The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-01-23 00:00:00, page 1

r ,HE fourth charge brought'againft me is. That I in
-1 jurcd, or endeavoured to injure the continental mo
ney, particularly, by writing a letter to my brother.
This charge I totally deny. In myjourney to Kent. I
left Chefier the thirteenth of December, and lay that night
at New-Cajlle. The next morimig, just before I let out,
I wrote a note to my brother, and lent it to Philadelphia,
to be forwarded to him. It was there given to his black
servant, who, being told he mult, get a pdfs, appliedzo th?
Council^f Safe for one, to go to his matter. They,under
ftaiiding he had a letter from me, demanded it- -broke it
open---feht the servant to gaol', where he was kept two
nights---and my new house, then lately finished, and in
which I had not lived, was turned into a hospital. The
letter was in these words.
Conclusion of President DICKIN-
These were solid reasons then, that would hare justified
my brother's refufil of continental money at that time :
Reasons, that were not applicable to people in general, and
.therefore exempted'him out of the common obligation to
receive it—His being in camp, so as to be prevented from
Securing it—The indifputaole superiority of the enemy,
which was momentarily expected to be exerted against our
army—The confufion and danger from some of jour own
people.
- Why did the Council of Safety, by opening the letter,
compel me to mention any-other reason? Little did they
know me, if they fnppofed that I could be induced, by
the difficulties to which they fubjeded me, to swerve one
tittle from the truth. Some men wished the public to be
lieve, that I apprehended, when I wrote the letter, a
,great depreciation of the continental money —and that
this apprehension was the foie cause of my writing it. I
might have submitted to this construction, without de
tracting from my character either in refped to prudence
or integrity. But, it was not the fad. I acknowledged
that I did apprehend such a depreciation; and that this
apprehension bad weight with me, in inducing me to
write the letter. But I totally denied, and Bill deny,
that this consideration would have moved me to write, if
my brother had not been in so uncommon a situation as he
ithen was.
“ Receive no more continental money on your bonds
“ and mortgages— The Britijb troops having conquered
" the jerfas, and your being in camp, are fufficient
" reasons—Be fare you remember this---It will end bet
ter for you." Sealed and dieted thus---" To Brigadier
General Philemon Dickrnjon, at the American Camp.'
In order to judge of this advice, the circumitaoces
that were known to me, and the motives that induced me
to think it proper, Should be taken into consideration.
I had before, my eyes a number of fatts, threatening
immediate ruin to a brother. His dwelling house and
landed eftatt were in that part of the country actually pos
sessed by the Britijb army; and be had let out money to
perfims rejiding in that part. 1 had ken a letter from him,
in which he said, " he expected to fuffer several thousand
pounds damage by this event." A New-Jer/e, gentleman
of the firft dhtinftion, wh fe name I mentioned to the
Council of Safety, had told me at Chiller, the day before
I wrote the letter, that he lodged one night at Brijiol, in
which place and its neighbourhood our army then was,
and that the houses were so crowded, and things in such
confusion, that next morning almost every gentleman had
loft his money, watch, hat, or some other article. My
brother was then in a small army, retreating before a
larger^and victorious one. He was necessarily detained
in the camp, being the firft Brigadier General of the Jer
fo troops then with the army. His family were driven
from home. First flying to Philadelphia, they were
quickly after obliged to take refuge in Maryland, at a
great diitar.ee from him. He had but one servant with
him, and an improper one to be trusted with money.
Were these circumstances to receive money im--when he
had no way of securing it, and the moment after receiv
ing it he m : ght have been called into adin?
But, why did I mention " Continental money" only I
For these reaf&ns---that debts were then paid in no other
—and that his debtors refilled in that part of New Jersey,
of Which the Britijb were then pofieffed in force, where
confeqaently that money would fink in value, and debt
ors who had submitted to the enemy, and renounced the
American cause, might have ereffed the river, on the
banks of which he then was, and but a few miles from
them, to pay off their debts with it, to a man who was
rilking his life in Support of that cause. Indubitable it is,
that in my letter I alluded to Jersey debtors only, where
I knew he had id out money " on bonds or mortgages;"
because I mentioned " the Britijb troops having con
quered the Jerjeys," and because his other debtors re
sided in Kent county on Delaware, above an hundred
miles from him, and there was not the least likelihood
that any ofthem would take so long a journey at such a
season of the year, and venture with funis of money into
a camp, in the face of an enemy, and in such a situation
of affairs as then cxifted.
THUR SD AY,
%fe/^(fy) @>'^^ 6D @0 Ci''!)
VOL. XI.I Published every TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY. —Price Six-Pence.
SON's Address.
