The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-08-24 00:00:00, page 3

In Convention of the Representatives of the
State of New-York, at Haerlem, Aug. 17, 1776.
Refolded, That the women, children, and infirm
persons in the city of New-York, be immediately
removed from the said city, agreeable to General
Washington's request of this house, in his letter
of this date.
Refolded, That Colonel Lott Mr. James Beek
man, Mr. John Berrien, Chairman of the Com
mittee of New-York, and Mr. John Campbell, a
member of the' said Committee, be impowered to
remove' fucli persons to such place or places in this
State, as they shall think proper; and that this
Convention will pay the expences incident to the
removal and maintenance of such persons as the
said Committee shall think in such indigent circum
stances as not to be able to remove and subsist
themselves.
Rejolved, That the General Committee of New-
York, be earnestly requested to give all possible af
finance to the above Gentlemen, in carrying into
execution the above Resolutions in the mod expe
ditious manner possible.
Extrad from the minutes,
ROBERT BENSON, Secretary.
PHILADELPHI A.
We hear there are advices, from Ticonderoga,
of two deserters from the Brunfvvickers being got
in, who informed of ninety more who came off
with them.
“ We have just received an account from Marti
nico that the Reprisal, Capt. Weeks, belonging to
the Congress, had an engagement with the Sharp
sloop of war, of sixteen guns, belonging to his Bri
tannic Majeßy, within fight of St. Piere's, wherein
the former had greatly the advantage, and acqui
red much honor amongst the French, many of
whom were fpe&ators of the battle. The Ameri
can vessel afterwards going into the harbour of St.
Piere's, the Captain of the Sharp demanded the
American rebel, as he termed it, but the French
General refufed to deliver him up. A French fri
gate is just arrived from Old France, witli dispatch
es, as late as the 22d of June, to the Governors
of the different islands, ordering them to proted
and assist the American veflels as far as possible, and
to be prepared to defend themselves, if necessary.
From this it appears a French war is not far off."
On Monday lalf Capt. Alexander Hunter came
to town, who was taken laid January by Lord
Dunmore, and returned to Great-Britain, from
whence he got a passage in one of the fleet which
brought out the second division of Hessians, from
which he made his escape in a boat yesterday week.
By him we learn, that the sirs tdivifion of foreign
troops failed the beginning of May; and the second,
confiding of twentyfeven fail, the 26th; that they
fell in with each other off Sandy-Hook, and came
in together on Monday the 12th infl. that they
made up about one hundred and ten fail, and con
tained eight thousand Medians and Waldeckers,
and one hundred of the Englilh guards. They
were in general healthy, except a little of the scur
vy and itch. The Englilh troops on Staten-island
were embarking when he left the fleet, and the
foreigners were disembarking, to encamp on Sta
ten-island. He also informs that there were five
thousand foreigners more to follow in a third di
vision.
From the best accounts, we find the force at Staten
ifland to be Men.
General Howe from Halifax, with 8000
The Scotch, who embarked at Glasgow for
Boston 3400, out of which 850 were tak
en by our cruizers, 2350
The defeated troops under Cornwallis and
Clinton from South-Carolina, supposed
not more than 2500
The two divisions of Heflians, Waldeckers
and English guards, which arrived on
Monday the 12th instant 9000
Lord Dunmore's scrubby fleet, about fifty
fighting men, but with Negroes, & Tories, 150
Total, 22,000
Number of Marines unknown.
Ships Alia and Eagle of sixty-sour guns, the
Roebuck and Phoenix of forty-four, one bomb, and
about twenty frigates and sloops of war. They
have also above three hundred fail of transports,
store ships and prizes.
Some persons in calculating the above add fifteen
hundred as part of the army destined for Carolina,
of whose arrival we have not had any account, ei
ther at South-Carolina or Staten-island.
On Wednesday night about ten o'clock we had
a violent storm from the N. E. which lalled about
two hours, .attended with almost incessant thunder
and lightning. Mr. Otinger, of Springfield, about
ten miles northward of this city, had a large barn,
many hacks of hay, and corn in fheT, let on fire
by the lightning and entirely consumed.
And Ido enjoin, and require,,all die officers and
soldiers in the army, under my command, to for
ward and assist such persons in their compliance witli
this recommendation.
Given under my hand, at Head-quarters, New-
York, Augult 17, 1776.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
'From the NORWICH PACKET.
To the Printer.
