The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-08-24 00:00:00, page 1

A most furious quarrel happened last Thursday night, at
the club in St. Paul's church yard, between two of the fugi
tive clergy from North-America; the cause, it is said, was
about who should be the Bishop in that country, the idea of
a fuffragan being revived. Cooper was much too many for
l eters, and would, if 1 ucker and Vardil had not interposed,
not only have won the mitre, but have rendered his compe
titor totally unfit for any episcopal function. Alas, alas,
these men in black are not all ci them under the operation of
grace!
A certain popular preacher, hot far from town, last Sun
day, took his text from these words, Isaiah xxi. 15. “ For
they fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, and from
the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war." Which
words he thought to be highly descriptive of the inglorious
retreat of the King's troops from Boston. And if n really
was true, that these troops had ever turned a house of religi
ous worihip into a playhouse, he thought, go where they
will, they can never expeCt success in any one enterprize,
'till, by a deep repentance, they had conciliated the favor of
heaven.
LOND O N, May 10.
Whatever alarm and dread our Governors in the Weft-
Indies may be under, on account of the great force the
French have there, the information from the Bast-Indies is
equally important. The French have a large force at the
Mauritius, with no probable object for its employment but
what must be hostile to us. One of the Circas of Coro
mandel, brother to the Nabob of Arcot, has taken five hun
dred French officers into his service. This step is not only
material, but is very alarming to us, because the English East-
India Company have the reversion of the Circas's territory,
It is probable the view of the French court, to prevent the
territory coming into cur hands, for it lies at the back of
Pondicherry, and therefore they are securing a timely poffef
fon of it; and are besides assembling a considerable force
to be ready to a& as exigences may require. Be the veiw
what it will, General Clavering is alarmed at it, and has
sent to the Circas to request, that he would difraifs the French
officers from his service. The Circas has refufed. Gene
ral Clavering has sent, or preparing to fend, a force to
compel him. Is any Hep more probable to bring cn a war
with France than this? By the time the French minifler can
officially and ostensibly take this matter up, we shall be fully
and deeply engaged in the present mad and impolitic war
with America, in which, with all strength, we are ignorantly
destroying ourselves.
PETERSBURG, April 26.
f \HIS afternoon died, after a few days illness, her
H Imperial Highness the Great Dutchefs of Rudia.
d This fatal event has given her Imperial M^ Hy
c ™~ and the Great Duke the deepest aHRLion; and her
less is most sincerely and univeifally lamented throughout the
empire.
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST
Vol. N.I
Price Three Coffers. Published every Tuesday, TburJday, and Saturday Evenings.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1776.
419
PHILADELPH I A, August 24.
A writer, in the London Public Advertiser, fays, “ It
would be no furprize to me to fee a manifefto, running in
tkrie terms : “ We, the States united of the formerly Eng
" lifh Colonies in America, new the United American States
" General in Congress assembled." How shall we appear to
every fengble man in Europe, when excessive cruelty is given
as the cause of their secession, and that a nation, calling itfelf
free, would not fuffer freedom in their Colonies? But this is
only the beginning of our sorrows; the neighbouring states
will take advantage of cur necessities, and as we lose in
power, consequently our commerce will fink in proportion,
so will they rile on our ruin, and add to our deftruftion.——-
Utility is the compass whereby statesmen should steer, did they
either confider their own fafety or public benefit; yet how
ever, it is negleded by them in general ; it regulates often
the anions of men, unseen, and hardly underflocd. The
necessities of the Weft-India Colonies demand the aid of
North-America, not far luxuries, but necessaries. The very
produce of the islands is sent in calks made of American
lumber ; and, for the greatest part of the year, their exigence
depends on the supplies of food received from thence. Is it
to be f ppofed that any British law could hinder a connexion
so necessary to preservation ? Or that chains of parchment
could restrain the fierce calls of stern necessity? Invention
would be quickened by calamity, and increased obstacles
would multiply endeavours to elude them. As the Colonies
increase, and they must in spite of eur vain and nugatory
attempts to prevent it, a nearer market, void cf duties', and
equally certain, when population is increased, will demand
their attention, and acquire their affection. Their mutual
benefits will be found in mutual fafety; and liberty, when
forgotten here, may flourish there with redoubled fp'lendor.
There is one comfort amidst these calamities that we poor,
distressed, oppieffed and betrayed Englishmen will have an
asylum to retire to, where English freedom and the En&lifli
language will remain as a lading memorial of the baseness
of the Mother Country, and virtue of its Colonies."
Extras of a letter from the Weft-Indies, dated August 2.
" Capt. Weeks, of the Continental ship Reprisal, arrived
off St. Pierre's, Martinique, on Saturday evening past, at
which time the Snark Hoop of war, Capt. John Chapman, of
sixteen nine pounders, just come out from England, wa's at
anchor there, who immediately flipped his cables in pursuit
of the ship with provincial colours, and coming pretty near
ordered them to fluke, giving her several ffiot, which wer A
bravely returned by Capt. Weeks, and an engagement en~
sued which lasted near an hour, when the Shark bore away
arid the provincial ship tock the advantage of getting f a fe in
to harbor. Capt. Weeks had only one man wounded in the
arm, by the bursting cfa gun on board his ship—the los s of
the enemy is rot known yet. Capt. Weeks on landing met
with a joyful reception, from the Commander in Chief to the
poorest inhabitant, the concodrfe of all ranks of people being
very great on the occasion. ' °
" Capt. Chapman has since waited on the General to de
wand the ship for the King his crafter, as belonging to rebels
[Num. 249.