The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-09-22 00:00:00, page 2

es; and we unanimously declare it to be eflcntial to
the welfare of these Rates that the taxes^lrcady call
ed for be paid into the continental treufury by the
time recommended for that purpose. It is also high
ly proper that you should extend your views beyond
that period, and prepare in season as well for bring
ing your refpedtive quotas of troops into the field
early the next campaign, as for providing the flipplies
necessary in the course of it. We shall take care to
apprize you from time to time of the Rate of the trea
sury, and to recommend the proper measures for sup
plying it. To keep your battalions full, to encourage
loans and to assess your taxes with prudence, colled
them with firmnefs, and pay them with punctuality,
is all that will be requisite on your part. Further
ways and means of providing tor the public exigencies
are now under confederation, and will soon be laid
before you.
Having thus given you a fliort and plain Rate of
your debt, and pointed out the necessity of punctu
ality in furnishing the supplies already required, we
shall proceed to make a few remarks on the deprecia
tion of the currency, to which we entreat your at
tention.
The depreciation of bills of credit is always either
natural or artificial, or both. The latter is our case.
The moment the film in circulation exceeded what
was necessary as a medium in commerce, it began and
continued to depreciate in proportion as the amount
of the surplus encreafed ; and that proportion would
hold good until the sum emitted should become so
great as nearly to equal the value of the capital or
stock, on the credit of which the bills were issued.
Suppoling, therefore, that 30,000,000 was necessary
for a circulating medium, and that 160,000,000 had
issued, the natural depreciation is but little more than
as five to one: But the actual depreciation exceeds
that proportion, and that excess is artificial. The na
tural depreciation is to be removed only by lessening
the quantity of money in circulation. It will regain
its primitive value whenever it shall be reduced to the
sum necessary for a medium of commerce. This is
only to be effected by loans and taxes.
The artificial depreciation is a more serious fubjedt,
and merits minute investigation. A distrust (however
occasioned) entertained by the mass of the people ei
ther in the ability or inclination of the United States
to redeem their bills is the cause of it. Let us enquire
how far reason will juftify a distrust in the ability of
the United States.
The ability of the United States mult depend on two
things; First, the success of the present revolution,
and secondly, on the fufficiency of the natural wealth,
value and resources of the country.
That the time has been when honest men might,
without being chargeable with timidity, have doubt
ed the success of the present revolution, we admit ;
but that period is passed. The independence of Ame
rica is now as fixed as fate, and the petulant efforts
of Britain to break it down are as vain and fruitlefs
as the raging of the waves which beat against their
clifts. Let those who are still affefted with these doubts
gonfider the character and condition of our enemies.
Let them remember that we are contending against a
kingdom crumbling into pieces; a nation without
public virtue ; and a people fold to and betrayed by
their own representatives ; against a Prince governed
by his passions and a Ministry without confidence or
wisdom; against armies half paid and generals half
(rutted; against a government equal only to plans of
plunder, conflagration and murder —a government by
the mos timpious violations of the rights of religion,
justice, humanity and mankind, courting the venge
ance of Heaven and revolting from the protection of
Providence. Against the fury of these enemies you
made fuccefsful resistance, when tingle, alone and
friendlcfs, in the days of weakness and infancy, be
fore your hands had been taught to war or your lin
gers to fight. And can there be any reason to appre
hend that the Divine Disposer of human events, after
having separated us from the house of bondage, and
led us fafe through a sea of blood, towards the land
of liberty and promise, will leave the work of our po
litical redemption unfinished, and either permit us to
perifli in a wilderness of difficulties, or fuffer us to be
carried back in chains to that country of oppression,
from whole tyranny he hath mercifully delivered us
with a stretched-out arm ?
In close alliance with one of the most powerful na
tions in Europe which has generously made our cause
her own, in amity with many others, and enjoying
the good will of all, what danger have we to fear from
Britain ? Instead of acquiring accessions of territory
by conquest, the limits cf her empire daily contrast;
her fleets no longer rule the ocean, nor are her armies
invincible by lard. How many of her standards,
wrested from the hands of her champions, are among
your trophies, and have graced the triumphs of your
troops ; and how great is the number of those, who,
lent to bind you in fetters, have become your captives,
and received their lives from your hands ? In short,
whoever confiders that these states are daily encreaf
ing in power ; that their armies have become veteran ;
that their governments, founded in freedom, are efta
bliihed; that their fertile country and their affection
ate ally furnifh them with ample supplies ; that the
Spanilh monarch, well prepared for war, with fleets
and armies ready for combat, and a treasury over
flowing with wealth, has entered the lifts against Bri
tain ; that the other European nations, often infuit
ed by her pride, and alarmed by the strides of her
ambition, have left her to her fate; that Ireland,
wearied with her onpreflions, is panting for liberty,
and even Scotland displeased and uneasy at her edicts ;
■ —Whoever confiders these things, instead of doubt
ing the issue of the war, will rejoice in the glorious,
the sure and certain profped of success.
