The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-09-11 00:00:00, page 2

of their emigration : Men patient and laborious, who with
industry cut the tree from the mountain, swept the sorest
ir®ro the foil, ereded habitations, and changed the wild 4
eruefs to fields of pasture and to cultivated vallies : A re
solute and bold band of brothers, who roused the serpent
in the brake, the Indian, and the wild beast, and com
bated the warrior of Europe, rendered hostile because of
their connexion with Britain, once fondly called the Mo
ther country: An unwearied, a vigilant, a deceased, but
immortal race of men, who, as hewn pillars at the bottom
of the building, have supported the strength, and dignity,
end riches, and renown of America. Sky-inhabiting pro
genitors! you fliali read the exertions of those your im
n ediate defeendents, who have retributed to Britain for
t he injuries and oppressions, and disdains you had receiv
ed from her. You shall arrive amoneft the multitude of
nations, and kindreds and people * who shall pore, with
the aftaion of a lover for the name of his mistress, on the
names inferibed by the Angel.
The names of those fhal! be read by the nation with
whom we are united in alliance. France shall behold the
Ames of her own sons, who, with the speed and the plea
sant breath of the vernal gales, over the Atlantic wave,
ruihed to ouraffiftance. They have fallen, and we have
placed their bodies with our own heroes, and their fame in
the western Heavens, that it may remain to tell what we
owe to the illustrious House of Bourbon. France! with
the laurels acquired on cur (oil, thou haft planted sprigs of
the cypress: But let it not repent thee to nave thed thy
blood in the noble cause of America., In this thou haft
Cruihed the power of Britain, and become PROTECTOR
of the rights of men. What fiar is that which we behold
amtd ft'the conftehations of the States? It is the fame of
Loci' XVI. lighted up for immortality It thill burn
a bove the circle of the night, and the wide fields of Heaven
shall retain its lufire.
Tue names of those brave men of America, and the
names of the foreigners who have fought in the fame cause,
shall be read on the walls, the gates, tee columns, 'and the
temples f the high Heaven. Fathers! difrcifs every fllade
of grief, and let the rays of immortal pleasure spring with
in your minds. You are happy in having been the parent
of trim who is written with the heroes of his country.
Sons, whose heroic fathers have early est you, and, in
the conflict of the war, have mixed with departed heroes;
be congratulated on the fair inheritance of fame which ycu
are intitled to possess. If it is at all lawful to array our
felv{s in borrowed honor, surely it is best drawn from
those who have acted a diftinguilhed part in the service of
their country. If it is at JI consistent with the feelings of
philofopry and reason to boafbof lineal glory, surely it is
niofi allowable in those who boas iof it as flowing from tru
ly patriot anceflors. We shall despise the uninftruded mind
of that man who (hall obtrude upon our cars the ideas of a
vain anceflral honor, but we Ihall love the youth, and
transfer to him the reputation of his father, who, when
the rich and haughty citizens shall frown upon him as ig
nobly defeended,' Ihall only fay witty modesty, " I had a
father who has fallen in the service ofhis country."
Sifters of the youth who has fallen in the contest with
the tyrant : He was yours in his early bloom, and ip his
more advanced years : he was yours in the evening walk;
at the morning hour ; in the feenes ©(unclouded happiness :
He was yours while he could be yours confident with the
will of Heaven, that he should be ranked with the heroes
ofhis country. Sifters! weep not the youth as thefiders
wept Phaeton on the banks of Eridanus: He also was ad
ventrous, and mounted, alpiving y, a glorious car ; out
no foul ambition stained his mind; and no devious error
marked his way. Serene and unmoved from his courft, he
illumined the trad thro' which he rode ; and tho’ his orb
is set, it is but to new-dress his beams f, and to flame
with frifh spangled lufire in the forehead f of a brighter
Iky.-
Matrons once joined in the bliss of connubial affection ;
but with attentive eye you have not beheld the husband of
your fond expectation returning from the war|. You
will call to mind the delinquent lapse of those firft hours,
when the pulse of early love throbbed high in the breast ;
you will call to mind the opce pleasing feenes of the ten
derest recollection, when unchecked and unlimited confi
aace posted every secret to your fouls ; you will call to
mind his attentive correspondence, and the last letter
which he writ ; you will call te mind every aft, every word
of the herb, and you will weep, even though he has de
parted to Elysium. But why do you weep? The praises
of your country, and of the world, shall cenfole you. It
is now yours to direct alone the education of your child
ren : The sphere of honor is but enlarged to you ; and
the path is laid open by which you may afeend to memory
in future ages, and be ranked with Cornelia among the
Romans.
