Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-25 00:00:00, page 4

r. ^r^OPLE , PENNSYLVANIA. [
LETT E R HL 1
WHEN I fat down to address you, a Re
solve nr Vote of our Committee of frifte&hn
for citing a Convention had alarmed many
good friends of the province, on account of our
C&rter-conftitmion ; and therefore I determined
freely to examine the ri^t of the Committee to
convene Inch a body, the neeeffity of their being
convened, the powers which they might a/farne;
and the confufionfuch a+eafute must produce.
Bit to the evening of the fame day on which my
sr^t fetter was published,. we were acquainted, ,
6 by order and in bch/fidf .the Committee;' ff
thw .they had recalled their former vote; end .
therefore, as the refehtrion forUhis rccal was pro-
Lately formed before my pubteition, Ffr.ll elaim
no~ mem in it. Th^ public foetus willing to
af^ifyefto motives of prudence, luggefted by the
general disapprobation of the C,ierjion-3c^me,
—the zeal (hewn amopg all tanks of people for
theduppott of bur ancient gwernmen* by Affem-t
Mirs, arid the littU fluffed' ilfat any regard'
would 'h'uVe " been pail t'o th^e^fr^ of abb+j .6f
men, fonftjtyfed without hei;t;liity, even if we
could fyppofe any number pf our County Can-,
mittees willing tpunitein aduming powers whjfh .
were neverdelegated touhem. , ^' ^
"But ffiofe who 'cafrerforld in behalf of the Com
miftee give us o:h# relfdns than the above. They
tell us that they .have held a “ conference with
fever&l members ofcA&atbly, and have, in be-,
halfofthis province; toWthem their duty—th^t
thedaid members .have pfomifed all future atten
tion to the fame—but thatthe Committee, watch
ful for our go@d, and not willing to trust them
too far, ffi|l hold the fad over them, and there
fore have not annulled §hUr vote, but have only
been graciously pleafedto forbear, "for the pre
font, the forwarding the letters" for ifftiing the
writs] for." tailing a Contention:'
This is rather f,oken in a lordly style, if it be
any thing more than the assuming language of, the
/few who correspond in the name of the Committee.
But if there be those who think a back door .more
honourable for a retreat' than the front, I would
not. wound their dignity, nor thrbw a' straw in
foe way to reta'rd them. It is probable that our
fjremsfy may now be permitted to exercife,their
own judgment, without further attempts to inti
midate them in the difeharge of the important ^tf
committed to them by the voice of their counti^r
and therefore, as I would avoid contention at all
times, and especially at this dangerous crisis, I
shall likewise for the present forbearlending to the
press every thing which I had prepared in vindi
cation of our injured Representatives, except so
far as relates to Independency. But that to
pic I propose, as occ^fion offers, to handle at feme
length. For 1 find the chief resentment levelled
against them, appears to be on account of their
inflructions to their Delegates. These, in the eyes
of some men, foand as an iafurmountable barrier
in the way of their deftrudive purposes, and I
iruft will continue so to stand till removed by the
clear sense of an uncoirupt^d majority of the good
people of tliis province. Without full proofs of
this, the Assembly can neither consent to any
change of our confutation, or to make the least
transfer of our allegiance ; and these proofs ought
to be more pure than what can flow through the
foul pages of interested writers, or Brangers ia
termeddring in our affairs, and avowedly pressing
their republican schemes upon us, at the rifque
of all we hold valuab'e. Nor would Ibe will
ing to receive these proofs from Committees, as
proposed in rhe Evening.Poft of the 9th instant,
by one who figns.himfdf “ A Lover of Order -"
but should be failed, an Author of Confufon.
" It would be proper, fays he, that the confti
" tuents of the Congrrf, should declare their fen
" timehts upon that head [lndependence] as
" soon as poffiblc. This may be done by the va
" rious Committees and Conventions on the conti
" ner.t. Their votes and resolves should deter
“ mine the qaeftion in the Congress. The firft
" Congress was nothing but the Echo of Com
" mittees and Conventions. In the present impor
“ tant queTen concerning Independence, the
“ Congress should on), as in the former case,
" echo back the feutimeots of the people," that
is of Committees and Conventions. And thus we
may be echoed and re-echoed out of our liberties
our property, our happieefe, and plunged deeper
and deeper into all tie growing horrors of war
and bloodshed without ever being confuted ! For
I infill upon it, th^t no Committees were ever en
trusted with any authority to speak the sense of
rhe People of Pennsylvania on this question. I
have already observed by how few voices our hr
geft Committee of a hundred was chosen; and I
• know some counties where the whole Committee
was named by fix or seven voices only. At this
rate three or four hundred people would take up
on them to declare the sense of as many hundred
thousands, in a master of the greatest importance
that ever came before us! Can you, my Coun
trymen, acqui Ace in such a horrible do&rine ? or
does not the bare mention of it still further con
vince you that your liberties can no where be so
fife as in the hands of your Representatives in As
sembly? " 1 hole who are not enebtiated with./,;.
