The Freeman's journal, or, New-Hampshire gazette — Portsmouth, N.H., 1776-06-15 00:00:00, page 4

To the Kinc’s most excellent MajesTy.
The bumble AppRESs and PeTiTION of the
Mercbants, Traders, and other principal
Inhabitants of the town of BELFAST.
Mot Gracious Severeign,
WE, your Majesty’s most dutiful and
loyal fubjeéts, the merchants, trad
ers, and other principal inhabitants
of the town of Beltaft, implore your Majef:
ty to lend an attentive and favourable ear
to these our humble, though earnest suppli
cations,
Universally interested in the fate of trade,
we cannot but lament the decay of it alrea
dy cccaflioned by the present unnatural state
of things ; limited and restrained as the
commerce of this country is, by the policy
of the British legislature, any obftruétion in
the few channels, which have been left open
to our industry, must be sensibly felt, and
cannot by any efforts of ours be compensa
ted ; the injury done to our staple manu
fa&ure, by the ceflation of all intercourse
with America ; the danger with which the
remains of it are threatened, we conceive to
be truly grievous and alarming :—in the
next considerable branch of our exports we
are hikewife distressed, by the operation of
the fame ruinous cause 5 and to look forward
to the probable event of an untruitful year,
when we may be deprived of that support,
which this country hath often derived from
America, fills our minds with the most gloo
my apprehensions.
We must feel also as members of this
once flourithing empire, for it’s prelent dif
tralted and endangered slate ; we saw it to
wards the close of your illustrious grandfa
ther’s reign, and under the auspicious com
mencement of your Majesty’s, raised to the
summit of prosperity and ol glory 5 united
within itfelf, it’s magnitude and [plendor
awed the world. We now fee it’s luftre
obscured, and the mighty fabrick rent to
it’s foundations.
And we must deeply feel as men; as such,
nothing can give us greater anguish of foul,
than the horrors of civil war, now ragingin
‘one exzenfive part of your Majesty’s domi
nions : but we with to avert our eyes from
these, and raise them up to the royal benig
nity and mercy, which we cannot but hope
will yet interpose for the preservation of mil
lions ; of millions who have been threatned
O M 9 DESTY.
SEE where she comes ! transcending human
- praise ; [ground
With downcast eyes, that ever love the
Not with more crimson hue
Looks the pure virgin rose,
Than does the blush, that vivifies her cheek,
(The glowing emblem of her spotless mind :)
The tint that nature gives
To innocence alone.
Far other colour stains the face of guilt :
Far other fluthes her confufion mark,
Than modetty receives
From truth’s immortal touch.
The zone of Chastity entwines her waist,
And virtues thade fits clefe around her neck,
As loving to be near
Perfections so divine. [glance
Lock up sweet maid! and with one awful
Yon public harlot, impudence, confound,
That would confront thy fiep,
And blast the charms she wants.
Look up! and thou fthalt {ee the convert bend
Beneath the fun beam of thy sacred eye,
And weep to touch the hem
Ofthy celestial stole.
PORTSMOUTH: Printedby BEN JAMIN DEARBOR.N, near the Parade, where this Papcr
may be had at Eight Shilling.s L. M. per year, one half at entrance. The Printing-Business, in it’s different branehes
carried on with care and fidelity. _ e
POUOETs CORNEER
Remote as our situation is, incorfiderable
as we may be deemed; we would not pre
sume to approach the throne with these fer
vent prayers, did not our old and acknow
ledg’d attachment to the freeßritith conttitu
tion, to theProteftant religion, to the princi
ples of the revolution,to theilluftriousHoufe
of Hanover, and to your Majesty’s most sa
cred person and dignity, give us a diftinéti
on which we are proud of; and embolden us,
with hearts warmly and zealously devoted
to the conftituticn and to your majefty,to lay
ourfeves at your feet ; praying,that you may
be protected at all times, and in all things
directed, by that Sovereign of the universe,
by whom Kings reign, and Princes decree
jultice.
ILOND ON March 21, 1776.
ORDERS are given for raising 1000 re
cruits, for compleating the 3 regiments
ot foot guards to their full complement, in
the room of those ordered for America.
A meflenger arrived at St. James’s, from
France, and brings advice that a 2 Squadron
of men of war and frigates are {ailed from
Brest, with a fair wind for the Weft-Indies.
Yefterdav Gen. Sir John Wortelfly and
Sir George Osborne, set out for Chatham, to
embark there with their regiments for Ame
rica.
Yesterday a draught from the guards of
tooo men marched off the parade, inthree
divisions; to Portsmouth, to.embark for
America. '
The Ferret sloop of war, commanded by
Capt. Roduey, is said to have overfet at sea,
and every foul loft, , ;o
Orders are given for draughts to be made
from the different dock yards for a number
of thipwrights, &c. to be sent to Halifax, in
Nova-Scotia, to repair any of his Majeily’s
ships that may put in there and fland in need
thercof. .
