Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-12-18 00:00:00, page 2

V) tbfo)fc Commerce, Cep'. P ice, arrived hr?
from Bristol, fl we have the so lowing advices.
VIENN A, September if
AM OS T magnificent ba'l, with grand illu
minatian% was given on Monday last by
her imperial Majesty at Schonbrun on account of
the name-day @f the Arcb-Dutchefs Beatrix of
Milan. About 4000 tickets were distributed.
The Emperor was prefect at this entertainment,
and was graciously pleased to Shew the greatest
conde^ehfibn and affability towards all, ranks of
people.
J^ ONDO N, September 26.
Last night at the previous meeting of the Live
ry at the Half Moon Tavern, Cheapfide, near
goo Liverymen assembled, where it was refolded,
t'lat J >hn Wdkes, Esq; our present Lord May
or, and John Sawbridge, Esq; Aldermen, be re
commended by this meeting to the next Common
Hall, to be returned to the Court of Aldermen
f r their choice of one of them to be Lord Mayor
of this city for the year ensuing.
Yesterday near §®o freeholders of the county
cf Middlesex met at the Mile-end Assembly-Room,
agreeable to notice front the Sheriffs in the pub
lic papers : About one o'clock Mr. Sheriff Plo
roer took the chair, and, in a very sensible fpeecb,
told them they were convened at the reqneft of
f >me refpedable freeholders, to take into consi
deration the critical and alarming titnation of this
country, and strongly recommended to them to
proceed in their arguments with loyalty to their
King, a love for the constitution, and decency
and refpea to each other, as the surest way to
give efficacy to their refactions. Mr. Mafcall
then ftoed up and attempted to harangue on the
riilerable predicament administration had brought
this country into, but was interrupted by Mr.
Pell, a Middlesex Justice, who objected to the
propriety of Mr. Mafcab's speech. Mr. Wilmott,
another Middlesex Justice, begged the Sheriff
would declare the names of the freeholders who r'e
quefted that meeting ; but it being reprobated by
other gendemen, the Sheriff put the question,
whether he should declare the requifiters, or not,
which was carried in the negative by a great ma
jority. This leading question being determined,
Mr. Mafcall resumed his harangue without inter
ruption, wherein he declaimed against the Mini
ftry for their late a&3 respelling America ; their
lending armed legions of Englishmen to cut the
throats of Englishmen ; their endeavouring to sub
vert the constitution, and concluded with making
a motion to inftrud the members on their present
alarming Situation, and held a paper in his hand,
which contained inftruaior,s to be read to that as
sembly for their approbation or negation. Mr.
Pell, with a good deal of ingenuity, acknowledg
ed he loved to fee the commendable warmth of an
Englishmen in the Gentleman who spoke last; but
as the Parliament was very soon to meet, and he
made no doubt with a disposition to hearken to all
honourable accommodations with America, h^
could wi(h to postpone all inftru&ions to their re
presentatives, till the sense of the Parliament was
known, and observed, that the Right Honourable
Member (the Lord Mayor, who was present)
possibly would not like to go (hackled with additi
onal inftru<ftions into the great assembly ofthe na
tion ; that his Lordship had before made them
public declarations, which he had most faithfully
performed, and made no doubt of his Lordship's
continuing the steady patriot on all occasions. . In
the course ofhis speech he gave oblique hints of
the Lord Mayor's being acquainted with the in
tended resolutions, and concluded with declaring
that he was not in the secrets of udminiftration,
neither was he influenced by any party ; that
though be was a Middlesex faflice, he defied any
man to fay he ever tock a dirty (hilling, or fufFered
his clerk to take one for him : On this the Lord
-Mayor arose, and declared ' he had no hand in the
intended infractions, but if they were carried, in
that affcmbly, he would most implicitly obey them,
as he thought it his indifpenfible duty to support
the sentiments of his constituents, even if they dif
fered from his own ; and observed,, the King cal
led the Commons in Parliament, notto know the
sentiments ofthe Delegated members, but that
of their constituents, the people of the kingdom
at large. This declaration was received with
bursts of apphufe ; after which the question was
ca led, to know whether the inftruaions should be
read, which was carried by a great majority. The
inftru^ions were (hen read, and are as follows.
The instructions from the freeholders ofthe county of
Middlesex, to the Right Ron. John Willes and
John Glynn, Efirs. Knights ofthe Shire for that
County, agreed on at a meeting, Monday, Sept.
25, 1775, at the Mie End rffembly Room.
