament; and on Tuesday the Well India
Merchants were convened to confider of an appli
cation made to them from upwards of twenty re^
fpe&able planters of Jamaica and the Leeward
Islands (among whom are Mr. Rose Fuller, and
some other Gentlemen who have always been
considered as the firm friends of government) to
concur with them in calling a general meeting, to
deliberate on proper measures to be taken for their
common prefervarion. Ihe resolves of the Weft
India Merchants on this occafion,' I enclose to you
herewith, anS hope that the citizens of Bristol,
who have lately Shewn such virtue and public spirit
in the choice o' their representatives, will not be
backward in following so noble an example."
L O ND O N, January fr
Jan. 5. Yellerday, in pursuance of an adver
tisement for a meeting of the Merchants and
others concerned in the North-American trade,
there was a very numerous and refpec?able meeting
at the King's-arms tavern in Cornhill of the most
eminent Merchants and Traders of this city, to
confider of a petition to Parliament on the prefect
alarmi, g Situation of affairs with rel'pect to Ame
rica; the total Stoppage of all commerce to those
parts; and the prelent decline of the trade and
manufactures in ths kingdom: A motion was
made by Mr. Alderman Hayley, and seconded,
that Thomas Lane, Elq; as an eminent North-
American Merchant, be placed in the chair ;
which was carried unanimously. After the chair
man had informed the company of the intent of
the meeting, Mr. Barclay moved, that an address
be prepared and presented immediately to Parlia
ment, and a committee appointed to draw up the
fame.—A more refne&able meeting was scarcely
e er known in the ci'y of London, and every mo
tion carried unan m^udy, except one gentleman
Well known in the room, who observed that there
Was no need of petitioning at present till they had
information what the Parliament would do after
they had taken into consideration the petition
from the congress of America to his Majesty;
which petition his dajefty had promised to lay
before the House the earheft opportunity, and
that it would then be a ^& -r time for the Mer
chants to meet, and to < • n;-rterr.t) con
sideration; but ths a^ . : icnXYv. Lu?-
nceuvre, it was abloluii; ,<ri.o.'iou:.} re| Aled#
They write from GiorJtar, that a Spanidi
frigate had been taken in the Mediterranean by
four Moorish cruizes, who butchered two thirds
of the crew in chid blood.
We are informed that circular letters have been
Sent to all the Members now at their refpedive
country feats, to require their early attendance in
Parliament on meeting after the recess, for the
further dispatch of business, as some affairs of im
portance die to be taken into immediate consider
ation.
1 efterday morning several chests of ordnance
stores were Shipped in the river for North-America.
The I hane, we hear, has consulted his physi
cians, witli regard to his health, which has lately
been wonderfully declining. The physician, like
an able practitioner, advilcs his Thanelhip to go
abroad, wheie he could breathe much freer than
in England; the air of which is much clouded
and liurtful to feme couftitutions.
A Great Personage is said to have infpe&d all
the papeis which have been received relating to
the unhappy transitions at Boston, and that he
has been pleased to make memorandums on the
most remarkable passages they contain.
{"" 7° Lord North lias publicly declared, that
so far from t >e meetings of the American and Weft
India Merchants being difagrecanle to him, lie, on
the contrary, wishes for nothing more than as
much information as poffi >1& ten the American bu
finets to be laid before Parliament as soon as pof-
A report prevails at the Hague, that the miftin
derltanhing between Grem-Brimin and the Slates
General is likely to become more serious than at
bid fufpded. On the part of England, Sir Joseph
Yorke lias presented a memorial, relative to the
P art some Dutch Merchants have adopted in fur.
nifhing the Americans with several articles of com
merce, and Count W.lderen is Did to have Tcely
received new inftruftions relative to the represen
tation ofthe affair 011 behalf of the States General.
King's Arms Tavern, Cornkitl, Jan. 4, 1775.
Ar a Meeting of the Merchants and others
concerned in the American Commerce, held
here this day,,
I HOMAS LANE, Esq ; was called to the Chair.
It was unanimously Resolved, “ That it is the.
Opinion of this Meeting that the alarming state of
the trade to North America, mekes it expedient
to petition Parliament for Rediefs."
It was also Resolved, " That a Committee be
appointed to prepare a Petition to the House of
Commons, and lay the fame before a general Meet
ing, to be held at this place this day Se'enight."
It was also Resolved, “ That the Committee
consist of the following Gentlemen:
For NEW-ENGLAND. Mr. Lane, Mr.
Champion, Mr. Bromfield.
For NEW-YORK. Mr. Pigou, Mr. Black
burn, Mr. Sargeant.
For PENNSYLVANIA. Mr. Barclay, Mr.
Mildred, Mi. Neate.
For M A RYLAN D. Mr. Hanbury, Mr. Mol
lefon, Mr. Campbell.
