The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-02-01 00:00:00, page 2

From so unfair a representation of things it would
follow, that I assaulted Kling, as an infpeflor and
public officer, in the execution of his duty—-Pardon
Permit me to quote so much of Adrian's publicati
on, as is connected with the firft point, and subjoin a
few brief remarks. “ These refpeded the assault,
battery and wounding of Mr. John Kling, who,'at
the general eleftion, afted as inf edor for the North
ern Liberties, for barely demanding, according to du
ty and oath, colonel Proffers certificate of bis hav
ing taken the oath, before his vote should be receiv
ed; for which offence the court fined him the mode
rate sum of eighty pounds."
but this piece alone, infamous as it truly is, could n>t
satiate my ilbnaured and unprovoked adversaries.
Stilly anxious to fprend the cruel cafymny, and appre
henfive the above publication might fink in oblivion,
or Iqfe it's desired impreffon, it Ras loon followed by
another piece full as violent and prfonal, and accom
panied with anecdotes of the very fame atrocious ori
gin and invention. Toe piece is printed in the Penn
fylvan;a lacked, and fubfc ibed Juritpeotus. Uncom
mon pains are taken by this writer to renew an ! pipe
tuate scandal, byth^ fame mask of anonymous signature.
The ex, regions are," Another anecdote muff not b fap
prefled: while the grant jury were deliberating whe
ther they should hear the evidence, and before they de
terminea to retufe it, the foreman, Zebulon Potts, efq ;
had been in a private room, in conversation with Mr.'
Eleazer Oswald, the printer and publifhr of the libel,
Mr. Thomas Proper, and Jacob Bankfon, efq ; them
(uppofed council,' &c.
Here let me claim the public attention in my own
acquittal. Suffer me to undeceive you, when the vil
est arts are praHifed to blacken other gentlemen—and
gentlemen too, who, I am authorifed to fay, possess
the mod established and unqueftionabfc charaders.
I declare on the sentiments of a man of honour, no
private difeourfe, or conference whatever, happened
on that occafton, between Mr Potts, or any of the
gentlemen alluded to, or myfelf.—l beg leave to call
on the disguised author, or authors of these scandal
lous insinuations, who have taken advantage of the li
berty of the press—now (acred and fecuie ; who have
Bulked under anonymous signatures, (the common
refuge of assassins and robbers of virtue and reputati
on) to ste p forth—lay aside their mafk—pr6 Ju^e the
face which hath so long lurked behind it-- avow them
feives like men of honour and veracity, and maintain
their cnarge —The public will then be abe to judge
of their motives and inducements for writing such op
probious invectives.— Their namcf once disclosed will
at once difeover their freedom and independency, their
servility or revenge.—Difapp^ntroent, and defeated
malice have frequently assumed the appearance and
authority of public fp/rit and impartiality.—But what
ever is the design of these pieces, whether good or
bad, wicked or laudable, it certainly might have Rat
ed supposed faffs with delicacy and a becoming de
cency, and condemned measures without a wanton,
barbarous attack on men. I must pronounce the as
sertions falfe, and accuse those writers of publifning
things that are not faffs. —ls they even nosean make
out their insinuations against me, I am fatisfi d to abide
by the consequences ; and if they fail in the attempt,
what mus fevery coned citizen, who loves innocence
or character, think of them ?
It seems to me as if the drift of these performances
pointed at some malignant, time-serving purpose, pro
bably to affeft my interest, if possible, in my pursuits
of the fheritt's office for this city and county. If lam
wrong in these conjectures, the candid will please to
rectify, and welcome.
J proceed to a further consideration of these public
cations. The charges against me are reducible to two
heads. Firfl with relpeß to my conductto Kling,
and f condly, as to my supposed interview with the
grand jury.
^.-C L&YP'GOLE,
AS you have admitted into your paper, a piece sign
ed Jurifperttus—interwoven with the most abo
minableialfehoods that ever disgraced a news-paper —
you will, infufiice to the injured, admit also the fol
lowing certificates, which mutt not only convinced you,
but the public, and the other printers who have pub
lished for Jurifperitus and Adrian, that they have been
grossly imputed upon by those anonymous and infa
nwus fcribblPrs.— I am, Sir,
You very rumble Servant,
JLEAZrR OSWALD.