[The remainder in our next.]
To the Honourable the Congress of the United States
of America.
ALTHOUGH no man can hold your elevated and
dignified characters in greater veneration than I
do, nevertheless, as a citizen, I apprehend that I have
a right to address you, more especially at this time of
imminent danger. You have perhaps with great pro
priety, and for the general good of the union, emitted
large sums in bills of credit, and which, through your
recommendation, have been made a legal tender in
payment of money equal to silver and gold by the se
veral Legislatures of the States in union. These bills
are depreciated to a degree that the most penetrating
observer could not forelee or the most credulous be
lieve, yet nothing has been done by Congress, or any
of our Legislatures, to provide a remedy for this into
lerable evil, which our enemies believe will prove our
ruin. Is it then really so, that felf-intereft has eaten
out every generous and every noble sentiment from
among us? Are we determined to be guilty of felo
de fe ? God forbid; for Heaven's fake lay aside every
little party dispute ; look with a single eye at the good
of the union ; and instantly fall upon ways and means
for restoring the bills of credit, on which, under God,
the salvation of the union depends. Give your Staff
Officers handsome salaries, but no commissions; pre
vent monopolizing and engrossing, which will greatly
tend to restore the credit of your money. Can we be
guilty of such horrid ingratitude? Gracious Heaven
has been very bountiful to us; Nature's lap is laden
with the fruits of the earth ; we are invited to reap
the golden harvest ; we have the greatest profpeds of
plenty of all the necessaries of life ; and shall all these
be held at more than twenty times the prices given
when there was lets of those articles among us? Sup
posing the sum of fix millions in common times, at
former prices, fufficient to carry on the war, which
I think nearly right, it will now colt one hundred and
twenty millions. Suppose the United States to raise
by tax fifteen millions, do we not contrast a debt in
one year of one hundred and live millions ? therefore,
for the fake of every thing dear to us, let the delusion
go no farther, but instantly fall upon measures to re
llore our money. Government and law are essentially
necessary for the well being of any people : The se
veral states in union have formed constitutions found
ed on the authority of the people, which are in full
exercise ; and will our superiors leave ns to go back
to committees again? As an excellent reasoner ob
serves, where law ends, tyranny begins. I shall leave
this important fubjed with the wisdom of Congress
to determine and draw a line of limitation, which be
ing by them recommended to the several Legillatures
of the States in union as a sovereign remedy, on
which, under God, the political salvation of our na
tion depends ; at the lame time that each Rate raise
annually as great a sum by taxes, as the representa
tives shall judge their constituents able to pay either
yearly or every half year.
A Jersey Farmer.
CHARLESTOWN, in Soutb-Carolina, Aiigufl 6.
Thomas Farr, Esq. is elected Speaker of the Hon.
House of Representatives, in the room of John Mat
thews, Esq. lately appointed a Delegate from this
State to Congrels.
Aug. 10. Yefcerday the flag of truce which lately
failed from this place for Savannah, returned here,
and brought a number of prisoners. By a gentleman
who came in the flag we learn —That on Saturday the
7th inst. a fleet of about 37 vessels failed from Tybee,
under convoy of the Perlcus, an armed brig, and two
sloops, for New-York—That the Ariel, a 20 gun fhip,'
was to cruize oil this bar until the fleet palled by
That home time last week Sir James Wallace was
married to Mils Nancy Wright, daughter of Sir James
Wright, Governor of Savannah —That Sir James, in
the Experiment, mounting jotwelve pounders, was
to fail on the Bth inst. for New-York, with his lady
and her lifter —That the little pilot boat that was
carried off from this place the irt 111 ft. had arrived at
Savannah, where the had been condemned, and was
going out on a cruize—That the troops in Savannah
are very sickly, particularly the Hessians, who died
from 4 to 14 of a day —That they have no less than 5
hospitals in Savannah, the barracks one of them, a
building made to contain at Icaft icoo men—That a
report prevailed, that Col. Provost, with the 60th re
giment, were to fail in a few days for the Weft-Indies.
WILLIAMSBURG, (Virginia ) Augufl 28.
Extract of a letter from St. Euftatius, to a gentleman
in this city, dated August 10, 1779.
" Count d'Estaing is still going on rapidly in his
conquests. Since he reduced Grenada he has taken
Tobago. It is confidently asserted here, that the
Spaniards have joined him with 16 fail of the line,
and that they have invested Barbados with the most
formidable fleet that ever appeared in this quarter of
the world. Admiral Byron remains at St. Kitt's, quite
inactive, and without a propped of being alile to quit
I'iat station for some months ; in the course of which
it is supposed almost every British island must fall to
the French."
Sept. 4. Since our last we have had two arrivals,
the Schooner Hannah, Capt. Richard Tnknon, from
Arr.fterdam, and the Molly, Capt. Kilgour, in 16
days from St. Euftatia, they bring no late inteHigtnee
ofthe French and British fleets. Capt. Inkhon in his
passage took a Jamaicaman loaded with 300 hogiheads
of sugar, &c. but not being able to man her, was
obliged to accept of a ranforn for 55001. rterling, and
has brought a hostage for the due performance thereof.
