The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-10-24 00:00:00, page 2

Foreign Intelligence,
Paris, July 8. Mr. Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary of the
United Staten of America, dined on Saturday last, for the firft
time, with the Count de Aranda, Ambaflador of Spain, toge
ther with Mr. Jay, who has long resided at the Court of Madrid,
and who is one of the Commissioners to treat for peace with
Great-Britain, The reception which the Count de Aranda gave
Messrs. Franklin and Jay, as Ministers of the United States,
strongly indicates, that Spain will soon acknowledge the inde
pendence of America.
Brufeh, Au^uft 8. Mr. Fitzherbert, Minister Plenipotentiary
of Great-Britain at our Court, set off from this place the gift
of July for Paris. He is charged from his Britannic Majesty to
resume the negociations for peace, begun by Mr. Grenville, and
to treat to this effeft with all the powers at war with Great-
Britair, jointly, or separately with either of them. His depar
ture was attended with the greatest secrecy.
Extract of a letter from Versailles, dated Aagufl 4.
" Mr. Fitzherbert, who has resided tor these 3 or 4 years past
as Minister of the King of England, at Brussels, arrived here
five days 'ago, charged with full powers to treat of peace with
the four powers at war with Great-Britain. He was to have
this evening, at the breaking of Council, his firft audience with
Count de Vergennes. This new negociator comes dire&ly from
Brussels, where his inftru&iuns were sent to him. He has with
him, as Mr. Grenville had, two date meffenge>s. Mr. Vaughan,
a merchant in Jamaica, who also has been a few days in
Paris, is a private man, who has fpuken as yet but with Mr.
Franklin."
Hague, August 14. Mr. Doringer, Secretary of the Legation
at the Court of Vienna, had, the day before yesterday, a con
ference with the President of the States General, and has deliver
ed to him a memorial, A Secretary of Mr, Leflevenun of Berk
enrode, Ambassador of the Republic in France, has arrived here
Saturday last, with dispatches cf this Minister, which are said
to be relative to the former overtures made to the Fiench Mini
stry, by Mr. Fitzherbert, for a general peace, which overtures,
nev^rthelefs, are looked upon at Versailles as very unlikely to
attain it. The fame dispatches announce, it is said, that the
combined fleet is going to the channel, to open the siege of Gib
raltar ; and contain the project of operations, which France and
Spain would with our naval forces could follow during the rest
of the campaign, pursuant to the concert the three powers have
adopted. These dispatches having been communicated last Mon
day to the Assembly of the States General, and taken ad re
ferendum by the Deputies of the refpe&ive Provinces, are actual
ly the object of deliberations of the States of this Province,
who have this day continued their sessions.
Leyden, August 14. The last letters from Paris, in acquainting
us with the interview Mr. Fitzherbert has had with Count de
Vergennes, mention also the report that prevailed, that Sir
Joseph Yorke, lately Ambassador of his Britannic Majesty at
the Hague, was going to follow him, and that his equipage had
already been landed at Calais. What renders the fad more or
left credible, is, that Mr. Fitzherbert is related to, and a pupil
of this ancient negociator. In case Sir Joseph actually comes
to France, we shall be able to conclude that the Englifo Court
has serious thoughts about peace, since a Minister, formerly in
vested with the most exalted character in the diplomatic line,
could not appear but with the splendor suitable to the rank he
has occupied. Nevertheless it will be difficult to agree on the
conditions of peace, so long as the affairs of the East-Indies
shall remain in a Rate of uncertainty, wich threatens the Enge
lifh company of an entire ruin on one hand, and on the other
offers a dominion most absolute in Bengal, on the coast of Coro
mandel, and that of Malabar. France conceives great hopes
from the opofition of Mr. de Buffy, in the East-Indies, and the
landing of the troops under the command of Mr. Duchemin, at
Porto Novo, appears already to be an omen of the most happy
success. This body of regular European troops, joined to the
numerous army of Hyder Ally, being able to give the severest
blow to the English forces on the coast of Coromandel, before
the arrival of the reinforcement which Commodore Bickerton
was to bring there. Besides this reinforcement melted down, it
is said, to more than one half or two thirds, before his arrival
at Brafil, an! during their anchorage in Rio Janeiro.
PARI S, 8 July 4.
