The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-09-29 00:00:00, page 3

PHILADELPHIA, September 22.
Extras of a letter from Elizabeth-Tocun, Sept. 15.
" From good authority, I am informed the enemy,
at least 6000 of them, are preparing to leave New-
York, supposed to be destined for the Weft-Indies —
Three regiments have already failed, the 44th Britift,
and two Hessian regiments; the 44th is compleated
by draughts from the 26th and recruits, their defo
liation is uncertain, but conjedured for the Weft-In
dies: They failed under convoy of a 64 gun fliip, said
to be the Ardent.—The enemy are fearful of a visit
from the French fleet, and are much dejefted; espe
cially the refugees, lince the publication of the Spanifti
manifefto ; many of the latter cursing the hour they
began to afiift his Aloft gracious Majelly: And may
the Lord increase their trouble!"
Extract of a letter from Capt. Samuel Nicbofa, of the
Deane frigate, to the Marine Committee of Congress.
Falmouth, September 3, 8 o'clock, 1779.
Gentlemen,
" My lalt to you was of the 29th of July, dated from
Hampton in Virginia, and on the fame day I left the
Capes with two Virginia State Ihips, their tender,
and 13 fail of merchantmen. The State ships and ten
der quitted us soon after we left the Cape.
" On the second of August we difeovered two fail,
and gave them chafe; they endeavoured to separate
our convoy, but we were fortunate enough to take
them both, being privateers from New-Yoik, one the
Tryall schooner of 10 guns and 37 men, and the other
the Flying-Filh, mounting the fame and 32 men ; the
former commanded by Capt. Warling, and the latter
by Capt Blair, both which were lent to Philadelphia
under the command of Mr. Long a pilot, and Mr.
Porter of the Bolton.
" On the 9th instant we chafed and took the snip
Glencairn, trom Giafgow, mounting twenty 18, 9
and 6 pounders, bound for New-York, and laden
with goods, &c. She had about 30 men, and com
manded by Capt. M'Caul.
" On the 12th, we came up with the Sandwich
packet, from New-York, bound to Falmouth in En
gland, mounting 16 guns and 60 men, commanded
by Capt. Hill of the navy, who was going home with
dispatches, which he threw over, and had on board
Lieut. Col. M'Pherfon of the 73d regiment, Major
Gardner of the 16th, with his wife and child, which
we let remain on board her, on account of better ac
commodation, Capt. Ross of the 71st regiment, Capt.
Jernes of the navy, and Mr. Robertson purser of the
Swift, also Mr. Powell and Mr. Ashley, merchants,
besides the officers of the ship.
" The 23d, we chafed and took the brigantine
Venture, from Madeira, commanded by Capt. Leake,
mounting 2 guns and about 15 or 20 men, and laden
with about 150 pipes of wine, (Madeira,) bound for
New-York; (he was dispatched for Boston in care of
Mr. Day, midshipman of the Boston frigate; by her
we learned the declaration of Spain against England.
" Capt. Tucker on the 24th was preparing to quit
me, but just on the moment of parting we difeovered
a fail bearing down upon us, upon which we agreed
to keep together till we saw who or what die was;
and thereupon gave her chafe, which continued till
one o'clock next morning, when the struck without
firing a gun. She proved to be the Thorn, a Hoop
of war from Portsmouth in England, pierced for 18
guns and mounting 14, was copper bottomed, and
complete in every refped as a ship of war for fix
months, and only ten months old, had 135 men on
board, and commanded by Capt. Wardlow, bound
for New-York ; the was going with the Spanish ma
nifefto and other dispatches, which were destroyed.
" Upon my coming into this river, I found the
Sandwich packet lying here, who got in about four
hours before us, having fallen in with Sir George
Collier's fleet returning to New-York; but they took
no notice of him, and he got clear.
" On board the Glencairn a person fays he had in
charge a box, which was to be delivered to some per
son in New-York, but upon our coming up with them
and the fbip striking, threw it overboard ; upon which
we lent immediately after it, and with difficulty got it
before it funk, when upon examination we found it
contain materials for counterfeiting our currency,
confiding of types, paper with silk and isinglass in it,
&c. We have however determined to secure the per
son, as we believe him to be the sole intender cf the
villainy : The box we have on board, and Ihall bring
it with us to Boston.
" I gave the command of the Thorn to Mr. Yeaton,
my First Lieutenant; he is an excellent officer, and
wish-he might be a ^pointed to the command of her."
P. S. I saw the merchantmen a hundred leagues to
the eastward of Bermudas.
Published by Order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
In COMMITTEE, Sept. 24, 1779-
To our worthy Fellow-Citizens of the City and
Liberties of Philadelphia.
