The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-09-16 00:00:00, page 1

Tothe^ INTER of the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
SI R,
7 HAVE seen in your paper of the 26th ult. a publics-
I tion from the Hon. Executive Council, informing the
f< trading interest" of this State: “ That Mr. Searle,
on^ of our Delegates, had laid before them an aft of Con
grefs, by which they had recommended a continuance of
the e^b^rgo on proVifious and that the"embar r oJn
confiquenre thereof is continued, &c. This recommen
dation, appearing at a period when every circumflauce
concurred to induce Congress to revoke the embargo, I
confefs for,rifed me. But I have this confutation, that it
remains to be confirmed or approved by our o^n legisla
ture. They, lam persuaded will no longer submit to a
measure, which, in ettiet precludes their confluents from
obtaining the means of commerce, unless by purchase from
their neighbouring States. What greater tax could the
Parliament of Britain have imposed on us ? Notwithfland
ing their arbitrary and-unjust claims, they never attempt
ed' such impositions, as our Sifter States have, by art and
cunning, attempted to rivet on us, under the colour ofue
ceffity and expediency.
Yarn after year have the farmers of this Sfate been de
prived of the advantages arising from a free exportation of
the flaple commodity of the toil, and the necessitous
merchant denied the advantage and benefit of commerce;
unless by procuring the means thereof, he gratifies the
planter and monoplizer of Virginia, in their exorbitant
and unreasonable demands for the produce of their foil.By
this means they have extorted confiderableeftates from the
farmer and merchant of Pennsylvania and Jerfe^ : The
firft have, ever since the war commenced, been difcourag-.
e.l by embargoes, to till or sow their ground, whilst the
latter have been obliged to pay for the means of remittance,
25 per cent, mere than the merchants of Virginia. Thus,
it toe embargo be continued, the inhabitants of these mid
dle States will, during the war, be obliged to pay 25 per
cent, more, than those States t# the southward, for all
imported goods that their necessities require. ,
It has been alledged, that it is necessary to continue the
embargo on provisions, to prevent them falling into the
'hands of the ec^y. On this principal the embargo ought
?. be extended Vibe exports of all the United States, un
less there was a probability of farming the enemy. A par
tial prohibition, extending to the articles of provisions on
ly, can never be juftified, but when the enemy depend
on captures from us, for their support, and their fubfiftance
is rendered doubtful, by the miscarriage or deftrudion of
them ordinary supplies.
Another reafen I have heard ,alledged for the conti
nuance of the embargo, is, " that it is necessary for the
supply of the army." Flow far it may be productive of
this good efl'ea, occurrences past will best inform us. In
the fall of rhe ye,r 1776, or beginning of 1777, the embar
go was laid on a; kmosof provisions: This occasioned a
fn Idea and uncx; .fled interruption in the business of the
millers,, who not expertmg the event, had large quanti
ties of flour on a , already manufactured, which they
disposed of (0 the Yommifories, then the only purchasers,
but created immediately to manufacture any further quan
tities. This ft, ply put into the hands of the Commissary,
flour fufficient for the fu/port of the army, during the year
1/77' at 'he expiradot of whiqh time, the fibres were ex
hausted, and the Comndffafy called on to procure a frefh
supply, but in vain the ordinary measures of procuring
wheat and flour by purchase, was impracticable, the farmer
continuing to withhold his produce, m expectation of a
better market. So general was this dtfpofition, that the
Assembly, in their tedious 0+ January 1778, found it ne- .
ceffary to pass ? law, for the supply of the army, appoint
in&22 Commiffioafrs, with authority to size all provisi
ons of every species, over and above what might be deem
ed recetfary for the support pf each man's family This
expedient, notwithstanding the generous price limited
by the Assembly, the industry of the Commission
ers, and the exertion of the authorities given them
by law, all was infufficient to procure full and cer
tain supplies for the army. So great was their dif
'trefs for provision, that the Commander in Chief, ever
famed for protesting private property, was reduced to the
fad alternative of procuring supplies by force of arms, or
fuffer-his army to have disbanded. The truth of this, the
inhabitants of the Counties of Philadelphia and Chester,
and the State of Jersey, can teflify, particularly about the
neighbourhood of Valley-Forge: And true it is, notwith
flanking the plentiful country in which the army was
quartered, thqr dependance for provisions has been at
times on the success of their detachments, some of whom
were employed threshing wheat, and others colle^ing of
meal, flour and forage; so unwilling was the farmer to
bring his produce to a limitted and restrained market.
