The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-07-09 00:00:00, page 2

a table, in a serious posture, with a book in his
hand, and upon turning his head, and feeing them,
he seized a razor which lay before him, and cut
his throat. The wound was sewed up, and the un
happy man put to bed; and in the mean time an
express was sent to Bow-street. In consequence
of which, fir Sampson Wright and Gilbert,
Esq. immediately set off for Stepney, where they
found the prifoncr in a very improper state for ex
amination, both on account of the extreme agita
tion of his mind and the danger attending the
wound he had given himfelf. Ryland remained at
Stepney, his hands being confined, and being watch
ed by fix men, left he Ihould tear open the wound
in his throat, or by some other means put an end
to his life.
On Thursday evening another over-land express
Was sent off for the Ealt-lndies, to travel through
France and Italy to Constantinople, and fiom
thence, by the most speedy means, to Bengal. .
The laif ihips the French dispatched to the East-
Indies were le Protestor of 74 guns, le Fendant
74, and l'Argonaute 64, and la Heron of 32. —
They failed in April, and have certainly reached
the Aliatic seas before this time.
Extract of a letter from Paris, April 29.
“ His excellency M. de Marcoff, late minister
to the Hague, from the empress of Russia, arrived
yesterday in this city ; he is to sign the articles of
peace between the late belligerent powers, on the
part of his mistress ; as prince de Barratinffiir is to
sign them on the part of the emperor of Germany;
the two imperial courts having taken up the charac
ter of guarantees."
May 10. Government, since the ratification of
the peace with America, have indicated their desire
to the refugees from that country, that some mode
Ihould be struck out for producing a final adjust
ment of this complex business, to be firft submitted
to the infpedion and controul of the house of com
mons, so as to relieve the nation from the enor
mous annual sum that is paid to this description of
men, which at this time amounts to 80,0001. per
annum. In consequence of the above intimation,
the principal gentlemen, from the different pro
vinces in America, have summoned several meet
ings, and the result of their deliberations have been,
for each province to fix upon a fpecific sum, which
is to include every claim whatever. The largest
province, which is Virginia, have presented to the
lords commissioners of the treasury an account of
the losses they have sustained in supporting the
royal cause, and the prayer of their petition ends
with requesting a donation of 300,0001. which they
consent to take as a final cornpenfation for all pall
and future demands. A part of the late secretary
of state's office is appropriated for the receiving and
examining their demands, previous to the inspection
of them by the lords of the treasury.
May 17. The emperor has not yet acknowledged,
by any formal ad, the independence of America ;
he has, however, resolved not to fuffer, if he can
help it, the other European powers to run away
from his fubjeds with all the benefits of commerce
with America; to this end his imperial majesty has
raised the baron Van B'eelen to the place of one of
the lords of trade in Brabant, whom he means to
Extras of a letter from Brufl'els, March 27.
“ The much talked of fuppreilion of several con
vents and nunneries, is at last confirmed by an im
perial edia, dated Brussels, March 17."
May 10. Mr. William Lee, formerly an aider
man of this city, is expected to be commissioned by
Congress to the court of Vienna, as American
consul.
On Thursday morning some letters were received
from Brussels, which mentioned that the emperor
of Germany has ordered a large army to be formed
in Hungary, to watch the motions of the Turks,
who have already committed several ads of hostili
ties on the frontiers.
The court-martial on lieutenant-colonel Cock
burn, of the 35th regiment, for the loss of the island
of St. Euttatius, fat yeftemday at the Horse-Guards,
The prosecutor (who appeared to be a very young
officer) opened the business in h modest and very
affecting speech, describing the delicacy of his situ
ation, and the countenance he expected from his
brother officers in general. How this very inte
resting trial will end, it is not in our power to give
any probable conjecture.
The Dutch force in the East-Indies to co-ope
rate with the French, will conlift of one Ihip of 68,
three of 60, two of 56, one of 40, and two of 20
guns. This squadron failed from the Texel in Au
gust last, and have not been heard of since.
CHARLESTOW N, June 14.
