The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-08-04 00:00:00, page 2

be at once more impolitic, and more unconstitutional,
than the establishment of such a power in either of the
deliberate branches of the legislature. All that could
be done in the present instance, was to move for a day
for the pa pers which had already been laid before their
lordships to be read, as it was impoflible they could,
in the natural course of things, proceed to build an
enquiry upon papers which had not been previohfly
read to them.
Lord Sandwich said, the matter appeared to him in
another point of view from the new light throwh on it
by the learned lord; and he was of opinion until the
determination of the court martial, a parliamentary
enquiry would be improper.
The duke of Bolton aiked lord Sandwich, whether
there was to be a court martial ?
Lord Sandwich replied, that orders had been sent
out to admiral fir Peter Parker, either to make an en
quiry into the conduct of captain Moultrie, or to hold
a cotirt martial on him, whichever appeared most pro
f>er; and that it would accordingly be done. This his
ordfhip said was the regular mode, as the captain was
now on the Weft India flatjon.
The duke of Bolton, after some trite remarks on this
returned to the navy affairs id general, fee particu
rarfy mentioned, that no enquiry had been made into
the reason of admiral Darby's flying before the French
fleet, which be was profeffedly sent out for the purpose
of opposing. This admiral had been Rationed off cape
Ortegal, with the express intention of seeking for the
French fleet; and yet as soon as this fleet appeared, he
turned his back upon them, and made the best of his
way to port. Thi, was exactly of the fame Gate with
fir Charles Hardy's conduft, during the preceeding
summer, who had positive commands from the board of
admiralty, no doubt, to come precipitately into port
on meeting with the French fleet, although he was ve
ry little inferior in number. These were examples of
mifeonduß that their lordships ought to enquire into ;
and if they did not they were acceffaries in the fault-
Lord Sandwich tofe again, and vindicated the con
duct of Admiral Darby, in returning into port. He
said, the Admiral had only 17 fail of the line, when
he met with the French fleet, which confined of 38, or
44 fail, and therefore he would have been highly repre
hensible if he had, in the night especially, made any
attempt to attack so fuperrr a force. Notwithflanding
his inferiority, he had preserved the dignity of the
British flag, for he did not run away, as the noble duke
seemed to insinuate, but kept in fight of this great fleet,
and never changed hisdireHion. The noble lord spoke
very generously in favour of captain Moultrie, and
said, that notwithstanding positive orders were sent
for bringing him to trial, yet he did not entertain the
fmallefldoubt that he had done his duty to the utmost,
and that the loss of the valuable Convoy alluded to by
the noble duke, was the effect of casualty, and of no o
tber cause whatever. He concluded with observing,
that if there were any noble lords in that house, who
should have recommended it as a proper and laudable
conduct for admiral Darby to have attacked the French
fleet under such a disparity ofnumbefs, all he had to fay
upon the fubjeft, was to wish most sincerely that such
noblemen might never be honoured with the direction
of the naval concerns of this country.
The marquis of Rockingham followed lord Sandwich,
and desired the house to recollect, that the noble lord
had some time ago expressed it as his full opinion,
" that the firft lord of the admiralty, who should ever
“ be so negligent as to permit the French to have a
" greater channel fleet at tea than that belonging to
this country, ought to lose his head." Yet not wirhftan
ding this declaration, he had himfelf acknowledged,
that admiral Darby was juftifiable in returning to port,
on account only of the extreme disparity of force that
fubfiGed between him and the French admiral. Such was
the inconfiilency of the noble lord's conduct ; but such
also the temper of that houfe,.that he was sure they
would be deaf to such inconsistency, and resign them
selves implicitly to every thing that was dilated by
this weak and corrupt adminiGration^ He was so much
convinced of this, that he would very seldom trouble
their lordships again, and that he would recommend it
to his noble friend to withdraw his motion, from the
full conviction that it would produce no fort of effect
from a set of men so compleatlv predetermined.
