The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-06-15 00:00:00, page 2

The foregoing representation will fhew,in answer to the
firft query of the Enemy to Extortion, what authority
the commissioners supposed t^ey had to levy more tha
the twenty pounds : Nor did they, as to the fecoi7
query, intend or expert to anticipate the tax on any
townfhip,&c. But provided, in case it should so hap
pen, that there was a surplus when the tax was fettled,
that the proper township, ward or diftrift, should have
the benefit of it. And as to the third query, I can
not fee how the man that is rated highest is more inju
red than those that are rated lowest, or that either of
them are injured when the overplus goes to the credit
of the township, &c. and taken out of their quota in
the next assessment, by which their taxes are propor
tionably lessened, or be applied to some other purpose
T SEE in the Pennsylvania Gazette of the sth in-,
4 fiant,a publication under the signature of an Ene
my to Extortion, the author of which deserves credit
for his judicious reflexions in the beginning ofthe per
formance, and should be glad I could with propriety
suppose Ins design was good throughout the whole.
The commissioners of the city and county of Philadel
phia, and the fines on delinquent classes, seem to be
bis fubjeHs; I shall therefofefcandidly relate the facts
refpeXing them, which were as follows: When the law,
directing a fine to be levied on every delinquent class,
was sent to them by council, the 3d leftion did not ap
pear so clear and explicit to them, as it seems it does
to the author above-mentioned, and therefore they
were at a good deal of pains to fatisfy themselves as to
the intension of the legislature therein.
Twenty pounds was ordered to be levied on each de
linquent class, in the fame manner and under the fame
pains and penalties as direct d by an aft for railing es
feHive fopplies for the year 1781 • those were to be the
fame as d ; rtfed in the 15 million tax, and their neces
sary expences were to be added to the sum ordered to
be paid into the r Tory, which fixed the addition of
expences with them beyond a doubt. This twenty pounds
was ordered to be paid to the county treasurer, for eve
ry delinquent class, and wa directed to be levied on
classes, farmed on an assessment male in 1780, fin.e
•which greo alterations had been made in taxable pro
perty, and many taxable performs removed by death
and otherways out of the reach of collectors, which it
was very probable would occasion large allowances to
be made in fettling the duplicates for this tax; the
commiflionevs therefore added so much as they suppos
ed might be fufhcient toenable them to make those al
lowances, and pay the twenty pounds into the county
trealury, and defray nec^ffry expenses. And at the
fame time aer ed, that if there should be any overplus
money, on settlement of the duplicates, it should be
passed to the credit of the refpeHive townships, wards
or dairies, as the case might be. Soon after the
elab duplicates were fnt out, some of the collectors
informed the board that sundry persons refufed pay
ment of any more than their proportion of twenty
pounds, and several gentlemen called on the commiffi-
They then wrote to the executive council, inform
ing them of the principles on which the tax was levied,
what objections had been mede against it and the fate
attorney's opinion, and requeued their advice and di
region in the prerrfes. Council, in their answer, ap
prove of the application to the attorney general, and
fay, he has pointed out the proper mode of levying the
fineson delinquent Caffes, inorder to fatisfy the pub
lic. The board agreed to have an entry made in all
the class duplicates, or their firft intention of crediting
the township, &c. with tie surplus, if any, and also
to impower the collegers or county treasurer to re
ceive f«m any delinquent class, twenty-one pounds
ten (hillings, which if pa d without any deduction,
might be (efficient to pay the twenty pounds and ne
cessary expences. This fatisfied many of the com
plaining persons; but ot era were flill determined to
pay no more than their proportion of twenty pounds,
which has occasioned the ftizur- of some property.
This has brought on a prosecution against thecolledor,
which prosecu tion, I am of opinion the publication
referred to, was designed to favour, as well as to bring
an odium on the commissioners. Tee tax in question
muh affect them in the fame manner as their fellow-ci
tizens unless it can be supposed, as some indeed have
been so ungenerous as to assert, that the commissioners
intended to pocket the overplus themselves. This dont
deferue a reply.
were difappoirited. This captain was very different
from those we had met with heretofore; he used us ve
ry well, he put us in a separate apartment from the
sick, he was the only man we met with as an officer
that feem'd to have the lead degree, of humanity in
them, except captaro Milligan of the Dunkirk, who we
received some favours of.
