The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-10-25 00:00:00, page 2

The peace establishment then will, on an average,
be five (hillings fter. per head. Whereaswas England
now to stop, and the war cease, her peace eftablilh
ment would continue the fame as it is now, viz.
forty (hillings per head ; therefore was our taxes
necessary for carrying on the war as much per head
as hers now is, and the difference to be only whether
we ihould, at the end of the war, pay at the rate of
five Killings per head, or forty (hillings per head, the
case needs no thinking of. But as we can securely
defend and keep the country for one third lets than
what our burden would be if it was conquered,
and support the governments afterward for an eighth
of what Britain would levy on us, and could I find a
miter whole heart never felt the emotions of a spark
of principle, even that man, uninfluenced by every
love but the love of money, and capable of no at
tachment but to his interest, would, and mult, from
the frugality which governs him, contribute to the
defence of the country, or he ceases to be a miler
and becomes an ideot. But when we take in with
it every thing that can ornament mankind; when
the line of our interest becomes the line of our hap
piness ; when all that can cheer and animate the
heart; when sense of honor, fame, character, at
home and abroad, are interwoven not only with the
security but the increase of property, there exists not
a man in America, unless he be a hired emissary,
who does not fee that his good is connected with
keeping up a fufficient defence.
[The remainder <will 'be inserted in our next^]
[No.!.]
To the Legislature of the State of New-Jersey.
Gentlemen,
YOU are now by the free voice of your country
chosen to a mod important trust, and permit me
to affine you that in the prefect situation of affairs,
you have undertaken a most arduous talk, many (per
haps mull; of you new to the bulincls of legislation,
and the science of government, and in a great mea
sure unacquainted with the situation and circum
stances of the various parts of the state which you
are appointed to govern : thus circumstanced, I make
no doubt you will accept in a friendly manner, Inch
observations as I may be able to make on the present
situation of the state ; and if I (Mould go farther, and
point out what appears to me the'molt probable me
thod to extricate us from some of the difficulties under
which we ar present labor, 1 hope your candor will
excuse me, as my observations will be entitled to
your regard no farther than they are supported by
reason and your own observation.
Deeply interested as I am in, and penetrated with
the distresses of my country, I cannot retrain the
inclination I feel to contribute my mite to her relief.
Never was a people more unprepared for the pro
secution of a war than were the people of this con
tinent at the commencement of the present ; no fo
reign connexions, no arms, no ammunition, no mo
ney, nor (being (hut out from foreign trade) had we
any profpedt of procuring it; nevertheless, deter
mined at all rifles to be free, we bravely ventured,
nothing doubting but that a determined relolution
would enable us to surmount evei y obstacle which
c.hi present itfelf; our internal resources were evi
dently great, and the spirit of the people was such as
rendered it easy to draw them out.
In this situation to supply the exigencies of the
times, and furnilh the general treasury, until it could
be supplied by taxation and other proper methods,
Congress fell upon the expedient of emitting bills of
credit, on the faith of the United States ; an expedi
ent which in similar cases had been praXifed by most
of the dates with success ; at the fame time wifely
calling on the several dates to redeem their propor
tions of the fame at certain fixed periods: But, alas !
here we failed; the several dates, indead of secur
ing proper funds for their redemption, left them
to mere hazard for support.
The frequent calls on the treasury, in the prosecu
tion of the war, and (he backwardness of the several
Legillatures to raise money for its supply, made re
peated emissions necessary : Congress being but men,
and not forefeeing the coufequences, nor fufficiently
considering with how much more facility they could
emit than recall those bills, were perhaps too lavilh in
their emiflions ; their purchasers likewise finding
money came free, expended it as freely ; the people
too finding their pockets stored with calh, which
came eatily to them, and (or which they had little
other life (not being inclinable to hoard it, and no
faxes bcingcalled for) could not deny themselves the
plafure of ppheffiog whatever they set their hearts
upon, be the price what it might. Thus the prices
of every thing increased in the compound ratio, of
the quantity of calh in circulation, and the suspicion
which that increaling quantity (Rill unfunded) creat
ed, that the fame would never be fully redeemed, or
in other words, the money depreciated in the fame
proportion. Speculators soon saw the advantage, nor
did t cy fail to make ule of it; what they purchased
to-day, they could pay for to-morrow with half the
value : Thus speculation grew common, and to pro
mote the dpreciation became the interest of a con
fdtrable part of the community. I am not unaware
that ni.ny other circumstances have contributed to
fix'd ociaoon ; what I have stated, I conceive to
be 1° grand source from which every other spring
ha tken its rife.
