The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-05-19 00:00:00, page 4

STRICTURES on n publication in the Pennsyl
vania Packet, of the :2th instant, signed Timoleon,
by a Citizen of Philadelphia.
IT is of no consequence to the public, whether Ti
moleon or myfelf have the blackest heart, the foul
eft mouth, or the mod fpiteful pen. I yield him
the palm, in every article of personal abuse, fly innu
endo, or gross scandal. I mean to confine myfelf to
such particulars as the public have an interest in. In
my remarks on the refolutinfor railing the exchange,
I observed, that the council in their defence had urg'd
that both the laws of the state, and their oaths of of
fine required what they had done. I replied, thatthe
exchange which they had published, for several fuC
ceffive months, was not the true exchange, and there
fore could not fatisfy either the law or their oaths of
office. Mr. T. seems to deny this, and fays the virtu
ous part of the community represented the exchange
as various, from 150 to 200 or 225. Tuis I dmy, and
call on Mr. T. to produce one virtuous person of the
community, of k nowledge fit to be consulted, who ever
tol the council, tee exchange on the date of their re
solution was 150, or one refpeHable merchant (as he
goes on to ahert) who ever said or agreed that the
exchange in March cr April lah was 75 for r;thecon
trary of both is well known to every body in this
city, plain fad here is notoriously against Mr. T. for
which I appeal to the whole city, who are the most
competent judges. What Mr. T. asserts and I deny,
is this, viz. That the exchange of hard money was
iscre in February, March and April last at 75- for 1,
and in May 2d, instant, at 175 for 1. I don't be
grudfe Mr. T. the whole credit of his fetch, viz. That
the aft of assembly does not require the council to
publilh the mod current rate, but simply the rate of
exchange ; but whatever credit this precious fwbtilty
may give to his ingenuity, it can afford no help to his
argument, because the exchange does mean the current
or usual exchange, from the force of the particle the,
for which I refer to the most common English grammar
of the schools. b°C words are not, an exchange, or
any exchange, but 7 he exchange; which can't, with
any propriety, mean any but that particular one which
Teas mod current, or usual at the time. But Mr. T.
can't possibly underhand this mystery, how a buyer
can be a looser by the council's declaring the exchange
375. I can easily explain this matter of faft. Before
the date of that declaration, with 220 dollars he could
purchase ca-ndbs or fifli, to the value of one hard dol
]ar, but after that declaration he must pay 500 of the
fame dollars, for the fame goods ; his loss, therefore, is
the difference between 220 and 500, i. e. 280, or feme
thing more than eleven shillings in the pound. This
is a computation grown very familiar in the city, and
J can't but wonder it should remain so long a mystery
to Mr. T. For the fame reason, or to use the nume
rical figures of the resolution (to make the matter
plainer to Mr T. who difeovers much myfiery, and
force mystery of myfieries in the matter) because that
375 dollars would buy no more after the resolution,
than 75 would buy before, every poffefor of conti
nental money, and of course the public treasury, looses
fourfevenths of ail they had on hand, and all debts
due and payable in that money. This he confidently
asserts to bea falfehood. I think he might be ashamed
to deny a truth of public notoriety ; but if he is really
so dull as not to be able to fee this, it is manifeft the
council fee it very plain, as is very evident by their at
tempt, (tho' a vain one) to obviate the mifehiefs of ft
in the payment of taxes, fines, &c. and which, he fays,
is the realand true cause of much of the clamour a
gainst the council's resolution ; but in this he is very
much miflaken, because the remedy adopted by the
council is void of effea, as it does not reach or remedy
the mifehief ; for tho' the Tories and Whigs too, can't
pay their slate money for taxes, at more than 75, yet
they can, and daily do change their state money for
continental, and pay their taxes with much lets than
half the real value, which those paid who paid their
tax.s before s he resolution was published, and this is
publickly known to every body (nor can I fee any
thing but personal honefly, which prevents all our
collegers fiom changing all the state money, which
they receives before the resolution, for old continental,
and paying that into the treasury.) This isthe blessed
way in which (bis the peculiar felicity of Mr. T. to
difco.ver).our treasury has been enriched since the reso
lution. .If it ftil'ldoes not appear to Mr. T. that the
old continental money, either in his own desk, or in the
treasury, is reduced to less than half the value it had
'before the resolution, the belt way I know of, to fa
tisfy himfelf is, to take some of it, to buy any necef
furies, and he will, I doubt not, have a practical proof
. too strong to admit a doubt, and if in this, or any other
way, he fliould happen to be convinced, I shall expert
that he will publicly acknowledge it, for his own fake.