Observing jour Inclination to have your paper enter
taining and FREE, I fend you Aristophanes's
Charafter of a Sausage-maker, anbom the deluded
Athenians had raised to be a Prime Minister, with
Monsieur le Clerc's Observations thereon---and as
none ^7Saufage-Makers can take Umbrage thereat,
pleaJe to insert it in your ufeful Paper, and you will
oblige your Reader, • Sarcasticus.
ARISTOPHANES in one of his comedies in
troduces a chief person of his play endeavour
ing to persuade a man that made sausages to resolve
upon meddling with affairs of state. The man was
furpriled at his discourse, and asked, why he would
despise and laugh at a poor fellow, who had never
employed his thoughts or time in any thing but
making sausages? Upon which the poet inftru&s
his other person to ipeak thus: Behold all these
ranks of people, you shall be a great leader and
chief among them, you Ihall tread upon the senate,
and tie up the hands of our rulers. Who, I? fays
the Sausage-Maker: Yes, you, shall do it quoth the
other perlon. Get upon this table where you make
your puddings, and look all about you: Do you fee
in that feene the custom house, and all thole ships
that are laden there with merchandise? See them:
Yes, fays the fellow, what then? Why all thole
things ihall be fold by you; the oracle fays you
shall be a very great man. How shall that be, for
God's fake, cried the fellow, how Ihall I be a great
man, that am but a Pudding-Maker ? Because, said
he, you are bold and wicked. But I think myfelf
unworthy of greatness, said the fellow. What does
that fignify, answered the other? Do you chink
yourfelf a good man or an ill man? Nay, for that
matter, said he, lam bad enough. I wish you joy,
replied the other, you will find yourfelf id much
the better qualified when you come to do business;
for our common wealth will shortly have nothing
to do with men of learning and probity, but will be
wholly governed by the ignorant, impure, and
immortal: Therefore do not despise what; the gods
tell you by their oracles, which prophesy very great
honours, that will be done to persons of your trade
But how, said he, is it possible that I should govern
the people? with all the eale in the world, answer
ed the other: Do only what you are used to do:
mix, Jumble, disturb and confound all mat
ters ; feign and invent any thing to please and de
lude the rabble, For the rest you have a great many
talents, that are proper to gain their favours. You
have a falfe tongue, and a mitchievous unlucky
understanding: 1 ou have some little /mattering also
in the law: In Ihort, you have all the qualities that
our republic wants at this time, and that are neces
sary to make you a very great person.
Monsieur le Clerc, taking notice of this feene,
fays, the chara&er was drawn for Cleon, who was
a troublesome orater, an enemy to the bell men of
the country, and to the greatest rulers of that go
vernment. He fays the poet very juflly exposed this
perlon in his play; who having never given the least
proof of his sincerity or love of his country, had
yet made himlelf considerable, by effecting a falfe
zeal for the interest of the people, and by'living at
open variance with the nobility and the senate.
Monsieur le Clerc fays further, that .the Greek and
Roman histories have many illustrious examples of
great men, to whom the country had infinite obli
gations, ruined or banished; not for having been
found guilty of any crime, but only for having been
accused by such orators as this Cleon.
Those that fought the great employments, and
were resolved to get them, had need, he fays, but
of two things; one was, to affect an air of popula
rity, which was easily enough maintained: The
other was, to affirm any thing boldly, that suited
witli the present taste of the multitude. Provided
they had these two qualities, no vice, he fays, of
their own, could hurt them: It was no matter if they
were ignorant, malicious, fancy, revengeful, vio
lent, and cruel; they covered all these faults under
the specious veil of zeal for the public good; their
ready gift of speaking passed for sense and under
handing in the minds of the multitude, who had
Hill less knowledge than themselves. And though in
reason they ought to have made themselves odious
by the falfhood of their accusations, the blind and
credulous people did not findit out; but tock their
most envenomed passions for an extraordinary regard
to the fafety of the state. And doubtless it was this
very lame Cleon that Plutarch mentioned in his po
litical precepts, who had a hundred heads of faw
ning flatterers licking about him, as the comedian
ipeaks, and who debased himfelf to court the favour
of the multitude, doingall things to humour them,
and joining himfelf with the worst and molt dis
tempered of the people against the best.
On the \eceffty of improving every Moment of our
Time.
Life can little more supply,
Than just to look about us, and to die.
Pope.
HOW quick are the advances of time! The day
is gone almost as soon as dawned! The fi
lem moments flip away inwnfibly! No thief deals
more unperceived from the pillaged house. Where.
Port of Philadelphia, ? n -
Pennfivania, ff. ) 1 ° 2l : m> T concern.
