The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-04-15 00:00:00, page 2

ranks and degrees amongst us. But is it not neces
sary that we should be frequently called on as a
people to' prostrate ourselves before the most high
Majqfty of Heaven ? Who hath said, Pf. 50. " Call
upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee
and thou Ihalt glorify me:" Specially in this critical
conjuncture, and, when the opening of the campaign
is nigh at hand.,
The people of the United Netherlands were very
exemplary in these publick duties, in times of war,
or other publick calamities; and God has not left
himfelf without a witness to that people, as is evi
dent, to all who are acquainted with their history, as
an answer to their publick and private humiliations.
I hope that the multiplicity of business with which
the Honourable the Continental Congress is charged,
will not take off their attention from this great, this
chriftian duty, of acknowledging the Lord in all our
ways, especially the difficult way in which we are now
engaged; but that they will once more, at as early
a day as possible, call upon us unfeignedly to hum
ble ourselves before Jlim whom we have provoked
by our publick as well as private fins, the fins of the
army as well as of the inhabitants.
I know there are fome.who are either so Ignorant
or so impious as to fay, that humiliation and prayer
will never help us : In answer to such it will fuffice
to fay, that they are ftraugers to b^th sacred and
profane history, or otherwise infidels.
I am persuaded that tho' we had as great an ar
my, as well provided and disciplined as we could
desire, hat without the Divine b'leffing it would not
avail us, and that we cannot reasonably expert His
blessing unlcfs a general reformation takes place in
the lives and morals of the inhabitants. Thus God
dealt with his ancient people, the Jews, in times of
degeneracy and apoftacy from his holy law ; and of
idolatry, oppreflion, and other crying fins —then their
publick affairs never prospered, but they were op
pressed by their enemies till a general reformation
was brought about by the example of pious kings, or
other eminent persons, then indeed ten could chace
an hundred, and ah hundred put thousands to ffight.
Let Tc not be laid of you,,my dear countrymen,
as of the J^ws of old, Isaiah 1. Why should you by
thicken any more ? Ye,will revolt more and more,
(i. e/from God)—Rather let' our past and present
distresses cause us'to ednfider bur ways, and turn
to the Lord,, from whom we have revolted. It is
always the design of Divine Goodness and WiTdom
fQ purge and ' reform a'people by calamities such as
we experience — The sooner this is brought about,
the sooner will we be delivered. If I could perceive
a'fincere repentance for fin, and turning to Him that
smote ns, among the generality of our inhabitants,
I would hade greater hopes 'of success against and
deliverance from our enemies, by means of an army
of a few thousands than otherwise from ten times
the igfeateft and best army that ever was railed in
America.
.• cn ' Pro DEO et PATRIA.
Mr. Collins,-
IF any thing but final despair of succeeding in their
iniquitous and fang'uinary purpose of enslaving a
.free people, induces the Britifn troops -to violate
every rule of war, to extingtiifh evepy fehtiment of
humanityj" an 3 to perpetrate the most deliberate mur
ders on people utterly defenceless and absolutely in
their power, it will only aggravate their infamy and
deepen tire.black: dye. of the black:catalogue, of their
Gothic barbarities. It is surely a perfect novelty in
the Liftoff pf modern-war, to treat-people the worse
for bravely defending themselves ; and threatening a
whole coujitef Mith fav^gc devastation, for not tame
ly.fubmittihg to fne demands of an enemy, and bow
ing .these to the yoke of bondage without any
refinance; The prescribing of individuals and doom,
ing them" to'deftrudtion by the hands of their own
countrymen,' is another innovation ip the laws pf
arms peculiar . to those. who boast of their national
yalorfr 'afid '[humanity, I doubt not, however, but
the intended , victims are greatly obliged to Colonel
JHawhood for this consummate attestation to tlieir
virtue anq their patriotism, as I dare fay every wor
thy citizen deems hjs character the more illustrious
in proportion to the enemy's resentment against him;
and would be almoff tempted to firfped.himfelf of
some infidelity to America, if he did not excite ffie
ke^neft vengeance of those who seem to have declared
war against every thing good and excellent; and
Whofc favour is only to be- conciliated "by turning
traitor to Ones native country. As aainftance of the
molt unfoldicrly and cruel condud of the British
troops, and th laudable and Spirited behaviour of
out militia I tnclofc you a copy of Colonel Maw-
We are only to be awareof two extreams—The
one is the expecting a miraculous deliverance, in ne^
gleding the means God hasput in our power :—
The other is trusting in those means, ii%. the num
ber and valour of pur troops, &c. We rejd of the
children of Israel, in their war with Anialek, Exod.
17. that having sent out a chosen number under
Jofliua, when Moses held up his hands (doubtlefsfn
prayer) Israel prevailed ; And when he let down his
hands, Amalek prevailed. The application is easy.