There are two letters in town from the Honour
able Mr. Laurens, of the dates of theist and 7th
of April. In the firft he expresses great uneasiness
at the delay of the definitive treaty, and the eva
cuation of New-York ; but by that of the 7th he
mentions having had a conference with the Duke of
Portland, Mr. Fox, Mr. Burke, and other Mini
sters, who gave him the most positive assurances,
that the utmost expedition Ihould be used in the
completion of both the above measures. The next
day he set off for Paris to put the finifhing hand to
the treaty; after which he would immediately em
bark at Nantz for Philadelphia,
NEW-LONDON, June 20.
European accounts fay that nothing but anarchy
pervades the island of Britain.—A mutinous army
and navy, prepared for every excess to which their
unrestrained licentiousness may carry them ; no mo
ney in the treasury to difeharge the one or pay off
the other; which, besides the inconveniencies to
which the publick service is exposed, by the troops
and ships refufing to proceed as they are ordered,
continues to load them with the whole expences of
the war.
BOSTO N, June 16.
Last Friday arrived here the ship Rosamond,
Captain Love, in 35 days from London. Mr. Sa
muel Conant, Mr. Ingraham, merchants, and se
veral other gentlemen came passengers.
Saturday arrived here the snow Minerva, Cap
tain J. Hodgfon, from London, which place she
left about the fame time with Captain Love.
By the above vessels we have received papers to
the 12th of May; but they contain nothing mate
rial.—However, it is credibly asserted, that the
definitive treaty of peace, between the United
States of America, France, Spain and Great-Bri
tain, was signed at Paris on the twentieth day of
April last.
A letter from Nantucket, dated June 12, fays,
by an account received here from New-York, a
brig having on board thirty refugees' families, with
their utenhls, bound to Port Rofeway, was seen
to founder, and all on board perished ; although a
British frigate was in company, the sea was so
rough as to afford them no relief. It was supposed
that a butt started, by her going down so suddenly.
fend out without delay to America, in order to ne
gociate the most advantageous treaty of commerce
between his Flemish fubjeds and the United States
of America.
Three French shipwrights, who had embarked in
a vessel that was failing from Brest to New-Lon
don, disguised as seamen, were discovered and or
dered to go immediately on Ihore; so cautious is
the police in all the sea-ports, to prevent the emi
gration of ufeful hands to the new states.
PORTSMOUTH, June 14.
We are informed by the western post that on the
26th ult. a barn belonging to Holden, of
Charleftown, in this state, wa^onfumed by fire ;.
it was supposed to have beens, on fire by some
children, three of whom perished in the flames.
Since our last arrived here Captain Seth Storer,
in a brig, in 40 days from Lisbon, with a cargo cf
salt, fruit, &c.
Extract of a letter from Constantinople, April 14.
" Ihe grand vizier has frequent conferences
with the ambassadors of France and England ; and
it has been remarked that at the close of each, an
express is dispatched from this capital. The porte
is making the greatest preparations for war; im
mense trains of artillery are daily sent off towards
the Black sea, and the frontiers near the Pruth and
the Danube, so that it looks as if an attack both on
the fide of Russia and Hungary is apprehended by
the divan. Some European officers who arrived in
this capital, at the particular desire of his sublime
highness, have received inftrudions to set out for
the different towns to which they are appointed,
for the purpose of repairing the old fortifications,
and adding new ones, where they think them ne
cessary; these officers are chiefly engineers: So
phia, the capital of Balgaria, and Nizza and Wi
din, which command the entrance into Hungary,
are to be very strongly fortified and garrisoned.
The best and ablest general or balhaw in the whole
Turkish army has been lately appointed to com
mand at Belgrade. The captain pacha, or high
admiral, is preparing to set out early in May, on
a cruize to the mouth of the Black sea: in a word,
every thing round us breathes war."
PHILADELPHIA, Jfly 2 .
It is very extraordinary, fays an old correspon
dent, that so much pains have been tiken to form
and organize the constitutions of the fevertai indi
vidual governments, and so little has been taken,
in that which refpeds the whole nation of America,
and which is so superiorly important, that all our
greatness, and our greatest concerns rest upon it.