Mr. CLAV POOL E,
I Read a pnblicaron in Baily 's Journal of the 15th in
bant, figged Adrian, vindicating the court in th.ir
coudufl to the grand jur,, and containing several as
sertions u Supported by any proof, and the most viru
lent reflexions on the grand jury, witne^es, and others,
without dignity or moderation. Among circumflances I
was much ass: tied to find myfelf perfonady and pointed
ly attacked ----my motives and grounds in chaflif
iiYb .Kling, were perverted and misrepresented,
and rd ungenerous declaration publicly held forth,
that 1 maintained a clandeiline and private inter
course with tlie foreman of the jury, Zebulon
Potts, esquire, when the bills against colonel Oswald
were submitted to, had before the jury. Yet, as tue
iofinuatiod was void of truth and foundation, and up
ona rendezvous of hiy heart and feelings, I knew my.
felf incapable of t^e mifcondu&, and of course, un
worthy of r Axions, I passed over the defamation in
fence and contempt; considering myfelf no way bound
to refpett the idle or malicious invectives of any ano
nymous writer, or cowardly affaffian, who would make
iovitrt.de ritick', and i%e u 0 aiteuw or dagger, in the
darte, jedorr,minutely wound the bell and brighted
of characters, without? having virtue or houedy enough
io sign his real name to so wicked and abominable a
production. I therefore relied the publication to age
herein world, on it's own demerits, convinced they
would noMuder themflves'be mined by this uncand.d
and indecent writer, wno could only cicapewih impu
nity, when his performance pilTd unnoticed and un
obferVed.
me, while I explain my motives, and endeavour to
shew, this is not the faft-^
I value and refpeftevery civil officer executing his
office in'any flation, as long as be ads f ir and consist
ent. —Ii is a duty and veneration, as a gentleman and
citizen, I owe the place, let the ' person who fills it, in
himfeli be ever so dishonourable or despicable. —Bad
Kling's behaviour at this election, as aa mfpe&or,ap
pear'd in that light, he would not have experienced
the weight of my resentment, which followed. But
it was very different. —He treated me witn difrefped
in lis liarion, and from his apparent partiality to o
thers, eteu with a fort of prejudice. .I think I was
the only man he 'was so crupuious with in exacting a
test of allegiance, among many others, though he was
well acquainted with my services in the army, and my
acknowledged right on that account, to vote at an e
leHion. Mr. Jonathan Wood, a man of veracity,
told me he never took the left to this or any other
ftat a in the union, and yet Kling permitted him to
vote. —-Mr. Thomas • Britton was equally admitted
without depute or hesitation, though he produced no
certificate at 'all for that purpose. These gentlemen
will excuse me in mentioning their names---they fee
my situation.
On these principles I conceived myfelf insulted, and
it was not extraordinary, when I met Kling tie next
day, that I should treat nim as I thought he deserved.
But I neither maimed nor wounded him, as is alledg
ed, nor did he pretend it, when he complained to jus
tice Ruih. —Let the liberaland unprejudiced reflect
on these circumflances a minute, and fay whether the
fine of eigh y pounds, in ided on me, was a moderate
sum, and either proportionate to the injury done, the
provocation received, or my situ itioh as an old soldier,
just returned from public service matter is now
de,d and over—and in mercy to Kung, let the fuljed
crop forever. -He indeed owes great obligations to
the above writer, (whoever he is) for makiog'him the
principal figure in a performance, tn whtch, butfor
1,10 frieadfhip, he might have flipped notice or diftindi
on..
To the Creditors of JAMES ROBISON, a Priso
ner, confined in the Gaol of the City and County of
Phi adelplpa:
Gentlemen,
PLEASE to take Notice, that I have
petitioned the Honorable the Repreientati/zh of
the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,' for
a Bill to be passed into a Law, to r'leaie my P'rGn
from Imprisonment. JAMES KOBiSON.
Dated in Gaol, January 29, 1783.
