The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-25 00:00:00, page 3

Gentlemen,
WE, the inhabitants of the city and liberties of Philadel
phia, in behalf of ourselves and others, the inhabitants of
Pennsylvania, conceive it our duty to lepre^ut unto this
house as follow ech:
That whereas the Hon. Continental Congress hath by a Resolve
bearing date the I ,th instant, recommended the taking up and et
tablifhing new governments throughout all the united colonics,
under the “ AUTHORITY of the PEOPLE , and as the
chartered power of this houte is derived from our mortal enemy
the King of Great-Britain, and the members thereof were elected
by such persons only as were either in real or (uppoled allegiance
to the laid King, to the exclusion of many worthy inhabitants,
whom the aforefaid resolve of Congress hath now rendered elec
tors; and as this House, in its present slate, is in immediate in
tercourse with a Governor bearing the laid King's commilhon, and
who is his sworn Repielcntauvc, holdings and by oath obliged to
held official correspondence with the Minivers of the laid King,
and is not within the reach of any ad* of ours to be absolved there
from—We therefore, in this solemn manner, in behalf of ourselves
and others, do hereby renounce and proted againll the authority
and qualification of this House tor framing a new government.
'As we mean not to enter into any altercation with this House,
we Shall forbear enumerating the particular inconfiflencies of its
former conduct, and content ourselves with declaring that, as a
/body of men bound by oaths of allegiance to our enemy, and in
fluenced, as many of its members are, either by connexions with,
or pecuniary employments under the Propttetai y of this province,
who is likewise the Said King's Reprefehtative, it is to all good
intents and purposes disqualified to take into copfideration the late
Resolve of Congress; and as an Houle is nop within the deicripti
on mentioned in the laid Resolve, as an “ Assembly under the au
thority of the people" only, and because likewise that we have
very alarming apprehensions that a new government, modelled by
persons so inconsistently circumflanced, would be the means of
Subjecting ourselves and our posterity to greater grievances than
any we have hitherto experienced.
In thus preceding against the authority of this House for fram
ing a new government, we mean not to objeX againti its exercising
the proper powers it has hitherto been accuflorned to use, for he
Safety and convenience of the province, until such time s a new
constitution ,originating from, and founded on “ the authority of the
feofe, Shall be finally fettled by a Provincial Craven.in, to De
elected for that purpose, and until the proper officers arid r pic
fentatives of the.people Shall be chosen agreeable thereto, and qua
lified to Succeed this House—For which purpose an application
will be made t> the Committee of InfpeCtion and Oblervation r s
the City and Liberties (whole Services on all occasions hath been
applied to the Support of the rights of the people) for calling a
conference of the Committees of rhe Several counties of this pro
vince, agreeable to the powers it is already nvtied with for that
purpose, which Said c iference o'Commirees (hall issue onttum
monfes for electing, by ballot, a Provincial Convention, confiding of
at lead too member s, for the purpole of carrying the said Rel>lve
of Congress into execution—As we are fully convinced that our
fafety and happiness, next to the immediate Providence of God,
depend on our complying with, and Supporting, firmly, the laid
Relobe of Cotigrefs, that thereby the union of the colonies may be
prefer ved inviolate.
Refolded unanimously, That the Chairman be di
reded to sign and present the laid Protest to the
Hon. House of Assembly.
Refolded unanimoufo, That we will support the
measures now adopted at all hazards, be the con
sequences what they may.
The thanks of the City and Liberties being pre
sented (by an unanimous vote) to Col. Roberdeau,
for his impartiality and faithful difeharge of his
trust as Chairman, he was pleased to reply—That
he acknowledged the honour done him, and that
he esteemed it more than if conferred by a Prince.
The thanks of the City and Liberties were also
presented (by an unanimous vote) to their Com
mittee of Infpedion and Observation, for their zeal,
fidelity and ftea.dy attention to the duties of their
important station.—And Col. Thomas M'Kean, as
Chairman of that Committee, accepted and politely
acknowledged the fame.
