The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-11-24 00:00:00, page 2

bend, and, in a late aßion, had the American general
Gr eny but followed his blow with the fame vigour it
was at firft made, the whole must have been cut off; as
'tis, we call it a victory, but Providence, that surely
fought for us on this occasion, guard us from such
another victory, which would entirely defiroy us!—
Whether the commander in chief is playing at push
pin, or some other such roanly employment, I know
not; but unless a diversion, little to be hoped for from
his adivity or ability, is made, the truly great lord
Cornwallis is in the most critical fituadon, exposed I
fear to more than even he will be able to bear up againh.
—f know you will call this piflure one of ray own
drawing, a mere cynical representation: but when all
is at flake, and that trifled with daily, in a manner ob
vious to the mod fuperficial observer, who can forbear
complaining! My most sanguine with is that [ may
shortly have foundation to write you better things :
mean time give me leave to refer you to Mr. Knlock,
who has undertaken to deliver this letter, for * true
and particular state of this province, and when you
have heard him, thank your good fortune that you are
not in it, and at lead with me and all your friends out
of it. With the meft perfect eftrem I remain, fir,
Your most obedient and mofi faithful servant,
JOHN STOPTON.
Robert Levie, efq; at the hotife of
Mess. Greenwood and Higginfon,
merchants, London.
Charleftown, $. Caroline, OHober t, 1781.
I HAVE wrote a number of letters to dear Mils Wells,
and also one to Mrs. Wells, but as we have an ac
count that mod, if not all the vessels that went from
this place, are taken, I cannot exped you have receive
cd any of my letters since June. Mr. Russel and many
ethers w nt iu the William Henry packet, which we
bear is taken and carried to Boston. f wrote you by
Dr. Spence who went in the flag that carried governor
Chester from Pensacola, who had permiffon to flop
here; the governor left his secretary here and took ma
so- Benson, (who married Miss Garden) as his secreta
ry and we heat the flag is taken in consequence of major
Benson's being on board. [ was in hopes my letters
would have got fafe, as flags are reckoned sacred ; but
when there is a breach of faith on one fide the other
will tlake the advantage of it. lam sorry so the trou
ble it gives Mrs.-Gard n who was loth to part with her
daughter.
Mds Philp you have heard married a captain Camel,
who uses her father, mother and herfeff most cruelly.
Miss Lrigh is married to major baron Monffierg, an
Hessian officer. Sir Egerton ded a week pad of a
broken heart, empty purse and domeflic indiferetion.
Lady L goes to England the firft opportunity, to de
liver with her own hand a petition to the king, in behalf
of herfelf and children: I have no acquaintance with
her myfelf, but by all accounts she is a thoughtless ex
travagant *oman. Mrs, Carden (Judy Wregg that
was) died a few days ago, very suddenly or at least with
with a fl ghf illness.
f suppose you will have a particular account of the
slate of things in this province. The action at Eutaw
between colonel Stewart of the guards and general
Greene, though the former at last, by the assistance of
colonel Cruger, got the vißory, it does not redound
much to Stuart's credit: the numbers of the dead and
wounded are not known—an officer was heard to fay in
town, another such vidory would ruin their array, I
suppose you will hear the particulars firft in England
the British army certainly had a most providential
escape, which in fad, may be attributed to the rum
which the Americans found in the British camp, and
the timely arrival of colonel Cruger, with 500 men from
a foraging party : the dying officers that were brought
to town (poke hard things of their colonel. People in
general feero diffatisfied, they think there is not that
countenance and proteaion given to the loyalifls as they
had a right to expert, many who had taken protection
are gone to the Americans, not altogether from choice
but necessity, they were threatened by the Americans
in the country, if they did not join them they would
deffroy their property, and those who had families and
mo way of fulfilling them but upon their plantations,
went with them rather than have their families flarve,
as the Americans at present have the command of the
country and ean go where they please. The army that
was at Eutaw are now at Fludds, 12 miles beyond Eu
taw. General Gold with some men, are gone up; he is
to have the command, being higher in rank than Stu
art; whether he vrfll do any gre # t good is a doubt, his
character is not the most ami tble, his condud does not
promise much. The plan of the Howe's seems to have
prevailed too much in America ; at New York they
cannot stir 20 miles from the city, and here we cannot
go five miles with any certainty of (afety , John Lining
was taken from his plantation last week, three miles
below ours at Ashley river. Mr. Skottow at Mr. Billen
ger's was obliged to lie the greatest part of a night in the
marsh at the Lan ing.
