The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1778-02-04 00:00:00, page 1

From the NEW-JERSEY Gazette. „M. 21.
THOUGHTS on the SITUATION
• of AFFAIRS.
AT the opening of the la^ year, the Ame
rican cause wore a sickly afoea. Toe
Continental only, reduced to an incnnfiHerabie
body, retired as faftas the enemy adv -need; anJ
av^l tract of country, from HuTu's river to
the Delaware, lav exposed to the rava es of an
infult:ng foe. Roused at length from the lethar
gy which at firft seemed to Tze them, the mi
titia, poured in to the ahifimce o' General
Washington, and gave his little army ? ap
pearance of numbers. The fortune.e fir piz J
of the Heliian. swhich soon f Lowed, and the
brilliant manoeuvre at Princeton, Eli checker:
the current of misfortune, and e^ve the file ci
affairs a contrary dhedion. (Fneral Home,
confining bimfelf to the narrow limits of Brunf
vock and Amboy, Suffered us to inverhue with
2 handful of militia. Tre States wife) im
proved the breath ng spell which Heaven 1 nt
them ; and such weie the exertions of the win
ter, that, before the Bri*ifh mmy lock the field,
ve had a refpeHahte force on foot— A force,
part of which, afnfkd by the gallant militia of
Lew-Yoik and New England, hath deftroyd
then North*Hl aimj ; while th? pel (he. tho'
unable to flop the progress of General Howe,
hath nevertbelefs fought him bravely, and even
now limits his c mquefts to “ jmt so much n r
iNory as he can command Nth the mouths of
his cann m." It is true they a~e in pUfrili >n
of the fidi city on the Continent-- -the loss is
deeply felt by the unhappy citizens —But Ame
rica disdains to fa; foe fuhnis by the event.
Thus the new year opens favourably upon
us, but v hat its future complex on whl be, de
pends upon the manner in winch we employ
the present winter. Heaven hath indeed smiled
upon us---but force drops of bioerneE hath
been kindly mingled in the cup of joy, left the
draught fh°uld intoxicate and lull us to deep.
Out successes encourage the moss sanguine
hopes ; our losses fubid the least prefum: ion.
The oower of the enemy, and the referees of
Britain, are not to be dt fpifed; and if prospe
rity betrays us into security—is we think the
work is done, and become remiss in our exer
tions, our fuccefibs have only smoothed the way
to deftruaion, and the laurels which entwine
our brows serve but as ornaments to deck us for
the facrifice.
Hitherto the regular force which ue have
kept oh toot hath been rao ways proportionate
to the (Length of the States, or the importance
of the object it was raised to f<cu e. It would
have been ufeh.G to have had more men in the
field than we could supply with arms, ammuni
tion, and other military stores---Hence our
operations against the enemy's main army have
been feeble and indecisive ; and the General,
checking the impulses of hi own gallant and
enterprizing spirit, has been oblig'd to consult
the fafety of America by protraction and delay.
But, through the blueings of Heaven, we can
now arm thousands with muskets of the best
kind and of one cahbcr---v e have artillery, am
munition, and camp equipage in abundance---
and we can teed and pay our troops without dif
ficulty, The period is therefore arrived when,
by arming cur beloved General with the united
force of the States, we fhali enable him to take
the field with a inferiority of strength, and
which will ensure him all those advantages
(and they are neither lew not small) which al-
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\r^^^ Gfop^'^N^ V^ ^^3tQ^ ;
GENERAL 1
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1778.
Dikn/s ever have over those who a& on the
derenfive.
This however can only be done by immedi
ately filling no the Cmioncntal regiments. But
as the practice of militia fubTtution hath uG
vetfadi ruined the recruiting fervicc; it vill be
necefiary to draft the number.required, who
should serve cither perf nelly or by fubifitutes,
1 r one campaign at lead. But as this.is a mea
sure which, Gould it be adopted, may give
umbrage to fame who never look beyond them-
Glves, and raha a clamour among others who
wiih to impede every v ,orous exertion, Jet us
corkier the propriety and advantage of it. —
It is a maxim in government which 1 never
heerd a own G Line deny, that every State
hath a ri bit to Tma. J rhe personal service of
its menders or an equivalent, whenever the
public weal demands r L . I h.> is a duty which
Ihauld be exact d in tne manner 1 aft oppressive
to the people, and wGcn we have long render
ed, without murmurin,, in tae different modes
piefcribed by the rmboa laws of rre ref,active
States. Io terve under officers nominated by
ouifelves, is mod com irmable to'the genius of
a free people; but it pi s m de becomes impro
per or inadequate to the exigency of afiTs,
toe State hath undoubtedly a i;it to adopt ano
ther which though 1 A agreeable will prove
more fadatary. The piauice of reuTo.cimEhe'
Continental army by calling out the mTtia,
will in common cases be of hole service. When
the yeomanry of a country, roused by a sense of
danger, or fired by indignation at their wrongs,
fry to arms ; then indeed their refolution'is
dreadful to an enemy, and their impetuosity al-,
molt irrefilFble.---But when the state of our
country is Inch as awakens no agitation ofmind,
trie militia dragged unwillingly to the field soon
become difguucJ with their duty, and are im
patient to retire. A great part es these will be
fubftitm.es, who while in the militia will always
prove ferry soldiers. While they can shrink
from danger with the profpea of impunity, the
temptation will be too powerful for men of their
feelings to rehlF--- Fhey know that if they can
keep out of harm's way for a few months, they
will be at liberty to retire or to renew their bsr
gain---They know, that if called to answer for
their conduct, they will be tried by laws milder
than mercy, and by men whojudge with a g<n
tlenefs incompatible with the welfare of an ar
my. But let one of these be drafted into the
regular army, or become a fubfbtute for one
who is so, and he will presently equal the Con
tinental veteran.---Subject to ftricler difeiplipe,
amenable to a severer tribunal, he catches the
spirit of a foldjer and courts danger with the
foremoft of his comrades.
