The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1778-03-30 00:00:00, page 2

compff^n, no need of either force or cunning,
r to keep their bills in circulation. The plain
truth is, that the people have been artfully
milled into rebellion ; their leaders are deeply
interefed in compelling them to persevere, which
they know can be no longer than this bubble
of continental money can be some how or other
Supported; for it is the principal means of
supporting their own importance and usurped
authority. They are therefore indefatigable
in divifing ways and means at lead to delay, if
they cannot prevent, the burlhng of the bub
ble. The circulation of their money is en
forced by the moll arbitrary decrees ; because
its credit is daily declining, and it would soon
cease to circulate at all, if men were at liber
ty to judge end determine for themf?lvQ
Sunday evening William Harriet, an intre
pid young man, who had fuffered much by the
rebel plunderers, and desirous of serving his
country by securing its enemies, hearing that
there were two rebel officers at Benjamin Van
leers in Jersey, pafied over the Delaware with
four others, with design to take them. On
approaching the house, he judicibufly placed
one of his four companions as centries, at each
cornercf it, broke open the door, passed up
to the room where the two officers lay, and
with a fixed bayonet at their breads, demanded
their arms: Upon their denying they had any
he fearcbea for them, and found under their
bolder, and on a table, two swords and three
pistols, which he immediately secured, and
conducted the gentlemen fafe to the Provost in
this city.
This is only one among many instances where
in the persecuted refugees now in this city, have
Shewn the like disinterested regard for their
Country and attachment to their Sovereign.—
Indeed there is not a day but great numbers of
them driven by the cruel hands of the mod ob
durate and merciless tyranny from all that is
dear and valuable in life, are flocking to this
city. And what will ever do them honour is,
they are forming themselves into companies of
volunteers, with a determined resolution to
Slave Satisfaction for the unprovoked injuries
tmd cruelties they have fudaited to aid their
Sovereign in suppressing the mod groundless
and unnatural rebellion, and to restore peace
zo their unhappy Country.
The public are cautioned to bew^e of
Counterfeit Dollars, as there are some
palling among us, both of the old and new
Stamp. Those of the old damp, with the
crown and pillar, are not easily detected, as
they are well executed, and ring well, —the
left method of difeovering them, is to scrape
Xhem with a knife, by which they are difco
,ered to be chiefly copper : Those of the new
\ftamp are easily detected, as they are a foft
metal, and bend easily.
[be following <well-wrote fenfJle piece, taken
from the Pennsylvania Ledger of March 18,
plainly /hews to the world the wretched ftua
tion the leaders of the present most unnatural re
bellion have brought the poor 'deluded and once
bappy people of this country into, and what they
may expedt from their new wafers.)
Mr. Printer,
TH E Congress have undertaken the
weighty talk of waging war with Great
Britain. War is rather an expensive amusement ;
yet our gallant adventurers, like a set of gid
dy mad-caps, entered the dance without money
to pay the piper. However, as they were de
termined not to baulk their fancy, they un
dertook to create what they could not other
wise Supply, and to keep up the ball with a
droll kind of money, which they call continen
tal dollars ! They flattered themselves cat they
had found the philosopher's feme, and that it
confided of nothing but brown paper. Their
paper dollars were forced into circulation, and
it any man refufed to receive them for gold
and Silver, bis property was seized and his per
fcn imprisoned.
The people, however, cannot but know that
it is utterly impossible for these wafers of the
mint, by any arts of sophistication, ever to
turn brown paper into real dollars. They know
that continental money, as it is called, can at
belt be only considered as so many promises of
Congress to redeem or exchange their bills for
their nominal value in gold or Silver ; and how
much those promises are worth, is a question
easily answered. It is well known that the
leaders and rulers of the people hold their mo
ney as cheap as their neighbours, and that it
passes no where but at a prodigious discount.
