The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-08-21 00:00:00, page 2

When the island of Grenada, after having made a
zealous but unfuccefsful defence against the enemy's
force, surrendered at diferetion, there was no plunder
allowed, except on the Hospital-Hill, which was taken
by Rorm, arid where the small effects that were lodged,
necessarily fell in furore belli, to the firft assailants
who could lay their hands upon them. The goods
and merchandize in the town of Saint George, in that
island, to a very large amount, not merely intended
for the use and consumption of the island, but for the
general market of the Weft-Indies, remained untouch
ed, and every species of property whatever was left in
violate, even the goods upon the keys and beach in
various parts of the island.
There were indeed certain ordinances issued by the
French governor, on taking possession of the said island,
by which the produce of all plantations belonging to
absentees was to be sequestered until a peace, and
the payment of all debts due to your majesty's fub
jefts, residing in any part of your majesty's domini
ons, was prohibited under pain of military execution.
But on the application of the parties interested to the
court of France, those ordinances were immediately
revoked by his most chriftian majesty, and all persons
whatever, whether present or absent, were secured in
the full possession of their eßates and effeds: His most
chriftian majesty having been pleased at the fame time
to express his disapprobation of those ordinancs, “ as
' c tending to injure civil contrasts, which are founded
" on the law of nature, and which form the most fa
« cred bond of society, being the principal source of
'' that reciprocal communication and intercoufe sub
« lifting between the fubjefts of all nations; to which
« contrasts, and to private property in general, the
" pradice of war, among civilized nations, has ever
“ had the most tender regard."
Your petitioners likewise with pleasure refl a, that
your majesty in the very beginning of your reign,
gave a striking example of clemency upon the capture
of Dominica, the inhabitants of which island were fet
tled there against express treaties, unacknowledged by
any sovereign profeffing neutrality, yet exercising hos
tilities against your majesty's fubjec?s ; and, when fum
rnoned to submit to your majesty's arms, not only re
fund to surrender, but provoking an assault, were re
duced sword in hand.—Yet by your majesty's wisdom
and generosity, the inhabitants of that island were pre
served in the possession of all their property.
Your petitioners do not conceive, those defencelefs
Dutch islands were surprised, and taken possession of, by
your majesty's arms for the fakeofinglorious spoil,
but merely with a view to great political objeHs, in con
ducing the present hostilities against the combined ene
mies of Britain, by depriving them, in future, of the con
venience and advantage of those marts. They have e
ver considered Great-B:itain as priding herfelf in ads
of generosity and humanity, not less than in brilliant
atchievments of valour in war: And they are confident,
that your majesty will not permit the British name
principally supplied with the several neceffaiies for
t!:e.r consumption, and for the cultivation of their
plantations, through the medium of St. Euftatius, and
that many Britiflr fubjecls, having property in those
captured islands, have been obliged to eftablilh houses
of trade in the (aid island of St. Euftatius, for the ex
press purpose of supplying those islands, and have or
dered various ar icles to be Dipped for St. Euflatius
from Great Britain, as well as from Holland.
That the great want of plantation flores, and other
necessaries, in those captured islands, has also obliged
many of the planters to ihip, from time to time, a
great part of the produce of their plantations to St.
Eußatius, for the purpose of purchasing such planta
tion Rores and necessaries.
? That many of your majesty's most faithful and loy
at fubjeffs, on the faith of Great-Britain having recog
'!'' tr ade, have fettled as general traders in those
Dutch islands, and have considerable property in goods,
merchandize and money in the said islands; and that
others of your majesty's most faithful and loyal sub
jefls, as agents for the Dutch as well as British mer
chants in those islands, have shipped considerable quan
tities of goods and merchandize on account of the
said merchants.