BOSTON, September s.
We learn that a packet has been taken from Pen
sacola to London, with a particular account of the
plan laid for military operations in the Southern
quarter this year, what rteps have been taken to carry
it into execution, and melancholy complaints of the
increase of charges, repeated disappointments, great
sickness among the forces employed, and the 'little
dependance to be had on the Indians. It is said some
very ufeful difeoveries have been made by the capture
of those dilpatches.
PROVIDENCE, September 4.
Capt. Jacobs, in the privateer brig Happy Return,
of this port, has taken a (loop from St. Euftatia,
bound for Ireland, with 100 pipes of Madeira wine ;
also a sloop from Jamaica, laden with rum, melaffes,
and fruit; the firft mentioned prize is arrived in a
fafe port.
Capt. Jacobs has also sent into a fafe port a brig
from Borton, laden with lumber and fifh. The pira
tical crew, 5 in number, having risen upon the Cap
tain, and got possession of the vessel, were fleering
for New-York. They were conducted here yefcerday
in irons, and committed to fafe keeping.
1 he privateer Hancock is arrived at Stonington,
and has brought in with her a brig from Jamaica,
having on board 180 puncheons of rum, being the
third prize the has taken during a cruize of 2 weeks.
1 he continental sloop Argo and the privateer Re
venge, have taken a brig from London, laden with
flour and some dry goods; they have also captured a
ieftl fiom Tobago, laden with rum. The prizes are
fafe arrived. Ihe brig having had along passage, the
latest papers received by her are to the 27th of May.
Advices from the Wert-Indies mention, that Ad
miral Byron, with 19 ships ofthe line, failed from St.
Kitts the 3d of August, and that on the loth a fleet
was I'een a little to windward of Antigua. The Mon
mouth, of 74 guns, haying been much disabled in the
Lite action, had failed lor England, as a convoy to a
number of merchantmen ; the Lion, of 64 guns, was
still miffing, and must either have fallen to leeward,
or foundered at tea.
Sept. 9. By a gentleman from Boston we are in
foi med, that the Borton and Dean frigates arrived
there last Monday, from a cruize, and brought in
with them two 20 gun ships ; one of them was bound
to New-York, with dispatches of importance.
NE W - LOND O N, September 1.
. Wednesday arrived here a packet from Martinico,
in 24 days, with dispatches for the Hon. Continental
Congress, and for the board of war at Borton. The
advices brought by this vessel are, that Spain has ac
knowledged the independence of America, and pub
lished a declaration of war against Great-Britain :—
I hat Ireland has revolted ; and that a combined fleet
of 64 Spanilh and french ships of the line, with up
waids of 20 frigates, were at Brest, making prepara
tions for an attack on Ireland; for which purpose
tuey were to take on board 24,000 troops.
Sept. 8. Capt. Ebenezer Lefter, who failed from
this port about ten weeks ago, for the Weft-Indies,
was taken, and his vessel sent to Jamaica ; but him
lelf was let ashore at Porto-Platto; and 24 days ago,
he failed from Cape Francois, for Dartmouth, where
' e "'"’' ' a " Sunday, and came to this town yester
day afternoon. He informs, that he failed from the
Cape, in company with a fleet of 103 fail, among
whom was Count d'Estaing, with 25 fail of the line,
having about 8000 troops on board. Sixteen days
,S°> 5° fail of the fleet, who were supposed to be
bound for France, parted from the others, and the
next day Capt. Lefter parted from the fleet, which
then consisted of 20 fail of the line, besides other
vessels, in lat. 25, long 74 —the fleet at that time
flood N. N. W. the wind being S. S. E. so that we
may momently exped to hear of their arrival at some
port on the continent.
Extract of a letter from a person in Neco-York, dated
''"B* 11, *° hisfriend in Georgia, taken in a prize.
" I have nothing to write but dismal news from
this place. Our port almost blocked up with priva
teers: Stoney-Point fort on the North river formed
by the rebels, fir.ee retaken ; accounts of the loss of
Grenada and St. Vincents, in the Weft-Indies, make
us quite low fpiri^ed here. If any thing material is
clone this season, I believe it will be to the southward."
''SN -KI LL, September 16.
lefterday the Chevalier de la Luzerne, Ambassador
from the Court of Versailles, passed through this
town on his way to Philadelphia, escorted by a
number of gentk men and a troop of light diagoons.
We hear he was to meet his Excellency Gen. Wafli
ington at the Landing, to dine at New-Windsor, from
thence to take boat, and view the army, and works
at Weft- Point.
On Monday morning the 6th inst. at sunrise, lieut.
col. Tarlton, of the British legion, with about 300
horse, and 40 or 50 infantry, made their appearance
in King-street, opposite the road leading to Sher^