It was agreed in Monday’s debate that go
vernment would in the course of two months
want 130,000 tons of transports. Suppose on
an average at 280 tons each, this is near 500
fail, which = certainly more than can be pro
cured in that time. This confirms the opini
on very generally embraced among military
with deftrution, and driven to extremities,
by sanguinary men, for the mere suspicion of
political error; and that in questions so invol
ved and dubious, that many of the greatest
names, many of the wisest and best men who
have ever adorned these lands, togetherwith
large and important communities of the peo
ple, are firm in the opinion, that the error
1 not chargeable on them ; with such we
joinin humbly and fervently imploring your
Majesty to theath in mercy the sword of ci
vil war ; that a foundation may be laid for a
speedy and happy restoration of that old
constitutional {yftem, under which Great-
Britain and her Colonies, united in affe&ion
as in interest, grew in firength, till they
became the admiration and envy of other
nations.
ll\ the farewell sermon preachd by that vencra
' ble and learned divine, Mr. T homas Hoo
ker, at his leaving of England, [o limg ago as
the year 1033, are these Prophetical passages.
““ 1s mot ngland ripe & It fbe not weary of
God ? Nay, fbe is fed fat for the slaughter.”
““ England hath seen hor best days, and now
evildays are befalling her.
““ Thou England, which haft been lified up to
heaven with means, fball be abased and brought
down to hell 5 for if the mighty works which
have been done in thee, had been doiie in India or
Turkey, they would have repented ¢er this.”
““ God will deftroyEngland, and lay it walfle,
and the people fball be put unto the fivord.—He
will break the nation of England in pieces like a
potter’s wveflel.’” |
‘The Flanders mail of Saturday last fays,
that his Pruflian Majesty has again relapsed,
and the consequences are much dreaded by
his Physicians,
It was agreed in the debates the other
night, the French were arming in all their
Ports, that ikey had sent at different times
¢ooo men to the Mauritius, and a very for
midable force to St Domingo. '
Lieut. Gen. Elliot, Colonel of the 15th
or theKing’s light dragoans, is appointed G
overnor of Gibralter, in the room eof General
Cornwallis deceased. g
To prevent the transports being taken by
the small provincial privateers,orders are gi
ven to the Surveyor of the navy, that none
be taken up under three bundred tons, and
these also to have 6 nine pounders upon deck
for their defence, i
The following forces are said to be agreed
in council, to be sent toAmerica this spring,
viz. Heitfians, 12000. Brunfwickers, 4000.
Waldeckers, 2000, Britith, 37000, Total,
5 €OO,
s he freaty with the duke of Brunswick
was signed by Col. William Fawcit, the oth
of January,l 776. By this treaty three thou
sand nine hundred and sixty-sour men are
tdken into the pay of Great-Britain ; also
three hundred and thirty-fix light cavalry,
dismounted. Half to be ready to march the
15th of February, and to arrive at the place
of embarkation the 25th ; the other half to
begin their march the last week in March ;
levy money to be paid to the Duke, thirty
crowns each, at four shillings and nine pence
three farthings. The king to pay the Duke
a {ubfidy of sixty-sour thousand five hundred
German crowns a year while in pay ; and
double that for two years after the troops re=
turn.
perfons—~That the German troops will not
all be in America before the end ot Augufis
Friday a court of Common Council wa®
held at Guild-hall, when a motion was mads
to petition the King, beseeching his Majesty
that the most solemn, clear, diftinét, and un
ambiguous fpecification of the just & honor
abie terms, which his Majefiy, with both
houses of parliament, meantogrant the Co
lonies, may preceed the dreadful operation
of his armament : which petition was prepa
red and crdered to be presented by ths
whole Court, In consequence of the above
refoiution, the Sherifis went yefierday to his
Majesty to know when he would be pleas-d
to receive it, and his Majesty appointed Fri
day next,
~ Letters from Col. Faucit advise, that the
firft march of the Heflians has been ftopt,
and the men ordered back, from the tran{-
ports not being ready to receive them.
By a gentleman just arrived fram Treland
we hear, that all kinds of provificns are risen
above a third in their value there, on account
of the large commifl:ons for victualling the
ttanfports. AtCork itisfaid there are nolcfs
than 500 of them to be victualled for twelve
months. :
The treaty with the Landgrave of Hefle
was {igned at Caffel, by the fame gentleman,
the fitteenth of January.———Dßy it twelve
thousand Heflians are hired ; a partto begin
their march the 27th of February,and the re
mainder within four weeks after. Twenty
crowns banco to he paid for levy money for
each man. The subsidy to be forty-five thou
sand crowns banko, per annum, at four fhil
lings.and. nine pence three farthings. The
treaty to continue at least one year after the
troops are arrived back in the dominions of
Hefle:
That with the court of Hanau was signed
the sthof February, tor fix hundred and sixty
eight infantry, to begin to march the 20th of
March. Levy money thirty crowns. The
annual {ubfidy to be thirty-five thousand
Crowns. ' .
WHITEHALL, March 9. Theking has
been pleased to appoint John Montague Esq;
Vice- Admiral of the blue, to be governor and
commander in chief in and over the island of
Newfoundland, and of the islands of Mada
laine, in the gulph of St. Lawrence,