WE, the freeholder of the County of Mid-.
dlefex, summoned here by public adver
tisement ofthe Sheriff of this county, acknowledge
our approbation and grateful sense of your con
du& as our representatives during the last session
of Parliament ; and though we have no reason to
doubt your fleady perseverance in the true inte
rests of your country, yet we think it our indif
penfible duty to acquaint you with our sentiments
at the present awful crisis, big with the fate of
this great empire, and the happiness, glory, and
prosperity of the whole people.
We behold, with all the horror and grief natu
ralto a free people, the fatal stab given to our
excellent conftitarion, by a majority of the last
venal Parliament, whereby the most faered and
unalienable rights of the freeholders of this county,
the right of election, was in the most impious
manner wrested from the electors, and affirmed by
the elected, who placed a person as our represent
ative in Parliament, contrary to the sense and will
of the county, expressed by a very great majority
of legal votes, thereby establishing a precedent of
the most dangerous tendency to the rights of all
the ele&ars of Great Britain ; which injury has
been again confirmed, by the malice of our inve
terate enemies, in the present Parliament (cbofen
by furprize under a national deiufion) (offering
that vote to appear in their journals, a Handing
record ofthe injustice, venality, and corruption,
of their predteeflors.
We are called cpov to redouble our attention
and zeal for the defence and preservation of all our
constitutional rights, from feeing the iron hand of
onpreffion extended to onr fellow fubjeds on the
other tide of the Atlantic ; Popery, that bane of
civil and religious liberty, established in an extent
of conztry infinitely larger than all our possessions
in Europe, thereby arming, as it were, many of
our fellow fnbjeds with the crucifix in one hand,
and a dagger in the other, against our protestant
brethren ; a Pnpifh Bishop appointed, and the
greatest comfort and encouragement given to the
clergy of that church, while the pallors cf our
own pure and excellent faith are fuffered to re
mzin without support and provision, but what
F.omifh priests and Romifh councils dial! design to
afford them ; other cruel and oppressive afts paired
against oar fellow-fubje&s in America, wholly
repugnant to the ancient, just, and generous pro
ceedings of Britifli councils and Britrfh afTemblies
deftruftive of that glory ofthe English law, the
trial by jury, and men, other undoubted rights
and privileges of English fubjeAs; in violation of
charters and royal covenants of the most solemn
nature, which ads and oppressions, under the in-,
fluence of the present ministers, have been produc
tre of a most impolitic, unnatural, cruel, and de
ftruaive evil war, against our fuffering and much
injured fellow fubjefts in America.
We lament, as a commercial people, the inevit
able injuries that mull be (chained by the loss of a
most valuable branch of our commerce, the decay
of trade and manufactures, and consequent dis
tresses of the induftriotis poor.
To remedy all these evils, the melancholy ex
perience of past times evincing, how infufficient is
the removal of a ministry, while theirmaxims and
views are entailed upon the government ; we de
sire that you will not only continue strenuously to
oppose them, but endeavour to procure no such
constitutional security, by (hortening the duration
of Parliaments, and enabling such other laws as
may prevent the nation from fuffering by the like
errors and iniquities for the future.
And we inftruft you, to exert yourfelres in pro
curing that rote ofthe late House of Commons to
be refeinded, which in the most injurious and un
constitutional manner, deprived the freeholders of
this county of their undoubted right of election.
We also inftrud you, to forward an enquiry
into the expenditure ofthe public treasure, fe pe
culiarly necessary at this time, and in a nation bur
dened with taxes, and oppressed with debts; that
you will not fufler the people to be imposed upon
by the flmfey artifices ofa minister, pretending
to lessen, while he is, in reality, encreafing the
public burthens.
Should any additional land tax or new imposts
be imposed, in the ensuing session, we expe& that
you will not assent tothera without a previous re
dress of grievances ; and that you wili strenuously
oppose all votes of credit, or taking any foreign 1
troops into the pay of Great-Britain, unless ano
ther attempt (hould be made by tories and jaco
bites, against his Majesty's person, family, cr go
vernment.
1 he state of the navy, that great bulwark, fafe
ty, and protection, of the commerce of this nati
on demands, and we hope will engage your fericus
attention; and that you will enquire by what fa
tal mismanagement and corrupt influence, after
such immense sums have been voted during a peace
establishment, that it is in its present deplorable
condition.
We particularly inftru& you to exert yourselves
in preventing the further effufion of the blood of
our innocent fellow fubjeds in America, and to
put a speedy end to the present unnatural and ru
inous civil war.
