The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-11-22 00:00:00, page 2

the greatest honour and ability have wholy disconti
nued their attendance. But i is not improper that those
lords, who do foretimes attend, Should record their
liases in teflimony of their strong condemnation of t ie
terms of this loan, and of the motives which they con
ceive, dictated term so very disadvantageous to the
Crown and the nation.
ROCKINGHAM.
PORTLAND.
OSBORNE.
J. St. ASAPH.
DE FERRARS.
Ff rZWILLIAMS.
BOLTON.
PONSONBY.
@©&®©@3^ Q^^Q^W^®
STATE of PENNSYLVANIA.
To Assembly, Monday, November 19th, P. M. 1781.
The house met purfaant to adjournment.
AGREEABLE to the order of the day, the house
proceeded to tue confi eration ot the petition
from a number of the inhabitants of Philadelphia coun
ty, and the fame being read a fcond tim% i f was
Refolded, That the further enquiry into thecircum
fiances set forth in aid petition, be the order of toe
day for Tuesday toe 27th infant, an J that t # e fp after
be directed to fummore.fhe federal perform named in tue
depositions and other papers accompanying the petiti
on, to appear before the house, on the Jay above men
tioned.
On motion,
Refolded, That the Speaker call on the petitioners,
er some person on their behalf, to Specify the names of
the characters charged in the petition on or before
Friday next, in order that the accuSel persons miy
have notice to attend on Tuesday the 27th instant.
Ordered, That notice be given in etch of the news
papers, of the above resolves relative to the petition.
PETER Z. LLOYD, Clerk.
In COUNCIL, Philadelphia, November 21, 1781.
rt^HE Council refamed the confederation of the re
g presentation of divers “ inhabitants and freemen
of the county of Philadelphia," complaining and re
questing leave to " represent and Shew,” th^ divers
-undue measures had been pursued at the fate general
election, and calling on this board to enquire into the
truth of their complaints, and praying that, upon the
said representation being Supported, "the election o r a
councilor for the county of Philadelphia may be set
aside, and a new eleftion ordered " And Joseph Cow
perthwaite and John Jones, who presented the fame,
now attending, being aiked force questions tending to
obtain information who were the persons alluded to
therein, and they declining to give answers thereto, as
being unprepared to do so.
Ordered, That the signers of the said representation,
®r Some person or persons on their behalf, do, on or be
fore Friday, the 23d day of November infant fpecify
to the council the names of the persons alluded to there
in, as having violated the privilege of election ; and at
th' fame time also fpeci y the faas on which the gene
ral allegations in the said representation are founded,
so tha. all persons concerned may have an opp rtuni
ty of being heard in the premises, on the day which
ft ill be appointed to hear the merits of the said re pre
fentation
Ordered, That the foregoing minute be publift d,
and that a copy there f be sent to the aforefaid Joseph
Copperthwaite and John Jones.
Exiratt from the minutes,
T. MATLACK, Secretary.
«ferm —
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
VOU was so polite as to insert in one of your late pa
1 pers my general orders, iffu,,d at Newtown the
7th of OHober hfl, me I beg you will be so good as
to give the following narrative, which is now laid be
fore 'be general a embly, in vindication of my con
dud on th^t occasion, a place in your next paper.
I am, fir,
Your mofl obedient and very bomb e servant,
JOHN LACEY
Philadelphia, November 1781.
