The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-02-19 00:00:00, page 2

NEW-YOR K, February 14.
Bh maje y's ship Narcissus, Edward Edwards, efqr.
commander arrived here on Tuesday last, in nine
weeks from England ; hy her we have the following
advices.,
From the London Gazette, November 27.
Westminster, November 27.
This day at ^oon his majefly went in date to the
house of peers, and being in his royal robes, feared
on the throne, with his usual solemnity, his majefly
was pleased to open the session of parliament with
the following most gracious SPEECH.
My lords and gentlemen,
YT ZHEN I last met you in parliament, I acquaint ß
edyou with the arduous situation of public af
fairs at that time, and I represented to you
the objects which I had in view, and the resolution
with which I was determined to persevere in the de
fence of try dominions against the combined power
of my enemies, until such a pacification could be made
as might consist with the honour of my crown and the
permanent interest and security of my people. The
war is hill unhappily prolonged by that restless am
bition which firft excited our enemies to commence it,
and which dill continues to disappoint my earnest de
fire and diligent exertions to restore the public tranqui
lity : but I should not answer the trust committed to
the sovereign of a free people, nor make a suitable re
turn to my fubjefts for their constant, zealous and as
fe&ionate attachment to my person, family and go
vernment, if I consented to facrifice, either to my own
define of peace, or to their temporary ease and relief,
those essential rights and permanent interests, upon the
maintainance and preservation of uhich, the future
'ftrength and security of this country must ever princi
pally depend.
The favourable appearance of our affairs in the East-
Indies, end the fafe and prosperous arrival of the nu
merous commercial fleets of my kingdoms, must have
given y u fatisHHion ; but in the course of this year,
my affidnous endeavours to guard the extensive domi
nions of my cro n, have not been attended with suc
cess equ d to the juflice and uprightness of my views;
and it is with great concern that I inform you, that
the events of war have been very unfortunate to my
arms in Virginia, having ended in the loss of my forces
io that province.•
No endeavours have been wanting on my part to
extinguish that spirit of rebellion which our enemies
have found means ro foment and maintain in the colo
nies, and to reflore to my deluded fubjefts in America
That happy and prosperous condition, which they
formerly derived from a due obedience to the laws;
but the late misfortune in that quarter calls loudly for
your firm concurrence and a ffiftance, to fru ftrate the
designs of our enemies, equally prejudicial to the real
iotereHs of America, and to tho e of Great Britain.
In the last session you made a considerable progr-fs
in your enquiries into the Bate and condition of our
dominions and revenues in the Bast-Indies: you will,
I am persuaded, resume the prosecution of that impor
tant deliberation, with the fame spirit and temper
in which it was begun, and proceed with the fame
attention and anxiety to confider how those remote pro
vinces may be held and governed with the greatest fe
curity and advantage to this country, and by what
means the happiness of the native inhabitants may be
most promoted
Gentlemen of the house of Commons,
I will order the eflimates for the ensuing year to be
laid before you. I rely on your wisdom and public
. spirit fir such flipplies as the circumstances of our
affairs shall be found to require. Among the many ill
consequences which attend the continuation of the pre
sent war, I most sincerely regret the additional bur
thens which it must unavoidably bring upon my faith
ful fubje&s.
My lords and gentlemen,
In the prosecution of this great and importarit con
test, in which we arc engaged, I retain a firm confi
dence in the protection of divine providence, and a per
fect conviaion of the justice of my cause, and I have no
doubt, but, that by the concurrence and support of
my parliament, by the valour of my fleets and armies,
and by a vigorous, animated, and united exertion of
the faculties and resources of my people, I shall be en
abled to restore the blessing of a fafe and honourable
peace to all my dominions.
WHITEHALL, November 27.
Extrad of a letter from fir Henry C inton to the right
honourable lord George Germain, dated on board
the London, off Cnefapeak. Odo. 19 1781 ; by cap
tain Melcombe, of his majefly's (Loop the Rattle
fuake, who arrived in town late on Sunday night.