^ dependency will certainly allow, that the inftruc
'' tions to their Delegates were dilated by the
“ true spirit of peace, justice, and exalted policy.
“ Who so proper to indruft them as those chosen
'' by yourselves, not in the hour of passion, riot
“ and confufon, but in the day of peace and tran
" quil reflation?" These words I barrowTrom
A pamphlet just published under the tide of Plain
Truth, which 1 would recommend to your pe
rusal, as containing many judicious remarks upon
the mifehevious tenets and palpable absurdities
held forth in the pamphlet so falfely called Com
mon Senje.
P HILXDELPHI4- Printed by JOHN DUNLAP, at the Newest Printing-Office in Market-Street, ^
^uofcripuons at ten Shillings per /h^wn, Advertisements, &c. are thankfully received for this Paper.
1 halt in ray feceni leb , fieelydeclared my
political -redd, viz.—“ 7 . the true interest of
V America lies i^,@.Station with Great Bri
“ tain, upon constitutional principles, and, that I
" wifa it upon none else." I now proceed to give .
my reafpns for this declaration. uJt is fit, in so
gieat a quefticn,'thht you should weigh both Edes
well, and exercise that good fenfe' for which the
inhabitants of these colonies have beefhitherto•
diftinguifoed; and then! shall be upder no 'appr;-
henfioet concerning the pernicious, though dpe
ciods p!tns, whidpar^every day published in our
newspapers and p^mpiilew The people gene
tally jud{eTi,t, wfieqthe whole truth is pirin'y
paid before the,?/ b,fa,prfgh ipb'ttffllon iq feme,
and f%4nefs; for. povetyfa ofheh',, wfeA but one
fd^ol a propofefr.%js?@gitasd aplp^fev^d io,
they may graduiltydeO, ive themfelve*, ar&lapt
what center feffe&^nxnd future dtar-botqht ec
perieuge ^af pfpv* to be ' ruinous. '
;,A|ribdrti,ife bnd ciramerce have .hi,@6'No°
• the happy employments, by which #/fe rdddf
Gobies have riftfl into wealth and importance. By
: them the face! of the country has been changed
from a barren W^^et ^fs into the hofpLatle abodes
.of peece and,&'fy. Without them, wo had ei- 1
ther never exifte'd' as Americans, or exifle^ only
as lavages.—The qaks would still have possessed
their native foots ofearth, and nerer have appeared
l iq the form of drips and hcufes. What are now
well cultivated fields, or flourishing cities, would
have remained only the folitary'kaunts of wild
beafts,.or of men equally wild.
That much of our former felicity was owing
to the protection of England is not to be denied ;
and that we .might still derive great advantages
from her protection and friendship, if not valued
at too high a price, is equally certain ; nor is it
worth enquiring, whether that protection was af
forded us more for her own fake than ours? That
the former was the case, more especially since the
Colonies grew into consequence, I have not the
least doubt, but that this is a reafori for our re
jedihg any future connexion with her I must ut
terly deny. Although I confider her as having,
infer late conduQ towards us, ade^the part of
a cruel Step-dame, and not of a foftering Patent,
I would not therefore quarrel with the benefits I
miy reap from i connexion with her, and can ex
ped to reap no where else. If by her fleets and
armies every nation on the.globe is deterred from
invading our properties, either on thi high seas,
in foreign countries, or cn cur own coasts, ought
we not in found policy to profit by her strength;
and, .without regarding the motives of her con
du&, embrace the opportunity of becoming rich
and powerful in her friendship, at an expence far
less than it would,coft us merely to exist in alli
ance with any other power?