You cannot, my dear Miss, form, any idea of this
place think what we most have fuffered this summer
which is a remarkable hot one, in this small dufly town,
no fruit but water melons and mufli-melons, both ex
travagantly dear- I have not seen a tolerable peach,
frawberry or apple this year ; and it is very disagree
able walking from the ashes of the burnt houses, which
almost cboaks ne. Happy are all that are in England,
let them be truly thankful and not complain for
trifles.
Mr. Saxby, I hear, has loft thirty of his best negroes
who are dead, his crop remained at th^ plantation
when his attorney, Mr. Godfrey, went to Bermudas,
but as both armies h?ve been there it is reafonablv to
think he must have loft fame. When the British left
George-Town, the Americans fold what they found in
it for 25,000!. Serling. There is no communication
between lord Cornwallis and this place, neither is there
any certainty where he is. There has not been any ac
counts from New-York for tome time. The American
privateers kept on this coafl, and took almost every ves
sel going and coming; we have frequently seen vessels
taken in light of the town, and the Blonde, commodore
Berkey, who guarded the harbour on the inside, he had
b+en so long on ihore that upon going in a schooner,
with some gentlemen, to pay his refpeds to lord Lincoln
when he came here, Berkley was the 6rft that was sea
sick on board the schooner. After tiie Coad was clear
he went to fetch general Lesley from Virginia, he took
the Carysfo.t with him we he r they are both at New.
York. A compla nt from th' merchants went home
against Berkeley, but unfortunately it was on board
the Qieen Cha lotte packet, which, with many others is
taken by the French fleet. Lord Rawdon, maj. Doyle
and his lady, and Mrs. Clarke, were on board. I had
almost forgte to teh' you Mr. Champneys is married to
tewidow Wilson Harvey's daughter John Tanno is
to be -carried to Miss Rose, John Mills has taken to
himfetr a wife.
I am much obliged to you on my girls account for
, die fathmns. Vour letters and mine are quite on diffe
rent fubjeds : yours are the bright and ^leafing fide,
mine the dark and gloomy. However such as it is I
hope you will receive it one among the many I have
sent. Mr. B. has been extreme ill but is now better,
he and my girls join me in compliments to yourfelf and
w ole family. Yours fincexely, H B.
Dear Miss,
After I had sealed my letter, I opened it to mention
what Mr. B had desired me to do, and which I had for
got ; he desires his compliments to your papa, and ac
quaints him he had wrote to him by Mr. Russel, and
would havewrote now, but hopes he will excuse him,
as he is obliged to attend the Board of Police that has
not met for some time past, and what little time he has
tafpare has been employed in writing public letters :
He feels much pain at times from his disorder, now
esp cially after fitting long at writing.
Mr. Frying h ,s been exceeding ill but is now better.
Its just reported that col. Brown of Yorkfnire is taken
by the American militia; he was going to Savannah in
a gun boat inland with 60 men on board.
Miss Wells,
Saiilbury -Court, Fleet fireet.
To the PUBLI C.
" As a frequent recurrence ta fundamental princi
" pies, and a firm adherence to justice, moderation,
" &c. are absolutely necessary to p r eserve the
" buffings of liberty, and keep a government free ; the
“ people ought therefore to pay particular attention
" to these points in the choice of off Chits and
" representatives, and have a right to exa& a due and
“ conftint regard to them from their legislators and
“ magistrates, in /he making and executing such laws
" as are necessary for the good governmentof the slate."
Declaration of Rights, Sec. 14.