Let me now turn to the second point. I will relate
minutely what passed at M'Carty's tavern. Here I
am happy to find captain Brice hath anticipated me
on the fubjeft ; and as far as his certificate g e.-, it
corresponds in tie main with my own I met this
gentleman in Market-ff reet a Saturday morning, and
proceeded with him to Mr. M'Carty's-a house I some
times frequent. It is observable this was opt " while
the bill was before the jury," but the next mprnmg
after the grand jury had returned the ignoramus bill
to court. When we reached M'Carty's, we found co
lonel Oswald in the front room below flairs, the door
being open Mr. Bankfon met us accidently at the
door, and we all entered together. We had scarcely
turned round in the room, before I saw Mr. Potts at
the door, on which he was called upon by Mr. Bank
foil, add informed, " that he waited on the jury at
their request, as an evidence, and desired of Mr. Fotrs
he might be dismissed as quick as possible." The'at
torney general immediately step ped in the room, and
some difeourfe arose between colonel Oswald and him,
not material to mention. Mr. Potts left us; but no
difeourfe happened with him from any of us, refpe&-
ing tne prosecution in any fhipe, nor was there the
leaf? appearance of any privacy or clandefline inter
courfe —for the door remained wide open the whole
time, —and any one might enter who pleased.
With these representations I th ill.now leave the fub
jefl to the pu die. —I am forty to trespass on their pa
tience, —but I regard my reputation, and these pieces
appear calculated to wound and injure me.—The world
a,e now at liberty to determine, what credit is due to
either Adrian or Jurifperitus from their falfities as to
me; and if any shame or candor is left in their breasts,
they will solicit the public pardon, whole indulgence,
they have grollly insulted and abut d.
THOMAS PROCTER.
Philadelphia, January 24, 1783.
Mr. CLAY POOLE,
ON perpGng the Penufylvania Packet, I met with;
a piece, signed Jurisperitus, wherein Zebulon
Potts, esquire, foreman of the grand jury, in Colonel
Oswald's case, is charged with " being in a private room
in conversation with colonels. Procter and Oswald, and
Mr. Jacob Bankfon." In juflice to Mr. Potts, a gen
tieman to whom I never spoke, nor even know by cha
raaer or report, and in defence of the characters as
perfed, I think myfelf bound in honour to mention
the circumftaoces to the public.—They are as follow;
I met wirh colonel Procter in the fireet, 00 Satur
day morning, and accompanied him to t,he white borfe
tavern, where we found colonel Oswald and Mr. Bahk
fon, in the front room, below flairs. Mr. Potts then
passed the door, which was open, and Mr. bankiou
called on Mr. Potts, and acquainted him, " that lie.
waited qn tne grand jury as an evidence, and requeued
that his evidence might be di patched as soon as poffi
ble, as he had material buGnefs to tranfad that morn
ing." On this the attorney general stepped into the
room, and some words palled between him and colonel
Oswald, respecting the profecutipn.
These, and no other words or difeourfe; or any kind
of tampering, passed between Mr. Potts and the gen
tlemen present. I aver it on the declaration of a gen
tleman ; and nothing but a regard to innocence and
honour could prevail on me to trouble the public up
-011 the occasion.
JACOB BRICE, captain M ryland Line.
Yesterday morning, at one o'clock, an officer ar
rived at the right ; honpural>le Mr. Townshend's of
fice, Whitehall, with difpatcb.es from general Elliot,
at Gibraltar. They cont in a journal of the proceed
ings in the garr son from the 12th of September down
wards, and are Lie bril official accounts that have
been receiv'd fromihe governor, respecting the defeat
of the eoelryir , their celebrated attach on the 12th and
i^th. The pobhe re already in possession of all the
fads atie ding inis inters fling event ; and these dis
patches are th..cfere only important, as being the firft
received from the governor respecting it. Tory were
brought over in-die Buffalo Chip of war, 0f.60 guns, ac
companied by two store (hips, which arrived as Pen
z^Ce on the Sin rhflant, and the 'officer charged with
them is one of the general's own aid de camps. They
were transmitted to the king at Windsor, but no ex
traordinary gazette will take place in consequence.
The Buffalo h., faff.red a great deal in her mails,
rigging, and hull, in thecate engagement with some
french frigates. The crew report, that file has made
a great deal of water on her voyage, having fevera!
feel in the hold. She kept continually pumping. A
cutter, which ws-in company, has not yet been heard
of.
, The combitfed. fleet were.certainly off Cadiz harbour 1
the 26th ult. whether tney all went in together, or'
[if tne French Separated, is not quite so certain; but
it is generally conceived, that none of the ships were
in a condition to undertake a foreign voyage.
