The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-02-03 00:00:00, page 2

mand further emissions, they too may be cancelled
within the fame period: It being evident that our
ability to sustain a tax must encreafe in proportion to
the quantity of money in circulation.
The danger from counterfeits can only be avoided
by calling in and exchanging the emissions which
have chiefly differed by that species of fraud. To
publilh the marks of detection, and dill to leave the
true bills current, will not be prudent; as it must
afford an opportunity for correcting defects and cheat
ing more securely.
To defend the emission intended for the exchange
from counterfeits, the strongest guards will be de
viled ; and it is expected that the marks of authen
ticity will be so obvious, and the difficulty of fuc
cefsful imitations so great, as to difeourage the at
tempt or elude its effects.
Upon these weighty confederations Congress have
agreed to the annexed Resolutions, and recommend
them to the immediate attention of the refpertive
Legislatures of the United States, to the end that
laws may be enarted to give them the molt speedy,
decisive, and effectual operations.
January z, 1779.
VX^HEREAS these United States, unprovided with
revenues, and not heretofore in a condition to
raise them, have, in the course of the present war,
repeatedly been under the necessity of emitting bills
of credit, for the redemption of which the faith of
these United States has been solemnly pledged ;'and
the credit of which their honour and fafcty as well
as justice is highly concerned to support and establish.
And whereas to that end it is essentially necefl'ary to
afeertain the periods of their redemption, and sea
sonably to establish funds, which, indue time, with
out distressing the people, Ihall make adequate pro
vision for the fame. And whereas, in apportioning
the payments for the said fund,' it inexpedient that
an extra sum be called for the current year, both on
account of the present ease of paying it and to re
duce the surplus in circulation. Therefore,
Refolded, That these United States be called on
to pay in their refpertive quotas of fifteen millions
of dollars in the year 1779, an d of fix millions of
dollars annually for 18 years from and after the year
1779, as a fund for finking the emissions and loans of
these United States to the 31st day of December,
1778, inclusive.
That if the continuance and circumstances of the
way ihall make any further emissions necessary the
year ensuing, they ihall be funk in the manner and
within the period aforefaid.
That any of the bills emitted by order of Con
gress, prior to the year 1780, and no others, be re
ceived in payment of the said quotas.
That the bills received on the said quotas, except
thole for the year 1779, be applied firft for payment
of the interest, and fecondlyof the principal of loans
made by these United States, prior to the year 1780,
and that the residue, together with those received on
the quotas of the year 1779, be not re-issued, but
burned and destroyed as Congress ihall dirert.
l And whereas many counterfeits have appeared in
circulation, of various denominations, of the emis
sions of May 20, 1777, and April 11, 1778, and
counterfeits of these emissions have lately been issued
by our enemies at New-York, and are found to be
spreading and increasing fait in various parts of these
United States ; whereby individuals arc defrauded,
prices enhanced, and the credit of the paper cur
rency greatly injuied ; and it is become necessary
for the security of individuals and fafety of the pub
lic, that those two emissions ihould cease to be a
circulating medium, and ihould be called in and
exchanged, or otherwise provided for as soon as may
be with convenience to the present holders. There
fore,
Refolded, That the following bills be taken out of
circulation, namely, the whole emissions of May 20,
1777, and April 11, 1778.
That they be brought in for that purpose in the
manner hereafter provided by the firft day of June
next, and not afterwards redeemable.•
,That they be received for debts and taxes into the
Continental Treasury, and into the State Treasuries
for Continental taxes, until the firft day of June next.
That they be received until the firft day of June
next into the Continental Loan Offices, either on
loan or to be exchanged at the election of the own
ers, tor other bills of the like tenor, to be provided
for that purpose.
1 hat the bills lodged in the said offices to be so ex
changed, be there registered, and indented certifi
cates thereof given to the owners by the refpedive
Commiffiohers of the said offices.
That the Commissioners of the Loan-Offices make
returns to the Treasury Board, immediately after
the firft day of June next, of the amount # of the
bills received into their refpe&ive offices to be ex
changed as aforefaid, and that proper bills to exchange
the fame be furnifhed and ready to be delivered out
at their laid offices, within 60 days from and after
the said firft day of June.
That the firft mentioned bills, as they are brought
into the Treasuries and Loan-Offices, be immedi
ately crossed and struck through with a circular
punch of one inch diameter, to be afterwards exa
mined and burned, as Congress Ihall dirert.
January 5, 1779.
RESOLVED, That the several States raise by
taxes refpertively as follows, for their quotas
of the fifteen millions of pollar§ for the year 1779.
