The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-12-09 00:00:00, page 2

that we itold remember how hazardous it w^d have
been to have made laws for taxation the firff aCts of our
new governments.,
To every unprejudiced mind it must appear ^ worn er^
ful circuniftance, that paper money, unfunded, fhoutd
have preferred its credit so long as our paper did ; espe
cially under the gloomy appearance ®f our affairs in 1776
and 1777. Making all due allowance for the advantage
of specie then in circulation, and the little imports of
that time there arises, from this eircumflance, abundant
cause to admire rhe firm virtue and manly perseverance
of the true independent Whigs t roughcut the States.
But when it was suggested to be doubtful, whether, or
not, Congress would recommem I to the States to redeem
the money at the expressed value, aid this fuggedion was
strengthened by the resolution of Congress, requiring
the people to bring in the emissions of May 177% a °d
of April 1778, on pain of forfeiture, which must be ac
knowledged to have been an arbitrary and nnrafonable
aft of assumed power, and the greatest error in policy
ever committed by that body, it is truly a ftonifhing,
that the money retained aqy credit at all : For there was
no longer a possibility of forming any kind of judgment
of its value ; and nothing but enthusiasm could have :up
portedit a single hour. That it continued current, pos
terity willconfider as the miracle of the age.
Had those States who claim imimenfe tracts of western
Country, seen their real iotereft and consented, as juflice
and found policy dilated, to have afeertained the limits
of their refprCtive States, within such bounds as would
have rendered them practicable governments, and have
fuffered the remainder to have bien pledged for the re
demption of our paper money, its credit would have
been supported, those States would, in all human proba
bility, have remained in fecurty, unviolated by the rava
ges of war, their people compaA and their ftrewgtn en
tire. But, delud'd by the vain hope of dominion, wnJ,
themselves were reading a lesson of inftruaion to Britain;
upon the folly of attempting to govern a country agamit
the interest of the people, they endeavoured to take puf
feffion of an immeufe trad of land, wmcb they can ne
ver govern, scattered their people, disabled themselves
themfelve, from supporting their quota of men in the
field of war, broke their internal strength by fending
their best sensible men from the heart cf their countries,
and thereby invited the enemy into their States. What
ever advantages a few individuals may promise them
selves, those governments mufi, before this time, be con
vinced they can derive no benefit from perilling in their
claims. Those lands, I conceive, «rethe property of the
United States, as having been wrested by their united
force, from the crown of Britain, and ought to be fcld
to pay the expeoce of the war.
But whether thole lands be appropriated to this par
pofe, or whatever else be the funds, it is of the last im
portance that they be firmly eflablifhed, so as to leave no
doubt of thefecurity. The shock which public credit has
received renders this indifpenfibly necessary : For altho'
we ought to suppose, that Congress will not again rifle
the dangers and incoovenfencies which they have expert
enced from a delay, yet the people will expert every pos
sible (ecurity.
To grant this, it would be found policy to Invest Ccn
grefs with authority to prevent any State from withdraw
ing the funds appropriated for the redemption of the
paper money and the difeharge of the public debt ; or by
any means lessening the security pledged : And there is
great justice in it from this consideration, that the United
States are bound for each individual State, and from
thence derive a right to the exercise of such a power for
the common security. This authority ought to be an
article of the confederation.
What funds are the most proper to be pledged for the
payment of the public debt, eonttafted or to be contract
ed, is, it seems, a queflion to be decided by the refpeaive
States, and adapted to the different circumflexes of the
States and the genius of the people. It is certain that the
more Simple taxes are the more equal and the lighter they
are, if the people have understanding enough to keep
them so, and patriotism enough to pay them directly
without grudging But if folly renders deceptions and
refinement in taxation necessary, there is a fund of in-
Aruftion on this head, contained in Poftleth waitt's hiflo
ry of the public revenue from 1688 to 1753, which is
abundantly (efficient for the purpose. Taxes must be laid
and funds eftabl flied without further delay, and it is
wort ferioeifly to be wished by every friend to his cdun
try, that our legislatures would assume courage and enter
upon it immediately. To proportion the funds to the
debt we must firff estimate what is the amount o f it.
As commerce must bear a great share of the expenc^
of this new empire, the manner in which it is to con
tribute ought now to be conferred. While we remained
under the crown of Britain, great part of the trade of
Connecticut, and of part of the State of New-Jersey, was
carried on through New-York; and no fmali part of the
frade of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, and some
trom Virginia, was carried on through Philadelphia, and
these eemed to be the natural channels of it, Bat should
the whole debts of the United States be apportioned to
the refpefhve States, on the principles now in use, and
Pennsylvania and New- York States lay duties on imports
and exports, the other States may think they have reason
to complain. To avoid tbefe ideas, suppose a duty, for a
limited time, were laid on imports and exports, and ap
propriated for the purpose of paying the principal and in-
Bereft of our foreign debts: This duty to be collected by
officers appointed by Congress, left officers appointed by
the reflective Swes ihould not think it the interest of the
State to be very exact in collecting the duties.
When the principles on which our ports shall be open
ed are agreed upon, and the farmer thereby Simulated to
that industry on which the revival of trade and the pro
du& of taxes do fa necessarily depend, and when your
funds are eftatol&ed, it will be well worth our enquiry
what is the best made of anticipating those funds and
applying them to our prefect neceffnies.
[To be continued.]
AL L pe sons having any demands against Captain
CHARLES STIWART, deceased, are re quested
to bring in their accounts, properly authenticat'd; and
those that are indebted to said estate are defined to make
immediate payment to SARAH STEWART, Adaii
^tiattix to thefaid ellatt. Nav. xo.
Doctor Shippen's Vindication.
CERTIFICATES and affidavits have been produ
ced too from the good people of Ephrata, con
cerning the (offerings of the sick when firft car
ried to that place in 1777, but not one instance of my
neglect of duty ; and their opinion of me and my con
duct may be learned from the following letter of the
reverend Mr. Miller, the head of that society, authen
ticated before a magiibate, and written without my
felicitation on hearing I was accused before Congress,
“ Refpeded SIR,
As by your direction the winter before last a large
hofpital'was ertablifhed at Ephrata, to which we have
submitted without reluctance, toeing indebted to beara
proportionable (hare in the calamities of the prefect
war : I should sooner have acknowledged your favour
of proteaion, without which we ihould not have been
in a condition to weather out that storm. Indeed all
circumstances did then join to make the fixation of
the sick comfortable. Your vre lance in visiting the
fame as often as necessity called for it- a conitant fop
ply of medicines and refrefhmeuts by yowr order were
sent from Manheim, which your deputies the senior
doctors have applied with a peculiar care and fcrupu
lofity ; a plentiful market, constantly kept up by the
neighbours, of veal, milk, and other articles necessary
to recruit the firength of poor Soldiers; a good govern
ment kept by the senior doctors messieurs Scot and E-
Smith, in which vices attending a soldier's life were sup
pressed • and a harmonizing spirit prevailed among tie
donors; officers ^nd privates of faid'hofpital on the
one, and our community on the other fide. Ilie win
ter season was spent comfortably, and many hours with
edification of spirit- Considering farther with what -re
gularity things were conduced, the care- taken for the
sick, the equity observed bn all dealings, I must fay to
the praise of the senior doctors, and your perforr, &c.
that they merited your approbation, and you the full
confidence of the confeript fathers. Should your la
bour not turn out to general fatisfaftion, remember
that very critical circumflances commonly attend such
officers which often traverse even the most farguine
hopes of success, of which the public cannot be fuffict
ently acquainted. Si fatisfaffum est confeienti^, non
opuseft, ut fatis fiat opinionibus hominum. I conclude
recommending you under the wings of divine protec
tion, and remain, refpe&ed fir,
Ephrata, Your humble servant,
July 15, 1779- P ETER MILLE R."
There is not in all the evidence adduced to support
this charge, one proof of neglect. On the contrary,
how fully and honourably is it proved by the proceed
ing and following declarations, on oath and certificates,
of persons of the most unexceptionable character,
good judges of and best acquainted with my duty ;
that I performed every part of it in such a manner as
entitles me to the thanks of my country.
Doctor Brown, my afliftant physician in 1776, anef
assistant director in 1777, and physician general till
last August, you have already seen has said on oath he
knew nothing of which I could be justly impeached,
and that I had answered-the intentions of Congress as
director general as fully as any man could have done
" Dodor Craik, the assistant director, has deposed,
that “ do&or Peter Y*nal, a junior fargeon, has af
firmed that he afled as a mate under me in 1776 : that
he remained a few days at Bethlehem, where he saw a
number of sick under those diseases incident to the ar
my, properly attended by physicians, and well (appli
ed with hospital flores and medicines : that the hofpi
t'als at Reading, before the battle of Germantown,
had a proper allowance of wine, sugar, rice, as well as
frefh meat, milk and vegetables • ,cloathing was want
ed : that the hospitals were much thinned by the time
the wounded arrived from the action at Germantown;
that they were placed in the different churches, <ourt
houfe, powder-house and friends meeting house: that the
officers were lodged in decent families, were (applied with
regimen, constantly attended and their wound* dressed:
that the privates were likewise carefully attended, and
wanted for nothing in the compass of out power to ob
tain: that the surgeons generally went into the hospi
tals about eight or nine o'clock in the morning, and
did not close their eyes till the talk was finished: that
doctor Shippen,, the director general, came to Reading
and examined ftri&ly into the Rate of our hospitals;
that he walked ' with him among the different ward's
where the sick and wounded were lodged, many of
them he interrogated concerning.their health, and their
wounds, enjoined us to pay the greater attention to
their complaints and issue such stores and nourishment
as was neceffiry for them; some of their wounds the
director dressed himfelf, to inffr.ua him in desperate
cases and fr^&ures. Tn a Short time they sent a num
ber of the privates to their regiments: that there were
at that time a plenty of hospital stores in Reading, but
had much trouble in procuring milk, which was more
immediately necessary for the relief of the wounded.
In the latter end of December the sick cafne in great
numbers to Reading in open waggons, no others being;
to be had : that from the severity of the weather, want of
eloathing, and travelling over a rough mountainous
country, some died and others were much dejected ;
they were under a necessity of crowding them together
into the churches and other places till they could pro
cure waggons to move them forward': that he was or
dered to proceed to Ephrata; the brether.n freely gave
up their chappel and a dwelling-house; the rooms in
the chappel were large and commodious, those of the
dwelling-hcufe fmali ; near 250 were lodged in this place
without being much crowded: that the brethern were
charitable and supplied us with necessaries as far as
they were able ; some would set up with them the most
of the nights : that debtor Shippen came opportunely
to direct for them, and gave him infractions relative
thereto: he went with him into every room and ward
to visit the sick and ordered stoves to. be fixed up in the
chappel: that the deponent returned to Reading for
wine, spirits and medicine, which were immediately
sent to him ; he had plenty of other stores: that in May
he went to Nottingham hospital and found plenty of
stores. He also deposed, that during the whole course
of time he could freely fay that he knew of nothing
that has been tranfafied by dodor Shippen unbecoming
the character of director ge-er^f cr an honefi man;
but that he had frequently observed him paying every
mark of attention and humanity to the complaints of
the sick and wounded, and pointing out measures for
their relief."
How fully does this deposition oppose what the in
habitants of Reading and Ephrata were prevailed on td
sign?
To the fame purpose doctor Otto, a senior surgeon,
has deposed " that all the hospitals he attends d were
well supplied with wine, sugar and other hospital stores,
medicines and mfirumenc, and he had no reason to
complain : that my ord p r=, as well by letter as verbal
ly, werethat every tring he thought necessary for the
sick and wounded should be provided for them : that
all his orders to the commissaries were always obeyed,,
and considered as their only vouchers : that the hospi
tals he attended were as well supplied with wine, sugar
and other stores, while I was purveyor as they have
been since ; and that I performed t-he duties of director
general with humanity, frugality and skill."
Mr. M'Karaker, commissary, declared on oath,
" that there was a plenty of wine, sugar and other hofc
pita! stores at Reading when he took charge of it in
November, 1777: that he daily issued the quantity of
stores ordered by the senior surgeon for the sick and
wounded; and that my orders were, that the sick and
wounded should have every thing the senior physician
thought necessary , and that he was supplied with mo
ney fur the purpose; that doctor Kennedy was indus
trious, frugal and attentive to the complaints of the
sick: that the principal reason of theanger of the peo
ple of Reading against him was, his haughty manner
of behaving, and not h^riegleH of the sick: that the
surgeons at Reading daily visited the sick and dressed
the wounded."
By this deposition it appears there was -plenty of
wine and sugar, as well as other stores. at Reading;
and thit the sick were supplied with as much as the pro
per judges thought necessary; and the rest of this de
position contradicts almost every thing that has been
certified by the honest but misled villagers.
RF™ O detest impositions on the public, efpecialf,
?! when they are intended to grat fy private malice,
anl to traduce the characters of gentlemen who are
now serving their country in very important Rations,
is the duty of every honest man : this is my sole rea
son for taking notice of a piece signed Benjamin Rush,
in the Pennsylvania Packet of the 2d of this month--
In any other view both the writer and his preformance
are too contemptible to deserve a moment's attention.
That the reader may fee what impositions doCtor Rush
is capable of when they are likely to serve the purposes
of his malice against doctor Shippen, the court-martial,
many worthy witnesses adduced on the trial, and two or
three refpedable members of Congress, who would not
contribute to his malevolent designs, I fliall contrast
what this fame doHor Rush wrote me on February ift,
1778, with what he has now imposed on the public, from
which he will apperf in his true light.
DOCTOR RUSH the Letter.writer.
" Dear Sir, Lancafler, February 1, 1778.
IN a letter which doctor Shippen sent to the Con
gress, a few days ago, I find he has charg'd me with
Complaining unjustly of him and his '• good offi
cers," in a fetter to general Washington. Both these
charges are falfe, if by his good officers he means the
afliftant directors of the hospitals. I complained on
ly of the abuses which prevailed in the hospitals, with
out charging them upon any man. In my charges
against the abuses of our hospitals, before the commit
tee, I censured principally the fyflem of the hos
pitals. I wished to confine myfelf only to it, having
no personal resentment against doctor Shippen, but;
was forced from my chief objeft by doctor Shippen,
to insinuate that part of the abuses of which I com
plained, originated with himfelf. I had occasion once
to mention your name, but it was only to acknowledge
that the uncommon success of the surgeons in Morris
county last furrmer was entirely owing to the liberal
and punctual provision you made for the sick. I
thought it necessary to give you this information, as
I doubt not, but the tranfaCtions between Shippen and
me at York Town, will receive a different complexion
from another quarter.
To avoid the fate of doCtor Morgan, as well as to
gratify my own inclinations, I have sent in my resig
nation.
It would have given me pleasure,. to have assisted in
putting in force the new regulations intended for the
hospitals before I left the department : bu^f am fatis—
fied they will be faithfully executed by doctor Brown
an I the gentlemen who aft under them. May you
enjoy many happy days together ! accept of m,
thanks for the zeal -hum an it v---and punctuality,
with which you fupported # me in the execution of my
duty, and believe me to be, with realregard, yourlin
cere friend---and bumble servant,
E. RUSH.^
THOMAS BOND, junr. esquire,
Afliftant Director General of the
Military Hospitals, &c. at Camp.
DOCTOR RUSH the- News paper-writ^.
“T HE chairman of the committee, appointed to
hear us merits your thanks likewise, for the fidelity
with which he executed the scheme you had concerted,
for driving me out of the hospital department : he in
formed me that I had loft ground in Congress, and ob
liquely hinted' to me that I should be dismissed, urr
lefs I resigned my office of physician general to the
hospitals : I told him, that I accepted of n y commif
fon tt >ferve the army and my country and not the-
Congress; and that while I did my duty faithfully 1
was indifferent what opinion they enterrained'of me;
and further, dared and defied them to dismiss me wit'Ll
out any charges being brought against me. The gen
tleman, upon hearing this, altered ids plan, and told
me that little or no change would be made in the hos
pital fyflem; and that the purveying business would
still remain in your hands. This information produced
the desired effeft' I knew 'twas impossible to do jus
tice to the sick while you had the direction of tne hos
pital fore, and. t^er^for^ I immediately refigued naff
commiffiou "