To the Honourable the Representatives of the Freemen
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General
Assembly met,
Gentemeu,
"'"' under the malk of petitions, unwarrant
v, able reflections are made upon public or private
characters, vindication is both natural and decent. In
Sundry petitions now before the honourable house, re
fpeding the Philadeip^ ia county election, representati
ons ire made, and faffs asserted, so different from the
real bate of the tranfadion, that I hope, in justice to
all, a fperdy examination wid take pEce ; and that in
the mean time the honourable house will receive, with
their uua| candour, the following narrative, which
can b Supported by the falleft evidence, and in which
it will appear tnat the greateftcaution was used, and
refpea hewn to the civil rights of the people in gene
ra 1 , as . 11 as those of the officers and privates of the
militia ^ particul r, on that occasion. And firft Ido
exprefily de>y, that the officers were assembled to con
fid rt e bufitefs of rhe election by any order or direc
tu>n from .?. or even with my knowledge I found
t^err, on my return from a visit, met at the house where
ray quarters were, and waich, at their desire, I left for
r^r more convenient and free deliberation. Not con
sidering myflf ^ tided to a vote in Philadelphia coun
I t resolved nor to interfere in the buvnefs of the
el-dion, or to influence, much less controul, the votes
& any of te electors, at is in the petition in
finu&tud ; a resolution I then declared, and to which I
ftriaiy adhered. I know of no solemn contrast in
s ei d nto with formality, by whichthe free choice
of any perlon was precluded or litnitted, nor do I be
heve any Such contract was made, unless a memoran
dum of the refold of the meeting, which I am inform
ed wa, in<de and signed, can b' A so construed. But by
what rule of law cr reason, a voluntary agreement by
a number of ele&ors to Support a ticket can be d emed
Crimin-l, or why fitch an agreement innocent if ver
bal, th >uid become criminal by being reduced to writ
ing, remains for the petitioners to Shew. Experience
and 0 Nervation bsth evince, that there ire few elec
tions in the flare wnereii; agreements are not made, and
promise given ; but the discovery of their criminality
nas been reserved to the ingenious promoters of these
petitions. So far from urging the proceeding of the
troops to the election, £ beg lesveto obi'ervs that the
offi erstn a body requeued it, and finally presented a
petition for the purpose, Signed by orty officers. Up
on that occasion I represented others thitdry were
called forth in confeqirence of an xprefs resolve f con
ref-, that I had not any authority, ether from the
congress, the council, or the commander in chief of
the militia, to warrant such compliance, that therefore,
if granted, it mull he at myvvn rilk, as a mere in
dulgence which could nst discharge them fra 0 militt
ry Service, for v ichthey migit be bidden 1 , » one!,
and tor which I th-uli ft end iccoj.Kab'e. E;p 1 tuefe,
pr r copies, and at the iaftancqof sundry officers who I
werei ipreffed with their propriety, the orders werel
issued, which, however construed for p rty or m de
vol.nt purposes were intended to r&ft them as Soldi
ers oafc, and, candid, ximined, will, I trull, be
found 0 contain nothing w^icn infringes upon the li
berty of the citizen, characters which th' mditiihave
ever been deemed to um e With this idea I nop t^fe
orders will be considered, anl then every iafi^ation
mud vuikh founded on a fitppofed application of the
orders to toe civil, not the military capacity of the
electors; nor will t ere be ound any restraints or in
junctions,calculated to intimidate or influence the elec
tors. -f it should be afkd why were the men kept
together, under the dir thon of thir officer', and not
to difp rfe till they had voted? I freely answer, that
the militia of Lancaster having been permitted to re
tu n a few days before, sundry irregularities had hap
pned to the ajjoiuiog farmers from ftragfeling parties
a d ind vidu Is, of which complaint had been made ;
the like might happen in this case, and it was supposed
by all, that th's mode would most efrdually prevent
a repetition of the like complaints. After so general
and urgent a request, it was presumed the men general
ly intended to vote, and that braking off f rG m the
companies on their march, under presence of not
voting or the like, woulj only furnilh an <xcufe for
mifcoadufl on the way; whereas, afterwards each
would harten separately to his own nome, and being m
their own neighbourhood would be less lively to com
mit irregularity. And it will app ar on enquiry, that
