The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-07-18 00:00:00, page 2

LONDO N.
HOUSE tfC OMMO NS, Thursday, April 6.
EING the day appointed for the House to resolve
*fatfelf into a Committee for the purpose of taking into
coofi 'eration the various petitions which had been pre
fentH fiom diff rent counties, cities, &c. several petitions
were brought in, and those from the town of D^rby, the
counties of Kent, Nottingham, Cambridge and Suffolk,
were f/okentoby the Members of the said counties, &c.
Lord Frederick Cavendith, in preface to the Darby pe
tition, opened its merits and flat< d the view of the fubfcri
brs He was supported by Mr. Coke, who in a very
candii b^h, declared hiwfelfan advocate for the right
of p^itionin^, but owned he did not admire the plan
w r 1 Lad been followed in some places, of joining Com
mittees of Correspondence and Association to the business
of preferring a petifon to Parliament, He thought that
ilea inconfonant with the freedom of debate in the Houle,
whi< h he had ever considered as the basis of the liberties
of toe peo; Ie at large At the fame time that he said tnis,
he < 1 free to own :hat he felt the grievances complained
of in the Darby petition in union with his constituents and
hoped the House would proceed iffeduady to adminifLr
"Lord Edward Bentinck presented the Nottingham pe
ti ion, and declared that it was signed by 3500 perlons.
Sir Richard Sutton in reply said, that the petition nad
been handed about the country from house to ho.de, taat
it had been endeavoured to procure an ample number of
fubferibers to it in a very extraordinary manner , that at
Ratford and Newark, and other popular places, scarcely
one in ten who had been applied to, had signed it; and
that it was r ght to inform the House that the petition did
not assume the titleof the petition of the nobility, gen
try, clergy and freeholders, but that it was open to the
fubfeription of ail manner of persons, the votes he ftatei
tube about 4500, and the fubferibers only 3500, which
confi iered under the circumstances he had mentioned, w .s
a very small number, not more than 1000 were freehol
ders. He (aid he thought it right to state this to the
Hou'e, not with any view to insinuate a prejudicial opi
niol of the fubferib rs to the petition; they were doubt
less very refpffiable: but it appeared to his mind proper
for Ifni to faew whom the petition came from.
Tee Hon. Mr Marfham, who brought in the Kent
pet tion, fpuke Wrongly in its commendation, and stated
it to be Sgned by upwards of 3000 persons. Considering
me greac extent of coafl, which almost surrounded the
couu:y, and occasioned it to be lined with revenue
officers, he thought tuis a flroug proof of the great im
preffi >o the public grievances had made on the minds of
bis content friends; a matter which ought peculiarly to
recommend them to the notice of Parliament. After
expatiating on this and other parts, he moved that,the
petition be brought up.
He was flooded by another, the Kentifh Member,who
fail a few words in confirmation of Mr. Marfham's argu-
As soon as the petition was read and referred to the con
sideration of the committee, Mr. Marlh&m rofeagain and
produce! another petition, which ne said had been pro
posed by several gentlemen of his county, who thought
there was occafiun to petition Parliament for a redrt(s of
grievances, but who considered committees of affiliation
and (oriefpondence as matters of a vtry alarming nature,
and likely to produce confequencesftal to the freedom
of parliamentary debate, and dangerous to the constitu
tion.
Sir Horace Mann, thanked the Hon. gentleman for the
jurtice he had done him, and the other gentlemen of his
cnnty, concerned in the present petition. He avowed
hioßlf the Author and proposer of it, and declared that
Comurttees of Affoiition and Correspondence had al
ways struck him an they had struck other gentlemen 111
the house, to be unconhitutiooal, and derogatory to the
honor of Parliament, fending to fetter the freedom of de
bate, and thence to do away one of the firft and most
eff vial rghta and privileges of the House of Commons.
Mr, Molyneux pretexted a petition from Cambridge,
declaring it to have been refolded on by do oumtrous a
no ^tio;, th .t the place they firft ,affemoled in was not
Urge enough tg contain them, and that they were obliged
to adj are 0 the fenare house.
o a ^ Gideon fid, bethought it incumbent on
he .< 1° the Hou^, that he went down ter Cambridge
wbl a ^fcn to ftibferibe the petition, and tp offtr his
fixvica in presenting it, but that he was obliged to forego
his 6rd indention, in consequence of finding the rToluti
®'rt of the n^et.ng loaded with a resolution for the ap
pouuent of Committees of Correspondence and Affcci
aioi. The reafen why those Committees appeared to
him as obj: fbopible, was that they flruck him very
forcibly, as amounting to a mnice of Parliament, and a
ftt-ron rhe freedom of debate in that House. He had
flatedths objection at the meeting.
