The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-09-20 00:00:00, page 2

King and the belt of the things they saved. And if
we keep our present slaves in bondage, and only euaft
laws that their posterity shall be free, we save that part
of our tyranny and gain of oppression, which to us,
the present generation, is of the most value —is like
the King, and the belt ofthe flieep and the oxen ; and
however specious or plausible the preambles of those
laws or our pretensions may be, we shall plainly tread
in the footfteps of Saul; and I fear our reward, like
his, will be the vengeance of Heaven, and the blad
ing of our faireft hopes. In short, the iniquity of such
a measure must be so flagrant, that, to use a trite fay
ing, those who run may read it. It would be plainly
telling our slaves, we will not do justice unto you,
but our posterity shall do justice unto your posterity.
And should such indeed be our language to those who
are unfortunately in our power, what can we expert
from the just Judge of the universe, but that he will
fay unto us, I will not deliver you from your tribu
lation, but your posterity I will deliver.
Let us, my countrymen, derive wisdom from those
who have gone before us : Let the people and their
rulers beware of an evil covetousness.
In oui publick and most solemn declarations we fay,
we are resolved to die free ; —that slavery is worse than
death. He, therefore, who enslaves his fellow-crea
ture must, in our esteem, be worse than he who takes
his life ; and yet, furprizing as it may seem, we hold
thousands of our fellow-men in slavery, and llumber
on under the dreadful load of guilt—Worse than
murderers and yet at ease ! A melancholy reflection
indeed, that habit should be capable of reconciling
the human mind to the greatest of all crimes—of lull
ing it to rest in the practice of that which, ere long,
must cause it to tremble before the great, the awful
tribunal ; where all deception will be done away, and
* Jj ,e would that men fbould do to you, do ye also
to them likewise. Luke vi. 31.
Friends and Fellow-Citizens !
WHILST we are spilling our blood and exhaust
ing our treasure in defence of our own liberty,
it would not perhaps be amiss to turn our eyes to
wards those of our fellow-men who arc now groaning
in bondage under us. We fay " all men are equally
entitled to liberty and the pursuit of happiness ;" but
are we willing to grant this liberty to all men ? The
sentiment no tiouht is just as well as generous; and
must ever be read to our praise, provided our a&ions
correspond therewith. But if after we have made such
a declaration to the world, we continue to hold our
fellow creatures in slavery, our words must rife up in
judgment against us, and by the breath of our own
mouths we Inali Band condemned.
The war has already been prolonged far beyond
what we once thought the abilities ot Britain would
admit of; and how much longer it may please Provi
dence to fuffer it to rage, or what the final event of
it may be, is to us altogether unknown. The chil
dren of Israel, we find, could not conquer their ene
mies whilst they, the Israelites, had " the accursed
thing" amongst them. And as tyranny is the accurs
ed thing against which we have waged war, how can
we hope to prevail aga ; nft our enemies whilst we our
selves are tyrants, holding thousands of our fellow
creatures in slavery under us ?
The Lord did not leave it a doubt with Joshua what
was the reason they could not succeed ; he told him
in plain terms the reason was because they had also
transgressed his covenant they had " the accursed
thing" am>ng them. And if the Lord is Rill the fame
God, deciding the controversies amongst men upon
the fame principles, then, although Britain may have
trangreffed his covenant * in endeavouring to enslave
us, if we are not only also, but equally in the tranf
gredion, by holding the Africans and their posterity
in slavery, how can we exped he will decide in our
favour, nnicis we recede from such our transgression ?
Unhfs we abohfh tyranny, " the accursed thing,"
from amon^ft us, and do that justice to others which
we alk of ! m for ourfclves ? Nay, how can we have
the face even to aft of him a blessing on our endea
vours, however laudable they may be, to defend our
fclves against tyranny and oppression, whilst we are
thus acting the part of tyrants and opprefiors ? Sure
ly we ought rather to blush at our own conduct ; —to
acknowledge our own transgression, and, before we
presume to folic.t a blessing, endeavour, it possible, to
obtain forgivenefs. Can we imagine our prayers to
Almighty God will meet with his approbation, or in
the lead degree tend to procure us relief from the
hand of oppression, whilst the groans of our flavcs are
continually afeending mingled with them ? I fear, in
deed, that not only our prayers, but our publick fad
ings, are an abomination in his light, and will so re
main until we have washed our hands from tyranny,
and the voice of a 11 \e is not to be heard in our land.
But let me beseech us not to deceive ourselves;
ihould we undertake to aboiifh tyranny, and to put
an end to that other accursed thing, the gain of op
pression hitherto derived from our slaves, as Saul did
when he undertook to destroy Amalek. It seems,
from what he laid to Samuel on meeting with him loon
afterwards, That he thought he had done ail that was
needful —that he had really fulfilled the will of the
Lord. But alas! he was greatly deceived. For he
had coveted, and the people had coveted, what they
had no light to enjoy ; and by yielding to this evil
covetous spirit he drew down the vengeance of Hea
ven upon him, and his faireft hopes were blasted.