Some bond of confederation was absolutely ne
cessary at the time the present one was formed, and
in the then situation of affairs it was a well judged
undertaking, because it went no farther than into
the firft Heps of the business. But if the confede
ration is equal to all the purposes of America,
which have arisen since, as well as before that pe
riod, why is it that our national honour, character
and abilities, have declined and are declining under
it i — Either the defed lies in the confederation it
fclf, or it lies in the several Legislatures, or it lies
in the bulk of the people.
It is in vain to lay that the defe& lies in Con
gress personally: for the difficulties took place,
while those who formed the confederation fat as
members ; and <hough they have been changed over
and over again, and those who found faalt, have
succeeded to those they found fault with, still those
difficulties remain, and the honour of America is
daily fuffering under them. Bring all the men into
Congress now, who were concerned in forming
the confederation, and they will not be able to sup
port the character and dignity of the country under
it, nor stem the difficulties which it throws in their
way.
Without ever enquiring into the personal cha
ra&er and abilities of the members who, at any
time, may compose the Congress of the United
States, it must ever shock a sensible mind to hear
the sovereign authority of all the citizens of Ame
rica, which is there represented, irreverently spoken
of. The individual members may have their vari
ous degrees of abilities and accomplilhments; but
the power and authority which they represent is a
sacred thing, and in supporting or debating that,
we support or debase oui selves.
Ifthe defect lies with the several Legislatures,
that from a desire to aggrandize their personal pow
er, they are undermining the great cause and nati
onal dignity of America, let it be known; or if it
arises from want of information in the bulk of the
people, let it be removed by proper explanations ;
or if it springs from defeat in the confederation let
it be revised, not by Congress, but by a continental
convention, elected and authorized for the purpose.
One fad however is certain, which is, that there
is a defed somewhere, and that it is our duty, in
terest and happiness to remove it.'
I carry my eye totally away from the persons who
now, or at any future time may, as I before said,
compose Congress. It is the powers necessary to be
lodged and concentrated there, for the purpose of
combining the strength and dignity of the empire,
and enabling it to support itfelf, with honour and
fafety, in the elevated rank it has arisen to, that
those remarks apply.
And instead of ihewing our ignorance, or our illi
berality, by reflections we know not why, we Ihall
much better shew our wisdom by learning the true
cause of our difficulties, and our patriotism by re
moving them.
The Honourable Oliver Pollock, Esquire, Consul
and Agent for the United States of America, at the
Havannah, &c. owner of the fliip St. John, Preserve
Siflon, maftef, failed in that vessel on the 16th ult.
from Baltimore for the island of Cuba. After beat
ing down the bay as far as the mouth of Potow
mack, the fliip came to, the wind ahead. On Sa
turday the 21st ult. a fair wind springing up, the
pilot ordered the fliip under way, but the people
refufed to obey the order. In consequence of which,
the chief mate, who had the watch on, deck, pe
remptorily commanded them to get the ship under
way, but was instantly seized by two or three of the
hands, and would have been murdered, had it not
been for the Captain and passengers who came to
his assistance. Every persuasion was then made use
of, but in vain, to prevail on the men to do their
duty, and get the vessel under way—they artfully
alledging that the ship was leaky, and not fit for
sea. The Captain then proposed that they Ihould
heave up, and carry the vessel back to port, which
they also refuted. Mr. Pollock, with a remarkable
pretence of mind, then proposed to go up to Balti
more and bring down carpenters and more hands,
(which the mutineers pretended were wanting) to
examine the vessel and repair her on the spot. This
proposition was assented to by part of the crew, the
others infixed no one Ihould leave the vessel; but
fortunately Mr. Pollock and the Captain snatched
the golden opportunity, in the midst of their con
tention, jumped from the cabbin windows into the
boat, and immediately pushed off (as if with an in
tention of going to Baltimore for carpenters and
more seamen) with his servant and the cook, to a
Mr. Sewel's plantation. Mr. Pollock landed and