The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-04-07 00:00:00, page 2

For the New-Jersey Gazette.
Mr. Collins, -
IN the English, as well as American papers, we are
told, Mr. Commissioner Johnftone declared in the
British House of Commons, November last, "that
two-thirds of the people in the provinces," so he is
pleased to call them, meaning the American States,
" wish torethrn to their allegianceto Britain." Lord
North vouches for the truth of what the Commiflioner
fays, and fixes also the precise proportion for the whole
union, " that two-thirds of the people were inclined
to return to the allegiance of Great-Britain." It is
a good rule of prudence, not forwardly to pronounce
a thing impossible because it is strange and unaccount
able, or because, from aught that appears, there is
an arrant absurdity and contradiction in it; but to
disencumber this rule from exceptions would lead to
the most absolute fcepticifm. I cannot therefore help
alking, might not these orators every whit as well
have said " all the people of America to a man"
were of the disposition mentioned? Or that the
pretence of there being an opposition in that country
to the counsels and measures of Great-Britain was
a malicious fatfehood, without the least colour of
foundation in fad ? The one to me appears equally
probable with the other; nor can the tranfeendent
abilities, the profound judgment or enlarged infor
mation either of the studious Premier, so famous
for knocking his head against parodexes, and splicing
up prophecies not yet fulfilled ; or of the laborious
Commissioner who has lately travelled so extenfivcly
ip America, as from Philadelphia to New-York by
quater, formed so wide an acquaintance by letters not
yet answered, and picked up so many " things to tell
Lis children about," give it fufficient weight to attract
my belief. It is a natural question, How do these
knowing ones become possessed of their knowledge ?
From the whigs of America they can scarcely derive
it, neither their interest, their principles or their in
clinations leading themtohave anyconnedion or cor
respondence either with the Minister or the Commis
sioner, or any of their missionaries, nor would they
be so imprudent or felf-denied as to difeover the
weakness of their party. Do the difaffeded, do the
tories of America furnifh it ? Are these the days of
Bernard and Hutchinson ? Can a thousand men, can
a tingle regiment n%v march from one end of Ame
rica to the other ? Is the cry about a little contempt
ible faction yet in fafhion ? If so I know the oracle
which has been consulted, and can readily distinguish
the genuineness of the response. But if dire experi
ence has for years taught a different doctrine, if
fi&s have long since contradicted the vain boasts of
courtiers and their little officious retainers, what are
we to think of thatcallous effrontery which dares to
persist, or of that uhmixed Rapidity which feeins to
Ie as credulpus.as ever.
These is something which would induce us to
believe this mysterious position, as far as his Lord
ihip is concerned, originates from reflection inßead
of information, as we meet with a similar stroke of
the marvellous in the prosecution of his speech,
where, in consideration of the critical Rate of affairs,
he warmly exhorts to vigour and perseverance, and
intimates that the nation has not yet, to use the
words of a small poet in a like case, " nuhijlled its
favourite tune.'? " Formerly, Mr. Speaker, when
one third only of the Americans were in our interest,
grefs has adopted and ppblifhed, for finking our
money and paying our national debt ; an error which
I conceive to be unjust in its nature, and highly
injurious to the most numerous and virtuous part
of our community. But as this is intended a reme
dy for the evils I have been endeavouring to investi
gate the causes of, I shall defer it to a future essay,
in which I intend a tirorough examination of this
matter, and to apprize my fellow-citizens of its most
dangerous consequences.
From what I have here offered, it becomes evident
from what causes the depreciation and uncertainty
of the value of our currency bas chiefly arisen: It
requires no great penetration of thought to fee that
this is the sole efficient cause of our present calamities
and disorders. These are the plain and natural effects
of this cause. View its effect upon public spirit and
patriotism. The fluctuation of the value of money
makes every kind of commerce and trade precarious,
and as every individual is more or less intereßed in
it, the innate principle of felf-prefervation prompts
them to be continually on their guard. Thus the
whole of that care and attention which was given to
the public weal, is turned to private gain or felf
prefervation. View it with refpett to the division of
property, we will find this the sole cause, that hun
dreds of our most refpettable citizens, widows and
orphans, who had large or comfortable estates in
money at the commencement of our troubles, are
now not worth the twentieth part ; whereas many
of the vilest among us have by the fame means
amassed immense estates. —With refpeC tto foetal
virtues, it is evident what tendency it has on the
one hand to put charity, honesty, veracity and truth
on the rack ; and on the other to banish sobriety and
©economy, and open the sluices to luxury and dissi
pation.