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
verfally acknowledged ? If offered and refuted, the forego
ing reasons were fufficient to jollify him. In short, let the
letter be supposed to have operated in any imaginable
manner, according to its plain meaning, after coming to
his hands, and it is easy to perceive that the credit of
continental money could not thereby have been drawn
into question. My accusers have sense enough to under
fland these observations, and to feel their force: But,
luckily for them, and unluckily to Be sure for me, one
circumftar.ee appears against me---" There seems to be a
consciousness that I was writing fomdthing blameabk,
from the letter not being signed."
It was a common way of writing to my brother. The
By the very words of the letter, the caution is tempo
rary, and limited to the case therein fated. If continen
tal money had been offered to him in that.cafe, .he might
have refufed it, for reasons that would not have injured
—On the other hand, if 1 had meant that he should
refufe continental money general!,, I should have given ,
him advice, that might not only have injured that money,
but his reputation also.
Can arty of you, gentlemen, be so prejudiced, as to
think I would ever give him such advice ? Don't you be
lieve the letter was dictated by brotherly affection? Could
he have adopted such advice, without the affair being
difeovered, and without drawing of course the public
indignation upon him? And is it credible that I Should
have consented to involve him in such a misfortune?
Would this have been to " end better for him?" If I
had. been capable of advising him to a dishonorable act,
it surely would have been an ad for the fafety of bis per
son, at that instant ex-posed to most imminent danger.
Why then did I not advise him to refigh his commidion,
and retire ? The reason is obvious. I must have thought
it, in his situation, dishonorable. I mutt have chosen- —
that he ihould have loft his life, rather'than his character.
Yet—my enemies would persuade the world, that I de
signedly advised my brother to a dishonorable action, that
could not be concealed —in order to save a part of his
efiate —-that is, that I was so stupid and so base, as to pre
fer the security of some of his property to his reputation.
In truth, I meant this, and n> more —that my brother
should decline receiving continental money, WHILE HE
CONTINUED WITH SO MUCH HAZARD IN. CAMP, alluding
particularly to his ferfey debt ors; being assured in my
own mind, that such a conduct, under such circumstan
ces, would not tend cither to the injury of that currency
or of his reputation.—And many of you, gentlemen, I
am convinced, will give me credit for this faithful ad
herence to the welfare of my country, in thus carefully ,
and cautiously limiting my advice, at a time when I really
apprehended a depreciation of continental money. You
will fee other proofs of such an adherence, before I finish
this address, that 1 hope will fatisfy you all.
If any injury was done to the continental money by
opening the letter, I am not to bame. I mean not to
rifled on the Council of Safety. Several of that body,
who were then healed by the artifices that were pradifed,
and entertained unfavorable Sentiments of me, 1 am per
suaded are now my firm friends. If any who were of
the Council still continue my enemies, 1 forgive them.
It is as certain the money was nt injured by opening
the letter, as it is, that I did not endeavour to injure it.
It would be an irfult on your ufiderftandin^s, to suppose
you ignorant of the true caufcs of the depreciation cf
that money.
Allow me, however, to trace the consequences that
would have followed, if the letter had reached my brother,
as I intended. —In the firft place, it was not binding upon
him—it concerned his affiirs---xr related to no in
terest of my owx---it was only advice from a brother
to a brother---his judgment was to pass upon it---perh; ps
no such money might have been offered to him---or, if it
was, he might have thought proper to receive it---Why
were net his honor and diferetion to be confided in? Are
writing proved the writer. In the present case, it couldnt
poffibl, be my intention to conceal my being th^ author
from any perlons in Pennsylvania, if the letter Ih uld get
into their poffeflion; for any one, acquainted with my
writing, would know, on feeing the letter, that it was
written by me, as well as if my name was fubferibed to it.
Indeed---! never expected it to fall into the hands of my
Pemtfylvanian enemies---that wys a strange event-- much
more probable was it, confdering to what place it was ad
dressed, that it would have fallen into the hands f my
Britijb enemies ; and a very little refle&'on will ihow bow
improper it was, that a letter thus exposed ihould be sign
ed with my name.
You must remember, gentlemen, how I was treated.*
The letter was kept out of light. P^rt, but not the
hot his fidelity and mertorio^ fences so his country uni-
* When my letter was opened by the Council of Saety, 1
was in Kent. Upon hearing of their proceedings I repair dto
Philadelphia, went to the Council, and demande* a public hear
ing. This I did notb'an The letter beinz produced at the
Board, I inftantlv acknowledged it, and declined, th(l would
juftify it. I mentioned to them mod, if not all the ciredmflan
ces, related in th°is part of my address, and required, that " they
ihould declare as the sense of their Board, that I nas clear from
OR, THE
THE
(u) This fura happened to remain in my hands in the follow
ing manner. A worthy person, who wanted bis money, called
upon me with a large account. I had been difappoiated in re
ceiving caffi, and in part of payment I assigned to him a certifi
cate for £ 107; The other case was this. Having applied
much the greatest part of my pay as Colonel, by drawing an
order in camp at Elizabeth Town, for a public use well known,
to the officers of the First Battalion, I never called for the resi
due. One. day Colonel Chevalier told me, he bad received for
me on that acount £l4 18 6, or some such sum. I told him,
I did not intend to draw for it; but now it was paid, I Should be
obliged to him, if be would be so kind as to pay it to the Over
seers of the Poor for the Northern Liberties, to be distributed
among poor families in that townffiip. He replied, that he
supposed I meant families that were not chargeable to the town-
Ship, and as that care did not relate to the office of Overfeeds,
perhaps they would think it too troublesome. I told him, I did
mean such families, and, for the reason he had mentioned, he
might pay the money to me at any time that would be most
convenient to him. He soon after ferit it to me, not mary dave
before I left home. This furrihas been Since applied to the use
of the poor.