Mr. W.lkes contradicted Sir Samson in relation to the
matter of fad,/declaring t at he and his colleague had
both objeded, not merely to Committees of Association
and Coi refpondence, but to the right of petitioning it
felf.,
Sr John Hynde Cotton gave a description of the meet
ing, whih pheethtthe AfLmbly in no very rc.'pe&able
b^bt lie declared it was held on a market-day. That
not fee efface in twenty that he had ever seen
before, though no member was better acquainted with
hs comti.u<nt3. That the country folk,, rag, tag and
bobtail, attended, and converted the Mating into a
1 °h '''" '"'°: That the petition could net be deem
eda Meeting of the gentry &c. cf the county, but a
Me^mgof the Cambridge Rabble. That so far from
1:1 ig drterie I er frightened from the rudenesses and
opposition m ! Ie to him and his worthy colleague at the
^"',, if C:S bea th would permit him, he certAmiy
would itaad for th, county at the next ebftior, and
Li^lc not entertain the least doubt of eariying it.
Sir Charles Bunbury presented the Suffolk Petition,
ar I reeled, he<omd lay with his Hon.,riend, who h d
led tie wa,, and presented the Petition of York, that
in toe m<ny ycais he had the honor to represent the
n"^^' S °'^' he had ° ever fe 't '° mu ' h P'-in in
the cfoc: # fe of his Parliamentary duty, as, in being, o .
Bilged to patent to that Haife a Petition from his
ent .ong ic. firing constituents complaining of grie-
Vances, which loudly called forthe immediate attention
of th,t House. He said he wou d trke upon him to as
sert that no persons had fubfciibed the Petition but
Freeholders, and that, considering how lately the Meet
ing of the county was held, it was figtied by a more
refpe&able number of persons, than any one petition
that has been presented.
( To be Continued. )
RICHMON D, June 28.•
THE ship Adventure, Capt. Reeves, of 16 guns, and 6®
men, in 17 days from St. Croix, with a cargo of
rum, sugar, fait, &c. is fafe arrived in James river. A
bout 40 leagues east of Cape Hatteras, he fell in with the
brig Hammond of 18 guns, and the sloop Randal of 10
guns, two privateers from Bermuda, both which she en
gaged near three hours within piflol that, and obliged
the Hammond to strike; but being so much disabled in
his fails and rigging, and the wind light, he could not
get poffeffiun of the brig before the sloop towed her off,
and got clear. What is something remarkable, Capt.
Reeves had not a man hurt during the engagement. Be
tween the Capes he saw it fail of privateers, tyhich were
in a chain from Cape Henry to Cape Charles, but not
one of them attempted 0 c me near him. The brig Gen.
Wayne, Capt. Nicholson. and the schooner Grand Ti
ger, Capt. Smith, parted from him the ninth instant, in
latitude 22.,„
We bav the pleasure to inform the public, that Ri.
chard Randolph the younger of Curies, George Carter
of Shirley, and Robert Bolling of Petirfburg, Efqs ; have
undertaken, in the present emergency of their country, to
raise each a company of volunteer infantry, to serve one
year fr?m the time of their joitrng the army ; and that
this tender of their services has been accepted by His E
xcellency the Governor in Council, with an assurance, that
the bounties in which such men Ihali be raffed, shall, du
ring the time of their service, have credit 'for them on
any uture ferviceof the Militia. The patriotic example
which the'e gentlemen have had the glory of setting, we
doubt not wil cutch throughout the several counties, and
convince our enemy, that a people Can be never conquer
ed on whom misfortunes have 11$ other effefts than to
rouze them to superior exertions.'
Boston, July 3.
Yeflerday returned into port, after a short cruize, the
privateer ship Tracey, Capt. Hopkins, and brought in
with him a flip laden with about 4000 firkins of butter,
beef, pork, and fomedry goods. She mounted 16 guns,
and had 56 men, 7 of which the Tracey killed the firfl
broadside, besides 14 wounded ; she was bound from Ire
land for New York, and failed with the Weft India con
vey, confining of about 150 fail, and has had iz weeks
passage ; the Tracey had two wounded—Befidcs the a
bove, the Tracey has captured a brig and a sloop, which
may be hourly looked for.