AS it appears by the minutes of assembly, that a
considerable offer, to be continued annu
ally, hath bee, made to the legislature for the place
$f City Auctioneer: I think myfelf in duty bound to
alarm my fellovj citizens, with regard to some incon
veniences and dangers whih may be likely to arise
from that office, unhfs timely and carefully attended
to: bidding At vendues has been common, but bid
ding for them; or felling them to fa'e, is entirely a
novelty in Pennsylvania ; it is therefore to be hoped it
will be duly attended to by the people, and ferioufty
considered by tie legislature, before a step of that kind
is adopted iit is true, the propofol may have a speci
ous appearance, and the bait may be allureing, but
let not this alone induce us to accept it, for although,
at fir ft, it(may be thought a cheap penny- worth to the
public, if may at length be found a dear bargain, and
“ though sweet in the month may prove bitter in the
belly the advice of Solomon is worth attention,
" w merer then undertaken, confider the end and
thou (halt never do amifs"-Precedents, in unjust cases,
are dangerous ; and power, once grasped, is tenacious
as bird lime It may indeed appear particularly pleaf
ihg at this time, while the people at large are consider
ably burthened with taxes, to find an expedient which
any tend to alleviate them, but let us firft confider
whether the expedient is just: in order to illustrate
this matter, we may confider the commission arising,
or to arise to the public from the vendue office, as a
tax, for a tax it certainly is, and without care may
^rove a heavy one. Now, it has ever been held, that
taxation fhoutd always be as equal as poffibl% which I
Apprehend would be far from being the case, if the
plan under consideration mould be adopted. With re
gard to vendues, it proves necessary that people,fome
times, dispose of their property at public sale ; this
kind of sale (whatever may be the motive with'fome
particulars) must Come under the charaher of neg>s
sity: here then a citizen of Philadelphia, for want
of a private purchaser, or fonaeother circumflance, is
obi iged to dispose of his goods by public auction,
and is required by the law to fend them to, or have
them fold by a certain person appointed for that pur
pose, for which he is obliged to pay a certain com
mission, part of which is appropriated to the govern
ment. Now, let us observe, that no other part
of the people or inhabitants of the date are bound
and remitted in this manner, but the people of Phila
delphia ; for throughout the country 'the inhabitants
dispose of their houses, lands, flock, &c. at public
sale, when, where, and by whom they will, to the
amount of a hundred or a thousand pounds, paying
only the wages of the Cryer, which may be twenty
fliillings at furtheft ; while the commission or du f y to
which the citizen of Philadelphia is fubjeft for the fame
sum, may amountto fifty pounds ; here then is a mon
strous inequality with regard to the people at large, or
between the people of Philadelphia and the rest
of the community. But this is not all ; for although
my cond tion may require that I speedily fell a part of
my property, which I cannot do but in a public way,
why mart I be obliged, from my necessity, to pay not
only a high cornmiffion to a public auctioneer, but
likewise a commission or tax, included therein, to
the government {while the property of my neighbours,
who are under no such necessity, goes free, which is
really the case; and it will be in vain to fay, that
when the property is out of my hands, I pay no tax
for it to the public ; for beside the ta± which 1 pay on
the public sale, the goods are taxable in whofever
hands they may be, in the fame manner as though the
property was not altered, or perhaps I have paid the
common tax for them but a day or two before the sale.
here then is another great inequality, even amongst
the citizens of Philadelphia: and although it may not
have been thought to affed the whole community, yet
let us observe, that “ where one member fuffe r 's all
the members fuffer with it."—Thefe cases are so ftrike
ing and obvious, that their inconvenience and danger
must be immediately apparent; and the question is
whther any individual, refilling in the country, put
ting the case home, can apprehend it is equal or just?
