The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-06-28 00:00:00, page 2

"By the S' ip Castle b„gJafspCap ain William Stew
ri', ar'rivfct<®t Nest-Y&& 'ton Saturday la fl, in 34
days, from London, we have the following Advices.
A R D 6 S, March i 2.
^'UND AY last, at nine in the morning, part of a ve.
1? ry^igh mountain duroty^d down, and flopped up
t e river,Agfa till five o'clock the next day, Co as not
to fuffer the lead drop to pass through. On the part
fallen unfortunately flood a mill tompofed oftwo build
in<,, which was (wallowed up, so that not the (mail
ed r ice/jf it remains. A servant belonging to the
mill biag happi'y out of doors at the time, and per
ceivin^ the danger which threatened him, made his
escape bY6re the ground separated. Another perform
less fortunate was buried under the ruins. The mil
ler experienced the fame fate,' in attempting to bring
otffome cattle that were in the Rabies. A child of five
yers of age was saved by a peasant, who, notwith
flapding tee danger, went in fearchof him, and brought
him off by the ne& The height of the mountain fal
len is 400 to;fe ; , the b^nk formed by it 150 long by 80
wide and more than 400 toifes long and about 100
few deep. Toe water has at present (cooped itftlf a
paiiagt over the bank about twenty feet wide.
BERLI N, April 12.
Our monarch, who is blessed with a perfect Rate of
health, (aw,his troops perform their exercise lad Satur
day, Tier which his mjefty set out for Sahs-Souci,
where he intends to reside for some time.
HAGU E, April 9.
The fi ur Dumas was lately predated to the prince
and princess of Orange, in the quality of charge des
affairs of the United States of America.
Their high migitineffes have terminated to the fa
tisfadion of the court of Denmark, the affair of the
Englfh ftiip the Lark, taken by captain Van Dennep,
in the North sea, the 9th of Augall last: and, to avoid
a longer difeuffion on the part of the ffeur de Saint Sa
phorin, thry have sent orders to the college of admi
ralty of the meufe, to redore that (hip, with her whole
cargo, to her owners, on their paying the charges of
taking care of, and preserving the (hip; the whole in
fu ! l confidence that bis Danish majesty will, on occafi
-041, aft with cue fame spirit of conciliation towards the
republic.
L ONDO N,
April 20. On Tuesday afternoon William Wynne
Ryland, who flands charged with forging acceptances
to two bills of exchange, with intent to defraud the
Eaft-inoia company of 71141. was apprehended by one
Beaumont, and another fonftable, attending the pub
lic-office, in Baw-ftreet, ina private house at Stepney,
in consequence of information given them at the Brown
Bear, in Bowfirtet, by a shoemaker, purporting, that
he fufpefted the man, for whole apprehension a re
• ward of goal, had been offered, to be then at Step
ne, from the circumstance of a shoe with the damped
impression of Ryland having been that day sent
him to mend. When the officers entered the room
they saw Ryland fitting at a table, in a serious posture,
with a book in his hand, and upon turning bis head,
and feeing them, he seized a raz r which lay before
him, and cut is throat. The wound was sewed up
and the unhappy man put to bed ; and in the mean
tim?an express wasfent to Bow-flreet. In consequence
of which, fir Sampson Wright, and — Gilbert,
efq ; immediately set off for Stepney, where they found
the prisoner in a very improper date for examination,
both on account of the extreme agitation of his mind
and the danger attending the wound he had given him
ftif. Ryland remained at Stepney, bis hands bring
confined, and being watched by fix men, least hefhould
tear open the wound in his throat, or by some other
means put an end to his life.
On Thursday evening another over-land express was
sent off for the EaR-Indies, to travel through France
and Italy to Constantinople, and from thence, by the
mod speedy means, to Bengal.
The lad drips the French dispatched to the Raft-Indies
were le Froteclor of 74 guns, Ie Fendant 74, and I'Ar
gonaute 64 and la H ronof 32, They failed in April,
and have certainly reached the Asiatic seas before this
time.
