The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-02-17 00:00:00, page 2

Mr. Fox, in cne of the most rapid, nervous, and
interesting speeches that ever was delivered in that
assembly, reprobated the measures of the Ministry
in every instance. They pray (fays he) for unani
mity, tiey who have destroyed unanimity, who have
torn brother from brother, and reviled and under
mined every fociai bond of intercourse. They pray
for Unanimity in an addrels of thanks in a conjuncture
of the most calamitous nature, brought on by their
own impotence and negle& Unanimity, he knew,
was necessary to refeue the country from its prelent
calamities, and its greatest calamity was, that the
men who had ruined it kill were Ministers. He con
demned the speech from the throne, that is the Ipeech
of the Minister, bccaufe it was falfe. It called the
late commissions to treat of peace, the act of the
Parliament ; it was not, they never saw it, and it
was a libel against Parliament to charge them with
it. He reprobated the Ministry for not forming con
tinental connexions, though indeed he believed it
to be impracticable for them to accomplish any, for
foreign powers would hardly trust themlelves in the
hands of men who had ruined their own country.
He condemned the King's speech for the expres
sion, that our successes lad campaign had not been
so great as might have been expeCted ; he declared
they were greater than could reasonably have been
expected ; and had not good fortune done more tor
them than their own wisdom, the fucccfics must
have been even more fhameful than they are; he
charged the admiralty with having advanced a pal
pable fallhood hi faying in November that they had
forty-two fail of the line ready for sea, and yet not
having Ihips fufficient to dispatch Byron till fix
weeks after d'Euaing had failed. It is impossible for
us, in the narrow compass that we must prescribe
, to ourselves, even to have the outlines of a speech
filled with a series of the most powerful oratory we
ever heard.
Mr. Pinion enumerated the fliips we had, agree
able to the assertion of the Board of Admiralty, in
November last, and Rated that the number was ac
tually 44, of which, however, three were in the
dock in commission, but unmanned.
Sir John IFrcttfey condemned the commissions,
and said they had wrought such effect upon Ame
rica, that 50,000 Ruffians would not now vanquish
and reduce that country.
Mr. Temple Lutterel, Mr. Wilkes, Mr. P. Buncl,
Mr. James Lutterel, and Lord George Gordon, ad
reprobated the conduct of the ministry.
Governor %hnfione rose to vindicate the honour
of the Coinmiffibners. He admired the Earl of
Carlisle. ' He looked upon ,the commifiion to have
had, at the time it was issued, a good promise of
success, but the Ministry had ruined its effe& by the
most unparalleled impotence. Had he known that
Philadelphia was to be evacuated, he never would
have accepted of that commission. He declared upon
his honour, that though he might have taken some
steps towards gaining over some part of the Con
gress, he never made any overtures, as it is asserted,
to Joseph Reed. There was no lady authorized by
him to make any offers to him, and this he folcrqrdy
protested to be true. He thought it neceffafy to
support 25,000 men in America, if we meant only
to carry on a defenfive war, and protest the places
we had in our possession, Give America Indepen
dence, fays he, and the will take Canada, Nova-
Scotia, Newfoundland, and the Welt-Indies, into
the bargain; but reduce America, and the empire
is secure.
Lord North answered Mr. Fox particularly, and
defended himfelf and his colleagues with Iris usual
address. He confeffed he had not been one to advise
fubiidiary connexions in the time of peace. He
said the reason why Admiral Byron did not fail till
fix weeks after d'Estaing, was, that he might not take
advantage of the failing of so many capital fhrps,
and remain in the British seas. He defended the
evacuation of Philadelphia, because on the discovery
of the French intentions, he might have found it
necessary to draw off part of the army, and as cither
Rhode-Bland, Philadelphia, or New-York, must be
iieceffarily evacuated, since he could not fend any
more reinforcements, he thought it most eligible to
evacuate Philadelphia. He defended the expression
of the successes not being adequate to our expecta
tions. Both Mr. Keppel and Mr. Byron were equal
to the French, and yet, owing to a storm in the one
place, and accidents at another, they had failed.
We had made exertions, we had hopes, we had
difippointments, and yet no one appeared as yet
to be in blame. He said it was now the time to
take our ground, and vigorously exert ourselves to
punish the perfidy of our malignant enemy, and re
duce the claims of our revolted fubjetts.
On a division, the numbers were for the amend
ment, ayes 226, noes 107.
The house broke up at half past two o'clock,
M ARTINIC 0, December 24.
Mr. de Kerfaint, of his Majeftv's snip the Iphigenie,
has taken, after a chace of 4@hourL the Certs Hoop
of war, the fineft sailer the &rliih had in thefc seas.
He has a!fo taken a flaop from Barbados, with pro
vilious for the English fleet.
The frigate La Chimere, belonging to Count
d'Eftaing's squadron, which was left in the Dela
ware, arrived at Fort Royal the 21st inflant, after a
paliage of 17 days.