For VIR G I.N lA. Mr. Norton, Mr. Gift,
Mr. Athawes.
For NORTH-CAROLINA. Mr. Bridgen,
Mr. Clark, Mr. Wooldridge.
For SOUTH-CAROLINA. Mr. Green
wood, Mr. Nutt, and Mr. Rollefton.
Do the above Gentlemen were added, Mr. Lee,
Mr. Baker.
It was also Resolved, “ That the Committee be
desired to entitle the Petition,
" A Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and
Others, concerned in the North-American Com
merce."
It was also Resolved, “ That the Minutes of this
Meeting be inserted in the publick morning and
evening papers, Signed by the Chairman."
It was also Resolved, • 'That this Meeting be
adjourned to Wednesday next, at ten e'clock in
the forenoon, at this hcufe, then to receive the re
port of the Committee."
THOMAS LANE, Chairman.
London Tavern, Bifoopfgate freet, Jan. 3,177 c.
A T a general Meeting of the Wett-lndia Mer
^ 1 chants, the Chairman produced a letter which
he received, signed by several Gentlemen of the
Welt-India Islands, of which the following is a copy:
"S i r, London, Jan.i, 1775.
“ The very alarming Situation in which the Weft-
India islands are placed, by the late American Pro
ceedings, induces us to apply to you, as Chairm ri
cf the Society of Welt-India Merchants, to request
that they will not come to any Resolution, as a Se
parate body, at their next Meeting, but that they
will join witn us in calling a general Meeting of the
whole body of Pl nters, and Weft India Merchant,
to deliberate on the Steps necessary to be taken by
us jointly on the present important crisis."
(Signed)
John Pennant, | Nath. Phillips,
Charles Spooner, | John Davis,
Thomas Storer, | Charles Fuller,
Peeke Fuller, | Rose Fuller,
Samuel Vaughan, j Flo. VAT U,
George Chandler, | John Ellis,
Michael M'Nemara, | J. Kennion,
John Trent, | Neill Malcolm,
B Edwaids, j Philip Gihbes,
Montague James, , 1 Thomas Walker,
Samuel 1 orr. James, | William Gunthorpe.
Fo Beerton Long, E'c ; Chairman of the
Society of Wert-lnuia Merchants, at the
London Tavern.
In consequence of which it was resolved, That
this Society do very chearfully concur in opinion
with the Gentlemen Planters, that we ought not to
come tb any Resolution as a Separate body, at this
me t ng; and do also readily join in calling a gene
ral fleeting of the whole body of Planters and
Welt-India Merchants.
And having been informed that the 18th of the
present month is a day recommended by the sub
scribers to the above letter, as proper for such Meet
ing, it is further Resolved, That immediate notice
be given in the public papers, that such general
Meeting be called and held on the day aforesaid, at
the hour of twelve, at the L n ; on Tavern, in Bi
fhopigate Street, then and there to deliberate on
the measures n crif ry to be taken for the prefervu
tion of the general interest of the Welt-India minds
in the present important crisis
JAMES ALLEN, Secretary.
LON DON, December 20.
Mr. CRUGER's Speech on Friday lad, in a
Great Assembly on /American fails.
Mr. Speaker,
TRISE to deliver my sentiments on this im-
I portant fubjeift, with all the diffidence and
awe which must Strike the mind on the firft at
tempt to speak before so august an Assembly.
Had I remained Silent on this occasion, I must
have condemned myfelf for deferring a cause which
it is my duty to elpoufe. I cannot but be heard
with candour by Englishmen, when what I offer
is dilated by a love to my country.
I am far from approv ng all the proceedings in
America: many of their measures have been a
dishonour to their cause. Their rights might
have been averted without violence; and their
claims stated with temper, as well as firmnefs.
But permit me to fay, Sir, that if they have erred,
it may be considered as a failing of human nature:
—a people animated with a live of liberty, and
alarmed with apprehensions ofits bring in da ger,
will run unavoidably into excesses.
Ihe history of mankind declares it in every
page; and Britons ought to view with an eve of
tenderness, such a&s of imprudence, to which
their fellow Subjects in America may have been
hurried, nor, (as has been unkindly said) by a
rebellious f/irit, but by that generous Spirit of
freedom which has often led their own ancestors
iito indiferetions.
A^s of Severity are far from having a tendency
to eradicate jealousies; on the contrary they must
produce new fears, and weaken that at achment
which kindness might have infixed.—No country,
Sir, has been more hippy in her Colonies than
Gfeat-Britain ; cemented by mutual interests;
(till the ©aof that fat. I Ramp-aft) they flourish
ed in an intercour eof amir, protection and obe
dience—Supporting and fuppofted by each other.
Before that period we meet with no disobedience
to your laws—no denial ofthejirifdidion oi'Par-
Lament—no marks of jealousy and difeontent:
but they ever loved liberty:—that paffi on is coev • I