The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-03-14 00:00:00, page 2

Irish b Upon the balance, and the least wrong turn
will again throw them into ill-humour, surely some
grave character, with the reputation of solidity, and
a good disposition to Ireland, was the most proper to
be fixed on. His Lordship's trip to America, and
correspondence with the French commander, does not
place him very high in the line of embassy ; besides,
that the petite infignificancy and general stile of the
man has given the world an impression of contempt.
O(ft. 25. This day twenty years his Majesty, God
bless him ! mounted the throne, in full poffetiion of
the hearts of bis people, and with an applause and
confidence unparalleled in the history of mankind.
England was then at her highest pitch of glory ; bleft
with unbounded strength, wealth, power and domi
nion ; united in her councils, courted in her alliances,
and formidable to her enemies; the wanted nothing
but the blefling of a native Prince, to harmonize her
happiness, and complete her glory. Every English
bosom glowed with honest pride to fee an Englishman
at the head ofthis free Rate, whole interests were ap
parently inseparable from the general welfare. But
alas! this fond delusion was of short duration ; every
flattering profpeH vanilhed with the moment. No
feoner did that scourge of England, the Earl of Bute,
appear high in favour of the Sovereign and his mother,
than every fiiake and scorpion of the North crawled
from his lurking hole, to bask in the unwholfome
rays of this malignant meteor, to blight our power,
and to poison all our happiness. A most inglorious
peace with the natural enemies of the country firft
marked the weakness, as a most unjust and unnatural
war with our brethren and fellow-citizens in America
firft afeertained the wickednefi of our public councils.
To detail the unfortunate gradations by which we
have passed from our former greatness, and from
wealth and power have defeended to beggary and
contempt, would be too painful to a good mind, and
too grateful to those malignant fiends whose baleful
influence has wrought our ruin. The fa& is flagrant,
and the mortifying change is so severely felt by the
whole nation, that it is only necessary to appeal to
individuals for the melancholy proof of our calamities.
Our superiority at sea is at an end. When we at
tempt to negotiate, we truckle ; we go to market on
terms of difgra'ce and bad bargain for auxiliaries ; and
America, our belt inheritage, is loft to us for ever.
The spirit of our people is subdued by corruption,
aided by despair and force. The King is absolute,
without an abfolufe controul; and England is in a
state of unconfeious slavery. Her foreign dominion
loft ; her rights invaded or disregarded; her Sove
reign, unmindful ofhis own interest and real honour,
Sacrificing to little unworthy attachments and base
principles; a situation which only fools Would envy
and hypocrites would court. With such education,
such sentiments, and such a conduct, there is no ra
tional hope of reformation.
Oct. 26. It is no wonder that ministers fliould hope
to succeed in impoling on the people of this country,
with regard to the dispositions of the Americans,
when their instruments attempt the fame game with
in the lines of our army on the very spot. The late
expedition into the Jerseys, the particulars of which
ministers have so carefully conceded, was undertaken
in ponfequence of the representations made to a cer
tain superannuated Governor by the tories of that
province, of the strength of their party; yet, in the
whole line oftheir march, they did not find a man to
join them but one lame decrepid farmer, carried by
his blacks in an arm-chair, and who was more anxi
ous to pay his court to the royal Physician than to the
^oyal General.
The fame Governor, who is indebted for his ap
pointment to the testimony he bore in the House of
Commons, of this pretended loyalty of the Americans,
had well nigh paid the forfeit of his credulity on this
expedition. He was so terrified at the intrepidity
with which the Americans received our troops, and
the universal resistance they met with, that he fled in
the utmost terror, and would have drawn off the
troops with equal disgrace to our arms, had he not
been restrained by the venerable foreigner who was
chief in command. Under his direction and manage
ment they contrived to make a decent retreat.
The draught of men from Ireland has been so great,
that there is not above 5000 men left out of their
establishment of 16000. There are no troops more
averse to the American service than the regulars in
Ireland ; and such is the general dillike to it, that it
is very difficult to raise recruits there upon any terms.
Nov. 2. The world is greatly divided refpedting the
steps to be taken with Mr. Laurens. If deliberate
treason and active rebellion are crimes against the state,
his conduct certainly deserves the severest reprobati
on; yet such is the diftra&ion of the times, that
while one party sentence him to the fcaffold, the other
would vote him into Parliament ! Not only the
strength and spirit of the contending parties, but the
¥ er y justice of the war in which we are engaged, will
be eventually decided by the fate of this captive; so
that we cannot but be anxious to fee whether govern
ment dare enforce the laws against the enemies of the
nation, or if obstinacy of opposition is hill powerful
enough to avert their punishment, and raise them in
to popularity !