New-Hampfliire ... 500,000
Maffachufetts-Bpy - - - 2,000,000
Rhode-lfland and Providence Plantations 300,000
Connecticut - - - 1,700,000
New-York - - - - 800,000
New-Jersey -- - - 800,000
Pennsylvania - - - 1,900,000
Delaware - - - - 150,000
Maryland - - - - 1,560,000
Virginia ----- 2,400,000
North-Carolina - - - 1,090,000
South-Carolina - - - 1,800,000
Georgia being invaded, is hereafter )
to raise her proportion. ) 15,000,000
That the said several furas, or any greater sums
which ihall be paid by any of the States into the
Continental Treasury, shall be placed to their re
fpedtive credits on interest, on the fame terms as are
let forth in the Resolution of Congress palled No
vember 22d, 1777.
January 14, 1779.
D ESOLVED, That the bills to be emitted for ex
changing others, agreeable to the Resolutions of
Congress the 2d instant, or for supporting the war,
the ensuing year, be of the following denominations,
viz. 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, ^O, 8,7, 5,4,
3, and 2 Dollars ; and One Dollar.
That the Form of the Bills be as follows,
" No. Dollars. The bearer is entitled
" to receive Spanish Milled Dollars, or an
" equal sum in Gold or Silver, according to a Refo
" lution of Congress of the 14th of January, <779."
That each of the said Bills be numbered and iigned
by two persons.
That the faith of the United States be pledged for
the redemption of such bills, on or before the firlt
day of January 1797, agreeable to the resolutions of
Congress aforefaid.
That, for preventing the counterfeiting of the
said bills, new damps, with additional checks, be
provided, and a fufficient number of proof sheets
struck, and sent with the signatures of each signer,
to the Aflemblies of the refpertive States, to be lodg
ed by them, under proper regulations, in Public
Offices in their feveral.counties, towns and didrifts,
for the benefit of the inhabitants of the United States
Extracts from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
SAVANNAH, (Georgia) December 3.
Camp at Midway, Nov. 22, 1778.
SIR,
GY ENERAL Screven and Mr. Strother having been
' miffing since the fkirmilh with your troops, I
have lent Major Haberfham to know whether they
have fallen, or are prisoners in your hands; and in
the former case to request that their corpse may be
permitted to be brought in for interment.
I cannot avoid, upon the present occasion, to com
plain of the equally ruinous and difgraceful warfare
carried on by the troops under your command ;
while your King asserts to wish a pacification with
America, his officers are heightening the resent
ments of the people by the most contrary to good
offices.
What advantages or consolation do you derive
from cruel burnings ? Are not the efferts of war fuf
ficiently calamitous for the community, that you
Ihould transfer them to individuals, and in a manner
too without diferimination ?
Britons did not use to do so ; it is their practice
only in these latter days. Having fought in their
service, I fee) a right to remonstrate against it, and
which I the more earnestly do, that it may prevent
the horrors of retaliation.
I am, Sir, with proper refpert, &c.
Lieut. Col. J. Prevoft, J. WHITE,
Commander of the King's troops. C. C.
St. John's Parilh, Nov. 22, 1778.
SIR,
I HAD the honor of your's relative to Brigadier
General Screven and Mr. Strother. The former,
I am happy to inform you, is likely to do well (from
the report of the Surgeons) the'othcr I believe is
dead.—l shall give directions for his burial.
When you come to confider that many of the
troops under my command are irregulars, and many
of them have resentments, to account for many ads
which I heartily a6hor; and that the calamities of
war you complain of, have been (by people under
your immediate command) given us as a precedent
at Pierson's Illand, the deftrudion previous to that
of every settlement on St. Mary's river, the wanton
deftrudion of every building and animal creature on
the Bland of Amelia, and the murder of Captain
Moore and others in cool blood ; you will own, I
hope, that it the retaliation has been severe, it might
have been fonefeen and expected, and though more
costly, it will be less felt than that of the poor people
who loft their all; at the fame time I positively dife
claim any order or even approbation of such pro
ceedings ; my heart bled for the fufferers, though
authorized by the laws of war. I have forbidden in
the ftrirteft manner the burning of any houses, and
wherever any people have been found to take care of
their property, though known to be inimical to the
king’s government, I have left them in possession of
every thing belonging to them, and only required
them to remain quietly and peaceably at their own
houses. The heflile appearance of the inhabitants.
and your Governor's indecent proclamation when
your last attempt against East Florida was threatened,
would juftify any thing, if I could reconcile it to
myfelf. At the fame time I mus tdeclare to you,
that whenever I ihall meet with opposition from
the planters and inhabitants, their property must
answer for their imprudence. s The deftruttion of
provisions, which I know to be a capital lots to a
planter, will, at least, atone for their rashness.
