The royal gazette — [Charleston] S.C., 1782-02-06 00:00:00, page 1

Charlestown, rib February, I'B2.
THE Inhabitants are hereby informed. That a Board of
l Officers ordered by the 'Honourable Lientenant-Ge^e
^Leslie, to assemble at the State-H use, on d^d^'s and
Thursday's, at Eleven o'clock, for the Puipofe or (determin
ing the d'ffeent Claims of those Persons whose iloufes and
Stores have, at any Time face the Surrender offEmrffrrn,
been occupied, under proper Authority, by His Majcfty°s
Tfoo% or for the other neceSary Pnrpofes of. Government -
:V. therefore defined, That all Perfobs come rued do attend
to this NOTICE, and lay their refpertive Claims before the
Board, whose firft Meeting will be on Monday next the iith
infant.
By the Honourable
ALEXANDER LESLIE, Esquire,
Lieutenant-General, and commanding His Majcfty's Forces in
the Southern Diflriß of North-America, &c. &c. &c.
A PROCLAMATIO N.
WHEREAS many of the Inhabitants of this Province,
regardless of theAllegiance td their Sovereign, of which
they had so lately made such folemp Declarations, have affix
ed his Majefty'^ Rebellious Subjects from the other Colonies,
in reducing this once happy Country to its prefect deplorable
State of Misery and Conforms;
~ AND WHEREAS a Number of well-asserted Perfons^
partly through Dread of the Cruelty of their Enemies, and
partly from falfe Repicfentations being made to them of the
State of Publick Affairs, have been induced to embrace a Cause
which must inevitably bring them to Ruin:
IN OR^ER THEREFORE to prevent others from falling
into the fame unhappy Errors, and to quiet the ill-,grfunded
Apprehensions of some well-meaning People; I do nine th s
my Proclamation, hereby assuring His Majesty's loyal Subverts
iiithis Province, that they may rely on fpecdy and effectual
Support being -given so therh/by the Exertion's of the Forces
under my Command'; and that, in every Event and Situation,
f^ir Interests and Security ft)all be considered as inseparably
connected with those of His Maiefty's Troops.
AND I DO ALSO HEREBY GIVE NOTICE, That
the fevered Puniflrments fliall be inflirted on all those, who
having solicited for, and obtained the Enjoyment of the Pri
vileges of a British Subjert, shall, in Violation of every Prin
ciple of Honour and good Faith, again take up Arms against
His Majeftfs Government, or (hall serve in any civil Capacity
Wider a second Usurpation.
GIVEN under my Hand at Charleftown, this Fifteenth Day
of December, in the Tear of our Lord One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Eighty-one, and in the twenty-fcond
Tear of His Majefly's Reign.
A LEXR.LESLIE.
BARRACK-OFFICE,
Charlestown, December 29, 1781.
SUCH persons as are drilling to fornifh this Garrison with
WOOD from the firft day of January enfeing, for the
use of his 31 jelly's troops, and deliver it at any of the wharfs
&1 this city, are requested immediately to fend in their pro
pofils, Tn writing, to this Office.,
AND such persons as are capable of Applying Cd RTS and
WAGGONS for the purpose o : conveying the wood now
cut on the Neck to the several landings, are defined t 5 pro
pofc at how much per cord they will undertake to deliver it
at those places.
AND such persons as have small VESSELS and CRAFT,
and will employ them in bringing WOOD to this Garrison,
will meet with every suitable encouragement, and the money
paid them immediately after its delivery at the wharfs. 4
Charleflown, r/tb January, 1782.
TYTHEREAS there is great reason to believe, that many
VV very difaffedted People make a practice of daily coming
into this Town, from different parts of the Country, particu
larly by water, without the content, or even the*knowledge,
of the Commandant:<
The Inhabitants in general, and more especially those, at
whose heufes People from the Country may lodge, or be en
tertained, are hereby itri&ly enjoined to make infant report,
in writing, of the arrival of all such people, and from whence
they came, at the Town-Major's: And Publick Warning is
hereby given, That all futy as do not, will be deemed enemies
to the British Government, and treated accordingly.
The Inhabitants are hereby further requested to give the
necessary information, when they know that there is any dis
obedience ofthis Order, that so dangerous a practice may be
immediately difeovered.
Order of the Commandant,
C. FRASER, Town-Maior.
" Charlestown, December 20th, 17X1.
