The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-05-23 00:00:00, page 2

Eleventhly. Because those penalties are directly
contrary to the resolutions of Congress lately com
municated to us. We humbly conceive, that great
attention and refpeCt Mould be paid to every recom
mendation of that Honourable Body. And we are
of opinion, that nothing will sooner terminate the
present war, than harmony and thorough confidence
between the Congress and the several Legislatures.
In Assembly, April 6, 1781.
Henry Hill, Moses M'Clean,
Adam Reigart, Evan Evans,
George Gray, Mark Bird,
Thomas Lilly, Joseph Park,
John Allison, James Jacks,
Robert Morris, William Harris,
Thomas Mifflin, John Steinmetz,
David Thomas,. Joseph Powell,
John Patton, James Dickson.
Fur the New-Jersey Gazette.
THERE is hardly any thing in the United States
that has been the cause of so many publications
as the depreciation of our bills of credit, nor has
any been attended with such horrid injustice. It must
be called the accursed thing ; it has already ruined
great numbers of the most virtuous citizens of this
as well as the other fates in the union : In ihort, the
continental money has almeft made its exit, being
now depreciated to that degree that I am aMamed to
mention it. What is become of those piddling poli
ticians that continually filed our news papers with
their performances in favour of the depreciation of
our paper money, pointing out the many advantages
we mould avail ourf:lvc. of by thC depreciation, &c.
&c, Smce our Legislature has made up the depreci
ation with great propriety and jultice to our army,
they seem ashamed. Let them alone, they have spit
their venom and done all the mifehief they could, I
only with they had never appeared in print. But,
Mr. Printer, the fame set of Monopolizers, Silents
and Dodgers, are endeavouring with all their powers
and faculties to aft the fame tragic feene over again
with our date money. The common conversation
is, that it is already at two or more for one in hard
money, and indeed in almost every kind of merchan
dize ; and unless our Legislature speedily interpose,
and by law put a flop to those gentry, I am really
afraid our fate money, altho' funded on the molt
permanent security, will share the fame fate of the
Continental. —This I apprehend is an easy talk. Men
may be divided into two elafles, viz. creditors and
debtors; no depreciation ever did or ever will origi
nate with the former. Perhaps you will ask why ?
The answer is ready, because it is the best interest
of creditors to keep it good. The depreciation of
money always did and will originate with debtors
for the fame reason, because it is their interest to
depreciate it. Has not even the mod careless obser
ver experienced this to be true within the last four
years ? How many have made fortunes by running in
debt, and keeping their creditors out of their money
until the depreciation was five or ten times as much
as when the debt was contrasted, then perhaps pay
with one tenth of what the thing purchased fold fcr?
To finally cure this malignant disorder, let a law be
enacted that in case a depreciation should take place,
every debtor contracting any debt Mall pay up the
depreciation which may happen between the time of
contracting and the time of paying. This will be a
dodge upon the dodgers, and let this be the only
tender of our state money. By this means you will
make it the interest of debtors as well as creditors
to keep the money good; and surely when it be
comes the interest of all men to comply with a law,
that law will be carried into effeCt. Long arguments
are unnecessary, for interest governs all men. How
ever, I have but little expectation of any thing being
done effectually until a felt-denying ordinance is
adopted in all our Legislatures, supreme and subor
dinate, excluding every member from holding any
post of profit or honour during the time of his being
a member in either Congress, Council or Assembly.
This was done in a former revolution, and perhaps
one as important as that of these United States. The
minds of all men are liable and fubjeCttoa bias, and
therefore it is become necessary in politicks as well
as in religion, to lay aside every weight, and the felf
interefted views that so easily beset us. The experi
ence of past transactions has taught us (not to men
tion or hold up to publick view the particular names)
that it is now become necessary that every member
before he is admitted to his feat, make oath, that
he does not, directly or indirectly, hold any post of
profit or honour, and that he will not accept of any
such post during the time he may continue to be a
member ; then, and not till then, may we expect
our publick affairs will be conducted as they ought
to be: then may we expeCt a law in favour of doing
justice to the widow, the orphan, and the aged, by
making up the depreciation to them as well as the
army, &c. For how can we look up to the Great
Governor of the universe for his blessing, until our
publick measures are so conducted as to coincide
with that great command, Do Jultice, love Mercy,
and walk humbly ! This is the sincere desire and
prayer of
A Tradesman of New-Jersey:
April 28, 1781.
if the paper should depreciate, it can only be attri
buted to that cause.
