The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-08-23 00:00:00, page 1

In the ad for eftablilhing a fund to fink and redeem
the proportion of the bills of credit of the United
States assigned as the quota of this state, passed the
ninth of June last, I contemplate as wife and politick
the provilion made in the tenth faction, enabling the
holders of the present bills to exchange them for thole
to be issued agreeably to the resolutions of Congress
of the 18th of March next preceding, at a defined
rate. The operation of this may be rendered favour
able both to the community and to individuals ; to
the community, by throwing a sum into the treasury
equal to that handed out in exchange, and thus con
tributing the means of difeharging the publick debts
and pulhing the campaign ; and to individuals, bc
caufe by speedily finking the present bills, thole to be
issued are better secured against uncertainty and fluc
tuation, and because the rate of exchange afeertained
in the law is much below the actual depreciation,
and therefore in favour of him who gives the present
bills for thofc to become current. 1 reject every in
fmuation that the credit of the latter will not be sup
ported. It must be supported, and it will be support
ed. Therefore the sooner the present bills arc out of
circulation, the better for every body. Circumßan
ced as they are in all refpeCts, it is obvioufiy the po
licy of the Rate, coincident with the interest of every
fubjed. No position can be clearer than this, and
stand less in need of arguments to support it. J avoid
discussion in a case where the flighted reflection ren
-1 decs it unnecessary.
The present currency being brought in and can
celled, the bills to be issued will have every advan
tage to give them a circulation on a level value with
silver and gold.
I. The quantity is limited by the resolution of Con
gress, and by the laws of the refpettive Rates, there
fore it cannot surpass the present amount.
2. The quantity is small, being only ten millions
of dollars for the whole union, our quota of which is
fix hundred thousand. This is all the paper-credit
we can have, for there is no Rate-currency in New-
Jersey.
3. The periods of redemption are afeertained ; and
the redemption of principal and interelt with specie
at the expiration of fix years is guarantied by the
union, in case the state, by the events of war, should
be rendered incapable to redeem the bills.
4. These periods are early, and yet the assessments
cannot be burthenfome.
5. The funds are precise, productive, and sure ;
for though real property or coin in bank are more
striking pledges of redemption, because more visible,
yet in fad as far as these arc dißintt from taxation,
When we speak of the means of terminating this
controversy, it is now, and long has been known to
every one that we want nothing but a liable finance
to bring it speedily to the desired issue. ho this de
fed in the political system all our debilities and em
barrassments are referable. Whether it is to be charg
ed to mistakes or abuses, or to unavoidable teceffity,
is not now the object of consideration. Let us forget
for the present the things which are behind, and point
every thought forward to the fafety of our country.
We know the disease, that is half the cure; and the
remainder is not out of reach.
To the WORTHY CITIZENS OF NEW
JERSEY.
Friends and Countrymen,
rTiHE war in which we now contend has been
■ undertaken on principles as just and noble
■ as bold and rcfolved as ever marked a re
■ volution since the commencement of time.
It has been prosecuted now five years with fuffcring
and perseverance on our part, spite and cruelty on that
of the enemy. Every new occalion brings irresistible
proof that the fame spirit which arrayed us at firft is
still with us; and no man who has looked into the
history of the world, or is capable of solid reflection,
will admit that a contefl so begun and so supported
can be unfuccefsful. To some I should be cautious
of faying without an apology, but to you I can fay
with unreserved freedom, 6 it is the doing of the
' Lord, and wondrous in our eyes.'
Perhaps, my countrymen, no instance, since the
feudal times, can be produced of a war maintained
so long on funds so Render. The spirit of the people
has supplied the place of what all nations call the li
news of war. But we ought not to expert that this
spirit will always hold so high as the full vigour of en
thusiasm. We must lay it to our account to fettle at
length, except perhaps upon extraordinary occasions,
into thofc principles and modes according to which
other nations have acted in similar cases. This is the
course of human nature, and it would be a poor mark
of wisdom to presume that we are totally exempted
from the infirmities of it.
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
(Vol. lII.]
Wednesday, August 23, 1780.
and independent of it, the latter must be preferable.
