Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1777-09-09 00:00:00, page 3

" contrive the ruin, or overturn of any of the:n, but
" to pray for the King, and fafety of cue nation, and
" gr>od of all men; that we may live a peaceable and
" quiet life, in all godline's and honesty; under the
“ government which God is pleased to let over us."
Ancient Testimony, 1696, in Sewell's History.
May ive therefore firmly unite in the abhorrence of al!
fab writings, and measures as evidence a desire and de
fgn to break offthe happy connexion me have heretofore
evjved, with the kingdom of Great Britain, and our just
and necefory fobordination to the King, and those mho are
lawfflj placed in authority under biw ; that thus the re
%,catch flen/n declarations, made on this fubjefl, in the
^darefes font to the King, on behalf of the people of Arne
riea in general, may be confirmed, mid remain to be our
firm andfucere intentions to observe and fulfil.
Signed in and on behalf of a meeting of the Repre
sentatives of our Religions Society, in Pennsylva
nia and New-Jerfcy; held at Philadelphia, the
20th day ofthe firft raonth, 1776.
JOHN PEMBERTON, Clerk.
To our Ft Ana's and Brethren in religious profefon, in these
and the adjacent Provinces.
Dearly beloved friends and Brethren,
(\ U R minds being retiredly imprcffed with a £r
cent religions concern for your spiritual welfare,
and prefeivation in the love and fellowship of the gef
pel of our Lrd jefes Christ, the Prince of Peace, by
the conftrainiogs of his love, we are engaged to Ware
you in this time of deep exe^cife, >fflid;on and dimcul
ty; earnest, detiring, that we may by fleady circum
fpcaion and care, in every part of our candu& and
convexLtiun, evidence, that under the close trials,
which are and may he permitted to attend us, our
fthh and rebauce is fixed on him alone for protection
and deliverance, remembering his gracious prumbe to
hrs faithful followers, " Lc, I am with you al way even
“ unto the end of the world," Matt, xxviii. 20.
And " as it became him for whom are all things,
" and by whom are all things, in bringing many ions
" unto gh»y, to make the captain of their falration
" perfe& through fuffcriags." Hob. ii. to. Let us not
le rifmayed, if we are now kd in the fame path.
As we keep in the Lards power and peaceable truth,
wh:ch is over all, and therein fek the good of all, neither
eMward fifa'",' pexecutions, nor any outward thing
that is he &cb, will hmepr or break our heavenl. fellowship
in the light andfpbit ofChrijl G. Fox's Epift. 1685.
1 bus we may vi h chrrihai firmnefs ond fortitude
wittfand and refuje tojuimtit to the arbitrary injunctions
and ordinances of men, who afame to themfeives the pow
er of cos,frying others, either io perlon or 1, other affijt
snee, to joo in carrying on war, and of prescribing
modes of dewrmw.wg concerning our religious princi
ples, by impfog lefts not warranted by the precepts of
Chn#., or the laws of the ba,,; confitution, under which
we and others, long erjfrd tranquility and peace.
Vie therefore, m the ab fundings of that love, which
wfchelh the fpirituJ and tempural prosperity of ah' men,
exhort, admonrih and caution all who make religious
pfriffic* with us, and efy^ily our beloved youth, to
ff^d htt in that liberty, wL^ewith through the ma
fi^old iu&rings of cur predsceHms, we have been fa
voured, aad fteadfy to bear out ullimosy against every
attempt to deprive us es it.
And, Dear Fiends, you w?o have known the truth,
and the ,o^erf£ operations tereof in your minds, ad
berefri^fady thereto, and by your good examples and
ftabilim labour to frenches the weak, confirm the
wavefog, ard warn and caution the unwary against be
fog beguiled by the fibres of the adversaries of truth
and rightcoufnefs. Let not the fear of buffering, either
in perlon or property, prevail on any to join with or
promote any work ar preparation for war.
Our profeffinn and principles are founded on that
spirit which is contrary to, and will in time put an end
to all wars, and bring in roertafling righteoufef; and
by our con&andy abiding under the direffim and in
ftrudion of that fyrit, we may be endued with that
" wrtdom from above, which is frft pure, then peace
" aWe, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy
" and good fruits, without partiality, and without hy
“ pacify." James iii. 17. Thar this may be our
happy experience is cur fervent desire and prayer.