The meeting was concluded with the utmost de
corum and harmony, Daniel RoBERDEAU-CTazr.
The Protest, agreeable to the Resolve, was the
fame day presented to the Speaker of the Honorable
House of Assembly.
The following Remonfrance to the Honourable the
Houje of Hflembly, <wbicb 'was yeferday agreed to
at a meeting of a rest) enable number of the inhabi
-Itarts of this city and liberties, and is now fining
by them, is earnefly recommended to the inhabitants
of the different counties 0/ the province, that in this,
or some similar manner they may express their senti
ments upon the protest referred to. May 22.
To the Honorable the Representatives of the
Freemen of the province of Pennsylvania, in
Assembly met.
The Address and Remonstrance of' the
Subferibers, Inhabitants of the City and Liberties
of Philadelphia.
WHEREAS to our great affliction we find that a
paper has been presented to the House stiled
" the Protest of divers inhabitants of this province,"
said to be “ in behalf of themselves and others," the
purport of which is to subvert and change the con
stitution of this government, upon sundry allegati
on which we cannot conceive to be well founded;
anri whereas we think it an indifpenfible duty to
ourelves and our posterity, to claim and support
our birthright in the charter and wife laws of Penn
sylvania, either consented to by ourselves, or delivSed
down to us by our ancestors, as far as may be possi
ble, without injury to the public cause of America,
during the present diftrefled situation of our affairs.
We do therefore remonstrate against the said protest,
for the following reafons:<
Firfl. Because it holds up the Resolve of the
Congress, of the 15th inst. as an absolute injunction
for the “ taking up and establishing new governments
throughout all the United Colonies, under the au
thority of the people." Whereas the laid resolve is
only a conditional recommendation " to the respec
tive AfT:mblies and Conventions of the United Co-
The P R'.O TE ST of divers cf the inhabitants "al
this province, in behalf of themselves and others.
To the Hon. th Representatives of Ho Province of
Pennsylvania.
lonfa, where no go^r^mentfufficient to the exigencies
of Heir affairs has been cfablifljed, to adopt such go
vernments as ihall, in the opinion of the Representa
tives of the People, bed conduce to the happiness and
fafety of their confituents in particular, and Ameri
ca in general." And here it is obvious to remark,
that in this and every other Resolve of Congress,
where " ffemblies and Conventions" are referred
to, it must be intended (and the practice has been
accordingly) that wherever ffemblies exid, and
can meet as the ancient constitutional bodies in their
refpedive colonics, the public business is to be car
ried on by them; and by Conventions, only in those
urgent cases where arbitrary Governors, by proro
gations and difloluti ms, prevent the RepreTeptatives
of the people from fitting, to deliberate on their own
affairs, or have subverted the constitution, by abdi
cating their offices, and levying war against these
colonies. That the Assembly of this province can
not be prorogued or dissolved; that they have been
exceeded by no province in their noble exertions in
the common cause of liberty; that by the Resolve
of Congress, who have never interfered in the do
mestic police of the colonies, the Representatives of
the People are left as the folejudges, whether their
governments be “ fufficient for the exigencies of
their affairs" or not ; that our courts of law are
open, justice has been administered with a due at
tention to our circumstances, and large sums of
money issued, the credit of which might be shaken,
and numberless confufions ensue, from innovations
hastily or unnecessarily made.
Secondly. We remonstrate against the said Protest,
as getting on foot a m.afure which tends to disunion,
and must damp the zeal of multitudes of the good
people of Pennfylvunia in the common cause, who
having a high veneration for their civil and religious
rights, as secured by our charter, never conceived,
When they engaged, among other things, for the
support of the charter rights of another colony,
that they would be called upon to make 'a facrifice
of their own charter. —Nor can we now fee any
thing in our situation which requires such an une
qual facrifice, while other colonics, particularly
Connecticut and Rhode-lfland, the authority of
whose Assemblies is the fame way derived by char
ter as ours, continue their ancient forms of govern
ment by these bodies, without Conventions.
