The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-08-24 00:00:00, page 2

firings which are most eftential to our independance; ana
as for those necessary or convenient articles, the manufac
tory of which would interfere with our agricultu e, France
is able to supply us with them at a cheaper rate than we
were obliged formerly to import them from Great-Britain;
and what the cannot supply herfelf, she has enabled us to
procure elsewhere, by opening to us all the ports upon
the furface of the globe.
There was a time when we were told as a reason for
cu tivat ng a union with Great-Britain, that h r navy
would protest us a^ainf! the whole world. But how is
the mighty fallen I Britain no longer triumphs as mistress
of the ocean. By her rupture with America, (he has loft
those resources for her navy which conducted her with so
much glory thro' the late war. Fran.e has. (hewn herfelf
in one instance equal, and in another superior to the once
invincible navy of England. What may we not expeft in
the course of a few years, when the retreat or deftrußion
of the British army on our coasts, shall give us an oppor
tunity of putting forth o^r flrehg that fea,and uniting it.with
the prefect formidable navy of France? Let tyrants trem
ble at the profpeft of ti e union of our flags; and let the
nations of the earth rejoice in the repose they shall enjoy
when France and America Ihall hold the balance of power
on the ocean.
It has been remarked by civilians, that those alliances
are always the most beneficial and durable which are form
ed between nations as unlike to each other as possible in
religion, laws and (banners. It is by means of this con
trariety and even opposition in the above articles, that a
people ,acquire a national character 'The religious preju
dices in which we have been educated, and our predilec
tion to republican forms of government or limited mo
narchy, secure us for ever from acquiring a fondnefs for
the religion or absolute monarchy of France. Sweden
has preserved her proteftaritifm, and the cantons of Swiffer
land their liberties, in a long and intimate union with
France. An alliance with Great Britain by co-operating
with our an dent habits, would soon h^ve introduced among
Ms the secular power bl her ChVrcb, and the splendor of her
royal and arlTibcratical government. Her manners too, to
which time and our former conneaion with her had in
fomd measure reconciled us, would soon have been adopted
by us, and we th mid in a little while have learned to eat
and drtnk, and swear and quarrel like Englishmen, The
sameness of language which has been weakly urged as a
reason for an alli mce with Britain, would have served on
ly to facilitate the progress of her moral and political vices
among us.
Who knows to what extremities an alliance with Bri
tain might lead this country ? It would, besides corrupting
our ideas @f government and our manners, have opened
every senate and council-chamber on the continent to the
influence of British gold. Great-Britain can Rever love
us as allies. Our independance will be the sassing monu
ment of her folly and wickedness. She can never brook
to address us as United States. An alliance with her would
enable a mmifter, properly intruded in Britilh arts of
corruption, to reduce the once glorious and independant
States of America.in twenty years, to the degrading fla
tion of Britilh colonies and plantations. Whose foul is
not touched to the quick at the apprehension of such a ca
iamity ? Shall our pati iots toil ? Shall our heroes bleed for
nothing? Shall Heaven work miracles for us in vain ?—
Yes. All the blood that has been shed, all the treasure
that has been expended, and all the deliverances we have
experienced, would be loft for ever to us, and to our pofle
rity in analhance with Great-Britain; for I believe it im
possible, under our prefentcir cumfiances, to form such a
conneaion with her as would not destroy our independ
ance, and reduce us once more to be hewers of wood, and
drawers of water to the weavers and porters of Great-
Britath.
Liberty was firft courted in America under the shape of
a conftnutional union with Great-Britain. When she re
futed to be wooed in that form, we addressed her in the
Ihape of independence ; but the coy maid refufed to give
us iier hand, until the ook fanduary in the French Lili
an e. Here file delights to unveil all her charms to her
faithful votaries. It is importable, therefore, to be a friend
to liberty, without being a riend to ®ur alliance with
France, This is the touchstone of whiggifm A Tory,
and an advocate for an alliance with England, are now one
and the fame thing.
Friends and fellow citizens, be net deceived. There is
often more danger in mating a port, than in a long and
tempeftuoUs voyage. Great Britain has been taught at
last, that neither the force of her arms, nor the arts of the
Tories, are fufficient for the purpose of enslaving America.
