The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-05-24 00:00:00, page 1

From the Morning Chronicle, and London Advertiser,
of March 18.
To the Printer of the Morning Chronicle.
SIR,
IH A D the pleasure of hearing a sermon preached
lately before the society for propagating chriflian
knowledge, at Bow church. In that discourse, the
learned prelate recommended to the society's attention,
the present Bate of the negro (lives in our sugar co
lonies, secluded as they are from all the advantages of
society, yet concluded by, and fubjeft to all its pe
nalties. And io my opinion, he clearly proved, that
interest, both public and private, was equally con
cerned with humanity and piety, to ease their bur
thens, and to inftruA and bring them forward as mem
bers of our community. As this was delivered before
a venerable and refpe%ble assembly, and seemed to
meet the wish of every thinking person who heard it.
I began to congratulate myftlf, that the'time was at
last arrived, when Britain, without being dilated to
by an haughty rival, or forced by ungrateful rebel
children, meant, of her own accord, to break asunder
the maffy chains of slavery, restore liberty, and com
municate all her privileges to the sooty sons of Africa,
who have, for near two centuries past, dragged out a
miserable, wretched exigence in our colonies, far from
their families and native country, in deep bondage,
and unpitied distress, under hard-hearted unfeeling
ma Hers. -/
But from what a pleasing reverie was I soon after
wards awakened.
On March 6, last, I heard the following trial in
Guildhall. An adion had been brought against the
underwriters, to recover the value of 132 negro slaves,
loft in the passage from Guinea to Jamaica, of which
these were the circumstances. A ship loaded with slaves,
made the island of Tobago, and understanding that it
was in the enemies hands, pushed down for Jamaica,
till he had got 50 leagues to the westward of it; he
then difeovered his mistake, bawled his wind, and en
deavoured to get up to the island. Being in dread of want
of water, he one day ordered his mate, who was the man
that give the evidence, to throw overboard 46 of the
slaves handcuffed : two days after that, he ordered 36
more to be thrown overboard, and a day or two after
40 more. Ten other slaves, whose hands were loose,
jump'd after these off from the gunwale; and were drown
ed along with them. The captain carried the rest into
Jamaica, and had 420 gallons of water left when he ar
rived. The underwriters argued, that there was no
necessity for a conduct so shocking to humanity ; that
the captain might have called at Barbadoes, or even
after be had the intelligence of the capture of Tobago,
might have bawled over to St. Lucia, or gone down to
St. Kitts, or to the Danish island of St. Croix; that it
is so easy in the Weft-Indian seas, to estimate a Blips
run, that if he was afraid of making Hispaniola in his
way to Jamaica, he might have run past it, and made
Jamaica on a Meridian; that the quantity of water
on board, must have been fofficient for a confederate
time, since they carried in, what, well husbanded, might
have served them five or fix days longer.
The jury, without going out of court, gave judg.
meat against the underwriters; the mate acknowledge
ed he himfelf had thrown them overboard by the cap
tain's orders, which he thought was to him a fuffici
ent warrant for doing any possible thing, without con
sidering whether it was criminal or not. The narra
tivefeemed to make every person present shudder; and
I waited with some impatience, expecting that the ju
ry, by their foreman, would have applied to the
court for information how to bring the perpetrator of
such a horrid deed to justice. A greater aggravation
of the crime is, that it is said, the captain, who died
some time after, was in a delirium, or fit of lunacy
when he gave the orders. That there should be bad
men to do bad things in all large communities, must
be expelled ; but a community makes the crime gene
ral, and provokes Divine wrath, when it fuffers any
member to commit flagrant afts of villainy with im
punity. But the claim of African slaves on the pub
lic is exceeding flrong. They owe us no service, they
never have received any benefit from us ; then surely
we should takecare that humanity be not wounded
through their sides. It is bardly possible for a state to
thrive, where the perpetrator of such complicated guilt,
as the present, is not only fuffered to go unpunished,
but is allowed to glory in the infamy, and carries off
the reward of it. Did Providence pass it over, the very
negligence and carelessness of public honor and pub
lic justice, that is supposed in it, must fink the most
flourishing kingdom in anarchy and ruin.
Note. I wish some man of feeling and genius would
give poetical language to one of those brave follow's
thoughts, whole indignation made "him voluntarily
Share death with his countrymen, rather than life with
^mffif^
SATURDAY
VOL. XIL]
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
Published every TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY.—Price Six-Pence.
such unheard of English barbarians. With what no
ble disdain would he animate his sentiments, with
what resignation would he confider himfelf, when plung
ing into the ocean, as es aping from brutes in human
Shape, to throw himfelf on the unsearchable mercy of
his Creator. What a tender adieu would he bid his
family and country ! What a parting look would he
cast on a glorious world,on the fun of Heavens,difgraced
by such a scene. What dreadful imprecations would he
utter against such monsters, and against the barbarous,
unfeeling country that sent them out, or willed to pro
fit by their trade. It is certainly worthy of observa
tion that our legislature can every session find time to
enquire into and regulate the manner of killing a par
tridge, that no abuse Should be committed, and that
he sh uld be .dr ! y Shot •,and yet it has never thought
proper to enquire into the manner of annually kidnapp
ing above 50,000 poor wretches, who never injured us,
by a set of the most cruel mongers, that this country
can fend out, nor into the chief use that has been
made of this trade, these 20 years past, the fettling the
invaluable colony of Hispaniola to our rivals, that in
a few years more must enable them to establish them
selves maflers of the ocean.