Signed in and on behalf of the Meeting for Sufferings,
held in PbiWefbia, for Pennfylvanii and Mw
fofa. th zoth da, of the Twelfth Month, 1776.
JOHN PEM3ERTO N,CW.
Minute ^ the Quarterly Meeting held in Philadelphia, Btb
month fb, 177/.
TH E account from the teveral matings in Philadel
phia relating to the fubjeft of f Wrings being read,
their „ care and attention to the dne&ion of rhe Yearly
Meeting is approved of, and their further attention cn
i^ch cates as miy arise is defined ; and as it may be ufe
ful for thrie now brought to be communicated 10 the
Meeting for Sufferings tor further confoer^ion, the
Clerk is dtr&ed to lay th^m before that meeting.
Copied from the Minutes of said Meeting °
JOHN PEMBERTON,"cIerk.
Ata Monthly Meeting of PhiLd dphii, held on the z ,h
and gift davs 7 th morth, and fit Bth rant's 1777'
"A COMMITTEE b% ,agfo^
to the recommendation of our bit Yearly Meeting, to
adfife ,nd affiftany of our friends ^ho have been bios^ht
under Offerings on account of our Coritun TAt,mcar
and to p^ferve a record off.ah luffnings, have accuaint
ed this meeting in writing, tint they r av r G v - r> i times
met and hetiy conferred on the fu'jft, md although 3
nu <b*r of our brethren have fuffered on -various occasi
ons under the pre sailing tumults andemfufans which have
attended, yet no account of particular cases hath been so
collated as to enable them to make 1 full report the e
on; we have therefore continued the fame Committee,
and detired their further attention to the feivice, that the
intention of the yearly meeting may be fulfilled.
At a Monthly Meeting of Friends ii Philadelphia for
the Southern Diltricf, held tne 30th 7th month, 1777,
by adjournment.
TII E Committee appointed by this meeting, to ad
,vife and assist such of our members who might be fubjecl
ed to fuffering for the Testimony of Truth, and to ke?p
a record thereof, agreeable to the diredbon of lad Yearly
Meeting, brought in a report in writing, a copy of which
is herewith lent.
" To the Monthly Meeting of Friends in Philadelphia for
the Southern Dijbi£t.
" W E the Committee appointed to adrife and aflLt
" such of our members who might he subj &ed to fuffor
" ing for the Testimony of Troh, and to keep a record
" thereof, agreeable to the direction of laid Yearly Meet
“ ing, Do report, That we h ^e kept this matter under
" our care, in order ihat we might give our affidance
" when necessary. And although there were some oc
" currences previous to cur appointment, wherein feme
“ were fubje^ed to foffermg ; no cates have fallen out
“ of late which required our paititular cite. Neverthe
" Jess we may ob^ve that fame Friends have been in
" jured in their property, by having had blankets taken
" from them on account of their non compliance with a
" r quifition that was made for a number of blankets,
" for the purpose of equipping fiddlers gain 7 to war.—
'' Sine also who followed their lawful vocations cn the
“ days appointed by those in authority, to be observed
'' as public fafts, have been molelled and their (hops vi
' 'olently ih by the rabble.
" And iikewife on the evening of a day lately appoint
" el by the prefect powers, for public rejoicing, itiveis
" Friends ban their windows broke by a licentious mob,
“ becatif' they could not join with the multitude in illu
" minuting their windows. But no account has been
“ brought in by any Friend of the loss or damage they
" have fufttiaed.
" Signed at the requef and on behalf of the Committee,
“ B, JOHN REYNELL."
Philadelphia, zotb ytb month, 1777.
Toe Monthly Meeting for the Northern Dirtrift having
had a Committee appointed to the like service, produced
to that meeting the following report.
" IN as much as divers of our members have been
<' fu'fc&ed to variouslcffes, oppressions and impositions
'' under the prefect commotions and tumults, the Cornmit
'' tee appointed m the rath month last to preserve a re
'' cord of the fofrings of our brethren for a faithful ad
<c herence to rhe cause and tettimony of truth, think it
'' riglit to submit to the c^nfidcraticn of the Monthly
(< Meeting a general view of the teveral matters in which
'' the Com i tee have been exercised, to encourage and
'' proni.fr fdthfulnefs and a conduft confident with our
'' religious profeffion, as also by a brotherly Sympathy
'' and labour, to endeavour to relieve, assist and ftrength
'' en fertile of cur opprelfed brethren.
