The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-12-11 00:00:00, page 2

I K 1 LA N a
N E W R Y, July u, 17^
At a meeting of the officers and deputies ofthe volun
teer corps, reviewed at Belfaft, on the ißth, 19th, an d
z;th days of July infant.
Colonel Dawson in the Chair ;
RESOLVED, that thechairman do p efent to the re
vi viig general, the right honourable the earl of Char
lerhmt, the following address ;
My Lord,
It is with th^ most heart felt pleasure that we embrace
this our second opportunity of aJdr fling your lordship,
rd that language of eftecin, refpcCt, and veneration,
v hich we think due to youriordihip's exalted charter,
which we feel heightened by te happy concufion of
th;U glorious display of arms and freedo u which the late
review has afforded to so many thousands of admiring
citizens. Wes el with gratitude the realinefs and po
liien r with which your lordship complied witn our
withes to be reviewed by your lordship; we alfe thank
your lordship for tpe trouble you have taken in com
manicuring to ns the f ntiments of the lawyer's corps.
We entertain nor a dourf, that, in every fixation, the
volunteer cor. , of tub. country, and of toe whole
kingd un, will behave an! conduct themfeives as they
h,ae hitnerto done, in a manner fuitibie to the charter
oi good citizens and tru friends to their country.
Two. Dawson, chairman.
To which has lord ship was pie Ted to give the follow
ing answer:
To the officers and deputies of the volunteer Corps
reviewed at Lehaft, on the xßth, 19th, and 20th days
of July, 178 a.
• Gentlemen,
When, in consequence of the honour of your choice,
J m, lal year witness totheamazing exertions of my
'brave and virtuous countrymen : when I beheld in the
field a pow rful army, frlf ri fed, felf clothed felf
pnid, and dilciplined by its own efforts, my afteniftment
was so great, pad my fitisfadion th perfect, th.t with
difficulty I found words to express my sentiments upon
the interesting occasion, or to return due thanks for the
happmefs afforded me, and the high honour conferred
upon me. What then, gent'emen, mart be my present
fit ration ? How can fexpit to find expressions adequate
tc explain the feelings of my heart, when my obligations
:ire r doubled by this your Second election, and when
t: e great efforts of lift year are'obliterated and loft in
tire miraculous exertions w ich I have now beheld?
When your numbers are increafd two fold, and your
discipline is brought to a degree of perfection, which
the uoft experienced veteran muff admire. Silent
aft miihment can alone express my admiration —
Heartfelt gratitude mud Hind in the pla.e of thanks.
Such are my sentiments when I refled on your good
mefs -tow rds me—Such are my feelings upon the bare
contemplation of your strength and military ll;ill. But
how are these sentiments exalted when 1 conlider the
glorious purpose whic^ has called you together, and
for the attainment of which you have cheartuliy submit
ted to every inconvenience incident to the tels-raised
folder ; when I relied on the effects your associations
have already produced, and upon those which must fol
low from tnat perseverance, of which there can now
be no shadow of doubt. When, in the midst of war,
and that too accompained by circumstances of the most
a arming nature, I behold my country fearlefs es iava
fion formidable to her enemies, refpe&ed by her sister
kingdom, and an objeß of veneration to all Europe ;
when, in tris unhappy period of general confufion, I
behold, under toe influence of your arms, internal tran
qu lity restored, the due execution of the hws firmly
eftabliihed, commerce released from those unworthy
chains by which she had been so long and folinjuftly
bound, and constitutional freedom emerging from that
dark dbyfs into which she had been plunged by lawless
and aboard oppression on the one hand, and by folly and
corruption on the other.
Go on then, my virtuous countrymen—persevere in
the line which you have hitherto pursued—continue to
jjin every virtue of peace to all she abilities of war—let
your prudence be animated by patriotic zeal, and your
fpirf , as heretofore, be regulated by cautions wifdoim,
and by a thorough sense of all your duties as citizens—
Go on—pert <ere —Oppression is impossible, and Ireland
mull be happy!