,The Dutch force in the Bast-Indies to co operate
with the French, will confiflof one (hip of 68, three of
60, two of 56, one of 40, and two of 20 guns. This
squadron failed from the Texel in August last, and
have not been beard of since.
Extract of a letter from Brussels, March 27.
" The much talked of Cuppreffion of several convents
and nunnerie ,i< at lad confirmed by an imperial edift,
dated Brufftls, March 17."
May 10. Mr. William Lee, formerly an alderman
a! this city, is expected to be commiffibned by Con
gre's to t.e cou tof Vienna, as American consul.
On Thursday morning some letters were received from
Brussels, which mentioned that the emperor of Germa
ny has ordered a large army to be formed in Hungary,
to watch the motions of the Turks, who have already
committed several a^s of hostilities on the frontiers.
Commissions are making out for several of his majes
ty's fllips at Porifmoutb, which are intended for fo
reign service.
The court martial on lieutenant colonel Cockburn,
cf the 35th regiment, for the loss of the island of St.A
Euflatius, fat yesterday at the Horse-Guards. The
prosecutor (who appeared to be a very young officer)
opened the business in a modefl and very affecting
speech, describing the delicacy of his situation, and
the countenance he expected from his brother officers
in general. How this very intereßing trial will end it
is not in our power to give any probable conjecture.
Extras of a letter from Paris, April 29.
" His excellency M. de Marcoff, late minifler to
the Hague, from the empress of Russia, arrived yester
day in this city ; he is to sign the articles of peace be
tween the late belligerent powers, on the part of his
raißrefs; as prince de Barratinfhir is to sign them on
the part of the emperor of Germany; the two imperial
courts having taken up the character of guarantees."
BOSTO N, June 9.
At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants
of the Town of Lexington, legally assembled, May
22, 1783.
VOTED unanimbufly, That the following in
ftruaions be given to Benjamin Brown, esquire, e.
levied to represent this town in the general court the
year ensuing.
SIR.
HAVING given the firongeft evidence of our es
teem and confidence, in electing you to represent
this town in the general court of this common
wealth, the ensuing year ; it is not to call in question
either capacity, disposition or fid lity, that we assume
the right of intiruUing our representative: but rather
to assure you of that hearty concurrence and (upport,
which you may be certain to meet with from your coo
flituents, in thoe measures for the public good, which
(we trust) your own wisdom, prudence and love of li
berty andyour country, would naturally suggest, at
such a time as this.—lt is true, under GOD, by the
wisdom, firmnefs, patriotism and bravery of the peo
ple of this and the United States of America, we have
been happily carried through a CONTEST in which
all that we held dear, as a free people, was at stake;
and, in less tone and with less expence of blood and
treasure, than the most (anguine expectations of the
difeerning and judicious among us prom fed, effected
a REVOLUTION, great in itfelf, and glorious in the
eyes of an astonished world!
Much, however, remains yet to be done, to oerfeCt
the work: and perhaps there never was the time,
Saturday morning, 5 minutes before 5 o'clock, the
remains of prince Octavius were brought to Weftmia-
Rer abbey, and met by the archbishop of Canterbury,
who enterred the corpse in the royal vault. The cof
fin was covered with crimson velvet, with silver plate,
nails, &c.
May to. Government, since the ratification of the
peace with 'America, have indicated their desire to the
refugees from that country, that some mode should be
struck out for producing a final adjußment of this com
plex business, to be tirft (admitted to the iolpeaion and
controul of the house of commons, so as to relieve the
nation from the enormous annual sum that is paid to
this description of men, which at this time amounts to
80,0001. per annum. In confluence of the above inti
mation, the principal gentlemen, from the different
provinces in America, have summoned several meetings,
and the result of there deliberations have heen, for each
province, to fix upon a fpecific sum, which is to include
'every claim whatever. The largest province, which is
Virginia, have presented to the lords commiffioaers of
and treasury an account of the losses they have sustained
in supporting the royal cause, and the prayer of their
petition ends with requeuing a donation of 300'000'.
which they cohfent to take as a final compensation for
all pafl and future demands. A part of thelate secreta
ry f date's office is appropriated for the receiving and
examining their demands, previous to the infoeaion of
them by the lords of the treasury.