The cause of so many evils, fatal to society, de
mands our serious attention and vigorous exertions
to difeover and apply the proper remedy, which may
afford me the fubjeft for another essay. I am, Sir,
Your's and the Publick's sincere friend,
A true Patriot.
twenty-five thousand nen were amply fufficient to
curb the republican pirrt of that country ; two
thirds are now for us, and we find our account in
it; for fifty thousand ace now completely a match
for the crumbling tranfttlantick minority; we need
but exert ourselves like men, and when three thirds
come over to our purposes, let us convince the rest,
the unavailing remnants of the expiring rebellion,
that we are in serious earnest, and fend out an
hundred thousand. There is nothing lik&, a firm
well-timed boldness of enterprize." A refined stroke
of coutt-rhetorick, far above the reach of vulgar com
prehension. Leaving Great-Britain out of the ques
tion, when two-thirds of the Americans are against
one, and that one, to use the current language of
his Lordfllip and his comforters, composed of a few
demagogues of much violence but no judgment, at
the head of the dregs of the people without interest,
system or consequence, we mult be contented to be
surprised at hearing exhortations to extraordinary
exertion, till we become better acquainted with the
principles of his reasoning. Far be it from me to
insinuate, I have not done it nor will I, that these
assertions are palmed at a rifque'upon the gentle un
thinking ignorance of those to whom they are uttered;
or that the Minister trusts himfelf to such a length of
daring and conscious falfehood, Readied by the coun
tenance of the converted Commissioner and depend
ing upon the fidelity of those he has purchased for
value received, or secured by expectancy, and the
credit of such with others their subordinates and
dependents. And yet to hear it gravely said, that,
in a government such as that of the United States,
considered either collectively or individually, a mino
rity, and, to beg the expression, less than a mino
rity, made up as before observed of the insignificant
inferior mobile, without wifdoni or wealth, with
out head or hands, should either impel or draw after
them the majority, or more than a majority, opposite
to them in every refped, is a Rrong temptation to
hard thoughts. If two-thirds of the Americans are
disposed to return to the allegiance of Great-Britain,
why have they not returned? Who appoint our
publick bodies to whom the conduct of national
affairs is committed ? Do not the people mediately
or immediately give them their life, motion and ob
ject ? The people in the Rri&eft sense ; the whole,
almost without exception, having a right of voice.
Moreover this creation of rulers being repeated at
short periods, if the disposition of the people were
as declared, is it possible they would continue to
countenance men who daily run counter to their
plained ideas and purposes. If I employ an agent
to tranfad a matter of business for me, and he abuses
my confidence, facrifices my interest, and wilfully
afts in direct contradiction to my declared intentions,
will I repeatedly ejnploy him?
One thing may be suggested in palliation of this
extravagant afftrtion. Who has not remarked hbw
wildly and uncertainly the people of one country
commonly reason concerning those of another differ
ing in situation of territory, progress of cultivation,
in manners, interests and the modes of life. It may
perhaps be beyond the power of language and dc
fcription to give a domeftick Briton an adequate idea
of the state of America. He judges of things similar
by analogy, and fondly thinks they cannot be other
wise in America than thefare in Great-Britain. If, as
we are told, the wheels of governmentin Great-Britain
move upon the principles of bargain and sale ; if a
system of venality is established throughout the whole
train; if the opinion of the Prince is that of the
Ministry; if the opinion of the Ministry is that of
their dependents ; if the influence of these is extended
through the mass of the people, such I mean as are
of any account, in numerous and diverfified degrees
of subordination, all referring to the fame object and
promoting the fame purpose; in such a government,
with adtanding army the duration of which is un
limited, and where but a handful of the people,
comparatively with the whole number, have any
voice or agency, the idea of two-thirds being ruled
by the remaining one is not so absurd or contradic
tory. In America it is, and I hope always will be,
inconsistent and ridiculous. I am far from being
incensed at the prevalence of this prejudice on the
other fide of the water. They are welcome to all
the consolation they can derive from it. They never
will derive more than we do when we reflect that to
their credulity, ignorance and Rupidity we owe, under
Providence, our escape from the grasp of tyranny
and oppression. The infatuation of our enemies,
their campaigns of blunders in the beginning of the
struggle gave us time and opportunity to look into
our unknown refourccs, to marshal our scattered,
untried strength, and to form ourselves into a well
combined regular opposition. SILENTIO.
From Rivington's New-York Papers of Mar. 27 & 31.
PARI S, December 19.
ACCORDING to a letter from Marseilles, the fa
mous Paoli, Chief of the malcontents in Corsi
ca, who so long disputed the dominion of that island
with us, has been taken on board an English ship by
one of our frigates.