Such gentlemen, a e the sentiments of my heart,
which I have now laid before you, as an offering far
mor accep ble to you than a vain effort to express my
gratitude by a us less profufion of thanks. I fay use-
Ufs, because I am confident, that knowing the benefits
you have bellowed on our country, and the honours
you have heaped on me, and thinking of my heart as
I hope and trust you do, you cannot for a raoment
doubt how ardently and sincerely I have the honour to
be. Gentlemen,
Your most obliged,
Faithful and obedient
humble servant,
CHARLEMONT.
SALE M, November 22.
Last Monday arrived in a fafe port, the prize ship
St Mary's Packet, near 400 tons burthen, with a
cargo coufittingof 491 hogsheads of sugar, 10 hogsheads
of rum, and 600 bags of ginger, she was bound from
Jamaica to London, and was taken by the privateer
brig Cato, captain Briggs, of this port.
NEW-LONDON, November 30.
The vessel mentioned in our last to have run ashore
on Block-Iflaud, proves to be a ship of about 400 tens
which failed from the Chefepeake, bound to Europe,
laden with naval floras, indigo and tobacco, and was
tken by a Britilh cruizer, who ordered her for En
£ho 4 , but the was soon after retaken by a Salem pri
vateer, and afterwards again taken by the fame British
cruizer, and there being a number of Americans left
on board, they got command of the vedel t and in
running: in for the land, in a gale of wind last Saturday
nigot ASS a week, they run on Block Island, where
tin vessel is loft, but her rigging, guns, and part of
tae cargo is saved. Several small vessel; from the mtin
loaned from the wreck.
t^ Friday ^ gvvrd under she command of ensign
Andrew Grifwoldy Rationed at Lyme, discovered a
whale boat in a fr^h pond near Black Point; and fu
fpefting it came from Long Island, they set a guard
of five men over the boat, and the night after four o
thers of the guard with ensign Griswold, went towards
the house of the noted Elisha Becwith : one of the par
ty named Noah Lefler, advancing fafler than the rest
was challenged by Beckwith's wife, who was near the
house; this alarmed ten men who were in the house,
well armed, and they immediately seized upon and
made prisoner of Lefler, and carried him into the house.
Soon after the other four of the guard came to the house,
(not knowing Lefler was a prisoner) and went directly
in ; where they difeovered the ten persons in arms: A
\ feuffle immediately ensued between them ; and after
force time the guard secured fix of the party, among
them was ElYha Beckwith, the other four made their
escape into the woods, but they were all except due ta
ken the next day : they came in the above boat from
Long Island, and were under the command of Thomas
Smith, formerly of Middletown, who had a captain's
Commission under the Br tifh king Elifh: Beckwith
went off with the enemy the 6th of September last, when
they made their defeent on this place. The above cul
prits are secured in Norwich goal.
We hear that last week, maim Davis and captain
Grinnel, being ashore at Sagoarbour with fever^men,
were betrayed and taken prisoners by a Heffiao major
and aboutzo light horse. Davis and Grirwel had two
armed boats with them, which the enemy were about
setting on fie ; but captain Wickham in an Bgu > sloop
from Stonington, about the fame time coming to, near„
the boats, proteaeg and brought them off.
CHATHA M, December 5.
The London fleet will fail from New-York in a'out
eight days. Lord Cornwallis goes home in the Robufi
and general Arnold and his family in the Edward, a
1 20 gen ship.
The refugees, in a state of despondency, are using
every means their running can invent to make their
peace with their injured countrymen: but we hope our
legislature will never, by an aft of grace, put it in the
power of those murderers and plunderers to participate
of the blessings of that freedom they have used every
effort to destroy, and intermix themfeives with the vir
tuous patriots. .—
TRENTO N, December 5.
The king of Prussia has acceeded to the system of
the armed neutrality, and the northern seas are in
consequence full of vessels under Pruffi^n colours,
This is an excellent cover for the Dutch, and they are
profiting by it to force purpose. The Engliih fret and
chafe, 4)ut they dare not meddle. Frederick the third
has long had an inclination to round his dominions by
annexing Hanover to them, and an insult upon his flag
would be an injury and grievance of fufficient magni
tude on wh ch to declare war. A good Broke of policy ;
and which has spread his colours all over ;he adjoining'
seas, and made him a maritime power in a day.
