The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1777-01-13 00:00:00, page 1

CONNECTICUT
AMI
WBg K L T
Mr. Watson,
IN the few thoughts which I lately f#nt concerning
the high prices of provisions, 1 endeavored to point
out the caufa# of chose high price,, and to suggest a
remedy. I ihali now attempt more fully to fh^w he
meceffity cf applying that or some other,more eftedu
al remedy, than any yet applied. Tne neceffij rs
thirl hiak appears more and more, every day. —la
my former publication, I said, there was ground to
fear that these high prices, if not reduced, would
prove abfiutel, fatal to the country. This I think ap
pears in the tollowing particulars.
I. If thefa prices be not reduced, we cannot expert
to raise and maintain an army fuffictent for the ce
fenceof the country. The wages of soldiers is 4 o '•
per month. Oat of this the soldier is to supply tun
felf with all necessaries, not provided by the commis
sary, to otoath himfelf, fa far as th^ fix pounds annu
al bounty, is not fufficient for that purpose, and to
maintain his family at homti. N # w, ifthe rations al
lowed by cohgefs, he provided and fitly dealt out,
and the fullers appointed, or to be appointed b, this
fate, faithfully provide th# various nec^ffvies and
comforts which fail within their d/parrmynt ; the fol
dier will doubtless be bench ed and be able to five
more ofhis wages than he could lad year.--- But the
way in which we all judge of future events, is by those
which are past. In time p ft, the tatiohs, if lam
rightly informed, have uot be^n provided and dealt
out according to the orders of congress; particularly
as co soap, feuce, milk, rice or Indian meal, fprpce
?t? J* q&r.-Qr th, raarrix:* t? zrhr bt>r. The
confcquence has been, that the foidiers have been o
bfig'l to purchase theft articles, or something in the
room of them, with their wages. It matters not in
the present cafz, where the blane lies, or whether
there be any blame at all, so long as the fiddler iso
bliged thus to spend his money. This having b^en
the case in time past, he naturally expefts it will be in
time to come.
As to filler's goods, theta of affsmbly ordering
cur troops to be Supplied at prime cost, will doubdefi
help the soldier much : but after all, he is to furchafe
those thing, ; and th, prime cofl, in the prefect day,
we all know f 0 be r^ry great. B^fidrs, it is not ab
solutely certain, that the sutlers to be appointed, will
provide every th'ng faithfully according to their abi
lities. When a man goes into h^ army a fuller on
his own account, we may be pretty fare that he will
make the best provificn hi can, becaufz his jutted
binds him to it. But, tha th^ sutlers of the flats will
be as faithful to the state, as private fuJers are to
rh^mfebes, hath not yet been absolutely demo^ftrat
ed. Nay, unless men thorough in business, and of
frift honour and integrity be appointed, I need no
mathematical demonftr&ion to convince me of the
toart^ry. Now, in case they should not make full
provificn, the poor soldier will be obliged to go and
buy hit necessaries where he can, and at what price
he can.
And after all thafe expenses, he han his family to
maintain at home, where the necessaries of life are
dearer by one third, or ore half, than they were at
the beginning of the war. This bring th^ case, we
cannot fappofa the rt maindcr of his wages will be fuf
fici^nt for tail purpose.
But if it were fufficient; provisions are not always
to be had for money ; yea, thii is very frequently the
case. The farmers who have their barns, cribs and
garrets fall of grain, will not fell a kernel. Why ?
because (hey are under no necaffi;, of falling ; they
have money enough ; aid they hope that by and by
they fh&U be able to get a price still greater than they
can at p^fea,, though ev^n now the price is enor
mous -so that while the soldier is fuffering all the
fatigues of a campaign, of wet and dry, f^at and
cold, fammer and winter ; while he is exposing his
life ^ the field of battle in defence of his country ;
his family at horn* is starving, in a country loaded
with plenty. ——Now, thsf« things being so, (%nd
that they are so, I appeal to all those who have their
provifijns to buy) how can we exped that the soldier
will engage or continue in hit country's service?
Efpscially if we confider, that he caanot but fee
and know, that while he and hi^ family are thus fuf
fering, his neighbours are miking states out of him.
Confining the Fr&ft ADVICES,
Printed and published by EBENEZER WATSON, near the GREAT BRIDGE.
and'others in his predicament. Thi; is certainly true
of all those who praaife this ebon wable extortion.
