Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-09-04 00:00:00, page 5

By Captain Eyres, arrived here from Lisbon,
ice have the folloiving advices.
L 0 N DO N, fee 24.
A N eminent American merchant had two
I A. thousand pounds worth ofbiils ofcxchange
(which bad been remitted him from his corrc
fjondents on the other file the atlantic) sent him
on Thursday from the people in power, together
with such extracts from his letters as referred
merely to matters cf business, but the letters
themselves were kept back.
%„ e 27. It is at length determined in the
Cabinet, to withdraw the troops from America,
and to block up every pert and harbour belong
ing to the Americans ; so that no flrip of any
nation whatever will be admitted to trade or
carry on any traffic of any kind with them.
A number of frigate; are ordered to be put
in commission immediately which are to cruize
round the coast of America.
On Saturday evening an order arrived at the
tower for the immediate getting ready 3000
Rand of small arms; the place of their destina
tion is not publickly known, but it is generally
imagined they are to be sent to Virginia.
Governor Hutchinson's son , is ap
pointed Secretary of the Excise officeinthe room
of Stamp Brookfbank, Esq; lately appointed a
Cemmiffioner..
Yesterday the Sheriffs went up to St. James's
to know his Majesty's pleasure when be would
be pleased to permit the Lord Mayor, Alder
men, Common Council, and Livery, to wait
on him with their Petition and Remonßrance ;
his Majesty being at Kew, they went thither,
where they waited about three quarters of an
hour, when his Majesty fignified to them by a
Lord in waiting, that they ffiould go up to St.
James's to-morrow for an anfiver. 1 be, re
turned to the mansion house at nine o'clock.
It is now confidently reported, that Parlia
ment will meet for a few days in the month of
August, or early in the raonth of September, in
order to take the very alarming arid critical Rate
of America into consideration.
N E W-Y O R K, September 4.
We hear the men of war and tenders have
knocked down 40 houses at Stonington.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 6.
Yesterday arrived here the Honourable JOHN
HANCOCK, Esq; and LADY, from Connec
ticut; and the Honourable PEYTON RAN
DOLPH, Esq; and Lady from Virginia.
The fame day arrived here leveral other of the
DELEGATES from the southward to attend the
Congress.
Yesterday the Honourable CONTINENTAL
CONGRESS met agreeable to adjournment.
The account of the taking of Ticonderoga, with
the fire at Boston, and other accounts to the
25th of May, were arrived in London the 27th
of June.
All IoR week we had squally weather and rain,
but on Saturday evening it began to blow hardat
N. E and S. E. and by midnight increased to a
hurricane, attended with heavy floods of rain,
which railed the tide in our river higher than has
been known these several years, and has occasion
ed much damage in the stores on the wharves,
among sugar, salt and other perishable articles ;
wood, ftaves, plank, &c. was walked off the
wharves, and many boats and small craft were
funk or b^at to pieces.
We hear the above storm has done considerable
damage along the river, by breaking the banks of
the meadows, drowning cattle, &c.
We hear that no less than 30 fail of vessels are
ashore in our river, among which are the Ai,
C^far, Capt. Miller ; brig Rachel, Capt. Clay,
at Reedy-Island, the Brig Betsy, Capt Douglass
at Bombay Hook, the others were chitfly river
craft, many of which are drove so high on the
shore that they will be hardly worth the expence
of launching.
Extraci of a letter from Ne^-Londoh, Augufl 31
“ Yesterday morning at fix o'clock, we were
alarmed by a severe firing to the eastward of this
harbour, and in a little time an express arrived
from Stonington (a small town about twelve miles
distant) informing, that a tender had pursued two
small sloops into that harbour, who ran on shore,
and the people landed before the tc?.derwas in gun
flrot; and as soon as (he got in, they fired a full
broad-fide into the town, tacked, and went out;
and in a little time returned with two more ten
ders and his Majesty's (hip the Rose: The Grip
came to anchor and brought her fide to bear against
the town, and began to fire; the tenders also, who
kept under fail, and both ship and (loops continued
(without intermission) firing the whole day, and
by express (which has since arrived) they have
killed two of our men. There is now numbers of
our people collected and are there; and when the
tender came within musket (hot we fired on them :
One tender got on the ground, and in carrying out
a hawser otir people imagined they killed.feveral in
the boat. There has been a flag sent off on board
P 0 STSC RIP Tto Du nlap's Pennsylvania Packet, ^efre^r 3, ^
the Rose to know the reason of this extra work. The
Captain fays our people tired on his tender tirft, and
that he will blow the town down. This morning is a
eviration of firing—hope the matter is fettled." °
Extract of a letter from Cambridge, zl%f 27.
