Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-20 00:00:00, page 3

must trace to the root and origin of things ; it being the
only way to become right when we have got systema
tically wrong. The motion for a Convention alarmed
the crown and proprietary dependants ; but to every
man of reflection, it had a cordial and restorative qua
lity. The case is, fi ft, we are got wrong—Secondly,
how (ball we get right?—Not by an House of Assembly;
because t/:ey cannot fit as judges, in ^ case, where their
^exigence under their present form and authority if to
hejufo of. However, the objectors found outa way,
as they thought, to f.percede the necessity of a Co.s
venu^n, by promot^g & Bill for augmenting the num
ber of Representatives ; not perceiving at the fame time
that such an augmentation would encreafe the necefity of
a Convention; because, the more any power is aug
mented, which derives its authority from our enemies,
the more unfafe and dangerous it becomes to us. Far
be it from the writer of this to censure the individuals
which compose that House; his aim being only agajnft
the chartered authority under which it atts. However
the Bill palled into a Law, (which (hews, that in Penn
sylvania, as well is in England, there is no Constitution,
but only a temporary form of government *) Whilein
order to (hew the inconsistency of the House in its pre
sent state, the motion for a Convention was postponed,
and four confeientious independant gentlemen wfre pro
posed as Candidates, on the augmentation, who, had
they been elected would not have taken the oaths necef
fary to admit a person as member of that rifLmbiy.
And in that case tl e House would have had neither one
kind of authority nor another. While the old part re
mained sworn to divulge to the Kiag, what the new
part thought it their duty to declare against him. I bus
matters Rood on the morning of the election.
On our fide we had to sustain the loss of those gal
lant citizens who are now before the walls cf Queb.
and other parts of the Continent; while the Tories b
never dirring out, remain at home to take advantage
of electives; and ths evil prevails mere rr ieis ^rm
the Congress down to the Committees. A numerous
body of Germans, of property, zealots in the caul:
of feedem, were iikewife excluded for non-adegi nee:
Notwithftmding which) the tory non-conformifts, that
is, thebe who are advertised as enemies to their country,
were admitted to vote on the other fide, A flrange
contradiction indeed i To which Were added the telti
monizing Quakers, who, after fuffering tl emfelves to
be duped by the meanest of all passion, religious Spleen,
endeavoured in a vague uncharitable manner to possess
the Roman Catholics of the fame dfeafe. These par
ties, with such others as they could influence, were
headed by the proprietary dependants, to ftipporr Bri
tilh and Proprietary power against the Public. They
had pompoufy given out that nine tenths of the people
were on their fide. A vad majority truly But it so
happened, that no.t r/ithßandmg the disadvantages we
laid frder, of having many of our vm rs rejected, other:
difquali^d for nonadegiance, with the great loss (uf
rained by absentees, the manoeuvre of fhtittipg up 'he
doers between seven and eight o'clock, and circulating
the report of adjourning and finishing the next morning,
by which several were deceived ; u so happened, I la,
that on casting up the tickets, that the TA, in nun rs,
«n the dependant fide, and the htft on the i. Repel ant
fide, viz. Clymer and Alien, were a tye 923 each.,
To the description woich I ha^e already giv n 01
those who are against 's, I may add, oat they havt
neither associated nori died, or but very few of%hem
that they are a collet an of different bodies blende
by accident, having nc natural relation to each oicc •
that they have agreed rather out of spite than right ;''
and that, as they met by chance, they will diffulve
away again for the want of a cement.
On out fide, our object was jingle, our cable was
sne\ wherefore, we cannot (eparate, neither nvi? we
separate. We have flood the experiment of the elec
tion, for the fake of knowing the men who were against
us. Alnfs what are they ! Onehalf of them ought to
be now afcing public pardon for their former offence? ;
and the other half may think themselves well off that
they are let alone. When the enemy enters the coun
try, can they defend themselves? Or mill they defe .d
themselves? And if not, are they so foolifh as tothiok,
that in times like these, when it is our duty to fearcl
the corrupted wound to the bottom, that we, with
ten times their strength and number (if the queWm
were put to the people at large) will submit ro be go
verned by cowards and tones.
He that is wife will reded, that the fafeft dfylum,
especially in times of general convulsion when ns let
tied form of government prevails, is, the love of the
people. All property is (afe under their protection.
Even in countries where the lowe^ and mod licentious
fef them have rikn into outrage, they have never de
carted from the path of natural honour. Volunteers
unfO death in defence ofthe per sons or fortunes of these
who irad served or defended them. Division of pO
- never emitted the mind of the populace It is
incompatible with that spirit which impels them into
§son. An avaricious mob was never heard of; nay,
,00 a miser put io the midst of them, and catching
,a,b spirit, would, for that infant, cease to be cu-
V&tu^-
* This difiin&ion mill be marefullj explained in fora
future letter.
