The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-16 00:00:00, page 1

WEEKLY
PENNSYLVANIA
^ Philadelphia: Printed by James Humphreys, junr. in Front-freet, at the Corner of Black
horfe Alley: Where Essays. Articles of News, Advertisements, &c. are gratefully received and impartially inserted. And
Where Subferiptions are taken in for this Paper, at Ten Shillings per Year.
DESERTED
From Captain BUNNER's Company of the 2d P B.
Da\ Ir OAR AAN, defeated h< yd of March; born .n
Pennsylvania, 5 feet 10 inches high, brown har, tair
compl xion; had < n when he went away a fpcckled
bcm ipun coat, ne \ leather breeches, and a courk hat half worn.
JOSIAH MORAN, °r MORLAND, about 5 feet roinches
high- black hair and complexion, has a cad in tn his tight eye,
hjd on when he went awa< a blue coat and red watft coat, new
leather breeches and new sh ts.
WALI ER FLIN, about § feet 7 inches high,light co p ext-
Dn, and gcy eyes ; had on when he went away, a hunting !hi,
De w leather bieeg hes,' and new (hoes.
THOMAS GREEN, about ; feet 6 inches high, light c^m
thxu n, and fhoit hair; had on when he went away, a bro cn
furtian cojr, new buckskin breeches, and new shoes.
ANDREW FOSI ER, a dout hearty 100 ing fellow, and a
litre pitted with the Imall pox, has been away so long, t.n^
other defcriptrors r doubtful.
JACOB PR ICE, born in Ghucefler townfh p, aged at years,
by trade a blackimirh, about 5 feet 8 inches hi<h, pock nurk'd,
and black hair curl'd; had on when he went away, a bown
regimental c at, an olive colour'd veiveret waillcoat and breeche,,
good shoes and dockings.
Whoever secures any of the above defeaers and lodges all or
any of them in any of his M jelly's Gaols, fhd. receive tor each
the turn of Fvc Dollars, by the C mmanding Officer of the
Battalion, or the Committee of Supplies.
As a caution to the unwea y, whoever is known to entertain
or harbour a Deserter will be sued, as a fine of 50 Dolksi lail
on an, perlon or perlons who (hall be found guilty of iu h off nce
@1 er this public notice —To be recovered b the Commute ot
Su[ ples, one half pawl to rhe Informer on conviaion, th< erttor
th. Vidovs and On hans of he Soldiers
MELCHIOR EFFNER and cHhKL^J u^,
PRINTER S,
T EG leave to acqu ant the public, that they have
J_) removed their PRIN I INGOFFICE to
the houle of Ludwick Sprogell in Second- Ilreet, a
little above Archdirect, next door to Mr. Thomas
Say, and nearly opposite to Michael Hillegas Eiq;
where they carry on the PRIN TING-BUSINESS
in its different branches, in the English, German,
and other languages, with care, fidelity & dipatch.
BLANKS ano HAND-BILLS in particular
^re done on the shortest notice.
TO BE SO L D,
®n Saturday the 6th day of April, at one o'clock in
the afternoon, at the house of Andrew Haith, in
Germantown.
A VALUABLE LOT of Land adjoining the
house of the said Andrew Haith, containing
near forty acres of land ; there are some buildings
on the lot, it is plealantly situated, and would Suit
a Gentleman to build a country feat, as there is a
£one quarry upon the fame; there is a good bear
ing orchard of the best grafted fruit, five acres of
^meadow' through which runs three never-failing
streams of water, there are twelve acres of wood
land, the remainder goodplough land.
At the fame time and place will be lold, one other
Lot, lying within half a mile of the main road,
containing ten acres and a halt of wood land well
timbered. Any perlon inclining to view the Lots
before the day of sale, by applying to Abraham
Paflorius living in Germantown, may fee the 1 tme.
§ ABRAHAM PASTORIUS.
TO BE LE T,
And may be entered upon the 17th day of April
next.