Ruby, 64; HeCtor, 74; Trident, 64; Grafton,
74; Egmont, 74; Bristol, 50 ; Ulysses, 44; En
dymion, 44; Pomona, 28; Endeavour, 16. Ar
rived in a very bad condition at Jamaica.
On Friday last was held a meeting of the mer
chants interested in the plantations, or commerce of
the Weft-Indies, to deliberate on the most effectual
means of fending assistance to the inhabitants of those
unfortunate inlands, laid waste by the hurricane of
October last. It was agreed that a petition should be
presented to parliament; in the mean time the agents
of this body have solicited a conference with the
Ministry. Lord North receives them this day at
eleven o'clock.
SPATH, Camp at St. Roch, Nov. 30.
A Trench or way of communication was begun
on the night of the 23d, and continued every
night since, to secure the passage of troops from the
line to the new battery of St. Charles: The work
has advanced 138 fathom already, notwithstanding
the bad ground obliged the workmen to use fafcines.
The place keeps up a constant fire with cannon and
mortars : the damage we have sustained amounts to
four men killed and fix wounded, and some work
men who have received contusions.
Paris, Dec. 31. The declaration of war, by En
gland, against Holland at firft astonished us; but we
now perceive it to be an aft of despair ; this power
now plays " quit or double." It is more glorious
for her, if the mus t fink, to fink under the weight
of all Europe. We doubt not but The will procure
present advantages by this rupture with Holland, but
in the end the has one enemy more, who has great
resources in her population and riches, will openly
supply our marine, and by taking a DaniM squadron
in her pay (as is reported) can dellroy the commerce
of Great- Britain in the North.'
The Hollanders have loft m iny ve dels, since the
publication of our last manifefto; but they have so
many thoufands.to lose, that they are not yet affect
ed with this loss. Yet it is very possible and even
very probable, that by force of repeated losses, the
sensibility of the Dutch nation will be roused from
its lethargy, and that the populace will then render
us that jultice which the States General have refuf
ed; we demand as reparation of the insult offered
us by the treaty of Amsterdam with the Americans,
but the puniihment of the rash M. Van Berckel, a
requisition as just as moderate.
According to a note given by the Dutch Ambas
sador, in the course of the administration of the Mar
quis of Rockingham, this ration had then in our
funds 56 millions sterling: it appears from the most
exaCt calculation, that since this epocha, it has plac
ed there 13 millions more; it has then at this time
69 millions in our funds, an objeCt of such import
ance for this republick, that the idea of war with
us must needs carry terror into the bosoms of all its
inhabitants.
Although 545 commissions against the Dutch
have already palled the great leal, the demand for
them is so great that the officers have scarce time
to breathe.
The following is a lift of the English vessels,
which fuffered in the hurricane of October last, inde
pendent of such whose names have not yet appeared.
The Thunderer, of 74 guns; Stirling-Castle,
64; Phoenix, 44; Andromeda, 28; Laurel, 28;
Scarborough, 24; Deal-Castle, 24; Beavers Prize,
18; St. Vincent, 16; Cameleon, 14; Victor, 16;
Barbados, 16. loft.
Alcmena, 40; Le Blanche, 38. Not heard of yet.
Ajax, 74; Montague, 74; Vengeance, 74; A
mazon, 28; Venus, 32. Returned much ihatter
ed to St. Lucia.
They speak of a treaty concluded and signed by
the King of Prussia, Russia and France, to maintain
the system of pacification by land, as they drove to
eftabliM it by sea.
L ONDO N.
Jan. 9. Sunday last the admiralty office receiv
ed a confirmation of the accident, which happened
to the Thunderer of 74 and Stirling-Callie of 64;
they were loft in the terrible ftorin of which so much
has been said, and will yet be said: Commodore
Walfingham was on board the Thunderer.
Extract of a letter from Kinfale, December 25,1781.
The Earl of Dunmore, an aimed transport, Cap
tain David Murry, arrived here to day from New-
York, from whence he failed the 15th ultimo, for
London, he was taken on the 20th instant, by the
Tartar privateer, Capt. Luke Kyan of 22 nine and
6 four and fix pounders and 200 men, chiefly Irifla
and Americans. The Dunmore was ransomed for
2500 guineas, but the privateer took all her guns
and powder; they also took General Smith and Cap
tain Moore, of the 54th regiment, whom they re
fufed to ransom at any price, This privateer has
been but ten days out of Brest, and has taken seven
prizes.