This is a proof in point, arising from the
plain matter of fact, that these promises of
Congress are not credited even by those who
punish ethers for diftrnfting them. And yet,
pi every province I beg their pardon---in
every State, both force and cunning are employ
ed, and penal laws are multiplied to persuade
or compel the people to rely upon the faith of
the United States, which is said to be pledged
for the promised redemption of this nominal
atony. This very circumstance is in itfelf a full
and fufficient proof that those promises deserve
no credit; it is a proof that they who make
them, are conscious of their inability to fulfil
them ; for if they had the power to make good
their engagements, there would be no need of
CT a Ante of the most perfect freedom into
aat of the most abjeft of all Slavery, to make
hem the instruments of their own ruin and mi
ery, not to perceive that the time is approach
ng sass when that people whom they have dela
ted by them >lt artful frauds, plundered with
out mercy, and, nh'at is unprecedented even
among the word of savages, whole nearest and
tendered connexions they have by force com
pelled into the field, and from thence into
eternity, will soon rife up and unite in taking
that vengeance which th^ir unparalleled cruel
ties and barbarities deserve.
amount to at the end of this year? It is im
possible to fay what it may amount to by that
time; and the prefect amount of their debt,
confining of emissions of paper dollars and
money borrowed, is most indufrioufy concealed.
But surely, the people who are charged with
this debt, and who are compelled to receive
continental money in lieu of silver and gold,
upon the faith of having those nominal dol
lars sooner or latter realized, ought to know
what sums have been emitted and borrow
lonies, as the result will give an estimate in
which all are at least equally concerned. It is
well known that the usual land-tax in Pennsyl
vania has heretofore been eighteen pence in
the pound, which, with a poll-tax of fifteen
Killings per head on all Single men, and a pro
portional rate on all lucrative posts and
offices, Seldom produced more than twenty
five thousand pounds per annum. Of this
sum the city and liberties always paid one
third, which left 16,667!. to be paid by the
country. Now, as the Congress cannot pofli
bly expert to levy any part of the 232,500!.
on the city, which is in possession of the Bri
tish troops, the whole burthen must fall upon
the counties. If then a tax of eighteen-pence
in the pound levied on the whole province,
the city only excepted, produced no more than
16,667 1- it i s plain that the tax necessary to
be laid on the inhabitants for railing the enor
mous sum of 232,500 1 . is no less than twen
ty-one Prillings in the pound on the rated va
lue of ail real and personal estates !
In the beginning of these troubles, the
movers of jealousy and difeontent among the
people were loud in their declamations on the
fubjeft of taxation, and the cry was ecchoed
round from mouth to mouth that “ if parlia
" ment had a right to tax us a Shilling, they
" had a right to tax us twenty ; and that if we
" submitted to their claim upon a part, we
" Should soon be obliged to surrender the whole
" of our property, and Should no longer be able
"to call any thing our own." Such decla
mations were considered by the sober and dis
passionate as an insult not only on government,
but also on common sense; because it was in
credible that any government Should be so
blind to its own interest, as to exhaust the
source of public supplies by loading the peo
ple with heavier taxes than they were able,
without distress, to contribute. But whether
these declaimers were at that time in earned or
not, we now find that the Congress can seri
ously resolve to do more than thy ever pre
tended to apprehend from parliament; for, not
contented with taking all, they charge us with
one Shilling in the pound more than our whole
estates real and personal are able to produce.
But perhaps it may be said that the case is
not fairly stated ; for though General Howe is
at present in possession of Philadelphia, the
Congress undoubtedly go upon the supposition
of retaking it, and therefore have rated the
citizens with their full proportion of the quota
mentioned above. Well, for the fake of ar
gument let us suppose that they have counted
their chickens in this way,—What will then be
the amount of this year's taxation to the
whole province of Pennsylvania? The answer
is plain—as eighteen-pence in the pound pro
duced 25,000 1 . it mud take fourteen Shillings
in the pound to raise the sum of 232,500!.
which Congress have demanded for the cur
rent year from this province! and this at a
time when the country is deprived of its fo
reign trade, which, from its early settlement,
has been its chief support. It is needless to
draw inferences from this representation of
the case ; I Shall only fay that the fads arc
candidly and truly stated, and every reader
mull acknowledge, that even at the lowed
estimate, on the chimerical supposition that
Philadelphia is to pay its wonted proportion,
this tax is enormous beyond any thing ever
before heard of in any country upon earth.
