The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-04-09 00:00:00, page 2

fible exigence, and give my name to the army, with
as little reserve as I now give my opinions.
( N °- 5-)
Cantonment, 15th March, 1783.
AGREEABLY to the general order of the iith
inst. the officers of the American army being con
vened, his excellency the commander in chief was
pleased to open the meeting with the following address
to them on the fubjedof their being called together ;
which, with some other papers, was left for the con
sideration of the assembly, the hon. major-general
Gates being president, as the senior officer present:
Gentlemen,
BY an anonymous summons, an attempt has been
made to convene you together. How inconsistent
with the rules of propriety ; and how subversive of
all order and discipline, let the good sense of the
army judge !
In the moment of this summons, another anony
mous production was put into circulation, addressed
more to the feelings and passions than to the reason
and judgment of the army. The author of the piece
is entitled to much credit for the goodness of his
pen ; and I could with he had as much credit for the
/rectitude of his heart; for, as men fee through dis
/ ficulties, and are induced by the reflecting faculties
of the mind, to use different means to attain the
fame end, the author of the piece fliould have had
more charity than to mark for suspicion, the man
who fliould recommend moderation and longer for
bearance, or in other words, who fliould not think
as he thinks, and aft as he advises. But he had ano
ther plan in view, in which candour and liberality
/ of sentiment, regard to justice and love of country,
I have no part ; and he was right to insinuate the dark
left suspicions to effect the blackest designs. That
the address is drawn with great art ; that it is in
tended to answer the most insidious purposes ; that it
is intended to impress the mind with an idea of pre
meditated injustice in the sovereign power of the
United States, and rouse all those sentiments which
must unavoidably flow from such a belief; that the
firft mover of this scheme, whoever he may be, in
tended to take advantage of the passions, while they
were warmed with the recollection of past distresses,
without giving time for cool, deliberate thinking ;
and that composure of mind, which is necessary to
give dgnity and liability to measures, is rendered
too obvious, by the mode of conducting the busi
ness, to need other proof than a reference to the
proceeding.
Thus much, gentlemen, I have thought it incum
. bent on me to observe to you, to shew upon what
principles I opposed the hasty, irregular meeting,
which was proposed to be held on Tuesday last, and
not because I wanted a disposition to give you every
opportunity, consistent with your own honour, and
the dignity of the army, to make known your griev
ances. If my conduct heretofore, has not evinced
to you, that I have been a faithful friend to the ar
my, my declaration of it at this time would be equal
ly unavailing and improper. But as I was amorgft the
firft who embarked in the cause of our common
country ; as I have never left your fide one moment,
but when called from you on publick duty; as I have
been the constant companion and witness of your
distresses, and not among the last to feel and acknow
ledge your merits ; as I have ever confrdered my own
military reputation as inseparably connected with
that of the army ; and my heart has ever expanded
with joy, when I heard its praises, and my indigna
tion has risen, when the mouth of detraction has been
opened against it: It can scarcely be supposed, at
this late stage of the war, that I am indifferent to its
interests. But how are they to be promoted? The
way is plain, fays the anonymous addresser. —'' If war
continues, remove into the unsettled country ; there
cftablifh yourselves and leave an ungrateful country
to defend itfelf:" —But whom are they to defend?
Our wives, our children, our farms, and other pro
perty which we have left behind us ? or, in this state
of hostile separation, are we to take the two firft,
(the latter cannot be removed) to perish in a wil
derness with hunger, cold and nakedness? " Ifpeace
takes place, never sheath your swords," fays he,
'' until you have obtained full and ample justice."
This dreadful alternative of either deserting our coun
try in the extremest hour of her distress, or turning
/ our arms against it, which is the apparent object,
unless Congress can be compelled into instant com
pliance, has something so Blocking in it, that huma
-1 nity revolts at the idea. My God! what can this
writer have in view, by recommending such measures ?
Can he be a friend to the army? Can he be a friend
to this country ? Rather is he not an insidious foe ?