Daniel Delhon, New London, commander
(of ship Genera! Nash.
Michael Thomson, Philadelphia.
John Dickerson, commander of sloop Sally.
(North-Carolina.
“ I am of opinion that the expences mull be paid
" by the delinquent classes. My reasons, (among
" others) are—First, because the fame mode ii directed
“ in the levying this sum, that is directed in the levy
“ ing the quotas impeded on therounties in the fup
c< ply bill for 1781, in which the expences of levying
" are to be borne by the refpeCtive counties. Second,
" because the comnaiffioners are directed to pay into
" the treasury the full sum of twenty pounds, and can
“ not retain the expences out of it. Third, this is a
" penalty imposed on persons who are considered as
" offenders, and such always are to bear the expences
" occasioned by their delinquency. It has also been
" the practice of the board of commissioners on for
" mer and similar occasions."
oners to know why any more was levied, who were in
formed of the reasons inducing to it. The board, far
ther to fatisfy themselves, agreed to get the state at
torney's opinion in writing refpeCting this business, and
waited on him for that purpose. His opinion was as
follows:
To Me P R I N T E R.
S I R,
John Spencer.
Several of the class duplicates have been already fet
tled ; the surplus in some have, by the desire of the
township, been paid to the overseers of the poor; in
others, to the supervisors of the highways; and others,
pt ffedto the credit o f the township; and one,on Settlement
has fallen feveraj pounds fliort. The sum added by
the commissioners, was intended to bring each class to
about twenty-four pounds, and if the amount of the
duplicate is a, slated in the publication above refer
red to, I can no other ways account for it, than by the
calculations bein^ made on continental rates, in which
a farthing on every tool, would make a considerable
odds. Ahd although the Rated clerk to the commissi
oners is one of the most capable, careful and attentive ;
yet as it is impossible for him to do all the business
himfelf, an error of this kind might have happened ;
But as any money that is collected, more than fuffici
ent for the intended purpose, is returned to the town
ship, where is the enormous imposition, and taking
m°ney out of peoples pockets in an arbitrary manner ?
•As to one class being more than another in some in
flances, it lias been occasioned by the great difficulty
of chaffing tie taxable persons and property, so as to
amount just to the fame sum in each class: But this
can make no manner of difference to individuals, as all
pay according to their rates of assessment.
It is intended by this publication, to set the conduct
of the commissioners in a proper light before the pub
lie, and to prevent any unreasonable impreffious that
mi^ht be made on the minds of the people refpeCting
them, by the performance before referred to. This [
judge necessary, however confeious the commissioners
may be of the uprightness of their own intentions.
Lt es of Marque Brig BASKET and JOHN, taken
May 3, part of the Crew committed 7th and 9th of
July.
Bartholamew Bolton, Danves,
Burret hotter, Thomas Williams, Benjamin Ingles.
—Lynn.
Jerem: . Blanchard, Andover.
Benjac Brown, George Sefell, William Matthews,
-—Salem.
Joseph Pedrick, Marblehead.
PILGRIM's Prize, taken June 26, Prize Mafler and
two Men committed July 9, 1781.
Adonifan Hidden, dead ; Roley.
William Lovering, entered; Boston.
Edward Jeboe, Marblehead.
Ship HARLEQUIN, taken June 16, 1780, one of the
Crew committed July 6, 1781.
Benjamin Gardner, Salem.
Schooner GREY HOUND, taken October 23, one
Lieutenant committed July 9, 1781, at New-York.
Alexander Tindall, Philadelphia.
that the township may direst, to which all the inhab
itants are supposed to contribute in proportion to their
circumstances.
Brig SALLY, North-Carolina, taken at St. Euflatia,
March 12, the Crew committed May 11, 1781.