Lord Sandwich begged pardon of the house for trou
bling them again, but he could not fuffer such mifcon-
Gru&ions to go out into the world as had been made
by the noble marquis. He had never said that the o
riginal force with which admiral Darby went out was
inferior to that of the French fleet, only that it was in
ferior at the time of their meeting. Admiral Darby left
harbour with 27 fail of excellent Clips, besides frigates,
&c. under his direction, but an accidental storm dis
abled several of them, and left him with no more force
at the time of his meeting the French fleet, but 17 fail
only. This was accident, and not imprudence; and
he verify believed, that if admiral Darby had not been
by chance separated from fix fail of the line, and been
obliged to leave four in port to repair, in Consequence
of the damages they had fuflained in the florm, that
he would have attacked theFrench fleet and that his force
would have enable him to have done it. Admiral Dar
by, he said, was as great and gallant an admiral as a
ny in the service, and he was certain he would do as
much for his country whenever he found an opportunity,
as any man in it.
The duke of Bolton made a short reply, and withdrew
his motion.
The Sale of John Freeman's
ESTATE, advertised for tbi, Dav, is postponed by
Plaintiff's Order till he'l7 h Instant, when the She
riff is directed to proceed to the Sale. Aug. 4.
To be Sold, A House and Lott,
On 'he north fide of V'a'nut ftr^t, between Front
and Second streets : The House is two Story high, and
two Rooms on a Floor ; now in the Tenure of David
Tew. For Particulars enquire of JAMES WHITE
ALL, in Chefnut-ftrret.
Our accounts from France fay that advice has been
received there of M. de Ternay's failing from Rhode-
Bland the 25th December, with fix fail of the line, and
all his frigates. If this be so, I trust rear-admiral
Graves will have followed him speedily to the Weft-
Indies (for that must be de Ternay's deflination) and
reinforce Sir George Rodney, who in that case will be
superior to the enemy in those seas, even after Ternay
and de Treville's arrival, the latter of whom failed
from Brest the 9th of last month, with ten fail of the
line, and I have not heard of any force preparing to
follow him.
The return of the people of Vermont to their allegi
ance, is an event of the utmost importance to the king's
affairs, and at this time if the French and Wallington
really meditate an irruption into Canada, may be con
fiedred as opposing an unsurmountable bar to the at
tempt. General Haldimand, who had the fame inflruc
tions with you, to draw over those people and give
them support, will, I doubt not, push up a body of
troops to aft in conjunction with them to secure all
the avenues through their country into Canada, and
when the season admits, take possession of the upper
parts of the Hudson's and Connecticut riveis, and cut
off the communication between Albany and the Mo
hawk country: How far they may be able to extend
themselves to the southward and eaflward, mul l depend
on their numbers and the disposition of the inhabitants,
but if Albany should take part with them, the induce
ment to attempt to open a communication with them
by the Hudson's river, will appear irrefiflible to people
heres. lam sorry f cannot inform you that the trans
ports with the recruits are failed from Cork, where the
three regiments are in readiness to join them, but a
long continuance of eaftetly winds firft prevented the
ships getting round to Portsmouth, and now the west
erly winds detain them there; but they are all at
Spithead with their convoy ready to put to sea the
moment the wind will permit them to fail. The ord
nance ftorefhip, which has 5000 stand of arms on board
for Carolina, being Hill in the river, I have ordered
3000 stand to be sent by land carriage to Portsmouth,
and there distributed on board the trmfports, as I un
derstand they are much wanted for arming the loyal
ists. They are addressed to the commander of the for
ces in South-Carolina^.
I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) GEO GERMAI N.
Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. New-York.
