The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-03-18 00:00:00, page 2

To deceive anJ alarm the people of America by a mif
reprefearation of faffs, to en.reafe and confirm in their
minds those prejudices against our friends and allies,
which had ariLn from education and a long connexion
with Britain, is not ;he part of a friend; nor ougatthey
to be trusted who, longing after the flefh pots of Egypt,
show a disposition injurious to the honor and intereß of
these United States, inasmuch as it is unfavorable towards
a action to whole generous exertions we are indebted for
those advantages we have gained over our enemies.
When America firft refilled the power of Britain, the
had neither friends abroad nor the means of defending her
felf at home. When the Declaration of Independency is
sued forth, she was like a ship on the ocean, dedicate
of fails and rudder, whose fafety depended on the expe
dients of her navigators—the offspring of necessity. Then
it was that we courted the fav®r and assistance of France ;
and, with acknowledgments bordering upon folly, received
the supplies of her meanest adventurers. Sensible of the
weakness of'our date, we thought nothing was so essential
to our fafety and happiuefs, as the countenance and pro
teiftion of that nation But the hath no footer stretched
out her hand to fav. us, than we have begun to give her
proofs of our perfidious disposition.
Ton account which Governor Johnßone hath given of
the filiation of our affairs, is not entirely without founda
tion. There is too much reason to conclude, from a va
riety of circumflances, that he hath fufficient grounds for
his assertions ; and it behoves every true friend to the liber
ty and altered of America, at this critical period, to ex
amine narrowly into the conduftof those in whom even
the greatest confidence is placed. Mn who were enemies
to the ciufe of Independency in the beginning of the con
test, openly opposed the measures that were taken in sup
port of it, until retrained by laws that rendered their
fafety precarious ; and, although it frequently happens
that such men will chnge their profeffons, and go with
the tide of popularity it seldom happens that they forsake
their opinions.—Ye shall know them by their fruits On
the other hand, patriotism is a virtue waich few men pos
sess , and a real patriot, of diftinguilhed abilities to serve
his country, is a jewel of ineflimable value. But the
views of patriots, in the common acceptation of the word,
are, like those of priests, direded towards themselves ;
and t,ey generally make the fame rife of that implicit
confidence which is reposed in them by the people.
I rejoice that America resisted; not because f disliked
her rulers, but that the liberty and happiness of her peo
ple might be established on a solid basis. It is not likely,
therefore, that I shall change the obj°& of my firftpur
fuit, to accommodate those whose friendfhip I esteem, or
to promote their aggrandizement. I own, I reject that
system of philosophy which makes all mens actions modi
fications of felf-love, as a pernicious theory subversive of
morality ; whilst I esteem the man whose felf love is so
directed as to be subservient to the public good. But am
bition and the love of money are always dangerous, and
very often prove ruinous, to those who are under their in
fluence. They frequently oblige men to assume the despi
cable chamber of a trimmer; and, whilst they imagine
tnat they walk in the paths of consummate wisdom, and
deceive the world, they seldom fail to deceive themselves.
He is a bad politici .n who is yet to learn the true interest
of these united States, in.their relation to Europe ; and he
is a weak one, indeed, who cannot determine whether the
measures at prefect pursued, are calculated to promote it.
Philadelphia, March g, 17/9- M.S.
^" ?*e Printer of the P ENNs yLV AN I a Packet,
S I R,
TH E duty I owe to my country, and the refp^ I
have for the gentleman who is published jq the
Royal Gazette of New York, as the autnor of three
letters taken in the schooner Willis, C pt. Chamberlaine,
and carried into New York, in luce me to request tuat
you will give those letters a place n your paper: For, if
tb<re is a man amongst us who, having profeffed himfelf
a fr end to the In lepcndency of Americ , hath enjoyed a
{hire of the confidence of his country, ad, being mftru
men al to the Calainitii s whi h we fuffer, woul I prolong
the war by avowing sentiments favorable to the views of
Britain, and on winch alone her hope of recovering Ame
rica now rests; he fliould Rand forth, brick with hellish
gull, a monument of b^fenefs. I', on the other hand,
the letters allu led to are not genuine, the fhifts of envy
and detraction should not be permitted secretly to wound
the reputation of an innocent man; an I an opportunity
Should, be given him to defend a character thus attacked,
and to remove those fafptions agrinßhim, which, at pre
fem, are considered as being we'l fu ded
The follo=win% " a faithful extras of a letter written by
Carter Braxton, Efo of Virginia, formerly one of the re
presentatives in the Continental Congrejs for Virginia,
and nonso partner with Robert Morris. Esq, of Pbiladel.
pbia, and Samuel Beall, Efi; of WiLiamjburg, to John
Ros, Rfa, at Nant% in Old France.