If cur present differences can be accommodat
ed, there is scarce a probability that she wil) ever
renew the late fatal system of policy, or attempt
to employ force agaioft us. But fliould she be so
infatuated, at any future period, as to think of
subjugating us, either by the arts of corruption,
or oppressive exertions of power, san we enter
tain a doubt but that we shall again, with a vir
tue equal to the present, and with the weapons
of defence in cur hands (when necessary) convince
her that we are willing, by a constitutional con
nexion with her, to afford and receive reciprocal
benefits; but, although fabjects of the fame King,
we will not consent to be her slaves. It was on
"" ground, and mot for the purpose of trying new
forms es government, “ or erecting separate In
“ dependent States," that America embarked in
the present glorious contest. On this ground, and
upon none else, the Continental Union is formed.
On this ground, we have a powerful support a
mong the true Sons of Liberty in Great- Britain•
and lastly, upon this ground, we have the utmost
assurance of obtaining a full redress of our grie
vances, and an ample security agarnft any future
violation of our just rights. And if hereafter, in
the fullnefs of time, it shall be necessary to separate
from the land that gave birth to our ancestors,
it will be in our state of perfect manhood, when
we can fully weild our own arms, and protea cur
commerce and coasts by our own fleets, without
looking to any nation upon earth for assistance.
This I fay was our ground, and these our views,
•universally declared from the origin of this con
tefr, till within a few w^eks ago, when foms
gleams of reconciliation began firft to break in up
on us. If we now mean to change this ground,
and reject all proportions of peace, from that mo
ment we are deserted by ^ery advocate of our
cause in Great Britain. We falfify every decla
ration which the Congress hath heretofore held
forth in.our behalf. We abandon all profped of
pre'erving our importance by trade and agricul
ture, the ancient, sure and experienced road to
wealth and happineis.
In short, if thus contradicting all our former
public profeffions; we should now effect Indepen
dency as our own aft, before it appears clearly to
the world to have been forced upo^ us by the
cruel hand of the Parent-state, —we could nei
ther hope for union nor success in the attempt.
We must be considered as a faithless people in the
fight of all mankind, and could scarcely expert
the confidence of any nation upon earth, or look
up to heaven for its approving sentence. On the
contrary, every convulfiqn, attendant upon revo
lutions and innovatons of government, untimely
attempted or finally defeated,-might be our porti
on; added to the lots of trade for want of pro
te&ion ; the confiquent decay of husbandry;
bloodshed and delation ; with an exchange of
the easy and flourishing condition of farmers and
merchants, for a life, at bell, of hardy poverty
as fiddlers or hunters.
To fee America reduced to such actuation may
be the choice of adventuress who have nothing
to lose, or of men exalted by the present confufi-
ons into lucrative offices, which they can hold so
longer than the continuance of the public calami
ties. But can it be the wish of all that great and
valuable body of people m America, who, by ho
nest induLry, have acquired a competency, and
foaveexperieoced a happier life—Can it be their
wish, l lay (for such confederations ' )to have de
!ftrwftion'conti^ually btfore their eyes; and to
/ h^ve enormous debts emailed upon them and their
, poßerity, till atlengbh they have nothing left
whiclr^y can truly call their own?
I know the answers which will be given to these
. , queflions, and am prepared to reply to them,
with that temper and gravity which so serious a
fubi^ require. It will be tfrW—indeed it
has beeri already -9/frfc/—.that the anmiofitics be
tween Great-^ptain .and the Colonies are now
adt ^uccg 10 sash a height,, Q; Reconciliati
on is impoflible. But affertiets arc nothing, when
oppciea to the nature of things, the truth of hi-.
fiory, arid ^Lpaft experience. The quarrels of
nations, brink? neither personal or 'private, cannot
far up mutual hatred among individuals. There
never was a war so implacable, even among states
naturally rivals and enemies, o.r.> among lavages
themselves, as not to have peace for it^objeft as
well as end! And, among people naturally
friends, and conne&ed by every dearer tie, who
knows not that their quarrels (as those of lovers)
are often but a stronger renewal ofl&ve ? In such
ca'es, the tide or affection reverting to its course
is like that of water long pent back, which, at
length bursting the opposing mounds, breaks for
ward through its native channel, and flows with
redoubled vigor and encreafed velocity, to mix
itfelf with its parent main !
