The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-04-01 00:00:00, page 1

W? HE N I drew up the short address, which is in
ferred in Mr. Dunlap's paper of Saturday lafl, I
had not seen the Extrad of the Letter ascribed to the Rev.
Mr. Isaac Hunt ; though I had requested that favor three
months ago, when it was firft sent to the press, and was
much talked of, as containing some great discovery. That
discovery such as it is, will, I think, establish some matters
concerning myfelf, which I am now fufficiently jellified
in laying before the world. I shall confine myfelf to
plain feA, supported by undeniable vouchers; and leave
the impartial reader to form his own judgment, as far as
he thinks me an objed worthy of the public concern.
Mr. Hunt ; s liberal in his abuse as well of myfelf, as of
my brethren, who had formerly joined with me ra render
ing him effectual services while he left it in our power to
serve him. One of the gentlemen, who is the fubjed of
his letter, is now in Philadelphia, and is rescued out of
Mr. Hunt's hands, by the candor of his commentator.
Two of the other gentlemen are in London, and can fettle
their own account with him, when they have an oppor
tuntiy of feeing the Extrad of his Letter.
Nr. Hunt was the son of a worthy clergyman of Bar
badoes; whose premature death left his son in such indi
gent circum fiances, as made it necessary for $s guardians
in the year 1760, to give him notice that they could not
support him longer at the college in this city, and that he
must return to that island, without finifhing his education.
Compassion for the child of a deceased brother, and the
hopes his promising genius gave me of becoming instru
mental in raising up a youth for future ufefulnefs in church
or state, induced me to draw up a representation of his
case to be laid before the clergy of Barbados. I commu
nicated my design to Mr. Samuel Osborne, then about to
embark for that island, who with a truly benevolent heart
undertook the care of the paper, and I engaged to Mr.
Osborne that, till the success of his application should be
known, Dr. Peters (who was always ready to do good of
fices.of this kind) together with Mr. Deche and myfelf,
as far as our circum fiances should permit, would take care
that Mr. Hunt should be supported.
Mr. Osborne, soon after his arrival, wrote that he had
" delivered my paper (or ft>te of Mr. Hunt's case) to the
<' Rev. Mr. Boucher and the Rev. Mr. Braithwate, who
" had obtained a fubhripti®n for three years, amounting
<c to upwards of sixty pounds Barbadoes currency per an
c< num; at the head of which was Governor Pinfold; and
" Mr. Oiborne desired Mr. Hunt might be assured, that
" while he continued to preserve the good opinion of my
" felf and the other gentlemen who had served him here,
“ he might depend upon the continuance of support from
" Barbadoes." He also engaged that as the fubferTption
money was paid in, it should be sent over to my care in
good bills; and in the mean time he ordered his corres
pondent, Mr. Percifor Frazer to pay thirty pounds ad
vance. I managed Mr. Hunt's affairs to the bed advan
tage, and left them in the care of my family when I went
to England.
^^p^
OR
GENERAL
For the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
Mr. Hunt returned me abundant tokens of gratitude,
calling me his father, &c. and far over-paying, by his
attention to me, any services which I had been able to
render him. This will appear from the following genuine
letter sent to me in London, and dated June 29th, 1762 ;
viz.
" It has given me much uneasiness, that I was not hap
py enough so to diflinguifh myfelf in that valuable and
entertaining branch of learning, the mathematics, as to
answer the sanguine expectations you at firft entertained
of my genius and abilities. Nevertheless. lam animated
with the hopes of obtaining your pity, rather than anger,
as nature never imbued me with that refined and bright
understanding, so necessary to the at ainment of mathe
matics; though I always was apprehensive you attributed
it rather to idleness and neglect. Pardon me, Sir, for thus
troubling you with matters undeserving your notice, and
give me leave once more, before I conclude, to return
you my most unfeigned thanks for your great goodness
and paternal care.
" I received, a few days ago, some letters from Barba
does, wherein I have the doleful account of my mother's
death. Ah ! my worthy father ! for such with pro
priety I can call YOU-- so numerous are the misfortunes
( meet with, that unless a profpea of a future happiness,
through your goodness and generfity, had railed my droop,
tngfpirsts, I should by this time have been funk into me
Pancbol, and def,air/
'' Reverend and worthy Sir,
" It affords me the highest fatisfa&i©n that I have this
favorable opportunity to express my gratitude for the ma
ny generous favors, and repeated a&s of kindness you have
deigned to confer on me ; especially at a time when I had
left all hopes of ever living or making any figure in the po
lite world. Believe me, worthy Sir, as long as I have any
being, I shall always efteemyou, as a friend, father and
bountiful beneja&or.
" My good friend and companion, Mr. Stehben Watts
delire his best refpc&s w you i who, he fays,' he shall al-'
THVRSDA Y,
To the P ÜBLI C.