The consequences of those measures were, that the ground
was not properly tilled, nor did the farmer accuflom him
feif to his usual ioduftry, until the est imposing limitations
was nearly expired. 7he farm r, persuaded that the le
gilhture had perceived th? insufficiency thereof, being
confident that it would not be renewed, and having in ex
pedatfon a good market from the commerce of this city,
tiny last fall sowed larger crops than they had done for the
#Wwt^
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E N ERA L
T HURSDA Y;
[ Price 2S. 6d. tingle, 2S. by the quantity. Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ]
O R
two preceding years, and we have every reason to hope, if
they are not again insulted with ads of limitations and
embargoes, that their labour will be as extensive this fall
as the iaft.
Experience tells us then, that the effects of an embargo
will neither starve the enemy nor feed our own army.
Attempts have been made for both purposes, and have
failed, it is now high time to quit the pursuit in this way,
and have recourse to other measures. Here I trust we fliall
follow the example of other nations, who ever deemed the
expedient as a work of necessity, and eagerly embraced
the earlier opportunity of revoking it.
I Barer myfelf none will deny that it is our interest to
export flour, it behoves us then to enquire whether or not
it is probable any co: .fiderable quantity can be spared, ex
clusive of what may be required for the support of the ar
my. The quantity of wheat and flour exported from this
city in the year 1771, was 51,699 bushels, and 252,744
barrels; in the year 1772, 92 012 bnffiels, and 284.872
barrels ; in the year 1773, 182,391 bufliels, and 265,967
barrels; executive of bread which exceeded on an ave
rage yearly 40,006 barrels *. Allowing then for want of
labourers, horses, chance of weather, &c. that the coun
try which formerly supplied the markets of Philadelphia
with flour, cannot produce more than four-fifths the quan
tity of flour that it di I in the year 1771, the quantity for
sale at this market will be 202,194 barrels f.
Baltimore, I compute, did in the year
1771 and fir.ee that time, ship three
fifths the quantity o' flour that was
exported from this city, and mak
ing the fame allowance for deficien
cies as I have done for Philadel
phia market, the quantity then in
that city for sale vfill be 121,314
The quantity shipped from the city of
New-York, I suppose to be equal to
two-thirds the quantity annually
shipped from this place, making
the fame allowances as above, the
quantity for sale in the country that
supplied that market will bee 134,794
The Virginians will ship their staple,
tobacco. Their crops of wheat
have in some measure failed there,
and what they have railed will be
consumed by the inhabitants
By this calculation there remains in
the country more than can be con-j
fumed by the inhabitants 458,300
I compute then, to secure the army
from want, it will be necessary to
purchase 200',000 barrels 200,000
Remains to be exported 258,300
This quantity of flour will load 43,006 ton of whipping,
allowing a vessel of 200 tons burthen, built on the new
conflruffion, to carry 1200 barrels, which is twelve times
the quantity of flipping that was employed from this port
last year. Can then the expediency of extending our
commerce to the article of flour, be any longer a doabt?
Or will the middle States any longer submit to this impo
sition and injustice? Ere I blush for Congress, and hope
they will shew their wisdom by recalling their aft for con
tinuing the embargo, before the different Leg iflatures have
time to meet, and fliow their abhorrence and contempt of
a measure not fanßified by necessity or justice but intend
ed to promote the interest of a few particular States.
The advantage arising to the country by taking off the
embargo, and the ill consequences attending the neglect
or omission of it, is so very confpicuou's, that I have little
or no doubt but our Assembly will speedily revoke it. I
wish it to be done as soon, and as general as poffibie; yet
the value of the article inclines me to wish, that in order
to render the trade more certain, and to increase the
firength and force of our armed vessels, that all others
may be deprived of the advantage of transporting it.
A CITIZEN of PENNSYLVANIA.
* See Permfyl^ania Magazine, Feb. 177, ~ 72^,3
f No estimate is made of the nvheat and bread foipped,
and no ejiimation of the quantities Jb „ed from Wilmington
and other ports, nxbich has at times been considerable.
Philadelphia, September it.
TO BE SO L D,
ONE QUARTER PART of the
Brig PENNSYLVANIA FARMER,
And her C ARGO of Naval Stores, Spars, &:.
