Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-02-27 00:00:00, page 2

^ the Printer of tie Pennsylvania Packet.
SIR,
The following letter is so well adapted to our present
Jitnation tout I cannot byt earnest, recommend it to
all jour Readers, and am viel! persuaded its repub
lication at this time mufl have a very good effect,
and therefore prove acceptable to your Cuf mens.
A. B-
To /fy INHABITANTS of the BRITISH COLONIES.
My Dear Countrymen,
Q O ME ft res have loft their liberty by particu
1, lar accidents: But this calamity is generally
owingro the decay of virtue. A people is travelling
fall to deftruflion, when individuals confider their
interells as diflincl from those of the public. Such
notions are fatal tp their country, and to them
selves./ Yet how'many are there, so weak and
sordid as to think they perform all the offices of dfe,
if they earnestly endeavour to encreafe their own
wealth, power, and credit, without the least regard
for the Society, under the protection of which they
live; who, if they can make an immediate profit
to themfc'ves, by lending their afliftance to tbofe,
whose proj ?&s plainly tend to the injury of their
country, rejoice in their dexterity, and believe
themselves entitled to the character of able politi
cians. Miserable men! Of whom it is hard to
fay, whether 'they ought to be most the obje&s
of pity, or contempt: But whose opinions are cer
tainly as detefable as their practices are de-
Jirufive.
Tho' 1 always refeft, with a high pleasure, on
the integrity and understanding ofiny countrymen,
which, joined with a pure and humble devotion
to the great and gracious author of every .blefiing
they enjoy, will, I hdpe, ensure to them,and their
posterity, all temporal and eternal happiness; yet
when I consider, that in every age and country
there have been bad men, my heart, at this threat
ening period, is so full of apprehension, as not to
permit me to believe, but that there may be some
on this continent, against whom vou ought to be upon
your guard---Men, who either hold, or exped to
hold certain advantages, by felting examples of
Servility to their countrymen. Men, who trained
to the employment, or fe!f taught by a natural
Verfality of genius, Serve as decoys for drawing the
innocent and unwary into snares. It is not to be
doubted but that such men will diligently bestir
themselves on this and every like occasion, to
I,read the infection of their meanness as far as
they can. On the plans they have adopted, this
is their course. This is the method to recommend
themselves to their patrons.
From them we Shall learn, how pjafant and
profitable a thing it is to be for our SUBMISSIVE
behaviour well fucken of at St. James's or St. Ste
phens; at Guildhall, or the Royal Exchange. Spe
cious fallacies will be dreft up with all the arts of
delation, to perluade one colony to difinguifo her
(ff from another, by unbecoming condelcenlions,
which will serve the ambitious purpfes of great men
at home, and therefore w.li be thought by them
to entitle their affiance in obtaining them to consi
derable reward,.
Our fears will be excited. Our hopes will be
awakened. It will be insinuated to us, with a
plausible affectation of wisdom and concern, how
prudent it is to please the powerful—how dangerous
to provoke them—and then comes in the perpe
tual incantation that freezes up every generous
purpose of the foul in cold, inactive expectation—
" that if there is any request to be made, com
pliance will obtain a favourable attention."
Our vigi'ance and our union arefuccefs and fafety.
Our negligence and our div.f n are dfrefi and death.
They are worf — Ibey are foameandflavery. Let
us equally Shun the benumbing stillness of over
weening foth, and the feverifh activity of that id
informed zeal, which busies itfeif in maintaining
tittle, mean and narrow opinions. Let us, with a
truly wife generofitv and charity, binifh and difcou
rape all id^era! dfinftions, which may arise from
differences in fauation, forms of government, or
modes of religion. Let us conflict ourselves as
MEN FREEMEN CHRISTIAN FREEMEN — sepa
rated from the rest of the word, and firmly bound
together by the fame rights, interefh and dangers.
L-t these keep our attention inflexibly fixed on the
GREAT OBJICTS, which wemuit cONrINUALLY
REGARD, in order to preserve these rights, to pro
mote those interefs, and to avert tbofe dangers.
Let these truthsbe indelibly impressed on our
minds— -that we cannot be happy, without being
free —that we cannot be free, without being se
cure in ou • property— that we cannot be secure in
cur property, if, without our consent, others may,
as by right, take it away —that taxes imposed on us
by Parliament, do thus take it away—that duties
laid for the file par,of of raising money, are taxes
—that attempts to lay such duties should be infant
ly and firmly of,fed —that this opposition can ne
ver be effectual, un/efs it is the united effort of these
provinces —that therefore benevolence of temper
towards each other, arid unanimity of councils,
are efential to the welfare of the whole—and lastly,
that for this reason, every man amongst us, who
in any manner- would encourage either digestion,
diffidence, or indifference, between these colonies, is
an eriemy to bimfef, and to his country.