That those Dutch islands, particularly St. Eurtatius,
have therefore been, and ought to be, considered as free
ports, open to all the world, where the fubjeds of all
hates in amity with Holland were equally welcome,
where the goods imported by the hand of commerce
were at open market, ready to be fold to the befl bid
der, without favour or affection, without any partial
or political attachment or predilection to any of the
powers at war, without regard to any other o jest
than that of mercantile profit, which is the spring and
foul of all commerce whatever ; and that the value of
the laid islands to that sovereign power to which they
belonged, as well as to your majesty's fubjetls and
other nations, consisted in their being universal open
marts, and not in the inconsiderable production of
their foil.
Your petitioners humbly beg leave to represent to
Jour majesty, that as a very considerable part of the
property found in those Dutch islands must necessarily
belong to many of your majesty's most faithful and loyal
fubjefts, from the causes above stated, so there are like
wi e others of your majesty's fubjefts, residing in Great-
Britain and the British Leeward islands, who are large
creditors of the Dutch and British merchants in those
Dutch islands, not only on account of goods and mer
chandize, openly and avowedly fllipped by them, as
the agents of the said merchants, but also in respect of
dealings and engagements, antecedent to, and uncon
ne&ed with, the trade carried on by such their debtors
in those islands.
With respect to the property found in the islands,
belonging to the fubjeDs of the Rates of Holland, or
any others of your majesty's enemies, your petitioners,
having already Rated what they humbly conceive to
be the humane and political practice of war, feel them
selves impelled, the principle of gratitude, to present
to your royal view the condu& of the commanders of
the French king's forces, and of the court of France,
in the case of the conquest of the islands of Grenada
and Grenadines.
to be Rained by a departure from that line of conduC,
which hath hitherto so peculiarly characterized this
nation for her sacred regard to the rights of mankind.
They beg leave to repeat to your majesty, that the
confifeation of private property in those Dutch islands,
would grievously affeC many of your majesty's most
faithful and loyal fubje&s, who have traded there un
der the fanCion of our laws, or who are creditors of
merchants in the said islands; and, at the fame time,
to Rate to your majesty, their apprehensions that such
a measure, so tar as it would injure the property of
the fubjeCs of the enemy, must necessarily tend to in
create the calamities of war, by exciting defpera e re
finance, by exasperating our foes against the trading in
habitants of those islands which may hereafter be obli
ged to submit to their arms, and by e ftabhihing a pre
datory system, deftruCive and ruinous in its consequen
ces to individuals, and of no solid benefit to the feve
ral Rates concerned.
Your petitioners do therefore most humbly, but fer
vently, pray that your majesty will be graciouliy
pleased to take the premises into your serious con
sideration, and remove the appreh,enfions of your
petitioners, by adopting such measures, on the pre
sent occasion, as to your majesty, in your great
wisdom, justice and clemency shall seem meet.
Signed by order, and in the name, and on the behalf,
of the Weft-India planters and merchants.
Wm. C HRICHTON, Chairman
of the general meeting on this special business.
London, April 6, 1781.
To the PRINTER.
WHEN I cast my eyes around, and reflea on the
unexampled cruelties of the British, I am be
wildered in thought, stand aghast at their barbarities,
and almost conclude the whole to be a dream. Some
times I atk myfelf if this can possibly be the nation,
whom writers have often extoled for their generosity
and courtesy: when I immediately call to mind what
a French gentleman would answer, that they were al
ways the fame inhuman blood-thirsty people.—l have
been taught to believe, that real bravery and humani
ty were inseparable companions and what always df
tinguifhes the illustrious Hero: If true, then undoubt
edly the British officers have loft all claim to that
character, as during the present war, all th ir move
ments have been marked with the most horrid and ex
ecrable devaflations that ever disgraced the arms of a
soldier. But I will not attempt to describe their dis
ferent crimes at present, which would require a much
abler pen, to exhibit to the world a true mirrour ; for
their behaviour in the southern Rates exceeds all for
mer actions, and cannot well be expressed by words.