Virgins, whom in a few revolving moons the hymeneal
chain was to bind; but the youth who had long sighed for
you, and thought to deserve you by his valor, has rushed
to war, and has fallen in the battle. Virgins! Ido not
mean to restrain your tears, or to fay that you shall not
mourn : I only alk that you bend not in sorrow o’er the
earth where the hero is entombed. Here can the hero be
entombed ? He lives, 0 virgins ! he lives in yonder Hea
vens; His famu Kindles bright above you: His worth fliall
be mentioned to your honor : His valor shall array you in
perpetual smiles: The shade of age, abashed, shall not
dare to approach you ; and men shall ever prize her beau
ty whom a hero loved.
Sighs for departed heroes take their rife in the sorrows
of the heart; but they are arrayed by the object they
have mourned, ike the blue mills of the early day, which
are tinged by the fpjendent beams of the rising fun.
Cease, gentle nghs ! though your bosoms are arrayed with
light: I cannot hail you now: I mean to address myfelf
to the furviviag heroes of my country. You, I know,
weep not the fortune of these men , you rather envy
them. But why, my countrymen, shall envy of immor
tal actions touch your breasts? Your wounds and Cervices
are also honorable. You have met the inroad of the bold
invasion; you have mixed M the rising and renewed war.
You have approached the burning edge of the engage
ment. You have closed the furrowed ranks; and when
the enemy pressed advantage, you have gallantly restored
the battle, and the day won against hofiile numbers, and
boasted discipline, has crowned you with the evergreens of
honor. When after-times shall (peak of those who have
Ten to renown, you also shall be mentioned with them.
* Revelation. t Milton. I Offan.
On Monday, August the 2d, we met at tie City-T -
vern, and having taken the business into confi'deration,
the Meeting were pleased to appoint Mr. Paine, Mr. Bid
dle, Mr. Rittenhoufe, and Dr. James Hutchinson, to be
a Sub-Committee for preparing an Address to His Excel
lency the Frefident and Council, which Address being
prepared by the time appointed, was brought in the next
day to the Committee, then met at the Coffee-Houfe, and
being unanimously approved, was preftmted without loss
of time. The Address is as follows:
I will charge it to the golden winged and silver tongued
bards, that they recollect and set in order every circum
flance; the causes of the wag ; your early and just exerti
ons ; your many toils ; your hazardous atchievements ;
your noble resolution : your unshaken perseverance ; your
unabated ardor; yqur hopes in the word of times; your
triumphs on the days of victory ; your humanity and
God like spirit of forgivenefs to an undeserving enemy :
All these will I charge it, that they recoiled and set in
order, and give them bright and unsullied to the coming
ages. The bards, I know, will hear me, and wi'l give ihehi
bright and unsullied, and preferred from the lead breath
of detraction. It shall delight them to hand down the fame
of Washington, and of you, my gallant countrymen,
who now repel the enemy upon the plains clothed with
your former victories: Washington, on whose early brow
the honors of a former war had budded: Who had drawn
fire and experience from the valor be refilled, contending
with the noble power of France: Who embarked a states
man in the just cause of America, ihone out a soldier in
the war with Great-Britain; by equanimity and sweetness
of temper, won the hearts of his faith ul soldiery ; by hu
manity and truth, commanded the unwilling efieem of the
enemy; and by prudence, and courage, and fortitude,
and perfever ace, has become the deliverer of his coun
try: You, heroic Chief, and you, my gallant country
men, shall go down to posterity with exceeding honor.
Your fame shall afeend on the current of the stream of
time: It fhdi play with the breezes of the morning. Men
at rest, in the cool age of life, from the fury of a thou
sand wars finished by their fathers, shall observe the spread
ing ensign. They shall hail it, as it waves with variegated
glories; and feeling all the warm rapture of the heart,
shall give their plaudit from the fhores.'
<' To His Excellency the President and Council.
" W E have the honor of presenting to Council the in
clofed printed plan for flopping the emiffioos and railing
a revenue by fubfeription; which, after being published in
the news-papers and in handbills, and twice read for the
consideration of the Town Meeting, held in the State-
House Yard the 16th ®f July last, was unanimously ap
proved ; and the fubferibers, part of whom are the pro
posers and projectors of the fame, were, at the said Town-
Meeting, unanimously appointed to be a Committee to
wait on His Excellency Joseph Reed, Esquire, President,
the Hon. George Bryan, Esquire, Vice- President, and
the other Members of the Hon. Executive Council, a^d to
confer with them thereon, and request their assistance in
carrying the fame into execution as soon as poffibie.
