The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-07-01 00:00:00, page 2

nations, and on no pretence whatever presume ta
take or seize any ships or vessels belonging to the fub
jefts of princes or powers in alliance with these United
States, except they are employed in carrying contra
band goods, or soldiers, to our enemies ; and in such
case that they conform to the stipulations contained
in treaties subsisting between such princes or powers
and these States; and that they do not capture,
seize or plunder any ships or vessels of our enemies
being under the protection of neutral coasts, nations
or princes, under the penalty of being condignly
punished therefor, and also of being bound to make
fatisfaftion for all matters of damage, and the inte
rest thereof, by reparation, under the pain and obli
gation of their persons and goods. And further,
the said Congress doth hereby Resolve and Declare,
That persons wilfully offending in any of the fore
going instances, if taken by any foreign powers in
consequence thereof, shall not be considered as having
a right to claim protection from these States, but shall
fuffer such punishment as by the usage and custom of
nations may be inflitted upon such offenders.
GIVEN in Congress at York, in the State of
Pennsylvania, this Ninth Day of May, Anno
Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Se
venty-eight.
HENRY LAURENS, Prudent.
Attef. Charles Thomson, Secretary.
Wej?-Florida, Natches difricl, February 21, 1778.
WHEREAS on Thursday evening, the 19th in
stant, Capt. James Willing, in the service of
the United States of North-America, arrived with a
detachment of men under his command at the Nat
ches Landing, and the next morning early feat out
sundry parties, who almoftat one and the lame time
made the inhabitants prisoners of war on their parole ;
and having hoisted the colours of the United States of
America, and taken possession of the country in their
name,, the inhabitants in their distressed and unpro
tected situation, fearing the confifeation of their pro
perty, thought it necessary to wait on the said Capt.
Willing, to propose terms of accommodation, which
he readily agreed to, the said inhabitants uuanimoul
ly delegated the four following gentlemen to treat
for them and make the best terms they could, viz.
William Hiorn, Esq. Charles Percy, Esq. S. Wells,
Planter, and Major Luke Collins.
And as we the Delegates have obtained leave from
the people to call in any persons to our assistance we
may think proper, we have desired the following
gentlemen, Isaac Johnson, Esq. Richard Ellis, Esq.
and Joseph Thompson, Planter. We the Dele
gates of the people, and our Associates, do propose
the following terms to Capt. Willing.
LT^^-..i1l live in <iny~vv-m. CTkx~Trpr~arms a
gainst the United States of America, avail, abet, or
in anywise give assistance to the enemies of the said
States. — Agreed.
IL That our persons, slaves and other property,
of what kind soever, shall remain fafe and unmolest
ed, during our neutrality.— Agreed.
111. That a lift of the names erf the slaves of the
inhabitants shall upon honour be given in.— Agreed.
IV. That Capt. Willing fnall agree to fend a flag of
truce to the ChoCtaw Indians, to give out a great
talk, with a belt, to prevent the Indians falling on this
defencelefs diftrift. — Agreed.
V. That Capt. Willing having in his custody as 2
prisoner one Robert Welch, in whose possession was
found an order from Farquhar Bethune, Esq. Com
miflary for the Choctaw nation, to obftruft, harrafs,
distress and oppose any party of Americans coming
down the river: and it appearing to the inhabitants
of this district that the life of the said Robert Welch
was in danger, they petitioned the said Capt. Willing
in his behalf, who immediately let him at liberty,
and shall engage to fend him with a flag into the
ChoCtaw nation, behaving great interest with them
to incline them to peace.— Agreed.
VI. That the Delegates and their Associates shall
have leave to fend a copy of these articles to Gover
nor Chester at Pensacola, accompanied with a letter
requesting his Excellency will take such Reps as Hiall
prevent the Indians from falling on the inhabitants. —
Agreed. . ..
'VII. That the Delegates and their Associates do, in
and on the behalf of the people, agree to take the fol
lowing oath : That they will not take up arms, or other
wise aft to the prejudice of the United States of America,
nor will by any means aid, ajfj?, abet, furnijb with
arms or ammunition, the enemies of the said States, nei
ther will they furnijb the savages with warlike fores
againf the said States, nor in word or deed, except in
the foregoing article, treat with their enemies, but
observe a firifi neutrality.—Agreed.
VITI. That the Delegates shall appoint of their
own body to accompany Capt. Willing to Mew-
Orleans. — Agreed.
Weft-Florida, Hatches Diflri&.
Signed this lift day of February, 1778.
DELEGATES.
WILLIAM lIIORN, CHARLES PERCY,
S, WELLS, LUKE COLLINS.
ASSOCIATE S.
ISAAC JOHNSTON, JOSEPH THOMPSON.