All her hopes, therefore, are centered in the° ignorance,
i&lifcretion, and treachery of the Whigs. As fhs once
employed a certain dais of Torres in exalting the praises
of constitutional liberty, (as they were pleased to call it)
at the expense of independance ; so file now employs, if
is to be feared, a certain elafs of Whigs in extolling the
advantages of our independence, at the expence of the
French alliance. Let us beware of such men. Our liber
ties, our independance, and our treaties with France, muff
all stand or fall together An enemy to the French alli
ance,. therefore, is as much a traitor to the true interests of
Am&lca, as the men who deserted our cause, and joined
the Britilh army upon the 4th of July, 17,6.
To the ties of interest I might add here the more sacred
ties of honor and gratitude, to induce us to prefer an al
liance witli France so an alliance with Great-Britain.
Who supported our drooping spirits in the gloomy winter
of 1776? It was the Coutt of France. Who firft acknow
ledged our independance, and entered into a most equal
and honorable treaty with us? The Court of France.
Who supplied us with arms, ammunition, and eloathing
for our army ? The Court of France. Who compelled our
enemies to evacuate the metropolis of the continent ? Who
drew off the principal part of the enemy's Ihips from our
coasts, and transferred the feat of the war from America
to the Weft Indies ? Who has defeated Admiral Byron,
and subdued near one half of the Britilh Ifiands in the
Weft-India ocean? in a word; Who has filled our har
bours with Ihips, and our warehouses with merchandize?
Who has given liability to liberty, property, and life in
America ? I answer, the fleets and armies of France. It
is impossible for one nation to have stronger ties upon the
gratitude of another, than France has upon ours. To be
unjust to our engagements with her, therefore, would re
duce us to the lowest degree of infamy ; and render the
name of an American as base as the prefect war will make
MR. LEE was " dragged into the treaty with the
utmost rriudance," fays S. Deane. I flfall make
it appear that, from the moment the treaty was taken up
by the French Court, Mr Lee was anxious for its conclu
sion, rejoiced in theevent and expressed most sanguine ex
pedations from it. The success at Saratoga reached France
December 4, .777. On the 18th the Commiffioutrs „fa#/g
with equal warmth of expression communicated to Con
gress the assurance of a speedy alliance. On the 19th Mr,
Lee writes to his brotber Richard Henry: “ Our joint
dispatches will inform you how near weare to a conclusion
of what must fettle the question between Great-Britain
and the United States forever. I fee no reason, to doubt
the good faith of what they promise here and much to ad
mire the fubfiantial <ui,hm of it :" On February 5, 1778,
to the fame. “ The delay of our dispatches enables me to
add this to my former, and to assure you that the business
has gone on with all possible dispatch, and that in all hu
man probability my next will inform you ofits happy con
ciufion." On the 9th, to his brother Francis: " I con
gratulate you, quith all my heart, on the treaties which
Cpngrefs will receive by the frigate that brings this" On
the 17th, to the Hon. S. Adams : “ Letineembrace you,
my dear friend, on the accomplifliment of all our labors
by the treaties which will accompany this, in which the
Liberty, Sovereignty, and Independence of the United
States are secured. I thought it absolutely necessary that
we Ihould urge the insertion of Sovereignty, that there
might not hereafter be any question on that head, as there
long was in the case of the United Provinces and tiie Swiss
Cantons." On the 28th, to the Chairman of the Commit
tee of Foreign Affairs : " Our general dispatches will con
vey to you the bills as they are now passing in the Parlia
ment of Great-Britain, for appointing Comro ffioners to
negweiate with their deluded fubjefts gnd declaring in what
manner they will be graroufy pleased in future to exercise
the right of taxing us. It would not be doing justice to
their bills to attempt any comment upon them. They
speak for themfilves and loudly too. But the Ministry of
England give out that they have dispatched half a million
of Guineas to pave the way to a favorable reception of their
propositions And I know from the best authority here that
they have assured Count M of their being sure of a ma,^
jortty in Congtefs. By such base arts do they endeavor to
cover their nakedness, and fuflain their desperate cause.
France has done ns fubflantial benefits—Great Britain fub
fiantial injuries. France offers to guarantee our Sovereign
ty and universal freedom of commerce—Grea -Britain con
descends to accept cur submission and monopolize our trade.