NOTICE is hereby given, that a Court of Ad
miralty for taking cognizance of, and trying
the justice of captures of vedNs, made pursuant to
the fefolves of the Honorable Continental Congress,
and brought into this port of Philadelphia, w?ll be
held at the Court-home in the city of Philadelphia,
on fuelday tne joth day of September next at ten
o'clock in the forenoon of the fame day ; then and
there to try the truth of the fuels alledged in the bill
of Lambert Weeks, Commander of the ship of war
called the^Reprifal (who as well, &c.) againß the
brigantine or vessel called the Neptune' burthen
about eighty tons, with her tackle, appmel, furni
ture and cargo, lately commanded by James Ro
bimon. To the end and intent that the owner or
owners of the said brigantine and her cargo or arv
person concerned therein, may appear and (hew
cau e, if any they have, why the fame should not be
condemned according to the prayer of the said bill.
Nuguf 2%, 1776. Tv order of the JuNe.
* ANDREW ROAhsON, fyfr.
ever wc'are, however employed, time pursues his
incessant course. Though we are listless and dila
tory, the great measurer of our days presses on;~
still presses on, in his unwearied career, and whirls
out weeks, and months, and years away. Is it not,
then, furprizingly' flrange to hear people complain
of the tediousness of their time, and how heavy it
hangs upon their hands? To fee them contriving a.
variety of amusing artifices t^accelerate its flight,
and get rid of Its burden? Why, thoughtless mor
tals! need you urge the headlong torrent? Your
days are fwifter than a' poll, which, carrying diD
patches of the utmost importance, with unremitted
Ipeed scours the road. They pass away like the
nimble ships, which have ivind in their wings, and
skim along the watery plains They hasten to their
destined period with the rapidity of an eagle, which
leaves the stormy blast behind her, while she cleaves
the air, and darts upon her pr ey.
And, when it is gone, how ihoi 't it appears ! When
the fond eye beheld it in perfpe^ive, it seemed an
extensive plain; but on a retrofp^ive view, how
wonderfully is the feene altered! The landfchape,
large and spacious which a warrA fancy drew,
brought to the test of cool experience', shrinks into
a span; just as the Thores vanish, and mountains
dwindle to a spot. when the sailor, surrounded by
Ikies and ocean, throws his lull look on Lis native
land.
Shall We, then, be industrious to shorten what is
no longer than a span, or to quicken the p.lce of
what is ever on the wing? Shall we squander a'way
what is unutterably important, while it lasts ; and,
when once departed, js altogether irrecoverable ?
Forbear the folly, forbear the defpefate extrava
gance. Shall we chide, as a loiterer, the arrow
that reboundeth from the firing; or tweep away
diamonds, as the refufe of our houses? How parsi
monious fhauld we be of our days; how carefully
husband our precious hours! They go indissolubly
connected with happiness or misery. Improved,
they are a fore pl dge of everlasting glory; wafted,
they are a fore preface to never.ending confufion
and anguish. On these, therefore, cur eternal all
depends. And will an affair of such unfpeakab e
weight admit of a moment's delay, or confillwitli
the least remissness ?—Efpecially since much of our
appointed time is already elapled, and the remain
der is all Uncertainty.—But, suppose we had made
a covenant with the grave, and were assured of
reaching the age of Methuselah, how soon would
even such a lease expire ! Let it be extended jet
farther, and made co-existent with nature itfelf;
yet, how speedily will the consummation of all
things commence ! For, yet a little while, and the
commissioned archangel will lift up his hand to hea
ven, and swear by the Almighty name ' That time
shall be no longer.' Then abused opportunities will
never return, and new opportunities will never more
be offered. Then, should negligent mortals wilh,
ever so passionately, for a few moments only to be
thrown back from the opening eternity, thousands
of worlds would not be able to procure the grant.
What inexpressible consternation muff overwhelm
unthinking mortals, who have squandered their
time in vice, when the general conflagration com
mences! That dreadful day will soon approach,
6 in which the heavens shall pass away with a^reat
noise, and the elements Ihall melt with fervent heat;
the earth also, and all the works that are therein,
shall bt burnt up.' That mighty hand, which once
opened the windows from on high, and broke up
the fountains of the great deep, will then unlock
all the magazines of fire, and pour a second deluge,
upon the earth. The vengeful flames, kindled by
the breath of the Almighty, will spread themselves
from the center to the circumference; nothing will_
withstand tlieir impetuosity, nothing escape tlieir
rage. Magnificent palaces and solemn temples will
be laid in ashes: Spacious cities and impregnable
towers buried in one fmooking mass. Not onlv
the productions 'of human art, but the works of
Almighty power, will be fuel for the devouring
element.