" It has been for lome time past an object of our
Generals to take possession of a height called Plowed
Hill, which lies between Bunkers andlProlpeift Hill; it
commands the low ground between Bunkers and Prof
ped tHill, and would have made an excellent advance
poll for the enemy.—To prevent their feating them
selves on it, and in order to invite them out, General
Lee last Friday ordered a large parcel of gabions and
fafcines to be carried down a hollow way from Winter
Hill to Plowed Hill, and took pofTeffion of itjwith 1800
men at 8 o'clock Saturday evening.—An advanced
party of 3CO Rifile men lay all night close to the ene
my's works; acoveriog party of 1200 men was poll
ed in the rear of the hill, and about 300 were em
ployed in the trenches, which were made tolerably
tecure before day light—About fun-rife the enemy
difeovered us at work, and at 9 began a cannonade
from their works and two floating batteries in Myflick
River.—-They killed one Adjutant and one private ^f
the Rhode-Ifland forces, who were fitting within a few
feet of our parapet, and took off the left foot of Vo
lunteer Simpson, of Captain Miller's Riflle Company,
of Lancaster County, who advanced with some others
to annoy their out pests. They continued their fire
till 8 o'clock in the evening, but did not venture out to
dislodge us- This morning 6 o'clock all is quiet."
By Captain Lee arrived at N ew-York from Li
verpool, lue have the follow ing Advices.
L ONDO N, June 2^.
n 'HE Sheriffs Plomer and Hart waited on his Ma
jesty at St. James's, in consequence cf the King's
appointment last Saturday at Kew. Mr. Sheriff Plo
mer addressed his Majesty in the following words,
" May it please your Majesty, We are ordered by the
" Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the city of
" London, in Common Hall assembled, to wait upon
" your Majesty, humbly to know your Majesty's royal
" will and pleasure, when your Majesty will be pleased
" to receive, upon the throne, the humble Address,
" Remonstrance, and Petition." His Majesty replied,
" You will please to take notice, that I will receive
" their Addrels, Remonstrance, and Petition, on Fri
“ day next at the Levee." Mr. Sheriff Plomer then
said, “ Your Majesty will permit us to inform you,
" that the Livery in Common Hall assembled, have re
" solved not to present their Address, Remonstrance,
“ and Petition, urdefs ycur Majesty will be pleased to
" receive it fitting on the throne." The King an
fweied, " I am ever ready to receive Addresses and Pe
-66 titions—but I am the judge where."
At a meeting of the Livery of London, in Common- Hall
afembted, on Tuesday the 4th cffu^, 1775.
RESOLVED, That the King is bound to hear
the Petitions of his People, it being the undoubted
right of the fubje& to be heard, and not a matter of
grace and favour.
Resolved, That his Majesty's answer is a direct de
nial of the right of this Court to have their petitions
heard.
Resolved, that such denial renders the right of pe
titioning the throne, r cognized and established by the
revolution, of no effect.
Resolved, That whoever advised his Majesty, direct
ly or indirectly, to refufe hearing the humble Address,
Remonstrance, and Petition of this Court, on the throne,
is equally an enemy to the happiness and security of the
King, and to the Peace and Liberties of the People.
The following is the Address, Petition, and Remon
strance, agreed to by the Common Hall on the 24th
of June, and intended to have been delivered to the
King on the throne.
Io the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
The humble A DDRESS, REMONSTRANCE,
and PEI I PION of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
and Livery of London.
Mofl gracious Sovereign,
WE your Majesty's most faithful fubje&s, the Lord
Mayor, Aldermen, Livery, &c. of London, in
Common Hall assembled, are compelled again to dis
turb your Majesty's repose, with our complaints.
We have already expressed to your Majesty our ab
horrence of the tyrannical measures pursued against our
fellow fubjedts in America, as well as of the men who
secretly advile, and of the Minitteis who execute these
measures.
We desire to repeat again, that the power contended
for over the Colonies, under the specious name of dig
nity, is to all intents and purposes, Despotism; and that
the exercise of despotic power, in any part of the em
pire, is inconsistent with the character and fafety of
this country.
As we would not fuffer any man, or body of men,
to eftabhfh arbitrary power over us, we cannot acquiesce
in any attempt to force it upon any part of our tellow
fubjeds; we are purfuaded that by the sacred unalter
able rights of human nature, as well as by every prin
ciple of the Constitution, the Americans ought to en
joy Peace, Liberty and Safety; that whatever power
invades these Rights ought to be refilled; we hold such
refinance, in vindication of their constitutional rights,
to be their indifpenfible duty to God, from whom thole
rights are derived to themselves, wlw cannot ba fife
and happy without them; to their posterity, who have
a right to claim this inheritance at their hands unvio
lated and unimpaired.
We I v/e already remunerated to your Majesty that
these measures were big with all the cardequences
which could alarm a free and commercial people; a
deep, and perhaps fatal wound to commerce ; the ruin
of manufactures , the diminution of the revenue, and
consequent increase of taxes, the alienation of the co
lonies, and the b'o)d of your Majesty's fubiegs.