THE HOUSES, WHARVES and STORES,
now in the tenure of George Meade. For
terms apply to SAMUEL POWEL.
" TO BE SOLD, By
DANIEL BENEZ E T,
Alt hit STORE in Arch-freet, four doors below
the corner of Second-street.
AVERY large Assortment of German feythes,
confiding ot Seven different marks and sizes,
also a quantity of suitable whetstones, Dutch draw
knives, tickles, iron lamps, camp looking glasses,
brass kettles in nests, sorted from the fmalldt size to
24. and 30 gallons, Hessian blue melting pots, silver
watches, amber beads, ben leather soles, pewter
diShes and bafons, black paduloy, blue fattin, black
lower'd mode, drab colour'd grazeis, silk and hair
twill, noufopretties, Shoe buckles.
March 16. 1776.
Or the Virginia, Maryland,
SATURDAY,
To the PEOPLE or Pennsylvania.
LETTER 11.
AS I propose to take my fubjeds as they rife
out of the times, 1 Shall leave to my next let
ter the further defence of our Assembly, to give
room tor a matter of very great importance, agree
able to what was hinted in the conclusion of my
firft letter.
The account which we have already received of
Commiflioners being appointed in England, and rea
dy to embark for America, in order to negociate a
settlement of the present unhappy differences, has
engaged the attention, and exercised the specula
tions ol many among us. The powers with which
they are to be inverted, the manner in which they
are to be received, how they are to be treated with,
or whether they are to be treated with at all, have
been canvalfed agreeably to the different veiws or
judgments ot individuals.
Among others, a writer under the signature of
Calandra, in the Pennsylvania Evening Poll of last
Saturday week, has held forth lentiments which 1
conceive highly dilgraceful, to America, and per
nicious to Society in general. He pretends to have
satisfied himieit (but upon what grounds 1 know
not) that the Sole view of Administration in this
commission, is to amuse and deceive, to bribe and
corrupt us. And because he fuppoles all of us so
very corruptible, he propoles, by way of preventi
on, to leize the Commillioners upon their firft set
ting foot on Shore, and br ng them immediately^
under a Strong guard, to the Congreis. I hare
too good an opinion ol the virtue and good sense
ol my countrymen, to think they will pay any
other regard to this advice, than to conlider the
author as an enthufialt or madman.
the concert in which we are engaged is founded
on the moll noble and virtuous piincipies which
can animate the mind ot man. We are contend
ing, at the riik ot our lives and fortunes, against
an arbitrary mmiltry, for the rights or Englishmen.
The eyes or all Europe are upon us, and every
generous boiom, in which the pulie ot liberty
yet beats, fympathifes with us and is interested in
our lueccis Our caule, therefore, being the cause
ot virtue, it will be expected that all our rteps should
be guided by it, and that where the stock is to fair,
the fruit will be proporcionably perfect. Let us not
dilappoint thele languine expectations by the Imall
elt deviation trom thole liberal and enlarged senti
ments, which should mark the conduct of treemen;
and when the faithful historic page Ihall record
the events of this glorious struggle, may not
a tingle line in the bright annals be Itained by the
recital of a dilgraceful action, nor future Ameri
cans have caule to blulh for the failings of their
anceltors.
I truit that there is not such another barbarian
among us as Caifandra. lam lure there are none
luch among our savage neighbours. To what is
it chat he would perluade us? To receive with con
tempt, and treat with intuit, men commifiloned to
negociate with us about matters of the highert con
cern 10 America, and at leaf pro,effing peace—Per
lons eloathed with the character ot Ambassadors,
which has been uniformly elteemed sacred by every
nation and in every age !
Can a precedent be produced in any country or
at any period which could be propoled for our imi
tation, or give countenance to luch a proceeding?