Is there a Carolinian who can think of general Pre
voft, lord Cornwallis, colonel Tarleton, or the infa
mous major Cockran, &c. &c. without the greateff
indignation ? without being agitated with an immedi
ate anxiety to take vengeance on such a perfidious foe,
for the unheard of cruelties committed throughout your
once flourifhing Rate —O heavens! how my heart glows
with the thoughts of once more having an opportuni
ty of opposing my enemy, and that of mankind, in
the field of battle. PLAIN TRUTH.
The enemy, in banishing us from our country, have
exhibited to the world, what faithlefs men, when in
toxicated with a few successes, will do; likewise
their close confining you in time of threatening danger,
discovers that the suspicions of their own falfe hearts
drives them at ©nee to lay aside all shew of paying any
regard to the ties of honour ; well knowing, that their
having infringed the capitulation, might authorife men
to keep no terms with them. Hence a multiplicity of
outrages are committed which injtime must recoil with
horror on the perpetrators. Your situation and ours,
and indeed I may add the usage the loyal fubjeds have
met with, is a striking picture of the human woe be
falling a conquered people.
As you have been in the country almost ever since
Charleftown fell, I cannot omit mentioning the virtu
ous conduct of the ladies, whose magnanimity vies
with Spartans of old. Nothing can equal their adhe
rence to the independence of America ; the vanquish
ers flrove all in their power to induce them to partake
of their amusements, but all their importunities could
not prevail upon many of them to add a luftre to their
balls, &c. They, sensible of the distresses of their
(once happy) country, seemed to take no pleasure but
in retiring from public view, to bemoan the cause of
fuffering liberty. When nothing but tyrannical de
ftruHion appeared to be hovering over every friend to
freedom, they like true heroines discovered an invinci
ble firmnefs and resolution. Were the men half so Rea
dy to their country's good as the women, no nation
could boast more illustrious natives than Carolina. To
the everlasting glory of the sex, many examp es could
be adduced of ladies exhorting their dearest connexions
to behave with a becoming fortitude; anxious for their
honour, earnestly urging them to perseverance, while
they by a laudable oeconomy supported their families.
St. Augustine, June 25, 1781.
Dear S IR,
fr HE hearts of sixty two leapt for joy! Although
A we are sorry for your close confinement at this sea
son of the year, it gave us infinite pleasure to under-
Rand there were still a remnant of virtuous men in Ca
rolina : men who dare shew their vaunting enemy that
they were not to be frightened into mean compliances.
You and your fellow fufferers have done an ad, my
friend, that will immortalize your names: yes, future
generations will speak of your patriotic behaviour with
the fame veneration, and confider you in the fame point
of view as we do at this day the actions of the ancient
Romans. What a becoming spirit have you shewn in
your letter to the commandant; and how exalted do
you appear in that to general Greene, which, though
laconick, is so nervous and expressive, that one word
more or less would have taken off some of its energy:
In a word, both of them are wrote in a Rile which dis
covers such intrepid heroism, that we begin to think
you will eclipse our being exiled; they are, indeed,
what we would always wish t® fee come from the hands
of brave men.
TO BE SOLD,
Two-thirds of a Lease,
For 6 years and 5 months, fr^m the ist day of Novem
ber next,
Of Greenwich Forge,
Grist Mil', Saw Mill, and about 600 Acres of Land;
fituited on Mufeonekunk creek, in Sussex county,
New-Jersey, fix miles from Durham furnace: The
Forge has been rebuilt last summer, and the Grist-Mill
is repaired ; with a good Farm, and about 20 acres of
mowable Meadow on the premises. There is also in
cluded in said L^afe, 4 valuable Negroes, 3 of which
are good Ferge-mer. For further particulars enquire
of RICHARD BACKHOUSE, at Durham Furnace,
or SAMUEL WILLIAMS, at said Forge.