But to follow Mr. T. a little further.
I have said in my remarks, “ That the resolution of
council declares (if not expressly, yet in effect, and it
is all the cff.& it could in reason be supposed to have)
that the exchange of old continental to state money
was 175 to i." This Mr. T. denies with great tri
umph. I muff beg the reader's attention here for a
moment ; the woric of the law are, that the council
are required, in the firft week in every month, to pub
lish " the then rate of exchange between specie and
continental money, which exchange so published, shall
be the exchange of continental and the Hate money,"
in which 'tis manifeft, that the most express design of
publishing the exchange of specie, was thereby to fix
the exchangeof tre state money on a par with it : this
was the effect which the legislature intended, and the ve
ry effeft; which the council intended, as appears by their
provision against the effects of it in the cafeoftaxes,fines
&c. yet Mr- T. with great assurance, alks, “ What
has this to'do with the council's publication, which,
has not'flate money in contemplation ? His law logic
helps him out but poorly here, viz. that! the operati
• on of the law on their publication, and not their pub
lication itfelf, produced the effect :. he might as well
Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by D AI 7 1D C. CLAPPOOLE.
deny, that a miller grinds wheat, because the mill^ones
grind it, or that a man travels a journey on horse
back, because the horse only travels, for 'tis very
plain, that the law without their publication would no
more have raised t^e exchange of date money, than
the mill would grind the wheat without the miller to
set it a going; or the horse perform the journey, with
out the rider on his back. I therefore conclude, that
every one will be convinced, that my propofi ion is
true, and if it is true, Mr. T. acknowledges, that
" my observation will apply." Mr. T. among other
reasons, why the council did not raise the exchange
last month, gives this one, viz. the (peculation at Bof
ton and Rhode Island, improved the credit of the old
continental money here, and therefore was not to be
interrupted by any disadvantageous alteration of the
exchange; this (peculation was to purchase continent
al here at 220 for one, and fell it at Boflon for 75, but
in the very next paragraph he reprobates the (peculation
to the Jerseys very severely, I suppose because it was
not so profitable. "Is this, fays he, a traffic, which
public councils are so promote and encourage ?" I
have no where said these (peculations were good. I
mentioned them as bad things, and all I (aid, and all
which my argument required was, that they were but
bubbles of a day, . &c. and could not juftify so dan
gerous and ruinous a measure as railing the exchange,
to prevent this mifehief, because this would make the
remedy worse than the disease.
I did oppose the tender a&, whilst it was under
confederations with all the power I was able, and in
the most public way, and therefore, in Mr T's aft
nion, my indecency; as he calls it, may have some puli
ation ; but I can fee no indecency in pointing out the
evils or impracticabilities of a law, which the whole
community must fuffr, if this is done in such a way
as tends to a remedy. The numberless infiances of
private distress, as well as the starving condition of
all the public departments, and especially the unpro
vided state of the army, were my great inducements
to write my remarks, and thereby expose the errors
which at leaf! aggravated our calamities. I have no
ill will to the council ; I have none to the assembly,
but I with the wisdom of both may be ir.creafed, and
all their errors be mended.
