The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-12-04 00:00:00, page 2

CTmso proverb: and as Rome %m not built in a day,
so neither in ?day aid it f 11 to the gieund: die continu
ed flourishing date for many centuries, but had her
Corruption begin earlier, her Destruction no
couot would have been Sooner RComplifhed. Highly
feidible of these things, those citizens who were conve
Tied to form our Constituti % meant carefully to
guard and Secure its from those dangers; and their de
fgD and intent is universally underflood to have been net
only to present a Monopoly of offices, but also to
keep them as Separate as possible, this is declared to
have been the fart by many members of that conventi
on, aid with this view they colle&vely declared, and
we have agreed, " That government is or ought to be
" in/ ituted for the common benefit, protection and fe
" curity of the people, and not for the PARTICULAR
" emota . ent or advantage of any tingle man, family,
" or set of men." “ That a frequent recurrence
" to fundamental principles, and a fi^m adher
" ence to jufiice, moderation, &c are absolutely ne
" ceffary to pr^Orve the blessings of liberty and keep
" a government fr e, and toat the people ought there
" fore to pay particular attention to these points in the
" cnoice of officers and representative#, and have a
" right to exact a due and constant rega d to them
" from their legislators and magistrate* in the making
" andcxecutmg fucn laws as are pecefEry for the good
“ government of the Rate,” With this view it is also
" declared, “ That a member of assembly while re
" continues such, fhaJl not hold ANY other office, ex
" cept in the m ; lria." And “ That ne perlon who
" holds ANY office in the gift of Congress, .Shall be
" elected to represent this commonwealth in Congress."
And with those views it is also declared, " That the
" treasurer of the date, tru flees of the loan office, na
" val officers, collectors of custom and excite, judges
“ of the admiralty, attorney general, &c. Shall not be
" cap ble of a feat in the general assembly, executive
" council or continental con,refs " These cir
curuftarces amengft others, clearly declare the intent of
the convention and confutation, as well as part of those
fundamental principles to which it is declared necessa
ry frequently to recur ; and it would have been almost
endiefs, if not needless to have rung out all the chan
ges and combinations of office, which might take place
in a government; now it is deplorable to fee how rea
dy even lo re who profeft themfelv's Patriots, are
to evade these things, and thus to trample upon the
vitals of the cenftirution. It may perhaps be alledged
that in the remote parts of the state it has been thought
proper to combine several offices of small profit under
the agency of one man ; but one mistake can Kever
junify another, and if this be admitted as a rule where
shall we stop? let us remember that a trifling breach,
cnee made, may prove an inlet to a dangerous Inunda
tion of error : and it would no be a long journey from
the offices of jufti e of peace and prothonotary, up to
those of firft judge of the state and judge of the ad
miralty, as both offices could be very readily perform
ed by cue man well versed in his bufintfs. But it is
to be hoped the eyes of the people of Pennsylvania
will be kept open, as such procedures would be danger
©us to the constitution and the liberties of the people,
for whom it will certainly be much fafer to keep all
offices, great and small, forever separate, rather than
rare the riSque of those evils of which we seem to be in
danger: and as it is a matter of doubt with many,
whether the offices of councillor and auctioneer can with
propriety be held together, it may be well to observe
that naval officers, collectors of custom and excise, &c.
are expressly declared incapable of a feat in the exe
cutive council, &c. But for what reason can we tup
pefe them declared under this incapacity, the amfwer
is ready and the reason plain, because by the 20th fee.
of the confutation, the executive council " are to fit
" as judges to hear and determine on impeachments."