It has been further averted—that we are able,
with ourdand forces, to defend ourselves against
the whole world; that if commerce be an advan
tage, we may command what foreign alliances
we please ; that the moment we declare ourselves
an independent people, there are nations ready to
face the British thunder, and become the carriers
of our commodities for the fake of enriching them
selves ; th^t, if this were not the case, we can
soon buildnavies to force and protein a trade;
that a confederacy of the colonics into one great
republic is preferable to Kingly government, which
is the appointment of tteDevil, or at least re
probated by God ; that those denominated wife
men, in our own and foreign countries, who have
been so lavish of their encomiums upon the English
constitution, were but egregious fools ; that it is
nothing better than a bungling piece ofmachinery,
standing in need of coaftant checks to regulate and
continue its motions ; that the nation itfelfis but
one mass of corruption, having at its head a Royal
Brute, a hardened Philraoh, delighting in blood;
that we never can enjoy liberty in connexion
with such a country, and therefore all the hard
ships mentioned above, and a thousand times
more, if necessary, are to be endured for the pre
ferration of our rights.
If these things had been as fully proved, as
they aie boldly averted by the authors of what
is called Common Sense, I fliould here drop my
pen; and through the short remainder of life,
take my chance of whatever miseries providence
may have in reserve for this land, as I know of
none else to which I can retire. But as tl^efe
do^rines contradid every thing which we have
hitherto been taught # to believe refpe&ing go
vernment, I hope you, my dear countrymen, have
yet kept one ear open to hear what answer may be
given in my future letters.
CA T O.
POSTSCRIPT.
CATO to riBERIUS, Greeting,
Questions civilly proposed deserve a civil an
swer, which shall be Ipeedily given to those of
Tiberius. Urbanity becomes us Romans; and
Cato is proud to correfpond' with one assuming
that character, although he is not fond of the
imperial name. He has no quarrel with our Com
mittee as a public bodft, and regards many of the
members as fit to fill any Ration to which they
may be called by their country. If he cannot sup
port his charges against the individuals who pro
js6led the Convention scheme, he will cheerfully
acknowledge his mistake. He never expected to
finifh these letters without opposition. The que
stion is, whether the liberty and happiness of
America can be best secured by a constitutional
reconciliation with Great-Britain, or by a total
reparation from it? Cato is willing to be judged
by his countrymen, when the whole of his argu
ments shall be submitted to them. Whatever may
be infinaated before that time he will fcaree think
worthy of regard; and it was rather unbecoming
Tiberius, so early in the dispute, to suggest, that
“ thefentiments (in the letters) may resemble a
“ modern (more than an ancient) Cato, who will
“ consent to live a save, rather than to die free."
The inaccuracy of expreflion, in making fentinvents
resemble men, may be palled over; for where a
person's moaning can be picked out, in such a con
test as this, Cato despises a war about w^rds.
N. B. The twelve queries in the Evening Post
are, in substance, the fame as the queft(ons of 7i
berius, and the fame answer will serve for both.
In CONGRESS, March 23, 1776.
WH ERE A.S the petitions ofthele United
Colonies to the King for the redress of
great and manifeft grievances have not only
been rejeded, but treated with scorn and con
tempt; and the opposition to defies evidently
formed to reduce them to a state of servile fub
jeftion, and their necessary defence against hos
tile forces actually employed to subdue them,
declared rebellion : And whereas an unjust war
hath been commenced against them, which the
commanders of the British fleets and armies have
prosecuted and still continue to prosecute with
their utmost vigour and in a cruel manner ; waft-
'"!>'footling and deßrorirg the tourlrt)>*fo
mg houfe* and defenceless tovns. and ^pofrrg
the helpiffs inhabitants to every mifer.y from thS
inclemency of the winter, and not orb urging
savages to invade 'the coqnt y, but inhigatiog
negroes to murder their matters: And whsreu
the Parliament of Great-Britain hath lately
passed an ad, affirming,thefe Colonies to be ia
open rebellion ; forbidding all trade and com
merce with the inhabitants thereof, until they
shall accept pardons and submit to despotic rule;
declaring their property, wherever found upon
the water, liable to seizure and confifeation; and
enacting that what had been done there, by vir
tue of the Royal Authority, were just and lawful
ads and shall be so deemed: From all which it
is manifeft, that the iniquitous scheme, concert
ed to ceprive them of the liberty they have a
right to by the laws of Nature and the Engli&
corftitut on, will be pertinacity fly pursued. It
• being, therefore, necessary to provide for their
defence and security, and justifiable to make
reprisals upon their enemies and otherwise to
annoy them, according to the laws and images of
nations; the CONGRESS; trusting that
such of their friends in Great-Britain (of whom
it is confeffed there are many intitled to applause
and gratitude for their patriotism and benevo
lence, and in whose favor a diferimination of
property cannot be made) as shall fuffer by cap
tures, will impute it to the authors of cur com
mon calamities, DO DECLARE AND
RESOLVE as followeth, to wit.
