The American gazette, or, the Constitutional journal — Salem, Mass., 1776-06-18 00:00:00, page 2

ftruments of hit hostile oppression,, to rob us of
our property, to burn our houses, an! to fpili
our blood.-.-He has invited every barbarous ma
tion, whom he could hope to influence, to affill
him in prosecuting these inhuman purposes.
The prince therefore, in the support of whole
Crown and dignity, not many years since, we
would most cheerfully have expended life and
fortune, we are now constrained to confider as
the worst of tyrants ;—loyalty to him is now trea
son to our country.---We have seen bis venal par
liament so basely prostituted to his defign# that
they have never hesitated to enforce his arbitrary
Fequifitions with the most sanguinary laws.---We
have seen the people of Great Britain so loft to
every sense of virtue and honor, as to pass over
the most pathetic and earnest appeals to their juf
tice with an unfeeling indifference.---The hopes
ve placed on their exertions, have long since
failed---In Short, we are convinced, that it is the
fixed and fettled determination of the king, mi
miltry, and parliamentof that island, to conquer and
subjugate the colonies, and that the people there
have no disposition to oppose them.—A reconci
liation with them appears to us to be as danger
ous, as it is absurd.—A spirit of refen,tment once
raised, it is not easy to appease : The recollection
of past injuries will perpetually keep alive the
flame of jealousy which will Stimulate to new im
positions on the one fide, and consequent refinance
on the other ; and the whole body politic will be
Conftanly fubjed to civil commotions.—We
therefore think it absolutely impracticable for these
colonies to be ever again fubjed to, or dependent
upon Great-Britain, without endangering the
very exilUnce of the state : Placing, however,
unbounded confidence in the supreme councils of
the CONGRESS, we are determined to
wait, most patiently to wait, until their wisdom
Shall dictate the necessity of making a De
claration of Independence.—Nor Should
we have ventured to express our Sentiments upon
this fubjeft but from the presumption, that the
Congress would chufe to feel themselves support
ed by the people of each colony, before they
adopt a resolution so interesting to the whole.
The inhabitants of this town, therefore, unani
mously inftruft and Hired you, That at the ap
proaching Session of the General Assembly, you
life your endeavors, that the Delegates of this
Colony, at the Congress, be advised, that in
case the Congreft Should think it necessary, for
the fafety of the United Colonies to declare them
independent of Great-Britain, the inhabitants of
this Colony, with their lives and the remnant of
their fortunes, will most cheerfully support them
in the measure.
Touching the internal -police of this Colony,
fit is essentially necessary, in order to preserve har
mony among ourselves, that the conllilueut body
be fatisfied that they are fairly and fully repre
sented.—The right to legislate is originally in
every member of the community ; which right
is always exercised in the infancy of a state : But
when the inhabitants are become numerous, it is
not only inconvenient, but impracticable for all
to meet in one assembly ; and hence arose the ne
cessity and practice of legislating by afeve freely
chosen by the many. When this choice is free,
and the reprefentatiqn equal, it is the people's
fault if they are not happy ; We therefore in
ftrud you to devise some means to obtain an equal
Representation of the people of this Colony in the
Legislators :—But care Should be taken that the
assembly be not unweildy ; for this would be an
approach to the evil meant to be cured by Repre
sentation. The largest bodies of men do not
always dispatch business with the greatest expe
dition, nor conduct it in the wisest manner.
It is elienial to Liberty, that the legislative,
judicial, and executive powers of government be,
as nearly as possible, independent of, and Sepa
rate from each other ; for where they are united
in the fame persons, or number of persons, there
would be wanting that mutual check which is
the principal security against the making of arbi
trary laws, and a wanton exercise of power in the
execution of them.—lt is also of the highift im
portance, that every person in a judiciary depart
^ent employ the greatest part of his time and
attention in the duties of his office : We there
fore further inftrud you, to procure the enabling
fcch law or laws, as Shall make it incompatible
for the fame person to hold a feat in the legisla
tive and executive departments of government
at one and the fame time : That Shall render the
Judges in every judicatory through the Colony,
dependent on the uncertain tenure of caprice or
pleasure, but on an unimpeachable deportment
in the important duties of their Ration, for their
continuance in office : And co prevent the mul—
tiplicity of offices in the fame person, that such
Salaries be fettled upon them as will place them
hove the necessity of flooding to any indirect or
2
T^ AMERICAN GAZETTE, ec. FOR 1776.