TIfHEREAS. the Garrison has, of late, been frequently
II alarmed with FIRES, through the carelessness of the inhabi
tants, in not having their chimnies fweeped ; it is the express order
of the Commandant, that such persons who neglect this neceflary
duty, and a tire ensue, will not only be fubjert to a fine of Fifty
Shillings Eerling, but likewise to the heavy expence of the engines
that may be employed at such fires.—As far as may be to guard
against such accidents, the inhabitants are hereby required to be par
ticularly careful during the present season, and are reminded, in case
of fire during the night, that, each house-keeper do set a lighted
candle in a window fronting the street.—Such persons as have not
provided their complement of leather buckets (for no other fort will
be admitted) are exported immediately to provide them, as well as
ladders; a strict enquiry will ffiortly be made, and all delinquents
severely fined. a
William Carson, William Greenwood, =)^
William Ancrum, George Cook, ( ^
James Carsan 3 John Wagner, ( a
John Hopton, Gideon Dupont, jun. J^
MASTERS of vessels, and inhabitants of the town, may
. be supplied with BEER, at a reasonable price, at the
Brewery of Charleftewu. \fcm.
FromWEDNESDAY, February^
RnYAI
SOUTH-CAROLINA: Printed by R. WELLS & SON, Printers to the King's Mort Excellent Majesty.
Vol. 11.
To the Printers of the Royal Gazette.
Gentlemen,
THE inhabitants of the British Empire in North-America
having laid claim, in a very early period of their present
contest with the Mother Country, to the Title and Rights of
an Independent People, it was naturally experted that they
would also have regulated their publick conduct by the laws of
that Society of Nations into which they were so anxiously de
firons ofbeing admitted. Nor did this expectation appear the
! e , r fafonable, when the mode of carrying on the war against
them", which Great-Britain had adopted, was examined ; tnat
being invariably the fame, as if her armies were invading the
territories of a foreign and universally acknowledged indepen
dent nation, not a part other own dominions, whole inhabi
tants, though indebted to' her foftering care and protection for
every advantage they possessed, now ungratefully revolted from
her lawful authority. But, have events fully justified the pro
priety of relying thus far on the honour of Rebels ? Have they,
m every instance and fituatiun, ftrialy adhered to those maxims
of Airfare, which have been eftablifheQ by the uniform prac
tice of civilized nations ? Have they, in their connexions with
the Britiih Army, which the events of the war gave rife to,
constantly regarded a military parole as binding, or a civil oath
as sacred, when intefeft or even some trivial convenience was
to be given up by observing them? And might it not have been
foremen, that a set of people, whom neither gratitude not
allegiance, could bind, would disregard every lesser obligation ?
An impartial history of the whole war would furnifh the
most fatisfadory anfwtrs which can begiven to these intcrefting
questions. I mean not; however, to attempt it. The under
taking is too considerable for one of my slender abilities, and
of too extensive a nature to come within the limits of a letter in
a newfpapet. But I trust that some person will hereafter be
found possessing fufficient capacity and information for this ne
cessary talk, that the World, hitherto grofsiy deceived with
re fyed to every thing that relates to America, may be made
acquainted with the true cause of Britain's being so long foiled
in her attempts to reduce her revolted colonies. Then it will
be known, that frequent opportunities have been given up of
putting an immediate end to the rebellion, because the mea
sures that led to that dtfirable object were thought feverc ; and
that the onlyrelurns which have been made by the Americans
for such lenity, are infiances without number of the most fla
grant perfidy and baled treachery.
Leaving then this ample harvest of historical glory to be
reaped by some more fortunate person, I ihall content myfelf,
in this letter, with examining how far the actions of my coun
trymen in particular, have been agreeable to the universally
received notions of integrity and honour. In discussing this
fubjed, I shall allow them the very ground they have been
so long labouring to get possession of; I shall suppose them for
a moment, f^lly inverted with the rights and privileges of a
Sovereign People ; and yet, I flatter myfelf I shall be able to
demonstrate, that their conduct, if judged of by the standard
of the Law of Nations, has been base and infamous. To do
this, I have only to exhibit a series of unadorned fads, be
ginning with the invasion ofthis Province, in the year 1780.