Refolded, That the inhabitants of these Colo
nies be permitted to fit but armedveffels to cruise
on the enemies of these United Colonies.
Refolded, That all ships and other veffcls,
their tackle, apparel and furniture, and all
goods, wares and merchandizes belongingto any
inhabitant or inhabitants of Great-Britain, takea
on the high seas, or between high and low wa
ter mark, by any armed vessel fitted out by any
private person or peffons to whom commissions
shall be granted, and being ribelled and prose
cuted in any court ere&ed for the trial of mari
time affairs in any of these colonies, shall be
deemed and adjudged to be lawful prize, and
after deducting and paying the wages thefeamen
and mariners on board of such captures as are
merchant ships and vessels shall be entitled to
according to the terms of their contrasts until
the time of adjudication, shall be condemned to
and for the use of the owner or owners, and the
officers, marines and mariners of such armed
vessel, according to such rules and proportions
as they fha'l agree on. Provided always, That
this Resolution shall not extend, or be construed
to extend, to any vessel bringing fettlcrs, arms,
ammunition, or warlike stores to and for the
use of these Colonies, or any of the inhabitants
thereof who are friends to the American cause,
or to such warlike stores, or to the effedls of
such settlers.
Rfolved, That all flhips or vessels with their
tackle, apparel and furniture, goods, wares and
merchandizes belonging to any inhabitant of
Great-Britain, as aforefaid, which shall be tak
en by any of the vessels of war of these United
Colonies, shall be deem d forfeited, one third
after deducing and paying the wages of feamea
and mariners, as aforefaid, to the officers and
men on board, and two thirds to the use of the
United Colonies.
Refolded, That all flrips or veffe's with their
'tackle, apparel and furniture, goods, wares and
merchandizes belonging to any inhabitants of
Great Britain as aforefaid, which shall be taken
by any vessel of war fitted out by and at the ex
pence of any of the United Colonies shall be
deemed forfeited, and divided, after, deducting
and paying the wages of seamen and mariners
as aforefaid, in such manner and proportions as
the Assembly or Convention of such Colon,
shall dired.
Refolded, That all vessels, their tackle, apparel
and furniture, and cargoes belonging to inhabitants
of Great-Britain, as aforefaid, apd all vessels which
may be employed in carrying Supplies to the minis
terial armies, which ball happen to be taken near
the shores of any of these Colonies, by the people
of the country or detachments from the army, ffiali
be deemed lawful prize, and the Court of Admiralty
within the said Colony is required, on condemna
tion thereof, to adjudge that all charges and expen
ces which may attend the capture and trial be firft
paid out of the monies arising from the files of the
prize, and the remainder equally divided among all
those who shall have been actually engaged and em
ployed in taking the said prize. Provided, That
where any detachments of the army (ball have been
employed as aforefaid, their part of the prize-mo
ney fh.%11 be distributed among them in proportion
to the pay of the officers and soldiers so employed.
Extrafl from the Minutes.
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.
s^+4+4 +* ++-+-++&++,.s ^
March 12, 1776.
NOTICE is hereby given to the cre
ditors of John Voluntine, confined f&r
debt in the gaol of the county of Burlington, tfo
they be and appear before Thomas Redman and
Daniel Ellis, Inquires, two of the Judges of the
Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and fori Lid
county, at the house of Joseph Haight, Inn-keeper,
in the city of Burlington, on Tuesday the fixteentfi
day of April next, to fliew cause, ifany they have,
why the said debtor fliould not be difeharged, agree
able to an a& of the legislature, entitled “ An Aa
for the relief of insolvent debtors." Q
Somerset County, Maryland, Feb. 15, 1,76^.
THE VISITORS of Eden Sclroc^
in the County aforefaid, hereby give notice.
That they want a M AST E R for laid School.
Any person thut is properly qualified and can come
well recommended, that rhufes to undertake Se
management of said School, is desired to apply as
soon as poffiole.——-The fa!ary allowed the Master
in said School is One Hundred and Thirty Pouhus
per year, diet, &c. found.
Signed by requeji of the tiflors,
,6 " 'HENRY LOWES.