The belief of these truths, I verily think, my
countrymen, is indispensably nece fl'ary to your
happiness. I beseech you, therefore, “ teach them
diligently unto your children, and talk of them
when you fit in your houses, and when you walk
by the way, and when you lie d wn, and when you
rile up."
What have these colonies to aft, while they con
tinue free? Or what have they to dread, but iofi
dious attempts to subvert their freedom? Their
ftfperity does not depend on miniferia! favours
doled out to particular provinces. They form one
political body, of which each colony is a member.
Their b ppinef is founded on thir confßation; and
is to be promoted, by preferring that constitution
in unabated vigor, throughout every part. A spot,
a speck of decay, however final! the limb on
which it appears, and however remote it may
seem from the vitals, should be alarming. We
have all the rights reqmfre for our prosperity.
The legal authority of Greai-Erilain may indeed
lay hard reftriAians upon us; but, like the spear
of Te epbus, it will cure as well as wound. Her
unkindness will inftruaand compel us, after some
time, to difeover, in our indufiry and frugality,
furprizing remedies---//" our rights continue unvio
lated: For as long as the products of our labor,
and the rewards of our care, can properly be cal
led our own, so long it will be worth our while to
be industrious andfrug d. But if when we plow
fow---reap---gather --and thresh---we find, that
we plow---sow--- reap---gather---and threSh for
others, whose PLEASURE is to be the
SOLE LIMITATI ON fo^they flialJ
take, and how much they shall leave, WHY should
we repeat the unprofitable toil? Horses and oxen
are content with that portion of the fruits of their
work, which their owners assign them, in order to
keep them strong enough to raise successive crops;
but even these beasts will not submit to draw for
their masers, until they are subdued by whips and
goads.
Let us take care of our rights, and we therein
take care 6f our prosperity, " SLAVERY IS
EVER PRECEDED BY SLEEP." In
dividuals may be dependent on ministers if they
please. States should scorn it; —and if
you are not wanting to yourselves, you will have a
proper regard paid you by those, to whom if you
are not ref,enable you will be contemptible. / But
—if we have already forgot the reasons that urged
us, with unexampled unanimity, to exert ourselves
a few years ago— if our zeal for the public good
is worn out before the homespun cPaths, which it
canfed us to have made—if our resolutions are so
faint, as by our present condud to condemn our
own late facefful example —if we are not affeßed
by any reverence for the memory of our ancestors,
who transmitted to us that freedom in which they
had been bleft—if we are not animated by any
regard for posterity, to whom, by the most sacred
obligations, we are bound to deliver down the
invaluable inheritance— then, indeed, any mi
nifler —or any tool of a minister—or any creature of
a tool of a minister—or any lower infrument ofad
sninifration, if lower there be, is a personage whom
it may be dangerous th offend.
I shall be extremely lorry, if any man miftakes'
my meaning in any thing I have said. Officers
employed by the crown, are, while according to
the laws they conduct themselves, entitled to legal
obedience, and Sincere refped. These it is a duty
to render them; and these no good or prudent
perfen will withold. But when these officers,
thro' rashness or design, desire to enlarge their au
thority beyond its due limits, and expert improper
concessions to be made t 6 them, from regard for
the employments they bear, their attempts should
be considered as equal injuries to the crown and
people, and should be courageously and conftan 1/
opposed. To Suffer our ideas to be confounded
by names on such occasions, would certainly bean
inexcusable weakness, and probably an irremediable
error.
We have reason to believe, that several of his
Majesty's present Ministers are good men, and
friends to our country; and it seems not unlikely,
that by a particular concurrence of events, we
have been treated a little more severely than they
wished we should be. They might not think it
prudent to stem a torrent. But what is the dif
ference to us, whether arbitrary acts take their
rife from ministers, or are permitted by them !
Ought any point to be allowed to a good minister,
that should be denied to a bad one ? The mortali
ty of ministers, is a very frail mortality.