France demands of us to be independent—Great Britain
tributary. I do not comprehend how there can be a mind
so debased or an underflanding so perverted as even to ba
lance between them." On March ift, to the fame: " 1
was in hopes to-day's post would have brought us news
from England, and theaas for negociating with you. If
we may judge of them from the bills, they will be an ever
lasting proof of the feeblenefs and folly of our enemies. I
trust their Commissioners will return as they came, unless
they have power and do acknowledge clearly and fully the
Sovereignty and Independence of America as an in^ifpen
fible preliminary." On the 19th, to the Hon. Henry
Laurens, P. S. " To-morrow we are to be presented to
the King of France ; and the Englifli Ambassador quits
this Court without taking leave. War must immediately
be the consequence, as these movements have been deter
mined upon from the treaty of amity and commerce,
which we have concluded with this Court, having been
announced in form to that of London. The consequence
of this in relieving our country from the chief weight of
the war cannot but follow, and I congratulate you upon
it most sincerely." On Apri^th, to the fame: " I trust
he (Mons. Gerard) will conduct his negociation agreeable
to what appears to me to be the disposition of the Court
and Ministers here—fairnefs and generosity." I retrain
myfelf from adding extracts of what Mr. Lee has written
to Governor Henry and others, tending to illustrate the
point of his sanguine expectations of the consequences of
khe alliance with France ; having proved that he wished
the name of a Briton throughout every corner of the
world, and to the end of time.
Has Britain injured and ofireffed us in the manner that
has been described ? Let us cultivate the French alliance,
and by means of it co operate with the God of justice in
punching her for her wickedness. Are liberty and inde
pendance dearer to us than life itfelf? Do we wish to esta
blish a national character, unlike in every refpe& to mo +
dem Englishmen ? Do we wish to preserve and transmit to
posterity. our republican forms of government, and our
pure and simple modes of worship? Do we wilh to im
prove in fcieoce, and in all the arts of polilhed life ? Do
we wish for commerce and friendfhip witli the whole world,
Great-Britain excepted? Do we wish to deserve a charac
ter for honor, gratitude and integrity ? And above all,
Do we wilh to kindle in the Old World the sparks of free
dom, and to spread knowledge, virtue, and happinris fr®m
pole to pole? Let us, to obtain tkefe great objects, cul
tivate the French alliance They are all pro
mised or secured to us by our union with France. I.et us,
therefore, cherish this union. Let us forget that ever we
were enemies. Let us honour the illustrious Prince, to
whole wisdom and magnanimity we are so much indebted ;
and let us love and esteem the whole nation, who are now
chearfully lavilhing their blood and treasure only to secure
to us our libert and independance. 0 ! glorious alliance!
The 6th of February 1778, was a day memorable through
out the universe. Humanity every where depressed and
insulted, Ihed tears of joy when she heard that the treaty
was signed between France and the United States. It was
a dky men or ble in Heaven itfelf. The holy martyrs,
who have fallen in defence of our liberties, then law, for
the firft time, that they had not died in vain. The East.
India feapoy, the Weft-India carib, and the African ne
gro, who had been deprived ®f life by the lull of wealth
and dominion of Great-Britain, rejoiced to fee an end
put to her depredations upon human nature by the union
of France with America. May that Divine Being,
who united the force of these two nations, continue to pre
serve it under the direction of justice! May the throne of
France never want a Lewis the XVlth ! And may the
Members of the American Congress ever remember
that liberty —not glory, and that right —not conquest,
Ihould be their only objects in all their negotiations.
LEON IDA S.
Mr. DUNLA P,
for it and rejoiced at its completion, no one can doubt
concerning the true grounds of that wilh and that joy.
It is proper here to notice the insinuations respecting an
improper connection between Dr. Lee and Dr. B^rken
hout. The ideas of the former as to ah accomodation with
Britain being a good appendix to the anecdotes of his Strong
attachment to our prefect allies. DoHor Lee not only
communicated to his colleaguesa part, as Mr Deane fays,
but all of the correspondence alluded to, which concerned
them jointly: He went further: He laid it before the
French Ministry, and his answer was made by their una
nimous consent. Very unlike this, was Mr Deane's '>t>
duct in two cases, which may be hereafter mentioned. Not
was Berkenhout's correspondence with Mr. Lee broken
off by “ Howe's fuccefs,' 'but becaafe the English Ministry
underflood there was a difference between Dr. Franklin
and Mr. Lee, which rendered it useless to treat with them.