We also desire you to use your unwearied en
deavours to assist and support the representatives of
the city or London for obtaining a redress of every
obnoxious and onconftitutioual a&, and in bringing
to the justice of theiroountry the advisers offuch
nefarious racafurej„/,h?.ve been adopted during
the last fourteen years, tending to subvert the con
stitution of this country, and which, we are con
vinced will very soon effect the ruin and deftru&ion
of the Britilh empire.'
Yesterday, at Hick's Hall there were about go
°f the Justices present, Sir John Hawkins, Chair
man. He declared the motive of calling them to
gether was to confider of an Address to the Throne,
expreffiog their loyalty and attachment to the pre
lent government, and readinefe to support what
ever steps were thought expedient for reducing
the Colonies to a proper sense of their duty. The
measures met with the approbation of all present.
—The following is the Address, which was unani
moafly agreed to and will be presented to his Ma
jesty on Friday next.
To WKIN G'j most Excellent Majesty.
WE, your Majesty's loyal and dutiful fubjeds
resident in this opulent county, sensible of the
blessings which we derive from your Majesty's
mild and gracious government, during which jus
tice has been administered with an impartiality un
known to former ages, and under which every fub
jecl has felt himfelf protested in the enjoyment cf
all those benefits which is the ultimate end of civil
institutions to insure, humbly prelume to address
your Majesty at a crisis which we conceive to be
a rnoft important one, and such as is not to be pa
ralleledin the history of this or any other country.
We look back with awful reverence on that pe-I
riod towards the end of the last century, when by
a revolution from which it were impiety to exclude
the interpotition of divine providence, the bounds
of regal authority, and the measures of civil fub
jedion were mutually adjusted and afeertained up
on principles coeval with and interwoven in the
very constitution of this country. To those genu
ine patriots and friends of religious and civil liber
ty, the a&ors in that nob ? e cause, we at this day
owe it, that persecution is banished to the realms
of despotism ; that illegal reftrainrs of civil liber
ty are guarded against; that the ancient power of
Parliaments over every part of the British domini
ons is recognized; and the fuprene legislative au
thority, by a wife and happy temperature of vari
ous interests declared to reside in the three estates
of Kings, Lords, and Commons.
Rtft&Lg th the above ^bfpic.ot^ rr^nf, ^nd
the numerous benefits that hare followed from it,
we seek in vain for the motives of that unnatural
rebellion in North-America, into which the inha
bitants of some of the provinces thereof, not less by
the artifices of a disappointed and impotent faAion,
than their own aversion to onr religious and civil
constitution, have been precipitated.
To attain the ends ofa lawless affectation, which
aims at nothing less than an independence on the
mother-country, that would draw down destruc
tion on their own heads, the legal government of
the Colonies, now in rebellion, has by degrees been
subverted, and the allegiance due to your Majesty
from your legal fubje&s there has been extorted
by and transferred to those, whose regard for the
public is absorbed in the hope of private gain, in
the profecctior of their traiterons purposes. The
hostilities originally commenced by the Americans
have been continued in a manner praflifed only by
savages; and in the condna of a war in which
with unhallowed lips they implore the divine blef
sing, we behold with equal amazement and horror,
the violation of those rules of war, to which hu
manity and the pradiee cf all civilized nations have
given a fan&ion.
Miseries greater if poflible than those of a war
thus condoled on the part of our enemies, have
been denounced against the mother country by its
rebellious font, who by refulutions of non-impor
tation have endeavoured to cut off the fenrees of
our wealth, and by the- dread of a famine to Si
mulate the industrious manufacturers of this king
dom to oppose the power which has been their
constant support. But, thanks be to God, the
flourifhjng condition of our trade, the quick cir
culation of wealth, the state of public credit, and
the amazing increafi of buildings and mercantile
improvements which prefent themfelres to oureyes
in every part of this county, are evident proofs of
the futility of all such attempts, as they are ofthe
flourithing state of the kingdom in general.
W ith very little attention to the merits of the
dispute, and without being able to controvert that
fundamental principle cf civil society, that protec
tion and allegiance are reciprocal, the Colonies re
sist the payment of taxes which their preservation
has made neceflary, founding their pretended ex
emption not on reason, equity, or natural justice,
but upon the contraction of those grants to which
the Colonies owe their political exiftepce. .
T he rights, whatever they are which the Ame
ricans claim, ate founded in charters from time
to time granted by your Majesty's royal predeces
sors under proper limitations and reftridions, and
with savings in favour of the legislative authority
of this kingdom. With the greatest, profeffions of
zeal for liberty do these infatuated people exalt the
regal into arbitrary power, and from principles of
law and logie/which are now for the firft time ad
vanced, contend that the a&s of the aggregate le
gislative body are of less force to bind the fubjefts
todo those of an integral part thereof; and with
all the insidious arts of adulation, your Majesty
is courted to accept of that absolute power which
you have uniformly disclaimed, as well by the
whole tenor of your conduct as by referring the
means of preferring the fupremaey of this coun
try over the Colonies to the great council of the
nation.