* These loyal associators of Maryland and Pennsyl
vania have, in all probability, failed his lordfhip,'as
his friend governor Martin, of North-Carolina, com
plains his highlanders at C'rofs Creek had done. If
this is not a creature of his lordship's brain, the ez
ecutives of these two states will, by this mean:, have
a clue given them, by which 'tis hoped the traitors
may be difeovered.
t It is very difficult to ascertain bis lordship's ideas
when he speaks of the people of Vermont: If he means
by “ their returning to their allegiance," their de
Claring themselves “ a free and independent Gate,"
the intelligence is stale, and he may be very right in
his conclusion “ that it was an event of the utmost
importance." But he should not have added “to the
king's affairs :" If he means their allegiance to his
king, we can only observe, that his opinion on this
fubjed is similar to his general ideas of the events of
the campaign. Indeed, through the whole course of
the war, the British administration have formed their
ideas of events from mere creatures of the imaginati
on, and not from fads.
J This supply of arms was seasonable in Carolina,
not to arm the loyalists, as lord George cals them;
the British commandant having driven almost all un
der that description to join gen. Greene, but to replace
those taken or destroyed in the different polls of Poca
taligo, George-Town, Fo r t Watson, Orangeburgh,
Fort Motte, Congaree, Camden, Augusta, and Galphins.
Continuation of Letters found
on board the British Packet,
bound to New-York, but ta
ken on her passage and carried
into France.
Duplicate N°' 77.
SIR, Whitehall,7th February, 1781
ON the 2§th of taft month I received from major
Effkine, your dispatch of the 16th December,
Niid, and immediately laid it before the king,
and it gave his majesty particular fatisfadion to find
you had determined to replace major general Leslie's
detachment in Elizabeth river, by one under brigadier
general Arnold, with positive orders tbeftablifh a per
manent poll ihere, and I was able to add to that fatis
faaion, by informing his majefly from major Erskine's
authority, that general Arnold had failed before him.
The vice-admiral's ready concurrence in tin's most
essential measure, and the Grong convoy afforded, was
highly meritorious, and I trust will encourage you to
undertake further active services, in which tne co ope
ration of the naval force under his command may be
necessary ; and f learn with great pleasure from private
letters of the 22 I December, that you were preparing
a very considerable body of troops for immediate em
barkation, which I slitter myfelf, from an expression
in one of your letters to vice-admiral Arbuthnot, will
be employed in conjunction with the loyal associators
of Maryland and Fennfylvania*, in reducing those
provinces to the king's obedience, while lord Corn
wallis and brigadier general Arnold subdue Virginia ;
for such is beyond all doubt the low condition of the
Congress authority and finances, and so weak the Gate
of Washington's army, that little opposition is to be
expected in that quarter, and none that can refill such
a force, as, without the least hazard to New-York or
Charleftown, may be assembled there. You were per
fectly right in your interpretation of the vice-admiral's
orders, for detaching five ships to the Weft-Indies, and
I was happy to find he acquiefeed in your judgment
upon that occasion.
For thh PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
A SPEECH which ought to have been spoken in Con
gress upon reading of the last memorial from the In
diana company.
Mr. President,
fßifs, fir, to support the memorial from the propri
etors of Indiana, which has just now^been read in
this house. I beg to be beared with candour and atten
tion. The fubjef lis important, and the decision of it
big with remote and interefling consequences to the
honour, freedom and independence of the united states.
I do not mean, fir, to enter into a minute investiga
tion of the claims of the Indiana company. This has
been done, for your information, in a masterly pam
phlet, entitled Plain Fa&s, which now lies an the ta
ble of congress. I take it for granted this pamphlet
has been read and fludied by every member of this
house. lam sure it has been read out of doors, and
I am well informed that effectual measures have been
taken to have it read both in Europe and by posterity.