when arrived at the place of election, they were so far
from being detained for the purpufe of voting, that a
great part xauaily went home without 'voting, whatever
may be iafiauated or reprefeuted. These wer the ge
nuine reasons of the orders, which, if fcrutin zed with
the moss rigorous severity, will be found to contain
nothing which commands, directs, or even influences
the free choice of the candidates, for whom tney were
v te. On the other hand, I must declare, and am rta
j' '*" ample proof, tnat before the colonels were
directed to inform their officers, and they the men,
that they were not to consider themselves in any refoed
bound by any military o.J rs in their choice of any
(ett of candidates or to adhere to any ticket that had
fren or might be given them, but to alter, change, or
form new tickets, if they.thought proper - that for this
purpole pape was delivered to each battalion, before
they le t Newtown. It will be in proof, that these di
rections were communicated, and the comparfon of the
muder rolls, and the lift o f voters, will, if lam tr u y
informed, fr that a very great number of those mt
>itia did &ke u se of it accusingly As some Arefs
is laid in the petitions on tickets being delivered at New
two though Icoaceive it an undoubted right of any
citizen to f rime tickets for himfelf and others, I can as
truly add that no ickets were made or delivered by any
ord r or direction from me, but as I have been inform
ed were prepared either by the men, or the clerks of
the companies, at their request. To the proceedings at
tne several pl ces of election, I am equally a ffranger
and unacco ntable ; but from the palpable deviation
from facts in what happened within my own knowledge,
ve n ° doubt the gentlemen concerned will as efiy
disprove the several allegations of the petition which
re ?te to them, as in o ? her points.
It is easy and perfe&ly natural for men, warmed by
party and difappomtment in a favorite point, to frame
petitions with rjgh charges and pompous expreffions
and it is not difficult, by impositions on the ignorant,
and misrepresentations to the more enlightened, to
procure signers to any petitions industriously circu
lated, of which the present is a clear proof, as many
have signed it, who could not from t^eir circumstances
be acqu tinted with the tranfaaions set forth ; but it is
presumed that fa&s alone will determine the hi lament
''n""''’ w '° '' ° a '° a °d Nation mull be above the
influence of party, when, called to decide upon thecha
rasters and rights of their fellow citizens Having
'!" entertained opinions the most favourable to the
civil rights of mankind, and been engaged in the sup
port of < hem during the present contest, as far as my
abilities admit, and in perfect concioufnefs of not hav
ing violated them in the smallest degree in the present
instance, I anxiously wish a free and impartial enquiry
may be made, the consequence of which I Shall
chearfully abide.
Toe iuclofed lift contains the names of the witnesses
in Support of the above representation, and who I pray
may be Summoned when the honourable house Shall
e^qui^e into the merits of the election, in conseq uence
of the petitions.
I am, with due refpeß, gentlemen,
Your very humble Servant,
JOWN LACEY.
BOST O N, November 2.
Extrad of a letter from a gentleman in Amsterdam to
another in this town, dated July 25, 1781. '
“ Tee vessels in <ur road, bound for America not
being yet failed,, have feat you as ,by orders received;
and as our fleets are out, these Seas will be pretty clear
o< crullers • t^e danger that m y r main after the lit
tlr fleet is ut of the north seas, we apprehend the fri
gatr that convoys it and their own force will be fuf
ficieut to protect them we are of course in less danger
of the vessels that come hither than you imagine.
Though we cannot boift of having a formidable fl et
at Sea, or even a refpeftable one, yet it is Sufficient to
cop p agiinft that which it is 111 tor power of Engl ^d
to lend against us at this time, when they are obliged
to ace so many foes ; their forces must be ivided, a d
leff.niag, while ours are daily mere sing and be assu
red that England never was so much disappointed as
at our entering into the war, unprepared as we were -
and knowing th - Sentiments of our court in their fa^
vour, and oy whom perhaps they werjaffured, that if
they afted the villainous part they have -one, we
111 mid be obliged to yield to their imperious di&ite,.
they ha^e proved other wife, and tney have by t eir in^
judged policy only acquired an euem , who, i peace
cites not soon t Ke place, will be tae word they have
to ded with in Europe.