Extract of a Letter from Virginia, dated Suffolk,
May 24, 1776.
“ About 3,000 men and upwards have land
ed at Cape-Fear, and 15,000 are on their march
0 oppose them. The British troops can make
no impression on our coast. The river St. Law
rence ought to be particularly attended to—that
is the principal inlet, and the Capes of Virginia
the next; every other port is ffiut against them.
They cannot make any considerable impression
in Carolina—the malecontents being dispersed,
all their measures are difeoncerted there."
collateral means for fubfiftance : We with to avoid
a profufion of the public monies on the Or
hand, and the danger of faertfeing our liberties to
a spirit ofparfimon, on the other. Not doubt
ing °' y° ur zea l and abilities in the common
cause of our country, we leave your diffration to
prompt such exertions in promoting any mili
tary operations, as the exigencies of our public
affairs may require : And in the fame confidence
in your fervor and attachment to the public
weal, we readily submit all other matters of pub
lie moment that may require your consideration,
to your own wisdom and discretion.
Extract of a Letter from Wilmington, North
Carolina. April 29, 1776.
" By two men, who arrived here last night,
after making their escape from the men of war
below, I find there are a number of prizes to the
amount of 30 fail. They fay five transports arri
ved a few d ys past from Cork, being part of a
fleet of 40 fail, viz. 30 traafports, 1 0 fore Ships,
one 50 gun Ship, 2 frigates 2 bombe, w^h9
regiments on board, destined for this pi + .ch
arg expected to land when the whole fl
This is generally believed here, as the of were
seen off on Monday by the pilots. The militia,
who have been but a few days discharged, are
coming in fall, and who with the continental for
ces already here, will be able to make a good
Rand."
By Capt. Ferry, from St. Euftatia, we have a
St. Kites paper, from which we have taken the
following addrefe.
June 5. We hear that there has been a ftir
milh between a regiment of regulars that lay at
Niagara last winter, in their way to Canada, and
a party of our people, the particulars of which
we have not been able to learn.
St. J AM E S's, March 22, 1776.
This day the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Seve
ral of the Aldermen, the Sheriff, and some o :
the Common Council of the city of London,
waited upon his Maj<fty, (being introduced by
the Earl of Hertford, Loid Chamberlain of hi<
Majesty's houftcid) with the following addref
and Petition, which was read by the Recorder.
To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY.
The humble Address and Petition of the Lore
Mayor, Alderman, and Commons of the City
of London, in Common Council assembled.
Most Gracious Sovereign,
IT7 E the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com-
VV mon Council of the City of London, in
Common Council assembled, beg leave to ap
proach your throne, and to intreat your Majesty's
Royri attention, whiift with the humility of du
tiful fubjefts, we lay before your Majesty, what
at present most immediately afters <is in the spirit
.nd tendency of the public measures now depend
ing ; and the anxiety we feelrt the naked and ex
posed state, in which this country will be left, by
draining it of the national troops, as well as of
he danger and disgrace attending the late treaties
for foreign mercenaries, whole latitude is such,
as to provide the means of introducing a foreign
army even into this realm.
We cannot, Sir, without horror, look forward
to that dismemberment of the empire, that in
crease of the national debt, and of burthenfome
taxes, that loss cf our most valuable resources,
those distresses of our merchants and manufacturers,
those deficiencies of the revenue, that effufion of
the blood of our countrymen and brethren, that
failure of public credit, and those dreadful cala
mities and convulsions which must follow a civil
war so begun and pursued, whole extent no wis
dom can forefee. We humbly conceive, that no
people can be bound to farrender their rights and
liberties as a return for ptoteaion. The colonies
have fought our battles with us, and in the last
war they so far exceeded their Abilities, that this
nation thought it just and necessary to make them
an annual compensation, and even now, driven
to open hostilities in their own defence, they are
wilting, (their charters being inviolably Secured)
to continue to us all those advantages of a regu
lar and exclusive commerce, to which we have
long owed our opulence and piofperity. And we°
PHILADELPHIA, June 3.
have every aTurance, which men in their £ ^a
n car fafely give, that if aiked as freemen,
they are willing to go further, and to ar J the
exhausted state of the revenue of this count;, fetch
reafunable voluntary aid as their abilities will per
mit, provided that their contributions are unali
enably applied to relieve that distress, which is
rhe only faith and police foundation of requiring
ih°m, and that neither their aids, nor our own
finking funds Shall be any longer perverted from
a public benefit, and misapplied to the purg„
of corruption, inftcad of redeeming the de'C?
the nation, according to the firft wife and just &
dilution.