So much for the five millions to be called in
during the year 1778. How will the account
Stand then? What will the debt contrasted by
Congress, and to be paid by the Colonies,
Mat the Congress have refolded [that five
millions of their dollars Shall be called in, by
taxes levied in four quarterly payments within
the year 1778. -So then, the Colonies, after
having been drawn into all the horrors of 2
civil war, in order to avoid the imaginary
danger of a burthenfome taxation, are already
to commence the payment of taxes to the a
mount of five millions of dollars in one year,
besides the Several domestic taxes of each re
spective province, for the Support of their
new-created officers of government, the re
demption of their provincial money, and o
ther numerous charges incident to every State!
A blefled profpecttruly ! But how are we to
underhand this resolve of calling in five mil
lions? The phrase is ambiguous, and from
our past experience of the address, with which
ambiguity of language and duplicity of con
duct have been employed in this country to de
ceive the people, we have reason to fufped,
that in this instance the intention of Congress
is to have us believe, these five millions of
dollars are called in with a view to their being
redeemed and funk, while their true meaning
is to have them -called into the treasury, as mo
ney appropriated to assist in defraying expences
already incurred. For it is incredible that
they Should undertake to fink any part of their
money, while their current expences call for
more than can be fupplie;d by loans and taxes
together.
Of these five millions the province of Penn
sylvania is rated to pay fix hundred and twen
ty thousand dollars, amounting to 232,500!.
Let us then inquire what proportion of the
estates in this province it will take to pay off
this quota of the firft congressional taxation.
Such an inquiry is of importance not only to
the people of this province, but to all the co-
ed, of they never can judge ho+ far this faith
may with any Satety be extended ! And luckily
for those who with to know the truth, we are
able, notwithstanding the guarded secrecy of
Congress on this important point, to inform
the public from inconteftible documents, that
at the close of the, year 1777, the Congress
had emitted no less than one hundreckand fif
teen millions of dollars, and had borrowed,
at fix per cent, interest, twenty millions more ;
the principal of the continental debt, there
fore, on the firft of la& January amounted to
one hundred and tyjfy^ve millions of dollars,
which at seven Killings and fix pence the dol
lar, make fifty mriltols fix hundred and twen--
ty-five thousand pounds Pennsylvania curren
cy. The annual interest arising on the twenty
millions of dollars already, borrowed, is four
hundred and fifty thousand pounds. Besides
this prodigious continental debt, the Several
States have emitted above four millions of pa
per money on their owh Separate accounts.
The - United States are therefore already in
debted, in their continental and provincial 1
accounts, fifty-four millions fix hundred and
twenty-five thousand pounds at the lowed
computation, besides the annual interest of
four hundred and fifty thousand pounds, and
if the five millions of dollars, now ordered to
be called in, are really appropriated, as it is
highly probable they arc, not to fink any part
of the continental money, but to defray ex-,
pences already incurred, their debt amounts
to fifty-fix! millions five hundred thousand
pounds ! If in three years their debt has grown
to this magnitude, another year, at the fame
rate, must swell the amount to no less than fe
venty-five millions, besides accumulating in
terest. But let us fee how far the whole va
lue of all kinds of property, in the thirteen
provinces, will go towards making good the
promises of Congress in difeharging the debts
already contrasted.
This valve may be eflimated according to a
standard adopted in Congress by a calculation
made upon the comparative worth of Penn--
fylvania.