Immediately after the arrival of the British Army, a pro
clamation was issued, to inform the inhabitants, that if they
remained peaceably at their homes, no injury should be offered
to them, cither in their persons or properties. Their assistance
was not demanded in reducing this garrison, or in forwarding
any other military operation; and this was evidently done
with the view of exporting no one to the txfentment of his coun
trymen, should the siege have proved unfuccefsful. By means
of its surrender some time after, and the success which every
where attended the exertions of the Army in the country, the
whole Province became compleatly reduced, and there was
scarcely a person in it, who was not eithera prisoner, er ;t
volunteer with the Britiih Troops. In this filiation of affairs,
no retrolped was ever had to tlic pad behaviour of the firit
promotei s and abettors of rebellion. No punishment was ever
inflitled, or even threatened, except against thofewho had been
principally concerned in depriving many persons of life, whose
only crime was an inviolable attachment to the interelts oftheir
Sovereign. The Militia Prifopers were fuffered to remain at
their own homes, and to follow their usual occupations. Such
cf them as were taken in the country, and who, from the cir
cumstance of not being concerned in the defence of this place,
were ccnfidercd in general as let's attached to the cause of
rebellion, were in a Short time released from their paroles, and
most of them immediately, and with but little ceremony, re
admitted to the enjoyment of the privileges, of a British sub
ject. Others, however, of a less innocent character, and those
who were comprehended in the capitulation of Charleftown,
were forced, in order to obtain the fame end, to go through
such a variety of distressing forms to a man of spirit, as were
thought would effectually prevent any person from making ap
plication who did not sincerely desire to return to his allegi
ance. It was held to be a matter of grace and favour for o'ne
who had been a Rebel, to be admitted to a participation of the
privileges of a constitution, long the glory of Britain, and the
envy of the World. Such therefore as were desirous of being!
included in the number of her Subjects, firft presented their
humble petitions to the commanding officer of this garrison,
expressing their detestation of the former measures, and their
ardent wishes again to enjoy the benefits of the Britiih Consti
tution, which they were now determined to support at the
expence oftheir lives and fortunes. This was the general pur
port of the petitions, Specimens of which, faithfully copied from
the originals in the registry of the Board of Police, I shall fob
join to this letter. It did not however entirely depend on the
aft of petitioning to become a fubjeft. The petitions, I believe,
of every one, were referred by the Commandant either to the
consideration of the Board of Police, or of a number of pri
vate gentlemen of krlown integrity and loyalty; find on their
determination the fate of the applications rested. Many of
them were readily granted; others with great difficulty,
after much.intereft being employed, and vouchers brought f r
the future behaviour of those who presented them; grid, some
few were altogether rejected. In the last place, each person,
before he received a certificate of his being a fubje&, was
obliged to sign a declaration of allegiance, in the prefcnee of
.an Intendant of the Police. The form of the declaration com
monly used, I Shall annex tothe copies of the petitions.
The whole inhabitants were in this manner divided into two
classes, the one of Prifeuers on Parole, and the other of Volun-
e^^^
THE
GAZETTE.
to S.A TURDAY, February 9, 1782.
tary fubjeds: Any person therefore, acquainted with the duties
which are performed in Europe by each of these .descriptions
of men, would^have thought, that as there was now no military
force within the Province opposed to the British Government
nothing could Shake it but a formidable army invading it from
the other Colonic' ,in rebellion. But conclusions drawn from
the general practice of European nations, will seldom hold
good when apphed to the Virtuous Sons of America. Their
favourite maxim has always been, that the end justifies the
means. What therefore could be blame- worthv , ^ich
contributed to the gaming of that pious and laudable
object, the Independency of their Country ? Had not CongreG
ali eady declared it to be as fixed as Fate, and would it not have
been impious to disregard the intentions of Providence so
clearly communicated to this new band of prophets ? Such may
be the rM/o^g of an American ; and on the justice of it I leave
the World to decide. The fact is however, that no hostile
army has ever entered this Province since its conquest. eaual
even in numbers, to the British Forces in it, and yet, from
the time of Gates's appearing hpon our frontiers to this period.
Such numbers, both of Prisoners on Parole and New Sublets
liave gone off to the Rebels, that they now constitute by fa^
the .Skater number of the men who are in arms in this country
against the British Government*.'
What person is there 1 , disinterested in the event of the war.
and pofferting the generous feelings which do honour to hu
wll not exc aim on readin g this narrative, If
thele things be true, no punishments are too Severe for such
, s of ingratitude and perfidy ? If the authenticity of the
farts related, be made the test of the propriety of punishment in
general, I appeal to the inhabitants of this place, and demand
in what point 1 have erred ? But with iefped to the degree of
punishment, I dare not presume to give any opinion of my
own. I leave it to be determined by the Law of Reason and 'of
,lt et ." s therefore enquire into what Reason dilates,
and wha Nations do, refolding these matters.—And sirst 6
with regard to a breach of a military parole.
