The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-08-02 00:00:00, page 1

droop, and desert the field, to which honour, the
strongest ties, the dearest interests of humanity point,
to which victory itfelf invites us? A warlike, potent,
magnanimous nation, has espoused our cause with all
that warmth of friendfhjp, and is determined to yield
,us powerful aid ; a refpeCtable land and naval force
may be daily expected on our coast from France, rea
dy to adunder the orders of our patriotic General.
How difgraceful would it be to this date, were it any
ways acceffary in laying that great and good man,
under the humiliating necessity of avowing to our allies
an inability to undertake any enterprize of conse
quence against the common enemy, particularly, if
that weakness Ihould proceeed not from the real in
ability of this, and the other states, but from the fu
pinejiefs, the avarice, or want of spirit in their peo
ple ! We have hitherto done our duty; the General
has acknowledged our exertions, and we entreat you,
by all that is dear to freemen, not to forfeit the re
putation you have so justly acquired, let us set an ex
ample of fortitude, perseverance, and disinterested
ness; these virtues form the character of true repub
licans: Beware, left an inordinate love of riches Ihould
mark too strongly ours ; remember, that you entered
upon this war, not thro' choice, but necessity, not to
acquire wealth, or power, but to preserve liberty and
property; remember, that your cause is righteous,
that you had not recourse to arms, until the bayonet
uplifted to your breads, a diferetionary surrender of
all that is valuable to man, was demanded with me
raccs of hoftilc force, and with all the insolence of
which the present and future generations mult other
wise inevitably labour ; by timely and due exertions
we ihall avoid the evils inseparable from a great nati
onal debt. The taxes hitherto imposed cannot be
complained of as very burthenfome ; our present debt,
when compared with our probable resources in peace,
is far from being alarming ; a lingering war, however,
besides consuming our inhabitants, wafting our re
sources, accumulluig expence, will fubjed our coun
try to the cruel and wanton devastations of an enemy
who never yet used even traufient victories with mo
deration: What strong incentives to the most vigo
rous and spirited efforts are deducible trom these re
flections! Rife then into action with that ardour,
which despising overcomes all difficulties, and which
led you, destitute of money, of allies, of arms, and
soldiers, to encounter one of the molt powerful nati
ons in Europe. Single and unsupported, raw and
undisciplined, you baffled for three fueceffive years
the repeated attacks of numerous and veteran bands.
Shall we now, when strengthened by a mighty alliance,
From the Maryland Gazette, of July 7.
To the PEOPLE of MARYLAND.
Friends and Countrymen!
AF REE people, from whom the trust and
powers of government are delegated to a
representative council, for the better ma
nagement of the public intcrefls, have a
Tight to be informed at all times, but more especial
ly in great emergencies, of the true situation of their
affairs. Duty, therefore, as well as inclination,
prompts us to lay before you the exigencies and the
danger of this, in common with our filter Rates, to
disclose our wants, our resources, and 'he means of
calling them forth in support of the justest cause and
noblest ends a people can contend for. The enemy,
convinced by fatal experience, that force and artifice
alone will never subdue the stubborn spirit of liberty,
have long depended on the failure of our public cre
dit to accomplish their views of conquest ; the rapid
depreciation of our paper currency, principally ow
ing to the not imposing taxes in due time, and some
what adequate to the public demands, and the abili
ties of the people to pay, had given foundation to the
opinion, that thefc states, from the want of money to
support the war, would at length give up the contest,
and bend to the galling yoke of Britain. The event,
however, we trust will discover this opinion to be as
vain and delusive, as many others entertained by our
inveterate foe. The Congress has recommended to
the states a plan for calling in their bills of credit by
taxes or otherwise, which has been adopted by this
and fcveral other of the states. Taxes equally laid,
quickly collected, and faithfully applied, are necessary
to give efficacy to the plan, and to restore, and when
restored, to preserve public credit. Experience has
taught us the necessity of taxation; a tree people,
feeing that necessity, and the importance of vittorv,
on which their liberty depends, needs no exhortation
to submit, even with cheerfulnefi, to the heaviest tax
es ; reflect, that these will be but temporary, and toe
benefits resulting from them most extensive and per
manent; if adequate and timely exertions are made,
the war probably may be speedily ended, and will
not leave us incumbered with a load of debt, under
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
[Vol. lII.]
WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1780.
The prize we are contending for is inestimable ;
the blood of those heroes, which has been shed in this
just and glorious cause, the inviolable ties of plighted
faith, the necessity of conquering, gratitude to our
illustrious General and to tie brave men under his
command, all conspiring, call aloud for our redou
bled efforts. Our army is weak, and reinforced it
must be, to aft on the defenfive or offenfively, as cir
cumstances may require ; reinforcements proportion
able to those demanded from this, are to be furnifhed
bv the other states. The fall of Charleftown, and the
distresses of our brave friends in that quarter, have
infufed frefh vigour into the councils of America ;
let us, like the Romans of old, draw new resources
and an increase of courage, even from defeats, and
manifeft to the world, that we are then most to be
dreaded, when most depressed.
confeious power; remember too, that you have pledg
ed to each other your lives, your fortunes, and your
sacred honour, in defence of those rjghts, without
the enjoyment of which, life is but misery, and go
vernment a curse.
The General has called upon us to complete our
battalions, and for a reinforcement of 2205 militia to
join him with all expedition. Considering the ap
proach of harvest, and attentive to your ease and con
venience, we have offered to raise an additional bat
talion in heu of the militia, and we have the fatisfac
tion to inform you, that the General has approved
the offer, on condition that this battalion be ready at
the place of rendezvous by the lalt of this month at
fartheft. By the law printed for your information and
with which we intreat your ready compliance, you
will perceive that we have held out the most liberal
encouragement for recruits, upon principles of equa
lity and justice. Iffiom negligence, indifference, or
the dread of danger and fatigue, motives too degrad
ing to be imputed to freemen, or from any other cause,
thu battalion ihould not be raised in time, we have
directed the militia to be called out in classes, to sup
ply the place of regular troops; your duty, your in
terest, and no doubt your inclination, will impel you
to fecund the views of your representatives; without
your co-operation in vain may we make laws, or con
cert plans for the general cause ; these must remain
as dead letters, unless inspirited by your zeal and ac
tivity. We have the honour to represent men, who,
sensible of the birdings of liberty, must know, that
the continuance of them rests altogether on the fuc
cef:u Tue of this war. You feel not, indeed, at
present, those distresses which our brethren, whose
count! y is the immediate scene of action, are exposed
to; their calamities, therefore, possibly may make a
fighter impression on your minds. Contemplate, we
b ich you, the ravages committed by the Britifli
forces on th< plains of Jersey : Behold the dwellings
of the poor and rich in flames, or reduced to allies;
the fruits of a long and laborious industry swept in
stantly away as by a torrent ; view the helpless infant,
the aged parent, the tender virgin, victims to the sa
vage fury and unbridled lusts of an insolent soldiery ;
view thefc feenes o 4 horror and dismay; rouse, and
revenge these wrongs, for these we too in our turn
Ihall feel, if we refufe our aid to drive these spoilers
and invaders from our land ; emulate the conduct of
the brave militia of our sister states, the proof of cou
rage and patriotism which they have exhibited, you
cannot but applaud, and therefore must with to imi
tate, and if possible, surpass.
The following is a declaration from the Empress of
Russia to the Courts of London, Versailles, and
Madrid.
" r FHE Empress of all the Ruffias has so fully ma-
I nifefted her sentiments of equity and modera
tion, and has given such evident proofs during the
course of the war that die supported against the Otto
man Porte, of the regard she has for the rights of
neutrality, and the liberty of universal commerce, as
all Europe can witness. This conduct, as well as the
principles of impartiality that she has displayed dur
ing the preft nt war, justly inspires her with the full
eft confidence, that her fubjefts would peaceably en
joy the fruits of their industry, and the advantages
belonging to a neutral nation. Experience has, ne
vertheless, proved the contrary. Neither the above
mentioned conliderations, nor the regard to the rights
of nations, have prevented the fubjeds of her Impe
rial Majesty from being often molested in their navi
gation, and flopped in their operations by those of the
belligerent powers.
" These hindrances io the liberty of trade in gene
B, order of the General Affembl,,
Dan. of St. Tho. Jenifer, Pref. Sen.