N. B. The or iginaiis lejtat the Printer's for the infcefli
on of any one who^nay be incredulous touching the genuinefs
of its contents.
Taken in the jebooner Willis, Capt. Chamberlaine, from
York River, in Virginia, to Statia, by the Gambier and
Revenge febooners, and brought into this port on Monday las.
John Ross, Esq; Dec. 26 1778.
IW ISH you had been more communicative upon po
litics, giving your mind freely of the situation of the
war much depends in trade on proper forefight in this
matter with regard to America, you find by her alliance
with France fheis so c ofely fixe* to her, that the cannot
on any event separate herfelf; France having the ablest
ministers in the world, know how to turn this to their ad
,vantage ; the treaty given us now in print differs exceed
ingly from one published fix months ago, an 1 people are
displeased to fee themselves so much deceiv'd by designing
men who have actually cheated them out of their firfl c@n
gurrence, till now they know not how to be redressed :
Can you tell us if there were two treaties on foot in France,
and if Mons. Gerard had power to alter it, which it is
said has been done fiace his arrival at Congress. Ameri
ca being thus prostrate at the feet and devotion of France,
it reds with Great-Britain alone to fay whether we sh 11
have peace; t^eir condua, I presume, will defend solely
on the dispositions of other Courts to support them, con
cluding on their inability to prosecute a war against Ame
rica, France, and probably Spain ; their measures are by
this time agreed on, and we shall fee from the King's
speech, whether he inclines to peace, or will be Supported
in a confederacy agamft the House of Bourbon. In which
latter event a general war mult ensue, *nd debts beyond
the power of figures increased ; our's is become Iretdy im
m r nfe, insomuch that our taxe r 'elaid this year at one
and a half per cent, on all property, valuing it at the pre
sent prices, which are 800 per cent, beyond their former
and real value : even this will not prove equivalent to trie
wanted emillions and demands for moifey ; arti les of
every fort are risen to immense heights ; a barrel of corn
fells no v from five to eight pounds, wheat at ;cs. per
bushel, flour at seven pounds per cwt. and many other
things in the fame proportion; tobacco has not risen with
ot cr articles, the price has kept at a fland for fix months
pad, woich is about 71. per cwt. tut will I expend soon
rife very high, goods must partake with other things and
will fellfoon at 1500 percent, and upwards —where is it
all to end? Will you not fay in our deftruftion, nd I
fear you will fay too truly, nothing but peace can prove
our friend to relieve us from all these dreadful horrors.
" I shall esteem myfelf happy to improve this clan
destine correspondence, till the pride of Great-Britain
should be so humbled as to permit our free trade to all na
tions, and then we may extend it in any manner and to
great length , by a firm and confident conn xion between
us. No doubt is made in America but that fte will Pure
ly attain her great object 0 independence in a little time;
of this lam not very fan. uine, but expert the time is far
distant for this acknowledgment. I know so much of the
power of Great-Britain, and their national harafter, that
if in this contest they are not deserted by tr eir Continent
al allies, we are not yet in the meridian of the war: If
their cunning has not failed. ,them, they have certainly
now formed a powerful confederacy against the House of
Bourbon, and a general war will probably be the result.
I doubt not their measures are by this time determined
and put into execution ; be this as it may, America is 'o
determined that, I believe, flie would rather be redu ed
to her original chaos, than relinquish that point she has
falemnly declared for and so nobly bled. These being
the sentiments of Am rica, your vicinity to Britain af
fording you the event of their councils, you may readily
pronounce whether peace or war is to be our portion.
With refpe& to our future trade in case of peace, there is
not a doubt but your nation and Great-Britain would par
tike of three-fourths of it : For although we are reluctant
ly, and I fear imprudently tied to France, during the war,
yet that being over, the people will break through every
restraint or punctilio, to return to England for the goods
they formerly purchased, after whi h they long ana pine
every day in the year. I have delayed thus long in this
letter the mention of some papers sent to you by Mr.
Thomas Webb, of Curacoa, which are of the utmost con
sequence to Mr. Morris and felf, directed to Mr. Richard
Corbin of London. I am exceeding anxious for their
welfare, and wish to ba informed of their fate."
January ,2, 1779.
