Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-08 00:00:00, page 4

T, Cato, Cassandra, anhalthe Writers on t're
•Independent Vontrover,. (Concluded from our lofi)
Gentlemen,
YOU mult oil them, also, of the particular nem
trades, which will be opened to us ; the pri
ce., our goodswill bear at home, to the farmer, and
what they will bring at f^cb and fueb ports, and how
much thofe.prices exceed what we have been used
to get for them, at the markets we were allowed to
trade to ; . in this you must name the articles, the
priceband the places; you mult then tell us, the
advantage's pf buying linens, woolens, cottons, silks,
and l^rd w^e, in France, Spain and Portugal, and
Other countries in Europe, and how much cheaper
they are than in England, and Ireland ; in this too
you muff name the goods, the places and prices ;
and whether these places will take in exchange, our
lumber, our navalfloret, our tobacco, flax feed, &c.
&c. and what prices they will give; what credit it
, is customary for those federal places to allow to fo
reigners on fthat we commonly call dry goods ; for
oV country people generally requiring credit, the
merchant-importer must have credit too, orherwife
trade will be confined to afeiv rich boufa, who will
exa^ what prices they pleale, upon the farmer and
conhuwr. Next you muff (hew, that the charge of
• fop,orting government will be left in a state of I^-
dependence, than'it hath been heretofore, during a
Connexion-, you muff name the expences we novo
pay, and the expences we shall then pay ; you mult
give an eJimate of the charge of supporting such
ah army and naty, in time of peace, asmay always
preserve the peace ; there are many who wont be
faiidi<d with your telling them, that " a well regu
lated mihtra will five all the expence arising on the
score of an army," fay they, a man's time and la
, boor, when he mnfters, will always be the fame to
him, as money paid, and that therefore you mud fix
the number of men that are to be enrolled every,ear,
and the number of fimes they (hall appear ; for in
stance, if in Pennsylvania 25,000 should muster
eight times in tie year, at zs. 6d. per day, it would
amount to £25,000, which, would be just equal to
the prefect is. 6d. tax cn all the estates in the pro
vince ; if they are to receive no pay it will neverthe
less be a loss to them, equalfo ibat sum; if they are
to be paid, the amount ol this tax should certainly be
eftimared, because it must be paid by the communi
ty at large in every province, in proportion to the
numbers so enrolled as a militia. The expence of
building a fufficient fleet should also be afeertained,
and also the number of ships arid men necessary to
be k^ pt in cons ant pay, as guarda cottas, occasional
convoys, or difpa^ch veffeis, conveying Ambassa
dors to the different ports in Europe, and you must
also estimate the annual expence of watching, and
keeping those vessels in repair, which are laid up;
also the expences of maintaining in every court of
Europe Ambafodors, Consuls, Messengers, Spies,
and even bribe money, for intelligence of the de
• signs of rbeir refpe&ive cabinets, —also the expences
of the fleet and arm, in time of war; for we may
rcafonaoly expert to (hare the fate of other nations,
and of being Sometimes unfortunately engaged in
war, with some troublesome ambitious Prince or
other; perhaps they may undertake to flop our
trade upthe Speights into the Mediterranean, or
up the North Seas, to Holland, Denmark, Norway,
Sweden and Ruffii; we must then either give ir
vp, or fight for it, or pay some subsidy th a
foreign po ver for protection in those seas—the ex
peno-s in any, or all, cf those cases, you should give
to us-ilfo in what proportion the value of our es
t tes in America will encreafe, so as to defray the
necessary charges of government, taking for grant
ed, that an is. 6d. tax in the pound, on all taxable
efates in America, does now yield 533,333 dollars,
being rather more than balj a million: which is
calculated thus-, Pennsylvania is rated by the Con
gress to pay about one eighth of all the expences of
the United Colonies; a-d as a tax of is. 6d. in the
pound in the said province, neats about £25,000
we may fupp^fe, aa is. 6d. tax upon the United
Colonies, will yield just eight times as much, which
is £200,000 our currency or 533,333 dollars per an
num. L^y you are to consider, after all things
are candidly stated, whether the funis annually rail
ed on the one hand to protea ourselves, and the ab
fuiute gain in trade (over and above what we used
to make) on the other hand, do or do not render it
molt for our interest to separate from Britain.