The friends of lord North appear in perfect good
humour ; tne reason affigged by them for their pre
sent jocularity is, that the present ministry are not
able to trapfaA business without the aid of his lord
ship and Mr. Jenkinfoo. Mr. Fox's friends, also ap
pear fmiliog, and account fur their good humour in
the fame manner, by alluring all inquirers, that no
good can be done without the assistance of Mr. Fox.—
Thus the two parties of outs, laugh at the calamities
which threaten the country under the administration
of the inns, and the inns laugh becuufe they are in.
Sir William Forbes, James Hunter, and Co. bank
ers in Edinburgh, have written a very genteel letter to
the right honourable the lord Proyofi, Rating, that
as his lordship, and the town council, have it in view
at ibis time of threatened scarcity, to procure a Sup
ply of corn for the advantage of the poorer fort of
the community ; and as they havrfit much at heart, in
their character of bankers, to facilitate so very use
Lord Shelburne, and Mr. Pitt, with the assistance.
of Dr. Price, have formed a plan of railing the fuppliea
within the year, without funding any next year; the
plan is'i?fferted to be very practicable, and will be
carried into execution.
Nothing can exceed the effeft the reprefeotations,
letters, and addresses from New York had on his ma
jesty; the queen filed testes.
Mr. Flood, while in London, had several conferen
ces with lord Shelburne, on the present fermentation
that is taking place in Ireland; in which that minister
took every means to bring over the orator to the in^
terefis of government. A compromise took place : lord
Shelburne engag d, that the legislative rights or pre
tenfioris of Britain, should be renounced by a positive
From the known principles of the premier, refpeding
the American contest, and from the late petitions, &c.
from the unhappy loyaliOs, it may naturally be con
cluded that the colonial war will not yet be terminated.
Nov. 7. A diamond, weighing 779 carats, was
brought from Ispahan to Holland some years ago, and
deposited in the bank there, till a purchaser could be
found ; and in the very year when she concluded the
late widely extend d and expensive war against the
Turks, the empress of Russia purchased this jewel for
a sum equal to ioo,o?ol. Rerling, besides which she
fettled upon the person of whom she bought the dia-\
mond, an annual flipend of 4000 roubles, being equal
to about a thousand a year in England. This was at
once a proof of the magnificent fpiriUof the empress,
and of her immense resources of wealth.
Nov. 12. Friday morning, theist, came ashore, du
ring a severe Form at Waxham, on the coast of Nor
folk, a large fifh, of a species not yet described by
the Daturalifts. It is about five feet ten inches long,
and four feet in circumference, and has four legs and
paws, th" two hinder of which have a joint ; from which
circumhance it is thought it occasionally fits upright,
like the baboon. Its head is round and large, and of
a faudy colour. The back is broadband the belly pro
minent ; and, on the whole, resembles a porpus, more
than any sea production we have feen.>
The wind at present is very unfavourable for the ar
rival of the grand fleet ; and as they hav§ been at sea
nine weeks to-morrow, there is no doubt but their wa
ter and provisions mast be nearly exhayfied. How
ever, we hope i» a very short period to hear of their
arrival in the channel.,
Nov. 15. A lady lately arrived from France asserts,
that in the firft companies there, peace is the constant
topic, and that the rardians long ardently for its
confutation.
statute, if demanded so by Ireland; but that in re"
turn, Mr. Flood should engage to carry the fencible
regiments throughin that kingdom, by an ad of the
Iriih parliament; in return, Mr. Flood, i; is said, is
to be created an earl, and have a patent for life of the
vice-treasurer's place.
A letter from Paris, has the following article :
" Comte de Vergennes, our minister, has prevailed
on the king to recall the comte d'Artois, and dispatches
are sent to the can, at St. Roch, for his return home.
Tee siege of Gibraltar, hAs been an unfortunate af
fair to us, as we have loft several brave officers, and
some of the bft troops wenad. It is said, that comte
de Graffe, is in hi^h favour with the queen, who has
been his friend, and that he has requeued to decline
taking upon him the command of another fleet, and
begs to live f retired life"
Foreign Intelligence. 1
LOND O N, OAober 14.