For this Angular infiance of moderation, as for
every other benefit which we derive from your
Majesty's paternal care and watchful regard for
our interests, receive, most gracious Sovereign,
the sincere and humble acknowledgements of us,
your Majesty's faithful and loyal fubje&s; and as
the merciful forbearance hitherto shewn to the Co
lonies in rebellion, would, if farther extended, be
injurious to the interests of the whole British em
pire, accept also this tender of every assistance
which we are capable of rendering towards efta
bliffiing the authority of the Britilh legislature 0-
ver its colonies and dependencies, while with un
feigned zeal we supplicate the supreme Disposer of
all Events for prosperity on these wife and lenient,
but steady councils, whiah are refolved^on, and
we doubt not will be pursued, for effeSuatieg this
important and neceflary pnrpofe.
The Lord Mayor has received a letter from
the Congrefc, superscribed Onthe fervice,oftbe Unit
ed Colonie/, directed To the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, and Livery of the City 0, London, and below,
Congress, Philadelphia. John Hancock, which
his Lordihip intends to fubtyt to the Livery on
Friday next at the Common Hall.
Mons. Voltaire is daily expected at Paris, he
having obtained permission from the King to spend
the rest of his days in his native country,
Sept. 2s. Yesterday a loyal and dutiful address
from the merchants and principal traders in the ci
ty of Coventry, was presented to his Majesty by
Walter Waring and E'd. Roe Yeo, Efqrs. Reprr
fentatives for that city, which was graciously re
ceived.
I he farceday Admiral Shuldham was at court,
and took leave of his Majesty, he being in a few
days to set out for Befton to take the command of
the fleet there.
This day, soon after one o'clock, the Lord
Mayor, several ofthe Aldermen, Sheriffs, &c. went
upon the Hustings; when Mr. Alderman Hayley
and Mr. Alderman Newham were sworn in She
riffs tor the year ensuing for the city of London
and county of Middlesex ; after which Mr. She
riff Hayley entertained the Lord Mayor, Alder
men. &c. at Mercer's Hall.
he following advertisement from the General
Post Office, appears in all the London papers of
tots evening. “ A mail will be dispatched from
" hence on,Wednesday next for New-York; and
" allo one for Charletbwn ; after which there will
" be no regular conveyance for letters from this
“ office to North- America; but whenever a pack
“ et may be dispatched to any part of that conti
" nent, proper notice will be givan."
A fund of fix millions of guilders is lately raised
in Holland, to be lent to perlons in trade on pro
per security at very low iatereft.
This morning fix hundred sheep were sent down
in a lighter to Deptford, to be put on board the
(hips lying there, bound to Bofteo, and other ports
of America'.
r eFreC eqfa „,ii&Mffle race cr rs aft
the American charters fe„rately, in order ro their
being produced the mert teffions of Parliament.
The inhabitants of Rhode-Mand being appt
henfire of an attack from General Gage's arrov,
have fortified themfelrec on a spot about five miles
distant from Newport ; to which place they have
removed al! their cannon, artillery, stores, and va
luable efi?3. They have from icoo to 150®
men ready at a snort Warning to oppose the regu
lars, Should the latter be dilpafed to pay Rhode-
Bland a visit.
B R T S T O L, September 30.
At a numerous and re,e&able meeting of the
Merchants, Traders, and others, inrerefted in, wd
welj-wifhers to American commerce, held at the
Guildhall Wednesday morning, Mr. Haves, an e
minent American Merchant in the chair, the fol
lowing resolutions were agreed to.
Refolded,
t. That the trade with North-America is of very
great advantage to Great-Britain in general, and
to this city in particular.
2. That any measures which contribute to the
deftruftion of that trade, are an effenrial injury te
the internal commerce and manufactures of this
kingdom.
3. That the present unhappy contest between
Great-Britain and her Colonies hath a manifeft
tendency to destroy the commercial connexion, and
political union which have for many years subsisted
between the two countries.
4. Th^t the loss of our trade to America will de
prive many thousand induttrious poor of the means
of procuring a daily subsistence, (a melancholy
fa& !) of which we have already ample experience
in this city.
5* That the late importation of American grain
into this city hath greatly contributed to lower the
price of all the necessaries of life, and has been the
means of preserving multitudes from the calamit- -
ous con sequences of famine.