So that if a collector of customs was a councillor, and
an impeachment made against him, he would fit judge
in his own cause, and might be c pable of an undue
influence: now ^ith regard to a feat in council, what
is the difference to the public between a collector of
cuftems and public auctioneer; or can we suppose the
comparative importance of office is greater between a
councillor and collector of excise, than between a coun
cillor and audieueer ; Surely no, especially as a public
auctioneer, as the law now flands, is really and truly
a collector of customs ; being appointed to levy and co|-
lert from goods publicly fold within his difiria, the du
ty or custom of one per cent. In which case if an im
peachment mould be lodged against him, and he at the
fame time a member of council, he would, as is before
observed, fit judge in his own cause, which would be
such an absurdity in government, as it is presumed no
one can pretend to maintain ; so that as the laws now
stand, and according to the letter, as well as confident
with the true spirit and inten't of the constitution, it
muff appear altogether incompatible that the offices of
Councillor and auctioneer Should be held together.
Equality,ought as much as poffible,to be the rule of
government, but when a man is possessed of an office,
whch by the art of the legislature, as well as by that
criterion the constitution has prescribed, must be con
feffed to be not only profitable but too lucrative, to
confer another office of honour, attended with coofi
drable profit, on the fame man, is certainly inconsist
ent with that spirit of equality which ought to preside
in a republican government. The Roman Cato tiled
to fay, that " for men to be too long or too much in
" office in a government, is to have too little regard to
" others, or to the dignity of the state." Alexander
Severus would never Suffer offices of justice to be fold,
" Fof, faith he, it is not flange that men Should sell
" what they buy." And Pythagoras, in a publicau
dience, told the senators of Crotonia, that they receiv
ed their country as a deposition or trust from the peo
ple, wherefore they mould manage it accordingly, since
they were to resign their account with their trust to
their own children ; and that the way to do it was to
avoid all partiality amongst the citizens, &c.
These rem rks are recommended to the Serious con
sideration of the people of Pennsylvania, by
CANDIDUS.
MADRI D, August 7.
The winds having at last permitted the combined
fleet to fail, they left Cadiz on the 21st ultimo, in the
morning; confining of 49 ships of the line, in the fol
lowing order of battle:
FIRST DIVISIO N.
Blue and White Squadron.
Fl San Miguel, Spanish, 70
L' Invincible, French, 110 M. de Cherizay.
El Rayo, Sp. 80 Don Guixal.
El Brillante, Sp. 70
Le Dauphin Royal, Fr. 70
La Conception, Sp. 96 Don Miguel Gaston.
La Sirfna, Sp. 70
La Caflilla, Sp. 60
L? Galicia, Sp. 70
Le Roy I Louis, Fr. 110 M. de Beauffet.
El San Rafel, Sp. 70
La Santa ffabella, Sp. 70
SECOND DIVISION.
White Squadron.
L'ARif, Fr. 74
El San Carlos Sp. 80 Don Vincente Tenedos
Le Hardi, Fr. 64
EiAngeld laGtardiaSp. 70
Le Proteaeur, Fr. 74
La fantifimaTrinidadSp. 112 Gen. Don Luis de Cor-
La Africa, Sp. 70 dova, commanding
El San Domingo, Sp. 66 the whole combin-
Le Zodiaque, Fr. 74 ed fleet.
L'lndin, Fr. 64
El San Fernando, Sp. 84 D. Hernando Angelo.
THIRD DIVISION.
Blue Squadron.
El Vencedor, Sp. 70
El San Damafo, Sp. 79 Den Antonio Forno.
Le Bien Aime, Fr. 74
Le Septentrion, Fr. 64
El San Pedro, Sp. 70
Le Majeftueux, Fr. 110 M. de Rochechouart.
Le Gu'rrier, Fr. 74
El San joachin, Sp. 70
El Sanjuan Bautifla, p. 70
El San Julio, Sp. 70
El Or ente, Sp. 70
Le Terrible, Fr. 110 M. de la MottePiquet
El Terrible, Sp. I|B Don Antonio Values.
A light Squadron under M. de Guichen.
1 FIRST DIVISION.
La Bretagne Fr. 110 M. de Guichen.
El Gloriofo, Sp. 78
Le Lion, Fr. 70
El Serio,; Sp. 64
Le Magnifique, Fr. 74
El Meuo, Sp. 64
Le Kobufte, Fr. 74
SECOND DIVISION.