It will be unnecessary in this place to enter into a
consideration of the different species of right, upon
which titles for property are founded. I shall only
remark, that your petitioners claim their right to the
foil of Indiana, by virtue of a grant made to them by
the Indians--their title therefore is the firft and best in
the world. The Indians were the original proprie
tors of that trad of country. It was conveyed to
them by nature and providen e. Your petitioners re
ceived it from them with all the formalities of law-
It was not obtained secretly. It was ratified, after
long deliberation, in open day, in the presence of many
refpeaable and difinterefled witnesses. It was not ob
tained by the modern arts of introducing un-chriftian
vices among heathen favagtes. No intoxicating draughts
of Gill-burnt spirits, or gaudy trinkets, were made use
of to procure the final ratification of the deed. The
whole tranfaaion was conduced with openness, with
a sacred regard to the rules of decency, as well as the
principles of equity-and I feel a peculiar pleasure in
refeuing human nature from the many charges which
, are daily brought against it, when I add, that the con
veyance of the lands in quefiion, to your petitioners,
was the effeß of that natural juflice which God has
left as a witness for himfelf in the hearts of man. Here
we behold, as the iafpired writer happily expresses it,
" the heathen who have not the law, do the things
" contained in the law." It Rems the Indians had
taken, by force, the goods of the grantees, to the a
mount of eo,oco. The voice of God whifpets in the
ears of these inhabitants of the wilderness, that they
had a£led contrary to the rules of justice. They fly
to the injured and offer them reflitution. Silver and
gold they had none but of that species of property
which they possessed, they voluntarily offer an equiva
lent for what they had unjuflly taken. They compel
them to accept a trad of land—a compensation trifling
to the present owners, and which can derive its value
only from the protection of laws. I cannot help dwel
ling with peculiar pleasure upon this rare inflance of
public justice, and could wish, while I contemplate it,
that my ideas may not beleffened, of the effects of ci
vilizati- n upon mankind.
Sir, the fubjeft before us involves in it a quefticn of
the utmost consequence to the united states. By virtue
of our declaration of independence, we fland possessed
of all that property of the king of Britain in America,
which he held by purchases from the Indians ; for even
the king of Britain himfelf was obliged to yield to the
fafhion of justice among crowned heads, and did not
dare to claim a foot of Indian territory without pay
ing an equivalent for it. By every principle of just go
vernment, our title is an indisputable one to these
crown lands. They have been most justly forfeited to
u°, and our right to them is acknowledged by every
body. Think, fir, of the wealth America has acqui
red by these lands, which, if properly disposed of,
will defray the whole expence of the revolution, and
establish a fund for the future preservation of the inde
pendence of this country. But nr, while we hoaft of
our title and wealth in these lands--let tis remember
that the claim of the Indiana company rests upoa the
fame foundation. By denying justice to these, we
cancel the deed which conveys to us an hundred
times as much territory. The claims of the Indiana
company, and the claims of congress to the forfeited
lands of the crown of Britain, must Gand or fall to
gether.
Sir, the pamphlet before you will shew, that your
petitioners have received every confirmation of their
grant from the crown of Britain, which it was necessa
ry for them to obtain. I beg, fir, this may have a
proper weight with this house. Let it never be said,
that the tyrant at St. James's who has written the
hiftor, of his reign in the blood of his fubjeds, has
done an aft of justice, which is refufed by an Ameri
can congress-and let not a single individual in the u
nited Gates ever have reason to look back \sith regret
upon the island of Great-Britain, or heave a sigh upon
the yearly return of the glorious anniversary of bur in
dependence.
Sir, if is incumbent upon this house to b A frugal of
its character for juGice. By the a& of confederation
all America must look up to us as the umpire of their
disputes. Let us; by our decision upon this question
teach the states that their interests ars fafe in our hands-
By these means we shall Grengthen our union, and en
sure its duration “ while the fun shines and the rivers
flow.''
I know fir, that fovereighs are too apt to 'ook up^
on the obligations of morality as made only to bind
their fubjeßs. But I trust such doctrines will never
find admittance into this republican assembly. Here
let cbnftitutions, charters, contracts, and deeds of e
very kind, be held as sacred as iioly writ. By a con
trary conduß we shall dissolve the cement of society,
and overthrow the whole fabric of political and human
happiness.
There is another view of this fubjefl, which it may
not be improper to take on this occasion. Liberty in
every age and in every country, has been the offspring
of revolutions. It requires the throes of a convulfio^
to deliver it from the grasp of tyrants. Th^re is a pan
tural repugnancy in the human mind to political chan.