The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-02-15 00:00:00, page 2

For the inftruHion of the natives of North-America
and others, I beg a place in your ufeful paper for the
following ANECDOTES. By inferring them you
will ob ige your constant reader.
A Lover of Truth.
The Folly of the English, or the Mock Title of King of
France affirmed by their King, fully displayed, and
compared with that which by the fame Rule the King
of France has a right to be filled King of England,
&c. &c.
IT' NGLISH people are so vain and so swelled up
with imaginary titles, that ttey will tell you,
the king whofets on the throne of France is only to
be called the French king, the king of England being
absolutely the king of France, and retains in his coat
of arms the three flowers de luce ; they will show you
also several af?s, powers of attornies, &c. where it is
said, “ by the Grace of God, king of Great-Britain,
" France and Ireland, &c.” Mighty good indeed!
yet confeious of their error, if there is any treaty de
pending between the two crowns, the English will not
fail to Pile the king of France, His Mod Christian
Majesty ; and the britifh king, His Britannic Majes
ty, only.
I will now proceed to lay open how this visionary
title was built upon by the English :—
Charles the Vlth, king of France, having laid hea
vy taxes on his fubjeds, created a rebellion which was
like to prove of ill consequence, had it not been timely
flopped. In 1392 Charles loses his senses, and is feme
times so mad that they art forced to bind him. Not
long after his kingdom was unhappily divided into
factions, of Orleans and Burgundy; these divisions
gave the English leisure to land: the French loft the
battle of Agincourt in 1415, and the English took
Roan, all Normandy and Maine. Henry the Vth,
®f England, upon marrying in 1420, Catherina,
Charles's daughter, obtained a treaty, which was
concluded at Troyes,, in Champagne, on the 20th of
June, 1420; whereby the dauphin, who was at vari
ance with the queen, his mother, was declared inca
pable of inheriting the crown, and that king Henry
fhouid be regent of France during the life of Charles,
and after his death succeed him in the throne.
Henry the Vth dying at Vincinnes, in 1422, left
the administration of France to the duke of Bedford,
his son, Henry the VJth, bring but eight months old ;
Charles soon died after, and young Harry was brought
to Paris and crowned in 1432. About that time the
French were indeed worked almost every where, till
the famous Joan of Arc, or the Maid of Orleans, a
girl of about iS years old, drove away, very faft, the
English scourge: file got the dauphin crowned at Poi
tiers by the name of Charles VII, surnamed the victo
rious, overthrowing the prince of Orange, pacified
the duke of Burgundy by a treaty, gained many to
his party, then turned his arms against Metz, and
won it ; renewing the war with the English, took For
migsy, in 1450, Roan and Normandy : after the bat
tie of Caftillon, he gains Guienne in 1453 ; the English
only kept Calais, which the duke of Guise took, 100
years after, in 1558.
This is the great Bumbling flone, whereupon the
English built their title of king of France ; a mere bau
ble to please ignorant people. As to the uprightness
of Menry the Vth of England, in that cause, I shall
leave my readers to expound.
I shall now observe, that if the French monarch was
as fond of ideal titles as the English is, he might very
well add to his title of king of France and Navarre,
that of England and Naples.
As to his right to the title and crown of France, it
is fufficiently demonstrated above, without entering
upon any further particulars, or to argue about the
nonsensical and usurped title assumed by English kings,
when they get not a farthing by it.
In regard to his title of king of Navarre, it is well
to remind our readers—that he holds it from Charls
the IVth, the third son of Philip, who succeeded him
in 1321; who, by his mother, Jane of Navarre, the
kingdom of Navarre fell to him ; and the belt part of
that kingdom is to this day in the possession of the
king of France, and has the title accordingly :
And if the king of France was as destitute of good
feofe as the English, he mightcertainly assume the ti
tle of king of England ; the one having as much right
as the other.
Lewis the VIITth, eldest son of Philip Auguflus,
king of France, married Blanch of Caftille, issue of a
daughter of Henry Ild, king of England: when he
was a dauphin, the barons called him to England a
gainst king John, and he was crowned in London in the
month of May, 1216 ; 'but as neither the constitution
nor the temper of the English suited him, he retired
into France.
Quere —Has not the king of France as much right
to add to his arms the Leopard c , and flile himfelf
King of England, as the English king to take that of
King of France.
As to the title of King of Naples, he might likewise
assume it; not only from after Charles the Ift, king
of Naples and Sicily, son of Lewis the Vlllth, king
of France, but because Charles the Vlllth conquered
that kingdom in the year 1495.
These are all titles which the king of France does
not wish to possess. He governs over such an illustrious
and powerful a nation, that there is no need to add to
it.
Philadelphia, February 11, 1783.
