The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-04-11 00:00:00, page 2

der,and it is hereby Ordained and Ordered, That hence
forward general Reprisals be granted against the ships,
goods and fubjeds of the King of Great-Britain; so
that, as well the fleets and ships ofthefe United States,
as also all other ships and vessels commissioned by
letters of marque or general Reprisals, or otherwise,
by the authority of the United States in Congress
assembled, shall md may lawfully seize all ships,
vessels and goods belonging to the King or Crown
of Great-Britain, or to his fubjeds, or others inha
biting within any of the territories or possessions of
the aforefaid King of Great-Britain, and bring them
to judgment in any of the courts of admiralty that
now are or hereafter may be established in any of
these United States, by the authority of the United
States in Congress assembled; and the said courts of
admiralty are hereby authorized and required to take
cognizance of, and judicially to proceed upon all and
all manner of captures, seizures, prizes and reprisals
of all ships and goods that are or shall be taken, and
to hear and determine the fame, and, according to
the course of admiralty and the laws of nations, to
adjudge and condemn all such ships, vessels and goods,
as shall belong to the King of Great-Britain or to his
fubjefts, or to any others inhabiting within any of
the countries, territories or dominions, or possessions
of the aforefaid King of Great-Britain:
And that the board of admiralty or secretary of ma
rine forthwith prepare, and lay before the United
States in Congress assembled, a draught of inftrudi
ons for such ships or vessels as shall be commiffionat
ed for the purposes above-mentioned.
And it is hereby farther Ordained, That the de
ftrudion of papers, or the possession of double papers,
by any captured vessel, shall be deemed and taken as
just cause for the condemnation of such captured ves
sel; and that, when any prize, having been taken
and possessed by the enemy twenty-four hours, shall
be re-taken from them, the whole of such re-captur
ed prize shall be condemned, for the use of the re
captors; but, in cases where the prize shall have
continued in the pofleflion of the enemy less than
twenty-four hours, it shall be restored to the original
owner or owners, except one third part of the true
value thereof, which shall be allowed as salvage to
the re-captors.
And it is hereby farther Ordained, That the citi
zens and inhabitants of these United States, be, and
they hereby are ftridly enjoined and required, to ob
ftain from all intercourse, correspondence or dealings,
whatsoever, with the fubjeds of the said King of
Great-Britain, while at open war with these United
States, as they will answer the fame at their peril;
and the Executives of the several States are hereby
called upon to take the most vigilant and effectual
measures for detecting and suppressing such inter
coqrfe, correspondence or dealings, and bringing the
authors thereof, or those concerned therein, to con
dign punishment.
And, in order the more effectually to remove every
colourable pretence for continuing such intercourse,
it is hereby Ordained, That, from and after the firft
day of November next, no benefit shall be claimed
from., nor countenance or regard paid to, any letters
®f passport or fafe conduct, heretofore granted by
the Congress of the United States, to any of the ci
tizens or inhabitants thereof, or to any perfen or per
sons whatever, for the removal of their property or
effeds from places within the dominions or possessions
of the said King of Great-Britain:
Provided, always, That this Ordinance shall not
extend to authorife the capture or condemnation of
any vessel belonging to any inhabitant of Bermudas,
which being loaded with ialt only, may arrive in any
of these United States, on or before the firft day of
May next.
And it is hereby Ordained, That all former ads or
resolutions of Congress, contrary to the tenor, true
intent and meaning of this Ordinance, be and they
are hereby repealed.
DONE, by the United States in Congress
assembled, the Twenty-seventh day of March,
in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Se
ven Hundred and Eighty-One, and in the
Fifth Year of Our Independence.
SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, President.
Atteff.
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
From the New-York Royal Gazette Extraordinary,
March 26, 1781.
LAST Sunday night arrived here Mr. Galgey, mid
ihipman of his Majesty's ship Royal Oak, dis
patched express by Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot. The
following is an account of an adion fought on the
16th between the British and French squadrons, off
the Chesapeake.
Royal Oak, Lynhaven bay, March 21, 1781.
On Friday the 16th inst. at fix A. M. the Iris made
the signal for difeovering five strange fail to the N.N.E.