They could not, it seems, bearto give up all —the
To the PUBLIC K.
eur tranfgreffion# appear in their fulleft magnitude and
greatest deformity ! What shall we then think of the
unlawful gain we now derive from the labour of our
innocent, tho' unfortunate slaves ? myriads of whom
perhaps we shall there behold smiling in the fulleft
fruition of peace, whilst their late lordly oppressors,
conscious of their own guilt, trembling wait the aw
ful sentence.
If we are determined not to emancipate our slaves,
but to hold them kill in bondage, let us alter our lan
guage upon the fubjedt of tyranny ; let us no longer
Ipeak of it as a thing in its own nature detestable, be
caule in so doing, as hath been observed, we shall
condemn ourleives. But let us rather declare to the
world, that tyranny is a thing we arc not principled
against, but that we are resolved not to be slaves, be
cause we ourlelves mean to be tyrants. Such a de
claration would certainly be more candid, or at lead
would better correspond vrith the conduct I have
mentioned, than thole we have usually made ; though
perhaps it mignt not be quite so pleating, for jultice
is so lovely, and virtue so amiable, that we all love to
be deemed their votaries, however eltranged we may
be from their ways.
Whatever colouring flavekeeping may receive from
interested individuals who with to keep it on foot,
there is Ibmething in its natuie so universally odious,
that we meet with but few of the flavektepers them
selves that are willing to be thought tyrants ; like un
chaste women, they cannot bear to be deemed what
they really are ; for nothing is more clear, than that
he who keeps a flave'is a tyrant. Without tyranny,
there can be no slavery in the sense here meant. And
where flavekeeping is countenanced and upheld by
any state or empire, the tyranny becomes national,
and the iniquity also ; and in inch case a national
Icourge may very well be looked for. If, therefore,
neither the love of justice, nor the feelings of huma
nity are fufficient to induce us to rclealc our slaves
from bondage, let the dread of divine retribution—of
national calamities —induce us to do it.
I know it is not fafhionable for those who write
news-paper pieces to nfk their names with the
pieces they publish; but I shall venture to deviate
from the cultcin in this particular case, because how
ever unpopular it may be, I have a desire to appear
one of the testimony bearers against a practice so un
juftifiabie as flavekeeping is at all times and in all
countries, but more clpecialiy in this at the present
juncture. I have endeavoured to express my ideas in
as few words as possible; and as the piece is short,
so when fully and impartially considered, I hope it
will prove oifenfive to 110 individual.
JOHN COOPER.
A STRONG party of soldiers, headed by Me.
Alderman Wilkes, on Saturday surrounded the
house of Mr. Thompion, the publisher of a scurrilous
paper called the Scourge, for his having sent forth
hand-bills, recommending the aflembling of a mob
to relieve Lord George Gordon from the Tower.—
The Matter, Mr. Ihompfun, was absent; but two
young men, his servants, were taken into cuflody,
and conveyed to a place of fafety.
And yelterday Mr. Moore, the reputed author of
the Thunderer, Scourge, and other productions of
the like nature, together with his wife, and two ap
prentices of the printer of those writings, underwent
an examination of several hours before Mr. Alderman
Wilkes, at the Globe-tavern, Fleet-hreet. Warrants
were issued by the Privy Council on Friday night, to
apprehend the author and printer, in consequence of
the publication of hand-bills, intitled, " England in
blood," and promoting the late outrageous disturb
ances. But the printer has hitherto efeaped. The
Alderman remandeu the others to the Tower under
a guard of soldiers.
Cumberland-House, fune 19. This day the Mar
quis de Cordon, Envoy Extraordinary from the King
of Sardinia; the Chevalier de Pinto, Envoy Extraor
dinary and Plenipotentiary from the King of Portu
gal ; Monsieur de Dreyer, Envoy Extraordinary from
the King of Denmark ; Monsieur de Simolin, Mini
iter Plenipotentiary from the Empress ot kuffia; Mon
sieur de Cavalli, Resident from Venice ; and the Ba
ron de Kutzleben, Minister from the Landgrave of
Heffc-Caffell, had private audiences refpedively of
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland.
B OST O N, August 28.
By the last accounts from Europe, the national
debt of Britain, funded and unfunded, amounted to
two hundred and twenty millions.
We have authentic information, that the Sieur Clo
nard, in a French ihip of 64 guns, lately captured
and carried into France four large ihips, from Scot
land, with supplies of all kinds for Georgia and South-
Carolina. The cargoes of these Ihips were so valu
Let me entreat us now to pause a while, and exa
mine our own hearts. Let us survey our ways with
the impartial eye of reason and justice ; and whatso
ever shall appear to be out of order, that let us correct.
Whilst we are making high pretensions and pompous
declarations with regard to our own views and pub
lick virtue, let us take care to adt up to those pre
tensions and declarations; but above ail things, let
us candidly, in the light of Heaven, do that jultice to
others which we alk tor ourlelves. This is the way
for us to succeed in our present contest ; this is the
lured way that we can take to obtain Peace, Liber
ty and Safety.
LONDO N, June 12.
N E W-L OND O N, September 1.
