The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-05-27 00:00:00, page 2

ed that weconceived we were justly intitled to very large
demands, for the maintenance of General Burgoyne's ar
my in particular, as well as for the other prisoners in our
poffeffiop : they replied they had apprehended the balance
was in their favour; but that at all events they were re
firißed y poftive in ft,ußions from acceding to any article
propofioga liquidation and payment of any accounts in
curred previous to the release of the prisoners.
Under these difficulties, not to mention others, your
Excellency will perceive the impracticability of accom
plishing a general cartel, and the neo fifty, to which we
were reduced, of attempting the relief of our unfortunate
ftifoners upon a more limited a^d contraßed scale.
, That with an earaeft view to effeß this defireable pur
pose on any reasonable terms, we went into a considera
tion of the Rate land number of prisoners, and proposed,
that as the pretext for departing in this inftince from the
common mode of exchange upon the prin iple of equali
ty, was founded chiefly on the supposed inconvenience of
separating officers and men, General Burgoyne, already
abfeut from the Army and in England, as well as all other
officers abroad on parole, the objection not applying to
them Should be firft exchanged on the principle of equality
or equitable composition ; this, however, iras refufed, yet
ar the propofol led to the difeuflion of the light in which
we Should consider General Burgoyne, we exprKfed cur
opinion, and we conceive with justice, that he ought to
be e.ftimated in the r^nk of a Commander in Chief, or at
lean as a Lieutenant-General commanding in a Separate de
partment ; and founded our opinion as expressed to the
British Comniiffioners, upon the independence and extent
of his command, —upon the stile a/fumec, in his procla
mations, —upon the circumstances of his receiving his or
ders from the Secretary for the American department,, as
appeared from his own official letter icon alter his Surren
der, and "om the Declaration of Lord George Germaine
in t e British House of Commons. It was denied on their
fi rn, teat he commanded in a separate department when he
wis . ken, or that he had ever had a,feparate command ;
a- was aileJged that while he was in Canada he was
fupjeß to Sir Guy Carlton, and the instant he was out of
it he was under sir William Howe. They refuted there
fore to connler him in higher command, or in any other
light tlian General Grant, Lord Cornwallis, or any other
Lieutenant General aßing under the immediate direßions
of Sir Henry Clinton, or to estimate him higher in ex
change.
That we considered the tefufal in both instances, as
well wjth refpeß to General Burgoyne's exchange am^ng
the firft prisoners, as to the rank in which we thought he
fiiould.be estimated, td be unreasonable and far from be
ing founded in liberal hegociation,—its dired operation
in the Sita case, would compel us to give privates for the
redemption of our ufficers, when their release might have
been etfeßed by his ex hange alone , and in the second,
would kffen the number of officers, which we ought to
receive for him, and of confiquence would retain the
more in their hands to be redeemed by privates in the
fame manner,—nor could,we find that we were to derive
^ny benefit from either of their Major-Generals, prisoners
with us, till the exchange Should have proceeded to a con
siderable extent in men. Till then their release was to be
poftpon^d ; and the delay of consequence would ope
rate in the fame manner as in the case of General Bur
goyne,—we complained to the Eritifh commissioners of
the hardship this proceeding would impose upon us ; and
were answered it was the only mode they could think of
adopting : —finding then that their principal cibjeß was
the acquisition of pi,ates, and having already spent Se
veral days in conferences to little effeß, we requested to
know how many men and officers they would accept in
Term plaice of nations, is indifponftbly requifife.
His powers therefore afforded no fubflantial security for
the performance of the engagements of his Commission
ers, farther than his personal authority extended, and
flood upon the insufficient footing of private confidence
only.
We were, however, unwilling to foppofe that Sir Henry
Clinton had not powers himfelf competent to ensure, in
all refpcßs, the engagements which those to^his Com
missioners profeffed to authorife ; and were Surprised to
find the omifEon of the recital, as the fame point had
been so iuliy and coqclufively diffused ona fimd+ro ca
fion, betwe n Commissioners appointed by your Excellen
cyand 9ir William Howes arid as your Excellency, with
a view of obviating every difficulty, had, in your letter
toSr Henry Clinton so longdince as the 14th ofla ft month,
^xpreh^ri yoo r hope that “the gentlemen on both sides,
“ apprised of the difficulties which have occurred, and
'• with a liberal attention to the circumstances of the par
“ ties,Would Came dfyofad to accommodate their negocia
'' ticns co them, and to level all cbflrußicrs' to the com
" plebon of the treaty."
