The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-02-16 00:00:00, page 2

^or the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
OBSERVATIONS upon Continental Money.
r r H E quantity of money necessary for a medium cf
' commerce in the United States, is about thirty mil
lions of dollars. This sum hath been found formerly e
cual to all the exigencies of trade, and every emission
beyond it must ueceffhrily be attended with a proportion
n /ble depreciation..
The credit and value of money are diflinft things. Ls
rreAt depends upon the faith and liability of government,
and its probable refonr.es for finkingit. Its vceue depends
upon its quantity. The value and credit of money have
m force instances a reciprocal 'influence upon each other.
Thus every piece of news that affects the credit,m.fFe&sia
some degree' the value of our money.—The French alli
ance, it is well lenovn, raifeu.it federal hundred per cent,
in the space of a single week. Its rife was in some mea
sure artificial—hence it soon returned to that Rate of de
preciation which was natural to its quantity.
Tee quantity of money (indufive of the Rate emissions)
now in circulation cm the continent, amounts to about
one hundred and thirty millions of dollar, which'is about
four times.as much as is ueceEary for a medium of trade.
But the depreciation of the money has not kept pace
with this quantity. Tnftead of Handing at about 4.00 per
cent, it is depreciated on some thingsas low as gooo, on
some as low as 2000, and on few articles ;houfes and lands
excepted) less than 1000 per cent.
The causes of this unnatural depreciation, I imagine
may be reduced to three heads!
i ft. r A scarcity of many articles, particularly of all Eu
ropean goods. , '
2d. A monopoly of many articles, particularly of Weft-
India goods. This operates in the fame wayasa scarcity.
31. A want of confidence in the,credit of the money,
inducing people to^ and give a greater sum for articles
than they are worth.
Gold and Silver are falfe marks of the value of our mo
ney. They are fubjcH to monopolies, and are articles of
trade. Their value rife and fall wth the credit of the pa
per money. Half joes which fold is Lancafler in January
i. 773, for 301. Continental money, were fold in tne June
following for 91. and i?l. This hidden appreciation of the
paper money was occasioned by the news of the French
alliance.
Provisions are likewise falfe marks of the value of our
money. Same of them are scarcer than formerly, anda
few of them are fubjeft to monopolies. The want of hands
to cultivate the earth has no doubt contributed a good deal
to raise the price of provisions above the Randard of the
depreciation of the money. The scarcity of. European
goods, and the monopoly ofWefi-India goods have like
wise helped to raise the price of provisions. The farmer
muftcharge.the extraordinary price of calicoes, tea, sugar,
coffee, &c. upon the produce of his farm, or he will be a
looser by his labor.
Land is the only true barometer by which we fliould
measure t upvalue of our money. It is not scarce, nor can
it be-etfily monopolized. Hence we find it is fold in few
places for more than three or four times its former nomi.
rial price.
The appreciation of our man<y can only be effected by
°the following - means.
. tfl. Ardudion of the quantity by faxes, and a detec
tion of counterfeits. The Gongrefs have wifely adopted
•measures for these purposes in their resolutions of the zd of
January last.
zcf. By putting a stop to futuresmillions. The loans
in consequence of the abHraTion or the emiflions of May
zo, 177 , and April 1, 1778, from circulation, and the
taxes.for the current year will probably prevent the ne
cessity of cmitting.any more money. Besides the loans
obtained by means of the above resolution of Coagrefs,
there is reason to expefl large loans from the French,
Dutch, Danish, and even Eritiih islands, I publish it as
^ fad, that Several men of fortune in Jamaica, have Secret
ly conveyed their property thro' the medium of a neutral
port to this country, and have ordered the amount of it
to be lodged in the funds of the United States.
;d. The redußioU of the number of our land forces and
-the fyffem of economy about to be introduced into all the
departments of the army, will necessarily nave an imme
diate effect in appreciating our money. Britain has feern
her error, and will never attempt again the conquest of
America. If she perseveres in keeping possession of our
sea-ports. a few thousand men will be Efficient to prevent
her garrisons from making inroads upon our country.