We are assured, that monseigneur the count d'Artois
will set out to-morrow for the camp Of St. Roch. The
king of Spain has just ordered a detachment of an of
ficer and 12 men from his guards, for to receive this
prince at Bayonne.
All the officers who were in, the action of the 12th of
April last, and who are returned to France, have re
ceived orders to remain in the ports of their refpe&ive
departments.
The squadron which is ready to fail from Bred, un
der the orders of M. de la Motte Piquet, consists of
nine ships; the deffimation of which, we are assured, is
to reinforce the French fleet in the Weft-Indies. This
squadron, which will fail with a numerous convoy, on
ly waits for the arrival of the combined fleet, which is
momently expelled.
Letters from Madrid mention, that M. de Arcon,
who is to command the artillery at the siege of Gibral
tar, has just made trial of a bomb, the effeft of which
was prodigious: he knew so well how to dired its
course, as to cause it to fall on queen Anne's bastion,
where it set fire to a magazine of powder s the explo
sion of which destroyed too men.
From the New-York Evening-Post, dated Octo
ber 16, 1782.
by the brig Swallow, captain Walker, arrived here on
Saturday, in fifteen days from Tortola, we have the
following further advices, which were received at
tl at iflaritlby captain Ewing, in five weeks from
Glasgow.
From the Glasgow Journal.
LONDON, July 11.
HOUSE of LORDS, July 10.
Lord Shelburne's Answer to the Duke of Richmond
10RD SHELBURNE thanked the noble duke for
the candid manner in which he expressed his fen
' riments ; and he assured their lordships, that in
the present high office which he held, he possessed the
fame sentiments, and the fame ideas, in refpe& of the
three great points mentioned by the noble duke, as
when the late administration were firft formed. As to
what fell from the noble duke refpetting the carafes of
the late resignation, he admired tl e delicate manner in
which his grace touched upon that fubjeft. They
were not, however, of so very lamentable a kind, but
that tire business of the nation could be carried into ef
fed, although such an event had happened. And here
his lordship said, it might be necessary to hint at the
•eaf®n which induced the two right honourable per
There was another matter alluded to in another place,
which his lordship thought himfelf bound to answer : it
was the provfion that had been made for an honour
able friend of his, the paymaster of the navy. Twenty
years service in parliament, in the duty of which he
loft the emoluments and honours that would have arose
from his profeffional line of life, claimed some notice ;
when those men,whofe principles he pro feffed,and whose
politicalinterefts he fupgorted,were called to the head of
public affairs. H?s lotifhip faid,he came openly to meet
this matter, to avow his acquiefeence in its justice. TQe
provision made for the honourable gentleman had the
approbation of all the late adminiflration : and he was
happy now to fay, that the noble marquis was the per
son who firfl.propofed it, as could be evidently proved
in a letter under his l®rdfhip's own hand, and now in
his (lord Shelburne's) possession. There was no meaa
nefs in this aft; it was above board, and known to all
parties. It was not, as other persons had done, when
they came into office. The mode praftifed by them
he despised. His lordship said, they had in a more un
derhand manner provided for their relations and de
pendents; they had afteJ, as fearing the light of dis
quisition, He came forward-openly to avow what was
done for a man whom he efieemed, to whose friend
fhip he was indebted,and to whose zeal and abilities the
nation owed the idea of its present reform. As to any
popular invedives that might be lent forward on this
occasion, his lordship dreaded them not. He feared
no faction. His heart was confeious of 00 wrong, and
his intentions were upright in what he had hitherto
don% and what he yet purposed to accomplish. He
asked the assistance of the house no longer than they
found him anting up to rhe profeffinns he had made to
the system that had lately been begun by the marquis
of Rockingham, whose memory be revered, and with
whom, in political sentiments, he had but one (hade of
difference,---the independence of America would end in
the ruin of England ; and that a peace patched u pjvith
France, would give that proud enemy the means of
yet trampling on this country The Con of England's
glory he wished not to fee set forever ; be looked for a
spark at lead to be left, which might in time light us
up to a new day. But if independence was to be
granted ; if parliament deemed that measure prudent,
he forefaw, in his own mind, that England wasundone.
He wished to God that he had been deputed to congress,
that he might plead the cause of that country as well
as of/this ; and that he might exercise whatever powers
he possessed as an orator, to save both from ruin, in a
conviction to congress, that if their independence was
signed, their liberties were gone forever.