That we mentioned this defect to the Britifli Co'tnmif
fioners, who intimated in reply, thht such a recital might
aft'eß the political claims of Great-Britain over this coun
try Thi§, however, we neither intended nor could con
ceive would be the consequence, and therefore declared
our readings to insert a elaufe in the cartel to provide
exprefily against it, or if they chose, to receive from
them a signed counterpart "or duplicate, as had been done
in ffmilar cases of dispute, in which they might ftife ha
xoßnies or pro-vi^s, of ufeany other terms of defcripticn
they mould think necessary, provided the like indulgence
was granted to us.
That these offers were rejeßed, having produced no
thing more on the part of the British CommifGoners than
a farther declaration, that they d : d net know whether Sir
Henry Clinch had any Special authority to grant such
powers, at we thought necessary; but that he would use
his best offices, they did not doubt, to have the cartel ra
tified by the Ring if it should be requisite, and that in the
mean time it Should take efftß. This we could not think
reasonable, as by this means, it would be carried into
full execution ana all the purpofts aufwered which they
could w;fh on their part, previous to its ratification, which
possibly migh( never take place.
"That in the course of further conference concerning
the objects of the cartel, and at the time wren the Bri
tilh Commissioners had in contemplation an immediate de
livery of all prisoners, as well the convention army as
others, they declared very unexpectedly, we confefs,
that from a desire of avoiding difficulties, and of putting
aside every thing that could occasion difpvte, they were
directed to propose, that all accounts and claims on either
fide Should be cancelled and extinguished. We repref, nt-
exchange fa oQ officers ; hoping that possibly We might
agree upon a grols number. To this they replied, that
it was not their intention to exchange for any officers
in our hands, unless the regiments to which they belong
ed could be exchanged at the fame time. They then pro
posed, in order to give a more precise and accurate idea
of their views, to commit them to writing; to this we
readily contented, and in the afternoon of the third day
jollying, we received a billet from the British Com
missioners, requeuing a conference for a Tew minutes, to
which we immediately agreed, and they delivered the fol
lowing.
(To be continued.)
PHILADELPHIA, May 27.
At a General M eiing of the Citizens of Philadelphia, and
Pa ts adjacent, at the State-Home Yard in this Ci',, Ge
neral Roberdeau teas unaoimouJl, refrejTd to take the
Chair, <wbo introduced the pefnejs nvith the Joltowing
ADDRESS:,
GyNTL EMtN,
_ LTHOUGH I feel pain from -the Situation in
^i which_you have been pleaded to place me, it ' with
pleasure I meet you, my Fellow Citizens, to confider and
determine upon measures' ,for our mutual and public happi
iiefs. A beneficent God has hkherto blessed us with lue
cefs, and carried nsthrough a four years war with as few
misfortunes as could possibly be expeßed. We Wave
much to bekhankfol for; and though many worthy indi
viduals have greatly fuifered, yet, as a nation, ,e have
but little to complain of
The dangers ve are now exposed to atife' from evils
created ameiig eurfelves. I scorn, and I hope every Ci
tizen here scorns, the thought of getting rich by fucking
the blood of his country ; yet, alas,! this unnatural, this cru
el, this deftruftive practice, is the greatest cAufe of our pre
sent calamities. The way to make'bur money good is to
reduce the prices of goods and provifioms. It is not
t^ quantity of money which any man gets—but how
far taat money will go when he. comes to lay it out again,
that makes him poor or rich.
T. qe tax that eas been laid upon us by monopolizers
and forekaliers within these fix months past, for it may
curtly be called a tax, amounts to more m®ney than
would carry the war on twelve, months to come.
# There is at prefect no law for regulating the prices in
the flops arid markets, neither is there any law to prevent
such regulations being made, and therefore, the whole
rests t, )h the virtue and common consent of the commu
nity. I have no' doubt but combinations have been forme
fd for railing the pr.ces of goods and pro^ifions, and
therefore the community, in their own defence, have a
natural right to counteract such combinations, and to set
limits to evils which effeß thenifelves.
It is impossible, Gentlemen, to cure the disease all at
once, but it murt be began upon ; and as this city appears
to be the place in which the disease was firft bred, this
likewise is the place where the remedy cught to be firft
applied. Do you, Gentlemen, set the example, and I
think there is little doubt but others will follow it.