Josias Beall, Spr. Ho. Del.
LOND O N, April 18.
THE
•' Fifthly, That these principles serve as a rule for
proceedings and judgments upon the legality of prizes.
" Her Imperial Majesty, in making these points
public, does not hesitate to declare, that to main
tain them, and to protest the honour of her flag, the
security of the trade and navigation of her fubjeds,
she has prepared the greatest part of her maritime
forces. This measure will not, however, influence
the drift neutrality she does observe, and will observe,
so long as she is not provoked and forced to break the
bounds of moderation and perfed impartiality. It
will be only in this extremity that her fleet will have
orders to go where-ever honour, interest, and need
may require.
ral, and to that of Russia in particular, are of a na
ture to excite the attention of all neutral nations.—
The Empress finds herfelf obliged therefore to free it
by all the means compatible with the dignity and the
well-being of her fubjeds , but before she puts this
into execution, and with a sincere intention to pre
vent any future infringements, she thought it but just
to publilh to all Eprope the principles she means to
follow, which are the properest to prevent mifunder-
Itanding, or any occurrences that may occasion it.—
Her Imperial Majesty does it with the more confi
dence, as she finds these principles coincident with
the primitive right of nations, which every people
may reclaim, and which the belligerent powers can
not invalidate without violating the laws of neutrality,
and without disavowing the maxims they have adopt
ed in the different treaties and public engagements.
" They arc reducible to the following points :
'' First, That all neutral jhips may freely navigate
from port to port, and on the coasts of nations at war.
" Secondly, That the effects belonging to the fub
jeds of the laid warring powers, Ihall be free in all
neutral vessels, except contraband merchandize.
" Thirdly, That the Empress, as to the Ipecifica
tion of the above-mentioned merchandize, holds to
what is mentioned in the 10th and jith articles of
her treaty of commerce with Great-Britain, extend
ing her obligations to all the powers at war.
'' Fourthly, That to determine what is meant by a
blocked up port, this is only to be understood of one
which is so well kept in by the ships of the power that
attacks it, and which keep their places, that it is dan
gerous to enter into it.
" In giving this solemn assurance with the usual
openness of her character, the Empress cannot do
other than promise herfelf that the belligerent powers,
convinced of the sentiments of justice and equity
which animate her, will contribute towards the ac
cjmplifhments of these salutary purposes, which ma
nifeftly tend to the good of all nations, and to the
advantage even of those at war. In consequence of
which, her Imperial Majesty will furnifh her com
manding officers with inftrudions conformable to the
above mentioned principles, founded upon primitive
laws of people, and so often adopted in their con
ventions."
They write from Leghorn, that his Highness the
Grand Duke of Tuscany had sent orders to his Mini
sters at Venice and Genoa, to offer his interposition
between the two powers to prevent a rupture, which
might cause commotions in Italy very serious and un
seasonable.
Ma, 3. A letter from on board the Swan sloop,
dated in the Bay of Biscay, April 12, fays, “ We
daily meet with Dutch ships who swarm in the Bay,
and carry on the French trade. We have, however,
taken only two; one from Cadiz for Brest, with
stores, sent to Lisbon; the other from Bourdeaux,
sent for England ; by which conveyance you will re
ceive this : These people appear as if sworn to secre
cy ; for alk what question you will, the reply is, “I
know nothing."
Ma, 9. It is said that the neutral powers have re
solved to form a Congress, for the purpose of com
posing a new code of maritime law of nations. That
this Congress will meet in Holland, and that even the
powers at war will be invited to fend each one dele
gate. If there be any truth in this story, it is not im
probable that a general peace will be the consequence.
Lord North, fays a correspondent, has managed
his tax on wines ver, wifely, as it can no way affect
him or the King's friends; they all drink French
wines, which are brought over in the Calais Packet,
in ten dozen hampers to London, and the Packet has
a passport.
Capt. Pearson, late ofthe Seraphis, who has chosen
the Alarm in preference to two other ships that were
offered him, one of them the Magnanime, a new 64
gun ship, building at Deptford, has what is common
ly termed a roving commission, which enables him to
cruize in any latitude he may choose, and for as long
a time as he plcafes.
[Numb. 136.]