What security can be so certain ; what resource can
be so productive as the industry of the community ?
6. The bills carry an interest payable in coin or
bills of exchange on Rated conditions, at the option
of the holder.
I can lately confide in the truth and soundness of
the principles on which this currency is rested. —
But from what has happened in the case of the old,
prejudices and jealousies will operate to the disad
vantage of the new. To remove these is to render
an essential service to I he righteous cause in which we
fight.—
I take it for granted that a fatisfadtory assurance of
a punctual payment of the interest annually in gold
or silver inßead of bills of exchange, would give this
money a currency at par with specie, probably above
it. I confefs I can fee no reason against assuming that
such an assurance for the firft year's interest would
produce the cßedt. Nothing could fugged an additi
onal security but the ciilumftances cf the case out of
which arise the prejudices and jealousies abovemen
tioned. While fume think the present stipulations
fufficient, and others require something further, in
dicifion prevails; and success, which in matters of
this kind depends particularly on similarity of opini
ons, is rendered problematical. To effect so lalutary
a purpose as the decisive eftablnhment of what it is
hoped will Riortly be the only paper-currency among
us, the principles of an association will be submitted
in the next Gazette ; not because it is thought indif
penlible, but because it may be convenient and ufeiul.
SP £ RANDO.
the English, under the command of Admiral Rodney.
H E King's fleet failed from Fort-Royal on the
13th of April, confining of 22 ships of the line,
4 frigates, 2 advice boats, and acutter ; the Marquis
de Bouille embarked on board the Couronne, to con-.
cert with the Coynt de Guichen, on the operations
which circumstances might give rife to, and for which
4000 land forces had been put 011 board. The firft
delign was to get to windward of this ißand, through
the channel of Dominique, and to provoke the enemy
to battle. The calms, currentsand winds prevented
us from getting through the channel till the 15th in
the evening, when the frigate Iphiginie made a signal
that the English fleet was to windward ; our van ral
lied in the night ; the 16th was spent in different ma
nceuvres, to colled into the body of the fleet those
ships which by calms or currents had fallen to leward,
to get into the line of battle, and to work up, in or
der to approach the enemy's fleet, which was four
leagues to windward. The Count de Sade, Com
mander of the white and blue squadron, who formed
the van in natural order, and the Count de Grade,
who commanded the blue squadron, were charged
with the manoeuvres of their division. The frigates
were ordered to work up to windward as far as they
could in the night, in order to observe the enemy's
motions. At nine o'clock the Couraguefe made a
signal that the English fleet was making for our rear,
the General made us tack about immediately, with
the tacks to larboard, like the enemy. As soon as
they perceived this manoeuvre, they again took their
Rarboard tacks on board. Soon after we saw their
fleet in order of battle close to the wind, at the dis
tance of three cannon shot to windward. The 17th
from day light we were making manoeuvres, corre
sponding with those of the enemy. The vigilance of
our General rendered all their artifices useless. The
two fleets were then nine leagues weft of the south
end of Dominique. At a quarter past one o'clock the
action began in the van, and soon became general ;
we were then on the Rarboard tack in an inverted or
der, the blue squadron forming the van. At three
quarters after one the van Ihip of Admiral Rodney
having come up, and all the ships of his rear fuccef
tivcly, we judged that his design was to shut up our
rear, and cut it off, in case our centre continued to
make fail to cut off his van, which fought edging a
way from us. The Count de Guichen could not
doubt of it, when he saw the English Admiral himfelf
with his fofelail loose, come up followed by 7 ships,
he soon made the signal to tack luffforluff in order to
cut him off; but scarce was this movement begun,
when Mr. Rodney and the ships with him, went again
upon their former tacks, which obliged us to get into
the line of battle again on the Rarboard tack. The
smoke undoubtedly prevented our rear from feeing
the last signal of counter orders, and the following
An account of the three engagements on the 17th of April,
and the \ stb and 19th of May, between our fleet,
commanded by M. the Count de Guichen, and that of
M A RTINI C O, June 15.