That whatever temporary alteration in forms the
urgency of affairs, or the authority of the people,
can be conceived to juftify or render expedient, that
authority is fully veiled in our Representatives in
Assembly freely and annually chosen.
Six parts in seven of your body arc, by our in
estimable charter, veiled with the power of deter
mining in this matter. We look to you, as entrus
ted with the conservation of our rights, and are
firmly of opinion that your constituents in general
will cheerfully be governed by whatever your wis
dom may ordain in the present exigency, humbly
recommending it to you always to keep in mind,
that in times of confufion every change Should be
cautiously adopted, and only such made as are ab
solutely necefTary:—ln which particulars the pro
vince of South-Carolina, when impelled by neces
sity, has set a laudable example, regulating them
selves with a view towards, and only until, " an
accommodation of the unhappy differences between
Great-Britain and America can be obtained, an
event which," though traduced and treated as re
bels, they hill profels earnestly to desire.
To the Honorable the Reprefentativ.es of the Free
.men of the Province of Pennsylvania, in General
Assembly met,
The Address of the Committee of Infpe&ion for
the County of Philadelphia.
,{ / E efteeni ourselves, in no Small degree, hap-
VV py that we have the Satisfaction', in this very
critical conjuncture, of exprefling our lentirhents to
the constitutional representative body of this province
With the deepeff concern, we have lately ob
served, that the ground, on which our opposition
to the arbitrary and opprellive meafurcs of the Bri
tilh Ministry was firft made, is Io totally changed
— Instead of our joining hand and heart in for
warding a reconciliation with our parent Sate, on
constitutional principles, which is the object we
ought ever to have kept in view, as the only term
ination of our disputes, which can poflibly give us
happiness and Security, a system has been adopt
ed by some persons in the city and liberties of Phi
ladelphia, which tends immediately to the subver
sion of our constitution.
When we recoiled the declaration of Congress,
that they “ mean not to deSroy the union which
" has so longhappily subsisted, and which they
“ sincerely wish to be restored;" when we think
of the known inftrudions given to the Delegates
of several provinces, as well as to those of our own,
we are alarmed at the profpe& of a disunion, which
must attend the prosecution of a scheme, that will,
in the end, not only iet previboe-againft province,
but (more dreadful to think) foment ciHUdifcords
in each—•
Should our inveterate enemies be so loft to all
sense of justice and humanity, as to persist in their
infernal plan of despotism; should they drive us by
their violence to that las fhift, a declaration oi in
dependence, every one will then be convinced cf
the neceflity of such a measure arid we Stall be as
one man, so united and strengthened by the con
vision, as to bid defiance to all their attempts.
These we know to be the sentiments of the people;
under whose authority we ad, as well as our own ,
and, as such, we fliould be highly wanting in dut\
to ourselves and our constituents, were we to negled
laying them before you.
We are not insensible of the difficulties, which
attend your situation; but trust, you will proceed,
in the weighty affairs now under your confederation,
with unanimity and firmnefs, hill looking forward
to a happy, permanent termination of our calami
ties, in constitutional reconciliation with bur anci
ent friends. To forget injuries, and to forgive
those who hate offended, is as conducive to happi
ness as conformable to the rule; of virtue; and, we
make no doubt, the most salutary events mull refuri
from meaftres formed and conduced qn Inch
principles.
What we have to offer and advise, is, that you
will moll feligioufly adhere to the inftru&ioßS give:-
to our Delegates in Congress. We coniider then?
cur greatell lecurity. And we farther mod Icrioufly
intreat, that you till, to the utmost of your power
oppose the changing or altering, in any the lead
part, our invaluable constitution, under which we
have experienced every happiness, and in support
of which there is nothing juh or reasonable, which
we would not tillihgly undertake. Signed by ol
der of the Committee.
