The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1782-08-21 00:00:00, page 1

passed for preventing an illicit trade with the ene
my, and suspicious persons from travelling through
the state without proper paffpoits, have not been
carried into execution with that spirit and attention
they required; therefore, in order to aid the ma
gistrates in the due execution thereof, we have as
sociated ourselves for the following purposes, and
do resolve,
ift. We will, to our utmost, detect and bring
to justice, all who may be in any-wife concerned
in this pernicious traffick, and use every lawful
means to prevent and suppress it.
2d. To which end we will, to the utmost of our
power and influence, strengthen the hands of all ci
vil officers of government in the discharge of their
duty, and support the full and vigorous execution
of the laws.
3d. We will give every afliftance to those who
are vested with authority, to restrain and punifl:
all frfpicicu- perform travelling without prefer pari
es or certificates, or carrying British goods, ^ a
other property made seizable by law.
4th. We will avoid, as far as possible, all inter
course, communication and dealings with such as
shall be concerned in trading with the enemy.
sth. We will give every support and assistance in
our power to those who shall exert themselves to 1
deteift and bring to justice persons concerned in
trading with the enemy, and passing through this
state without pariports or certificates agreeably to
law.
6th. In prosecution of those objects, we will at
the fame time discountenance and oppose all a&s of
oppression and violence, and whatever may be in
consistent with the peace and good order of the
state; it being our intention as well to protect the
innocent and fair trader, as to put in execution the
laws to prevent contraband trade.
7th. That the committee do publish from time
to time the names of all persons who shall be con
%ided, agreeably to the laws of this state, of illicit
trade and intercourse with the enemy.
Bth. That the committee do pay particular at
tention to the innkeepers, ferrymen and boatmen,
and fee that they are punctual in their examination
of a ? l persons passing through this state.
A committee of nine was appointed for the pur-,
pose of carrying the objects of the association into
the most effectual execution, to continue for three
months, and to meet for the firft time on Monday
the 12th day of August, instant.
The gentlemen elected were Bowes Reed, Jo
seph Bloomfield and Samuel How, Efqrs, Merits.
Josiah Hains, William Innis, John How, James
)odfors Benjamin B. Stockton and Samuel
Burlington, August 7, 1782.
On this day sundry inhabitants of this place met
together on a short notice, for the purpose of
considering a plan of association to prevent trade
and intercourse with the enemy; and a draught
being proposed, was agreed to and fubferibed
by all present, as follows:
WE whose names are hereunto fubferib
ed, being fenlible of the ill effect of
an illicit trade and commerce with the
enemy, which we apprehend has been
long in practice in different parts of the state, to
the manifeft injury of the fair-trader, and the in
habitants in general, by draining the state of large
sums of money, whereby the people are disabled
from paying their taxes, and deprived of a circulat
ing medium of trade: That the laws heretofore
to a short notice by advertisement, a great
:r of the whig inhabitants of the townihip
per Freehold, in the county of Monmouth,
v Allentown —July 29, 1782.
John Imlay, Esquire, was appointed Chairman.
And the following association was entered into:
WE whose names are hereunto fubferibed, be
ing convinced that the King and Ministry
of Great-Britain, their agents and adherents, de
spairing of the coriqueft of these states by force,
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
[Vol. V.]
WEDNESDAY August 21, 1782.
in the progress of this reve non, and whose exer
tions and bufferings in or : vonr claim from us
every possible acknowledgment and preference.
We have therefore alfi,dated ourselves for the
following purposes :
ift. We do hereby mutually plight our faith and
honour to support each other in endeavouring to
detect and bring to exemplary justice all who may
be in any-wife concerned in this pernicious traffick,
and use every lawful means to prevent and sup
press it.
2d. To which end we will, to the utmost of our
power and influence, strengthen the hands of all of
ficers, civil and military, in the discharge of their
duty, and fuppoit the full and vigorous execution
of the laws for the prevention of illicit trade, and
to prevent persons p'affing through this state with
out proper pariports.
3d. We will avoid, as far as possible, all inter
co rs;, ejmmenic.'jion .:d dealings with foch as
may be concerned in trading with the enemy, or
who may be justly fufpeCted of being so concerned.
4th. We will give every support and assistance
in our power to thole who shall exert themselves
to detect and bring to justice persons concerned,
either direCtly or indigently, in trading with the
enemy ; and treat as mean, falfe and designing, eve
ry infinuatipn that such endeavours are in the least
degree inconsistent with honour and good citizen
ship, or that they are not highly becoming and
praise-worthy.
sth. In prosecution of these objects we will at the
fame time discountenance and oppole all acts of op
pression and violence, and whatever may be incon
sistent with the peace and good order of the com
munity, being determined not to resort to force,
except where the fame may become indispensably
necessary.
The meeting then went into the appointment of
a committee for the purpose of carrying the objects
of the association into the most effectual execution.
The following gentlemen were elected, John
Imlay, Esquire, Col. Elilha Lawience, Mr. Gil
bert Longstreet, Col. Daniel Hendrickson, Mr.