/ 4.th.. A free trade is absolutely necessary to appreciate
bur money. A few cargoes of European goods would
immediately raise it to 4 op 500 per cent. Here I cannot
help hinting at the difirefs and ruin which are impending
over all monopolizers and foreftallers.—l widi our laws
may let them alone 'till they have filled up the meafur~ of
their iniquities. I well remember the consternation that
seized them upon the news of France having acknowled
ged our Independance. The long voyage of Count D'Ef
taing and. his (offerings by a ftorrn after his arrival on
our 'coaft, repreived them from certain deftruTon. But
for the fake of the innocent who must Suffer with the
guilty. I shall here let these harpies into a Secret. Large
quanritie^of goods are now on their why to this country,
tinder a Strong convoy. A new channel of trade has been
opened, and we truC from the Strength and vigilance of
our great ally, this channel will never be clofed'by tenders
and cutters. •
sth. Should Spain acknowledge our Independance and
join France in the present war, the ballance of fleets will
be. immediately thrown into the Bourbon Scale. The con
sequence of this will be, that every fear refpefting the cre
dit of our money, will be dispelled. The timed whigs
and the obfiinate tories will then cease to measure the
value of our money by gold and silver. They will then
repent of the enormous sums they have given far real ef
gates, and joyfully part with them for halfprice, esteem
ing nothing more profitable than money at interest at 6
per cent.
America has undergone a most severe Struggle. She con
tended alone for three years with one of the most power
ful nations in the world. The conflict was so violent as to
onwul/eher. She resembles at prefect a young person ex
hausted of spirits by a cenvulfion fit. But her stamina
and vitals are unimpared. A little rest will soon restore
her to her ancient habits of vigor and virtue, and render
her the bappieft foot upon the furface of the globe.
WALSINGHAM.
Mr. Tunlap,
There are so meny aberrations from the real line
©ffadsm the letter of General Arnold, published in
your last paper, that it is generally believed there is
some material mißakes in it. It is supposed the letter
Should run thus:
To the PUBLIC.
(-CONSCIOUS of having served my country and my
„g felf faithfully for near four years, though my public
conduct has been frequently impeached # , I might natu
rally expert at this time to be charged with' crimes, of
which all who know my conduct in life, both public and
private, will readi/fy^ped me ; and having late in the
evening procured copies of the depositions against me;
I frtout the next morning on a journey, when the Presi
dent and Council of the state, who did not suppose any
innocent man would go away while under a charge of de ~
Imquency, did not prefer to Congress eight charged
against me, but published their own resolves expressing
their sense of my mifconduH, and fending a copy thereof
to the Delegates of each Rate; but not content with re
presenting me in a proper andprecedented manner to them,
they have ordered copies of these resolves to be printed
and dispersed through the. federal Rates, for the barbarous
purpose of informing the good people of these Rates of
my misdoings. Their conduct appears the more cruel,.
as they not only fpecified two of the charges some time
bes. re I went, but actually .ordered examinations in one,
on which my lawyer attended and found the fads fully
proved. My invention cf leaving this Tty was publicly
known for near four weeks before: For, when a great
man intends a t^ing, every bodyis supposed to knew it-
But, notwithßanuing, I put it off from day to day 'till I
saw how the evidence would turn out, and then it was
time to make hafle.
I beg leave to inform the public, that I have not re
quested a court martial § ; though toy friends in Congress
tell me iris the best thing that can be done for me, as the
distance, expence of witnesses, and the hope that the Pre
sident and Council will not pursue me out of the Rate, will
give me the only chance I have of acquital. In the mean
time I fliall fee how matters go, and trust my country
men will suspend their opinion, as perhaps fame lucky oc
currence (as the intervention of an enemy, or some such
cause) may save my bacon, a fecen I time. And I hope
the issue will show, that as I have escaped before by
good luck and good friends, so I Ihall not want some now
who will make common cause with me: For if this spirit
of enquiry and detention once begins, who can tell where
it will end. In truth, such attacks are very distressing;
and I hope every one who I.as any thing 'to fear from
them (and I am much mistaker if lfhall not have force
company) will join with me in declaring, that procuring
justice to the defrauded fubjede of a Rate, and redressing
abuses of power, are a§ gross prostitutions of power as ever
disgraced a weak and wicked adminiffration, and mani
fefts a dangerous inquisitive spirit against a man, wuo,
having endeavoured to serve his country formerly, un
doubtedly has.a right to plunder, injure and insult it al!
the rest of his life: This spirit is extremely troublesome
to individuals, and must be discredited at all events,
otherwise it wi 11 be likely to make myfelf and some other
great men very contemptible. A. -B.