John Connor, Abijah Buxton. —Virginia.
Ephram Jones, Richard Kanidy, Henry Guy,
Miles Bembridge.—North Carolina.
Schooner FRIENDSHIP, of Virginia, taken at St.
Euftatia, March 17, one of the Crew committed
May 15, 1781.
John Jones, Hampton, Virginia.
Ship LUZERNE, Philadelphia, taken April 4, the
Crew committed July 6, 1781.
William Leech, James O'Eriod, John Howfer, en
tered ; John Claypool, [ohn Shaw, John Martin, Ja
cob Trion, Littleton Chilton, Hugh Forfide, Joseph
Martin William McMullen, William Kemp, Joseph
Penny, Dennis Delany, George Moore, Jacob Stall,
William Wilson.—Philadelphia.
James Hunt, Abijah Hunt.—New-Jersey,
William Viewers, Nab^es Walker.— Maryland.
Nathaniel Spooner, Plymouth.
Ship THOMAS LEE, of Baltimore, taken on the
Coast of France, March 23, part of the Crew com
mitted May 5, 1781.
William Dorsey, dead ; Michael M'Lemar, escap
ed; Josiah Marshal, entered ; John Coward, Samuel
Brewer.—Maryland.
Thomas Campbell, entered; Virginia.
Ship TRACEY, taken September 13, 1780, brought
from New-York, and committed May 5, 1781.
William Tarnier, Boston.
Brig MEDLEY, of North-Caroling, taken at St. Eu
ftatia, March 12, part of the Crew committed May
5, 1781.
Joseph Singeltary john Singeltary.—South-Carolina.
William Maddy, entered ; Philadelphia.
LIST of Americans confined in Mill-
Prison, in England, since the Com
mencement of the present War.
(Continued from our Paper of May 28.)
Schooner JOHN, -of North-Carolina, taken March 10,
at St. Euftatia, part of the Crew committed May
4, 1781.
Ur ILLIAM FUZZ, Alexander Fullerton.—
VJNorth-Carolina.
Ship General NAS H, of North-Carolina, taken March
10, part of the Crew committed May 4, 1781.
Richard Salter, North Carolina.
Schooner ANNE, taken at S'. Euflatia, February
15, Crew committed May 2, 17^1.
Isaac Cunningham, North-Carolina.
William Mule, Baltimore.
A LOVER of CANDOUR.
Ship ESSEX, taken June 10, Part of the Crew com
mitted at sundry Times.
Ship PROTECTOR, taken March 5, 1781, Part %
the Crew brought from New. York and committed
July, 1781.
Thomas Ward, dead; Richard Smith, entered;
captain John Foster Williams, dodor Thomas Leverett;
Jacob Homer, David Vallet, Rufus Summer Boston.
Joseph Clark, Connecticut.
Samuel Stockley, Maryland.
Fortune Parker, dead; John Ennis, Alexander
M'Lain, William Cary, John Richmond, James Proc
tor, Moses M'Grain, Nicholas Poor, Benjamin Ga
win, Joshua Davis, George Rackford, entered; John
Allen, Barney Wilson, John Morrison, William' Haw
ley, Joseph Johnson, Thomas Barker, Andrew Bar
ber (alias Caffady) John Noonan, Thomas Baker,
William Boldridge, Michael Kxenan, James Clark,
Jacob Jones, Morris Conner, Philip Fling, Timothy
Malaon, Arther Clark.—Boflon.
John Richmond, entered; Virginia.
James Johnson, entered; William Patterson.—Sa
lem.
Thomas Perkins, dead ; William M'Donalds, en
tered; Daniel Redington.—Whindham.
Samuel Stoddard, Hingham.
Edward Tavendor, Nathan Young.—Cape-Cod.
Job Field, Edward Siuvill, Bryant Newcomb, Gre
^? ry Cl2rk > Lewis Glover, Jonah Bass, Samuel Cur
tis. Nathaniel Beals. Thomas Venton. Brantree.