Agreeable to the information which I had the ho
nour to give your lordship in my last dispatches, the
fleet, under the command of rear admiral Graves, fai
led from Sandy Hook on the 16th instant, and arrived
off Cape Charles the 24th when we had the mortifica
jion to hear that lord Cornwallis had proposed terms
of capitulation to the enemy on the 17th.
This intelligence was brought us by the pilot of the
Charon, and some other persons who came off from
the shore, and laid they had made their escape from
York on the 18th, and had not heard any firing there
since the day before. The Nymph frigate also arriving
the next day from NewYork,brought me a letter from
his lordffiip dated thei §th,the defponding tenor of which
gave me the most alarming apprehensions of its truth.
Since then we have been plying off the Capes with va
riable and hard gales of wind, to the present hour,
without being able to procure any further information,
' except from two men taken in a canoe, whole report
exaftly corresponds with the former.
Comparing therefore the intelligence given by those
people, and several others since come in, with the pur
port of lord Cornwallis's letter, a copy of which I have
the honour to enclose for your lordship's information,
we cannot entertain the least doubt of his lordfllip's
having capitulated, and that we are unfortunately too
late to relieve him ; which being the only object of the
expedition, the admiral has determined upon returning
with his fleet to Sandy-Hook.
I beg leave to mention to your lordfllip, that the ar
my is under the greatest obligations to the admirals, the
The 25th his majefly's ship la Nymphe joined us
from New York, and brought dispatches from lerd
Cornwallis, dated the 15th,a copy of which is enclosed,
and leaves littlero m toqueftion e truth of the other in
telligence.The 3 people being still on board a rid'queflio
ned again,and known for what they reported themselves
to be by feveril persons, helped still to corroborate: I
therefore determined to detach the Rattlesnake for Eu
rope to give the earliefl information to their lordfllips,
that government may be prepared to receive the par
ticulars
captains, and the officers of the king's fllips, for the
chearfulnefs with which they Submitted to many and
great inconveniencies for our accommodation on this
frrvice.
Copy of a letter from earl Cornwallis, to his excellency
fir Henry Clinton, dated York, Virginia, Ofto. 15,
1781.
Last evening the enemy, carried my two advanced
redoubts on the left by florm, and during the night
have included them in their second parallel, which they
are at present busy in perfecting.
My situation now becomes very critical, we dare
not (hew a gun to their old batteries, and I expert their
new ones will be open to-morrow morning. Experi
ence has (hewn that our irefh earthen works do not re
fill their powerful artillery, so that we shall be soon
exposed to an assault in ruined works, in a bad po
sition, and with weakened numbers.
T^e fafety of the place is therefore so precarious,
that I cannot recommend that the fleet and army should
run great rifque in endeavouring to save us.
I have the honour to be, with great refped, &c.
Admiralty-office, Nov. 27, 1781.
Capt. Meleombe, of hi -majesty's sloop the Rattle
fn ke, arrived at this office late on Sunday night from
North-America, with dispatches from rear-admiral
Graven to Mr. Stephens, of which the following is an
extras: London, at sea, OH. 29, 1781.
In my last letter, by the Lively, captain Manly, I
desired you to acquaint the lords commiffibners of the
admiralty, of my having passed the bar of New-York
with British fleet, with 7000 of the army embarked,
to go to the relief of earl Cornwallis, at York in the
Chefapeak.
The fleet accordingly failed the moment the troops
were put on board, and proceeded She fame day (the
19th) for the Chefapeak.
The 24th we received intelligence from a black man.
who w^s pilot of his majesty's fllip Charon, a white
man who belonged to the quarter-mafler-general's de
partment, and another black man, who had made their
escape together from York, that lord Cornwallis had
capitulated on the 18th instant the day before the fleet
failed from Sandy hook
The 26th one of our boats brought off some people
from t e shore nea Cape Charles, who gave the fame
report of the capitulation.