(A) This was my determination, having resolved to leave the
State. In refuting to aft under the present constitution at that
time, I obeyed the inftruftoos cf the county of Philadelphia '. By
ading under it now, 1 obey the commands, which in a remarkable
manner, and with ad affection that does me honor, that fame
county hs been pleated to give me. 1 declined the call into
public office in this State tor some time; but at last it grew so
ftronr and refpettable, that I Should have incurred a kind of
criminality, if I had been difobrdient to it.
(r) I have been informed by a member of the Council of
Safety, that tho' they sent a copy, of my letter to the Cora
maoder in Chief, he never took any notice of it in his corre
fpondente with the Council. As it has been reported that the
Commander in Chief wrote a let'er to Cohgrefs, lamenting my
defection from the American cause, I beg leave to far, that if
bis Excellency had written such a letter, it Should naturally have
been attributed to the information received in camp concerning
my conduct and defers, the üblfance of which information is
mentioned in the Address. Whether, under these imorefficns,
he wrote any private letter mentioning me, I know not—But
1 eftcem myfelf warranted, on proper e q i iry, in faying, that
his Excellency never did write inch a letter to Congress.
(d) This alludes to my intention, at that time, of addressing
the public, as may appear bv this other extract from my letter of
January 21, 1777, to the Couacifeof Solely.
all fufpici n of intentions Unfriendly to the cause of America,
and that they w uld pub! th to the world, what they said to me
in excuse for opening the letter, fending the feivant to goal, and
turning my house into a hufpita!.”
1 his declaration - was not made; and I was called, 'fy a parti=
cular accident, to return to Kent, from which place I wrote to
them, a.ain requeuing the declaration. The following part of
that letter, I hope, I /ball be pardoned for publishing, when fuel
Severe reproaches have been cast upon me.
“You may observe, that I have not required any reparation
from you for the damages, great ^s they are, you have done and
are now doing to my property. Had it beea necessary, I wculd
cheerfully have opened my best house, and the best rooms in it,
tor the reception, and have cut down my best woods for the relief
of such unhappy people as I have lately seen. But, as fellow
citizens, you ought to have regarded me as one of the last pe sons,
on whom in equity such heavy contributions Should he levied with
indignity, by force; it having been my constant praaice, DURING
the whole course of My LIFE, from the time I was
frf vested with a public character in Penrfylvania, to this day.
specifically to give to PUBLIC uses every sum of money
as it became due to me either as a member of Aflembly, a delegate
in Congiefs, or an officer of the Militia, except (a) £ 121 18 6,
as may appear by trading the applications of the monies on the
alignments in the several offices. Nor can the sum above par.i
cularized be laid to remain in my hands, if other sums given by
me to public uJes fliould be taken into .the account,' witbout reck
oning whrt I have font in the public service.
" Another instance of the dfntereftednejs and fnglenefs of heart
with which I have endeavoured to serve my country is, that
I NEVER DTD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE WHOLE,
course of my life, ;Sk or follicit any post of profit tor my
felt; and in the beginning of the last month, upon some reflec
tion being made by a member of the meeting held in the State-
House, an the designs of thole who opposed a majority of that:
body, I publicly declared to them, that in whatever manner the
government should be regulated, I (p) never would bear any office
in it.
" Being now fcarce'y able to hold my pen, I Shall conclude
with requeftin/, that tbfe circumstances may be ferioufy confsdered
by you as adds ional evi fences of the habitual purity of my inten
tions towards my country, and may. with those I have already
personally offered, per u de you to dejift from your (c) perse v erance
in an attempt to render r e an object of popular hatred and tu
multuary violence, and th reby prevent any (d) further trouble
to yourselves, or to Yu r injured humble Servant,
Kent, January, 21, 1777.''JOHN DICKINSON.
whole, was published. The limitations prescribed in i&
were concealed—But, it was said that I had advised my
brother to refufe continental money generally —to throw
up bis commiflion—to join the enemy —that I was trying
to pass t\\e Delaware for this purnofe, and that I had re
fufed continental money. I have been informed by an
officer of diftinafon that these Rories reached the camp.—
J A N UAR Y 23, 178$
[F r the Remainder See the Fourth Pag .]
I NUMB. 993.