V/ithin these five or fix months goods and provisions have
risen week by week— Surely, Gentlemen, we can do as
much as the monopolizers have done, and bring the prices
down again week by we& By this means t/.er,e will be
money to fp re to pay taxes with; for at the rate things
now are, it takes all the country people's money to go to
the shops with, and 0.11 the town people's money to go to
market vrith, and the whole community is growing poor
under a notion of getting rich.
Some worthy citizens who have the success of our glori
ous ciufe at heart, have undertaken to form a plan for re
gularly reducing the prices of goods and provisions, and
keeping up the value of the money, and this plan, as I un
derhand, is to be laid before you at feme future meeting.
For my own part, Gentlemen, I fliall joyfully assist ill
any judicious measures for the public happiness, and have
no l doubt but you will do the fame.
It is a furpr'fi ig thing that the more goods we have had
brought into this city, the dearer they have been ; and
this is one es the evils which it is absolutely necessary to
enquire into. But the great point is to begin.
.she paper I have in my hand contains some resolutions
".".'. ^ave been drawn up and agreed on by a Committee
of Citizens, which, with your approbation, I will read.
I pr®pofe firfi to read the whole through, and then read it
a second time by paragraphs, in order to take your sense
thereon.-
The paper being read, after some amendments was
agreed to as follows :
W HBREA3 the prices of goods and provisions have,
within tae feace of five or fix months, risen to an enormous
height, far beyond what they ought to be-in proportion
to the quantity of the money. Th@ prices of dry goods
have arrfen when they ought to, have deere ifetl, and every
new cargo, inflead of lessening the prices, have raised
them.
Refolded, That the public have aright to enquire into
the causes of such extraordinary abuses, and prevent them.
And whereas, firace the late importation of a cargo of
goods, said to have been since purchased or cqpfigned to the
management of Mr. Robert Morris, Merchant, or others,
the prices of all kiads ®f dry goods have been greatly ad
vanced to the injury of the public, and the great detri
ment of trade.
Refolded, That this meeting, juftifying their conduft
on theneceffity of the measure, and being deeply affeßed
and injured by those encreafing evils, will appoint a Com
mittee to enquire es Mr. Robert Morris, or others, what
part he or they have aßed refpeßing the said cargo, and to
require from him or them their answers in writing to such
questions as the Committee may find it necessary to put,
and to report the fame at the next general Town Meeting.
And .whereas the prices of rum, sugar, flour, coffee and
tea, have greatly arisen within this week past, without
any real or apparent cause ; and as it is our determination
not to be eaten up by monopolizers and foreflallers:
Therefore,
4 Refolded, That we do unconditionally insist and demand,
that the advanced, or monopolized, price of the present
month be instantly taken ®ff, and that the prices of those
articles be immediately reduced to what they were the firft
day of May instant.
Refolded, That a Committee be appointed to afeertain
the retail prices es rum, sugar, flour, coffee and tea, as
they flood on the firft day of May infant, and to publish
the fame for the g^vernMent of buyer and feller, and to
receive in writing any complaints against such dealers as
may refufe to comply with, or ffiall obflruß the execution
of this necessary regulation, and to report the fame at the
next general Town Meeting.
Refolded, That the fajd Committee, when chosen, do
afeertain what the prices of the above, or any ether arti
cles, were on the firft day of January last, and like-wife
on the firft day of every month from that time to the pre
fentinfant.'
Reflated, That a Committee be appointed to prepare a
plan for regularly proceeding in this business, and for
carrying it into execution throughout the United States,
and to report the fame at a general Town Meeting to be
held for that purpose
Refolded, That we will support the Committees in the
execution of their duty, encourage fair and honest com
merce, and suppress to the utmoftof our power, and at the
hazard of ourlives, encreffing, monopolizing, and fore
ftalling, and depreciation.