On the part of those who contend for a Re-union,
they must (hew what are the advantages that result
from such a connexion ; what were the euttomary
expences of government in America, before the pre
sent rupture; what are the exclusive piivileges, we
derive from exporting goods to Great- Britain ; whe
ther there are a&s of Parliament in favour of the
Colonies, to the prejudice of other nations, and
which we reap the foie advantage of—and whether
thele are equivalent to any loss we may sustain, by
having our trade confined to them; whether our
trade is not limited to our great difad vantage; you
are to particularife the ports we may trade to, un
der the old regulations ; 2nd the different articles
of America, which we may carry directly to foreign
ports ; you must also (hew that the principal part of
the goods we import from England and Ireland,
could not be fuppried us upon as good terms, from
any other country, and that those nations, with
whom we might incline to trade, would not grant
us bounties upon navalfares, and sundry other ar
ticles, in the fame manner as England does, the
amount of which, annually paid to the Colonists,
you should sum up. You mult also (hew cause (if
yon van) why America ought not to takecredit to
herielt, for a I the taxes paid by the English manu
fa&urers, before they fend their goods to the Colo
nies 3 it being generally granted, that the consumer
ultimately pays all charges ; you mutt also (hew,
Whether tax< /on goods imported into America from
Holland, France, or Spain (where imposts are very
heavy) are or are not added to the colt of the said
goods, in the fame manner as we reckon them on
English goods. Also whether the long established
credit, our American Merchants have obtained in
England, in the interior part of the kingdom, with
the original manufacturers cannot be as well ac
cornphlhed in toe new countries we may go to; or
whether we muff take their goods, from merchants
at the federal out p^rts, with all the middle men's,
or intervening dealer's profit added to them ; and if
we should obtain ere lit at such places for twelve
months as in England, what will be the advance
which a Frenchman, a Dutchman, cr a Spaniard,
will choose to put on his goeds, as an equivalent,
for the rife which he will fuppote himfelf to run, by
trotting grangers. Whether it is not a general ef'-
tablilhed cuttom with all trading nations, to trust
foreigners, with whom they have no legal or politi
cal constitutional connexion, as freely as their own
fubje6ts in distant parts of the world ; if this is not
gen rally the case, you (hould thaw, why America
can't make treaties with such powers, in order to
obtain credit, either by pledging to them the efates
of the Communi, at large, to make good deficien-
P HILAD E LP I-I I A: Printed by JOHN DUNLAP, at the Newer? Printing-Office in Market-Street, where
Subscriptions at Ten Shillings per Annum, Advertisements, &c. arc that hilly received for this Paper.
cies, that might happen by individuals failing, cr
neglecting to pay such foreign debts, or by foch
other means as the American States might think
fit to offer. You (hould also (hew, whether the low
price„pf goods, for many years past, was owing to
the fmdinefs of the demand, or to the great quantity
brought to market, or to the reasonableness and
moderation of the importing merchants; and whe
ther it France, Spain and Holland, (hould refufe
to give credit, to every young merchant going oat
lor a cargo, wih a tolerable recommendation, as
the traders in England have been accustomed tado.
I lay, if this (hould be the case, and the importati
ons (hould fall wholly into the hrnds of afew rich
merchants, why might net some mode of reltri&ion
be entered into, for preventing the exorbitant ex
a&ions, they might be guilty of, to the great inju
ry of the consumers ? You mult also convince the
farmer, if he bought his goods as lew as formerly,
occasioned by a Re-union with Great- Britain, that
he would also have the fame advantages of flipping
off his produce, which he has been used to, with
out any reftri&ion being laid on our trade, that
might lower the price when he brought his crops to
market. You muttalfo point out, what advantage
it would be t© England to have tobacco, once more
exported to them; and whether this among other
considerations, would be any inducement for them
to offer us better terms. Some might pAlibly think
that, nationally freaking, the being deprived of an
expensive luxury, would he gather a g^'/z than a loss;
for though the tax on this article may be rated at
£.400,000 per annum, yet it is wholly paid by them
selves, as well as the neat cost of the tobacco. The
public funds would indeed be losers, but the peo
ple would be gainers, in a sum, just equal to the
neat amount paid to the American planter ; there
fore you must (hew ether reasons, why England
would give up any points, for the lake of reconcili
ation ; and before this point is fettled, you mull con
vince us, that the people of England, are not gain
ers by our with holding trade to the Weft-Indies ; for
as the large quantities of rum and sugar, which we
formerly imported from the islands, will now be
sent to England, the price to the cenfumer there will
be considerably abated; of course, the quantity
used by the lower clals of people, will be encreafed ;
and as those articles pay very high duties, the re
venue will be capitally enlarged; and it may be
supposed to have this further effect: the great tra&s
of ground hitherto occupied in England, for railing
grain, purely to dillW spirits, will in a great mea
sure be deprived of their object, by the plenty of
rum carried in from the Weft-Indies ; and as a to
tal stop is put to the exportation of tea, it may pro
bably fall so Isw in England, as, together with the
low price of sugar, to make it a very general diet,
morning and night, for the lower class of people ;
tVus drinking foreign spirit, and making part of
their meal of foreign produce, the land which was
before employed in those Cervices, may he spared for
raijing proviJions to foip to the Weft-Indies, where
they will be sure to come to a good market, as long
as we with-hold our trade thither ; —therefore, you
rauft (hew some substantial reason, for your opini
on, that it is the interest of England to wish our
trade with the Weft-Indies restored to its old state ;
for if England can now buy her sugar and rum
cheaper, and fell her grain higher than formerly,
why should flie wish to re-unite with us on this
score? A full reply to this suggestion, is expedited.