RICHARD ELLIS,
Agreed to in the fulleft extent, in behalf of the
United States of America, all public officers of the
Crown of Great-Britain, who have property in this
diftrift, excepted. Thofc who have held cemmiffo
By letters from Captain Gustavus Cunningham, in
the Revenge cutter, an American cruizer fitted out in
France, we learn, that he had taken five prizes, two
of which were merchant brigs, one a snow mounting
eightcarriage guns, one a letter of marque ship of six
teen guns, and a king's tender fitted out at Gibraltar
to cruize; this last, after taking, he burnt. His let
ters were dated at Cadiz bay, the 29th of March last.
Tuesday last arrived fafe in port, a prize ship ; ihe
was bound from Madeira to Barbadoes, where the
but just anchored, when she was cut out from her
moorings. Captain Bishop in the privateer sloop Sal
ly, took her. The cargo on board is said to be up
wards of 300 pipes of Madeira wine, &c. &c.
" The enemy have destroyed nine dwelling-houses,
besides barns, &c. and those unhappy Americans
who fell into their hands, have been mort inhumanly
butchered. We have not heard from that quarter
these two days part, and there is reason to suppose
they have gone off, hearing that our people are gather
ing faft.
" Another party of Indians and Tories have attack
ed some settlements at Sacondago, a place about ten
miles from Johnstown, where they have taken two or
three prisoners."
We hear that on last Saturday some companies of
militia, in Ulster county, matched to a place near the
Minifink, where it was reported the Indians and To
ries had destroyed some houses ; , r e have not heard of
the loss of any lives in that quarter as yet. Thus the
Tories and their brothers the Indians are disturbing
our peace ! 'tis not doubted but ere long they will
have abundant reason to repent their nefarious con
duct. ; r
From Towne's Evening Post.
PHILADELPHIA, June 20.
The British arms having proved ineffectual to sub
due America, the arts of negociation are now to be
tried ; what ^onfid^c we ought to place in the cgm-
By advices from the Weft-Indies we learn, that
the privateer ship Marlborough, Capt. Babcock, of
this port, some time iince landed a number of men
on the island of Delos, 011 the coast of Africa, from
whence he took a large quantity of valuable dry goods.
He had taken a vefi'el laden with 140 tons of Cam
wood, and 40 tons of rice ; and a schooner (which
was arrived at Martinico) with 8 chests of arms, 200
brass kettles, 9000 weight of tobacco, and 6 chests of
beads; he also captured and destroyed a number of
drogers on the coast.
" I have the pleafurc to acquaint you, that we
have received certain advice, by a vefi'el jult arrived
from the Miffifippi, that a party of men, who lately
came down that river, had seized one or two Brrtifh
posts in that quarter, and had taken and fold about
900 negroes from the plantations, and captured fc
veral ships, (one of 20 guns) richly loaded with cash,
furs, and indigo, amounting in the whole to about
four hundred thousand pounds sterling. The fame
account mentions, that the post at the Matches was
taken and retaken three several times, but ultimate
ly remained in our possession."
Extract of a letter from Savannah, in Georgia, to a
gentleman in Fork-Town, dated April 10, 177^.
" I beg you would make me remembered to Mr.
L---y, and inform him of a melancholy event that
happened about ten days finer, which I fear he is a
great fufferer by. Captain Ambrose Wright's house
in this town was set on fire, supposed to be by a lit
tle negroe boy he had in the house. Mrs. Wright,
with her child, with difficulty escaped the flames:
not the most trilling article saved. Captain Wright
was from home on public business, and has loft, be
side his papers, books of accounts and cash, near
30001. sterling worth of effects, his own property,
besides a large quantity of public Itores.
" The whole fquarc on which his house Rood was
cohfumed. The Court-House (a fine-building) three
times took fire, but was as often extinguiihed; if
that had been burned, great part of the town would
have been in danger, as the wind set that way."
ons and have fign&d the oath of neutrality come with
in the above article.
JAMES WILLING, Captain in the service
of the United States of America.
N. B. The property of ail Britilh, who are not re
fidenters in this diftrid, also excepted, they being ene
mies of the said States. JAMES WILLING.
CHARLESTOWN (South-Carolina) May 14.
Accounts from Bermuda inform us, that the arm
ed Blip Lord Amherst, of 36 guns and 170 men, was
cast away there on the 26th of February. She and
the Lynx (loop were convoying thG homeward bound
Jamaica fleet, which had nearly all (hared the fame
fate. A Spanish ship with igoo feroons of Guatimala
indigo, and some treafurc on board, was wrecked
there soon after the Lord Amherst ; the greatest part
of the Spaniard's cargo was saved.
Extract of a letter from Cape-Francois, to a gentleman
in this city, dated May 11, 1778.