El San Vincente, Sp. 80 D. Ignacio Toffa.
Le Feudant, Fr. 74
El San Pablo, Sp. 70
L'Alexandre, Fr. 64
El San Lor nzo, Sp. 70
Le Triumphant, Fr. 80 M. du Parillon.
N. B. The officers whole names are here set down,
are either admirals or commodores.
SALE M, November 15.
The prifeners who arrived in this port, in the late
cartels from Newfoundland, conceive themselves bound
by a principle of gratitude, to acknowledge in this pub
lic manner, the very humane and benevolent treatment
which they received from admiral Edwards, while in
his power as prifonera of war at St. John's. Although,
being a British officer, they as Americans, cannot but
confider him as a public enemy ; yet as a man, they
highly esteem him for the goodness of his heart, and as
possessing the amiable and exalted virtues of a philan
thropist.—Their experience of his kindness, in alevia
ting the distresses incident to their situation as pr foners,
will always be remembered with the most grateful sen
sibility. And they sincerely with, that whenever their
countrymen may have occasion to censure Britilh cruel,
ty, they may confider that admiral Edwards ought al
ways to lr: excepted.
Last Tuesday captain Collier, in a ship belonging to
Newbury-Port, arrived at Marblehead in 32 days from
Nantz, in France. We have intelligence by this vessel,
that the combined fleet had returned into port, after a
cruize of some considerable time in the British ch nnel;
during which the fleet of Britain dared not to make its
appearance at sea. The people of England were great
ly alarmed, and called loudly for peace. The militia
011 tne sea coast were kept under arms for several weeks,
occasioned by the terror which was spread by the ap
pearance of the combined fleet. WeaEo learn, that
the Spaniards continue vigorously to push the siege of
Gibraltar ; and that the forces which were employed
for the reduction of Minorca, after possessing them
selves of the whole Eland, to the environs of St. Phil
lips, had carried their approaches very near that garri
lon, which, it was exported, would soon urrender.
____ r
B OS TO N, November 1,.
Upon the glorious and memorable eccafion of the
cornpleat cenqueft and capture of tne Eritifh army un
der lord Cornwallis, by the allied forces in Virginia,
the hon. C'onful- General of France, gave a bad last
Monday night, to the governor and council, the com
modore and officers of his Most Christian Majesty's
ships in this harbour, the American officers, and a
great number of the principal ladies and gentlemen of
the town. The Consul opened the ball with the lady
of his excellency the governor. Every thing was con*
dusted with the greatest decorum ; and the whole ap
pearance was brilliant. The 'oy of the evening was
particularly heightened by the mutual glow of friend
fhip between the two nations, which sparkled in eve
ry countenance on this happy occafioa.
A person who left London the loth of September in
forms, that printed hand-bills were circulated through
out England, giving an account of the entire Conquest
of all the American colonies to the southward of Phi
ladelphia. *
A paper of the 21st of September, published at Am
sterdam, gives an account of the arrival at Lisbon from
Goa of two officers of a ship, lately call away, belong
ing to commodore Hughes's squadron, who inform,
tuat Hyder Alli had laid close siege to Madrffs ; that
the French squadron were also before the Harbour, in
which were eight lodiamen, and a great number of
other vessels, that commodore Hughes could not come
to their relief, by reason of the Monsoons, and that
the English affairs in the Indies were in a deplorable
situation.
Friday last a cartel arrived from Halifax, with 107
prisoners.•
Nov. 22 Last Lord's day a brief was read in the :
several churches in this town, and a generous collecti
on made for our unfortunate brethren of South Ca
rolina and Georgia.
Last Sunday arrived at a fafe port, the letter of
marque ship Rambler, in 25 days from Bilboa. By
this vessel we have the very agreeable account of the
arrival at the port Corruna (Spain) the frigate Charlef
town, that failed from Amherdam, about the 19th of
August last, and supposed to have been loft in a gale
of wind which happened a snort time after.
