The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-01-23 00:00:00, page 2

Another thing essential to the attaining this certainty
is to make the papers conclusive evidence; to resolve,
that British papers or the dedruilion or want of papers
should be fufficient ground for condemnation. This is
the present regulation in France. This would give
new life to privateering.
The objection to this plan arises from a source which
I blush to think of. People wish to keep the door 0-
pen for trading with the British under 'the cover of
double papers. What must be the feelings of our al
lies, after all they have done for us, when they fee us
nefleDingthem and running to the ports of the enemy;
supporting the trade and strengthening the force of the
British in time of open war? The French have acted
with generosity towards us. Might they not expea,
that we should at least observe the law of nations in
refraining from the support of thqir enemy and ours?
the only opology (and it is a wretched one) is that
we have not learn't to confider ourselves as an inde
pendent people; that we do not regard, as we ought
to do, our national charader. It is to be hoped, that
the thing is owing to want of thought and not to
ingratitude. However, considered in every view, it is
the heigth of bad policy.
2. Another thing absolutely necessary is, that prizes
may be tried and condemned speedily and cheaply. Ad
miralty laws should be made and executed for the be
nefit of the public ; not for the fake of enriching one
or two infi nificant individuals. Particularly in the
case of small prizes, care should be taken that the
whole amount be not fwabowed up in costs. This be
longs to the hates indivi finally to provide for, except
ing in the cases of appeals.
3. Greet care should be taken to encourage the bring
ing in of prisoners. At present it is a misfortune for
a privateer to take a number of prisoners. Cartels
have been usually fettled upon the plan of valuing eve
ry man at a certain sum of money according to his
rank; so as that the balance anight be paid in cash :
and it is not many ages since the aptor had a proper
ty in his prisoner, and was allowed to make the most of
his ransom. : As the prisoners taken at sea by priva
teers generally belong to the Rate to which the priva
teer belongs, I should think that it would answer the
bed of purposes for each date to pay a reward for e
very prisoner taken at sea and brought into the state.
This would operate at once to encourage privateering
Mr. PRINTER,
OU R alliance with France, in the year 177&, along
with all its benefits brought this evil, that too
many of us were lulled by it into a driufive Security.
The war was believed to be drawing to a close, and
great numbers of us seem to have fondly imagined
there was very little need of any further exertions on
our part. By this time, however, it is pretty clear
that we ought not to hope for a speedy and happy end
to the war, unless we employ every means in our pow
er for conducting it with vigor.
The easiest and most effectual way of distressing the
enemy and relieving ourselves, would be to encourage
privateering. The trade of Britain is her only strength.
This can be no ther way so effectually broken as by
our privateers Our only weakness consists in the want
of funds. Privateering requires no publick funds to
fufr% t it. In' th- common course of trade, we should
soon be rrript of seamen by the captures which are
continually made by the enemy. Privateering is the
source from which we are furnifhed with seamen to gve
in exchange. The wealth too which we derive from
this source is clear gain. The Algerines have long
maintained themselves by this business alone. The
Buccaneers of South-America, a handful of bold pri
vateerfmen, for many years supported themselves
against the world, without dominion, without territo
ry, without any pretext of justice. We are indebted
to our privateers, more than to almost any other
means we have tried, for our success hitherto; and yet
the truth is that this important branch o F the war has
all along laboured under very great difeouragements.
The only law we have for conducting this business is to
be collected from a sett of patched up resolutions of
Congress, which were made on the footing of mere tem
porary expedience before our independence, and evi
dently calculated with a view to the Rate we were then
in. ~ n these resolutions it is often impossible for
any m. ito distinguish whether he is taking a prize or
involving hmfelf in a tedious and expenfivh law suit.
The event, too of this law suit is made to depend up
on the,confciences of the captured. Their own story
is to acquit or condemn them : their papers are of no
weight. It is high time that these resolutions were re
vilel by Congress, and a uniform, clear system esta
blished for the regulation of privateering. In hopes
that this business will be attended to, I shall take tue
liberty of suggesting some things, which I conceive to
be necessary for the full exertion of our strength in the
business of privateering.