Extras of a letter from PoVtfmohth, April 23,
" To comply with the uncommon humour of the
sailors, every (fop of the line, and most others at this
port have been paid off, and the crews difeharged ; but
the greatest part of them will be commidioned again:
appointments are already come down for the Queen, of
98 guns; Princess Royal, of 90; Ganges, 0674; Tri
umph, of 74; Edgar, of 74; anl Elizabeth, of 74;
which are to be the guardfhips here.
" The Heder, Ardent, Pegafe, Salifbary, Media
tor, and some other, will have pendants again very
ffiortly.
“ The new work in this yard is ordered to be pro
ceeded on with all possible dispatch, and we talk of lay
ing down two new (hips for building (hips of the line.
" Seamen are at present very scarce; but we reckon
they will be returning to the service again as soon as
their money is expended, which is already the case
with some who have re-entered."
May 17. The emperor has not yet acknowledged by
any formal ad, the independence of America; he has,
however, tefolved not to fuffer, if he can help it, the
other European powers to run away from his fubjeds
with all rhe benefits of commerce with America ; to
this end his imperial majefly has railed the baron Van
B'eelen to the place of one of the lords of trade in Bra
bant, whom he means to fend out without delay to
America, in order to negociate the mod advantageous
treaty of commerce between his Flemish fubjeds, and
the United States of America.
Three French Shipwrights, who had embarked io a
vessel that'was (ailing from Brest to New-London, dis
guised as seamen, were discovered and ordered to go
immediately on (hore; so cautious is the police in all
the sea-ports, to prevent the emigration of ufeful hands
to the new dates.
Extract of a letter from Canftantinople, April 14.
" The grand vizier has frequent conferences with
the ambassadors of France anl England; and it has
been remarked that at the elofe of each, an express is
dispatched from this capital. The porte is making the
greatest preparations for war ; immense trains of artil
lery are daily sent off towards the Black fea,and the fron
tiers near the Pruth and the Danube, so that it looks
as if an attack both on the fide of Russia and Hungary
is apprehended by the divan. J Some European officers
who arrived in this capital, at the particular desire of
his sublime highness, have received instructions to
set out for the different towns to which they are ap
pointed, for the purpose of repairing the old fortifica
tions, and adding new ones, where they think them
necessary; these officers are chiefly engineers: Sophia,
the capital of Bulgaria, and Nizzi and Widin, whicn
command the entrance into Hungary, are to be very
firongly fortified and garrisoned. The best and ablest
general or bafhaw in the who'e Turkish army has been
lately appointed to command at Belgrade. The cap
tain pacha, or high admiral, is preparing to set out
early in May, on a cruize to the mouth of the Black
sea: ina word, every thing round us breathes war."
(not eve# in the heigth of the cordeft, or depth of our
distress) when attention, firmnefs, penetration, wis
dom and integrity were more necessary, than the pre
lent.—This year appears to us, to be a most interesting,
critical and important period: and upon the Counsels
taken, and the measures adopted and pursued at this
period, the establishment of our rights and liberties
(for which we have fought and bled) as freemen, free
and sovereign dates, and an independent nation, as well
as the blessings of peace, upon a permanent basis, will,
in a great measure, depend.
Among other important concerns which may engage
your attention, we beg leave, to recommend the fol
lowing, as what appears to us to demand the most cri
tical notice and serious consideration.
The case of those persons, who, in the late contest
with Britain, have left their country and joined the ene
my—By an article in the provisional treaty of prelimi
naries for a peace, between the United States of Ame
rica and Britain, it is expressly agreed and flipulated,
" That Chngrefs (hall earoeftly recommend it to the
legislatures of the refpedive Rates,' that persons of
the above described characters," (hall have free liber
ty to go to any part or parts of any of the thirteen
United States, and therein remain twelve months, un
molested in their endeavours to obtain the refutation
of their eflates, rights, &c ^ —Reference being had to
the article fafelf, being the fifth article of said treaty.