And when the foxier fiws this, no wonder if envy and
indignation atiie ia,is bits*, tog^omr with a,efo.'u
tian for hi# part, to let those who a;^ making fa much
money defend themselves &^d their ^one, too.
Again, we cannot suppose thatmihy men will en
gage in a military life, ^ho can de better for thrm-
Selves at home. And is it not nairifaft, that the
earnings of men in general ,t horn, are far superior
to thef# of the soldier, considering dl his expences ?
Now, the reafun why the earning, of poor men at
home are greater than they art in the a.my, is that
provisions go at fohigha price. The high price of
ptovifioae foxes am high price upon labor, though per
haps not in the fame proportion ; and if pr^vifioas
were reduced to ^ hat they were ^t tie beginning of
the war, a man who had not an flare, could not do
to well for himleif any other way - as by going into
the a.m) ; and therefore a fofficie^t number of such
would, fem this motive, be induced, to lift. Bat,
as things now are, if the soldier crrid not get more
nioney by labouring at home, he c rid git that which
is fir better, viz yrwuif^s, which as I have already
said, are not in m^ny caries to be ought for the mo
mey ——ln this view, give tie fociars ever fn much
wages in money, it will not fig^fy. For money is
good for nothing, only so far as i: will procure then&
eefl~nies and comforts of life, T? raise the fcldier's
wages, instead of remedying, w.!d rather increase
the svil. F^r ihrhigher the wag arerin the nominal
sum, the mine money there ^u v rirnJ^tieg- among
##s rcn<i -ife^e^-wplot k#t tm„^ L. it. ivrex^ri
for. with ori^t things, hv.infk^fo:.sl r^ re&rt&y
glad, that our affcmbly have jev^ked their late la
inc; rating the fcldiers wages ; and #t the fame time
most fincerdy wiffi, that the f&ldicrs may have the
fulktft relief ; n an other end mor* t£a.ual way.
I said vbove, u«lef# the price of provisoes be reduc
ed, we cannot raise an ttmyfoffeiw for the defence c,
the ceuntry. A fraall army I typefe may be,railed ;as
& number will continue in fbt fa-vice, under many dis
advantages, from iff^&ioM to it; and a few from dif
iaterefted regard to the public good. Bet a small *r
my will by 10 means answer the purpose. I would by
no raeani have as of rihi* State timer eu/felycr, th^t thl
eight regiments dire&d by Congref,, to be raised by
us, will be our proportion of <%o„y fufficient to de
fend the country ; nor would I have us flatter ^urfelves
that po Ruffian ,$ are like to corn: over next year, as we
did left year wiih refpe& to the Hessians. ^ burnt tbil>i
dreads the fire. I hope whet we have fuff^red during
the last campaign, for wanbof a fufficient eftabbffied
army, wiri" ,ke the country provide well in this re
fye& for t/ ^xt; let ns do it in (^fy, s o gat we
may not have the army to ft #&, after the enemy is
fom;. But from the folegci.g re^bning, I think we
mayj^ftty conclude, t^al a large cftablifhed array can
not be raised, so long as the high prices if prutifidns
remain.
2. The high prices ts providers are ,2 great dif
eouragement to rhe people thet mry at heme, as well
as foleiem --Theft hi, prices are an advantage to
the able, wealthy firmer, who raiies much produce
for the market ; butif I mift^ke not. are a difadvsn
tage to every other class of men. Now such wealthy
farmers are buta small part cf ihe community : ysa,
they are but small partevsn c + the faimeis. Hence in
such a situation the majority ofthg people will natu
rally become uneasy ; will impute all their difficulties
to the measures cf the c< untry, and to the great nut;
will wiffi that these ma^fureshad never been zdoped ;
will to be fare loft all spirit for carrying them cn wi^h
vigor; *rd by degrees become prepared for a julmiffi.
en.^ed deus avertat! m M.*» will be governs touch
more bi thtir prelect feelings, than by their future
profpt6b. All the reifiniiagb of philofephy and pow
crs cfekquehce caavoi prevent it. Surely then it is
net good policy, to iuffcr the people to feel uneify, or
to be diftrerttd, while key are pref curing n&eflaiy
meafaras, when it can be prevented. These high
prices are oppreffien, the very thi^g we are fighting a
gainst; and there is danger that people will think,that
they may as well submit to one oppreff-ras onother ;
and that if they should fahmi tto the Britiffi king,
things would not be worfa with them, than they ar#
new, s^f even so bad.
lira
.MO^^Bi> _
u R A Nn
^^^
INTtttIGBNCSk
Both FOREIGN &fri DOMESTIC.