Whatever kind of minister he is, that attempts
to innovate a Jingle iota in the privileges of these
colonies, him 1 hope you will undauntedy oppose;
and that you will never Suffer yourfelyes to be
either cheated orfrightned into any unworthy obse
quiousness. On such emergencies you may surely,
without preemption, be ieve that ALMIGHTY
GOD himself will look down upon your righteous
contest with gracious approbation. You will be
a “ band of brothers," cemented by the dearest
ties, —and itrengthened with inconceivable Supplies
of force and constancy, by that Sympathetic ardor,
which animates good men, confederated in a good
cause. Your honor and wefare will be, as they
now are, most intimately concerned; and besides
you are aligned by divine providence, in the appoint
ed order of things, the protestors of unborn ages,
whose fate depends upon your virtue. Whether
they shall arise the generous and indisputable heirs of
the noblest patrimonies, or the dastard y and here
ditary drudges of imperious talk-matters, you
MUST DETERMINE.
1 o diicharge this double duty to yourfeives, and
to your,offrity, you have nothing to do, but to
call forth into use the good sense and spirit of which
you are possessed. You have nothing to do, but
to condudl your ah dirs peaceably—prudently —firm
ly—jointly. By these means, you will Support the
character of freemen, without losing that of faith
fidfubjeßs —a good character in any government
—one of the belt under a British government
You will prove, that /Americans have that true
magnanimity offoul, that can resent injuries, with
out falling into rage ; and that though your de
votion to Great-Britain is the most affectionate,
yet you can make proper distinctions, and know
what you owetopourfeives as well as to her--You will
at the fame rime that you advance your interehls,
advance your reputation —You will convince the
world of thejufice ofyour demands, and the parity
of your intentions.—While all mankind mutt,
with unceasing applaqfes, confefs, that you in
deed deserve liberty, who so well underhand it,
lopafonatety love it, so temperately enjoyit, and so
wifey, bravely, and virtuously aflert, maintain
and defend it.
" Certe ego libertatem, q%e miki a parente meo
tradsta es, experiar : Verum id fruJira an ob
remfa.rasa, in veftra manu Jiturn ed, quirites."
lor my parr, I am refolded to contend for the
1 'berty delivered down to me by my ancestors;
but whether I shall do it effectually or not,
depends on you, my countrymen.
“ How little soever one is able to write, yet
when the liberties of one's country are threat
red, it is still more difficult to be Silent."
A FARMER.
From the S t. James's Chronicle.
TH E loss to England by the tyrannic mea
sures taken againftthe Americans, is hardly
to be conceived, and the expence^ of paying the
troops and fleets, which these measures have occa
sioned, add to an already infufferable load of taxes.
The English in America, by being oppressed,
will lose the prepossession they had in favour of
English goods; hence they will purchase French
and Dutch goods, which are fold much cheaper.
The Ad of Navigation forbids a purchase of
this kind, but now they are forced almost to des
peration, they will naturally fay with Romeo,
“ The law starves you, therefore break the law,
and eat." The French in exchange for tobacco
and 6111 will furniSh all they want; as the Dutch,
the Prussians from Embden, and other powers will
for rice and indigo, and how is this to be pre
vented? wefball strive to prevent it by armies of
Cuftom-Houfeofficers on land, and fleets at Sea ;
but who is to pay them ? Why the people ofEng
land must be taxed and starved, and' the contrac
tors only will be enriched.
The loss occasioned by the American measures
will be above four millions yearly, and the ex
pence of the preparations now made will cost Eng
land above one million Sterling. And the Prussi
ans, Dutch, and French, will supply the Ame
ricans with all such articles as they do not raise
themselves; for it is impossible to hinder interlo
pers on so vast a coast. The Spaniards never
could, nor cannot on their coast, much less can
we. Before this period the English in America
would not receive foreign veflels, nor trade with
them out of anational prejudice against foreigners,
and aftedion for England : They run goods on
the Spaniards, but would not fuffer the Spaniards
to bring goods to them. But the present discord
fomented by the Thane, will make the Americans
supply themselves from foreigners, to the utter
lots of our trade. In Short, jf the Severe un
constitutional measures are pursued, it will force
trade out of its usual channel, to the utter ruin of
this once happy, flourishing country, and much
against the inclination of our American brethren.
C.
A Letter foid to have been written by M. de Voltaire,
lajiyear, to the late Earl of Chefterteld.
Y 0 U desire to have my thoughts on the pre
sent state of Europe; I rather, now, cx
petled you would have alked my opinion about
other matters which I happened to be thinking of,
when your last letter was brought me by Mr. S.
It took two or three of the firft years, after the
Paris peace, before the rulers of kingdoms and
Bates could think themselves relieved, or at ease,
from the inroads of the wild beasts of the forelt.
Three years more were taken up in making fences.