1. It is necessary that the captain of a privateer
should be able to distinguish with some degree of cer
tainty what is prize and what is not prize ; otherwise
law suits, difappointrnents and the clamours of seamen,
Who cannot bear delay, will throw such difeourage
rhents in the way, as few men will chufe to encounter,
and the sass is, that many have renounced the business
for this very reason. To attain this certainty it is ne
cessary, in the firft place, that we discard the scheme
of exempting Bermudian vessels, and the property of
British settlers from capture. The Bermudians do us
no service: they supply the British fleets and armies
amongst us with refreflimenis, and they occasion a
thousand disputes. The notion of encouraging British
people to fettle amongst us, was plausible enough,
whilst we were fellow fubjefts of the fame empire ; but
in our present slate of independency to allow of people
Coming directly from the ports of an enemy, at open
war with us, is perfectly futile. Those few of them
who are in earned about it, come by the way of Hol
land, or some other neutral state. But the pretence of
Coming to fettle amongst us is so easily made, and so
easily (worn to, that it may be made and supported
by every vessel that is taken, if the people on board
have a good underflanding with one another, and are
hardy enough to disregard oaths, which is but too fre
quent.
One our most famous poets has said :—
"To conquer without danger, is to triumph without
glory."
It was our's to fay, heretofore, that nothing was
wanting to your's. You have always com atted; have
always been victorious, with unequal force: you have
proved that we may calculate means, but never cour
age ; which prevails over gill, which fubdues' all. You
did not make preparations for your firft exploits; you
accomplished them, more daring in your bark than
CaTar was in his, when he defied Neptune and the
winds: you defied, also, Britain ; the having dispatched
against you a force which, with good reason, might
appear to be fufficient to overwhelm you: What
was the event? She feet a new force againfl. you : the
affiilant was taken ; a'nd that which ihe employed,
with a view to destroy you, served only to render you
more formidable. From this moment your name be
came the terror of the British seas ; your very appear
ance so ved terror on the coasts of England, Scotland
and Ireland and the bravest British mariners, thought
Jess of fighting you thaq of flying :rom you.
We ne er shall forget, victory shall consign to her
most brilliant annals, that memorable action: when,
gqing on board a vessel already worn by time, by
long voyages, by so many other engagements, you
fell with the impetuosity of an e gle on the Serapis ;
a vessel of the line, a new vessel, and of in rinfic force,
fufficient to engage two such as your's, Pearson, con
fiding in this visible superiority, and in the effect of
his artillery, emboldened, without doubt, also, by his
own courage, Pearson called out to you, imperiously,
to trifle; you answered only by new broahfides ; your
crew, partly slain, seconded you no longer but in a
weak manner ; you became, at the fame time, helm's
man, gunner, marriner, without ceasing for one mo
ment to be captain. It was impossible to refill such
efforts ; the enemy amazed, astonished, yielded to you,
they firike; and you, the conqueror, go on board
board their vessel at the very instant that the sea (wal
lowed up your own.
This trait brings to our mind that of a hero, who,
commanding a band of warriors, whose clothings, cam
paigns had reduced to rags, and having to engage an
enemy, whose exterior display d all the liveries of
luxury, spoke to them only these few words : " My
friends, let us go and dress ourleivts." A few mo
ments afterwards, these troops were well clothed.
Shall I represent you, besieged in the Texel, by a
whole squadron which was fitted out solely for the
purpole of taxing you, and winch, b, so precious a
capture, might hope to console England for all th los
ses which you have caused her to experience ? This
menacing preparation did not retrain you : You in
trepidly left the harbour, and tins barrier opened lor
you, or d.fappeare l. It would seem, that the fails
of your vessel have become the wings of Dedalus.—
Nothing hinders you, nothing detains you. You di
vide the emp re of the waves wiin the fame rapidity,
with which the messenger of the gods divides the em
pire of the air. The other day Spain complimented
us, in receiving you. This day, France poffeifes
you : France is about to f,eak of you to Spain, who
believes, that perhaps, ihe may yet possess you.