Nov. 4. It is time that the Committees of the seve
ral counties began to meet and deliberate. The whole
now depends upon the people themfclves. This Par
liament is no better than the last ; and while the rot
ten boroughs have power to betray and fell this nati
on, this will ever be the cafe 6
There are many complaining letters, from America,
in France, about the treatment of Lord Cornwallis
towards some of the principal men of South-Carolina;
their being sent into bailifhment at St. Augustine, &c.
and for the hanging a number of unarmed inhabitants
of South-Corolina, for a breach of their oaths of fi
delity to his Majesty. These oaths, firft forced upon
the people by the British, and afterwards by the A
mericaq army, have been violated on both sides, as
is generally the case with compulsory oaths. It is
feared, from these rigorous meafurcs of that fuccefs
ful General, and the late severe treatment shewn a
former President of Congress, that the hatred of Ame
rica towards this country will be irrevocably sealed.
The opposition have acquired a considerable ad
ditional weight by berg joined by the late Speaker.
He, from his found and deep knowledge of the prin
ciples of the constitution, will prove a most formi
dable opponent to the present Attorney-General.
His Majesty has ordered a sideboard of plate to be
presented to Charles Wolfran Cornewall, Esq. the
new Speaker of the House of Commons.
Who are Mr. Charles Jenkinfon and Mr. Corne
wall ? Who are their fathers, and where do they come
from ? Are they after the Order of Melchifedec, " of
whom there are many things to fay, and hard to be
uttered, feeing we are dull of hearing ;" without fa
ther, without mother, without defeent, having nei
ther beginning of days nor end of life ; but like unto
their invisible political father, " who abideth conti
nually ?" Some fay Mr. Jenkinfon, about 20 years
ago, was a clerk behind a counter in the city of Lon
don. What Lord Bute found in him besides an assi
duity to do his work, the public know not. Mr.
Cornewall is Mr. Jenkinfon's brother-in-law ; but
what other pretention has he, more than any other
clerk in the offices at nitehall, in which situation a
lone Mr. Cornewall was ever known, and where he
would have remained, but for his alliance to Mr.
Jenkinfon ? Who then is this extraordinary man, Mr.
Jenkinfon, that can make a Speaker of the House of
Commons, make government purchase a linecure
place for him for life in Ireland, and whom our gra
cious Sovereign could descend to make a personal me
rit of rewarding, as an aft of his peculiar affection,
for being persecuted on his (i. e. the invisible fiend's)
account, who is now holding one of the firft offices of
the state, and which he only condefeends to fill, as
the ftirrdp to the Premier's place ?—lt is natural for
men to ask these queftibns, when they observe such
extraordinary phenomena. It is very probable that
the plentiful stream of honour that has already enobled
so many worthy personages will, in due time, add
both of them to the lilt of Peers, and the heralds will
be employed to give them a pedigree: But in the mean
time the defeendants of ancient English Peers wouid
be glad to know, at this time, Something of these
personages—" to wh related, and by whom be
got."—-'---Is not this e Mr. Jenkinfon that spirit
(whether evil or good I fay not) by whom the ex
traordinary personage who once condescended, for a
short time, to appear on the political theatre, now
administers our affairs, since he is withdrawn into his
invisible state ? When he departed, he might, in the
language of a good book, have told us, " It is ex
pedient for you-that I go away; but I will fend the
Comforter unto you." It was indeed expedient for
us that Lord Bute Ihould go away ; but whether it
was expedient that he should fend such a Comforter
as Mr. Jenkinfon, let Britain's woes declare; " for
he abideth continually." He might have added, " I
have many things to fay unto you, but you cannot
bear them now: howbeit, when he (Mr. Jenkinfon,
that spirit of truth) is come, he will guide you into
all truth : for he shall not speak of himfelf; but what
soever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will
shew you things to come. (Indeed we have seen
things which we never believed would come!) He
shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you."—The prophetic language
here quoted needs no further explanation, but only
an application to that invisible spirit, Lord Bute, who
abided long enough to divulge part of his system, and
has sent Mr. Jenkinfon to complete the prophecy ;
the rapid progress he has made is obvious to the
greatest infidel in Englifli politics.
Nov. 24. Every week teems now with something
extraordinary and unlooked for !—Surely the multi
tude of wonders will produce some event propitious
to this island ere long! In North-America, a rebel
chief has revolted from his new masters, and joined
the royal standard; but he has revolted alone, that
is, come like a common deserter, without bringing a
single centinel with him! For his desertion we have
paid dear, in the ignominious, untimely death of a
brave officer of distinguished rank and merit !
Commodore Leslie, our naval commander at Gib
raltar, has just written home a disagreeable confirm
ation of the inimical disposition of the Emperor of
Morocco towards the Britilh, and an avowed predi
lection in favour of the Spanish. The English vessels
are repeatedly taken under the very guns of Tangiers,
in spite of every remonstrance on the part of our Con
sul.
BOST O N, March 1.
We are well informed, that a merchant of charac
ter in England has lately wrote to his correspondent
in America, to get insurance of his property on this
fide the water, as the insurers in London had broke
for a million sterling more than they were able to pay.