1 he rest, even to this day, has been employed in
Sharpening weapons. One I fufpe& has laid a train
of Such a dangerous nature, as must soon kindle
into flame, and Set the whole house on fire.—We
Shall not probably Slay to fee much of it.—Your
spot has passed its meredian; luxury has taken
root; the unexpected wealth got from the poor
of a distant country, by robbery, has changed the
bulwark of the English Constitution, your House
of Commons. The people who have ruled your
young K—, and the kingdom, never were taught
the right idea of what we used to define liberty.
Such blindness and obstinacy, or what is worse,
is doubtless permitted.—Provisions, which I find
by your public papers are dear in England, will
not be lower till taxes on the induftriocs are les
sened, and that cannot happen till your national
debt is reduced. The rulers of Europe, I am
afraid, haye it now in their power to prevent that
event. If I was one of the band, I could find the
turnpike read —ln the midst of your nation's folly,
and blindness, I can fee a new world opening that
will prove an asylum for all your honest induftri
cus people; and I think a few years will difeover
the Island of Britain to have, for its inhabitants,
only two forts of animals, tyrants and Slaves.
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
SI R,
HAVING observed in your last paper an
agreement of a number of merchants and
other inhabitants of this city, to raise the nominal
value of Sundry Species of gold coin “ because
they have heretofore passed in this province at rates
under their value, in proportion to Half-Johan
neffes ;" and because they “ esteem it of conse
quence that the different coins Should be put as
nearly on a footing as possible." I beg leave, by
means of the fame channel, to offer to the public in
general, and those gentlemen in particular, a few
queries and observations on the fubjeft.
I. What good coofequence will arise to the
province from the prppofed alteration? and if none
is expe&ed ; whether it will not be more prudent
and fafe, to continue to receive those coins in the
usual manner, from which no inconvenience hath
arisen, than to run the rifle of an innovation ?
2. Whether raising the nominal value of
coins will not tend to, or immediately effect the
diminution of the value of our paper currency ,arbd.
by such depreciation injure many thousands of the
inhabitants of the province?
3. Whether, if it should be thought necessary
to put the different gold coins on an equal footing,
it would not be more prudent to reduce the value
of Half Johanneffes, by refuting to receive at 6of.
all weighing less than 9 dwt. 4gr. as a regula
tion of this kind would bring them nearly to the
standard of the other gold coins, and put a flop to
the pernicious and scandalous cuttom of clipping
and defacing that beautiful piece, and tend to re
store those already disfigured to their original
Standard ?
The design of money being, to measure the va
lue of commodities, and of every thing in com
merce and traffic; it ought to be as ftabte and fixed
as any determinate measure: as for instance, a pound
weight, yard or bushel; but this grand and original
design is fruftrated, and the utmost mifehief intro
duced in the commercial world, by increasing and
decreasing its rate or nominal value; for, such a
procedure must not only be productive of great cun
fufion, but alfv of very g-r^t I jufhc. as it takes
from one his property and' gives it to another,
without any compensation: but its evil conse
quences are so well understood and generally
known, that it would be idle to enlarge on them.
Ts the present proposed alteration becomes general,
I Shall not hesitate to declare, as my private opi
nion, that our paper currency will depreciate more
than three and an half per cent, the consequence
of which will be, that the creditor will lose on all
debts contrafled before the alteration took place,
that 4 are hereafter discharged, more than that pro
portion of his demand: for infiance, suppose A
had borrowed of B locol. before the alteration, if
after, B should demand payment, instead of 10001.
principal, he will only receive, cr be entitled to,
by law, 9631. Bs. 4c!. besides a loss on his in
terest; for, thp' he will receive 10001. nominally,
yet in fad, it will be no more than 963!. Bs. 4d.
of the money lent, as I said before, nor will it
purchase one farthing worth more of land or pro
duce of any kind.
It is certain that raising the rate of coins does
rot in the leaftincreafe their real value. A Half-
Joe rated at 51. will purchase no more produce
than it would when current at 21. 17s. 6d. neither
does raising the rate of coins make them ultimately
any more plentiful in a country, tho' it may have
a temporal influence of that kind on some.
In a country destitute of mines of gold and Sil
ver, their plenty can only be effected by the ex
ports exceeding the imports, that the balance
may turn in favour of the country, but as our im
ports usually exceed our exports we cannot expert
to have much specie amongst us, until industry
and frugality turn the Scale in our favour ; for as
the balance increases against us exchange rises,
and a natural consequence is, that the precious
metal: are bought up and Dipped off to lessen the
balance, until Such time as the exchange falls
below the par of the metals, together with the
charges attending the transportation and sale.