I can't forbear animadverting a little on the ran
courous, maligna # t conclusion of Mr. Timoleon, in
his inventive agar: ft some of our citizens: I tairk
a little decency to the place which gives him bread,
might have induced him to spare his black epi
thets; tis a foul bird that besmears his own nest.
but if he intends, as perhaps he does, to apply any of
his detestable characters to me personally, I have only
to aver they are sheer abuse, without the least founda
tion of truth: I did indeed, .on repeated advices of
the great distress of Boston for flour and ikon, in 1777,
load a vessel of my own with a cargo of both,and failed
for Boston, but was unfortunately taken on the pas
sage by the Orpheus English frigate, and carried into
Rhode- Island, where, after a month's imprisonment,
I was released on exchange, having loft my whole ves
sel and cargo, the amount of about zcool hard money,
for which I never had nor do expert ever to have the
least compensation from them: I also did remain in tfe
city when the British troops captured it ; having, a
mong other reasons, a child in the small pox at the
time, who could not be removed; but it is not true
that I enjoyed the least friendly or confidential inter
course with them or their adherents : I (pent three
months of the time in visiting the American prisoners
in the gaols here, and procuring and carrying to their
relief such food and eloathing as I could collect, at a
time when their distresses were beyond all description,
and when it was deemed a crime to (hew corapaflion to
them, and on the 6th of February, 1778, long before
there was any probability of an evacuation of the city,
I was committed to gaol, and fuffered not a collusive
but a most severe confinement of one hundred and
thirty .one days, without being able, by every possible
application, to obtain any knowledge of the cause of
my confinement, but the preemption generally ad
mitted was, that my conflant and careful attendance
on the American pr foners was thought to imply too
strong an attachment to Americans, to be compatible
with either the duty or protection of a British fubjed.
As to what Mr- T. very malignantly suggests, about
reviling government, evading regulations of commit
tees, and croaking difeontent. I beg leave to observe,
that I never have opposed either projects of commit
tees, or measures of government, except such as have
since on the fulleft experiment, and ' the plained demon
stration of fad, been reprobated by our gravest coun
cils, and condemned by the general content of Arne-,
ricaos, as bad policy, such as limitations of prices,
forcing sales of private property, tender a&s, emitting
deluges of paper currency, fixing rhe value of paper
money by law, and other absurdities, which have in
volved America in greater calamities than the British
arms ; and I freely submit it to every found American,
whether I may not with good right, and without vanity
boast, as an instance and proof of found judgement,
and moil genuine patriotism, that I have early dif
cover'd and opposed, these ill-judged and pernicious
expedients, which, by the general voice of America,
are now execrated as the undoubted sources and cau
ses of our present corrupted morality, enervated state
of defence, ruin of public faith, prostitution of na
tional character, loss of the confidence of our friends,
contempt and disgrace abroad, and confufion at home.
I have, indeed, with great reluctance, opposed popu
lar prejudices, when they were incapable of being
controuled ; but I freely submit to my fellow citizens,
whether time and fad have not ever juftified my con
clufrons, with this only difference, that the conferen
ces have been verifyed in fad, in a much Wronger de
gree, and more aggravated mifehief than j have de
lineated. Ff one material instance of my oppofitioa to
the projects of committees, or measures of government,
different from this can be produced, I am content to
hand corrected, in the face of the public, and I am
confident my fellow citizens will nett fdffcr me to be
opprefs'd, because I have told them the truth before
every one could fee it.
I never onceexpreffed or felt any diffatisfaßion to the
great cause of American liberty, but ever wished and
promoted its success as far as was in my power; the
truth of every part of this declarations I do aver on my
honour, and have the fullef tproof of the fa&s, and
doubt not my fellow citizens will confider me as a much
injured man, and give full credit to what I fay ; Ido
at least call on Mr. T. to produce the least (park of
proof of the contrary. However injurious I confider
his malignity, I am yet less affeded by his publication
than I fhou'd have been by his secret whispers, which
I could have no opportunity to contradict I humbly
beg leave to suggest further here, that out of these very
fa&s, (so fpbetully misrepresented by Mr. T.) when
they are candidly considered, afifes a Wronger proof
of my attachment to the American cause than most
whigs are able to exhibit, and a much Wronger than
any which I ever heard Mr. T. ever has exhibited of
His whiggifm.