This report had been propagated industriously both in
France and England, during Mr. Lee's abs net at Berlin,
indubitably by the man and the tools of the man who
thought himfelf "saddled" with a colleague of flri9 ho
nor and just ceconomy. Mr. Deane tells, that Berken
hout said after his release fcom prison here, “ thathe had
letters to the Hon R. H Lee, Efa ; from the Hon. Ar
thur Lee, Esq ;" This falfehood may, possibly, have ori
ginated with Berkenhout. Mr. Lee not only did not write
a line by Berkenhout to his brother or any other person
in America ; but neither he por Mr. Templeever apprized
Dr. Lee of their intentions of going. He was informed of
it by others, just about the time of their failing, and had
some correspondence concerning it. A good American
Whig, now in France, and the author of some late inter
refting notice to Congress, wrote to Dr Lee from Lon
don, May Ift, 1778 : 'I hope yen are Satisfied about
Temple and Berkenhout : the doubts are great here. If
you think they are right, let me know, that I m^y fhtisfy
myfelf and others." To which an answer was given,
May iith. 'T. and Dr B never apprized me of their
going. I thought well of their intentions in general, but:
this adventure gives no proof of the feuodnefs of their
judgment. I am of opinion they will not be Suffered to
land, without taking the oath of allegiance; and it Seems
to me that their errant is Somewhat dangerous on their
p rt, and very foolifr on that of their employers " This
shews what he thought ought to hav been the confidence
of their coming. It Seems one of the men is yet in employ..-
For Dr. Lee writes, January sth, 1779: “ The icclofecl
copy is of a letter from Dr. Berkenhout, by which Coa
grefs will fee how much our enemies arediftreffed, and yet
how inveterate they are in their persuasion. that because
every thing is venal among themselves, therefore it muff
be so among us. It looks like a visitation upon the King
ofEoJind and his advisers, that experience never mak^s
them wife. They fee and havefeen, or rather fee! the ue
ceffity of making peace. They have tried all undue means,
in vain, and yet they Rill persist in dishonoring and dis
gracing themfeives by a repetition of ineffectual attempts;
and neglect the only obvious means, pointed our to them
by Congress, for obtaining upon honorable terms the pa
cification for whivh they will shortly be obliged to sue melt
humbly.
X^majday 7g.
Once more (as Ranger fays) Safe to the temple I I hate
all your bloody-minded rogues on both sides the question.
Peace, everlafling peace, ismy hobby horse, and my pride
illam coluiffe astern qna bumanum genu: conforoare
docet. I dreamt last night, that yon and I met somewhere
on the Continent of Europe: Whether it was at Paris,
at Spa, at Bruxels, or at Aix la Chapel, I am not certain.
I thought I had ten thousand things to Communicate ; that
we entered deeply into several important difqiuifitions ;
that every obstacle vanished before us; that we restored
the jarring world to harmony, and that em laments and
honors wre the rewards of our labour. If you have had
any dream of this fort, tell me so, and I will meet thee at
Philipi, be that where it may.
These are times, my friend, when much may be expell
ed, because much may be done. Do not treat this matter
lightly. Tell me only that I'may come with fafety, that
you wish to fee me, and that notwith flanding all you may
have heard, you believe me when I swear by our ancient
friendfllip that 1 am
SEMPER EADEM.
Mr. I ee, as before, communicated his intended reply to
his colleagues and to the Ministry. His letters to and from
Mr. De Vergennes, do him much honor, as well as the
following answer sent to London :
Paris, January 7th, 1779.
Your favor of the 25th did not reach me so soon as by
the date it Ihould have done/ I congratulate the ladies
very sincerely on your fafe return from an expedition, the
fruitleffnefs of which I could ealily have foretold My
waking opinion is that a meeting any where will be equal
ly fruitlefs on any other plan than that marked outby Con.
grefs ; that without the concurrence of our allies, no con
ference will be held or treaty made; that you will come
with fafety and effed, ifarmed with adequate powers, to
acknowledge the Sovereignty of the United States, and
are content with terms consistent with the most perfect good
faith to our allies. f
On these conditions our jarring worlds may harmonize
again; and I am persuaded that delay will only add to
these demands, and render the blessed work of peace more
difficult. However we may lament the calamities of war,
we are determined it shall not end, but 111 permanent peace
and fafety.
You have always known nr to be finrere, and you may
be most assured, that I never was more so than at present.
Adieu.
1 fear I bavealready engrossed more than the portion
you promised me of your paper.
'ROWLAND.
WHEREAS the fubferiber, who came into this
country about the year 1768 with her parents,
John and Ann Rudy, and was bound to Mess. Baldwin
and Ross, not having heard from her said parents since,
begs them if they are yet living to enquire for her of
the Printer hereof.
ANN RUDY,