M ny designing and some deluded people thought
millers went on swimmingly, and would fain per
fuade us that the depreciation was the most equitable
tax that could be laid, that it would collect itfelf,
and not only so, but would in the end wipe off the
whole load of debt from the continent; nor would
they believe a felf-evident truth, that we Ihould firft
ruin a multitude of worthy individuals, and in the
end bankrupt ourselves.
Congress at length, alarmed at the amazing depre
ciation, and convinced from what source it sprang,
determined to stop further emissions, and repeated
their solicitations to the fiveral states, in the most
prefling manner, to furnilh them with the necessary
supplies for carrying on the war. The Legislatures
of the several states, probably from various causes,
went into the motives of Congress very (lowly (that
of New-Jersey however by far too (lowly) the con
sequence of which was, the publick treasury was soon
exhausted, and credit was necessarily substituted to cash.
New-Jersey at length awakened to fee her true in
terest, determined on taxation with spirit : but, alas,
too late ! the public treasury being exhausted, con
tracts of every kind were made on credit ; to secure
the payment of which, certificates were issued from
the several offices. —Here New-Jersey becomes the
fufferer.—The arm,, which had almost from the
beginning of the war, lain within this state and its
vicinity, was our market, and had till now, rendered
money plentier in this state, than perhaps any other
in the union (which by the way, pointed out the
propriety of taxation during that time) had now a
quite contrary effeCt; the necessaries furnished to,
and Cervices performed for them, instead of procur
ing the calh, procured nothing but certificates, and
while other states, at a greater distance from the feene
of action, had it in their option, cither to furnifh the
army or turn their labor and produce into some other
channel, morC'for their present interest. Jersey had
no alternative, furnifh them we must, or abide the
consequence : Nay, the remoter parts of the state,
out of companion to their fellow-fubjeXs in the vici
nity of an army in want, could not but furnifh them
with every thing in their power. Thus every part
of the state is reduced from its former plenty of calh,
to a real feafeity, having little else to (hew for the
produce of their labour but certificates. This is
not only a burden in itfelf, but renders the taxes
burdensome. —Hadsthey been laid while the money
was plenty, they might have been paid with ease ;
but now that the money is drained from us, they
are paid (where at all paid) with difficulty and
murmuring, many who have certificates to a con
siderable amount, being so bare of calh as to be un
able to pay, without disposing of something mate
rially injurious to their families.
This then is the present situation of New-Jersey,
drained of supplies, drained of calh, over-run with
certificates, and burdened with taxes ; as a state in
debted to the continent, at the fame time that the
continent is immensely indebted to the individuals
which compose it.
Perhaps this may be called a dreadful picture, but
it is nevertheless true, nor is there any thing in it so
very alarming, the people have virtue enough, if our
rulers have but wisdom and steadiness, to extricate us
from all these difficulties, and make us yet the hap
piell people under the fun. My next shall convey
my idea how this is to be done. SCIPIO.
Monday last arrived the brig Fanny, Capt. Tanner,
from St. Euftatia, by whom we have the important
intelligence contained in the following:
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in St. Euftatia,
to his friend in this city, dated Sept. 19.
" Since the foregoing, we have been able to col
lect some further particulars, refpeCting the capture
of the enemy's merchantmen, bound to the Leeward
Islands; the number that failed from England was
58, including 5 for the East-Indies, and 11 transports
for Jamaica, with 500 troops of the new railed regi
ment for that island; and as many for the East-In
dies. Their convoy was the Ramillies, of 74 guns,
the Thetis and Southampton frigates. They fell in
with the French and Spanish squadron at midnight, so
" In the line of news our attention is engaged just
now with a report brought to St. Kitts three days
ago, by the Southampton frigate coming out express,
but was in company with the Ealt and Weft-India
fleets, consisting of fifty-four fail, (five of the former)
under convoy of the Romulus, when they fell in with
a fleet, which he supposes was Spanish, to the south
ward of Cape Finifterre, who captured all the East-
India men and near the whole of the others, four
of the convoy only escaping, to his knowledge."
Extract of a letter from St. Euftatia, dated Sept. 20.
" We have now the great pleasure and fatisfac
tion to inform you, that the combined flee:s fell in
with 54 fail of merchantmen, under convoy of a 74,
and the Southampton frigate, bound to these illands,
of which they captured 50 of the merchantmen ; it
is reported there were live Indiamen among them.
The account is brought by the Southampton, which
arrived at St. Kitts a few days ago, after a narrow
cfcape ; we don't hear any thing of the 74.
" By an acquaintance from St. Kitts we are told,
that General Prefcot there has been warned by Gen.
Vaughan, at Barbadoes, to prepare against an attack
by the French, for that a large armament might 1 be
momently expeCted in this quarter, who would imme
diately proceed against that and Antigua ; Ihould this
be the case we shall certainly have them for our neigh
bours.
PHILADELPHIA, October 18.