It is an easy thing' with our God to help with few
or with many. Let as dp what our hand findeth to
do with all our might, humbling ourselves before
Him, and trusting the event to Him ; only beware of
trusting in amarm of flefh, which is pronounced ac
curfeu, and a departing from God, fer. 17.
SIR, 1
J HAVE been favoured with what you fay humani
ty has induced you to propole. It would have
given me much pleasure to have found that humanity
had been the line of conduct to your troops lince
you came to Salem. Nyt only denying quarters, but
butchering our men who surrendered themselves pri
soners in the Ikirmifn at Quintin, Bridge last Thurs
day, and bayonetting yesterday morning at Han
cock's Bridge, in the molt cruel manner in cold
blood, men who were taken by furprize, in a situa
tion in which they neither could nor did attempt to
make any refinance) and some of whom were not
fighting men ; are inftancesrtoo Shocking for me to
delate, arid I hope -for you to hear.—The brave arc
ever generous and humane. —After expressing your
sentiments of humanity, you proceed so make a
request which I think you would despise us if we
complied with. Your proposal, that we should lay
down our arms, we absolutely reject. We have
taken them up to maintain rights which are dearer
to us than our lives; and will not lay them down,
till either success has crowned our cause with vic
tory, or like many ancient worthies contending for
liberty, we meet with an honourable death. You
mention that if we reject your proposal, you will
put arms into the hands of the tones against us; we
have no objection to the measure, for it would be a
very good one to fill our arfcnals with arms.—Your
threats to wantonly turn and destroy our houses and
bfhei property, and reduce .our wives and children
to beggary and distress, is a sentiment which my
humanity armpit forbids me only to recite, and in
duces me to imagine that I am reading the cruel or
der of a barbarous Atila, and not of a Gentleman,
brave, generous, and polilhed with a genteel Euro
pean education—To wantonly destroy, will injure
yopr cable more than ours—it will encreafe your
enemies and our army,—To destine to deltruaion
the property of our mod distinguished men, as you
have done in your proposals, is, in my opinion, un
worthy a generous foe; and. more like a rancorous
feud between two contending Barons, than a war
carried on by one of the greatest powers on earth,
against a people nobly Rruggling for Liberty—a line
of honour would mark out that these men should
share the fate of their country —It your arms should
he crowned with victory, which God forbid, they
and their property will be entirely at the disposal of
your Sovereign. The lots of their property, while
their persons are out of your power, will only make
them defperath ; and, as I said befo;,,° encreafe your
foes and our army; and retaliation upon torics and
their property is not entirely out of our power. Be
assured that these are the sentiments and'defermined
resolution, not of myfelf only, but of all the officers
and privates under me,
My prayer is, Sir, that this answer may reach you
in health and great happiness.
Groen at Head-Quarters, at Quintin's Bridge, the
, twenty-fecund day of March, 1778.
Elijah lland, Colonel.
To C. Mawhood, Colonel.
COLONEL Mawhood, commanding a detachment
of the British army at Salem, induced by motives
of humanity, proposes to the militia at Quintin's
Bridge and the neighbourhood, as well officers as
private men, to lay down their arms and depart each
man to his own home: On that condition he solemn
ly promises to re-embark his troops without delay,
doing no further damage to the country; and he will
cause his Commissaries to pay for 'the, cattle; hay,
and corn, that have been taken, in sterling "money.'
If, on the contrary, the militia Should be so far
deluded, and blind to their true inhered and happi
ness, he will put the arms which he has brought with
him into the hands of tht inhabitants well-averted,
called tories, and will attack all such of the militia
as remain in arfcs, burn and destroy their houtes and
oilier property, and reduce them, their unfortunate
wives and children to beggary and distress ; and to
convince them that these arc not vain threats, he has
fubj^ined a lift of the names of such as will be the
firlt objects to feel the vengeance of the British nation.
Given under my hand at Head,Quarters, at Salem,
the fcwentyfafl day of March, 1778.
C. Mawhood, Colonel.
Edmund Keefby, Thomas Sinnickfon, Samuel Dick,
Whitten Crips, Ebenezer Howell, Edward Hall,
John Bowen, Thomas Thomson, George Trench
- arty Elisha Cattle, Andrew Sinnickfon, Nicholas
Keen, Jacob Hufty, Benjamin Holmes, William
Shute, Anthony Sharp, and Abler Penton,
BOST ON, March 19.
r rUESDAY last was committed to gaol in this
town, five soldiers belonging to Burgoyne's ar
my, for highway robberies.
Yesterday marched off for the southern army a
company of, foot soldiers, belonging to Col. David
Henley's regiment; under the command of Ezra
Lunt, Esq. they were in uniform, and made a hand
feme appearance.
hood's letter to Colonel Hand, and of Hand's answer
to the infolflit demand, both of which have accident
ally fallen Into my possession, and which I ihall be
obliged to you for inserting in your paper as soon as
poflible..