Gentlemen,
n^HE duty we owe to you, not only as our confti-
I tuents,'but as fellow supporters of the great and
glorious cause of the United States, renders it incum
bent on us to lay before you the following matters.
The great uneasiness and numerous difeontents
which prevailed in the month of May last, refpefting
the depreciation of the currency, occasioned a Town-
Meeting to be held in the State-House yard on the
25th of that month, at^which a committee was ap
pointed to execute certain resolves then entered into;
the immediate consequence of which was, that the
currency received a check so important and extensive,
not only in this State but in many others, that had
the opportunity been properly improved, the nioft
happy advantages might, in our opinion, been pro
duced and established.
On the expiration of the firft Committee, 2 fecund
was elected, too numerous to execute with difpacch,
and too various on their ideas to concur in ail the
measures expected from them ; at the fame time, we
had rcafon to apprehend a continual decrease of goods
from the city, by private removals, without being a
ble to detect or prevent them; an unwilliugnefs in
many of the importers to come into the plans neces
sary for securing fupplics to the State, and a back
wardness in the country to fend in their produce—
Reluctance in the one begat the fame spirit in the
other, while the great and superior cause of cur
country, the means of supporting our army, and
providing for the exigencies of government, were un
happily forgotten in the intcrefted views, and mil
taken avarice, of individuals.
Thus situated, we found it difficult to proceed,
left our endeavours to execute every rcfolvc of the
Town-Meeting should increase the avaricious dispo
sition for removing goods, or prevent a return of car
goes into this port, and likewise be artfully given asa
pretence for vindicating such ungenerous miicosdud.
We had, therefore, no eligible method but to endea
vour to keep matters as they were, until the meeting
of the Affenibly, before whom we have laid the buti
nefs.—Yet we appeal to the judgment even of those
who have opposed us, whether the depreciation has
not encreafed more within these few days pall, than
in the four preceding months.
Trade and commerce as they now stand, are put in
opposition to the interest and independence of the
country. The money was issued for the purpose cf
supporting the war and defraying the exigencies of
government, but the whole of it is now so effectually
swallowed up in the enormity of prices, that the in
tention of emitting it is nearly defeated. Yet as soon
as an attempt wa 3 made to Hop the depreciation, an
artificial want was created to prevent the success of
the measure, and a clamour railed against the Commit
tee,to cover the mifcondud of those who were oppo
sing them.
If goods have been removed, we are not the per
sons who have removed them; and if those who have
been guilty of such practices, should plead in excuse
that they did it because they could get a few pounds
more in other places, what is it but to confefs they
care nothing for the welfare of the community among
whom they reside, or for their country's cause, and
that avarice and felf-interelt are their only principles.
Our object was to eftabhih the currency by easy
and gradual means, and the little portion of i'neon
veniencies that must naturally fall to every man's share
in the firft setting out, were trifles compared with the
point to be accomplilhed or to be loft. And on this
head we cannot help remarking, that the fituatiou of
the country, so far as it vefpc&,the currency, is not
so properly distressing, as it is inconvenient and per
plexing. We fee ourselves allied to, and our cause
favoured by the most formidable powers in Europe.
Our independence established on as firm a basis as
that of any other country in a state of war, and yet
with all those advantages, brilliant as they are, and
far exceeding our utmott expectations, ue are un
wisely disabling ourselves, unneceffwily multiplying
our taxes, encrealing our houlhold expences, and
courting poverty with money in our hands.
We have been generally informed that many of the
persons who are now felling or retailing Welt-India
produce at an exorbitant rate, purchased the fame of
some of the importers at a regulated price, or very
little more, and though we cannot but disapprove of
the impolitic conduct of many of the importers, who
after felling their own goods at a regulated price,
should rernonftrate against and oppose the regulati
ons ; yet in order to do justice to the one, and detect
and pimifh the other, we Ihall gladly give every aflift
ance that can lead to the full discovery of a practice
so replete with avarice and dilhonefty, be the delin
quents who they may. And tho' we are not autho
rifed by the resolves of the Town-Meeting to establish
prices higher than they formerly were, yet as it may
be of use to inform the public of the rates which the
importers agreed to fell at, in an address delivered
by a Committee from their own body to his Excel
lency the President of the State, we hereby publilh
them, as follows:
Rum, £.7 10 0
Coffee, 1 26
Tea, 7 10 0
Salt, ij 0 0 if proper to be regulated at all.
Having thus concisely dated the situation of busi
ness, with some occasional remarks thereon, we shall
suspend further proceedings, except in very particu
lar cases, until the determination of the Assembly be
made known, and sincerely wilhing that a universal
disposition may prevail for the restoration of public
credit, we shall, at all times, hold ourselves in rea
diness, during the time for which we were elected,
(which is to the last day of the present year) to meet
and execute any measures consistent with the public
good and the duty committed to us.