BOSTO N, January 25.
We are informed, that some time last week, a
whale boat from Point-Judith, with fix men, took a
sloop with twelve men bound to Newport, laden
with rum, sugar, &c.and carried her to Warren.[
Many of the sheep on the illand of Nantucket,
some accounts fay two thirds, were destroyed by
the late uncommon snow storm. The tide role there
higher by some feet, than has been known tor 50
years paft.\
'Jan. 28. The Monmouth privateer, Capt. Nichols,
arrived at Newbury-Port since our last, and a prize
Ihip, taken by her, laden with rum and sugar, is faie
arrived at Cape-Ann.
We hear from Cape-Porpois, that two prizes,
laden with coffee and molalßs; .have lately been lent
in there by one of our cruisers.
A schooner, from Bilboa, bound to this port,
laden with salt and dry goods, ran alhore on Long-
Beach, Hull, about 15 days since, and five tons of
salt were loft, but providentially no person perished.
Congress have refolvcd that the Marquis de la Fay
ette, Major General in the service of the United
States, have leave to goto France ; and that he re
turn at such time as Ihall be most convenient to
him: —That the President write a letter to the Mar
quis de la Fayette, returning him the thanks ofCon
giefs for that disinterested zeal which led him to
America, and for the services he had rendered to the
United States by the exertion of his courage and
abilities on many signal occasions :— And that, the
Miniher Plenipotentiary of the United States of
Ann rica at the Court of Verfailier, be directed to
came an elegant sword, with proper devices to be
made and presented in the name of the United States
to the Marquis de la Fayette. 4
Two veh'cls from the Weft-Indies, laden with
rum, sugar, cotton, coffee, &c. arrived the last week
at Bedford, in Dartmouth.
Saturday last a prize brig (mentioned in cur last
to be taken by the Providence privateer) laden with
black (hits, bound from Quebec to New-York, ar
rivedaafe in this harbour.
NE W,-L OND ON, Jar uary 29.
Sixteen fail rof empty transports ' from Newport,
supposed to be bound to New-York, have lain at an
chor for th'f*days past, the back of Fiflier's-!Hand,
under the fafeguard of an eight gun brig : Which
brig on Turfday last, drove a sloop on inure at Narra
ganfet, but the sloop afterward got off.
H A R 1b F O R D, February 2.
Tuefilay laft.looo of the British flight infantry
and Grenadiers embarked at Newport, Rhode-Inland,
with theircamp equipage, &c. Their deftiQion is
unknown, but feppofc.^o be for New-York.
FIS 11-K I L L, ^February 4.
A fewd^ysago, at threJ>felock in the morning,
a party of refugees on horseback, furprized and made
pnfoners'ot ibout sixteen men, who were an out
guard, near! Tarrytown. By this extraordinary at
chievement, Mefe new constituted soldiers will con-v
vince their masters how much good their cause may
receive from their future services.
Reports have prevailed in this place for two or three
days ; alb, that General Prefcot and several other of
ficers, cn their palfage to England, were taken and
carried into an eastern port by an American privateer.
Likewise, that there were from sixty to an hundred
ofthe enemy's vellels anchored in the Sound, opposite
to New-Haven.
NEW - Y OR K, February i. ,
A victualler came in from Cork Saturday last, in
11 weeks ; the remainder of the fleet which is 10
more, are expected up this day.
PHILADELPHIA, February 10.
Last Saturday, being the anniversary of forming
the Alliance between France and the United States,
the Honourable the Congress gave a public enter
tainment to his Excellency the Minister Plenipoten
tiary of his Most Christian Majesty, at which the fol
lowing toasts were drank, under the difchaigc of
cannon :
1. May the Alliance between France and the
United States be perpetual. 2. The United States.
3. His Most Chrikian Majesty. 4. The Qiecn of
France. 5. His Most Catholic Majetty. ~6. The
Princes of the House of Bourbon. 7. Success to the
allied arms. 0. General Washington an I the,rmy.
9. The friends of Liberty in every part of the world.
10. May the new Cbnftellation rife so the Zenith.
11. May the American Strides bring Great-Britain
to reaion. 12. The memory of the Patriots who
have ii(bly fallen in defence of the Liberty and In
dependence of America. 13. Afafe and honourable
' peace.
Ihe chearfulnefs which exited in the company up
4on the happy occasion of their being ass mbled, was
not to be exceeded ; and a thousand brilliancies al
luding to the Alliance were uttered. There can be
no doubt but that every true American and every
true Frenchman will contribute his efforts to pre
serve that connection which is formed by the Alli
ance, and which is so Decenary to the happiness and
aggrandizement of both nations. Their mutual in
terests dictate such a conduct in the frongeft and
most afeTionateterms. The principles of the Alli
ance me founded in true policy and equal justice;
and ' is highly probable that mankind will have
cau c co rejoice in this union which has taken place
between twj nations ; the one, the most puissant in
the old, at ^ the other the molt powerful in the new
world..