In the house of lords, the address to his majefly's
speech was moved by lord Grantham, it was seconded
by lord Walfingham; lord Shelburne proposed an a
mendment, was seconded by his grace of Richmond, to
whom lord Denbigh replied. The duke of Dorfet, and
lord Stormont, opposed the amendment, which was
supported by lords Derby and Abingdon; the house
divided and lord Southampton's original moti n with
out amendment was carried by 71 against 31, The
duke of Richmond, marquis of Rockingham, and earl
Eitzwilliam, afterwards entered their protests against
the proposed address.
In the commons, Mr. Percival moved an address to
the throne, and Mr. Orde seconded him ; the hod. Mr.
Fcx proposed an amendment, similar to that in the
house of lords, but the address was carried without the
amendment, by 218 against 129; and the next day j n
the report of the committee to form the address, there
appeared for the address without amendment, 131 &
gainft it, 53 — majority, 76.
\ NEW-YORK, February 14.
When lord Southampton made a motion in the house
of peers ou Tuesday the 27th of November last, his
lordship commented on the speech, and warmly com
mended the sentiments it contained. To quit the con
test for our dominions in America, he said, would be
to destroy the very being of this country. A principal
part of our trade was so connected in that part of the
world, that commerce would feel a fatal blow in the
independance of the rebels; and as every noble lord
must confefs, that the fafety and supremacy of England
depended on her navel strength, so must they acknow
ledge that a league and covenent, in its full effect, be
tween America and France, would effentiall y weaken
our navy, by the want of that supply of dores which
the country has long received from her colonies.
The following paragraph appears in the Sherborne
I thank you for rids very dutiful and affectionate ad
dress. The affuranecs of your chearful concurrence
and support in the prosecution of the great and im
portant contest in which we are engaged, gives me the
highest fatisfa&ion, and must have the most Jajutary
effects. It shall be my constant endeavour to make the
best fe of this support for the attainment of the sole
end which I have ever in view, a fafe and honoura
ble peace.
The foreign mails bring an account of the death of
compte de Maurepas, miniver of France, at 81 years
of age ; and of the emperor's accession to the armed
neutrality-
- I should bave been happy to have tried every possi
ble means to eff a a relief, could we have arrived in
time : that profped being at an end, I determined to
leave this flation, and return to New York.
N. B. The copy of lord Cornwallis's letter, above
referred to, is the fame as that printed in the fore
going dispatches from fir Henry Clinton.
LONDO N, December 3.
Wednesday morning the Du ch admiral Byland fail
ed through the channel, with four men of war and two
frigates, and as commodore Stewart is failed to meet
him it is highly provable an adion will ensue.
The following is I is majesty's answer to the address
from the house of l^rds on the king's speech.
My lords,
PROC LAMATIO N.
WH EREAS there is good reason to believe,
that there are many Deserters from the Con
tinental Army, who, from a conv ^ion of
their errors, and from finding themselves deluded by
fade profiles, would willingly return to their colours
not a PP reh e n frv eo f that punishment which
is justly due to their crimes: Therefore, from motives
of huiramfopd in order to give all such ao opportu
nity 01 returning to the service of their country [
have thought fit to issue this, my Proclamation, offering
free Pardon to all Deserters; as well those wo may
have joined the enemy as others, who shall deliver
u? ^" y c^inental Officer, on or, before
the firft Day of June next.
But I think it necessary at the fame time to declare,
j thole who neglect to embrace the terms now
offered, and are hereafter apprehended, may expert
the most exemplary Punishment..
Given at Head-Quarters, in Philadelphia, this
eighth Day of February, 1782.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
By His Excellency's
Command.
Tench Tilghman, A. D. C.
[The Printers in the different States are requested to
publish the above.]