HOUSE of COMMONS, July 11.
Mr. Fox, ma fine vein of humour, said he had read,
in most of the public prints, a fp^ech said to be deli
vered in another house, wherein reasons were assigned
for his quitting his office ; that it was on account of
his not being able to grasp the whole government
into his own hands; that his noble friend had resigned
sons to go out of office. It was not on any division of
sentiment refpefting America; for a single idea of that
matter was never mentioned: It was not an opposition
to any one plan refpetting the interest of the empire,
the conduct of the war, the ©economy of the houftiold,
or the reform in parliament ; it was simply because a
party in the cabinet should not take from the sovereign
the prerogative of nominating the officers of state, and
bring themselves solely vested with the power of mak
ing the firft mini her the puppet of the rest. This plan
it was not judged proper to adopt, and his majesty
having, in a late appointment, exercised that just pre
rogative which belongs to the crown of this country,
the party which was formed against the appointment
took offence and went out of office. His lordship said,
it had been mentioned in another place, that he had
been guilty ofinconfiftence. To clear himfelf of this, he
asserted, that he still held the fame principles in refped
to American independence, which he at firft imbibed.
He had been, and yet was of opinion, whenever the par
liament of Great-Britain acknowledges that point, the
fun of England's glory is set forever. Such were the
sentiments he possessed on a former day,and such the sen
timents he continued to hold at this hour : it was the opi
nion of lordChatham,and the opinion of many able states
men. Other noble lords, however, think differently, and
as tire majority of the cabinet support them,he acquief
Ced in the meafure,diffi-nting from the idea,and the point
is fettled for bringing the matter into the full difeuffion
of Parliament, where it will be candidly, fairly, and
impartially debated. The great and important office to
which his lordship had been lately called, was, no doubt,
the primary cause of the two resignations alluded to.
Tae treasury had its charms —the treasury was to,com
mand party —the treasury was to support minifies—the
treasury was to order the voice of parliament.—These
were the ideas of those who wanted to carry on the bu
siness of the nation by party: but these were not his
lordship's ideas. The treasury to him was to be no sup
port for needy dependents, no source of political corrup
tion. ft was to be managed for the great benefit of the
nation, and fairly and openly accounted for to its real
proprietors, the public. Faction was a monfler to whom,
his lordship said, his prmcipls owed neither relation
flip nor obedience ; arid therefore it must not be a part
of any administration, to the support of which he had
the nonour to be called.
Peace, his lordship added, was a desirable object,
but it must be an honourable peace, a^d not an hu
miliating one, diftated by France, or infixed on by
America. It w^s very true this kingdom was not in a
flourishing state—it was impoverished by war. But if
we were not rich, it was evident that France was poor.
If we were ftreightened in our finances, the enemy
were exhausted in their resources. This was a great
empire; it abounded with brave men, who were able
and willing to fight in a common cause ; the language
of humiliation should not therefore be the language of
Great-Britain. His lordship said that he was' not
ashamed, nor afraid of those expressions going to Ame
rica. There were numbers, great numbers there, who
were of the fame way of thinking, in refpefi to that
country being dependent on this, and who, with his
lordship, perceived ruin and independence linked to
gether.
Philadelphia, O&ober 24.
A gentleman is arrived in town from New-York,
which he left last Friday morning. A little before he
came away, a ship arrived there in five weeks from
Cork, which brought an account that the Royal George,
of iio guns, laying at her moorings in St. Helena
road (between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth) was
suddenly overfet by a squall of wind, when file funk
and every foul on board perished.— This was one of
the fined Ihips in the British navy, and carried admiral
Kempenfeldt's flag.—The gentleman fays, that he fee
passengers land from the Cork ship, some of whom were
lamenting the fate of their relations on board the Roy
al George; and it was said the disaster happened by
the Chip's laying with her fails loose, for the purpose
of drying them.
On Monday last arrived here Captain Vallance from
Havannah, who on the 13th instant, off Ca pe-Hatteras,
saw a fleet of twenty one fail, among which were three
large Ihips ; by their course, and the wind at that time,
supposes them bound to the northward-—lt is not im
probable they were a fleet from Charleftown for New-
York.