Signed, by a unanimous vote of the Committee,
JAMES HUTCHINSON, Chairman.
T R E N T O N, September 29.
Extract of a letter from a Gentleman in Phila
delphia, dated September 26, 1779,
“ This afternoon the Heflians taken by captain
Taylor, in the sloop Mars, were landed here. Six
officers and 156 privates. The highest officer a
Major. Count D'Eftaing arrived in Savannah river
on the eighth of this month, with a considerable
fleet, and a body of land forces. General Lincoln
is moving towards the enemy from above—They
must fight or retire from the State; they may per
haps choose the latter if they can get off conveni
ently. We have no account yet of any operations.
Yesterday evening the Hunter (loop of war, carry
ing 14 guns 2nd 75 men, prize to the Pickering
privateer of Salem, arrived here; (he never fired a
gun, though the privateer mounted but 16 guns and
had but 65 men."
Extras of a letter from a Member of Congref,
dated at Philadelphia, September 27,1779.
" Yesterday brought official information that
Count d'Estaing with a considerable fleet arrived
the 7th instant in Savannah river, with a view of
making a stroke on the Britilh power in Georgia.
Gen. Lincoln, with the troops under his command,
are drawing down from the interior country, and
the combined operations will, I hope, produce some
thing in our favour, by obliging the enemy to rifle
an action, or evacuate Georgia and South-Carolina.
In the former case the land forces on board the
Count's fleet, being conjoined with Gen. Lincoln's,
will make a referable effort; in the latter, the e
nenry will find it a matter of great risk and difficult
ty to make a retreat to St. Augustine or Fenfacola,
or indeed into any part of the Floridas. The dis
patches came away immediately on the arrival of
the Count, so that there is no intelligence of any
operations as yet. It is hoped the exertions of the
country will so well second the intentions of the
Count, that the enemy will be difpoffefTed in that
quarter."
Extract of a letter from an officer in the zuefern arm,,
commanded b, Alajar-General Sullivan, dated Kona
dafagea, September 9, 1779.
" Since the action of the 29th of last month, the
Indians have fled at the approach of our army, and
left their settlements to our mercy,—New-Town,
Konowarohala, French Katherines, Candai, Skayes,
Gaghfeonghwa, and Konadafagea, are great heaps of
ruin ; belides these we have burnt a number of scat
tering houses ; and destroyed a large country of corn
pumpkins, cymblines, cucumbers, water-melons,
peaches and apples.
" This day we shall set out for Geneffee, and lay
that country in ashes. The enemy having retired to
Niagara we expert no opposition as we advance, but
expert an attack as we return."
On Thursday last a Mr. Van Mater was knocked
offhis horse on the road near Longstreet's mill, in
Monmouth county, by Lewis Fenton and one De
bow, by whom he was stabbed in the arm and other
wise much abused, befidc being robbed ofhis saddle.
In the mean-time another person coming up, which
drew the attention of the robbers, gave Van Mater
an opportunity to make his escape. He went direft
ly and informed a ferjeant's guard of Major Lee's
light dragoons who were in the neighbourhood of
what had happened. The ferjeant immediately im
pressed a waggon and horses, and ordered three of
his men to secrete themselves in it under some hay.
Having changed his clothes and procured a guide,
he made haste thus equipped to the place where Fen
ton lay. On the approach of the waggon Fenton
(his companion being gone) rushed out to plunder
it. Upon demanding what they had in it, he was an
swered, a little wine and spirit. These articles he
said he wanted; and while advancing toward the
waggon to take possession of them, one of the sol
diers, being previously informed who he was, fliot
him through the head, which killed him instantly on
the spot. Thus did this villain end his days—which
it is hoped will at least be a warning to others, if not
induce them to throw themselves on the mercy of
their injured country.
STATE of NEW-JERSEY,
Gloucester County, Sept. 7, 1779.
NOTICE is hereby given to all persons having
any demands against Harrison Wells, George
Avis, William Wells, William Bocock, Daniel Co
zens, Jonathan Chew, James Hanifey, Joseph Long,
Jacob Hewitt, John Robeson, Peter Johnson, Isaac
Justice, John Hatton, James Duffield, John Gruff,
John Hinchman, William Forfman, Alexander Bar
tram, John Cox, John Rodrow, Gabriel D'Vtber,
William Pinyard, John O'Briant, George Swanton,
Josiah Biddle, Robert Whitaker, Jeremiah Proffer,
John Carter, jun. or David Suram, whose estates are
forfeited, and have been fold by the Commissioners of
said county ; that they exhibit their accounts before
the Judges of the court of common pleas, within the
time limited by law, in order that they may be ad
justed and paid.
JOHN SPARKS, ) Commif-
SAMUEL KAIGHN„ fioners.