[ Price 2S. 6d. single, 2s. by the quantity. Published every Tuei'day, Thursday and Saturday. ]
ways remember with the most ardent afFedion and grati
tude.
Mr. Hunt took his firfl degree in the college during
my absence in England ; and, having thought proper to
turn his mind to the law in flead of divinity, was gene
rously and without a fee taken under the protection and
inftruaion of an eminent practitioner, John Ro^s, Esq;
and he flill continued to express his regard for me on eve
ry occasion. That regard, being of the firfl imirfi n,
might have been expected to remain (according to his
own language) as long as he had any being. It had grown
up with him, and seemed to entwine itfelf closer to the
heart with his growing years. It was voluntarily and ve.
bement!, expressed, in the foregoing letter, at the most un
fufpicious period of life; when the sentiments are supposed
to be undifeuifed and undebauehed, nor the mind yet
hackneyed in the ways of an evil world ! Such hackneying
can alone account for Mr. Hunt's yet continuing to have
a being, while he has changed the tender names of “ his
friend, his FATHER, his bountiful benefaflor, into thafe
dreadful ones of " vilefi caitiff, twifical villain;' and the
like; which proves how fruitlefs all my labors have been,
to refine his style, and hew vain " all his own hopes are
become of ever living to make a figure in the POLITE
world !''
" After wishing you all the success imaginable in your
undertaking, and a happy fight of your worthy family,
permit me to fubferibe myfelf,
" Your most obedient and
" Very obliged humble servant,
“ ISAAC HUNT."
In the months of August and September following, bu
f.nefs carried me to the weft fide of Susquehanna. During
my abfen e the disaster befel Mr. Hunt, which made him
quit this Continent; and he was gone before my return.
Apprehending; however, that he intended to prosecute
his design of going to England for ordination, a letter
was drawn up (dated Odober 2d, 1775) to the Biihop of
London, signed by Dr. Peter s, Mr. Duebe, Mr. Coombe,
Mr. White, Mr. Stringer, and myfelf; in which we told
his Lordship, that the admitting Mr. Hunt to Holy Or
ders, and his returning to officiate in this country, would
be hurtful to the church. We gave our reasons, express
ing our sorrow for the disgrace which had happened to
him, intimating our apprehensions that he would make
use of that circumstance to obtain recommendations from
some of our American brethren of neighbouring provinces,
then in England; but that we lioped the propriety would
be seen of not admitting any recommendations which
grangers might give of a man, who had been denied the
recommend !tions of the Clergy who knew him.
Our regard to a refpeftable and worthy family with
which Mr. Hunt is connected in this city, led us to be as
tender of his character as we could in any way'reconcile
with our duty. The above is the substance of the letter,
as Capt. Joseph Blewer may yet remember, who told me
that he was one of a Committee who opened and read it
a.ter it was on ship-board; and that he sealed it again and
forwarded it to the Bishop, as what he thought would do
honour to the Clergy who signed it.
This letter, however, (a copy of which is in my custo
dy) £? ve offence to Mr. Hum, as well as to some of our
American brethren then in London, who thought proper
to patronize and recommend him to the Eifhop. We had
likewise sent another letter to his Lordship some time be.
fore; in which we had honestly mentioned our apprehen
sions that the confufions in America might be continued,
and the Ministry encouraged in their measures, by certain
persons then in England, who represented the opposition
in this country as the work only of a party, in which few
churchmen were concerned. We asserted the direct con
trary 01 this; declaring, that the opposition was general
among " all ranks of men, wh@ had associated themselves
'= determined never to submit to the parliamentary claim
' of taxing thim at pleafare• , and that the blood al-
Let it not be thought that I take too.much notice of
such low and illiberal language. A better sermon might
be preached from the comparison of Mr. Hunt's two let
ters, as a text, than he will probably ever give to the
world. At any rate, the publishers of the Extract of his
I.etter (if they will vouch its authenticity) have done me
a kindness where they seemed to intend the contrary ; by
furnifhing me with such a recent proof of the injuries I
have fu flained from certain dependents of adminiflration,
who seek to recommend themselves by representing my
publications, refpe&ing America and the general cause of
Liberty, as seditious and rebellious
Mr. Hunt's firft change of sentiments concerning me
(although then dissembled) probably began in June 1775.
He applied at that time for recommendations to carry
with him to England for holy orders. My brethren in
Philadelphia, as well as myfelf, civilly declined comply
ing with his request ; giving as our rerfon, that the time
was then improper. I also took the liberty t® suggest to
him in private, some matters with which he was charged,
that would require an explanation before we could furnifh
him with those honorable certificates which we would al
ways wifn to give to persons who had been educated un
der our infpe&ion.