Extras of a letter from Lancaster, dated October 18
" On Monday last the court of oyer and terminer
was opened here for the county of Lancaster. Divers
persons charged with aiding and condu&ing prisoners
of war through this county towards New-York, were
.the principal if not the only obje&s of the inquiry of
the grand inquest. By Wednesday, the trials began.
Four persons were found guilty. One man of advising
and endeavouring to persuade one of these prisoners to
escape. Thursday, thirteen, chiefly Menonifts, were
set to the bar, and eleven of them pronounced guil
ty of fimil^r crimes. Sentence was this day given
against these offenders, to the amount of near 2000 L
after the rate of 501. for every prisoner they assisted,
or harboured in going to New-York. Four or five
more remain to be tried ; some of whom have three
indictments of tris nature found against them. It is
to be hoped, that this (harp but necessary check to a
set of harmhfs men, who fay they are bound in con
feience not to meddle with war, will make all further
prosecution on this fubjefl needless. I am. &c.
Trauflation of a letter from a French officer to his
friend in
Camp at Verplank, September 21, 1782.
“ We joined the American army some days ago.
Yeflerday the French army was reviewed by his excel
lency general Washington. You are acquainted with
our troops, and I need not inform you, that after a long
and fatiguing march in a sultry season and climate, they
made such a splendid appearance as would have been
admired in our camps of peace in Europe.
This day the Americans were under arms. It was a
military feftival in honour of their allies. Their camp
was covered with garlands and pyramids, as so many
trophies greatfully railed by the hands of liberty. The
army was drawn up at the head of their camp. Twen
ty four battalions of the dates of New-Jersey, Massa
chusetts, Rhode-Ifland, Connecticut and New-York,
fo r rned a line of two miles extent. The most exa& uni
formity, the neat dress of the men, the glittering of
their arms, their marshal look, and a kind of military
luxury, gave a most magnificent appearance to this
assemblage of citizens armed in defence of their coun
try-
Never did a more august fight flrike my eyes. I ima
gined that I saw in their officers the Tells and the
Stawfachers * of old, and in the great man their chief
(whom America can never fufficiently compensate)
all the heroes united, whose names have been celebrat
ed in the annals of glory and liberty.
My admiration rose to enthusiasm when I reflected,
that not one of these soldiers was a mercenary ; that
many had fp ; lt their blood and facrificed their fortune
for their country, in expe&ation of no other reward
than the esteem of their fellow citizens, and a firm per
suasion of the juflice of their cause.
A difeharge of cannon was the signal for maneuver
ing. That exafinefs, order and silence which diftin-
the office of chancellor of the exchequer, because he
did not like the fatigues of office, and from a natural
love of ease ; that a pension of 32001. per annum had
been granted to colonel Barre, not as a reward for his
services, but merely on account of dispensing with the
office of paymaster of the forces. The fame speech
contained two or three other falfefhoods: therefore he
was certain the whole was a heap of abominable
trash, and a wicked libel of the printer's, to impose
upon the public- He declared he had to good an opi
nion of the noble earl to suppose he could utter such
trash ; indeed he was confident the noble earl could not,
therefore for himfelf he took no notice of it, he treat
ed it with the contempt it deserved, and he rather won
dered that his noble and honourable friends did not do
the fame. He appealed to lord John Cavendish and Mr.
Burke, whether the part refpeaing them were not
falfehoods, and was proceeding, when
Sir Fr. Molyneux, knight, gentleman ulher of the
black rod, came with a message from his majesty, ac
quainting the house that he was seated in the house of
lords, and demanded their attendance immediately : up
on which the speaker and the whole house diredly follow
ed the black rod, and were present at his majesty's put
ting an end to the present sessions ; after which they
returned to the house, and the speaker at the table read
his majesty's speech to them. The house then broke
up, being prorogued until the 3d of September next.
July 11. When Mr. Burke, on Tuesday, rose to speak
several members making a noise, and others going out
of the house, he grew vexed, and said, that from his great
refped for the house in general, and his ineffable con
tempt for those in particular who wished to interrupt
him, he would not attend to those who wished to pre
vent him from speaking: he then said, that if any of
them had any exception to his person " they know
(ciied he, with great warmth, and firiking his fide)
where to find me."
* Two celebrated worthies, who promoted the revo
lution in Switzerland.