J Mr. Samuel Hornell, though in their ticket, ate
hretr conffree by us as a proprietary dependant.
1 I (hall conclude this letter with remarking, that the
Ebgliih fleet and army have of la e gone upon a differ
ent plan of ope ation to what they firft set out with ;
for instead of going against those Colonies where inde
pendence prevails most, they go against those only where
they suppose it prevails leaf. They have quitted
MAfachufetts Bay and gone to North-Carolina; fup
poting they had many friends there. Why are they
expected at New-York? but because they imagine the
inhabitants are not generally independants, (yet that
province hath a large share or virtue, notwithftandiog
the odium which its House of Anembly brought upon
it.) From which 1 argue, that the electing the King's
Attorney for a Burgets of this city, is a fair invitation
for them to come here; and in that case, will those
who have invited them turn out to xepulfe them? I
suppose not, for in their 923 voters the*e will not be
found more than sixty armed men, perhaps not so ma
ny. Wherefore, should (rich an event happen, which
probably will, I here give my firft vote to levy the ex
pence attending the expedition against them, cn the
estates oftheje mho have invited them. . , -
The FORESTER.
,❖& $+ &-** -r«4~*t^"*~s $0
PHILADELPHIA.
COMMITTEE CHAMBER,
Philadelphia, May 18, 1776.
ON application from a number of
the inhabitants of the City and
Liberties, requeuing the Committee to
call a meeting of the City and Liberties,
to be held at the State-House, on Mon
day Morning, at Nine o'clock, to con
fider on matters contained in the Re
solve of Con^refs of the 15th Inst.—
This Committee, in Compliance there
with, give notice, that a meeting of
the inhabitants will be held at the atore
faid time and place, for that purpose.
JOHN BAYARD, Chairman.
In COMMITTEE of Infpeßion and Observation,
Philadelphia, May 18, 1776.
WHEREAS a quantity of Salt, suppose! to be
about four thousand bushels, belonging to 'jofloua Fifoer
and Sons, imported in December 1774, contrary to
the Continental Association, was then stored under the
cate of the Committee of frdpe&ion and Observation
tor the Citj rand Liberties of Philadelphia, arid now
remains unfold: The said Jofoua Fifoer and Sons hav
ing refused to fell it, according to the recommendati
ous of Coagr©'s; :and still continue contumacioHly so
tc do.-— Ind the said ffhua bifher and Sons, by their
le^er dated the Bth of this month, directed to this
Committee and received tie tith of the tame, have
or .poled, that if the fame be delivered to them wich
t any conditions mb stfoever, they will retail it in
I^ll quantities to the consumer at three (hillings per
Triheri —-This Committee being well informed, that
% - aforelaid proposal was spread through the country
blore it wa6 made to the Committee; was calculated
> involve them in difficulties, and has a tendency to
•o'uce the People to believe, that the Committee have
-me Snifter views in detaining the Salt in their pofTeffi
on.—The Committee thick it their duty to remind he
public, that Thomas Fifoer arid Samuel Fijber, of the
house of fofoua Fifoer and Sons, hate been ad udged
and silver,tized as enemies to their country, and incapa
ble of all trade and interco^rfe with the people of theft
Colonies; and therefore, that the Salt cr mot be deli
vered to them, npr, if it were in their ooffeffion, could
it be purehafed of them by any friend to American li
berty.—The Committee at tlie fame time afLre the
Public, that they have under their consideration, a mode
of ditpofing of the said Salt, so as to serve the Public
in the most effectual manner, without doing the lead in
jurfice to the said fehhua Fifter and Sons.
Publifloed by order of Committee,
SAMUEL C. MORRIS, Secretary.
Extras of a letter t> the CO NGRESS, dated Mon
treal, Ma) Id, 1776.
" By Col. Campbell, who arrived here early this
morning from Quebec, we are informed that two men
of war, two frigates and one tender, arrived there ear
ly on Monday the 6th instant. About 11 o'clock the
enemy (allied, out, to the number, as is fubpofed, of
one thousand men. Our forces were so duperfed at
different parts, that not more than two hundred could
be collected together at Head quarters. Thh final!
force could not rehft the enemy. All out cannon, five
hundred mulkets, and about two hundied sick, unable
to come off, have fallen into their hands. The retreat
was made with the utmost precipitation and confufion.
However, Col. Campbell informs us that he imagines
we have loft very few men, except the sick above
mentioned.
" General Thomas was last Thursday evening at
Dechambeau. At a council of war it vas determined
to retreat to the mouth of the Sorel. This day Gen.