AL L persons indebted so the inflate of JOHN
HAMILTON, late of Plymouth township, Phi
ladelphia county, deceased, either by bond, note or
book debt, are on<e more requested to make immediate
payment ; and all persons having any demands against
the said estate, are desired to bring in their accounts,
properly attifted, for payment: Attendance will be
given at the sign of the Black-horse, in Plymouth
township, aforesaid, on Thursday, the 6th of Septem
ber next, in order to make fe?tlement of said accounts,
by SIDNEY HAMILTON, ) Executrix.
Aug. ig. HUGH HAMILTON, / Executor.
Wants a Place,
As an Upper Maid, a Woman who can be
well recommended.—Enquire of
the Printer.
John Russel.
If John Russel, sometime a Cor
poral in the 26th British regiment of foot, and now
supposed to be in or about Lincaft-r in Pennsylvania,
will apply to ALEXANDER NELSON, merchant,
in Philadelphia, he will be inform'd of a valuable
Estate, near G afgow, (Scotland) whch has fallen to
him by the death of his father; to which, if he does
not by claim, in a fho't time will devolve upon his
younger Brother, by a fecund marriage, and be irreco
vera'dy loft to him.
*** A further Sale of the Public LOTS of this city,
for the redemption of the bills of credit, dated April
29th, 1780, will be held at the Coffee-houfe, 0 N
THURSDAY the 23d instant, at ten o'clock in the
forenoon. A plan of the lots may be fen at the Coffee
houfe, and at the Surveyor General's office. The
conditions the fame as in former sales, except the time
of pay ment, which is to be as follows—One fourth
part to be paid within three days after sale, the re
maining three fourths within fix months after sale.
Philadelphia, Aupuft 21.
Extract of a letter from Boflon, dated August 5.
“ Our Salem privateers have fallen in with the Que
bec fleet. The two French frigates, Laftre and Her
moine, took fix of them, retook the sloops of war the
Jack and Thorn, and were in chafe of seven more. The
Charleftown frigate, formerly the Borton, had struck,
but in a thick fog they loft her. This all happened in
the mouth of the river St. Lawrence."
Thornberry, August 17.
Hr"' taken up, bv the fu^fcriber, on the 13th of
March, lafy A Roan MARE, about 14 hands
high, 3 years old last spring, no mark. Whoever own©
said Mare is desired to come, prove bis property, pay
charges and taka her away, oh^rwife the will be fold in
fix weeks from the above date, by JOSEPH M,ACE%
Are not those things enough to reanimate the Carolini
ans to recover their oppressed country?
I make no doubt but you have ere this, been inform
ed how cruelly we were hurried off, not having a mo
ment's time allowed to prepare for our passage: but of
those particulars in a future day. Buyoed up by un-
Iftaken integrity, I despise their power; therefore my
resolution will always raise in proportion to their op
pressive measures. Nay, could I suppose it were poffi
bie for them to depress me, I would immediately plunge
a dagger into my bread.
„We fear nothing, enjoy our healths, are in high fpi
tits, and our expectations at this time are very great.
Adieu, my friend! Remember me to all those noble
patriots, the red of the prisoners ; whose undaunted
fouls must soar above their oppressors, and look down
,',." '°. em w '* contempt. There is indeed, a fatis
faftion in doing right which no human being can rob
you- of. What is it makes, think you, so famed, the
Roman magnanimity ? what? but a just contempt of
all danger, and when in competition with the public
good, even of nature's dictates, shown by their tramp
ling upon all her frailties. One gave a father up ; —
a son, another; and grew immortal by it!—Then let
us away with every fear, it were villainy to be a cow
ard now! Farewell.
To be fold, a Water lot,
r^r Tun AT% part o' Carpenter's Estate, between
Cmfaut and Wdnut ft eets, 24. feet f ont, extending
from the East fida of Water street 250 f^et into Dela
ware, bounded Northward' by a lot 0= Peter Whitefide,
and Southward by a lot of Chamleh Allen, with an old
Bpiling thereon, which lets at the rate of 361. per an.
Enquire of SAMUEL PRESTON MOORE, inThird
ftreet, north of Market street.