N E W-L O N D O N, February 2%
By a person belonging to this town, who was in
the British fleet which was cast away on Long-Bland
the 6th instant, we learn that there was twtke.fail
which went aihore, five of them belonged to the
Britilh government, the others were private proper
ty ; that their cargoes were chiefly small; thrf num
bers of the people were drowned ; andthat of those
who got alhore, several were frozento death.
YORK-T O W™N, Bpr;7 4.
To. such meanness has'Britain fallen, that her
merchants are carrying pn her commence not only
ii} foreign bottoms', but under the protection of
Burghers Briefs, which they solicit and obtain at St.
Euftatia, and are thereby entitled to the privileges
of Dutch Jubject,, and to the right of navigating un
der Dutch Colours. I'he facility with'which they pro
cure these briefs has made it become a genera] pre
tiee, and the office-perquisites of the Governor of
St. Euftatia teem to be the principal inducement .that
urges him to grant thein.—l case was adjudged at
St. Pierres some time ago, refpeding a French ve,Tel
carrying Eirglifh merchandize, in which the General
acquieiccd. The cargo was given up to the captors,
and the veilcl to the owners, without any flight,
or damage for the dc't&^iori of the vessel and difap-,
pointment in the voyage.
Extract of a .rttfr from Martinico, Feb. B.'
" The last advices from Europe mention, that the
Grand Signior has given orders to seize all the Ruf
fian vessels in the different ports of his dominions,
and that war was expected to be declared betwixt
thole two powers in a very short time. Likew ft
that the port of Liibon would be shut, from the
firft of January 1778, against all armed vcfibls be
longing to his Britannic Majesty. &
" Mr. Smith, the gentleman whom I mentioned
to you in a former letter, was confined at St. Vin
cents, on an accusation of high-treason, has taken
his trial, and was honourably acquitted."
Extract 0) another letter from the fame place, Feb. 11.
" I did mytelf the honour of mentioningto you,
in a former letter, that a powerful confederacy was
forming against Great-Britain ; —fome late advices
from hrance allure as, that this association has taken
confidence, and that the balls of its political views
is founded on the Independence of America ;—that
in cbnfcqutnce of several conferences, held between
the- Commiffiohers of the United' States and the
French Ministry, couriers had been dispatched to the
Courts of Vienna, ,Liibon k and Madrid, and thatms
sop 11 as they,returned France would acknowledge
the Independence of America; to which, it w<.s
thought, those different Courts would refpeflivey
accede. This arrangement, it was expected, woull
be immediately productive of a more general wa,
as it mult neceflarily occasion the interests and pu:
suits of the contrasting powers to be infcparablc.- -
These accounts arrive through such a variety <f
channels, that the most incredulous can hardly doubt
their authenticity. Ihe letters that convey theif
are dated at Paris the zzd of December. We neG±
not be at any lofs' to account for the conduct of
France in this particular, which is founded on the
fame) motives that she has hitherto been uniform!r
actuated by, and which clearly evince a ftudiel
fyftera of prudent and diferect politics ; feme acc) -'
dental circumstances may, perhaps, have precipitat
ed her in her mcafures. The defeat and diflrudion
of Burgoyne's army, I imagine, must have covered'
the English Miniltry with Ihame and confplion, an
from the day that the-fatal tidings arrived, they mu:
have been convinced of their impotency in complet
ing their favourite fcheme' of conquest..
" The Aft of Parliament, authorifing the Gover
nors of the English islands to confine as prisoners
our captive seamen, &c. expired the beginning cf
January, lince which it has not been renewed.
" The American yeflels that fail from this por
are now regularly convoyed by French frigates ; in
deed many of the French merchant-men take the be
nefit of this protection, as the faithlefs conduct of
the English, in having commenced hostilities the lalt
war, previous to the declaration of it, has made
them cautious and suspicious of the fame finider de
signs.. These convoys for the protection of our com
merce have greatly alarmed the English, and are : .
considerable Itep toward an open rupture.
" The rcfolve of Congress, that engaged the pay
ment of fix per cent, interest per annum, in bills o.
exchange upon Paris, for amount of 'money depofit
cd in the Continental Loan-Office, has been attend
ed with, hap^y and beneficial effects. It has increas
ed the spirit of Speculation amongst foreigners, and
-has given rife to a number of them, both in Europe
and the Weft-Indies.
“ The arrival of the Continental brig Refiftanw
gave me an opportunity of feeing as much rcfpe{t
paid to the Continental Flag, as to that of his Bri
tannic Majesty, who proudly assumes the sovereign
ty of the seas. After encountering those, difficulties
which an attempt to reform eftablilhed customs ge
nerally occasions, liberty was obtained Tor Captain
Chew to enter into the port, drop anchor, and take
his departure, without going through , any, of the
Custom-house formalities, or paying any of\the fees
of office ; and likewise to hoist his pendant in the
harbour, altho' the French Commodore was then in
port. It has. given me a very fepfibie pinafore to sea
our Continental Flag on so refpedable a noting.--
The design of these colours is happily conceited, and
has occasioned general admiration ; I hope-tip' luftre