Indulge but, most gracious Sovereign, the hu
manity and dignity of your own royal dispositi
on, and our prayers will be granted. We im
plore the extension of your Majefty' sjuftice and
mercy towards that continent, which when arbi
ter of the terms of peace it was your Majesty's
c^n determination to perfer to every other com
penfition, for all the expences of the last war.
We humbly and earnestly beseech your Majes
ty, that the most Solemn, clear, diftind and un
ambiguous fpecification of those just and honor
bit terms, which your Majesty, with both Hcu-
Gi c P lament, mere to grant to the colonies,
may proceed the dreadful operations of your ar
mament. Evety colour and suspicion of injustice
and oppression will then be removed from the
proceedings of the mother country ; and, if those
just and honorable terms are not submitted to,
your Majesty will undoubtedly be enabled to meet
what will then be rebellion, with the zealous
hearts and hands of a determined, loyal and uni
ted people.
To which his Majesty was pleased to return ths
following Answer :
y Deplore nvith the deepest concern the miseries which
a great part of my fubjeas in Norths Americas
have brought upon themselves by an unjufifiable re
finance to the constitutional authority of this king,
dom ; and Ifoall be read, and happy to alleviate those
miseries, by acts of mere, and clemency, whenever
that authority is eflablifted and the now exifttxg re
bellion is at an end. To obtain these salutary pur
poses I will invariably purfa the most pro,er and
effeaual means,
N E W-Y O R K, June S.
INTELLIGENCE from CANADA.
By Capt. Smith, of the Rife Battalion and Lieuts.
Simpson and Crafts, arrived here from Canada,
we have the following important Advi
ces, viz.
" Col. Beadle, with 200 Men, was attacked
at the Cedars, in his Way from Montreal, and the
&hole Party, except the Colonel and 18 others,
killed or taken Prisoners. A D tachment was
immediately ordered from Colonel Patterfon'a
Regiment, under the Command of Major Sher
ourne, which was also attacked, and cither killed
or taken to a Man. General Arnold was imme
diately dispatched to oppo e the Enemy, with 180
Men, and having entrenched within 7 Miles of
them, with two Field-Pieces, he was reinforced
to the Number of 1500 ; an Engagement ensued,
and the whole Body of the Enemy, confiding of
Part of the Sth Regiment, which had been Ration
ed at or near Lake-Erie, Canadians and Indians,
amounting to about 700 Men, were killed or ta
ken Prisoners, and our own People that they had
taken, released ; of whom we are told, by one of
the Gentlemen that brought the Intelligence, that
there had been about 12 or 14 killed."
Copy cf a Letter, just received from Philadelphia.
dated June 6, 1776.
“ Yesterday arrived Capt. Bingley from Coro
coa, at which Place they were in great Want of
Provifiona ; he has brought dry Goods.
" The Privateers, Congress, Capt. M'Elor, and
Chance, Capt. Allen, who were fitted out here a
few Weeks ago, are arrived at, Egg-Harbor ; they
have taken three Ships from Jamaica, bound to
England ; the Ships were ordered for New-Eng
land, being afraid to venture our capes, viz Ships
lady Juliana, Juno and Reynolds, having on
board the following valuable articles, yiz.
22420 Dollars; 187 pounds weight of plate ;
1052 hogsheads, of Sugar ; 213 puncheons of
rum ; 70 pipes of Madeira wine ; 246 bags of
piemento ; 396 bags of ginger ; 568 nides ; 25
tons of cocoa, 41 ditto of fuftick: 1 calk of
turtle-ihell, and two large turtles, designed for
Lord North.
“ The cash the privateers took on board, is all
fafely landed here ; this morning ten of the hands
entered on board the privateers."
The Mercury man of war, and an armed sloop,
failed for Halifax, from Sandy Hook, last Friday,
having five vessels under convoy.
There now remain# at the Hook 7 (hips and
some final! vessels.
J CT ^