" It is with the utmost pleasure we execute this unani
mous resolution of our fellow citizens ; and, at the fame
time, that we feel the most flattering hopes from the plan
itfelf, and from the chearful concurrence of all orders of
men to promote and Support it, we have likewise the most
perfect confidence that the wisdom and patriotism of Coun
cil, will afford to it every assistance which to them Ihall
appear necessary or convenient.
“ By a unanimous vote, we are directed to present it to
you in the name of the Citizens of Philadelphia and its
neighbourhood, and that the fame may be hereafter known
by the title of “ THE CITIZENS PLAN ;" under
which title and authority, we hereby discharge this part
of the trust with which we have been honored.
“ As expedition makes an important part towards en
suring success, we shall take the liberty of laying before
Council such measures as may accrue for the purpose of
carrying the fame into execution.
" We are of opinion that the experiment may be very
quickly made in this city, and the success which we hope
it will here meet with, will give it an honorary introducti
on into other States; for we are happy to observe, that
however various individuals may be in matters of personal
politics, all are united in a determination to Support mea
sures for eftablifliing the currency and flopping the emissi
ons—We therefore beg leave to Submit the following me
thod to the opinion of Council:
" First. Tnat fubfi ription books be immediately pre
pared for each ward ; and that the General Committee, of
which most of us have the honor to be Members, do no
minate two persons, at least, in each ward to go from house
to house to solicit the fubferiptions.
'' Secondly. That the persons to whom this part of the
business shall be trusted, do only receive the Subscriptions
in the hand-writing of each person, but not any part of
the money.^
" Thirdly. That the books when compleated be lodged
with the Council, and copies of them with this Commit
tee, until a law Ihall be passed to secure to each fubferiber
the money he shall deposit, by exempting him from pay
ing taxes until his future taxes shall equal his fubfeription,
or until the expiration of three years, agreeable to the ffr
cond article.
To the GENERAL COMMITTEE of the Chy
and Liberties oj FHI L A DE L P HIA.
A T the Town Meeting, held in the State House Yard,
on the 26th of July left, a facial Committee were ap
pointed for the particular purpose of prosecuting a Plan,
then and there unanimously approved, for flopping the
emissions and raising a revenue by fubfeription.
The persons then appointed, were
The proposers and pr jeCtors of the said plan, whom
we now announce to be, Mr. Owen Biddle and Mr. Tho
mas Paine, together with the Chairman of the Town-
Meeting. General Roberdeau, the tnree Chairmen of the
former Committee, viz Colonel William Henry, Colonel
William Bradford, and Doctor James Hutchinson, and the
Ireafurer of the State, David Rittenhoufe, Esq.
As it is our wifli, and will on every occasion be our en
deavor, to communicate to, and confylt with, this, the
General Committee on every aft of official public duty to
be performed ky us; and to request, as weft as to receive
from you every assistance in prosecuting such an important
work, we beg leave to present you with our proceedings
thereon.
Mr. DUNLA P,
As the following contains some matters which have been
agitated in the Commi tee, it may be convenient to give
them a placein ycur paper, as by that means further
light may be thrown @u the fubjea.
fr- HAT, in order to encourage the importation of salt,
M Wefl-India produce and dry goods, application be
made to the Assembly, praying them to part a law to ad
mit any person or persons to export one or two barrels of
flour for every hundred bushels of salt, which Such person
or persons shall import and fell at or under the price of
Likewise to grant privilege to any person or persons to ex
port one barrel of flour for every hundred gallons of Weft-
India rum, which such person or persons shall import and
fell at or underthe price of —— And in proportion there
to to admit the exportation of a certain quantity of bread,
four, &c. for every fixed quantity of sugar, melaffes and
dry goods which shall be imported and fold at or under a
certain price or number of prices; and the fame to be al
lowed to any foreign vessel, the property of any person or
persons in Europe or the Weft-Indies, except the lubjeds
of Great-Britain.
The liberty of exporting a single barrel of flour for each
@f the above quantities, may appear a trifling inducement,
but as far as lam able to learn, I have reason to believe,
that it will purchase considerably more than a hundred
bushels of salt or an hogshead of rum in the Weft-Indies.