N. B. The Printers who have inserted, or who may
insert the former Ttter,' are desired toinfert this---and
they may depend upon being paid when the waggoners
are; or when they can find a good natured Qparter-maf
ter to pay them, and charge it, among other things, to
the United States.
* T^e' Delegates of Pemfylvania not having known pf
any facb affheatson, it is imagiued the General, by feme
new fau+e, supposes a thing dope which be intends to do if
be can't help himfelj feme other qcat.
§ dide Major Brown's publication in the Connecticut
news paper, refpeaing the plundering of Montreal. Fide,
also, the unfrifoed proceedings of 4 court martial on the
complaint of Cot. Hazen, &c.
To the Printer of the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
Please to insert the following r n your next paper,
y CANNOT help thinking it a little extraordinary
I that the President and Council of our Rate have taken
part with the Anti-CoMfiitutionahßs in condemning a
government by a tagte legislature im their late message to
the Assembly. Their words are " It appears to us, that
the determination of a single tribunal binding, upon the
lives and properties of the f^bjedsof the Rate, .without
review or revifal in an, case, must from the frailty of human
nature oNLYfoon be productive of great inconveniences."
This sentence, altho' intended to recommend the eftahlifh
meat of a Court of Errors in the Rate, contains the fub
fiance of all that has or can be said against a government
by a finple legilbture. What drill we fay to our Consti
tution, when those who have sworn to maintain it, are
thus attempting to demolilh it? I fear the scheme of a s
Convention took its rife in the Council and not in the As
sembly. Those gentlemen, I believe, wish to have a
hand in the framcing or correcting of our Laws. But I
flatter myfelf they will be disappointed; for by thewifdom
of the late test Jaw not a fifth part of the Rate is capable
of voting, and of these avgve three fourths are against
a Convention Yom's
A CONSTITUTIONALIST.
B A LT I M OR E, February
Extrafl of a Letter, addressed to Mons. Le Chevalier D'an
mours, Consul of, France, for the State of Maryland, dated
Nantz, November 25, 1778.
' Above two hundred Britifli frigatesand privateershave
cbnfiderably annoyed our trade for some time; but ours
have oflate taken many of them, and dispersed the greatest
part of the rest. We are assured that peace is much talked
efin London, and that the Court of Spain has declared, that
(he could not dispense with taking part with France, if that
of Great-Britain did not accede to the pr@pofals of that
of Versailles."
PHILADEDPHI A, February 16.
At an adjourned sessions of the City Court of Philadel
phia, held on the Bth and 9th infant in the Court-house,
bills of indictment were preferred and found by theGrand
Jury against Larry, a Negroe Nfen slave, for larceny in
stealing a large sum of money, and Judy a free Ne roe
Woman as an accomplice. On the trials Larry the Rave
was convicted by a Jury of twelve Men and received the
ufu.il sentence of whipping, reftitufion and fime according
to law: Judy was acquitted.
This case is published as being the fifft inßance cf a Rave's
being tried in this Rate by a Grand and Petit Jury. Our
conftitvtion provides that these unhappy mendhall have
the fame measure of Justice and the fame mode of trial
With others their, fellow creatures, when charged with
crimes or offences.
CAMP, Middle Brook, Feb. 6, tyvq.
TH E Commander in Chief approves the orders issued
by Major General Lord Stirling during hiscommand
at this Camp, and thanks him for his endeavours to pre
serve order and discipline and the property of the Farmers
in the vicinity of Camp. He doubts .not but the officers
of every rank, from a just sense of the importance of se
curing to others the blessings they themselves are contend
ing for, will use their utmost vigilance to mantrin those
privileges and prevent abuses, as nothing can redound
more to their perform! honor and the reputation of their
refpedive corps.
Extract from General orders,
ALEXANDER SCAMMELL, Adjutant General.
^w^w^w^^^^^w^^
February r 5, 1779.