The Hon. Elbridge Gerry, Esq ; arrived here last Tues
day evening, from Philadelphia. This gentleman's pub
lic charaaer, and public services on every occahon, when
called but by the exigencies of his country, particularly
as a M-mber of Congress, entitle him to all the m rKs of
elleem and re ped ihewn on his return to this Slate.
Transition of a letter from Mons. De la Touche, Com
mander of His Mod Chriftran Majesty's frigate, the
Hermione, to Capt. Hawker, of the Bri ilh fr gate, the
Iris.
On board the French frigate, L'Hermione, xxd
June, 1780.
SIR,/
I READ, both with furprize and indignat on, the ac-
I count of the action which took place between us the
7th ind. published in the New York paper of tut iota.
I cannot imagine that a commander o; his British MJef
ty's frigate is so loft to the dignity of his own character,
and so Jeftitute of tru tir(the foundation of all military
virtue) sto have recourse to the vilest impofime to per
suade the world he had an advantage over an en&my,
which he hunfelf knows he never gained.
I flatter m,felf tnat Riv ngton the Printer, has, on this
occahen, indulged his natural propensity of perverting
falls anc publilhing rabehoo i inftead of truth ; ihould this
be the cak. tn 1 affection defers only contempt; but I
exp-tl, from yourluil,ces and from your honor, a con,
tiadidtcn ot so falie an-account as tuat of my pretended
fl^ht, and the appea^an^e olaii American frigate at the
end cf the combat, otherwise you must be considered
as the author.
In the account I have trar,(mined to my Court of this
engagement, I did justice to the manner in which you
met me; Ic\ n±fs it was in such a way as merits my e
fleem, and I fhuuld be exceeding lorry to be obliged to
change my opinion, which I mutt do, if you do act ren
der me that justice which is my due.
, iiate^ced to attack you, S,r, from the firft moment I
drfcovered you, and bare down on you for that purpose :
You appeared to me to pofftfs the fame featiments, as you
met me half way. Your cendud, both before and du
ring the action, was that a a man worthy of the com
mand with which you are entrusted; but you impose on
the world i< you assert that I fled from you ; and you
have v ry litile knowledge of me, if you imagine that I
. fyuld ever be branded with tne shame of flying f ro m an
enemy of equal force; You r foot having damaged my rin
ging as much as lam convinced the hull ofyo ur ship fufo
sered rom my fire, it was out of my power to gain the
windward to rene v theaftion ; y ou could bear down cn
me for that purpose wheneverybu pleased, as your fads and
r^d were m a fixation vastly superior to mine.
When I petceived you haul'd y our w i nd , I attributed
yZur retreat to the number of mm you had loft . of which
lam perfaaded by the slickness of your fi re towards the
action. As you know my option, I leave you to judge
how much Iwas fupprifed toread in theNew-York paper
tnat you loft only 7 men k.lled and 9 wounded Ido
not follow your example, Sir ; I coafefa to have had <0
men killed and 37 wounded two cf my officers with
are among the latter : You fee I am not afraid to
speak the truth, became I have no reason wherewith
to reproacn myfclf I ihall finifh this letter with an ob
fervanou tnat mull occur to every military man -
Ifyou loft fewer men than | did,and you r ship wislefs da
maged, what reason had you not to continue the anion'
As you saw the miserable condition of my rigging, and
the impossibility of my manceuverig and of fleering any
other course than before the wind, whilst your situation
put it in your power to tyke the advantage of the wind
for the purpose of retreating? You are either deficient
in truth in not acknowledging your less, or tlfe you rent
ed spirit in declining the combat, when yeur loss was so
trifling, and considering the advantage you had ever me
from the good fuccefy of your shot ; as you know very
well that no American frigate never appeared in our fight,
I request you to answer this Argument, and to permit me
to suspend my opinion of you, until you have fatisfied me,
or t r at, fortunately, the chance of war should again bring
us together, to give us an opportunity of trying our T<ill,
which I solemnly declare to you, I most ardently desire.
I wait your answer, and am with those sentiments with
which your firft Conduct inspired me,
S I R,
Your most humble, and
Most obedient (ervant,
(Signed) La TOUCHE.
Hawker, Esq; Capt, of the \
British frigate the Iris.
At a legal Meeting of the Freeholders and other inhabi
tants cf the town of Boston, at Fanevil Hall, July i ff,
1780. —
VOTED, That the Tovn Clerk notify the inhabi
tants in the several news papers, that the Meeting,
stands adjourned to Thu/fday the 6th day of July inst. 3
o'clock in the afternoon, principally for the purpose of
receiving the übfcripti-ns for the adyance of their taxes,
which they will he oblig. d to pay by ihe i,h of July cur.
rent; such of the inhabitants as have not fubfcrib<d,who
Ihall absent their selves from said adjournment, will be con
ridered as declining any exertions to assist the public.