Congress have appointed- major-general Lincoln
secretary at war, who has accepted the fame.
Extract of a letter from an officer of rank in the Ame
rican army.
Fishkill, November 26, 1781.
" After a jaunt of some fatigue to the northward I
have taken up my quarters here until further orders.
The enemy in that department advanced one body of
about 2500 men through Lake Champlain to Lake
George; these were commanded by colonel St. Leger,
and another of 600 under the command of major Ross,
by Ofwego and the Oneida Lake to the Oneida
Creek ; and left their boats under a small guard, then
proceeded by Cherry valley towards Schoharie, but
turning to the left, fell on Warren's bush, burnt about
20 houses, crossed the Mohawlc near fort Hunter, and
proceeded to Johnflown, where they were soon after at
tacked by colonel Willet, with about 500 men, who,
after a variety of fortune, drove them from the ground,
and the next morning pursued them and continued it,
with a number of favourable incidents, for federal days,
until the want of provision and other circumstances
made it prudent for him to return. This party of the
enemy muff have loft at least 150 in prifooers killed and
deserters ; the accounts of particulars I have from
time to time received amount to that number, and from
the nature of a long pursuit, many of the wounded and
dead escaped the notice of the pursuers. Willet left
this party about 20 miles north of lake Oneida, in a
most miserable condition ; four days they had nothing
but half a pound of horse flefh per man per day, and a
march before them of at least ten days to get to any place
where they could expert relief.
St. Leger's party, after displaying a variety of man
oeuvres about Ticonderoga and lake George, finding
the country alarmed and a formidable body of conti
nental troops as well as militia aff6mbled to receive them
at fort Ann, fort Edward, Whitekill and Saratoga,
without any encouraging intelligence from fir Henry
Clinton, and the weather beginning to be severely cold
thought proper to retire about the 2d instant ; but the
winds proved so very adverse that they had proceeded
no farther than Chimney Point on the Bth instant; and
as the winds and weather have not been more favourable
since, I think it not imp obbale they have-been obli
ged to abandon their boat,, cannon and heavy bag
gage, and attempt a retreat into Canada by land,
in a condition not less pitiable than Ross andhis par
ty. Thus endeth the northern part of fir Henry's
grand expedition, which lord George Germaine fays
was so highly approved by his majesty. Sir Henry-1
believe, was to have proceeded up Hudson's river,
while general Powel, who was at Niagara in Septem
ber, was to have proceeded by tyke Erie, Prefque ifc
and rivers Buaf, to the back parts of Pennsylvania and
Virginia, and lord Cornwallis to have operated in the
lower parts, and so to have made good Jord George's
assertion that the rebels were confined to the east fide
of the Hudson. Luckily for him, perhaps, he wil(
now have it to fay, that the unexpected arrival of a
superior French fleet, and the unforefeen movements
of general Washington, have fruftrated all their designs.
May they be eternally disappointed."
From ffie Boston Gatette, of November 19, 1781.
In the 16th Article of the New Constitution it is avert
ed, That " the liberty of the Press ought not to be
" retrained in this Commonwealth. 9
IT therefore can be no infringement to enquire, why
a certain person, formerly sustaining a very obnox
ious post in this town, is permitted under pretence of
public service, to go to, and return from England ?
Whether Congress, as 'tis laid, ever entru fled him
with packets of letters, to persons of public characters
to take away the suspicions of jealous men, and pre
vent unfavourable prejudices ?
Whether the public are any longer to be deluded
by the promise of a person, who declared he had no
thoughts of going to England, but intended for Hol
land, for the benefit of the German Spaws, which were
found in North's closet, where this person, 'tis said,
was confined for the benefit of his—health ?
Whether it does not difeo ver fuperiative ignorance,
and consummate folly, in such a person. to fuppof.
himfelf capable of leading the whole parliament of Bre
tain into so vain an opinion of his abilities, as to en
trust 1 im with the business of a pacific negociator!