The Narcissus failed from Plymouth on the Bth es
December last, at which time ten fail of the line, seve
ral of which were three deckers, were ready to fail
from Portsmouth for the Weft-ladies, under the com
mand .f fir George Brydges Rodney, K. B.
On Monday last was sent in here by his majefly's
ship Lion, William Fookes, esquire, commander, the
rebel schooner Dorchester, Solomon Fraser, ma^er
from St. Croix bound for Choptank river, in Mary
land, with a cargo of rum and fait. She had been
days from port when taken, on Wednesday the sixth
instant, off the Capes of Virginia. The prisoners ar
rived in her report that the count de Graffe's fleet
has been augmented since its arrival in the Weft Indies
from Chefapeak-Bay ; and that it had convoyed a
number of French troops from Martinico, which had
ma !e a defeent on St. Chriftophers; in consequence
the British troops Rationed there, and the militia of
the island, had retired into the works on Brimstone-
Hill. [But this intelligence coming from our enemies
may be pronounced what they wish, rather than a true
fiate of our interest in the Weft-Indies.]
The sloop Fox, a cruiser on the Delaware station,
adverturing too high up that river, was frozen up,
and had recourse to her cannon to prevent the rebels
making a prize of her ; she got clear and arrived here
yesterday.
Mercury, of December 3 :—Government are in greater
uneafmefs as to the effeds of the tenth article in lord
Cornwallis's capitulation, than from any other part of
that most important event. The brave, but unfortu
nate general, by that clause, agrees to relinquish the
Americans to the fate the enemy may think proper to
impose upon them.
Philadelphia, Feb. 19.
The honourable the representatives of this Rate are
now convened at the state house in his citv • and we
have no doubt but that a very spirited exertion of the
resources of the commonwealth will be the firft matter
to claim their attention.
The brigantine Fox, captain Steel, is arrived in our
river from Cadiz, after a passage of 32 days. The ad
vices received by her are contained in the following
extra's ofletters from that quarter.
Extras of a letter from Cadiz, dated Jan. 8, 1782.
The late success of the combined arms in Virginia,
has afforded a general fatisfa&ion to the people of this
kingdom, who seem heartily disposed to be our friends.
The grand fleet put to sea a few days past, consisting
of 44 fail of the line and a number of transports with
troops on board : their donation is not known, but
supposed to be for the Hivanna. The Courier de la
Europe, containing the king's speech; and debates of
parliament, is here, and after lamenting their late bad
success in Virginia, flrongly recommend a prosecution
of the war, which motion was carried by a large ma
jority, and the supplies voted for th- ensuing campaign.
It therefore does not appear that we shall havea peace
this year. It is reported that an embarkation of 6000
Hanoverian troops is to take place for America, to be
there at the opening of the ensuing campaign.
" The siege of fort S'. Philip continues to be carried
on with great vigour. By the latest accounts from that
place we have good grounds to believe, that the garri
son will not hold out many weeks longer."
Extract of another letter from Cadiz, dated January 7.
/ " hear that count de Guichen, who foiled
from Brefton the 11th ult. with nineteen fail of the line,
has had an engagement wi h the British admiral Kem
penteldt. Fhe issue is not as yet known, but if it is
true, as is said, that the English had no more than
hops, we make no doubt but the advantage has been
on the lide of our allies.'
We have great reason to believe'that an a&ion has
lat ^y happened in the Weft Indies between the French
a ° d fleets. A schooner from St. Thomas's,
which she left on the 30th of January, brings an ac^
count, that a small vessel arrived there on that day from
St. Chriflopher's, the people of which report, that the
two fleets were feed engaged, but the event was not
,2t° ™'' a ' seems to Confirm this news, is the pro
bability of the British fleet attempting he relief of St
Chriftophers, the principal fortrefs of which was at
tha time elofely invested by the French army, while
the flee layoff in order to cover their operations, and
we conclude the a^ioa must have happened near that
island. . 1
By His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON,
Esquire, < eneral and Commander in Chief of the
Armies of the United States of America.