Likewise to pass a law for a limited time for registering
all vessels belonging to inhabitants of this State. The ob
jed of such a law will be easily seen, and the neceflity of it
appears every day more and more. I cannot but confider
the man who diminishes the mate rials of the State, in build
ing and fitting out vessels, andleflms the quantity of bread,
flour, and other provisions in victualing such vessels, and,
who, after that, ffiall fend his cargoes else where, to be the
greatest domestic enemy we have among us : He adds to
the immediate difirefs of the State he lives in, and even
tually preys on all. The former Committee generously
proposed to the merchants by letter of the 4th of June last,
“ That if they (the merchants) would not produce a fear
" city to take the advantage of it, that the Committee, on
“ the part of the public, would not takeadvantage of any
“ extraordinary quantities they, the merchants, might
“ import, by making it a pretence to reduce them below
“ their value." To this fair and just proposal no answer
was returned, and it is now said, the merchants have coun
termanded twenty cargoes from coming to Philadelphia.
Whether the information is true or not, I do not pretend
to determine, but it certainly ought to be enquired into. If
they are wrongfully charged, they ought not to lay under
the reflexion ; and if they really have done so, they can
not expeC tmuch public favor. C— S—
" Fourthly. That ircrediai 7 on palhog S.A ^ t.%
government to appoint persons to collect the mocey agree--
able to the fubfeription -books; but as we with tie whokx
to be an honorary ^undertaking, we hope the Gentlemen,
who may ne appointed to that service, to confi^r it only
in that light, accepting the diSburleineat of their expects
only.
" Fifthly. That the fame method be recommended to
the federal counties from this ard the General Committee,
with Such assistance as government ihall please to give
therein.
“ We have likewise to request Council to confer with
Congress on the Subject, and to desire teem either cot
festively or individually to recommend the Jame to the Se
veral States. And as we, on our part, fn d| Lit the ear
liest opportunity of feeding and prepofing pe fame to the
citizens of each State, we request Council,would be pleas
ed to transmit it likewise, under their re>om.reuda ion, to
the governments of the Several States?'
" We are, with the greatest respect,
Ycur obedient and very humble Servants.
DANfEL ROBERDEAD,
WILLIAM BRADFORD,
THOMAS PAINE, .
WILLIAM HENRY,
JAMES HUTCHINSON,
DAVID RITTENHOUSE,
OWEN BIDDLE"
To this Address we received the following An^'u:
In C O U N,C I L, Philadelphia, August 6, 1779.
The Board refumeJ the consideration of tbe plan recom
mended by Sundry citizens for re Storing pu die Credit.
Whereupon Retofyed, That this Board doth approve
of the general fyden tor that purpose ; but that it ap ears
to be necessary to explain the nature of the taxes 10 be ad
vanced it appearinglo the Board that the fame Should
be confined to taxes for Continental purpoles only : It be
ing at all time's necessary, notwithstanding, to Support
the poor, repair t igh ways, and raise some taxes for the
above and internal u'fs of government.
Refolded, That the zeal and public spirit Shewn by the
citizens of Philadelphia, and their laudable endeavours to
restore public credit, are highly ao epraßle to this Board,
and merit our utmost countenance and encouragement.
Extract jr^m thl Minutes,
' T. MA T LACK, Secretary.
To General Roberdeau,
Chairman, &c.
Since receiving the above, we have had other meetings,
the result of which were, tnat Mr. Paine and Dr. James
Hutchinson be a Committee for drawing up an address, to
be finned by the citizens, and presented to Congrels, re
queftiog them to .flop the emissions, and promote other
measures for railing the current expeaces.
Likewise that the above gentlemen present t® the Ge
neral Committee an account of the proceedings of this
Committee.
The Address to Congress for the purpose before-menti
oned, will be preferred to the General Committee as soon
as it has passed the Special Committee, which we hope
will be on Monday next. Tais Address we conceive will
go hand in hand with the plan for railing a revenue by
fubfeription, the one naturally Supporting and encourag
ing the other.
Having thus acquainted the General Committee with
our proceedings in the above business, we have to request
that you will please to fix ad y for appointing proper per
sons in each ward t® undertake the fubfertptions.
We have the honor to be, on behalf of the Special Com
mittee, Your obedient humble servants.
THOMAS PAINE.
JAMES HUTCHINSON.
Philadelphia, August 14, 1779.