Besides, as the militia officers have not de
voted themselves to a military life, the. will
find a lengthy service inconvenient and disagree
able; nor can they be iuppAfd to be acquaint
ed with the minutiae of camp duty, winch can
nM be dispensed with in conducting the flow
and steady operations of a regular army. But
we have already in pay a number of excellent
officers, formed by serving through an active
campaign ; and it is a pity that their spirit and
military knowledge should become ufeieF, for
want of men to command.
But whatever mode the States devise for rais
ing men, it is of the highest importance that it
be fpeed.ily adopted and vigorously pursued.---
The present winter is worth millions t> Ame
rica ; and if (he idles it away, her folly will be
without a parallel. We have eveiy argument
^^rmtY^~^e> ^^^^t^TCzrr^
^^^ W : ' ST^.C.YY^
; TTT i
THE
ADVERTISER.
that can work upon our hopes and fears, to ex
cite us to the most strenuous exertions 'peace
liberty and fafety, ]i e before us as the reward
of our exertions—Tfamy, difhefs, and all that
we have, felt or feared from the tyranny of Bri
t<;n, may be the confluence of supineness and
inaction. The main aim, c f t h c enemy is in
our country, and still fmmidable---Britain, en
ia ed at the loss of her Northern army, will
exert her ut m< ft power, and having no troops
in Canada to reinforce, will direct her undivi
ded strength against the middle States. We
too fh^k Heaven, -can meet them with an
unmviuec army; but we must cncreafe its num
ue/s to ensure its success. Let us then, my
countrymen, make one general and mighty ef
fort; and if we can but rouse the unwieldy
Length of these States, and bring t heir wired
force ag^nft the enemy, the contest will at
once be over, and theioQtAeps of tyranny shall
never mark this land es ficedom more.
ADOLPHU S.
Pe%y CT ia, %„. 8, 17 fi
&^^^^^^^^*^£ .GfiT^T^^
T O BE so [ D,
By PRIVATE SALE,
, PLA^TATiLN fruits in Orrrd Town-
a '' '' ' "'' ; "'' double barn, a fta
^nd a ,oW fy^g o f ^^r end fprin& toufe•
an, to acres o! — ;b t CT^.nv and
agrot deal rot ^^ be ^d^ ; one half of the rp
^N'^™'''"''r 'id:we.!Smtoal; th* wtGi e
unuer d , e p.i r of AM,.,,. Tee title ,s
If end the ,^ 1c ecr o quit rc rt 3. The terms of
be k^wa oy r.% ^to the 'ubfcNH^r, near
thefts. JATE3 TURNER.'
Lancer, j^^rj ?9 1778.
A L L persons indebted to the estate of
Jacob FETTER, ;.. e of tZe Borough of Lan
c...;L.r, ^.c^ar.j, cue requtitei t rn^:e immediate
payment; rmdth T fft^eam,faftdemm^
bid eft't~ ?.:ehke%h ^"i^to bu^ iu umraCCGun^
that they my be paid.
CHRISTINE FETTER, Executrix
HENRY DEHUFF, ]
PETER FE PT£K, j Reuters.„
Head oj Elk, Jaxuary 15, 1778.
EIGHT DOLLARS REWARD.
0 TRAYED or STOLEN last night, from the
borough it V^ilmington, a ftrawherrv roan Mare,
nx years old, fourteen and a half hands high, a natu
ral pacer, good spirit, fluid round, long m^ne, rough
hatred, and has a hard lump on his unT j^w. Who
ever tak s up nd fecur s laid Marc, so that the own
er niiy h^e him agYh, mail have the above reward
and reafonahle pharos, paid by
ZEBULON HOLLINGSWORTH.
N. B. All perform are forwarned not to purchase
Lid Mare.
Lancnfier, January j 5, 17^8,
,0 AME to the plantation of the fubferiber
1^ near the Borough of Lancaster, on the 18th of
October ia£, a formed II 0 R 8 E, about thirteen or
fourteen hands high, run a white sac,, marked on
his left buttock CH, and w» round food- The owner
is delved to come, pri ve his property, pry charges
and take Ii naw y by the 15 h inst. otherwise he will
be fold for the cost and charges.
WILLIAM BAUSMAN.
CA ME to the plantation of thefubferiber,
in Peeib Towm'dip, Cumber! .nc; County, near
M,. lrwh.l mil , a dark forr^i HORSE, eleven
years old, about thirteen bands ld%h, bald Ace some
^r,ite 01 all I is ieet, branded G J S, and has had toe
fiftula. The owner is <bfirec to come, prove his
property, pay charges and take him a*ay
JO)LPH MI UbR.