And soon after hailed the Admiral, that they were
large ships handing for the capes of Virginia, and sup
posed to be distant about three miles. The Admiral
immediately concluded it must be the enemy he was
in search of, and accordingly prepared for battle, by
forming the line ahead to the wind, which was then
frefh, and proceeding on with a press of fail in the
chace. At this time cape Henry bore S. W. by W.
distant about fourteen leagues, wind at weft; the
French bearing from us N. N. E. the weather so hazy
as scarcely to be able to discern the length of the
British line. At a quarter after eight, the wind veer
ed to N. W. by W. which gave the enemy the ad
vantage of the weather gage; about this time, seve
ral of the Blips were discovered to windward, en
deavouring to form in a line ; twenty-five minutes
after eight, the Guadaloupe ranged up under bur lee,
bringing the fame intelligence with that already given
by the Iris; thirty-five minutes after eight, the Adm.
directed the Iris by signal, to make fail ahead, and
keep fight of the French fleet; the British line was
by this time compleatly formed, fleering close haul
ed on the larboard tack, —At twenty minutes after
nine, the headmoft of the French ships tacked, as
did the rest in succession, and formed the line on the
starboard tack. At thirty-five minutes after nine the
wind being very squally, the Admiral formed the line
ahead, two cables length asunder.
At a quarter after ten, the Admiral made the sig
nal for the squadron to tack, the headmolt and wea
thermoft firft, and gain the wind of the enemy. At
a quarter after eleven, the headmolt of the French line
tacked, but one of them having miffed stays, the
rest wore and formed the line on the larboard tack.
At forty minutes after eleven, the Admiral again from
ed his line at a cable's length asunder.
At twelve o'clock, there being a profpe& of the
vaif of British line reaching the enemy, the whole of
the British line tacked by signal. At one P. M. the
French fpuadron being also in a line ahead, of eight
two deckers, bore E. Dy S. the British line close haul
ed fleering E. S. E. wind at N. E.
At thirty minutes after one, the enemy being ap
prehensive of the danger and inconvenience of engage
ing to windward, from the very high sea that was
running, wore, and formed their line to leeward of
the British line.
At two o'clock the British squadron wore in the
line; and in a few minutes the Robust, which led
the fleet in the most gallant and officer like manner,
was warmly engaged with the van of the enemy.
The ships in the van and centre of the line were ail
engaged by half past two, and by three the French
line was broke; part of their ships began soon after
to wear, and to form their line again, their heads to
the S. E.
At twenty minutes after three, we wore and
Rood after them, but the Robust, Prudent, and Eu
rope, which, from the manner of the enemy's engag
ing, had bore the brunt of the action, were so en
tirely disabled as to be incapable of pursuit, and of
securing the trophies of the victory they had already
gained. At half after four a thick fog, which arose,
intercepted the light of the enemy from our view; the
Medea joined us, soon after which we were directed to
proceed and observe the rout of the enemy, while the
British squadron proceeded to the Chesapeake, in the
hope of intercepting them, should they attempt to
get in there. At seven o'clock we brought to, to
put the disabled ships in a situation to execute these
intentions. Next morning we made fail, and the
fame evening the whole squadron anchored in Lyn
haven bay.
Return of killed and wounded. —One Lieutenant,
two midihipmen, and forty seamen killed; and about
eighty wounded in all.
For the New-Jersey Gazette.
To HOMO SUM.
Sir,
IN your piece on the fubjed of slavery you are pleas
ed to take it for granted that it is injustice to con
tinue our Negroes in their present state, and assert that
of this opinion are two gentlemen who some time
since, in this paper, wrote against a law for their ma
numission. Their performances are now before me,
and I must beg leave to inform you, 1 do not find they
give up this point. One of them, indeed, after ad
ducing several arguments to exculpate those who pos
sess slaves among us from the charge of injustice, in
this refped, fays, he wishes not to contend for the
justice of retaining our Africans in vassalage ; and,
for argument fake doubtless, permits his readers, if
they " please," to conclude that justice demands their
liberation, that he might next ihew the impolicy of
freeing them at present. This is all, Sir, from which
you could have formed the idea above expressed. But
as you are " an old man," and depended on your
memory only, I can readily apologize for the mistake.
Thus erring, you did not, I suppose, think it ma
terial to combat any of their arguments on this head,
but proceed to censure them because they cannot now
consent to the emancipation of our Negroes. With
what propriety you compare these writers to Felix, a
man felf-coMvided of guilt, and who, notwithstand
ing, impiously proeraftinated his repentance, I will
not enquire ; nor yet will I examine into the justness
of your unreserved declaration, that " much the great
er part of mankind were made of a different complexi
on with us ;" —or, as I imagine you meant, that
" much the greater part of mankind at present are
black," for if it was granted they are a little swarthy
or not perfectly white, it would not be any thing to
your purpose. The expression is certainly very harm
less in the present dispute, and if it does not injure
yourfelf it cannot hurt any other one. But I will take
the liberty to animadvert on the other parts of your
“ scrawl," as you condefeend to call it.