How great is the happiness of those Republics, the
United St tes of America, who have peculiarly a
right to reckon you their own. Fr m their continent
you firft emb rked upon the sea to ad agaiuft the
enemy ; un-er their auspices you firft fought, and for
their cause, which is now the cause of his Majefly,
have your viHories been obtained. When America
gives the c.t dogue of her worthi s, a Washington,
a Wayne, &€. file adds that cf Pul Jones.
You have received in this capital those honours,
that applause, which a nation, conscious to herfelf of
courage, so readily decrees to a m 11 of valour, and
it is with equal joy, that the fees you return, this
day, to her bosom ; you re urn with titles of more
than one kind : That of a brave warrior, would fuf
fice you, bur you join to it others; you courted
Apollo, before you rnged yourfelf under the hand
ard of Mars : you hae demonflrated the falfity of
an affection thrown out by a celebrated writer, and
against a art, to which he was indebted for all his
glory. Agreeable to him, letters do not only corrupt
the manners, but they also enervate courage. He did
not remember, that the poet Tyrteus restored m the
Sp rtans the courage they had loft, and after having
enflamed them by his verf, he taught them to con
quer by his xample. He did not remember, that
Alexander possessed all the knowledge of Ariflotle,
and carried the Iliad constantly with him. He did
not remember, that Hannibal was a man of letters,
that Scipio was the friend and the rival of Terence ;
that Ca^far was his own historian, and would have ce
lebrated worthily all the heroes of antient Rome. He
and enable the state 'o redeem from captivity a num
ber of brave seamen, who often perish in prison or
,else are under the necessity of end fling with the enemy
Yours, &c. WATERMAN.
w E cannot better begin your eulogium, than by
nming you. We may even fay, that we have
finifhed when we have named you.
Antient chivalry draws her origin from antient. ini
tiations, feeing Hercules, Thefeus,and so many other
heroes were initiated in the miseries of Glailis, before
they entered on the labours which has rendered them
so famous- die received with as much joy as prepara
tion, him, amongst her worthies, and who had just ac
complished some great adventure.
What t en would (he not have done for you ? You,
who cease not to combat, but after having been victo
rious; you, for whom every new enterprize is the fig
nirl of a new triumph ! your actions are famous e- en
amongst your enemies. All Europe speaks of you
with enthusiasm; and I am, at this moment, but the
feeble echo of fame.
A Discourse pronounced in a particular Society, and
addressed to Paul Jones.
From the JOURNAL of PARIS.
(Translation.)
did net remember tW the Conqueror rs the Vattelfae
(for I emit a crowd of other examples, to come near
er to our own age) ; I fay, he did not remember, tbit
the conqueror of the Vatteline, who, in one day only,,
gained two battles, and dhperfed two armies, the least
of wjiich was much more numerous than his own, has
translated and commented on Caesar. He did not re
member, that the brave Count de Ilelo vrho, at the
head of 1500 French, dared to attack 60,000 men, as
well Pruilians, as Aulirians, and Saxons, strongly en
trenched, and who perished voluntarily in this at
tack, is the aut' or of t''e brfl Idillium, which is ex
tant in our lamuage. Secondly, He did not at th^
time remember, that the number of the literary pro
du<vons of Frederick, equalled almofi that of his vic~
torious. He could not forefee, that the courage of
Conedic (I mention this name with confidence, valour
esteems, and cherishes valour •) I sty, he could not
forefee, that Conedic, an amiable poet, would, one:
day, tuftain with to much glory and firmnefs, the ho
nour of the French standard: finally, he could not
f^refee, that the iitreoid Jones, after having fignalifed
his genius and abilities in the peaceful cultivation of
letters, woul I display with so much luflre his courage,
and other talents in the terrible art of engagements.
Enjoy then a double crown, so rightfully Acquired,
and return, after the conclusion o a peace, which
Phiiofopuy desires, a pea,e, of which humanity has
need, return to enjoy amongf\ us your glory, and
to brighten us by your labours. We shall not for
get that you join to a genius, capable of singing
great anions, a merit dill more rare, that of at
chieving them.