As the la Concorde had been destined to another
quarter and was suddenly and unexpectedly order
ed to attend the Admiral this way, no private let
ters, we are told, are come, though publick dis
patches are gone forward to the Commander at
Rhode-liiand and to Congress. This frigate, it is
said, has brought a large sum of money for the land
and naval forces of France in America. We have
not yet been able to obtain any European newspa
pers.—Accounts in general are, That some days
before the la Concorde left Bred, a squadron of 18
Ships of the line, besides frigates, and a large num
ber of merchantmen and transports had failed from
that port, the greater part bound, to the Weft-
Indies, and some to the Eaft-indies, to a& in con
juCtion with the Dutch forces in that quarter:
I hat Holland had begun reprifils upon Britain, and
was now making every preparation to carry on the
war with vigdur: That Portugal had undoubtedly
joined the armed neutrality, and was fitting out
men of war for the support ofit; and that the Court
of Russia had ordered 8 Ships of the line to the
coast of Portugal for the fame purpose: That the
armed neutral powers would make up for the com
ing season, a fleet consisting of 56 fail of the line;
while it was concluded in Europe that Britain, in
her present circuraftances, could not retain, for the
channel service, and her home defence, more than
about 30 Ships of the line: that the blockade of
Gibraltar was still continued, and the garrison
much straitened for supplies.
That the Continental frigate the Alliance, which
failed from this port last February, in which Col.
Laurens went on publick business to the Court of
France, had arrived at Port I'Orient, about the
middle of March: That M. Necker, the celebrated
Director-General of the finances of France, had
published, by order of the King, the account he
had rendered to his Majesty of the State of his
finances, on the firft of January last, which had
given the highest fetisfa&ion to the whole kingdom,
as this is the firft instance of the kind, and as it
evidently appears from this state, that by the abi
lities of that great man, the revenues of the king
dom are now in a better situation than before the
War began: That it did not appear that Britain had
been able to procure a single ally in Europe, tho'
reports had been spread that the Emperor of Ger
many and the Empress of Russia would become
mediators for a general pacification, which Britain
appeared to want; but these reports were too vague
to have any dependance placed upon them.
Our last mentioned that we had not ceased talfo
ing of the affiftan'ce government proposed giving td
Gibraltar. We regard the moment of Count d'E
ftaing^ being at Brest, as the most favourable we
can wiffi for, and we are assured that Admiral Dar
by is to fail the firft opportunity on this expedition,
and that (like Sir George B. Rodney) he will kill two
birds with one stone, that is, that be will escort the
convoy destined for India, confining @f merchant
vessels, and transports, with troops, &c. Commo
dore Johnftone will separate from the Admiral, in
such or such a latitude, according to circumstances,
and take the route of Cape Good Hope. The land
forces are commanded by General Meadows.
Poitfmouth, Jan. 11. The Neptune, a trans
port Mip, with 200 soldiers on board, was'funk b,
the Sykes, a victualling (hip, which ran on board her;
of the whole crew but 30 persons were saved.
1 he war with Holland contributes nothing to the
progress of fubferiptions for the new loan; monied
men begin to fear advancing upon a security which
every day becomes more visionary and precarious.
Feb. '27. Ihe East-India company have import
ed in the present fleet from China, upwards of two
millions two hundred thousand pounds weight of tea.
BOSTO N, May 7.
A gentleman from the Westward mentions, that
the hon. Gen. la Fayette, had lately executed a not
ed l ory Doctor of Virginia, for difeffected conduct
and treason; previous to which some disclosures were
made by him, not a little important.
Saturday last arrived here Capt. Powars, in a flip
from Cape Francois :—He left that port in compa
ny with the (hip Columbia, Capt. Newall.
May 10. Last Sunday arrived in this harbour,
after a passage pf about 0 weeks from Brest, M. M.
qe Barras, Rear-Admiral, appointed to the chief
commanded rhe squadron of his Most Christian Ma
jesty at Newport, in the frigate la Concorde, com
manded by M. de Tanouarn. This frigate has also
brought back to America the Viscount Rocham
beau, son to the Count Rochambeau, commander
in chief of the French army; likewise the Baron
Dubourg.