STATE of PENNSYLVANIA
HE Honorable the House of Alfembly having appoint
ted us to fettle the accounts of the late Committee and
Council of Safety of this Rate, We do hereby give Notice
to all those, " wb%bave been entrufed with public money,
" or who have demands upon the late Committee or Coun
" cil of Safety, or any otherwise interefed in the accounts
'' urfttled, to attend at our Office in Front-street, a lew
doors below Wakiut-Rreet, between the hours of 9 and
12 o'clock in the forenoon and 3 and 6 in the afternoon.
As there is a necefffity that these accounts be speedily
adjusted, in order to enable the Rate to fettle with the
Honorable the Continental Congress, it is therefore expec
ted that all those who are comprehended in the above
Notice do render in their accounts, and fettle the fame
on or before theist of April next, or they may expert to
be call'd on, as the law directs.
JOHN NIXON,
JOHN M. NESBITT,
BENJAMIN FULLER,
W a'n T E D,
For the Continental Ship- Yard,
A ^° ANTIT Y of Masts and Spars of different
,3 sizes; also, a quantity of Oak and Pine Plank,
Logs, rising timbers and Knees. Any person having
any of the above art des, or willing to procure any, may
meet with good encouragement by applying at the Con
tinental Ship-Yard, of
HUMPURE YS and WHARTO N.
N.B. Two sober honest JOURNEYMEN BLACK
SMITHS will meet with good encouragement by apply
ing as above.
STOLEN out of the house of William
Dibley, inn-keeper in Chefnut street, this morn
ings (February 15 ) the following articles, viz. A silver
watch, the cutfiae case mark d with a cypher W, D, has
a Reel chain, a Cornelian seal set in gold, the tep part
mended with silver, another silver seal with W D engra
ved thereon, a hunting key. Orfe pair silver shoe buc
kles, open work'd, of an oval kind, worn nearly fmoeth;
one pair plain silver kneeditto. Two table-cloths mar
ked WD. Supposed to be t.~k?n by a certain Daniel
White, a soldier belonging to Capt. Scott's company in
Gen. Putnam's corps: He is a thick chunky fellow, a
bout five feet five inches high, dark bulky hair, wears a
blue regimental coat fac-td with red, and buttons marked
U S, a white flannel jacket and drawers, coarse white
linen Rockings, and (hoes almost new. Whoever takes
up and secures said thief, with the things above menti
oned, shill receive Forty Dollars reward, or in propor
tion for any part thereof. It is requeued, ffiould they
be offered for sale, that they and the person who offers
them may be flopped.
WILLIAM DIBLE Y.
VX/AS FOUND, near Trenton, about three weeks
ago, a GOLD WATCH. The owner by ap
plying to he Printer may know where it is.
I^AKEN UP, on fafpicion of being ft@len,
a black HORSB, about fourteen hands high, ix
or 14. years old, has a star in his forehead, several saddle
spots, and a bob tail. The owner may have said horse
by applying to Devid Brigs, at the Seven Stars on the
Lancatter Road, otherwise he will be fold for the charges.
CARRIED OFF, by a person unknown,
at the late fire in Front street, a sheet, in which
was tied up mens and womens apparel of different kinds.
Whoever will give information thereof to the Printer,
shall receive a generous reward and the favor be grate
fully acknowledged.
Philadelphia, February 12.
WHEN the Subferiber's house at Norring
ton was plundered by the British troops in Sep
tember 1'77, some common soldiers carried off two
large plated CANDLESTICKS, with fluted pil
lirs, a foliage at the top, and flowered at the bottoms.
As they are part cf a set, and not to ber,eplaced in these
times, if they are left in this city the fubferiber will he
obliged to the person having them in peffeffion to restore
them: If bought from the soldiers he will replace the
money given, or if otherwise left will make them a
reasonable compensation for their trouble.
JOSEPH REE D.
TH E fubferiber has for sale, a quantity of
LANDS on the Ohio River, about fifteen miles
below Pittfourgh. A good title will be m^de to the
parchafer. The terms of file may be known by apply
ing to Mr. Robert Campbell, at Campbell and
O'Hara's store, in Water street, between Walnut and
Chefnut-ftreets, Philadelphia.
CHARLES SIMMS,