To the Printer of the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
SI R,
rp HE publication in the Pennsylvania Gazette of
the twenty-ninth of January, directed to the ru
lers, signed the Plebians at Poplar Grove, appears to
contain very unjust reflections on he tiegiflative and
executive powers of this commonwealth. It is not
likely that any of the rulers, will think this perfor
Mr. PR INT E &
Nathaniel Ashley,
Has for SAL E, in Second above Race- Street,
A Large Quantity of Carolina Reed,
Suitable for Loom Reeds and Filing Rods,
MUSIC Wire on rolls,
Fish Hooks of all Sizes,
Screws from 1-2 to 3 inches,
Elegant Buttons, large and small of various kinds.
Scarf Twilt and sewing Si ks.
Pins,
Sail, darning and sewing Needles by the hundred.
Shoe Buckles and childrens Clalps,
Sleeve Buttons of various kinds,
Plain Irons, and Chizels of different fettg,
On the Cheapest Terme.
mance worthy of an answer ; but for the ratisfaaion
of many worthy citizens, who may not have such ac
quaintance with the tax laws of Pennsylvania, as the
author of the above mentioned publication effeHs to
have. I would beg leave to offer the following answers
to the queries proposed, so far as the said laws have
been understood and aded upon, by the commissioners
of the city and county of Philadelphia (from the best
information I can obtain) for several years pafl, viz.
Query i. Have not the county commissioners pow
er to lay what sum they please upon the townfllips,
above what the law demands 111 the quota of the coun
ty?
Answer. When a fpecific sum has been direfted by
law to be levied on the city and county, and paid in
to the treasury of this commonwealth; the commissi
oners have levied only as much more as in their judg
ment might be fufficient to defray all necessary tx
pences, and enable them to pay the sum required by
law, into the public treasury, except as in the pre
fect supply tax, where the expences of levying, &c.
are directed to be paid out of the county tax.
Query 2. Have they in any instance nearly dou
bled the sum demanded by law?
Answer. Not in one instance.
Query 3. What becomes of the enormous Surplus
in that cate?
Answer. No such enormous surplus exifis in any
case, but wherever there has been the leaf! overplus,
it h a been carried to th^ credit of some deficient public
tax, or taken out of the quota of the next county tax.
Query 4. Hve they not power to appoint collec
tors that will plunder, sport and game away the pro
perty of the people, and thereby in a great measure
disable them for the future, to contribute towards the
support of goverment?
Answer. They have power to appoint collectors,
but do not give them liberty to plunder, sport and
game away the property of the people; the collectors
are answerable for the amount of their dublicates, and
in case of seizures to render an account thereof to the
commissioners, who are to examine and fettle them ; it
is true when property is detrained on and fold, the
owners always sustain loss, but this they might pre
vent by paying their taxes, which would also save the
colleHors a great deal of unnecessary trouble; if col
lectors go beyond the line of their duty, they are lia
ble to a prosecution, and the person defrauded may
recover damages.
Query 5. May not the commissioners direct their
collectors to deliver the money to them, and they to
pay the nett sum demanded by law, to the county
treasurer ?
Answer. They may not, for the collectors are 0-
bliged by law, to pay the money they receive into the
hands of the county treasurer, which is accounted for
by him in the Settlement of his accounts.
Query 6. Are the quotas of the townfllips return
ed to the house of assembly, the fame as those raised
from the people ?
Answer. They are.
Query 7. Have the commissioners power to draw
pay every day they attend for every duplicate not
wholly paid?
Answer. If they have such a power it has not been
exercised, they have only charged for every day they
have attended without any regard to the number of
taxes or duplicates they have had in hand at the fame
time, which will readily appear by the commissioners
pay from Odober 1781, to October 1782, which is
from ninety Seven pounds, to one hundred and forty
nine pounds, according to the times they have refpeft
ively attended, whereas, if as is supposed by this que
ry, their pay would amount to several hundreds per
annum, each : Here may be rectified a mistake in the
Freeman's Journal of the 29th of January, making the
commissioners pay one hundred and sixty pounds each.
Query 8. Are not such unlimited powers dangerous
to the liberties of the people, especially when they
have no appeal from the board of commissioners ?
Answer. As no such unlimited power exist, they
cannot be dangerous to the liberties of the people.
Query 9. If the commissioners were directed by law
to publish the quotas of each township annexed to their
warrants, whereby they may be compared with the
quota of the county ; would it not tend to prevent evil
and do honour to the legislature?
Answer. If the quota of each township was publish
ed as fuggefled by this query, the people mufl still
judge very imperfeHly in comparing with the quota
of the county, not knowing what the expences of le
vying, &c. will be.
The house of assembly having true tranferipts of
the assessments can decide with more propriety than
any individual, nor can they with exadnefs, without
knowing the unavoidable allowances made after the
appeal, therefore, the publishing as proposed would
neither tend to prevent evil, or do honour to the le
gislature.
One of the PLEBIANS.
Philadelphia, February 12, 1783.
I loft no time in giving the necessary orders to prohibit
the further prosecution of offenfive war upon the continent
of North-America. Adopting, as my inclination will al
ways lead me to do, with decilion and effed, whatever 1
colied to be the sense of my Parliament and my people,
I have pointed all my views and measures, as well in Eu
rope as in North-America, to an entire and cordial recon
ciliation with those colonies.