You mult also prove, that England, on a re-union,
would grant us such a proteaion as would secure
our property in any part of the world ; and that on
our complaining to their court, of seizures or de
tainer of our vessels, by the Ruffians, Normans,
Swedes, Danes, Hamburghers, Dutch, French,
Portuguese, Spaniards, the States cf Medina, Tus
cany, Venice, Rome, Geneva, Courland, Grecian,
Turkish, or Piratical States, &c. &c. that they
wo^ld demand instant fatisfa&icn and restitution
for us, as is usual with theirown Chips, and all this
without bringing us in for any (hare ot the expences.
Business of this kind took up a great deal ot the at
tention of the Commonwealth of England ; tbeirvef
fels being frequently detained and insulted, but by
the fpirittr conduct of the Protestor, justice wa> al
ways obtained : —it is therefore your part to (hew,
that, on a re-union, the King of Great-Britain
would take as ample care of the Americans, in such
cases, as Cromwell did of British property; or if a
re-unon (hould not take place, you are to point out
fufficient reasons, to juftify you in the supposition,
that America has not, or mav not, have a naval
power competent to the tail:, of doing herfelf jus
tice. You mutt also (hew, in case of a re-unicn,
that England would not call on us for a (hare ot
the expences attending a compact with Russia or
other European Princes, in order to keep up the
balan^a of the Protettant Power, against the Re
man Catholic States, thereby preventing popery
from over-running the world. And you mult ialt
ly (hew, that by a reconciliation on confitutional
principles, we fliall return to the free money-getting
trade we formerly enjoyed, and that we fliall have
it enlarged to us upon a grand national feale, with
out any regard to the private emolument of this or
that party; but upon principles of the general in
terest of the whole empire, without our paying any
taxes for the support of government, more tuan
what we have been used to (the debt arising from
the present dispute only excepted.) That tf'e nd
miniftration of justice, and security of property,
will be as upright and fafe as heretofore ; and that
the present happiness and future liber, cf America,
would be as well maintained in a re-union, a: by a
separation.
These are heads which I would wish to fee sepa
rately and largely difeuffed; and I entreat you,
gentlemen, to pursue the fubjeft with calmness and
temper. —Stick to the matter, and neglect the man ;
it imports not, who is the writer, but all are even
tually concerned in the cause.—l (hall read your
controversy with great attention, and so will thou
sands befideme ; and if, upon an impartial hearing,
it shall appear to be for the real interett of America,
to cut the Gordian Knot and establish Independence
—I declare, with the utmeft facerity and folemni,,
that I will give it my heart, concurrence.
Should curiefity (agreeable to the fafhion of the
times) tempt some readers to desire a knowledge of
the writer of this efTay, they may be informed that
his fortune, his connexions, and every thing he
holds dear, give him a deep interest in the happi
nefsof America ; that his abilities to lerve his coun
try, rife no higher than to occupy the Nation of an
honefl man and quiet citizen, ard molt happily for
him, he has never been prompted by ambition to
quit his post ; being (imply and truly
A Common Man.
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
S I R,
lAMI AM a man who has been educated in, or, ra
ther above the middle path of life, in a decent
and frugal way in the country, and agreeable to
one of the fundamental rules of ray education, 1
was taught in going among my acquaintance, to
pay special attention to the appearance of the
brown loaf, as it is called, or in other words, not
to burthen my acquaintance with my company,
after they had given me the least intimation of its
not being agreeable, which I had always paid ve
ry ftri<ft attention to, and as you know, Mr. Prin
ter, the impressions we receive in early life are not
very easily Shaken off, though they may be wrong
ones, which possibly may be my case in theabove
as well (as perhaps) some other parts of my edu
cation. And, Mr. Printer, as I am rather diffident
of myfelf, and in order to be the better informed,
or at least be confirmed in myjudgment, I am in
duced to apply to you and the public for some as
sistance in a very unhappy circamftance and di
lemma which at present surrounds me, which is
(imply this, I have had a long and friendly ac
quaintance with a certain man in your city, who
I very highly valued and esteemed, and if he was
not quite so much honoured by my acquaintance
as I was by his, yet there was a much greater ad
vantage derived to him than to myfelf, for he
was a very great dealer in merchandize, of whom
I used to buy a great deal, and at prices very evi
dently higher than many other persons would have
been greatly obliged to me for my custom. Be
sides all this, I used to make a point of recom
mending him all the custom within the circle of
my observation or influence, and I dare fay, Mr.