" The low price of tobacco with you, whilst it is so
high at Amsterdam and in Europe is very mysterious to
me. lam told that few captures have been made where
the property, although American, was proved to belong
to fubjeds of Holland. Wny then do not the Hollanders
with spirit fend fllips to carry the tobacco home. I ffiould
think there was something more th^n feir in this, for if
one half the vessels were to get fafe, the profit wou d be
immense. And why so enterprifinga people ihould silent
ly ne;lefl a trade, productive of such emolument, I am
at a loss to difeover. I wish for an explanation of this
phenomenon, and for your opinion freely upon th,is, anj
the other matters Rated to you. It is our intention ver,
Shortly to fend a person to Holland to procure foods,
charter vessels, and fend them on to you, the goods to
be eir er tuere fold, or sent en here, as we shall direct,
and to purchase tobacco with you, to load the vessels back
to Holland. Is this not practicable" to me it appears
evident, and yet I am amazed no person before has point
ed out the business. If this scheme is rendered nugatory,
f:y whether another is not practicable ; cannot goods be
sent from England to Antigua, there received and sent on
to Euftatia, from thence either shipped here, or not, as
was advifeable. Is any-man in Antigua to be got worthy
of confidence to negotiate such business? British goods
would command on the firft cost, mu h more than any
other, and they are so much to be preferred, that Ame
rica now winks at ev ry importation of their goods If
they are not brought in this way, they rail in some other,
and the only difference is, that in tois way we should get
them cheap, while in another we pay an immense advance,
which is only prejudicial to us, and not advantageous to
them. Can a vessel from Spain load at Tenerife with
wines, and go fafe y to Statia ?"
There have lately appeared in our pipers, from Mr.
Silas De.ne, some severe Rriflures upon tne conduct of
the three Mr. Lees, the two in France and R. H, Lee
here, and great indeed are the suspicions excited there
from ; although Mr. Lee has defir&d a suspension of the
public opinion until his answer can appear, and Mr.
Deane's tri 1 in Coagr&fs takes place, which now on that
account will immediately be done, but would o&herwife
have been faltered to sleep undisturbed for many months ;
I am exceeding well acquainted with the char after ®f the
Lee's and know them to be actuated by such bale prin
ciples, and full of such artifice and intrigue, that no new
proof was necessary to fix my opinion. Perhaps this pro
du&ion and what we are to expert will follow from Mr.
Deane, wdl determine the sentiments of people at large, I
had long seen the impropriety of entrusting the secrets of
America with men of such characters, but it was not to
be prevented.—R. H. Lee's interest in Congress, joined to
that of the eastern states, was too great to be withstood;
besides this, all the inflammatory news from Britain, and
much falfity came through their hand, for which they
were to be rewarded, and now it seems they relent and
wish to carry things backwards, as if frightened with steps
they had taken. Between falfe friends and designing fo
rei n ministers I wish poor America may survive it Tong.
For your amuftment I fend tie Baltimore papers with
De ine's firft piece in it.
Extract of another letter from Mr. Carter Braxton to
Messrs. Cambell, Beale and Co.
Extras of another letter fr i m Carter Braxton, Efy to
Messrs. George Cliffy and Ipffett.
Virginia, December 2-, 1778.
1"o be SOLD by Public Vendue,
At the Coft-e-huufe,^ or Saturday the twenty.feventh
ioftart, at Six o'clock in the evening,
ALARGE frame S i ABLE, firhate near the
corner ot Chefnut-ftrect, in S/xth-lfreet, on a lot
belonging to the Widow Church; the fable in (@rty
four lejt by twenty-fix, well boarded and Singled ; the
fra fit is exoilient timber, ert&ed but & few years, and
is in good order: The loft will contain upwards of 20
tons of hay, iswri: floored with plank, and has halls
for 22 nones; it my be removed, being fr. m.d to fe.
parate in two parts ; formerly kept by George Kembie,
deceaUd. The teae of the lot expires in May Rcxt,
but may be rented for ten years to ceme, is 6tty.-^o
feet font and seventy feet d'ep. The privilege cf a
cart-way to a back Ruble mult be ref rved, which ft ibie
is to be rented, For further particulars or private sale
enquire of Plunket Fleeson, in Chefnut ftrect.
CHARLESTOWN, (South-Carolina) February it
B>:iract oj aletie from Camp at Fuzzel's ptace, is . Georgia,
January zuh, # 79.