THE
It appeared from the enemy's manoeuvres, that
their delign was to attack only the weakest parts of
our line; they had formed several knots of their
Rrongeft ships, who kept as much as poflible oppolite
to our lixty-four's. The Princess Royal, of 90 guns,
declined engaging the Robuße, and turned all her force
against the Artefien, one of bur weakest ships, who
did her a great deal more mifehief than the received.
Admiral Rodney himfelf lay but a very short time a
long fide of the Couronne, and all his manoeuvres
made us believe that lie was afraid of the approach of
our centre ; he and his two consorts seemed deter
mined on engaging the Deßin and Vengeur, who re
ceived him as an Admiral, and complimented him
with the brifkeß firing.
At the instant the battle was molt lively, we tho't
we saw a great deal of confufion on board the Sand
wich, it appeared to us that Admiral Rodney's flag
had been taken down, and that he was going into an
other fliip : We were not mistaken, some time after
we saw his flag hoisted on board the Conqueror ; we
judged at the time that the Sandwich had received
considerable damage, and it has since been confirmed
by the accounts of the English themselves. At the
fame instant, one of her topmasts fell down, fire ap
peared on board, and the Ihots Rie had received be
tween wind and water endangered her finking. All
the other vtfTels of their fleet were a good deal worse
treated than ours in their masts and rigging ; but the
lateness of the day, and the advantage of the wind,
which they had preserved, favoured their retreat,
and prevented us from completing the viclory.
The 18th we were employed in repairing, and the
19th having no knowledge of the enemy, we were or
dered for Guadaloupe, which was very near, where
we landed our lick and wounded without anchoring.
The zoth, at day break, the English appeared in the
S. S. W. at about 5 leagues distance, the General or
dered immediately the boats on board, and we ma
noeuvred in order to preserve the wind. The 21st at
Bin the morning, we saw them S. 1-4 S. W. Our
fleet made several tacks in order to keep to wind
ward; at half pad three, our van begun to feel the
effects of a calm. The Count de Guichen made a
signal to tack, which the Solitani could not bring in
a flat calm. The English fleet bearing down upon
her, by means of a breeze at S. W. we tacked again
in order to protect her, and joined her at 8 in the
evening, The English who were not more than a
gun Riot distant, went away immediately. This day
gave them the advantage ot the wind. The 22d at 7
in the morning, we saw them in the horizon ; at 8
o'clock they were out of light. Our General having
then no longer any hopes of gaining the wind in this
position, assembled all the General officers to take
their opinion ; it was determined to fail away.
The Bth of May at ten in the morning, we were at
the entrance of the channel of St. Lucia, the Ceres
frigate who had been out to reconnoitre, made the
signal for feeing them in the S. W. from this to the
15th the end of all our manoeuvres was to keep the
wind, to draw the enemy to windward off Martinico,
to avail ourselves of their mistakes, and to fight them
with advantage : The manoeuvres of Admiral Rod
ney, on the contrary, tended to get to windward and
avoid fighting. Whenever we came near him he ad
vanced his van, and formed the line of battle on the
opposite tack to ours, but always in such a manner,
that when we were within a gun shot and a half, there
was not day light enough to engage. In the night he
ran large, so that the next day we were obliged to
make as long a manoeuvre, without being more ad
vanced, or if we were too much to the south, the
whole day was spent in running to the north, and the
English, who would not seem to avoid us, went upon
the fame tack. While we admire the masterly ma
noeuvres of our General, we cannot restrain ourselves
from doing justice to thofc of Admiral Rodney, u hich
were all well conceived and dextroußy executed ex
cept one, of which we should have taken the advan
tage, had it not been for a calm in the critical minute.
( For the remainder fee the fourth page.)
one, since having obeyed the signal of tacking lufffor
lull, it continued for some time to run upon the other
tack. The greater part of the ships of the van were
fallen to leward, by observing the signal. The Count
de Guichen, in order to reform the line of battle rea
ady, made the signal for disregarding their posts; but
before it was formed again, the English who h id tack
ed their lower fails, and kept close with the wind un
der the fire of the Fendant; the Couronne, the Pal
mier and the Indien had advanced very much to the
windward, when the Robuße and Sphynx, having
presently put about, placed themselves in front of the
Pendant, in the room of those which had fallen to
leward.
[Numb. 139.]