“ Many of our houses have been stripped of the leaden
" weights used for the hanging of windows, by order of
" t'ofe who have in tbefe tumultuous times afamed the rule,
" In like manner have a contiderable number of blan
“ kets been forcibly taken and carried away from many
" Friends declared to be for rising out men to go to
“ war. The being compelled into a contribution for
" such a parpofe has been grievous to honed minds
“ And feme have hid their dock of this necessary ar.i
---“ cle so reduced, as to be likely to want the needful co
" veringin a cooler feafim. So far as have come to our
" knowledge, we have reason to believe Friends have
" rn itly fuffered in this, and die fi ft inrtance, with a
" good degree of patience and meekneG, and bane ge
" neralf jbewn a difap,robatin of fuels exactions.
Tile nou.es of lereial friends have been wantonly
“ abused, and their windows broke and destroyed by a
“ rude rabble, Jor not joining ^b the present rulers' in
" their pretended a&s o) devotion, and conforming to their
" ordinances tn making a jbew of that fort in putting up
" our boufes and jbops, profeffedly to observe a day of bu
" miration, and to crave a blefing on their public proceed
" ings, but evidently tending to j,read the spirit offrife
" and contention.
" The like abuses and wanton deft nation of our pro
" perty hath lately been repeated, lecaufe Friends could
“ not illuminate their houses, and conform to fu:h vain
" practices, and outward marks of rejoicing, to com
" m^morate the time of the,e peoples withdrawing them
" fives from all fabjeflion to she Englijb government, and
" from our excellent confitution, under which we long en
" joyed peace and prof, eriiy.
' Some of our members have also had soldiers forced
“ in 0 their houses and kept there for feme time, by
“ which families have been much incommoded, and our
“ peaceable testimony disregarded by the authors of this
" imuolit on.
“ Edward Wells was seized in the street by a number
ct of armed men, and for refufing to bear arms, or to aid
" and Ufft in warlike fervicts, was committed to the
" New Prifen in this city, and confined there about three
" days, by order of General Putnam.
“ And for the like refufal Thomas Mafterman, Wil.
" liain Brown, and William Wayne were taken from
“ their dwellings by an armed company of men, and
" with drum and music paraded through the Greets for
“ a confider.ible time before they were permitted to re
" turn to their habitations.
" Samuel Shaw haring been appointed under the pre
“ sent rulers to aft in conjunaion with their Magistrates
" as an Overseer of the Poor, after a deliberate confider
" ation of the matter, concluded to decline the office,
“ believing it to be inconfittent with his own peace of
“ mind, and the solid advice of friends at our last Year
“ly Meeting. He was fined for refufing to serve Twen
" ty Pounds, and had his goods diftrained and taken
" from him to the value of Twenty eight Pounds.
" William Compton's case will close the report we have
r make, which is set forth in the two following Mi
ates of our Monthly Meeting, except that of his ha
egheen kept close prisoner near fix weeks, debarred
'' from the conversation and advice jf Ids friends, and
" thereby prevented from manbefting w s in ioc.uce.of
“ the charge brought ^mlt him, at a time wlkh he was
“ threatened with very levere ufoge, even to tke e^dan
" gering of his life, altho' from ought that has appe^re ',
" the authors ot this injurious arto ciuci treatment h.d
'' net the lead grounds therefor.
stb Month 17th, 1777. “ Tne Committee appointed &
arfotd their advice and ailntance to inch of our itttia a
V as wight he brought unuer lingering, having had hi
" vers meetings with the Oveaeets and several other
" Friends, and taken into their consideration the tituati
" on of William Comptom, oh? of cur mem >e?s, who
'' was committed to the New Prilon in this city on ths
“ rSrh day of lalt month, uy a written oder signed by
" Fmhp Schuyler, acting in the cbar&ler of a General
" and commander of toe military lories in this city, awl
" though repeated applications have been made to hiit
" and his premise obtained, that WiHinu should be en
" larged, having informed Friends that so far as hat
" come to hrs knowledge nothing criminal rn the view of
" ibofe who now exerctfe authority in this place, n, 1
" upon examination been found agairrthmi ; }ct he id
" bid continued in confinement, and there appears fitiii
" eccafi n h r an exercise of brotherly care and chrdtun
" lempathy in bis case—Aster a solid deli: eration thee
" 00 in tins meeting, our Friends John Hunt, Chares
" W ft, John Parrifo, Samuel Smith, William Cowper,
" William Fisher, Joshua Howell, Isaac Cathrall, aid
" Henry Drinker, were appointed to take the fame ur
"err their immediate and religious care, and dehred r>
" afford such afnitance and helptherein ascurLidfri nd';
" situation may appear to require, and fhouid they a, pre
" hend it necessary, they aie at liberty to lay the fame
" before our Meeting for Sufferings for their advice in
" this matter, in which our lociety now u, and may bd
" deeply inierefted.