3. There is gre^t dangerthat these high prices wil
rant tumults'and outrages among themselves and @
people divided againf themflves, cannot faxd. It is wall
known that th^re is a plenty cfueceffaiit# of life in the
country ; yet they are fearer to be procured at any
price ; and thefi which are fold, are fold enormoefly
high, so that flu. poor people cannot possibly procure
thorn long. Whaithen are we to expeft, that the
poor people wilhit still and starve, while the farmers
have their barn* and store houses filled with grain, re
faring to fell a kernel, in expectation of a still higher
p ice? --No,this is net to be expc%d :fo far lean fay.
But what is to be expeded, I ~hoof^ riot to fay; I leave
it to every man t'conceive, as I think it i^very easy to
conceive. It is <afy to conceive, that men's barns and.
store houses may not contain so much gr#ir, three
months hence, as they do row. It is cafy further to
conceive ways and means, whereby this may be ef
fected.
1. Unkfi the^ prices be reduced, it is to be feared;
that they will be the uccafUn of an unhappy jealcufy
and didiuG, especially in the lower clefs of people,
with refpea to our rulers. It fems to be very natu
ral for poor people in diftref, to feel unetfy towards
the rich and powerful, and to be jealous that they are
fmmehow the carf^ of thrir :r übles, if not otherwise,
at lets by their n hefting their duty. Now as this,
hath happened i^ many cases, it may happen in the
prefect case ; people may fefyd that cur General
Assembly are force how, erih*r in th^ir public, or pri
vate capacity, benefud by theft h'gh prices, and
therefore tov^to have it ft--!f such a jealduf, sh uld
take place, i^ would be very unhappy, as ell su c h
tilings 3rc te^iv~r v oTfr+rt-rh<#-&%* &>«.;;
c. Th^fe high prices a # e a p.ocwaus burden to the
community a, fich. For in co^fe^nc^ ce cf then:, the
army mull be fuppb'ed at ope quarter, one third, or
half greater expense thari at thw begining cf the war.
And all o.her ^xpeecesef the war, we may prefame.
Will b#rrif.d n-arly in the fime p oporiiop. For in
fiance, all labourers, teamfler*, Ac. &c. employed by
the public mast have wages prcportion^bly gierter,rg
provirions an dearer, than formerly.-.-By these meenn
then, the war will est the country one quarter, onsi
third or half more than if provrfims were reduced to
their for mer thndard.
6. Untefs ffmethi^g eftanal be done, the prices of
provisions Kiri be raifi-G still higher and higher. For
the farmer not wanting money, will ret fell h^m, but
at the highest price he can get. And if he rtfufe to
fell at the pref fat price, he knows that people trill be
obliged o oil higher,as they cannot subsist with them.
And he han nothing but avarice to fit brunts to his
demands. But avarice is abfclutely without any
bounds : it it iik^ the horse-leech's two dsughers,
which cry, give give. The more it obtains the mere
it craves. Su th tis grain new commanded the price
effovepounds per tplh&l, avarice would be no more fa
tish d, hex it is at preht.
These thi- -s I have rr<mior,ed, to ffiew the neces
sity of reducing she prices pf provisions; and I Lepe
they are fufficient to evince it. Indeed the matter
items fa plain, that I conceive nothing but a contrary
private interest can prevent any tarin from feeing it,
As to these men ^ ho are making * ft^tes out of the ru
ins of tfeir country, I exped hot to convince them.
As to the way in which this end is to be acCOTnplifh.
rd; I d livered rhy ftniiinanis in my former publica
tion. If any other real ard effectual remedy can be
applied, I am entirely content. But &s to thatef Rating
the prices cf rrovifi )n&, so far as I am informed, it ig
a msd'cine abs lot ly without any virtue at all, and is
amended with no kind of eff.d.
A. Z.
Stolen from the fubferiber in the night of
levw&tn inst. a while MARE with grey mate aid tail,
about 14 bands hgh, 4 years old, a natural noter and
lifts her tore fries high, was formerly the property of
Jere. French, jun. of Manchtfter, Albany county.
Whoever will tik^ up Tie mare ard thief, ,rd bring
them to the fubferiber (living in Pouiding, P;ecir& r
Dutchefs County and State of New-Y:?k) fhaft have
as a reward for <ha mart five dolims,<rd twenty
dollars for the theif Isaac Talman.
Dcc.9, 1776.