' We have just received advice from North-Carolina,
that about three thouiaud five hundred of their mi
litia are marched for the assistance of South-Carolina
and Georgia. Colonel Walton, it is said, of thel
Georgia militia, was dangerously wounded in the|
late action at Savannah, in which he behaved with
remarkable bravery. He, together with several of
the most refpeCable citizens of that State, arc on [
board the prison ship in the r ver, and treated with
remarkable ,I everity. Whit a contrail between a
prisoner's walking at large, and' Skipping at every'
ball and assembly, and being confined with the most
disagreeable companions in the hold of a prison Ihip!
T R E N T () N, February 17.
Camp, Middle-Brook, February 6th, 1779.
r 'riiE Commander in Chief approves of the orders
issued by Major-General ' Lo r d Stirling, during
his command at this Camp, and thanks him for his
endeavours to preserve order and oilcipline, and the
property of the farmers in the vicinity of the Camp.
He doubts not but the officers of every rank, from
a just sense of the importance of securing to others I
the blowings they themfrlves are contending for,
will life their utmott vigilance to maintain thole|
privileges and prevent abides, as nothing can re
dound more to their personal honour and the repu-I
tation of their respective corps.
Extract from General Orders,
ALEX. SCAMMELL, Adjt. Gen.
Extract of a letter from a Correspondent at JNood-|
bridge, dated February 10; 1779.
" Last Tuefd^y about 3 o'clock in the morning,
a party of the New-Levies from Staten-Island, came;
over into Woodbridge, and marched up into the I
town undiscovered, to the house of Charles Jagkfon,
in which there happened to lay that night a scout of I
Continental troops from Bonem-Town, confining ,
of twelve men. —The centincl did not difeover them I
till they had well nigh surrounded the house, it 4
being very dark, when he fired and ran off, making
his escape ; the rest being unfortunately allecp, were
taken by furprize without making any rchrtance.
Their principal object was Captain Nathaniel Fitz ;
Randolph, who lived at this house. —He had just
returned from Staten-Island, having been over there
with a small party chief of the night, and was but
a few minutes in the house before he was alarmed
by the tiring of the centincl, when they instantly :
rulhed into the house and Lived him and Mr. Jack
ton, with tie scout as above. The party were gone
before the inhabitants had time to collect, without
doing any other damage except plunde ring the house
of a few trifling articles, taking the fooe-bucklcs
out of the womens Ihoes, which was as little or
more than could be expected, considering the usual
practice of the British troops, as the men were rc
ftrai%d from plundering by their officer, said to be
a Captain Ryerfon, of Bufliirk's regiment, who
fcemed actuated by principles of honour and huma
nity ; and upon this occasion, imitated the laudable
example of Captain Randolph, who has not only
distinguished himfelf by his activity and bravery, but
by his politeness and generosity towards such as he
hath taken prisoners, never allowing his men to
plunder —a practice most ignominious and base, by
which Britons have, in the present contest with Ame
wca, greatly disgraced themselves, and deserve to
hr forever defpi fed, in which their principal officers 1
have joined, and so funk themselves to a level with
the meanest pilfering soldier."
A few days ago Captain Young, in an armed 1
falconer, arrived at Philadelphia from the Havaunah.
B,er, it is said, Congress have received some very
interesting and agreeable intelligence from Europe,
which, we flatter ourselves, will fnortly be commu
nicated to the Pubiick.
By a Gentleman who left New-York on Saturday
last, we learn, that the enemy there, are very busy
in preparing for another embarkation, but the place
of their destination remains^ profound secret.
Yesterday a Gentleman came to town, who in
forms, that the enemy arc cinching a number of
boats at Bdlop'r-Point, on Staten-lfland, which has
occasioned the militia in the vicinity of Woodbridgel
and Brunswick to affcmble, which, it is hoped, will
fruftrate any designs the enemy may have againft|
those 'parts of this State.
;In a mefoge f, om the Prefdent and Supreme Execu
tive Council of Pennfyhania, of the §tb inflant, to
the Representatives of that State in Afembly met, cue
fad the foheeving Sentences, ewhieb, as they breathe
the genuine Spirit of philanthropy, cue have presumed
ouili be acceptable to our readers, and, perhaps, be
deemed not unnuortby the attention of other Legisla
tures in the United States.
gg IVE would also again bring into your view a
plan for the gradual abolition of slavery, so
disgraceful to any people, and more especially to
thole who have been contending in the gi cat cause
of liberty fhemfelves, and upon whom Providence
has bestowed such eminent marks of its favour and
protection. We think we are loudly called on to
evince our gratitude, in making our fellow men
joint heirs with us of the fame inestimable bleflings,;
under such n filiations and regulations as will notl
injure the community, and will imperceptibly en-|