Brefl, Dec. 2. M. de la Touche Treville's squadron,
composed of the Neptune of 80 guns, and seven other
ships of the line, with seven frigates, and 40 or 50
merchant ships, failed from hence the day before yes
terday. The Adtionnaire of 64 guns, (one of the
above seven) was obliged to return, having loft her
anchors and cables. It is supposed they afe intend
ed for the Weft-Indies, as Count Bouille has em
barked on board one of them. The squadron in
tended for the East-Indies, under the Chev. de Ter
nay, among which are the Diadem of 74, and the
Reflechi of 64 guns, are fheathirig, in order to pre
pare them for so long a voyage.
Toulon, Dec. 6. The Chevalier de Fabry, who has
been indisposed, is so far recovered as to receive vi
lits from his friends. His squadron is to be victualled
for three months, and it is supposed it is intended to
cruize in the Mediterranean, where some English
ships of the line are Rationed, which much annoy
our trades
Neou-York. Yesterday arrived his Majesty ship Ro
mulus, Cap. Gaytou, with a large fleet from England ;
these ships left Torbay with the Weft-India fleet on
the 2d of Jan. under a convoy of 16 fail of the line, 8
of which returned to England, after accompanying
these ships clear of the enemy ; the Romulus parted
company with a very large Welt-India fleet, convoy
ed by 8 fail of the line, in latitude 24. On the pas
sage they spoke two expresses, one from Admiral
Barrington, carrying the glorious news of the taking
and securing the island of St. Lucia, with the victory
gained there by the British troops over treble their
numbers ; the other from Colonel Campbell, with the
particulars of his operations which reduced the pro
vince of Georgia to submission.
From an English paper of the 23d December we
learn, that the budget was to be opened in the House
of Commons on the 20th of January ; a French fri
gate of 32 guns from Toulon was taken with a num
ber of Spar.ifh gentlemen on board, who were re
leased and tent to Cadiz from Gibraltar.
A Letter from London mentions, that a bill will
this session be brought into Parliament, requiring two
recruits for the army to be railed by every pajifh in
England ; the number of parishes is sixteen thousand f
the firft division of the reinforcement of the royal ar
my in America, will consist of 8500 British troops,
under the convoy of a strong fleet of line of battle
Blips, and they were to fail very early so as to enable
the General to commence the military operations
before the hot weather sets in.
Two hundred thousand pounds sterling is received
in the Romulus ; and a very large reinforcement of
men are expected to be sent to America early in the
fprmg, from England, Ireland and Germany.
CHARLESTOWN, ( South-Carolina.) March 3.
Col. Campbell's expedition from Savannah to Au
eufta, with the Highlanders and Col. Brown's rangers,
has proved as unfortunate as Major Gardiner's to Port
Royal; to escape a Burgoynade he has made a very
sudden and precipitate retreat down the country, leav
ing us in possession of all the back counties of Georgia,
and his friends the tories to fall a facrifice. a whole re
giment whereof, which had with great art and secrecy
been three years inlifting, have already been defeated,
and upwards of 150 of them made prifohers.
f PHILADELPHIA, April 3. \
From Robertson's New-York Royal Gazette,
of March 25.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Georgia to his
correspondent in this city.
" Inclofed I fend you sundry news-papers, and
" also our Gazette Extraordinary, giving an account
" of a late battle between our troops and the rebels,
" which by the bye is far from being correct."—
The battle mentioned in the above extract is said
to have happened on the fourth of March, between
a detached part of our army and a detached part of
the enemy. —Congress have not received any account,
neither is the intelligence in the York paper from any
authority, and by the above letter is laid not to be
correct. As loon as any authentic information comes
to hand it will be published.
Extract of a letter from Brigadier General Maxell,
dated Eli%abeth-Toouri, March 28, 1779.
" Yesterday and the day before about twenty eight
fail came into the Hook, mostly transports from Eng
land. At the fame time landed at New-York, a
Hessian Colonel with between three and four hundred
English troops from Halifax. General Clinton is re
turned to New-York, and it is reported that their
expedition to the eastward has failed, as they alledge
owing to the storm, but mpre likely (if true) that
they have found the troops alarmed that way. There
is no account of the British troops or vessels being
returned yet ; they may be towards the east end of
Long-Island.
" I am informed that Admiral Gambier is on the
outside of the east end of Long-Island, with fix or
seven ships and frigates ; his design, it is said, is for
New-London, to take our vessels there.
“ Their troops to the southward, it is said, are very
sickly.
" A report in New-York fays that their accounts
from the Weft-Indies are bad; that General Grant
is beat by the French."
Fourteen transports out of the twenty-eight which
had failed to the east end of Long-Island, supposed to
convey a number of troops from thence on an expe
dition to New-London, to destroy several vessels in
that harbour, were cast away on Fisher's-Island, in
the found off Stonington, and it was expected the
greatest part of them would be loft. It is said, that
Sir Henry Clinton had returned to New-York from
the failure of this expedition, which had been some
time in agitation.