While we sincerely with, that the faith of the nation,
Solemnly plighted by the plenipotentiaries of the Uni
ted States, might be realized and regarded with the
most facrel attention, we a!fo with that the freedom,
independence and sovereignty of these dates, refpec
lively corifidered, might not be forgotten.
The words of the treaty itfelf, evidently fuopofe,
that when Congress, in compliance with its flipulations,
in favor of persons of the above described character,
have " earnestly recommended" the matter to the le
gislatures of the several Rates, the rig ,t of decision re
mains entirely and absolutely with them. The Rates;
severally, are fobmitted to as the alone judges;—and
upon their determination their fate must rest From
them there is no appeal!
Not to mention the hard names and opprobrious
characters of conspirators, traitors or rebels,—nor to
lay any stress upon the questions, who among them
are mod, or least deferring: There is one thing iu
which they are all alike, and, without exception, in
the fame predicament. And this suggests a rule and
points out a line of conduft for these dates, which ap
pears to us obvious, rational, just and necessary ; and
a rule equally applicable to all persons of the above
character. They have left the society—they have left
the country, under which they held---by which the,
were protested in --and to which they owed liberty,
property and life-.-and they have joined the enemy,
and put themselves, not only into their power, but al
so under their protection. By this one aft, without
any colouring or aggravations, it appears to us, they
have forever forfeited all claim to privilege, property
or protection, in the society, Rate or dates they have
so left. The estate or property which they heretofore
held under the protection of the society or state to which,
they belonged, of course, reverts to such foci ty.
Rate or Rates, and reason, common sense, the laws of
nature and nations concur to pronounce them, one
and ALL, ALIENS from the COMMONWEALTH-
This alone, we humbly conceive, is an argument
both c'ear and conclusive, againd their return to us,
and the refloration of their eflares: and at the fame
time, points out a line of conduct both just and neces
sary; and is no more than putting a (andion upon their
own choice.
Many other arguments might be fully urged against
the return of persons of this character, and their ad
mission as citizens of the dates they have left. As that
they have by their leaving them and joining the ene
my, weakened our cause and dr^ngthened the enemy,
and have fought, and done what was in their power to
subjugate us to the British yoke—That it is both unna
tural and unjust, that such persons should share in
privileges, which they have, to their utmost endea
voured to destroy—That if they should be restored,
and their estates returned to them, they will he very
dangerous to the peace of society and the liberties of
this country, &c. &c. and we may add, —That as to
the idea of admitting some, and rejecting others, itis
easy to fee, that the wisdom of angles would be puz
zled to draw the line —to determine when or where to
flop.
Upon the whole, we cannot but think it indifpenfibly
necessary, for the peace and fafety of this, and the
freedom and hhppintfs of the United States, that a de
cided part is taken to prevent their return and the re
covery of the eßates or property that was formerly
their's.
We would further recommend it to you, to use your
endeavours to promote a more thorough inquiry -into
de ftafe of the public debts, both Rate and continen
tal ; that the public accounts, may be adjufled and
properly arranged. To restore and eßablifh the credit
of Rate notes and securities, and funds for the punctu
al payment of intereß upon them. We al(o wish that
every proper measure may be taken, to promote eco
nomy in all grants, &c°—and in all disposals of public
monies—and, at the fame time that merit is duly no
ticed and rewarded and the public faith is preferred,
were solemnly plighted, the most watchful care be taken,
that all unnecessary expenditures, in pensions or other
ways, be prevented.
We would also suggest to you the importance, in a
free government, of the encouragement of literature in
all branches of science and ufeful knowledge—and parti
cularly of the university at Cambridge,and public schools
and feminities of learning — And as the general court is
tee great inquest of the commonwealth, to promote an
inquiry into the cause of the two general neglect and
contempt, of the laws for grammar-schools in the seve
ral towns.
In all your proceedings, we trust, we need not urze,
that a (acred regard to the rights cf the community —-
our excellent confutation, and the articles of tie con
federation of the United States of America, is at all
times both becoming and necessary.