Printer, you will be at no loss to determine that
such acquaintance is very well worth cultivating on
mutual and reciprocal terms, and as I am a farmer,
I never received any other advantage from him,
than sometimes felling a quarter of veal, butter,
e &g s , ^ c * &c. when I went to market, mere espe
cially when he could get them for less than the
current price, and one egg in the groat more than
others fold for; nay, because I stuck for the full
price one day, or else 1 would try somebody else,
he began to take upon himfelf some little airs, and
threatened me that if I did not take his price I
should not fell it at all' I was half frightened to
death at this, and without considering the matter
well, and forfear I should have no market for
my produce, I went hastily into a compliance
with his demand, without firft examining on what
just rightand ground the demand was founded,
and have ever since, (for this was when I was
young and foolifh) carried him the greater part
of the produce of my farm, at his own price,
which has to be sure made a vaff difference in va
lue to what I could otherwise have got, if it had
not been for his unjust (as I call it) peftriaion,
which soon after he had obtained, he grew very
cool towards me, and gave me a very considerable
hint one day, that he did not lite to be so fami
liar with me. I was much grieved at this, for I
thought it was not worth my while to be acquaint
ed with any body else in the world, such was my
attachment to him, which he had sagacity enough
to difeover, and therefore endeavoured to impose
on me the more; and at length told me in plain
terms, that he would hold no longer any acquaint
ance with me on the usual terms, and that he
would have nothing more to fay to me, unless I
would give him a groat's worth of eggs and a
pound ofbutter every time I come to market.
Stung to the heart at this unreasonable demand,
and for Fear I should be excluded from all hu
man society in the world, I offered him the eggs
if he would give up the butter, which he refufed,
was very angry, and said his honour was at flake.
I could no longer bear such outrages on what I
looked on as my natural right, and was determined
to consult my family on this important fubjed,
who were equally concerned in the ultimate bad
consequences that threatened to ensue on a tame
compliance, and that I might reduce all my lons
and their children, to an equal if not encreafed
burthen and difficulty. They hesitated not a
moment to join me in an absolute refufal to com
ply. I then sent him a letter in which I fully and
justly stated the advantages which had derived to
him from our acquaintance, by my buying every
thing of him that I wanted, at higher prices than
others would fell me for, and the disadvantage I
had laboured under from the reftri&ion he had
laid on the sale of the produce of my farm; this
be received with great disgust, and treated it with
the utmost contempt and negle&, and loaded me
with many opprobrious epithets,—and immedi
ately sent some of his most stout and resolute ser
vants, to take both the butter and eggs from me
by force. I was so enraged at such violent outrage
and lawless attack upon humanity and my own
property, that I soon called my family to my as
sistance, and anoble union we had, and we soon
kicked one in the back-fide, broke another's head,
&c. &c. sent them packing home, at which he is
so enraged that he threatens to despise and correct
me too. —This is thefituation I am in, and as I
look on myfelf a man of spirit (though my foolifh
fondnefs and affection for him has induced me so
long to be imposed on) I will no longer lessen my
felf by trying to keep up an acquaintance with a
man who has given me so broad a hint to breakrit
off.—Nay, do you not think, Mr. Printer, that
all that knows me will look on me with the ut
most contempt if ever I speak to him again, or do
you not think amongst the large circle of man
kind which surround me, that I can very easily
form new acquaintance that will deal with me
more justly, and would it not be highly confident
with a man of honour and spirit to let him know,
without any more ceremony, that I look on him
^ am ungenerous a^d unjust man, a raonfter in
human shapes, a meer child of the Devil, and
that I am determined to break off my connexion
with hiFn for ever, and that I will rot speak to
him again, and that I will never buy any more at
his sh op, unlefsit is for my own advantage, or
that I can't get it better otherwise, and also that
I will not fell him any thing of the produce of
my farm, unless I can get as good or letter p^cr
than any body else will give. I am realiy appie
henfive that if! don't take this only lad Rep left
me, soon, that I (had be defui fed by every body,
and that 1 Ihall be reduced to such a contemptible
condition, that I Ihall not be able to get any ac
quaintance at all, and by all that is civil and sa
cred I will not febmir, unless by the assistance of
yours or some good advice, I can find some bet
ter reason than 1 am at present poffefTed of to in
duce me, for as Heaven is my judge, I had rather
rot live at all, than be fubjeded to such an abjed
condition, for how do I know but next, he will
a& for my bread and cheese and all my wheat. He
has indeed lately shewn some fuperficial appearan
ces of an inclination to renew his former acquaint
ance with me, that I was once very well (though
I now think foolifhly) fatisfied with, yet he speaks
with much anger and fondnefs, and won't be:ex
plicit with me. He lately sent one of his most
artful and cunning servants to me, under a ffiew of
making up with me, but what do you think, Mr.