TO BE SOLD,
On Saturday the 24th instant,
A fr 12 o'clock, at the COFFEE HOUSE,
'THAT elegant Country Seat, known by
4 the name of MOUNT PLEASANT, situated on
the Batiks of Schuylkill, about four miles and an half
from Philadelphia, containing about seo acres of Land.
A more particular description of which, together with
theterms, will he mentioned at the time and ph% of Sale.
Possession will be given to the purchaser on the firft
of June next.
May 17. JOHN BAYARD, Auaioneer.
The Schooner Favorite,
Being of the burthen of about 75 tons,
Will be Sold on Saturday, the 24th inst.
at XII o'clock, at the Coffee-Houfe,
By Public Vendue,
At sh? came from St, Croix. An Inventory may he
seen at the Coffee-houfe, or in the hands of Captain
MANLY, on board the Schooner, lying at Messrs.
Thomas and Isaac Wharton's wharff, next but one a
bove Walnut street. May 22.
At the City Au&ion, on
MONDAY Next,
The 26th of May, 1783.
At NINE o'clock in the MORNING,
Will Commence the SALE
Of a Large and very General ASSORTMENT of
MERCHAND IZE,
(Particulars of which will be published by the Bell on
the Morning of the Day of Sale)
With a QUANTITY of
Houfhold Goods, Kitchen Furniture,
WEARING APPAREL, &c.
JOHN BAYARD, Auctioneer.
To be Sold by Public Sale,
At the Coffee.Houfe, on WEDNESDAY the 28th of
May, instant, at 12 o'Clock,
TWO LOTS of L A N D, situate in P^ffyunk
township, near the Butcher's -Arm#, being with
in two miles and a half of the Court-house, ly
ing on both sides of a road leading from S'outh-ftreet
to the banks of Schuylkill :
Lot No. I, Lying and fronting on the east fide of
said road, 19 perches, containing near 9 acres, of which
3 acres are good grass, the remainder now in barley and
Indian corn : on this lot is some trees and a thorn'
hed, e fronting the road.
Lot No. 2, Lying and fronting on the weft fide of
the road, 18 perches, containing 7 acres and odd perch,
es, of which 4. acres are good grass, the remainder is
rye stubble : on this lot is some fruit trees, &c &c.
On each of the lots there is a pretty tituatiol to
build. The terms wiq be made known at the tune of
sale, by JOHN BAYARD, Auaioneer.
O R, THE
.THE
Philadelphia, May 15, 1783.
BY virtue of a Writ of Levari Facias to me dir^a^
ed, will be exposed to Public Sale, at the sign
of the Blue-Bell, near Derby, on MONDAY the 26th
instant, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, A certain
Piece of drained MARSH, or MEADOW and UP
called and known by the Name of COO
-POINT, # situate and being on an island, called
Boon s island, in the township of Kingfeffing, contain
ing it acres and an half and 6 perches, more or less,
bounded by lands of Christopher Elliot, John Jnftis,
and the heirs of Andrew Cox, deceased ; late the estate
of William Boon, deceased. WM. WILL, Sheriff.
To BE SO L D,
A Lot of Ground in Fifth
ftreet, about half way between Market and Arch
streets, containing on Fifth-ftreet thirty feet, extend
ing eighty feet back: the Lot is now incumbered with
two wooded Tenements. Fo- Terms of Sale enquire
of the Printer. April 15.
AUCTION of BOOKS
On the Evening of 1 HURSDAY, May
22d, 1783.
Confining of a small coll &ion of the most ex~e'lent
English Authors, among which are, some of the new
est publications, will commence this Evening, at BELL's
Book-Store, near St. Paul's Church in Third-street,
Philadelphia—And will be continued for several Eve
nings successively.
Conditions of Sale—l. The Books to be fold or fa
crificed, according to the taste of the company.
, 11. T^e Bocks to be paid for and delivered, either
that evening or the morning after the sale.
Hours of faie from 8 to io o'clock each evening.
Printed Catalogues of the Books to be had at the
place of sale on Thursday morning.
N. B. In this colleaion are several celebrated new
Works.
LIGHT summer silks,
Tabbinets,
Poplins,
Durants,
Calamancoes,
Stuff's,
Cambists,
Linens,
Black and figured silk
Handkerchiefs,
Silk and ftuff petticoats,
Ribbands,
Printed linens and hand
kerchiefs,
Just Imported from Dublin, and to be SOLD Whole
sale, for Cash or Produce, by
Onfray Painniere,
At his Store in Water-street, below Walnut-street, ha#
for Sale,
A Variety of Dry Goods,
lately imported in the last Vessels from France.
A QUANTITY OF
Choice Weft-India RUM
TO BE SOL D, By
Mordecai Lewis & Co.
In Second-ffreet ne^r Spruce-street.
nr, H E fubferiber begs l^ve to ioform the Public,
I that he hath furnfed himfelf with a neat
' LIGHT WAGGON, with a Pair of excellent
HORSES and a careful DRIVER, which he will Hire
to go tbany Part of th Continent: Any person want
ing fach, frail be immensely waited on by applying
atWs Livery Stable in Moravian -alley.
My 12. MICHAEL DENNISON.
At his STORE, the south fide of Walnut-street, be
tween Front and Second-streets, lately occupied by
Mr. Alexander Todd,
A large and most elegant Assortment of
Porter, and many other articles, May 17.
Bernard
MA Y 24; 17^%;
Printed chintz cottons,
Cambricks,
Dimities,
Marseilles quilting,
Fuftains,
Chequers,
Jeans,
Cordu'O' s,
Felt hate,
Men and Womens shoe«,
Hard ware, edge tools, &c.
Prints framed and glazed,
Sail doth,
Soap and candles,
Kilkenny,
[NUMB. 1045.