In the rudest states of society, when a whole nation compri
zes but a few individuals, wars are commonly entered into from
motives 01 personal revenge. The combatants fight with no
intention but that of destroying their enemies. The few pri
soners therefore that may be taken by each party, are either
immediately killed, or are refervedfor death by torture When
manners Somewhat renne, and States, from conquest or other
circumstances, have become more, considerable, war is fre
,L. ^ from views of national interest, or ambition.
1 he Soldier has no private resentment to gratify ; if the battle
"°°i ' ie rightly conceives he has done his duty. He
* ie "| ce °', Humanity, which calls on him not need
lelsiy to destroy the lives of his fellow treatises'; but/he
at the lame time thinks himfelf fully intitled to the perpetual
^™ ces °f the person whom he has thus saved from death,
xhe prisoner therefore becomes a Slave. This was the general
practice of thoi enations of antiquity, the Greeks and Romans,
wnom we regard as highly polished and civilized. In modern
Europe, a prisoner was also, for a considerable time, so far
accounted the property of the captor, that a price was set on his
libuty, and that not fixed by any general rule, nor in any pro•
portion to his rank in the army, but as great as it wis thought
he could pohibly give. As in all wars, however, each of the
contending parties must fuffer, though perhaps not equally;
it at length became customary tor nations to life their prisoners
with tenderpefs and humanity, in expectation that their coun
trymen would receive the like treatment when in captivity, and
also to eftablilh a general rule for the mutual exchange ofthepri
lonei s each party had made. T hough this practice appears ex
ceedingly natural to us, it was either so little known to the An~
cients, or so little used by them, that in all their history we read
of only one cartel. The last refinement on the treatment of
prisoners, was the invention of paroles; a circumstance that
affords the most honourable testimony that can be given, of the
Superior integrity and good faith of the Moderns, with whom it
has been found, tnat a Simple promise affords greater Security,
than the most rigid confinement.
I have been thus particular in marking the different modes oF
treating prisoners, in the different dates of society, in order
to Shew, that wnat is now used, is neither commanded by the
Law of Nature, which authorizes the putting to death of our
enemies, by every fair means, wherever we can find them; nor
by what is generally accounted the Law of Nations, which
vests in the captor an absolute property in his prisoner. A pa
role therefore can never be demanded as a matter of right,
but may be given or not, agreeably to the opinion which is
entertained of the integrity of the prisoner. If this confidence
be found to have been in any inllance replaced, and what was
meant as a humane indulgence, be converted into a source of
injury, the more dangerous as cnexpeded and unguarded a
gainst, Reason dictates, that the offender, be treated agree
ably to the froereft rights of war, which, as I have said
before,] authorize the death of all persons taken in battle.
Custom and consent of nations support this conclusion; partly
for the fame season, and partly with a view of deterring others
from attempting to destroy, as far as their examples can have
influence, that confidence in the honour of Mankind, on which
this most generous and benevolent custom is. founded. Such
therefore is the treatment those persons in this country, who'
have broken their paroles to the Britiih Army, have aright, by
the Law of Reason and Nations to expert,
Little need be said concerning the punishment which those
deserve, who have violated their oaths, or declarations of alle
giance. We have only to appeal to the practice of the Ame
ricans themselves, and we will find, that transgressions of that
nature, are by them always punished with death. Scarcely
a newspaper is brought to us from the northern provinces,
which does not contain an account of the publick execution
of some person accused of holding correspondence with the
Britiih army, or of being attached to its interests. Many in 1
deed have been deprived of life on bare suspicion, and that
too by the. regular forms of their courts of law. They surely
therefore cannot deny us a right, which they exercise with
.*„ 7% World <will scarcely beli'^'i that the L o gy?at^re o' nny
People, the least civilized, could make it criminalin their fubjeas
to adhere to a military parole. 7 his, b&eier, Lac b^z don- y
the Rebel /ffembly of North-Carolina; and Mr. Burke, their
Governour, <wbo avas lately brought hither a prisoner, has Jbe<wr,
by violating his parole, h^w far he intends to put that law into
execution.
Numb. 9$