Whether the supreme executive of this commonwealth
are not too indulgent in fuflfering persons of fcfpi cious
characters to go and return from the enemy at their
own ple^fure ; and if.they are eloathed with fufficient
iauthority, why they should fear to execute it ?
Whether the authority that sent away an Amory
Blowers, &c. ought to connive at, and fuffer one of
bis Brifan(tyran)nic majefly's commiftoners to reside
here, when the minds of the people are didurbed at
such condud, as having a dangerous tendency ?
Whether that nest of pestilential, noxious and infec
tious vermin, the commiffieners of the royal butcher, %
will not dare to return, and hpld their board again in
tyi, place, and humbly petition for more troops?
The poss: Comitatus of this commonwealth, are al
ways ready to support government in the execution of
the law, as they were lately requeued in the county of
Middefex, when a set of geniuses, who profefs to
wearthe mark of the royal be ft, dared to declare their
readiness to refill the execution of the law ; but fear
and confufion covered them, (as with a mantle) and
they did not appear against LW.
4*4 The sale of the Public Lots of this City, advee
tifed to be held on Thursday the 13th instant, is poft
pored till Monday the 17th December, instant.
Philadelphia, December 11, 1781.
ALL those that hare an, demands acainft the estate
1 of the 1^ RICHARD BARRET, daceafed, are
d^fired to bring in their Accounts, properly attested,
to he paid ; and all those indebted to said estate, are
detired to make Payment within two we,ks, otherwise
their Ac ounts will he put in th? Hands of an Attor<
ney. ELIZABETH BARRETT, Administratrix.
Philadelphia, Dec. IT.
By the arrival of the eaflern post yesterday, we have
a very important piece of intelligence, brought by a
gentleman who arrived at Morriflown from Boston.
This' gentleman fays that he left Boston just after the
arrival of a cutter at that place from Europe, with ad
vice from M- de la Mo te Piquet, informing that the
combined fleet had taken, in the British Channel, the
Princess Royal of 90 guns three frigates, and 83 home
ward bound Weft India merchantmen, under convoy
of those men of war We have no particulars of this
interesting news, but exped that the next advices from
Boflon will inform us more fully. .
Extract of a letter from Mr. P. Penet, a merchant in
Nantz, dated October 7th, 1781.
“ A new metal is just difeovered in France. Long
ago the utility of copper has been known, efpeciall,
for sheathing vessels, in order to render their navigation
fwift, and have less trouble and expences in keeping
them up ; but it being rather scarce, and too dear for a
general use, almost all merchantmen were deprived of
that advantage The new invented metal, which refem
bl?s copper, and has all its properties, received already
the approbation of the king of France. Orders are
given for the royal navy to be supplied with it: iron
nails varnished with a mafic or cement, so contrived
that it nourishes the iron, preserves it from ruft^and
keeps it found for many years; add a great deal to
©economy in the use of that metal, they answer the
fame end as copper ones, and are looked upon as pre
ferable to them. The metal and inafiic being by half
inferior in price to copper, large demands of them are
made by opulent houses of Holland and France.
" An experiment wa§ lately made in Paris by the
most able chymiOs and learned philosophers of this age: 1
they fieeped nails thus varnished in the most corrofiva
matters, after they had laid in them during some days,
they were extracted frefh and ungnawed. Were your
your ships sheathed with' the said metal, they could
make two voyages, if net three, for one: because they
fail fafter and will not be detained in ports to be clean
ed, careened, and paid with toats. You know very
well, that copper flands fixed as the ships last. Weigh
in the scale of intereftwhat an advantage such a ship
has over others without copper ; double their value is
spent before they are unfit for service. Great profits
result from quick voyages. You may for these reasons
eafiiy perceive how important these new difeoveries are
to trade and navigation in general.
" This new invention was exactly and scrupulously
tried, before the authority of government was obtained
to eftabliih the fabricks. The company that direßs
them have nominated and constituted me sole agent to
export this metal and mastic to America in general;
they have granted me an extufive privilege to that ef
fea, and therefore !q?refume to otter you my services.
If you should prefer to fend your vessels in order to
have them sheathed with the new metal in France, please
to address them to me, and you may depend on my at
tention, zeal and puaauality,"