Two deserters from the Queen's Rangers came to
town last Sunday from Long-Illand, who inform,
that General Clinton was at Ealb Hampton the Wed
nesday before, and on that day let out with his at
tendants for New-York, having previously given or
ders for all the troops on that part of the illand to
march to New-York, which they accordingly did on
Thursday.
FIS H-K I L L, September 14.
Extract of a letter from Albany, dated Sept. 6.
" 1 have been informed as an undoubted truth,
that some day last week, a party of Indians and tories
about 60 in number, made an attempt to destroy a
house and kill the inhabitants, about 16 miles above
Stone Arabia, Tryon county ; they were beat off four
times by the man of the house, his wife and two chil
dren ; they then went to the barn and set it on fire;
when the man took the opportunity of pulling one
wounded and one dead man in the house, from whom
he got a frefh supply of ammunition, his own being
nearly expended : The wretches made another assault
upon the house, but in vain ; they were obliged to
retreat with the loss of 16 killed and one wounded,
now a prisoner, an infamous tory, his name M'Do
nald. The attack firft began at fix o'clock in the e
vening, and they left the house about midnight.
" My informant said that the woman broke fix or
seven guns with an ax, as they attempted to fire thro'
a hole. He also said, that during the whole engage
ment the people were praying, so that, said he, it was
clear that God helped them : And his faying was e
vidently true, for his divine interposition must be ac
knowledged in every deliverance; and this was a
most extraordinary one, that deterves to be publillied
able, and of such a kind, as the loss must be fevereiy
felt by the enemy in that quarter.
Sept. 7. Capt. Charles Dyer, in a brig belonging to
Plymouth, arrived at Bedford on Monday last, in
twenty days from Cape-Francois, who failed with
a fleet of 19 fail of the line, and upwards of 200
transports and merchantmen. Capt. Dyer left the
fleet in lat. 26, bound northward.
Governor Trumbull, of Connecticut state, has is
sued a proclamation taking off the late embargo, and
granting “ free liberty and permission to all persons
who are friendly to, and fubjeds of, these Bates, to
carry or bring by land, provisions or other commo
dities to and from any of the United States, in such
way and manner as to avoid the fame falling into the
hands of the enemy."
Last Monday night broke gaol, at Concord, where
they were confined for violating their paroles, the im
perious Capt. Sanford, and Lieuts. Miller and Davis,
of the infamous, brutal, lenegauo Tarliton's cavalry,
in the service ofthe tyrant of Britain, now at Charles
town, S. C. where he has lately evidenced the most
inhuman ads of cruelty that were ever heard of, viz.
in the massacre of the gallant, amiable Col. Beau
ford, and 170 of his cotps, at Lynch's creek, in that
state, which Mr. Clinton congratulated his banditti
upon.
Last Tuesday evening, between 7 and 8 o'clock, as
Mr. George Simplon, of Farmingham, was coming
over the Neck into town, he was met by four ruffians
who appeared to be British sailors; they asked him
how far it was to a tavern, and on his informing them,
they immediately pulled him off his horse, damped
on his breast, and wounded him in a molt cr^el man
ner ; he offered them his money, if they would Ipare
his lite, but they took no notice of his offer, but
perlifted in beating him, till his horse run towards the
town, and two ot the villians pui suing him, he had
only the other two to contend with, and by great ex
ertions with his feet and hands, he happily made his
efeape, but in a wounded condition. He had 2800
dollars in paper, and about 12 dollars in hard money ;
the hard he has saved, but the paper is miffing, but
is unable to fay whether he loft the money out of his
pocket or whether the villains robbed him of it, but
it appears most probable the latter.
At a town-meeting on Monday last, the Hon. John
Hancock, Esq. had 858 votes out of 923, as Gover
nor of this Commonwealth.
Tuesday last arrived here, the Columbus, Captain
Newhall, from the Cape. On her pallage Ihe retook
the brig Phoenix belonging to this port, and brought
her in.
Extract of a letter from St. Euflatia, Ma, 12.
" I he 10th instant we were furprized with the most
remarkable outrage perhaps that was ever committed
by a licenled offender —Six Virginia veffcls (two Ihips,
two brigs, and two schooners) were chafed into the
very road of St. Martin's by two frigates and a Hoop.
The two pursuers anchored near them for the day of
their arrival, and the succeeding morning departed.
1 he 9th (three or four days alter) one 40 gun ship,
three frigates and a sloop of war entered the harbour,
and fa/j ceremonie, took pollcffon of the lix Ameri
cans. They then lent a large or, Ihore to polfefs them
selves ot the tobacco that had been landed ; however
on the appearance of two gentlemen, claimants,
(these were men who bad purchased the cargoes of
the vcflels) their pretentions became void —and tho'
they had power in their hands, they did not carry the
tobacco oft. Some charged this indulgence to the
purchasers being better Fnglilhmen than Burghers.
" Admiral Rodney, with his fleet, consisting of 14
fail of the line, &c. failed from St. Kitts for St. Lu
cia on the 12th, where he will remain during the hur
rican months."