Abraham Hendricks, Mr. Peter Imlay, senior,
Captain Peter Wikoff, Mr. Peter Imlay, jun. Mr.
Benjamin Rogers.
JOHN IMLAY, Chairman.
At a meeting of a number of refpe&able inhabitants
of the townflrip of Amwell, in the county of
Hunterdon (pursuant to notice) on the loth day
of August, 1782.,
Jalper Smith, Esq. appointed Chairman.
The following association was entered into and una
nimously signed:
WHEREAS a cruel and unprovoked war has
been carried on by Great-Britain against the
United States of America for upwards of seven
years past, and failing in their design of conquest by
aims, they have recourse to stratagem, and particu
larly to draw the hard money from us lately circu
lating; for this purpose the enemy have formed
connections with people now living amongst our
selves, by which means large quantities of their
merchandize (consisting chiefly of fuperfluities) are
sent out, which their emissaries (and those amongst
are resorting to the arts o' duplicity and intrigue;
that among other device they are endeavouring,
by those amongst us, who ire opposed to the pre
sent revolution, or devoted to sordid gain, to in
troduce into the country large quantities of British
goods, and to draw oft our money in payment for
them; that they are endeavouring to slacken the
hands of those who are di bofed to be active and
vigilant in putting a flop . such intercourse and
traffick, by propagating an minion that interference
of this kind is mean and chhonourable. We do
hereby declare, that to approve, connive at, or not
to use every means to deftr y such intercourse and
traffick with the enemy, is not only unworthy the
character of men of princi e, but a mark of difre
fpeCt and ingratitude to a nation fiom whom we
have derived the most fealcmble and effectual aid
THE
us who prefer their interest to the fafery and wel
fare of their country) are industriously endeavour
ing to dispose of and collect the circulating cash to
make returns ; by this means we are now likely to
be distressed to pay our taxes, so necessary to ena
ble us to defend ourselves in the present war with
Great-Britain.
We conceive it our indispensable duty to use our
utmost endeavours to prevent those pernicious arts
of the enemy from having effect:
ift. In order therefore to put a flop to such traf
fick, and to carry the laws into execution passed
for the fuppreflion thereof, we do hereby agree and
afiociate to discountenance all intercourse with the
enemy.
2d. We will use our utmost endeavours to flop
and seize every person having goods made seizable
by law, and ail.lt all and every person or persons
who shall exert them' lies in flopping a„d taking
up persons carrying such goods through this town
ship coming from the enemy, or having intercourse
with them.
3d. We will examine all transient and suspicious
perlons not-having legal pafles, and all those sup
posed to have connections with the enemy, and
have them dealt with as the law directs.
4th. We will use every means in our power to
support the laws of the land against the common
enemy, particularly against those with the enemy
called refugees, who come out in a secret manner
with a mifehievous intention of robbing and plun
dering the peaceable inhabitants of this state, as also
againit thole who may conceal or entertain them.
sth. We will give ail the aid and assistance in
our power so those who may be plundered, robbed,
or have horses stolen from them, so that the'guil
ty and their abettors and associates, may be
brought to exemplary punilhment.
A committe of twenty persons was then appoint
ed to use their best endeavours to have the fame
carried into execution.
For the New-Jersey GAZETTE.
C™ 1 RE AT -BRITAIN having tried in vain to
I reduce this country by force, is now playing
a second game, in attempting to win over the minds
of the people to her views, by acdreffing herfelf to
the interest of individuals.
Sir Robert Walpole, the father of corruption
in Britain, who from many years experience as
Prime Minister, had obtained an intimate know
ledge of human nature, used to fay, ' 'every man
has his price. I his was only a more enlarged
modification of Philip of Macedon's maxim, "that
no city waa.impregnable into which an ass might
enter laden with gold;" and it is said he made
himfelf matter of more fortified towns by this fort
of artillery, than by the strength of his armies. Sir
Robert did not confine his observation Ito gold
alone, he meant that feme were to be corrupted by
money, others by honours; in fine, that the parti
cular passion was to be gratified, of whatsoever na
ture or kindit may be. Governor Johnftone, while
in America, put in practice this maxim of Wal
pole's, having acknowledged in the house of com
mons that he had made use of other means than
pcrfuafion, in order to make converts to the British
interest. From which declaration, and other cir
cumstances, we have reason to believe there is, at
this time, a number of penfoners reading among
us, who are bribed to forward the caafe of their
employers. This cannot be done more effectually
at present, than by introducing t.^ manufactures
of Great-Britain into these states, which has a two
fold operation in their favour firft, by providing
a vent for their commodities, which lay a tread
weight upon their hands; and, secondly, by aiming
a blow at our taxes and funds.
Agriculture and manufactures are tin ^undati.
ODS of the wealth of Great-Britain: The. farmer
fells his flax and wool to the manufacturer, who
forms them into a thousand shapes, and disposes of
them to the merchant, who fends the fuperfluous
part abroad for (ale. If the merchant is difep-
[Numb. 243.]