Finding it indispensable to the attainment of this object,
I did not hesitate to go the full length of the powers vett
ed in me, and offer to declare them FREE and INDE
PENDENT STATES, by an article to be inserted in the
Treaty of Peace. Provisional articles are agreed upon,
to take effect whenever terms of peace shall be finally fet
tled with the Court of France.
In thus admitting their separation from the Crown of
these kingdoms, I have facrificed every consideration of
my own, to the withes and opinion of my people. I
make it my humble and earnest prayer to Almighty God,
that Great-Britain may not feel the evils which might re
fuit from so great a dismemberment of the empire; and
that America may be free from those calamities, which
have formerly proved in the Mother Country, how es
sential Monarchy is to the enjoyment of constitutional
liberty. Religion, language, interest, affections may,
and I hope will, yet prove a bond of permanent uniom
between the two countries. To this end, neither at
tention or disposition shall be wanting on my part.
While I have carefully abstained from all offenfive ope
rations against America, I have directed my whole force
by land and sea against the other powers at war, with as
much vigor as the situation of that force, at the com
mencement of the campaign, would permit. I trust that
you feel the advantages resulting from the fafety of the
great branches of our trade. You tauft have seen with
pride and fatisfadion, the gallant defence of the governor
and garrison of Gibraltar; and my fleet, after having ef
fected the object of their destination, offering battle to
the combined force of France and Spain on their own
coasts; these of my kingdoms have remained at the fame
time perfectly secure, and your domestic tranquility un
interrupted. This refpeCtible state, under the blessing
of God, I attribute to the entire confidence which sub
sists between me and my people, and to the readiness
which has been shewn by my fubjeas in my city ofLon
don, and in other parts of my kingdom, to stand forth
in the general defence. Some proofs have lately been
given of public spirit in private men, which would do ho
nour to any age and any country.
Having manifefted to the whole world, by the most last.
ing examples, the signal spirit and bravery of my people,
I conceived it a moment not unbecoming my dignity, and
thought it a regard due to the lives and fortunes of such
brave and gallant fubje&s, to ihew myfelf ready on m,
part to embrace fair and honorable terms of accommoda
tion with all the powers at war.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
SINCE the close of the last sessions, I have employed
my whole time in the care and attention which the
important and critical conjuncture of public affairs re
quired of me.
New-York, Feb. g, 1783.
By the Brigantine Peggy, Capt. M'Neil, in 19 days
from Tortola, we have received the following copy of
His Majesty's Most Gracious SPEECH to both
Houses of Parliament, on Thursday, December 5,
1782, which was brought to Tortola, from the wind
ward, by Capt. Rodney, Son of Lord Rodney.
I have the fatisfaftion to acquaint you, that nego
ciations to this effect are considerably advanced, the result
of which, as soon as they are brought to a conclusion,
shall be immediately communicated to you.
I have every reason to hope and believe, that I shall have
it in my power, in a very (hort time, to acquaint you, that
they have ended in terms of pacification, which, I trust,
you will fee just cause to approve. I rely, however, with
perfect confidence, on the wisdom of my Parliament, and
the spirit of my people, that if any unforefeen change in
the disposition of the belligerent powers, fhouid fruitrate
my confident expectations, they will approve of the pre
parations I have thougt ad vifeable to make, and be ready
to second the most vigorous efforts in the further prosecu
tion of the war.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
I have endeavoured by every measure in my power to
diminish the burthens of my people. I loft no time in tak
ing the most decided measures for introducing a better
economy in the expenditure of the army.
I have carried into ftriCt execution the several reducti
ons in my civil lift expences, directed by an aft of the last
sessions. I have introduced a further reform into other
departments, and.fuppreffed several sinecure places in them.
I have by this means so regulated my establishments, that
my expence shall not in future exceed my income.
I have ordered the estimate of the civil lift debt, laid be
fore you last sessions, to be compleated. The debt prov
ing somewhat greater than could be then corre&ly stated,
and the proposed reduction not immediately taking place,
I trust you will provide for the deficiency, securing, as be
fore, the repayment out of my annual income.
I have ordered enquiry to be made into the application
of the sum voted in the support of the American fufferers;
and I trust you will agree with me, that a due and gene
rous attention ought to be shewn to those who have re
linquished their properties or profeffions from motives
of loyalty to me, or attachment to the Mother-Country 0
„ As it may be necessary to give stability to some regula
tions by A& of Parliament, I have ordered accounts of
the several establishments, incidental expences, fees and
other emoluments of office, to be laid before yon. Re
gulations have already taken place in some, which it is
my intention to extend to all, and which, besides expe
diting all public business, mult produce a very contiderable
saving, without taking from that ample encouragement,
which ought to be held forth to talents, diligence and
integrity, where ever they are to be found.
I hate directed an enquiry to be made into whatever
regards the landed revenue of my crown, as well as the
management of my woods and forefts, that both may be
made as beneficial as possible, and that the latter may fur
nifti a certain resource for supplying the navy, our great
national bulwark,, with its firit material.