RICHMOND, January 13.
A narrative ot the late incursion made by the enemy
to this place.
ON the gift of December, a letter from a private
gentleman to general Nelson reached this place,
notifying that in the morning of the preceding day,
twenty-seven fail of vessels had enterred the capes, and
from the tenor of the letter, there was reason to expect
within a few hours farther intelligence whether they
were friends or foes, their h rce, and other circumffan
ces. General Nelson went immediately into the lower
country, with powers to call on the militia in that
quarter, or to ad other wife as exigencies should require.
The call of the militia rom the middle and upper
counties was not made till intelligence r^M. 6 e receiv
ed that the fleet was certainly hoftiie. No farther in
telligence came till the ft cond inflant, when the form
er was confirmed • it was afeerfained that they were
er;e nies, and had advanced up James river to Warraf
queak bay. All arrangements were immediately ta
ken tor calling in a fufficient body of militia for oppo
sition. In the night of the third, advice was received
that they were at anchor oppofi/e James town. Willi
amfburgh was then fnppofed to be their objed ; the
wind however, which had hitherto been unfavourable,
fhifted fair, and the tide being also in their favour,
they afeended the river to Kennon's that evening, and
with the next tide came up to Weftover, having on.
their way taken Foffeflion of the oatterry at Hood's,
by which two or three of their vessels had received some
damage, but which was of neceflity abandoned by the
final] garrison of fifty men placed there on the enemy's
landing to invest the works. Intelligence of the ene
my's having quitted the station at James-town, from
which it was supposed they meant to land for Willi
amlburg, and that they had got in the evening to Ken
non's, reached this place at five o'clock in the morn
ing of the fourth : this Was the fiift indication of their
meaning to penetrate towards Richmond or Petersburg.
As the orders for drawing the militia hither had been
given but two days, no opposition was in readiness.
Every effort was therefore necessary to withdraw the
arms and other military stores, records, &c. from
this place. Every effort was accordingly exerted to
convey them to the foundery and laboratory, tillabout
sunset of that day, when intelligence was received that
the enemy had landed at Weft over : from this it a pear
ed that Richmond, and not Petersburg, was their ob
;ea ; it became necchary to remove every thing which
remained here, across the river, as well as what had
been carried to the foundery ard labaratory ; which
operation was continued till the enemy approached ve
ry near. They marched from Weftover at* 2 o'clock
in the afternoon of the 4th, and entered Richmond at
one o'clock in the afternoon of the sth. A regiment
of infantry and about fifty horse continued on°with
out halting to the foundery; they burnt that, the boring
mill, the magazine, and two other koufes, and pro
ceeded to Weftham, but nothing being in their power
there, they retired to Richmond. The next morning
they burnt some buildings of public and some of pri
vate property, with what stores remained in them; de
stroyed a great quantity of private stores, and about
12 o'clock retired towards Weftover, where they en
camped within the neck the next day. The loss fuf
ftained is not yet accurately known. At this place
about 300 muskets, some fol.hers eloathing to a small
amount, fulphur, some quartermasters stores, of which
120 sides of leather was the principal article, part of
the artificers tools, and 3 waggons; besides which, 5
brass 4 pounders, which had been funk in the river,
were difeoverei to them, railed and carried off. At
the foundery about 5 tons of powder was thrown into
the canal, of which there will be a considerable faving'
by re-manufaHuring it. Part of th papers belonging
10 the auditor's office, and the bo ks and pipers of the
council office, which were ordered to Weftham, but in
the confufion carried by mistake to the foundery, were
alfodeftroyed. The ro f of the f undery was burnt,
but the itacks of chimnies and furnaces not at all in
jured. Within less than 48 hours from the time of their
landing and 19 from our knowing their destination,
they had penetrated 33 miles, done the whole injury,
and retired. Our militia, dispersed over a large trad of
country, can be called in but slowly. On the day the
the enemy advanced to this place, 200 only were em
bodied; they were of this town and neighbourhood,
and were too few to do any thing effectual. The ene
my's forces are commanded by the parricide Arnold.