.By authentic accounts from South-Carolina, no
thing can exceed th<;face of misery in Charleftown,
b and the diftrid within 40 or 50 miles of that towi
since it fell under the domination of Britain. Pig
tences have been found for breaking almost every ar,
ticle of the capitulation. An affeding proof is there
seen, that no dependence is to be placed upon Britilh
promises and stipulations. Gentlemen of the firft cha
racter and fortunes, in violation of the most solemn
agreements, have been confined in pri foil-thips, and
sent to the garrison of Apguftine. Many families,
who a little while ago lived in affluence and splendor,
are now reduced to beggary ; and not allowed to fell
the least article of their houfchold fur hure or other
property, for their necessary subsists Te con-1
ditions upon which the soldiers of' e d States
who defended that place furrenderc otally dis
regarded, and those unfortunate men &v ow treated
with the greatest inhumanity. It is even a crime in,
the eyes of the Britilh government there, for a gentle
man of feelings to speak to them, or afford the iei.fr
alleviation to their fuffcrings. Whoever would fee a
specimen of the blessings to be expected from a sur
render to the power with which we are contending,
let him goto Charleftown ; there he will behold trade
reduced—citizens impoverished and crouching to the
soldier—property wrested from the owner—the resi
due precarious—and even life itfelf dependant on ar
bitrary will,
Monday arrived a French frigate, in 67 days from
Brest.
Yesterday arrived here the ILip Mars, Capt. Samp
son, in 11 weeks from/Nantz.
Capt. Sampson, on his homeward bound passage,
took a brig from London, bound to New-York, la
den with Englilh goods, said to be worth ii,oool.
sterling, which has fafe arrived,
We are informed that Gen. Wadsworth and wife
have lately been taken by a party of the enemy from
Penobfcot.
By authentic accounts from Europe, dated in the
beginning of last December, we are assured, that the
Epglilh in a late memorial have treated the Dutch with
much inlolence. Some imagine it must produce a war,
others relying on the phlegm and patience of the
Dutch, think it will pass. Holland, however, has at
length acceded to the armed neutrality.
Extiatt of a letter from a gentlemen in Newport to
his friend in this town, dated Sunday, Feb. 25.
" I congratulate you on the success of the French
squadron, who failed from hence a fortnight since;
they have returned this morning, with the British ship
Romulus, of 44 guns, which they took in the Chefa
pcak ; they brought with them 600 prisoners, and a
number of officers, bound to Arnold in the Romulus;
likewise 2500 guineas, sent in the fame ship, with
which to pay the troops. They destroyed fix large
privateers, and left four large transports with 100 pri
forier,, in the hands of the Americans at the south
ward."
PROVIDENCE, February 26.
It is with pleasure we take the earliest opportunity
of communicating tp the public the following agree
able and interesting intelligence, Last night several
French gentleman of character came to town from
Newport, and inform, that his Most Christian Majes
ty's ship Eyeille, of 64 guns, commanded by Monlieur
Tilly, with the frigates la Gentille and Surveillante,
(which failed from Newport for Virginia on the 9th
instant) returned to that poll on Saturday'evening,
after having captured the whole piratical fleet which
had for some time infefted Chefapeak bay, under dr
region of the traitor Arnold, excepting some small
vessels that took fbelter in a creek. His Mod Christi
an Majesty's fllips have brought in with them the Ro
mulus, a British ship of war mounting 44 guns; lalfb,
about 500 prisoners, taken in the enemy's fleet, fix
armed transports laden with stores, one of them hav
ing a confiderabe sum of specie on board, were sent to
York, in Virginia, and four others burnt. The above
French ships carried with them 1500 hand of arms for
the Virginia militia, who were assembling with great
alacrity, and Arnold's retreat being effectually cut
off, we hope in our next Gazette to have it in our
power to congratulate the public on the capture of
him and his whole banditti, as well as to furnifh a
more particular account of the above important event,
wherein our faithful and generous allies have render
ed such essential service to the common cause,
HARTFORD, March 6.
Sunday last his Excellency General Washington,
with his fujte, passed through this town, on his way
to the eaftwafd,
FIS H-K ILL, March 8.
An embarkation of about 1500 men is taking place
at New-York, said to be defined for Virginia.
RICHMON D, February 24.
Last Saturday evening was captured in our bay, the
brig Cornwallis, and the schooner Hibernia ; the for
mer mounting 12 double fortified fours, and the lat
ter 10 fix pounders ; they had in company when taken
fix small vessels loaded with tobacco, which they had
taken up the bay. In one of the privateers, it is said,
is a large quantity of plate, and other valuable arti
cles, which they had stole from Mr, Armiftead, of
Gloucester county, the week befor/e. The prisoners,
about 80, were landed at Hampton, and are on their
way to this place.
Last Sunday Gen, Muhlenburgh marched with 600
men within fight of Arnold's works at Portsmouth,
and there remained fix hours; during which time a