W. HAMILTON, Chairman.
Philadelphia County Committee, May 18, 177^
Thursday afternoon, about two o'clock, His Ex
cellency General Washington arrived in this
city?, from New-York.
Extract of a Letter froiti an Officer in the army, at
Dechambault, 48 miles above Quebec, May 9.
'-I have but just time, by an Express that goes
to New-York, to acquaint you of our unfortunate,
and, I mull add, dilgraceful retreat. The circum
dances of which, as far as I am able, I will ihfoiin
you of.
•'When I arrived within nine miles of Quebec,
with the fix companies of our regiment, I was hailed
By an officer on board of a veliel belonging to us,
and informed that our whole army was retreating
with the utmost precipitation, and advised 10 retreat
With the regiment as laid as poflible, which you mud
be well assured I cotild not think of doing unlcfs ab
solutely obliged tb it. I then immediately put to
shore, and ordered the regiment to wait my orders
before they moved from that place. I accordingly
set out, arid ran for about fix miles, meeting the
roads full of people Ihamefully dying from an ene
thy that appealed ho way superior to our strength.
The General and officers halted here, and held a
council of war, to determine whether they should
flop the troops and engage the enemy. It was de
termined alhioft un^nimoufly against the proposal,
although I was of opinion that the Britilh : troops
might have been driven back into the town. In
tain was every argument of disgrace attending a
retreat urged. They had determined not to make
a hand till they got to the mouth of the Sorelle,
but a letter corning from G^n. Arnold, promising a
reinforcement of men and cannon, they determined
to wait here until an officer could retuth, who was
lent to Montreal by Gen. Thomas. The fleet is
arrived at Quebec. A frigate of 36 guns, a Lip of
20 guns or upwards, and a schooner taken from
us, have failed up the river as far as this place,
and remained here two clay. They landed eight
boat loads of men, about four miles off, who were .
obliged to embark by a party cf the rear, before a
party of one hundred and fifty men, that we march
ed from hence could come up with them."
The inhibitants of this county, ' in their own
native land, in defence of the freedom, which U
their birthright, and which they have ever enjoye.
until the late violation of it, for the protection <
their property, acquired solely by the indullry of
their forefathers, and themselves aga'inS violence
actually offered, firft took up arms, and mean ion
to lay them down, until hostilities ffiall cease on
the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their
being renewed sh ill be removed."
They have, with the greatest alacrity, riven a
considerable part of their time to qualify themselves
in military matters, and are well allured, they will
be behind none, in their endeavors, to put an end
to the opprefliqn of their country; but it was, at
the fame time, with a determined resolution to sup
port and defend their conflitudon against all oprel
fions and innovations whatsoever.
F OUR D OLLAR S, RP^I
f^ UN-AWAY on rhe 2och inll. from die lubicriber, HcNg
hiChetler township, Burlington county, an,English SER
VAI\ r MAN, named Jam.es .Oom., about q feet 8 in: 0
cs high, daik complexion, with d^rk bushy lair, talks in the
Well counttv dialed. Had on and tock nah him a Ihhrd Irl-c
jacket, v .ith Aceves, a liriped home made ditto witiiotit deWG,a
cloth .colomed turcout coat, leather bodies, grey dockings, cld
fhocs, a new felt hat, two (huts, cue immefyn,, the other whiw,
and ,ared silk handkerchief witn ye.low fpets, ft is supposed he
took mere clothes well him. Whoever takes up and lecu.es
AH.Jervantin any g.mf in thd province, (ball be entitled to the
above tcward anaicafcriablr charges. ra;d byl
EDMUND HCLI.?SLHF,AD.
PIP x
A LL Persons indebted to the EL^e ofDi. id -
/"I TER SGNMANS dtcealed, uro dehred to
make payment as fwn us pop;ole. and those ^.^
have dem mds ngainA the Gid r 1 : . are J 'EM
to mak^hem Emull: