The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1778-06-17 00:00:00, page 1

Mr. Dunlap,
• By inferring in the Packet the fallowing answer to
a real letter, you may perhaps help fame mistaking
persons to a better opinion of the Tell of Allegiance,
required of the fubjeds of Pennsylvania, and you
writ oblige, Sir,
Your very humble servant,
CANDIDUS.
Larcafter, June 6tb, 1778.
Reverend Sir,
IWAS favoured with your letter of the firft
instant. Your apology for writing *as quite
misplaced. Besides the pleasure of hearing from
you, the fubje& is of great and public importance.
The cau'e of religious liberty has numerous advo
cates among us; 1 trust that I am accounted one of
them..
You observe, “ that on a late visit to several
parts of three counties of this State, you found
great complaints made by the Menonifts and Qua
kers, of the oath of allegiance, required of its fub
je6ts, as including an obligation to fight, contrary
to their known principles. You fay, that many of
these people declare their willingnels to affirm to be
faithful fubjeds of this State; do no injury to it;
and difeover ail they know to do it." The obje&i
cn you Hate, would 1 allow, be weighty, if it were
founded in truth. But the matter is plainly mis
taken. Ever since the revolution in 1688, when
Welfare the Third afeended the throne, the fubji&s
of England have been holden to give affivances of
allegiance, and to abjure the pretended defeendants
of the Stuart race, in the very terms prescribed by
the new Legislature of Pennsylvania. To convince;
ym cf this, I shall copy fume sentences cf a form
cflabliihed by an Ads of Assembly of the Province,
passed in the eleventh of George the First, for ac
commodating the declaration of abjuration, enjoined
I y the Engliih Parliament, to the use of Quakers,
% Q. " And I do renounce and refufe any allegiance
“ or obedience to him (de Pretender) and I do
“ foßmnly promise, that I will be true and faithful,
“ ard bear true allegiance to Kr g George, and to
" him will be faithful ag^inft all traitorous confpi
“ racies and atte npts whatsoever, &c. and that I will
'' do my bed endeavour to difclole and make known
“ to King George and his iucceffors all treasons,
" &c." To this the Quakers never objected. Nay,
their ar.'ceßors drew up this very form, and imposed
i. in all cases wherein the like declaration was directed
by tie laws of England. Now in England, two
Justices are impowered to call before them any per
foo, and require him to make this declaration on
oath, (or if a Quaker, to affirm the effect cf it) cm
pain cf imprisonment, till he comply*. The words
of the State test of allegiance and abjuration com
plained of, are these; " 1 A. B. dofwear (or affirm)
'' that I renounce and refufe all allegiance to George
“ the Third, King of Great Britain, his heirs and
“ fuccTors ;, and that I will bear faithful and true
“ allegiance to the Common Wealth cf Pennfylva
" ria, as a free and independent State; and that I
" will not at anytime do, &c. and that I will difeover
“ all treasons, &c." You will eafry fee, that no
obligation to bear aims and fight is deducible from
the latter form, and that it is as indulgent to Qua
kers and others, scrupulous of defending their coun
try by f rce, as the form heretofore eftabliffied by
riieW^uakers themselves. As to the ^lcnonifis, it
may be observed, that the Germans (and these peo
ple are, I believe, generally luch) at their firft ar
rival, and cn naturalization, have conformed to the
declaration fi ft mentioned, and ccnfequently can
not cor fifleptly, cn pretence that it obliges them to
right, refufe the present form of attesting allegiance
and abjuration. It must be allowed, that the test
row insisted cn is much the cleared for a confeien
tipus man to take. for the Englifli fc?m, even gmp
, * ift George tbefrf, S;^/f7qE7Tfllt
G ENE'R A L
WED N E SDA Y, JUNE 17th, 1778.