Unhappily, Sire, the worst of these apprehensions is
now realized in all its horror: We have seen with equal
dread and concern, a civil war commenced in America,
by your Majesty's Commander in Chief: Will your
Majesty be pleased to confiderwhat mutt be the ftua
tion of your people here, who have nothing now to ex
ped from America, but Gazettes of blood, and mutual
lifts of their Slaughtered fellow fubjefts.
Every moment's prosecution of this fatal war mzy
loosen irreparably the bonds of that connection, on
which the glory and fafety of the Britilh empire de
pend.
If any thing could add to the alarm of these events,
it is your Majesty's having declared your confidence in
the wisdom of men, a majority of whom are notoriously
bribed to betray their constituents and their country,
It is the misfortune of your Majesty; it is the misfor
tune and grief of your p ople, to have a grand council,
and a representative, under an undue and dangerous
influence; an influence which though procured by your
Minifiers, is dangerous to your Maj fly, by deceiving
you; and to your people by betraying them.
In such a situation, your petitioners are bound to
declare to your Majesty, that they cannot and will not
fit unconcerned; they will exert themselves, at every
hazard, to bring those who have advised these ruinous
measures to the justice of this country and of the much
injured colonies.
We have already fignified our persuasion that these
evils originate in the secret advice of those, who are
equally enemies to your Majesty's title, and to the
rights of your people. Your petitioners are now com
pelled to fay, that your throne is surrounded by
men avowedly inimical to those principles on which
your Majesty poiTeffes the crown, and this people their
liberties: At a time of such difficulty ahd danger,
public confidence is essential to your Majesty's repose,
and to the preservation of your people: Such confi
dence cannot be obtained by micifters and advisers who
watt wisdom, and hold principles incompatible with
freedom; nor can any hope of relief be expe&ed from
a Parliament, chosen under a national delufijo, infdi
oufly raised, by misrepresentations touching the true
state cf America, and artfully embraced by a precipi
tate diffolutioh.
lour petitioners therefore again pray and bcfeech
your M.jelly to dismiss your pielent Ministers and ad
visers from your person and council for ever; to dis
solve a Parliament, who, by various a6ls of cruelty
and injustice, have manifefted a spirit of pe decution
against our brethren in America, and given their sanc
tion to popery and arbitrary power; to put your fu
ture confidence in ministers, whole known and unshak
en attachment to the constitution, joined to your wis
dom and integrity, may enable your Majefy to fettle
this alarming dispute upon the sure, honourable, and
lasting foundations of general liberty.
And a motion being made, and question put, to agree
to the said address, remonstrance and petition, the
fame was refolvedin the affirmative,
Signed by Order. RI X.
Our whole infantry consists of 70 regiments (btfides
foot guards and marines); seven regiments and one
battalion of the firft regiment are at Gibraltar. Six re
giments and the second battalion of the firft regiment
are at Minorca; one in the Caribbee islands, three in
Jamaica, one in Antigua, and one in the Grenadoes.
There are twenty regiments an.lfive companies already
on the Commons of America. So that having thus for
ty regiments and five companies abroad, we have no
more than twenty regiments in Ireland, and nine regi
ments and some companies of two others in Great Bri
tain. 1 hefe, with tire hoife, and horfe.grenadier guards,
four regiments of horse, three regiments of dragoon
guards, and eighteen regiments ot dragoons, form the
whole military defence ot Great-Britain and Ireland.
, u b 6. The warmed advocates for admihiftration be
gin to own that France and Spain have a greater force
now at tea, or ready to put to ha at a few days notice;
than Great- Britain by its utmeft efforts could equip or
fit out in twelve months: The united or confederate
fleets amounting to 92 men of war of the line, and the
molt languine promiles of the First Lord of the Admiral
ty not exceeding 80 men of war of the line within the
above-mentioned period, that is to fay, 30 within a
month, 20 more in four months, and the remainder in
the course of the year. Such is the humiliating state of
Gieat-Britain, once the minrefs and great aruitrefs of
the ocean.
Juy 8. It is said; that Gen. Gage has written in the
molt piaffing terms, either to be recalled or have 15,000
men tent him.
It is confidently asserted in the city, that the Ministry
have leceivcd advice irom Lilbon that the Spaniards are
drawing a la<ge army towards their frontiers, and there
fore it is apprehended that they design to invade some
put of the Fortuguefe territories ; that in such ca'e the
court of Portugal requelts an immediate aid an afiidance
from England,
A regiment of marines is going to be raised in Ireland,
which is to conhit of a thoutand men, exclulive of of
ficers.
We do not hea-of any m ;re Br.t'ifh troops being de
dined for America.