or whether any individual, after a due consideration
of thp matter, can desire to hbld an office under cir
cumflances so highly opposite to the interest of h s fel
low citizens? It may, indeed, be altogether proper
that goods designed for public sale in the ci y, should
be fold at one place and by one person; the quefbon
then is, how it shall be done most confident with pri
vate and public good ? On this head, the fafeft and
most equitable mode, and that which is most confident
with the true spirit of a free government, will be to
demand no more than will be a rational, adequate
compensation for the trouble of the auctioneer (unleft
we can suppose, that persons under that necessity are
bound to pay mo e towards the public debt than their
neighbours.) This will prevent that dangerous anxie
ty for office which is too prevalent, ini will take away
all occasion of complaint from the people: it was for
merly V ought, that five p r rent, on the sale of com
mon goods was proper, but if it appears to be more
than is necessary, let the commission be docked in pro
portion, and instead of aiming to draw a revenue
therefrom ; let us devise such plans of taxation as will
operate equally and alike on all the people; the sum
collected by the auctioneer cannot be trifling. but, be
that as it may, the nature of the case is the fame, whe
ther he collect one thousand or ten thousand pounds
the tax upon tea was not the less alarming to the con
siderate part of the people, for being only three pence
in the pound, tnan if it had been three limes as high
and if the imp set ion be eftablilhed, it may be n$
difficult matter to devise ways ad means to diC
charge all the current expences of the government in
and by tee city of I'hilad "Ipaia alone: thus, an the
plan or proposal now before the to ufe, % for Che reafo ^
alre fy offered, must appear to be highly unequal and
improper, I aro bold to d clare with the confidence
though not with the abilities of a Hampden, that if
it be carried into execution, it will in its nature and
operation be fubverfivc of the peace and liberties of
the people; but since the above remarks were finifhed,
I find what I had not before observed, that this Decla
ration is warranted by the express authority of the
conftitwion itfrlf; which in the 36th fe don ordains,
“ that whenever an office, thr ugh increase of f^s or
“ otherwise, becomes so profitable as to occasion many
“ to apply for it, the profits ought tp be lessened by
" the legislature:" which is nevertheless submitted to
their consideration and that of the people, by
CANDIDUS.
)s>«4# ^H++ +Hf4H ^*^<
✓4t the Sign of
^^^^^^LF^
4 THE %
£ VIRGINIAN'S §
^ Commission - Store,^
^.ax ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^g,wq
In .Vat? ftre t, 2 few doors aouce P ne itrecr,
GOODS will be received and fold, on the lowest
Commihoo, add every Cure taken to txpediteaud ren
der the Sales acceptable.
I w mid pwehafl Tobacco for a Cammiffon of five ftiU
I ngs per Hogihe d. Tho & who will hon nir me with the
Trull, may rely on having it carefully nfyeaed, and
put in the best order for fr -^l^
k: HARD GLAS OCK.
Alexander Quefnay de Glouray,
A ceding 0 the d.fi - V many Gentlemen, „003
to open a FRENCH ACADEMY for young Ladies,
on Tuesday next the zotc idt mt, Attendance will be
giv n three tims a week, from two o'clock till five ia
the afteino % at his lodgings in Serond-ftreet, betwixt
Chefhut and Walnut-fleets, Philadelphia. Nov. 9,
_.„ ^ —
Twenty Hard Dollars Reward.
DESERTED from the Irgi n commanded by colo
nel Armand, two recim- : Benjamin Light, by
trade a blacksmith, about five fen n;n= inches high,
ye ms of age, f^arthy complexion, blue eye* and black
u.ir, bri in Peonfylvama, Laacafter county; and
Frnneb Floury, by trade a barber and hatr-dreffer,
abou five Let and fix in beg high, born in Paris, twen
ty ci ;ht years of age, black eyes, fair complexion,
bluk hair; had on wienie went away, a red coat fa
cel with blue, wihylLw binding on the button holes,
made after the Er riffi fashion, a tmall red cap, some
wh 4l ref m ding a gren^die a, with the top tied down.
Bnjmin Light was dressed in common firmer'#
drHs i he went away upon furlough, which has expir
ed some time since. Whoever r &kes up fail deserter?
and will Ting th^m to the fubferiber, or confine them
in any gaol, shall receive the above reward or ten dol
lars for each, and all reafonahle charges paid by
JOHN SHARP, captain in
Nov. 23. cohnel Armand's legion.
Wants a place in Compring-houfe,
A Young Man, capable of keep
ing books, a r i who can be well recommended.
Enquire of the Printer.