William Turner, Joseph Tiffick. Charleftown,
New-England.
Sypren bfh, Knnebeck.
David L- . # Lyon.
James Ric ; niered ; John Boyce London
derry
Samuel Sh^ non, Plymouth.
Levy Woodbury, dead; Joseph Perkins, Robert
Rament, Matthew Chambers, Andrew Peabody.
Beverly.
Joseph Buetman, Miftick.
David Thompson, Ipswich.
Peter Meator, dead ; Danvers.
Elifna Vofe, William Hunt, Joseph Marshal, Wil
liam Horton. Millton.
George Roney, Medford.
Samuel Cox, Dorchester.
(To be Continued.).
June 8. Yesterday arrived the privateer Pilgrim,
prize to his majefly's ship Bellifarius, Richard Graves,
esquire, commander ; she failed from New-England
last Saturday, with upwards of 100 men on board, and
was captured the next day.
Wednesday a rebel brig from Cape Francois bound
for this continent, was sent in here by the Fair Ameri
can privateer belonging to this port; she has a very
valuable cargo on board.
The brigantine, prize to the Fair American, was
from Cape Francois, commanded by captain Buiffon,
laden with rum, coffee and dry goods, for Baltimore,
whs taken off Curratuck inlet on the 2d inflant. Before
his departure the French fleet had arrived at the Cape
very much deranged, after the two actions of the 9th
an" 12th ultimo.
May 7. “ On the 7th of April we had intelli
gence of the French fleet's being in motion, on which
our whole fleet put to sea, consisting of 35 fail of the
line, and some frigates : ,n the morning of the 9th we
difeovered their whole fleet, confining of 34 fail of the
line, and a number of transports, under the lee of Do
minique: the partial winds, prevalent under the islands,
permitted the enemy to form their line, and cover th^
retreat of their transports, while we lay becalmed and
inaflive. However, the van, commanded by fir Samuel
Hood, and a part of the center division, soon got a
br eze, lead on and engaged their whole line; you
must remember all this time the whole rear division.
and some of the center were becalmed, and fpeaators
of a very unequal fight. Here I think the enemy nei
ther flawed judgment or gallantry, convinced that
they might have totally cur up the van, if they had
embraced the advantage the situation of our fleet gave
them. In the afternoon the fleet all joined, though
not in compact body, occasioned by a part ofthe fleet's
being much disabled. The roth and 11th the enemy
evaded us by turning to windward between Dominique
and the Saints. On the important and fortunate 12th,
at day-break, we difeovered a ship with her for mast
gone, attended by a frigate, immediately the fleet was
in a general chace after her ; but the count de Graffe,
happily for Great-Britain, preferred risking a general
battle to the facrificing a tingle ship, and accordingly
bore down to cover her, firetching his line on the lar
board tack: fir George immediately made the signal for
a compact line, one cable's length diflant: the rear
division under admiral Drake was now become the van,
from their not being in a&ion on the 9th, and conse
quently best able to sustain the firft of the a&ion.
The battle commenced about eirht, with great fury,
but ill judgment on the enemy's fide. The Marl
borough lead the fleet, aad fetched about the sixth
ship from th^van ; we went down their line under the
topsails. What passed in the center and rear Could
not be difeerned until the smoke cleared away, when
we saw difiin&ly fir George Rodney to windward of
Yesterday arrived his majefly's ship Fury, Sidney
Smith, esquire, commander, from Jamaica. On her
passage (he captured the brig Rebecca, laden with lum
ber, from Egg-Harbour, bound to the island of St.
Thomas. The Rebecca had been only a few hours out
of port.
No French fleet, as has been averted in the rebel pa
pers, had arrived there from Old France. The united
fleets of France and Spain at the Cape, on the 10th of
May, when captain Buiffon left it, it is laid, were 45
fail of the line including five fifties.
Extract of a letter from an officer, present in the acti
on of the 9th and i2tn of April, in the Weft-In
dies.'
N EW -YORK, .June 6.
Prizes sent in since our last.