In the Year 1773, the last year in Which a
clear and exadt account of taxable property,
was taken here, (and no part of America tan
be supposed to have grown richer Since that
time) it was found to amountin Pennsylvania to
£.346,666 : 13 1.4, annual rent or income,
Which by an assessment of eighteen pence in
the pound, with a poll-tax as above mention
ed produced about £. 25,000 per annum. This
assessment was made on the annual income and
not on the value of property. Therefore, the
income, or annual rent, being estimated at
twelve years purchase, in consideration of the
assessment on single men and lucrative employ
ments, the value of all kinds of property,
real, personal and mixt, in Pennsylvania, will
Stand at £.4,160,000. And Pennsylvania be
ing rated by Congress at nearly on# eighth
part of the value of the whole thirteen United
States, their whole value will amount to thirty
three millions, two hundred and eighty thou
sand pounds, which is twenty-three millions
two hundred and twenty thousand pounds less
than the debts, for the payment of which the
faith of the United States is already pledged,
without reckoning the interest above stated,
which must be daily increasing.
The estimate here given of the value of
property in the thirteen United States cannot
be disputed, without discrediting the estimates
made upon oath by the assessors of Pennsylva
nia, in the year 1773. But let us suppose that
taxable property was not rated to its real value,
that the annual! rent or income might have
been not less than four hundred thcufand
pounds, and instead of twelve years, let us
set this at sixteen years purchase. The value of
property, in Pennsylvania, even on this sup
position, will be no more than £. 6,400,000 ;
and in the thirteen provinces only£.5 1,200,000.
Let us again suppose, what is highly improba
ble, that the five millions of dollars to be cal
led in during this year are to be funk; Hill the
continental debts, as they flood at the close
of the last year, will exceed the whole value
of all kinds of property in the thirteen provin
ces by three millions four hundred and twenty
five thousand pounds!
Surely it behoves the deluded people of this
country to confider these things maturely, and
to fly from this prospect of inevitable ruin ;
back to the constitutional ground of peace and
fafety from which they have been seduced by
the phantom of Independency ! Let them in
time renounce this folly, and return to their
allegiance. The King, with paternal good
ness, will rejoice to fee them refeued from de
ftru&ion ; the mother country is ready with
open arms to receive them, on generous terms
of reconciliation, to her wonted affectionate
protection, and to that mutual reciprocation
of kind offices, by which the two countries
have heretofore been, and may be again, for
ages to come, able to bid defiance to the envy
or ambition of all the world !
PACIFICUS.
Warfaiv, Dec. 20. Russia has three corps of
troops which are to act against the Grand
Signior, one of 15,000 men in Crimea, ano
ther of 20,000 men towards Choczim and
tender, and the third of 60,000, which will
ad in Moldavia and Wallachia.
Hamburgh, Dec. 29. It is reported, that an
Austrian Colonel has without leave quitted the
service of their Imperial and Royal Apoftolick
Majesties, and gone to Turkey, where, after
embracing the Mahometan religion, the Porte
has made him a Pacha to serve in Belgrade.
From the Upper Rhine, fan. 2. It is said,
that not only the Scotch Brigade in the Dutch
service, but likewise fix Dutch regiments, are
to go to England, to be placed in different
parts of Great Britain, in lieu of the British
troops, which ^ to be sent to America
Turkey, oa. 9. The porte ha^ lately lent
orders to tl e government of Salonika, to raise
a corps of 3000 Peasants to garrison some of
the frontier places. This corps is to be raised
with the greatest expedition, and to march
immediately. The fame orders have been
sent to the neighbouring Provinces ; all which
does not leave us much hopes of a continuation
of peace : Though as the Janissaries have not
yet been ordered to march, it is imagined that
there may Hill be some profpe& of an. accom
modation between the Ottoman and the Ruf
fiaffi Empires.
The recall of the Capigis to Constantino
ple was thought right, that the Officers might
be employed in forming magazines of provi
sions, from the neglect of which last wur th§
Ottoman army fuffered very much.
Ulm, Dec. 11. The Court of Anfpach Ba
reuth proposes to furnifh 2000 men next spring
to Great-Britain, with a number of Chaffeurs
and -good Artillery men. These troops will
not go down the Mayne or the Rhine, but go
llrait to Lee,. They are daily exercised, and
are said to be now ready to set out. There
will only be men enough kept to form a fuffi
cient garrison for thecapital.
Lifn% Dec. 9. The English man of war
the Hawke, Capt. Robert Cooper, met a Spa
nilh merchant ihip on our Coast, coming from.