"1% ^ ' vvere yefierday morning about fix c ? clo k at-
V 7 ticked by a party of 230 or the enemy, com
manded by Col Browne trey attacked us on threedides
at the fame time very sudden and violent, drove our
main and picket guards, wounded and took some of our
centinels, a warm firing soon began on Loth sides, which
continued about three quarters of an hour. We then
drove ti era from the ground, and I bel cue killed many
of hem; three were found dead and seven were taken
prisoners ; fix of them are wounded, most es them flight,
y. I was in uced to march to this place, in order to
drive from Bryar Creek a party of the en< my which had
tik. uup the bridge and had polled themselves there to
prevent your joining us, but they have fled from that
place."
Lorra y of a letter, dated Camp at Port Rryal Ferry,fip. T „
“ We are Rill encamped here, and know not when or
where we shall next move The Cbarlefiown artillery
have had orders to hold + b mfelves in readiness to proceed
to Head Quarters, an. day the detachment of Con
tinental artillery who L.. ueen at Fort Littleton, set off
with a brass two pounder. LaR night M for Flemming
who had been once a resident in Carolina, but received his
cornmiffion from the Britilh commander, with five priv tes
of the light horse were brought prifopers ntocur carp by
a pirty of our people ; they were taken at the Major's
plantation in Georgia, with nineteen of his negroes.
About an hour afterwards, seven seamen belonging to the
Lord George Germaine, Capt. Mowbray, of fourt eti
guns, arrived in our camp. Five of them had been or
dered in the boat as a guard ; and while fte was along fide
of their ship, the otter two concealed themselves under
the thoughts; they were ordered to keep at about alf a
nyle dißance from the ship, but tuey did not like the fer
vic, and so left it entirely. They willingly agreed, after
taking some refrefhment, to accompany the Major and
his guard to Charleftown, and I suppose will be there be
fore t is reaches you. What I mylelf have heard from
them, you are welcome to: They inform, that on the
nig tof the day the engagement happened, an officer
was sent express in a whale-boat to Savannah, begging
that a reinforcement of troops might be sent, bur they
received for answer, that none could be feared, were
therefore ordered to return to Tybee, and had got' to the
month of Scull Creek on their way' thither: That the
Major was Rill very bad of two wounds, as was likew fe a
Captain."
Philadelphia, March 16.
TO BE L E T,
A HOUSE, Stores and Wharf near South-ffreet.
TO BE SOLD, a faith's vice, sundry kinds
of wrought iron for vessels, &c. a parcel of ftp's blocks,
and a set of careening ditto, hickory and oak wood,
while oak gate pests, rails ar d ftak<s for fweed or worm
fence, wood suitable for various tradesmen, frefli brush
for faggots or to make garden fences, with stakes and
long poles to secure the fame. Those who have pur
chased pests, rails, and other timber of the fubfciiber,
are requested to be speedy in taking them away ; and to
fend written orders by the persons zho are to receive
them : And all persons are forbid to taker ff any of the
above articles, vriihout firft making the proper applica
tion to the fubferiber, in Second-street, below Walnut
ftreet, or 0 the person he has appointed to attend on the
premises, near the three-mile ft< ne, on the Wiffahickon
road. JOHN MIFFLIN.
BY virtue of an order of the Orphan's Court for the
cty and county of Philadelphia, will be exposed
tu tale at the Coffee house, on Saturday the th rd of
April, a certain lot or piece of Ground, fitua^d on the
east he of Third Greet, a little above Spruce Greet,
cont ining in breadth nineteen feet ten inches, and in
depth one hundred and eighty fret, extending to a new
Greet called Laurel street, with a two-Gwry brick tene
mn^on Lau el street, formerly in the tenure of Col.
Thomas Pro&or : Also one brick tenement intended as
a kitchen to a hcufe to be built uuon Third-street, and
two wooden tenements in the center of tie said lot :
The whole furj &to a ground rent of 7 J. fr. <4. per
annum ; late the dbte m James Black, deceased. For
further particulars refpe&ing the premises, apD to
Edward James, in Queen street, in the diftrift of
Southwark, er to
MARGARET JAMES, Administratrix.
All pe. sons indebted to laid state are drfred to make
immediate pa meat, and those who have any demands
against said estate are defined to bring in the r accounts,
that they m y he fettled.
WAS FOUN D,
On Tuesday morning the ninth of February last, near
Mr. Jacob Hiltzheimer's stables,
ALARGE sum of Continental Money, of the
current emiffi ns, wrapped in a piece of printed
paper cut in the form of a pocket-book. Whoever has
loft the fame may hear of it by applying to the Printer
hereof.