F I S H-K I L L,June 11.
Extract of aletter from Albany, June 8, 1,78.
WILLIAMSBUR G, May ~
PROVIDENCE, May 30.
YORK-TOW N, June 13.
BOST O N, May 28.
missioners, the following fad will shew. On the 30th
of Nov. 1776, Lord Howe and Gen. Howe, commis
sioners under the British tyrant, published a procla
mation, offering pardon to every one without excep
tion, who would comply with its terms: In a letter
of the, fame date, and inclofing the fame proclamati
on to Lord George Germaine, after apologizing for so
apparently lenient a measure, they fay "exceptions
from his majesty's pardon as well as any prolongation
of the time within which a pardon may be obtained,
will be matter of future consideration, according to
the circumstances that may arise." If any infidel
Tory diferedits this recent proof of British perfidy
and baseness, by looking into the Parliamentary Re
gister, No. 48, and No. 6 of the fourth session of the
present parliament, he will find the letter, among
others, laid before the house of lords.
The British army, early last Thursday morning,
completed their evacuation of this city, having before
transported their stores and mod of their artillery in
to Jersey, where they had thrown up some works,
and several of their regiments were encamped. They
manned the lines the preceding night, and retreating;
over the commons, crossed at Gloucester point. It is
supposed they will endeavour to go to New-York.
A party of the American light horse pursued them
very close, and took a great number of prisoners, some
of whom were Refugees.
Yesterday morning the Honourable Major-General
Arnold took possession of this city, with Col. Jack-
Ton's Massachusetts regiment.
Since the retreat of the Britifl) army, a confidcrable
number of deserters have arrived from them.
By the Honourable Major-General Arnold, Commander
in Chief of the forces of the United States of America,
in the city of Philadelphia, tie.
A PROCLAMATION.
IN order to protest the persons and property of
the inhabitants of this city from insult and injury,
to secure the public and private stores, which the
enemy may have left in the city, and to prevent the
disorder and confufion naturally arising from want of
government, His Excellency General Washington, in
compliance with the following resolution of Congress,
has thought proper to ehablifh military law in this
city and suburbs, until the civil authority ofthe State
can resume the government thereof.
In CONGRESS, June 4, 1778.
Refolded, That should the city of Philadelphia be
evacuated by the enemy, it will be expedient and pro
per for the Commander in Chief to take effectual care
that no insult, plunder or injury of any kind, may be
offered to the inhabitants of the said city : That, in
order to prevent public or private injury from the
operation of ill-disposed persons, the General lx di
rected to take early and proper care to prevent the re
moval, transfer, or file of any goods, wares or mer
chandize, in possession of the inhabitants of the said
city, until the property of the fame shall be afeertain
ed by a joint committee, consisting of persons ap
pointed by Congress, and of persons appointed by the
Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsyl
vania, to wit, so far as to determine whether any or
what part thereof may belong to the king of Great-
Britain, or any of his fubjeCts.
Extract from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.
Copy by command of his Excellency,
Robert Harrison, Sec.
In order the more effectually to carry into executi
on the above resolve, all persons having European,
East or Weft-India goods, iron, leather, shoes, wines,
and provisions of every kind, beyond the necessary use
of a private family, are ordered to make return of the
fame to the Town-major, at his quarters in Front
ftrcet,the fourth door from the Coffee-houfe, by twelve
o'clock to-morrow, fpecifying the quantity, and, as
nearly as they can judge, the amount of the fame, in
order that the Quarter-matter, Commissary and Clo
thier-generals ma, contrast for such goods as are want
ed for the use ofthe army, and until there is permission
given by the General, there be no removal, transfer, or
sale of any goods, as it will be deemed a breach of
the above resolution of Congress, and such goods will
be seized and confifcated for the public use.
All persons having in their hands public stores or
effects, the property of the fubjeCts of the king of
Great-Britain, or their adherents, who have depart
ed with them, are to make a like report by Monday
noon next, under penalty of the confifeation of
their own effects; and any person difeovering any
such concealed stores or effects, will be suitably re
warded.
Any persons harbouring or concealing any officer,
soldier, or other person belonging to the enemy, or
any deserter from the Continental army, will be se
verely punished, unless they make immediate difeo
very to some officer of the said army.
Given at head-quarters, in the city of Philadelphia,
June 19,1778.
B. ARNOLD, Maj. Gen.
By his Honour's command, David S. Franks, Sec-
TRENTON, July I.
His Excellency General Washington, having early
intelligence of the intended movement of the enemy
from Philadelphia, detached a considerable body of
troops under the command of Major-General Lee, in
order to support Gen. Maxwell's Brigade of Corfti
nental troops already in this state, and the militia
under General Pickinfon and Heard. These troops