The publick must have been some time since ap
prized of an expedition undertaken by a considerable
Britifli force at Jamaica against the Spanish settle
ments on the Main, which was attended in the exe
cution by a very rapid success (particularly in taking
a strong fortrefs, called St. Juan) so as even to threat
en almQt tthe total fubduCtion of the country; but
by accounts from Jamaica, as late as Sept. 4, we arc
happy to find that their success was followed by a
train of evils, which not only prevented them from
pursuing the advantages already gained, but incapa
citated them from refining the Spanish forces, who in
turn made an easy conquest of St. Juan. Further
particulars of this matter may be gathered from what
follows:
KINGSTON, (Jamaica) August 19.
To Messieurs Walker and Strupar.
Gentlemen,
As a man fubjed to the feelings of humanity, I
fend you the inclofed for publication, and hope you
will have independency of spirit enough to conform
to your duty. The press ought to be sacred to the
publick, unawed by the frowns of power, and in
fluenced by truth. While your press is conduced
upon these principles, and no longer, shall I and.
many more continue your constant readers.
that there is no faying the exact number that was
taken, but from the men of war escaping to Madeira,
and laying there eight days, in which time being join
ed by no more than 4 fail, it is reasonable to suppose
the others were taken.' The combined fleets were
about 30 fail, from Toulon, Cadiz, &c. and were
in lat. 36, long. 17. The Thetis was dispatched
from Madeira to Admiral Geary, the Ramillies and
Southampton are gone down to Jamaica."
A Friend to your press.
Extract of a letter from St. Juan.
" The condition of your dog, that is chained all
day in your yard at Kingston, is enviable when pom
pared to the condition I am in here. Our difirefs is
of that nature which admits of no description. We
were made to believe that we were sent on an expe
dition fertile of wealth and fame, and that nothing
more for success was required, than a considerable
degree of fatigue and a vigorous exertion of arms ;
all which we had resolved upon ; btt we soon came
to experience hardships, of which before we had po
idea, and would require a volume to enumerate. —
With incredible toil we made our way for several
weeks, against the rapid stream of the river, alter
nately exposed, night and day, to a fetching fun,
chilling winds, and the most violent rains that ever
were known. All this we bore with as much forti
tude as we could call to our assistance, anticipating
the fame we Ihould acquire in surmounting these
difficulties, and the joy we Ihould have in taking
the Callie of St. Juan, and with the reinforcement
we expeCted, in making a rapid progress through the
opulent province of Nicaragua, where in one church
only we thought of getting as much treasure as fifty
mules could carry. But oh ! my friend, u hat a .on
traft have we experienced. We took the Castle, but
for a further progress no adequate reinforcement ever
arrived, and webvere soon reduced to a starving al
lowance of the most unwholfome food. Near five
months have we been lying here, destitute of every
necefiary, the Spaniards laughing at us all the while.
The want of provisions and other requisites, conspi
ring with the climate, soon brought on a general sick
ness, attended with such mortality, as deserves no
other name than pestilence ; insomuch that even the
carrion crows seem to be forfeited with human flelh.
While we most ingloriously fuffer all this, the Spani
ards have been preparing their defences, and collect
ing their forces, so that an invasion of their country
is impracticable, without a force fix times beyond
what was necessary when we came here. In my last
you had an account of a projected attack upon a
post they had fortified, to prevent our access to the
lake, upon the success of this our all depended ; but
to compleat our calamity this has proved abortive..
While our little force has been diminishing like wax
in a fire, the Spaniards have been collecting like a
snow ball, and we now find to our cost, that St. Juan's
Castle was only a tub to the whale.
" We are by turns lamenting our fate, and exe
crating the author of our misery, who upon a distant
profpeCtof acquiring wealth and diftinCtion, hath
precipitated us into calamities hitherto unheard of—
Surely the laws of that country must be defective,,
that have no other punishment for the Inhuman mon
ftcr, who devotes hundreds of his fellow creatures
to torture and to death, than for him who only mur
ders a lingle individual. A soldier must, and always
will, lay his account to meet with hardships in the
performance of his duty, when upon actual service;
but for such a number of brave people as ever took
thg field, to be shut up in a wilderness, and without
feeing an enemy, to be thus slaughtered by famine
and disease, without the profpeC tof a hand to help
them or nourishment to subsist on, is an event, that
history until now, has been unproductive of."
The Continental frigate Saratoga has taken two
ships and two brigs, bound from Jamaica to New-
York. One of them the brig Charming Polly, was
commanded by Capt. Gill, that formerly failed out
of this port, and who arrived on the 14th infant,
with several other prisoners.
We hear from Jamaica, that the British were obli
ged to abandon the fort of St. John, and other porter
upon Nicaragua, having loft eleven hundred me* out
of feventecu hundred, by sickness, and the vigorous