We are informed you do not desire an " immediate
liberation of our Negroes."---No. A score or two of
years are to elapse firft. But why so ? To obviate, at
once, all the ''reafonings" of those who fear their
present release would be attended with pernici
ous consequences to the state. Not that to free them
then, without fatisfying their owners for their un
doubtedly lawful property, would be less unconstitu
tional at that period than now. You do not fecm to
entertain an opinion that, in either case, our Assem
bly, should they grant the request, would deviate from
their line of duty, or trespass on our rights. lam
really grieved that so refpedable a character should
be so unacquainted with our principles of liberty ; —
but perhaps we are in duty bound to attribute this
defeat also to a decayed memory. I could wish, how
ever, before you design to write again on the fubjeft,
you would refrefh your powers of recollection, by an
attentive perusal of our constitution. If you do so,
I am persuaded you will not again propose the exam
ple of the state of Pennsylvania in this case, as most
worthy to be copied after by us. And also, that you
will not think it a trifling thing for individuals, in
this manner, to be deprived of their legal property.
Shall I remind you of the principles on which, with
so much justice and wisdom, we opposed the (in it
felf) contemptible duty laid by Great-Britain on her
tea .^---Whether the masters of slaves could afford
their loss or not, I need not observe to you, that this
is not the question. If the Almighty is offended with
us for keeping slaves, would he be pleased with an
aft which should liberate them at the expence of
fraud and injustice ? Such a facrifice would be most
difguftful, I believe, to the God of jufrice and holi-•
nets : And are we compelled to offer luch incense to
the Divine Majesty ? Let our oblation then, of this
kind, be offered up by the hands-of justice, at least,
if nationally ; and with Sincerity, piety and love, if
individually. As you have been happily convinced of
the iniquity of detaining Negroes in thraldom, it can
not be doubted but the moment you ligned the peti
tion for their release, with a proper disposition, you
freed every one of them in your possession : And if it
was unjust for you to hold them in captivity a few
months ago, it was so seventy or eighty years since ;
and I conclude also that you have duly Rated the ac
count of their service and your expence, and faith'
fully paid them the balance, if any there was in their
favour. To this I have no objection ; nor do I object
that your venerable example, in this inßance, should
be imitated by every Have holder in the state, pro
vided this practice shall be approved by our legislators,
and be for the emolument of our Africans. Nor would
I in any manner blame you, yourfelf being persuad
ed to preserve others in slavery is a vice, were you
with great zeal to address the consciences of the pro
prietors of slaves, and endeavour to cause them to
forfake a practice which you deem finful. And per
mit me to fay, I am clearly of the sentiment that this,
or something similar to it, is all that would become
you, or any others, to do in the matter : This is your
ne plus ultra. Petitioning the Assembly, in your
strain, betrays things in you that I do not choufe to
mention left I offend.
Being now proselyted by your petition, you think
the dignity of the state is interefled in the immediate
passing a law for the abolition of slavery. But, would
a solemn ad of publiek robbery, or fraud increase
our dignity ? Such is the act I presume, you request
of the Assembly; but, inadvertently, you have pe
titioned for it, I hope, and until I can be convinced
that such a law would do us honour, you will think
me justifiable in opposing it, though I cannot believe
it will be necessary for me, or any one, to fay much
on the fubjed.
Having wrote thus far, I again read your publica
tion, and you will pardon me when I fay, I saw no
thing more in it worthy of attention, except that
from its firft to its last letter, you conceit it is finful
to retain our blacks in a state of servitude, and that
your proposed law, would be just ; but with refpeft
to all those who do not agree with you in these
things, the arguments, or observations'deduced from
them, can have no weight, and to others they are
needless. Before I conclude, however, let me remark,
that as the petition you have annexed to your per
formance, does not in the opinion of some men, con
tain a syllable to prove the injustice of detaining our
slaves in service, or that it would be just for the As
sembly to grant its prayer, (whatever sentiments the
paper may contain, by implication, reflecting, in part,
on the justice of the divine government, adminiftred
to the people of Israel) these persons are tempted to
fufped your sincerity, and to doubt whether, in fad,
you are " an old man," who '' has had negroes e
ver since you had any property of your own." They
are inclined to believe this whole story, and the ac
count of your conversion, to be a stroke of art; a
device to embellish your work, and give it a good
grace; but I will not be so rude; I will not hesitate
to believe you are aged, very old indeed, so far ad
vanced in years that there Shall not be any one, who
thus thinks with me, but will highly commend my
noticing you, and with so much refped, had it been
in consideration of your age only, which is always
to be honoured.
I am, refpedfully, and shall, in future, be
proud, Sir, to be employed in your service.
TRUTH Er JUSTICE.
CHATHA M, April 4.
On Tuesday night the 27th ult. about 200 regulars
and refugees from Staten-Island, under the command
of Major Beckwith, who had eluded, by circuitous
routes, the vigilance of the different patroles, enter
ed Elizabeth-Town in four divisions, where they cap
tured tea of the inhabitants, one Lieutenant and three