I fried by the Quaker Assembly, is embarrassed with
l eferrence to two ads of Parliament, which, per
nips, not one in an hundred, called to adopt it,
ever read.ft
You add, from these complainers, " That the
confriturion promises the rights of lubjedts to all de
nominations; ptefently, oaths are required, which
they cannot take, without renouncing their princi
ples." But nothing new, or affediog religious prin
ciple, is now required. If Menonifts and Quakers
could and did comply with the caths eftzbhfhed un
der the late governs ent, without renouncing or vi
olating their principle of non-refinance, they may, it
appears, give the assurance now called for without
cruple. Their conftru&ion of the constitution is not
fair. It is indeed declared byone article, that no
farther or other religious test than that provided by
the frame cf government shall ever be required. But
do not these very words imply, and reserve to Legis
lature, a right to demand reasonable assurances of
fidelity from the fubjeds cf the State, especially at
a time when disaffection is, we well know, very com
mon ; and when a crnteft is row actually carried on
within the State, for the sovereignty of it, in which
many of the inhabitants have joined the invading
enemy. Hereafter, perhaps, the form may be fim
plified without inconvenience, but the fafety of the
people requires, that at prefect a test, which makes
a proper dilcrimina ton, be den anded. All must
confefs, that rhe at hors of it have been very lionet
and explicit, so that doubt and evasion are precluded.
I would willingly hope, that this clearness in ex
pressing what is meant, is no objection. If it were,
a farther end important reason would be thereby af
forded for its continuance.
t ^ a" fir declaring the rights and liberties cf the
Jubjedl, and fettling the fuceffon, &c. and an adifor the
further limitation of ibe Grown, ©c. c l be Inf edition of
this abjuration oath by 6tb George the third, Co,.
recites on) the latter afl of Parliament.
^^^^^^^^lF^^*^±±±^^
TO BE SO LD,
SE VERAL tra&s of valuable LAND; one ly
ing filtrate at the head of Mufconetcung river, in
New-Jersey, about thirty five miles from Elizabeth
Town and four from Suckatunney Plains, containing
about three thousand acres, having on it a large forge
with four fires and two hammers, a grist mill and law
mill on one of the belt lb earns in America, with eighty
acres of choice meadow and many valuable buildings
on the fame, all in good order, which is now under
leale for eight and a half tons of bar iron per annum ;
it will be fold together or separate. Also another tra&
lying situate on the said river, known by the name of
Squirt's Point, about fifteen miles from Eafton on the
river Delaware, containing about one thousand eight
hundred acres, having oh it an old forge and very good
grid mill, a dwelling-hcufe and barn, all in good or
der. Ado another tied lying situate about fifty miles
from Efopus, containing about nine thousand acres,
Also another trad lying fituite on O;ttr Creek, choice
good land, containing about four thousand acres. Also
a large parcel of ca'tle, sheep, and hogs, and a large
quantity of farming utensils too tedious to mention.
Also a phaeton and pair of neat horses, chair and ful
k^y, a fine Enplifh ftaliion and several breeding mares.
All these that have demands to bring in their accounts,
and they will be adjured ; and those that are indebted
to me either bv bond, note, or book accounts, are re
quested to difeharge the fame immediately, as I in
tend to remove to Well Florida, chief of my family
being now there. Any person or perlons by applying
to the fubferiber for any of the above articles or land;
may purchase as they can agree for Continental mo
ney or credit, with giving bonds and good security, by
May %7 , GARRET RAPALJE,
1775. living at Squire's Point.
CAME to the house of the fubferiber, in
Perkiomen and Skippack Township, on the 20th
of September last, a brownifli roan HORS E, fix years
old, about fifteen hands high, trots and gallops. The
owner is desired to come, prove his property, pay
charges and take him away.
. GABRIEL KLEIN.
^ ^^r^Q^f^ wQiQrer^
iflaggy
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THE
THE
advertiser.
, M A G I STR AT E Sj
IMay be supplied with
IBLANK CERTIFICATES for the OATH
lof ALLEGIANCE, by
JOHN DU N L A P.