" 'Vis certain tney have done us a grat deal of
mifehief and injury ; but we beli ve they have now
Jone all th y coul i, and we are now to begin, and are
muc miftakeu if they are gainers n the end. Our
wealth done will furnilh us with the means of maxing
powerful exertions, wbil4 our enemy cannot, without
a mir ©e, hold it out two campai ns more, distressed
a , s t-'^y nre on all quarters, and most from that where
they depended ^c^ re j^rces for carrying on
the war mails from En land brought a faft
of 12 and „ per cent on Qbr Indit flock, which is
now „t 132 and £ # .„ which but 10 days fiice were at
10, and t nought men to be lower t an could be ex
peded. Their profoeft in the east is diimd indeed;
the IoG of M: dr. f s, and many other of their Settlements
there, gmes room 10 1 fe their fooling all they
have in that part of the .o.r!d.
" In Europe the jundjon of foSpandh and French
fleets, in number 5? fail of the fine is greatly Superior
to what they can muster in Europe ; not to 'e^tion
what they may have to fear from us, or any of the
northern powers, w. ofe fentimehis are hostile to En
gland. Aft.r giving you a caudii flat, of the lituate
on th. t Englaua is in, with reg ri to Europe and tire
East Indies, you can as well judge as we how matt rs
fland in tue W..ft Indies, id belt r how their affairs
are in North America. The question y ua/k ^ with
refp.a to the opinion wee ueriain o the Slate of the
war; we anfver it's certain th t Enda d has made
a powerful stand agaiafl so many forces united and
that the may still be capable of making some further
exertions, but Ser fall is not the less cer ain, unless
provides c intervenes in her behalf; w ich affiance
we well think the wi r kednefs of faer meafur s ar° not
likely to insure. May liberty and independence, so
dearly purchase I, be fully f c red to the United States
of America, by peace that miy benefit all mankind,
and cement that union with our republic, watch is dai
ly wished for more and more."
BALTIMORE, November 1%
The ADDRESS of the CITIZENS of BALTIMORE, to
the Honourable Major General toe MARQUIS DE
LA FAYETTE. =
IT is with peculiar fatisfiaion that the citizens of
Baltimore embrace the prefect moment, to express
a gratitude which they will alwaysowe to major gene
ral the marquis de liFayr:e and to congratulate
him. perfonady, on the late important events n Vir
ginia and South Carolina, so glorious and cunfequen
ti il to America.
. Among the hrft in our cause, you early found a way
to our affections, with im, who has Hru/gEd with
our various d,ffi übies since their beginning At a time
when we had no ally, you were our trend ; agd when
we gained an ally, y, ur preface and good offices
could not but increase a cordiali y which must render
our union with France permanent.
In particular, we cannot Sufficiently acknowledge
our sense of your Ine campaign in Virginia, w ere,
witn a few regulars and mbit a, you opposed the Bri
tith commander from whole arge army, and military
talents, this Rate had such Serious caufc of apprehen
sion.
These things, fir, have rendered you dear to us;
and we feel t e highest gratification in feeing, once
more in our town, the man who will always hold a fir@
place in our hearts.
Baltimore, ,sth of November, 1781.
The ANSWER of Major-General DE LA FAYETTE
to the ADDRESS from tne CITIZENS of EAL
TIMGRE.
IN th affectionate attentions of the citizens of a free
town, I ^ould find a reward for the Services of a
whole life. The honour to have been among the firft
American soldiers, is for me a Source 01 the greatest
happiness.
I participate with you in the glorious events that
have taken place under his excellency general Waffi
ingtdn 8 immediate command, and under general
Greene. I enjoy th^efrfts these will have on the fuc
cels of our noble cause, an 1 particularly the advantages
which they will afford totals state
The time when I had the honour to command the
army in Virginia, which you are pleased so politely
to mention, has only Shewn that the courage and for
titude of American troops are Superior to every kind
of d fficulty
My campaign began wi^h a personal obligation to
the inhabitants of Baltimore: at the end of it I find
mytelr bjund to them by a new tie of cverlafting gra
titude.
la Fayette.