From whdt has been advanced, we may venture
to predict, that should the proposed rising on the
gold coin general take place throughout the pro
vince, our intercourse with Great-Britain be hap
pily once more on its former footing, and Silver
fell, as it frequently hath, at ss. 6d. Sterling per
ounce, in less than one year after, exchange will
be at 175 per cent, or upwards; and dollars fell
amongst us at 7s. gd. to perhaps 7s. iid. each.
If the above observations Should be thought just:
and well grounded, I presume no further argu
ment will be necessary to induce every friend to
the province, who wishes to preserve the flability
of our currency on its old foundation, on which
it hath constantly flood with reputation for; great
number of years past, to contribute his influence
to that end. FINANCEFUS.
s±-!--ft+*-+#*-,fr <:4-s.+Q+s
CHARLB S I O WN, (S. Carolina) plan. 6.
nr H E Houmas, a fnall tribe of Indians on the
l extern tide of the Miffifippi, have lately fold
their Village to a person, at New-Orleans, named
Conway, and three leagues front on the river,
which has been approved es by the Spanish Gover
nour. They are to go to the western fide of the
Miffifippi.
His Excellency Governor Chester, of Weft-Flo
rida, set out from Pc nfacola in November last, ac
companied by several gentlemen, for the Natchez.
We are assured that it is an undoubted faft, that
a party of the Creek Indians go every year to the
Havanna. They go over in some of the filing
vessels, and return with their prefects in one sent 011
purpose by the Governour of the Havanna. About
a dozen of them went over Lift fiimmer, hut the peo
plewho carried them did not know their names.
A Gentleman who was on that coast advised the
fifhermen never to carry any more of them, but
they said the Indian's every year came on board,
and obliged them to carry them over.
N E W - YOR K, February 23.
The Hon. House of ASTembly of New-Jerfer
was on the 13th instant prorogued to the 1 3th of
March, then to fit for the dispatch of business, at
Burlington.
This day about eleven o'clock, motion is to be
made in the General Affhmbly for the appoint
ment of Delegates to the General Congress, at
Philadelphia, in May next.
PHILADELPH I A, February 27.
The Committee for the City and Liberties
of Philadelphia will meet this afternoon, at Six
o'clock, at the Philosophical Society's Hall.
. The Ship Beulah, Capt. M'Buffell, arrived at the
Watering Place, at New-York, last Thursday
fe'nnight, in 9 weeks from London, but has brought
no late news. Capt. M'Buffell spoke the following
vessels on his pafTage, viz. the 17th of Jan. in lat.
27 : 27, long. 52, the Sloop John and Mary, Capt.
Hughes, from Bristol for Cafco Bay, thirty days
out ; 28th, in lat. 28 : 35, long. 64 : 40, the Ship
Happy Jennet, Capt. Pettygrew, from Scotland for
South-Carolina, out 33 days; Feb. 4, in lat. 28: 18,
long. 71 : 30, the brig Dolphin, Capt. Hunn, from
this port for Jamaica, out 5 days ; sth, in lat. 29,
long. 7], the schooner Bird, from Virginia for Ja
maica, who the day before left every thing off her
decks in a gale of wind ; and on the ytl/, in lat.
30 : 30, long. 72 : 30, he spoke the brig Kitty,
Capt. Robinson, from this place for Jamaica.\
Extraff of a letter from New-Tori, Feb. 23.
“ Since my last the ship Beulah, Capt. M'Buffel,
has a r rived from London full of goods, the people
here are deter mined the association fnall not he vi
olated, the owners and Shippers think of lending
her to Halifax ; She will fail in a few days."
We are informed by a Gentleman Just arrived
from South -Carolina, that the cold was so great there
on the 12th of this month, that the ponds were fro
zen an inch thick.
On Friday, the 28th of January, the following
gentlemen were chosen members ofthe American
Philosophical Society.
The Marquis de Condorcet, Secretary of the Aca
demy of Sciences at Paris.
M. Daubentoh, junior, Keeper and Demonstrator
of the King's Cabinet of Natural fliforv at Paris.
L'abbe Raynal, L'abie Rozier, DI. Macquair, M.
Le Roux, M. Lacoiffer, AI. J. F. Dubcurg, ofPaus.
, Captain Holland, Surveyor-General cf the north
ern diftria in North-America,
Dr. Adams, of Barbados.
Last Fridav evening, apreeaWe to the apooint
mentofthe American Philosophy al Socie-
TY, the Amd-verfer, Oration was 0:/\^rda;t e
College by Mr. Rittenhouse, l^ce ^cicnoed
and most refp.aahk audience ; amen;, w rich v.r<