Arnold goes down there, and if he can get information
of the enemy's real Length, and it (hou!d be found
In Committee of Safety, NEW-JERSEY,
Trenton, May 15, 1776-
WHEREAS unanimity amoogft all ranks of
people is at this time of imminent danger most
essential to the peace, safety, and defence of this colony:
And whereas this Committee have been informed, that
lundry persons n divge ports of this province, paying
no relped to the General Affectation recommended.to
the inhabitants thereof, or "to their own welfare, are
attempting to ruife mobs, aud riots with a view, as this
Committee is informed, to fix prices to fevea commo
dities, much under what they can either be nwpufac
tured at, or imported for, though greatly wa,med, and
at this critical juncture very difficult to be procured,
pit icularly salt, wool and cearfe linens; And as such
conduct can have no other tendency but to create divi-
Ijpns amongst us, and deter those who are wiring front
rising their property io order to procure those neces
sary articles, whereby they will become flill (career and
the poorer fort of people in the end greatly luffer
This Committee find themselves under the receffity es
declaring that as it is their duty so they are determined,
as far as in them lies, to protest every peaceable inha
bitant of this province in the lecure pofaliun qf his pro
perty, as well as the fiee enjoyment of every civil pri
vilege that he is entitled to from the community, bum
ail riots or riotous attempts whatever: 'Jo order thereto
this Committee do requett that all Committees es ob
brvation, Magistrates and other officers, as well civil
as military, in this colony, will exert thercielves and
be particularly careful to luprrefs all exempts to i;Te
any mobs or riots in the parts they lefid? in, and to
preferfe th,e peace of fcciety—This Cemmiuce do at
the fame rime requeff, that all perlons who ma/have
any of those nece&hry articles to dispose es, (and thole
who have large quantities are defined to doi-) w.T con
fider the poor people in this time of general calamity,
and not ex ! d extravagant prices, efpeciady on such ai
have ten preturid at low rates, mere particularly the
article of (alt.
THI S Committee being informed rthat sundry il
difyofed persons within this colony have engrossed con
liderable sums of gold and silver specie, and are attempt-,
ing to dispose of the fame for paper currency, (parricu
: larly'Continental) at more than the value that has been
heretofore fixed on gold and silver coin made current
in this province; and as such a pra&ice mrift bare an
immediate tendency to depreciate the value of paper
currency, it is hereby Refolded, That no person, pof,
feffed of gold or silver coin within this province (ball
receive a greater value therefor, in paper currency, than
luclj denomination of coins have been accuhomed to
pass for in this colony, under penalty of being corriider
ed as enemies to the Liberties of America, and tieaied
accordingly. By order of the Committee,
Mieft. , SAMUEL TUCKER, President.
John Dennis, D. Secretary.
N. B. The several Printers are defred to publifo the
above Resolutions in their papers.
For more Neaci, Neou Advertfoments, &c & fee the
Foffcript.
ineonfiderable, perhaps a council of war, on reconft
deration, may think proper to march the army back to
Dechambeau, which is now strengthened by Col.
Gratton's, Barrel's, and Sinclair's regiments.. Besides
the above losses, one batteau loaded with powder, fup T
posed to contain thirty barrels, and an armed veflel,
which the crew were obliged to abandon, were inter
cepted by one of the enemy's frigates.
Published by order of Congress,
CHARLES THP^SON, Secretary.
In C OMMI TT E e' oT. SAFE TY,
Philade'phia, May 16, 1776.
THE Committee having already made known to
the inhabitants of this city the, pr,effing occasion there
is for a large quantity of LEAD, to be employed in
the defence of this country, and requested them to
spare, for the public use, the various (peeks of leaden
weights in their refpedtive families-—The Committee,
as the most easy and expeditious method of procuring
such L E AD, have appointed Thomas Novell,, ^r^
zer Kinsley, William Colliday, and John Darcy, to
go round the city and receive it at the several houses,
they paying at the rate of Six pence per pound, as
formerly Specified, it being understood that clock
weights are not at present comprehended among them,
as the iron : weighi3 to replace them are not yet made.
It is expe&ed that every virtuotis citizen will imme
diately and cheerfully comply with this requfrion;
but if any persons should be so loft to all fenie of the
public good as to refufe, a lift oftheir names is di
reocd to be returned to this Committed
Extraft from the Minutes,
WI LLI A M GOVETT, Secretary..
In Committee of Infpeftion and Observation of Chefer
County, Ma) 11, 1776.
Refolded, That the inhabitants of each Township in
this County, that have not already appointed persons
to celled the arms from the noh-affi-ciators, as enjoined
by the Resolves of the Honorable House of Affemfl,
of the Province of Pennsylvania, be requeued, and
they are heicby requeued to meet at the most conveni
ent ph ce in their refpedive townships, on the 2 sth day
of this infiant, to chuofe foitkble persons for that pur
pose, and proceed as enjoined by the aforefaid Re'ei es.
WILLIAM EVANS, Chairman.