6th Month 24^, 1777. " The Committee dominated
" hit montb having several times met together w th feme
“of our brethren in this cit,, on the day of ihrir appoint
" me^ and the succeeding day, and fermufly ccnlidered
" the alarming stretch of power which had ben, and the
" k verity which was ptopufed to be exercised in the case
" cf William Compton, they concluded it right to tc
" monflrate against, and endeavour to prevent some very
“ arbitrary proceedings, with which be was then threat
" ned, ^nd after diligently purruing the matter, and per
" lonafly attending an examination which he was fui jed
" ed to, a difeharge from his confinement was obtained,
" with a certificate that there did nut appear the lead:
" grounds for the charge brought against him."
Philadelphia, ,tb mentb zgtb, 1777.
Fo the Monthly Meeting of Friends of the Northern Difri2 of
Philadelphia, to be held by adjournment this day.
SAMUEL MIFH,
WILLIAM COWPER,
CHARLES WE>T,
JOHN PARRISH,
HENRY DRINKER.
The foregoing report was read, and col lide!ed, in our
said Meeting, and committed to the care of the Repre
fcntatives, to be by them laid before cur Quarterly
Meeting. HENRY DRINKER, Clerk.
The amount of Friends fuff rings brought up from our
several Monthly Meetings chiefly for not bearing arms
and paying taxes Jor yu,porting a war again, the Govern
ment this,ear, is Four Hundred and Sixteen Pounds Five
Shillings, Pennfyirania currency.
Divers Friends were imprisoned ; some soon difeharred^
three continued prisoners upwards of three months, wer^
fined by the Court but not yet levied, and their persons
discharged from imprisonment.
Extracted from the Minutes of our Quarterly Meeting held
in Rahway, the s^tb Bth month, 1777,
By JOHN SHOTWELL, Clerk.
Extract 9/ a Letter from General S ULLIVAN/,
CONGRESS, dated Hanover, riuguft 2^, 1777.
" Attend the baggage taken cn Staten Island the 22 1
instant, I find a number of importart papers; a copy of
three I inclofe for the pcruftl of Congress. The one
fr i m the Yeaily Meeting at Spank Town, held the 19th
instant, I think worthy the attention of Congress."
No. i. Where is Washington, what number of men or
carman ?
No. t. Where isSterling, what number of men and cannon?
No. 3. Where is Sullivan? &c.
No. 4. Where is Dayion and Ogden, what number ?
No. 5. Whether there be any troops puffing or te passing?
No. 6. Intelligence from Albany.
No. 7. Intelligence from Philadelphia.
No. 8. Be very particular about time and place.
Information from JERSEY, igtb Augufl, 1777.
It is said General Howe landed near the Head of Chela
peak Bay, but cannot learn the particular spot nor when.
Washington lays in Peanfylvania, about twelve miles
from Coryell's Ferry.
Sullivan lays about fix miles northward of Morris-
Town, with about two thoufaed men.
Spank Town Yearly Meeting.
Intelligence from JERSEY, Sunday, 'July 2 g.
I law on their full march seven miles from Morris-
Town, on the road to Delaware, General Washington
General Mulenburgh, General Weeden, with four
thousand men, and General Knox with his train of ar
tillery, confiding of fourteen field pieces, and one how
itz, fecenty-nine ammunition waggons, and one hundred
and thirty baggage waggons; and then proceeding on the
road from Hackett's Town to Eaftan, there saw on their
full march to Delaware, General Stevens and General
Scott with four thousand mon and light field pieces, and
on the road wet twenty-nine flat-bottomed boats: and
proceeded down to Quibble-Town, where I saw General
Stirling and General Conway with three thousand men
and no field pieces. I am informed that General Sulli
von has crofied the North-River, and is bringing up the
rear. As to the the truth of that, I hope I Shall be able
to inform you in two or three days.
Received Augufi 1, 1777.
Published by order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.