Printer, he firft tried to let my own fervaff'
against me, to cut my throat, which finding he
could not accomplish, though he offered to pardon
them for having joined me in beating his master's
ruffians sent againftme, then he applied to me
and offered to restore me to the condition I was
in after he had refttiaed the sale of my produce,
&c. I beg, Mr. Printer, to know whether you
don't think it would be the highest folly, nay,
even roadnefs to trust him again, after having had
such dire proofs of him. As to his honour (as
he calls it) God knows what he means by that,
unless a man can acquire honour by difhonouring
himfelf, and then spoil his honour by not persist
ing in it.
I am, Mr. Printer,
Your afflicted and oppressed
Humble Servant,
TIMOTHY STRUGGLER.
Bucks County, March
2 5^> '776.
000$4--<*++4*+++-^$
PHILADELPHIA.
ON Wednesday, March 27, the remains ofthe
Honorable SAMUEL WARD, Efq
one of the Delegates from the Colony of Rhode-If
land, were attended to the grave with great so
lemnity and refpeft. The procession began at
4 0 clock, P. M. in the following order
The Clergy of the City of all Denominations.
The Body.
The Pall was supported by the following Gen
tlemen, °
Col. Roberdean, Col. Read,
Major Bayard, Major Co^
David Rittenhoufe, Esq; Mr. Jon. B, Smith.
Ihe Honorable Continental Congress
Chief Mourners:
The General Assembly of the Province of
Pennsylvania.
Mayor and Corporation of the City of Phi
ladelphia.
Committee of Safety.
Committee of Infection of the City and Li
berties of Philadelphia.
Pbyficians.
The friends and acquaintance of the deeeafed,
With many other reliable inhabitants of
the City.
The body was carried to the Prefer erian Church
in Arch street; where a sermon fwitable to the cc
cafion was delivered by the Rev. Samuel Stillman,
from 1. Cor. xv. 26. The left gnerny that
be defrayed, is L)eatn. —-From thence it was con
veyed, attended asabove, to the Baptist Church,
in which it was deposited, there to remain till the
refurredion ofthe just.
This Gentleman was a defendant of one of the
most antient and honourable families of the colo
ny of Rhode Bland. So highly was he esteemed
by his countrymen, that they conferred on him
their greatest honors. Repeatedly was he chosen
to serve as a Representative in General Assembly
—he was appointed to the office of Chief Judge
of the Supreme Court, and at length was ek&ed
Governor ofthe Colony. And when a Continent
al Congress became necessary, he was appointed
one of the Delegates. A striking proof this, of
the esteem ofhis fellow citizens, feeing every thing
dear to America was at flake. All'thefe public
flations he filled with dignity.
He possessed a good understanding, which had
been improved by education.—He was a real Pa
triot, a steady friend to the liberties ofhis country,
a sensible, pleasant, profitable companion, a sincere
Christian, a hearty friend to divine revelation,
fond of promoting religion and learning.—As a
father, he was provident and affe&ionate/aud care
fully enforced the most ufeful precepts by his own
amiable example— To bis servants he was kind ;
knowing he bad a matter in Heaven.
In his last fatal sickness he enjoyed a tranquil
mind, having built bis hope of acceptance h
God, on the merits of Jesus Christ: and o. the
26th of March, about 2 o'clock in the morning,
he submitted to the King of Terrors, in the s zd
year of his age.
Mark the perfeß Man, and bebo'd the uprift:
for the end of that man is peace Pfa. ^T y,.
N. B. The above should have been publiffcd
before, but was omitted thro' accident.
Tile officers and privates cfthe several
companies of Associators which form rhe rifb
battalion, are hereby requeued to meet at Car.
penters-Hall, in this city, on Monday the Bth
of April, to choose, by ballot, their field officers.
7 hey are defied to meet precisely ar two o'clock
in the afternoon, at which time the elefliun wiU
be opened.