, Some emissary, perhaps, from New-York, plotting
' the ruin of both, by sowing the feeds of discord and
reparation between the civil and military powers of
the continent ? And what a compliment does he pay
to our understandings, when he recommends mea
sures, in either alternative, impracticable in their
nature ? But here, gentlemen, I will drop the cur
tain, because, gentlemen, it would be as imprudent
in me to assign my reasons for this opinion, as it
would be insulting to your conception to suppose
you stood in need of them. A moment's reflection
will convince every dispassionate mind of the physical
impossibility of carrying either project into execu
tion. There might, gentlemen, be an impropriety
in my taking notice, in this address, to you, of an
anonymous production ; —but the manner in which
His excellency having withdrawn, on a motion
made by general Knox, and seconded by brigadier
general Putnam,
Resolved, I hat the unanimous thanks of the of
ficers of the army be presented to his excellency the
commander in chief, for his excellent address, and
the communications he has been pleased to make to
them; and to assure him, that the officers recipro
cate his affectionate expressions, with the greatest
sincerity of which the human heart is capable.
The address from the army to Congress—the
report of the committee from the army—and the
resolutions of Congress of the 25th January, being
read,
the performance has been introduced to the army,
the effect it was intended to have, together with
some other circumstances, will amply jultify my ob
servations upon the tendency of that writing.
With refpeCt to the advice given by the author,
to fufpeCt the man, who shall recommend modera
tion and longer forbearance, I spurn it, as every
man regards that liberty and reveres the juttice for
which we contend, undoubtedly must; for, if men
are to be precluded from offering their sentiments
on a matter which may involve the most serious and
important consequences that can invite the conside
ration of mankind, reason is of no use to us. The
freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb
and tilent we may be led, like sheep to the daughter.
I cannot in justice to my own belief, and what I
have great reason to believe is the intention of Con
gress, conclude this address, without giving it as my
decided opinion, that, that honourable body, enter
tain exalted sentiments of the services of the army,
and from full conviction of its merits and fufferings,
will do it complete justice : that their endeavours to
difeover and establish funds have been unwearied,
and will not ceale till they have succeeded, I have
riot a doubt.
But like all other large bodies, where there is a
variety of different interests to reconcile, their deli
birations are flow. Why then should we distrust
them ? And in consequence of that distrust, adopt
measures which would cast a shade over that glory
which has been so justly acquired, and tarnish the
reputation of an army which has been celebrated
through all Europe for its fortitude and patriotism ?
And for what is this done ? To bring the object we
seek for nearer? No, most certainly in my opinion,
it will cast it at a greater distance. For myfelf, and
I take no merit in giving the assurance, being induced
to it from principles of gratitude, veracity and jus
tice, a grateful sense of the confidence you have ever
placed in me, a recollection of thechearful affiflance
and prompt obedience I have experienced from you,
under every vicissitude of fortune, and the sincere af
fection I ftel for an army I have so long had the honor
to command, will oblige me to declare in this pub
lick and solemn manner, that in the attainment of
complete justice for all your toils and dangers, and
in the gratification of every wifb, so far as may be
done confidently with the great duty I owe my
country, and those powers I am bound to refpeCt,
you may freely command my services to the utmost
of my abilities.
While I give you these assurances and pledge my-1
felf in the mod unequivocal manner to exert what
ever ability I am possessed of in your favour, let me/
entreat you, gentlemen, on your part not to take]
any measures, which, viewed in the calm light on
reason, will leflen the dignity and fully the glory!
you have hitherto maintained. —Let me requed youl
to rely on the plighted faith of your country, and
place a full confidence in the purity of the inten-1
tions of Congress, that previous to your dissolution,
as an army, they will cause all your accounts to be
fairly liquidated, as directed in the refclutions which
were published to you two days ago, and that they
will adopt the most effectual measures in their power
to render ample justice to you, for your faithful and
meritorious services. And let me conjure you in the
name of our common country, as you value your
own sacred honour, as you refpeC tthe sacred rights
of humanity, and as you regard the military and na
tional character of America, to express your utmost
horror and detestation of the man, who withes, un
der any specious pretences, to overturn the liberties
of our country, and who wickedly attempts to open
the flood gates of civil discord, and deluge our ris
ing empire with blood.