6. That an approbation of measures calculated te
destroy the commercial intercourse between the two
countries, and spread the horrors ofa civil war over
a very considerable part of the Britilh dominions,
would be highly difiraceful to the inhabitants of a
city that depends fofely upon trade for its support;
and to every friend to humanity and the general
happiness cf society.
A motion was then made, that a Petition he pre
sented to his Majesty, praying his interpofirion to
put a stop to a ruinous civil war, that our trade may
thereby be restored to its former flourifhing state.
One person objected to it, on a supposed disinclin
ation in his Majesty to receive petitions refpe&ing
the American difpnte. He was replied to, and ap
peared to be convinced. A petition was then pro
duced, read paragraph by paragraph, and puffed
without a dissenting voice. The petition was then
signed by the gentlemen prelent, and afterwards
left at the Bush Tavern, in Corn street; and when
the signatures are fully compleated, it is to he pre
sented to the King by our Representatives in Parli
ament.
On Monday the itth instant the following letter
was sent to the Right Worshipful Charles Hotchkin,
Esq; Mayor.
“SIR,
" A great ,umber of refyeaabJe fellow citizens,
being desirous that an Address be sent to his Ma
jesty on the present situation of affairs. We take
the liberty to requell your Worfliip will call a
Houfy for that purpefe, and are with great refpeff.
Sir, l our most obedient and very humble servants,
(Signed) Tho. Tyndall, John Hobborfe, Michael
Miller, , William Miller, William hart, 'Jernes
Reed, Slade Baker, Richard Meyer, John Powell,
,obn k aughan, Nicholas Perry, Tbo. Warren."
In conlequence of the above, fun,monies were
sent to the Members of the Corporation, to attend
in the Council-Houle on Thursday the 21st, but a
fufficient number did not attend to make a Houle.
Upon this many citizens applied to the Mayer
for the life of the Guildhall on Thursday following,
to assemble in, to address bis Majesty on the situa
tion of affairs between Great-Britain and the Ame
rican Colonies; the hall was readily granted, and
notice thereof was given in the public papers.
On Monday the 2 sth, Messrs. Samuel Brailsford,
John Fisher Weare, and Richaid Champion, ap
plied to the Mayor for the hall on Wednelday, that
the American Merchants, Traders, and the well
wifhers to American commerce, might meet there
to confider of a petition to his Majesty ; thev met
accordingly or, that day, to the number of about fif
ty persons; Mr. Hayes, a gentleman lately fettled
h ere , from New-York, was called to the chair :
A petition was produced and read, a proposal be
ingma^e for the Chairman to sign it for the whole,
which he very prudently declined; it was then
signed by those present, and it is now induftrioufy
carried about, and every influence exerted to ob
tain names to it.
e Though it was generally underwood that this pe
tition was merely set up in oppotition to the ad
dress, yet rot the least obftru&ion was made to it
by any of the independent merchants and citizens.
Thursday attwelve o'clock, Mr. Mayor went
from the Council-House to the Guildhall, attended
by the Sheriffs, with many members of the corpo
ration, and the greatest number of refpe&able citi
zens ever known on the like occasion, his worship
being in the chair, the bufmefs was opened in a
manly, fenfihle speech, by George Daubeny, Efe,;
setting forth that he was directed to return his wor
ship the thanks of the citizens of Bristol for. his rea
diness in granting them the hall, and was desired to
express the grateful sense they entertained of the
honour of his presence on this occasion ; he then
begged leave to lay before them an address, drawn
up by a committee of gentlemen appointed for that
purpose, which be hoped would meet with general
approbation.
To this the Mayor replied nearly as follows :
" That he fbould always retain the most grateful
remembrance of the honour this day done him, and
Ihould be glad of every opportunity to teftify bis
real regard for the true interest and welfare of the
city of Bristol."
A motion was then made for the address to be
read, it was much approved and desired to be read
a second time, an attempt to oppose it was then
made by the persons who met to petition the pre
ceding day. Their Chairman Mr. Hayes, who waft
deputed by them to attend, was heard with candor ;.
and in reply, was informed that as no interruption
had been made to their proceedings the day # -chore,
it was expeded, they would not difhirb this daj{
meeting; they notwithstanding continued, to ob # -
ftru&in a very indecent manner, but numb r$ ft^n
prevailed, and they were silenced. The address
was signed, and the Mayor, Sheriffs, with c un #
principal citizens, were requested to present it to
his Majesty in the moil relpi&ful manner.
The address was immediately signed by a great
number of citizens, and we teas that it will IN
left in the committee room of the Taylor's-hall, till
Monday next from iifotva /dock, for such &
are difpofud to figr . i:.