I have to acquaint you, that I have accounts of a
large number of Indians anxious to join me: the
horrors attending their mode of carry ing on war have
always shocked me, and I could v.iih that I could
be juftifilble in fending them bAck again,—previous
to their entering the heart of the fettlcments. Think
not that I am vain or mean to threaten, by demand
ing a tamely fubmiftion of the province until the.
fate of America is determined: you will find that
my humanity and my with to save Georgia, dictates
my application to you.
I have the honour to be, with refpert,
Sir, your mod obedient humble servant,
J. PREVOST, Lieutenant Colonel,
• Commanding the King's troops in Georgia.
P. S. Brigadier General Screven being delirous to
return, I was glad to fend him when he could meet
with proper abidance. lam really unhappy to hear
from him, that one of the rangers shot him after he
was already disabled. Capt. Muttac, whom I fend
with him, with eight men, has orders to deliver him
fafe in your camp, and to return immediately. I beg
he may not be detained ; your flag was detained no
longer than to give proper attendance to the General.
I am, Sir, veur's, &c.
J. PREVOST.
Copy of Brigadier General Pievoft's
PROCLA M A TI O N.
XT OTICE is hereby given to all Inhabitants, Plant-
LN ers, &c, in the state of Georgia, that they are
to remain at their dwelling places, and not to inter
fere in the defence of their province. All persons
whatever, not belonging to the Continental troops,
who Ihall be found in arms, or in any hostile aft, or
absent from their families, may expert to have their
houses, their plantations, and their property de
stroyed ; instead of which, remaining peaceably in
their houses, and delivering their aims and ammu
nition when required, and behaving with propriety,
in return for the lenity shewn them ; they shall be
perfectly secure, and paid for whatever Ihall be want
ed for the King's service.
Given under my hand at Head-Quarters,
Signed, A. PREVOST.
Commander of his Majefly's
troops in the Floridas.'
Poftfeript to Colonel White's letter to Governor
Houston, dated November 8, 1778.
" The within Proclamation accompanied Colonel
Prevoft's answer to my letter, by an officer with a
flag, who attended Major Haberfham on his return.
I gave a short, verbal answer by the officer, to this
purpose, " That as we totally disagreed in political
" principles, and as a Soldier, I had nothing to do
" with the affairs of legislation—therefore should
" submit the matter to a decilion in the field."
In the morning of the 25th of November Colonel
John MTntofh, commanding officer in Fort Morris,
received the following from Lieut. Col. Fufer, com
manding a body of British troops, who had the night
before taken pofieffion of the upper end of the town
of Sunbury.
Sunbury, Nov. 25, 1778, 8 o'clock in the morning.
SIR,
you cannot be ignorant that four armies arc in
1 motion to reduce this province; the one is al
ready under the guns of your fort, and may be join
ed when I think proper by Col. Prevoft, who is now
at the meeting-house. The refinance you can or in
tend to make, will only bring defirurtion upon this
country. On the contrary, if you deliver me the
fort which you command, lay down your arms, and
remain neuter until the fate of America is determined,
you shall, as well as all the inhabitants of this parilb,
remain in the peaceable poHchion of your property.
Your answer, which I expert in an hour's time, will
determine the fate of this country, whether it is to
be laid in allies or remain as above proposed.
I am, Sir, your must obedient, &c.
L. V. FUSER, Col. 60th regiment, and
Commander of his Majefly's troops
To in Georgia, on his Majesty's service.
Capt. Thomas Morris,
Commander of the fort in Sunbury.
On the Outside—
P. S. Since this letter is elofed, some of your
people have been firing scattering foot about * the
town. lam to inform you, that if a flop is not put
to such irregular proceedings, I ihall burn a home
for every shot so fired.
This letter was brought into the fort by Major
Lane, who soon returned with the following answer,
which he delivered to Col. Fufer.
Fort Morris, Nov. 25, 1778.
SIR,
WE acknowledge we are not ignorant that your
army is in motion to endeavour to reduce this
state: we believe it entirely chimerical that Colonel
Prevoft is at the mceting-houfe ; but should it be so,
we are in no degree apprehensive of danger from a
junction of his army with your's. We have no pro
perty, compared with the objert we contend for,
that we value a rush, and would rather peri(h in a
vigorous defence than accept of your propofols.