By thus determining and thus acting, you will
pursue the plain and direCt road to the attainment
of your wishes ; you will defeat the insidious designs
of our enemies, who are compelled to resort from
open force to secret artifice. You will give one more
proof of unexampled patriotism and patient virtue,
riling superior to the preflure of the most compli
cated fufferings; and you will, by the dignity of
your conduct, afford occasion for posterity to fay,
when speaking of the glorious example you have
exhibited to mankind, —" had this day been want
ing, the world had never seen the last stage of per
fection to which human nature is capable of attain
mg.
(Copy) GEO. WASHINGTON.
Head-Quarters, Newburgh, 15th March, 1783.
On a motion by general Putnam, seconded by
general Hand,
Voted, That a committee be appointed to draw
up immediately some resolutions expressive of the
business before us, and to report in half an hour—
that this committee consist of one general, one field
officer, and one captain—that gen. Knox, colonel
Brooks, and captain Howard, compose the faic
committee.
The report of the committee having been broughi
in, and fully considered,
Resolved unanimously, That at the commence 1
ment of the present war, the officers of the Ame
rican army engaged in the service of their country
from the purest love and attachment to the right!
and liberties of human nature, which motives ftil
exist in the highest degree; and that no circum
stances of distress or danger shall induce a conduct
that may tend to fully the reputation and glory
which they have acquired, at the price of their
blood and eight years faithful services.
Resolved unanimously, That the army continue
to have an unshaken confidence in the virtue of Con
gress and their country, and are fully convinced that
the representatives of America will not disband 01
disperse the army, until their accounts are liqui
dated, the balances accurately ascertained, and ade
quate funds established for payment. And in this
arrangement the officers expeft, that the half-pay
or a commutation of it, should be efficacioufly com
prehended,
Resolved unanimously, That his excellency the
commander in chief be requested to write to his ex
cellency the president of Congress, earnestly en
treating the most speedy decision of that honoura
ble body, upon the fubje&s of our late address,
which was forwarded by a committee of the army,
some of whom are waiting upon Congress for the
result. In the alternative of peace or war the event
would be highly fatisfadory, and would produce
immediate tranquility in the minds of the army, and
prevent any further machinations of designing men,
to sow discord between the civil and military power
of the United States.
Resolved unanimously, That the officers of the
lAmerican army, view with abhorrence and rejed
with disdain, the infamous proportions contained
in a late anonymous address to the officers of the
army, and resent with indignation the secret at
tempts of some unknown person to colled the offi-
Icers together, in a manner totally subversive of all
discipline and good order.
Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of the of
ficers of the army be given to the committee who
presented to Congress the late address of the army,
for the wisdom and prudence with which they have
conducted that business; that a copy of the pro
ceedings of this day be transmitted by the president
to major-general M'Dougal ; and that he be re
quested to continue his solicitations at Congress, un
til the objects of his mission are accomplished.
The meeting was then dissolved.
HORATIO GATES, maj. gen president.
T R ENT-O-NTTi'ril 9.
Extract of a letter from Brunswick, April 4.
" A veflel_ arrived at New-York yesterday from
Lisbon, which brings an account that pubiick rejoic
ings had been held there in consequence of the peace ;
and that their ports were thrown open for the recep
tion of all American vessels. A gentleman, who left
New-York yesterday afternoon, informed me that a
frigate went up as he was eroding the bay; this
morning he heard a great deal of firing there, from
which he conjectures Die may be from Europe with
the confi mation of peace."
Saturday the sth inst. a packet arrived at New-
York, which brought official defpatches to the com
mander in chief at that place from the British mi
nistry, containing a confirmation of peace, of whicli
we leafn proclamation was to be made there on
Monday last.
We deem it an aft of humanity, and therefore
an indispensable duty, in order to prevent the effu
lion of blood, to caution all persons within the Bri
tish lines, who have taken an active part, or in any
manner distinguished themselves in favour of the
cause of Britain, not to return or remain among
the citizens of America: They may rely upon it
that nothing can save them from retaliation for the
many cruelties wantonly exercised in the course of
the war upon our citizens, such as murders, burn
ings, plunderings, and ftarvings on board of loath
some Ships, and in horrid dungeons.
1 hurfday last the infamous John Bacon, a refu
gee from New-York, who has murdered several
good citizens of this state, and plundered many de
fencelefs families, was furprized and killed at Egg-
Harbour by a detachment from Capt. Shreve's
light horse, commanded by cornet Cook.