& ince our last arrived at a fafe port, the Cato and
Thorn privateers, having taken several valuable prizes;
one taken by the Thorn, is said to be the Jason (lately''
commanded by captain Manly) from Jamaica, bound
to London, with rum, fuga , &c. She made an ob
stinate refinance, and had several men killed. She had
on board a namber of invalid soldiers.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at Philadelphia,
dated Nov. 6.
“ By our latest advices from Amsterdam, America
is riling in their esteem ; and in their in ftrudions to
their captains of privateers, they mention the United
States among their friends and allies. As soon as the
news of our having captured another Eritifh army,
reaches them, they wi I doubtless be ready to make the
most public declarations of our independence; but
however that may be, the sovereignty and independ
ence of these Gates is so well established, that we may be
pretty easy, if we make proper exertions within our
selves."
- N EW- L O N D O N, November 23.
Saturday last the sloop Randolph, captain Peck re*
turned from a cruize. Three days before his arrival
he spake a row galley out of Norwich river, by whom
he was informed that a day or two before, they had
been close in with Sandy-Ho^k, and saw the Eritifh
fleet, 25 in number, come to fail and stand out to sea ;
that each ship previous to their weighing anchor, fired
a gun.
The above galley had taken an empty schooner, and
a sloop laden with wood, but the northerly winds has
prevented their arrival.
We learn from New York, that the traitor Arnold is
very shortly to embark for England, in full confidence
it is imagined, that his exploit in burning this tows
will (efficiently recommend him to the favour of the
king and British ministry.
Tuesday returned from a cruize the brig Minerva,
captain Angel, who on Friday last saw 17 ships off the
capes of Virginia, which he imagines were Eritifh ships
of tie line..
We hear that the brig Firebrand, .captain Trow
bridge, of New Haven, is arrived at Amflerdam.
We hear that captain John Sloan, in a coasting sloop
from Nantucket, bound to New Haven, is carried
into New-York.
Wednesday last a flag with 17 Eritifh naval prisoners,
failed for New- York.
We hear that a ship ran afhqre on Block-Island last
Saturday night, but where from we don't learn.
F I SH- KI LL, November 29.
A large ffeetof merchantmen, &c are preparing at
New York for sea, and will fail in a few days for Eu
rope; they are to be convoyed out by three ships of
the line. The timid friends of government may avail
themselves of the favourable opportunity to take a fa
fer position on the other tide cf the water.
By reports from New York, we learn, that fir H.
Clinton is generally condemned for the loss of Corn
wallis. That the tories, finding those who joined
Cornwallis, abandoned to the mercy ot the civil ma
giflrates, are clamorous; they fay they have not the
proteElion they were promised, and that they had ra
ther throw themfelyes on the mercy of their country,
than trust a capitulation of Eritifh officers, in which
their interests are not considered : That some of the
merchants had turned wh-gs, because general Wash
ington did not fufLr the property of the merchants at
} ork aid Gloucester to be plundered.
TRENTON, Nov 28.
At a joint meeting of the legislative council and as
sembly, the honourable Abraham Clark, Willi; m Ch.
Houston, Jonathan Elmer and Elias Boudii or, eiqrs.
and Silas Condi&, efq. were elected delegates to repre
sent this state in congress tl c enfuipg year.
wiwiMUnw. -awmtHtenTCta
PROVIDEN C E, November 17,
Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, dated October 30.
" I congratulate you most sincerely on the capture
of Cornwallis and his Army. Will there not be an
aft of the Eritifh parliament te erace from the calender,
the mifehievous month of OCtober?''
We learn that a vessel is arrived at Acoxet from
Virginia, which ihe left 15 days ago, when the count
de Graffe, with his fleet, remained io the Chesapeake.
A flag of truce from Halifax, with 200 Americans,
late prisoners there, arrived at Second on Wednesday
morning last, after a very long passage they futfer
ed much for want of provision, which was & sdy ex*
haufted some days previous to their arrival/