Cadiz, with aleak in her bottom. The Spa
, niards Teeing the red flag , thought it was a
Msofiffi Corsair, left-the ship and got on.
Ihore. The English Ihip brought the Spanish
vessel into thL port, and restored it to the
owners. .
Paris, Dec^ 29. We have accounts from
Alfafra, that an illness reigns there 'which is
thought to be the plague, and said to be
brought thither by the incatious opening of
some bales of goods from Constantinople-
Mr. de Blair, the Intendant of the Province,
has issued out an order to form a line to pre
vent the communication of the disorder, and
the Marechat de Contade set out the day before
# yesterday by the King's order to take the
necessary precautions.
Rome, Dec. 15. His eminence Cardinal John
Francis Albani, Dean of the Sacred College,
and Bishop of Oftia and Veletri, desirous to
prevent the abuses arising from the asylum
granted in his Government to Criminals, pub
lished. an order on the zyth ult. by virtue of
which such people are not only to be denied
protection in future in any part of his govern^
ment, but those who actually enjoy the pri
vilege of an asylum in it are to be banilhed
from it. Some of them have been confined in.
the prisons of Oftia, and others sent to Rome,
to take their trials for the crimes they had
committed.
Vienna, Nov. 26. Her Imperial Majesty,
convinced how much it will add to the real
advantage of religion, if those who are in
truded with the fouls of mankind preach in a
language to be understood, has ordered them
to give their theological difedur fes in the
German tongue.
$ uaQGcooooooocooocoQocoooceao $* coco cooocooooooo coco cooooooo #
From Rebel Papers.
TRENTO N, March 18.
We learn that on the 12th instant a fleet of
transports, under convoy of several vessels of
war, arrived at Philadelphia from Rhodc-
Island. On their passage up the Delaware, two
of the transports, viz. the Katy and Mermaid,
with forage, one of which mounting fix four
pounders, being at some distance a-head, were
attacked by eight of our armed boats under
the command of Capt. Barry, who, after a smart
tho' Short engagement, obliged both of the
Ships to strike. Soon after the armed schooner
Alert, mounting eight four pounders and ten
howitz, came up, when another a&ion com
menced, and the Alert, notwithstanding She
bravely defended herfelf, was also obliged to
submit. The other armed vessels, which were
convoying the remaining part of the fleet, ob
serving at a distance the fate of the Ships and
schooner, made haste to their ^distance, but
our people having taken out the passengers,
&c. and Gripped the Ships, set fire to them,
by which they were destroyed. Captain Barry
intended to have run the schooner into Christ
iana Creek, but finding himfelf too closely
pursued by the enemy, he put her ashore near
Hamburgh a little below Newcastle, where ho
got out most of the valuable articles.
Cadiz, Nov. 11. The Spanish ship of war
the St. Catherine, which has been in this Bay,
three months ready for failing, has just recei
ved orders to go on an expedition, the object
of which is not yet publickly known. The
command of her is given to the Sieur de Ba
rela, Capt. of a frigate, the fame who was
last year with the Sieur de Bordas, making
observations on the coast of Africa.
FISH- KIL L, February 19.
Extract of a letter from a Gentleman of Old Mill
ford, to his friend in this place, dated Feb. I I.
" Last Friday night fix of the enemy's
vessels were drove alhore on Long-Island by
the snow storm, viz. one thirty-two gun fri
gate, lying over against Smith Town harbour,
very high ; one frigate thirty guns, and two
tenders, on the Weft-Meadow flats ; and two
sloops of war of sixteen guns each, lye at a
place called the Old Mans, ten miles to the
eastward of the other. I came off last Satur
day night, within half a mile of the thirty
two gun frigate. The enemy have plundered
Suffolk county at an unmerciful rate, no
tongue can express the ravage they have made."
[lbis publication is of apiece mith most of their
others, replete with falfeood: Sona vefels mere
run afeore on Long-Island at the above mentioned
time and loft, but there mere no frigates among
them ; neither bas Suffolk County been plundered
since the rebellion by a^ othfr people than rebels
from Conncßicutd\