1 ^WT^^ 1
I^1I#&
THE
W^^^n^&W
TH E
ADVERTISER
' r^ady fpilt, in maintaining that claim, was 'unhappily
'' alienating the affections of many f om the parent coun
" try, and cementing them closer in the most fixed pur
(' pose of a refftanch dreadful even in contemplation—
" That it was in vain to think the Clergy of our church
" had either interest or confeguene fufficient to give us
c< any lead in the affairs of this great Continent-- That the
'ft!, would ,eel andjudge for themselves, in matters
“ affecting their own civil happiness—That wereffie ca
“ pable of any attempt which might have the appearance
“ of drawing them to what they would confider as a cri
“ mined reJignatwn of their rights, it would be deftruc
“ five to ourselves, as well as to the church ! whereof we
" are members—Thal, as such conduft had never been
“ required of us by our fupeoors, so we were not back
warf to tay that (could it possibly be required) ^
« confiences would not permit „, 0 ifo & rights ofthis
« country, in which we are to leave our families, and that
" we could no, h# co yder st; inhabitants entitled, as well
« as their brethren in England, to the privilege of granting
yn ft; amt that ever, attempt to defy
t.em of that right would either be j^d abortive in the
' ' ;dr ° r ? attended with evils which would infoty
outweigh all the benefits to be obtained by it "°
The doctrines contained in this l^ r , being so repug
nant to those which n^e coir tiers wished to prepare,
c ^ rs a ^ ai " ft the Episcopal Clergy of
Philadelphia : and Mr. Hunt was very assiduous in his en
deavours to direct the chief refitment of his new patrons
agamll me on this account.'
The Bifliop of London was, therefore, induced to fehd
over a refold inhead of an ter to our l etter , which'
his Lornftup bought proper to address to me; but ia
terms 10 gentle asfeewed it to be merely official. He ob
')atf prf?/^"^ °f ° ur tetter was peculiar to the
cc clergy^ Pbiade//b% and, as far as he could learn,
adopted by any of our brethren of the church in
«^^ 7)and ^ hecould onl y ^ment that it
had oupc,its way amongst a Clergy whom he had al
ways rejected for their abilities, and from whose tern
/^ and moderation he expected the fame enduCt, in
those trying times, which had done credit to our brethren
" in other colonies."
1 ,? his ^'^ ^°™ d , eceafed ) w ^ a truly amiable pre
late, and a friend to religious and civil liberty. But the
rebuke he conveyed did not fatisfy Mr. Hum's new
friends, fathers and benefactors. Ofthis Iwas
mformed by a leading member of the Society for propa
gating the Gotpel, in a letter dated April isl, 177 8,
taming the fodowing paragraph:—
« it was concluded, fays he,
h y °" 4° d ° e . py embarked with the Congress
0 Thl y 0U f ' d T mi " ed ,'° ^° all len ^ ths with them---
?'"/""' a ? d r ^” acb " the Society met with, on
that account, became too firong to contend with. This
« to d r6> P you (from both lifis, of
Members and Mtffionanes), at the anniversary meeting
of : 777 i and your bes friend, the late BThop of Lon
don, gave his rull confent.'''
And here my grateful p upi |, Mr . Hunt, « fofe
"Z f °: m ' r r nerofit y (by his own confeffi
“%? ha l^ °5 te ? . ke Pt from finking into melancholy and
de fair finds h^eltfy cberi^ed, and even ex
alted into trty, upon feeing me now ( as he presumes)
disgraced and depressed, so as to be deprived of all future
^eans 0 generosity, to rai s e up such u &l men as himfelf.
fr^f d°f "a°° ™ y f^^ing to be restored to the
mission of Oxford ; of which, as it happens, I have never
yet been out of possession, nor have ever fought to serve
from any interefed motives. What fort of fabrication I
transited will appe „ by ^ aDf , ver of 2
^^^ veracity ^ Mr °^^ in the
" When your letter of November, to the Archbifnop
„ produced, I was m hopes it would contain X'
kn,wled^ that you had been sod upon by &
° fe ^° ns ^rican leaders.. you
sensible ot the m^akes into which y ou was fi r ft fed
a^d that you freely retraced the approbation and
L y ° ur fermon > o f Measures whfch h%
brought r<al distress, and no small degree of desolation
: y ° ur
on , Then followsa propofol and compliment
which prove that I am not looked upon in that de^.
by "' Hu :' s P atroi is which he would insinuate.
But this matter would lead me far above the level of h^
walk, and therefore is parted over at prefect
&'^? e fu ^ eft | sconcerni ^ an application far the
of some crown lands, isan old for; in which forV^f
the true friends of America, and now high in her confi'
dence, were concerned with me. That PODlicatinn
a " °c d 'f°"' d " '"° been brought forward
in ume, we fiiould have thought ourselves as well entitled
to the grant, and as serviceable in forwarding the fettle
^_ a ™T" e " "" e ^^ ed in fin ^r projea s .
* The originals from which these extra's are taken
'ti^n'tb^'^ "J' 4 "^ gendemen of credit and refeuta'.
APRIL 1, 177%