OH E is compleatly suited for a Privateer, having been
° lately the property of the State of North-Carolina,
and is now under command of Captain John Genfell,
bound to St. Euftatia. Apply to the Printer.
^uwCT^^rt^raa^^^a
THE
e^^^^" ^' CQrfca^ C°^£s^
ADVERTISER
SEPTEMBER 16, 177%
- Ne^wJerfey, September
ON SATURDAY the eighteenth instant, at
eight o'clock in the morning, at the house of joha
Brich, Esq; on Morris's River, will begin the files of
the CARGO of the brig Leporax, captured by Capt.
Stillwell, in the schooner Hawke, confining es tv 0 hun
dred puncheons of old Jamaica Spirits, and a quantity
of old Madeira Wines. At the fame time will be fold
said BRIG, a very valuable vessel.
By order of the Court of Admiralty,
JOSEPH POTTS, Marfoal.
Ne^w-Jerfo, September 4.
To be SOLD by Public Vendue,
At the Forks of Little Egg-harbour, on the twenty
third day of September inst.
TH E armed cutter I NTREPI D, lately from
New York, capture by the stoop Argo and bri
gantine Saratoga, withe her guns and appurtenances.
She is an exceeding fine vessel of about one hundred and
ter. tons, well fitted for a five months cruize, and is re
puted to be the fwifteft fading vessel in America. She
mounts ten veiy neat double fortified 4 pounders, four
cohorns ard fix swivels; she has also a large number of
muskets, pistols, cutlasses. hand cuffs, thumb-screws,
& . and is furnifhed with a compleat medicine chest,
two tetr of capital and one set of trepanning instruments,
together with a -very good collection of medics and
chirugieal books. The books, medicines and instru
ments will be fold separately. The cutter may be fitted
to 3to sea in a very short time.
At the fame time and place will be fold, the prize
brigantine CHA NC E, lately from London, bound
to Niw-York, with her appurtenances, and cargo con
fining of bread, beef, pork, flour oatmal, butter, oil,
vine' ar, &c. She is a very fine brig of about two hun
dred tons burthen, ,nd exceedingly well found.
By order of the Court of Admiralty,
JOSEPH POTTS, Marffiaf.
Charlefo^n, C^cil County, Maryland, Sept.no.
TH E Managers of the Charleftown Lottery
are sorry that the drawing of it cannot commence
at the time proposed in the schema. Prior to thi* Lot
tery, two others were set on foot in tht fame county
and for much the fame benevolent purpose. As one of
those Lotteries is drawn and the other drawing, the
Managers expea to cornpleat the tale of their Tickets
by the last of this month. The adventurers may rest
affared that the drawing will commence in this town era
the eighteenth day of rtext OAober.
N.B. Tickets to be had of any of the Managers.
COFFIN FURNITURE,
MADE and SOLD by the fubferibers in Front
ftreet, between Market and Arch streets,
Philadelphia.
PERSONS wanting large quantities -are requested
to give timely notice, as materials are very scarce.
The best prices given by them for block tin, pewter
and lead.
POCKET and SHEET ALMANACKS
for the year 1780, are likewiie fold .t the fubferibers,
elegantly engraved on copper, having - curious likened
of His Excellency General Washington. Also a great
variety of Childrens Books, Piper Hangings, &c.
THOMAS NEVELL,
THOMAS BEDWELL,
JOHN NORMAN.
To be SOLD by Public Vendue,
On Thursday the sixteenth instant, at the Coffee-houfe,
at fix o'clock in the evening,
A LARGE, elegant, well finifhed two-story brick
" HOUSE, forty feet front, with a two story brick
kitchen adjoining, end lot of ground consisting of two
acres and ninety perches, situate on the north fide of
Hickory Lane, in the Northern Liberties, formerly the
estate of Mr. John Coats : The garden is newly fenced
with boards, and the remaining part under good new
post and rail fence: The whole clear of any incumbrance.
There is a constant stream runs through the lot, and a
pump of excellent water in the yard.
To the Independent Electors of the Ci, and Counts
of Philadelphia,
Gentlemen,,
TRETURN you my hearty thanks for your votes,
1 and placing me on the return for the Sheriff's Office,
at the last general election, and take this usual method
of requeftin g the like favor at the ensuing election, which
will be held in grateful remembrance by
Your most obedient fervaar,
JAMES CLAYPOOLE.
THE