Rejoked, That as it is, the interest both of town and
country to concur in measures for fine mutual relief of
both, that the proceedings of this Meeting be printed and
sent to the several counties for their consideration assis
tance therein ,
And whereas complaints of a very extraordinary na
ture have, at different times, appeared against perlons en
trusted, or who have been entrnfted by Congress with the
disposal of public money, and the execution of public
commiißoOs, to which complaints, in some infiaßces, no
answers have been given, or any denial made:
And whereas the public by delegating their powers, have
a right to call on their Representatives to whom that de
legation is made, to know in what manner the trust so re
posed in them, is executed. Therefore,
Refolded, That a Committee l>e appointed^ colleß to
gether the charges hr complaints ^bich have been made
agpinft perlons entrusted by Congress, with the expendi
ture of public money, or the execution of public commis
sion, and to require of the Delegates of this State, what
proceedings Congress have made therein, towards afeer
taining the truth of such charges or complaints, or puniffi
ing the perfoß' sis guilty, and. to transmit the fame to the
federal counties, in order that they may be enabled to
give infirußions to their Reprefenratives in Affeinbly at
their next meeting, or for such other ptirpofes as may be
necessary in the interim.
Refolded, That it is the opinion of this Meeting that no
person, who, by fufficient testimony can be proved inimical
to the interest and independence of the United States, be
fuffered to remain among us, and that the Committees be
directed to take measures for carrying this resolution im
execution.
The following Gentlemen were appointed on the Commit
tees, to enquire, refpeßing the cargo lately arrived, a>d
said to be purchased by or consigned to the management
of Mri Robert Morris, or others;
Timothy Matlack, David Rittenhoufe, Cipf. Biewer,
Thomas Paine, Charles W. Peaie, Col. J. B. Sniith.
And the following Gentlemen, together with the former,
were appointed a Committee for carrying the ether re 4
solves into execution.
Colonel Henry, Col. Bradford, C^orge Scbloffer. Col.
Will, Col. Jehu Eyre, Capt. Ileyffijm, M^jor Boyd.
Philip Boehm, Jedidiah Snowden, Nathaniel Donnell,
Capt. Robert Smith, Capt. Lang, . Dr. Hutchinson, Wil
liam Brown, Paul Cox,. Edward Pule, Thomas Cafdrop,
Capt. George Ord, Jirises Dinner, John Kling, William
Thorn, William Coats, Tanner, Joseph Dean, Capt.
John Young, Cadwallader Lickinfori, Capt. Thomas
Moore. Sign'd by order of the Meeting,
DANIEL ROBERDEAU, Chairman.
The thanks of the Meeting were unanimously returned
to the Chairman for hid noble and difinterefled manner of
Conducing the business.
COMMITTEE-ROOM, May z <th, ty„.
AGREEABLE to a resolution of the General Towri
Meeting held in the State-hdufe yard the 25th itfft.
The Committee for afeertaining the prices of rum, sugar,
flour, coffee and tea, as they flood on the firft day of the
prefen tjnon th, do,hereby pubiilh the following :
Weft-India Rujp, per galjen, ^6 1 5 0
Country Rum, per do. 5 0 0
Tea by the Chest, per lb. 4 10 0
Brandy by the Keg, per gallon, 7 0 0
Mol rffes by the Hogffi. per do. 4 12 6
Coffee, per lb. 0 17 o
Loaf Sugar, wholesale, per lb. % 13 6
Myfcovado, from £lO5 to £l3O per hundred.
Turk's Island Salt, 10 per bufheL
Common French Salt, 6 10 per do.
Merchantable Flour, per hundred, £2O o ©
Middling do. 0
^ip-huff, 4 o o
Shorts, p er bushel, 4 10 0
Bran, per do. 3 15 0
To our Fellow-Citizens in Town and Country.
Convinced as we all are of the ibfolute necessity of low
ering the prices in order to raise the value of the currency
and seriously anxious of carrying the resolutions of the
Meeting into effectual execution, we do earriefy recorn
. mend in the firft instance, a chearful compliance with the
a 'fr', e resolves, an d likewise, that as few purchases as
poffiole be made for the present, either of dry goods, or any
other kind of imported ^ode, otherwise it will embarrass
the object hoped to be obtained.
^ is ? nl y by degrees that evils of this kind can be re
medied, and no plan appears more rational than to.lower
the primes in the fame proportions they have been advanc
ed. As soon as the business for the next General Town
Meeting can be prepared, notice will be given of it in the
papers. By order of the Committee,
WILLIAM HENRY, Chairman.
,N. E. The Committee have the pletfure of informing
tne public, that molafies and fait are cheaper this day
than they were on the firft of May.—The prices, as print
ed above, have been taken from the Merchants and
Traders books.
t The Committee are desired to meet at the Court
house this afternoon at 3 o'clock precisely.