ALS O,
All other kinds of B LANKS ufcd b, Civil Officers,
printed on the belt paper.
LExPERs SCO ICH SNUFF, in bottles,
To be fold by the Printer..
One ,hundred and Fifty Dollars Reread.
J, AN AWAY from the fubferiber, living on
ft Linganore, Frederick County, Maryland, a
likely active Negro man named CHARLES, twen
ty-five years of age, five feet ten inches higli, yellow
-101 complexion; had cn a white fulled I nee, j rket
with a red cape, if not red cuffs, coarse tow^flei; fti t,
old shoes, andafmall roun f tailor's hat. 4T, OHN
BARNH AM, an Eughfh convi& servant lad, about
five feet five inches high, pj:t d with the smallpox ;
he had on nearly the ft me dress as the flive, but un
deiftind ht has charged it t He has about four years
to serve. Whoever takes up the said slave and servant,
and secures them so that I may get them again, shall
have the above reward, or One Hundred Dollars for the
r>egro and Fifty Dollars for the fc rvant, including what
the law allows, and reafona'le clia ges paid if brou ft
home. They are very great villainy and iOak'n will
make their escape if p< ffiole, therefore it is requeued
that they mey be well ironed,
BASIL DORSET.
Potts-Town, ch June, 1778
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD;
OIRAYED cr STOLEN from 3 p ftne in Stow
° Farm, a very dark brown or mouse coloured
POXEY: has a cit tail and hogged main, t its and
Canters, has a flit in one of his e-rs, has 11 > white that
can be recollected, and is branded S. If ftol r, "ho
ever brings said Poney and thief to the fubferiber,
fli 1! h^ve the above reward; but if strayed away, and
t ken eight ml?s from hom~, shall be allowed Six
Dollars, and if more, Ten Dollars, paid by
JOHN MITCHELL, D. ()_ M G.
WHEREAS Benjamin Dillard, for
merly of Little-Britain Township, Lancaster
County, obtained bonds of me for the payment cf
land, one of which, containing forty pounds, was due
in May, 1777, an d I have made a legal tender of the
money to the person whom I have gieat reason to be
lieve has my bend ; bu' he denies having it, though
he acknowledged if I would pay him in such money as
he gave for it he wcul.l find it, alledging the invalidi
ty, and Viewing certain tokens of his difrefpe& to the
present currency. Therefore as the bond is ferreted,
this is to give notice to any person who ma, have it, *o
call upon me for the nioney any t ; me before the fi ft
day of June next, otherwise I will th n pay it into the
office at Lancaster and get a difeharg, azsnnft the bond.
ALEXANDER SNODGRASS.
N. B. No intereff will be pud upon the bond unless
produced.
THIRTY DOLLARS REWARD.
IV A S STOLEN out of the house of th: sub
scriber, at the Bull-head Tavern, in Well Nmt
vdil Township, Chester County, by a certain Andrew
KnearY, about Twenty-five Founds in money, and
a pinchbeck Watch with fhagreen covering, the fha
gretß a good deal worn off, has a green fi'k ribband
instead of a chain, and a seal set in silver. Said Kneary
is a ftcut well made man, five feet nine or ten inches
high, about twenty-two years of age, cf a fair com
plexion, fair hiir turned wp before, and fpe ? ks with
the brogue ; had on a new felt hat, a white coat,
jacket and breeches of home made cloth, < and a pair
of brogue shoes. Whoever secures the said thief in
any gaol in this State, so that he may be brought to
justice and the money and watch be had again, shall
receive the above reward and reasonable charges, paid
by JO TIN TEANE Y.
CAME to the plantation of the fubferiber,
living in Leacock Township, Lancaster County,
on theist instant, a large black lIORSE, with a Far
and one white foot, about five years old. The owner
is desired to come, prove his property, pay charges
and take him away. JOHN MOORE.