My writings on finance are open to every body, and
have met the approbation of many of the greatest men
in America, and I believe Mr. T. begins to feel the
force of them, for I find he begins to hope we (half
have spirit enough to enforce a hard money tax, which
has long made a part of my scheme of finance, and
which Mr. T. has constantly reprobated till now.
But this does not flatter my vanity much, for I be
lieve he might as well jump out of the garret into the
street, as write on the fubjeft of finance at all. I have
only to beg the reader to keep his eye fleadily on the
fads not the colourings of Mr. T. or myfelf, and
from those fads to form his judgment ; fads are hardy,
Stubborn things, which Mr T or I may colbur in
deed, but neither of us can break or bend them, such
as follow, viz.
iff: Was the current exchange of specie in February,
March and April last 75 for 1, or 175 for 1 on the
second instant, as declared by council?
2dly, Was the exchange required by law to be pub
lished simply the exchange, and not the current ex
change as Mr. T. quibbles?
gdly. Did the council's declaring the exchange of
specie at 175, produce the fame effed as declaring the
exchange of state money at 175 would have done?
4thly. Did the council's declaring the exchange of
75 in February, March and April, and 175 in May,
which was not the thencorrent rate of exchange, fa
tify either the words of the law or th:ir oaths of office ?
stbly. Did any refpeQable merchants, on consulta
tion, inform the council/thaf the current exchange in
February, March and April last was 75, or 175 on
the second instant?
6thly, Did the declaration of the counc'l of the se
cond instant, so operate on the old continental money
as to reduce the value of it to less than half, both in
private handsand the public treasury?
ythly. Did the railing the exchange in the Jerseys,•
afford reasons, by any means Sufficient, to juftify our
following so fatal an example. These are some of the
principal faffs contested between Mr. T. and myfelf;
they are all matters of public notoriety. The public
are not at all beholden either to Mr. T. or myfelf, for
the knowledge of any of them, except the sth, of
which we must depend on Mr. T. for the necessary
proof. 1
If the above faffs and 'reckonings are true, T think if
will follow, that the poison which Mr. T. is so much,
concern'd to find an antidote for, is these poison
truths, which, he fears, will have an operation to his
disadvantage. I am Torry too that they ever were
truths. I am quite of opinion they are a fort of poi
son truth, which have done, and I fear will do, much
hurt, and therefore I hope I may be excused for put
ting my mark of disapprobation on them.
Philadelphia, May 14, 1781-
&^^®^@&^®@@Q@® @©
Three Hundred Dollars Reward.
WAS dropped, some time ago, a CERTIFICATE
for 1944 Dollars and 6c ooths, being for forage
stores, obtained from Major Howell, a deputy quarter
matter, for Downingtown, Chester county, became due,
by contrast, March 24, 1780. dated the 24th, 178 b.
Any person finding the above Certificate, and bring
ing it to the fubferiber, living opposite the Ship Ta
vern, on the Coneftoge road, fhilp be intitled te the
^bove Reward, by BENJAMIN TAYLOR.
N. B. It cannot -be of use to any one but the owners
Newcastle, April 26, 1781.
Was committed to my custody,
a certain NEGROE MAN, who calls himfelf JACK
MAR TIN, aged about 23 yearr, of the stature of five
feet fix inches, is forightly and active, and fays he be
longs to THOMAS WHlTE,Enquire, of Kent county,
on Delaware ; which said Negiee was tried and con
via^d here for felony, on the 24'h instant, and ad
judged to make restitution, to the owner of the goods
ffoler, to the amount of 6!. 4s. yd. specie. These are
therefore to inform the Matter of the said Negro, that
unlef> he comes on or before the firfl day of June, en
suing, and releases the Aid Slave, by paying the resti
tution money aforefaid, and the cofti of prosecution,
the said Negroe will be fold to defray the Cm, agree
able to an order of the court before whom he was con
vided. SAMUEL SMITH, Sheriff.
Brecknock township, La: caftei county, May 3, 1781.
Came to the place of the fub
fcribir, about the middle of December last, a Sorrel
HOR E; he h%s force white on his nole, and Addle
fyoson bis back. The owner proving his property
at:J paying charges, may have him again.
JOHN SLABAG.