Aiteft. Wm. COOPER, Town Clerk.
N. E. It is earnefily desired that the fubferibers and
inhabitants give a general and punctual attendance.
The fubfeription papers will lay open with Mr. Walley
and Mr. Appleton."
A few days ago a detachment from tle troops under
Gen. Wadsworth, went up Fenobfeot river (naming pas
sed the fort in whale boats in the night) and tock 2 sloops
which had been weighing up some or the cannon lately
belonging to our privateers which were turnt there ; they
had got 8 cannon on board and were coming down the
river, little expecting to be conduced by cur people ; but
Capt. Mowat had t'-.e mortification to fee them passing
down by the forty (out cf his reach however) in triumph;
they fired at the loit to. vex the enemy, and get fafe a
way—Mowat followed them to Campden ; but Gen Wad
sworth having drawn up his men and made a breast work
to frighten the enemy, he and,his ship were obliged to
march back again ; and we are'in full possession of the
vessels wh ch were intended to invert our coafis General
Wadsworth has taken 40 prisoners, including the men
who were on board thefa vessels.
NEW- HAVE N, July 6.
At a Town Meeting harden in New-Haven, June 28th,
I7<lO.
'"CHE following association, drawn up by a Committee
A appointed for that purpose, was preheated to this
Meeting and read, which ' is as follows, viz.
W^ Y the fubferibers, inhabitants of the town of New-
Haveu, fenftble of the great importance of fopport
ing and establishing the credit of paper currency, emitted
by this State, since January lafl, for the purpose of car
rying on tie present war, and establishing us in 'be en
joyment cf independence and liberty; and considering
tne pernicious and dangerous consequences of an illicit
trade carried 00 with our enemies, as having a direct ten
dency to depreciate and ruin the credit of our said curren
cy, and to enervate and contravene all our warlike efforts
and enterprizes, Do hereby associate end lolemnly pledge
our fdithand hen r, that we will neither directly nor in
direaiy have any cunneaion with said illicit trade, nor
purthafe any goods, wares or merchandize, we believe,
cr are suspicious were imported com Lon, Iflard, or a
ny other place contrary to toe Laws ot this Sta e, agaiaft
illicit trade;, and that we will not have any trade or
commerce with any perLn or persons, we . ave reason.
to fufpea are concerned in, or ^avc an, connexion with,
said trade.
Resolved, Thafthe ass drawn by order of this
meeting, be tendered by Capt. Peter J hnfon, Capt. Abel.
Burnt, Deft Levi Ives, Mr. John Miles, Mr JNhua
Austin, Limbertou Smith, Elq ; Dan an Jesse TedJ,
C pt. Timothy Bradley, Capt. Samuel Aiw^er, and
Capt. Peter Parkins, to all persons, inhabitants in this
town, and the names of any person, who ihall refute to
fubferibe the fame, fhdl by the Committee, be returned
to tie civil authority and STeft men, w^o are desired to
publish their names in the news-paper, and remove such
persons, in case they find them inimical or dangerous, to
a distance from the sea-shore, according to Law.
And Resolved, That we will have no trade or dealing
with any person refuting to fubferibe said Association.
And it is further Resolved by this Meeting, That the
inhabitants of the town will use all their influence to sup
press the ill cit trade with the enemy ; and that we will
seize and libel, according to Law, any goods, that we
fufpffl were unlawfully imp: rted, and will encourage and
support any others in doing the fame.
Resolved, That we will receive the new Continental
money, and the bills of credit lately emitted by this
State, equal to gold and filver,iu all payments; and that
we will freely fell all such articles as we have to dilpofe of
for such money.
• A true copy of record, examined by
SAMUEL BISHOP, Town Clerk.
PROVIDENCE July 1.
Saturday last arrived here frcin Philadelphia, escorted
by a party of light borfe, Mons. de Corny, Commissa
ry at War, in the service of His Most Chriflian Majesty.
The British frigate Flora, which the enemy funk in the
harbour of Newport, was on Thursday last raifeJ, ^nd
got to one of the wharves, in order to be repaired.
We have the pleasure to observe, that the generous en
couragement given by this town to recruits for the Conti
nental army is such, that we have every reason to believe
the town's proportion will be iolifted in a few days. Fif
ty Silver Dollars Bounty, Forty Shillings per month.