Let this writer turn over the volumes which eftab
lilh the principles of the Law of Nations. Let him
learch the hirtory of every date both ancient and
modern, civilized and uncivilized; he will find none
10 fierce and rude as not to reverence the rights of
Ambassadors, and confider any insult of their per
sons as the grossest outrage that could be commit
ted. Nay, let him enquire among the numerous
tribes of Indians that lurround our frontiers, for
some example to countenance him in his proposal!
These untutored savages would ttarde at the questi
on, and wonder that there could be a person 10 ig
norant as not to know that public messengers, with
the Calumet in their hands, are entitled to audi
ence, refped and hospitality. And Ihall Ameri
cans, glorying in their attachment to the rights of
humanity, be the fivll to violate obligations which
(/^ra^l raw ^A)
THE
ADVERTISER.
L E D G E R:
Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey
have been thus universally held sacred? No! Let
us never give that advantage to those who have
been driving to excite the indignation of mankind
againf tus as faiihlefs people, ferocious, barbarous,
and uninfluenced by those humane lentiments and
finer feelings which, in modern limes, have, in
Some meaiure, Softened the horrors of war. We
know that such a charge is as malicious as it is
groundless. Instances enough might be produced
to refute it, since this contest was carried on by
arms;and I trust no future ones will be found which
might have a tendency to Support it.
As we have long profeffed an ardent desire of
peace, let us meet those who bring the terms,
with that virtuous confidence, which is in separable
from an upright conduct. Let us hear their pro
posals with patience, and consider them with can
dor; remembering how deeply the happiness of
millions may be concerned in the issue. If what
they offer be Such as freemen ought to accept, my
voice ihall be for an immediate reconciliation; as I
know of no object so worthy of a patriot as the heal
ing our wounds, and the restoring of peace, if it
has for its basis an effeCual Security for the liber
ties of America. If on the contrary, the terms,
which may be offered, should be such as we can
not accept, we have only to lay so, and the nego
ciation will be at an end.
But this writer is greatly concerned for our
virtue, left we should be cajoled, deceived, and
corrupted. I confefs these fears appear to me so
groundless, that I fufped their reality. Is it pof
fiblt, in good earned, to entertain so ill an opini
on of those, who have flaked their lives and for
tunes on this contest, as to believe that they will
fuffer themselves to be flattered out of their liber
ties, or induced to fell their birthright for a mejs of
pottage ?
When I confider that this treaty is to be mana
ged, on the part of America, by men delegated
for their integrity and abilities by the voice of their
country, I feel myfeli quite easy on that score. If
the scheme of the ministry be to try the arts of cor
ruption, where their arms cannot prevail, there are
other and less suspicious ways of carrying it into
execution, than by Commissioners, in the face of
America; where they will have the eyes of all fixed
upon them, and their conduct diligently watched
and Severely Scrutinized.
Upon the whole, it appears that this writer is
more an enemy to the business on which the Com
miflioners are to be sent, than really apprehensive
for our virtue. He seems to have drank deep of
the cup of independence ; to be inimical to whatever
carries the appearance of peace ; and too ready to
Sacrifice the happiness of a great continent to his
favourite plan. Among luch writers I pretend not
to elafs myfelf; for I am bold to declare, and hope
yet to make it evident to every honest man, that the
true interest of America lies in reconciliation with
Great-Bricain, upon confitutional principles, and I
can truly fay, I with it upon no other terms.
Why the many publications in favor of independ
ency, with which our presses have lately groaned,
have puffed hitherto unnoticed, I am not able to
determine. But there are certainly times when
public affairs become so interesting, that every man
becomes a debtor to the community for his opinions,
either in Speaking or writing. Perhaps it was thought:
best, where an appeal was pretended to be made to
the Common Sense of this country, to leave the
people for a while to the free exercise of that good
understanding which they are known to possess.
Thole who made the appeal have little cause to
triumph in its success. Of this they seem sensible;
and, like true quacks, are constantly pestering 'us
with their additional doses, till the Stomachs of their
patients begin wholly to revolt. If little notice has
yet been taken of the publications concerning inde
pendence, it is neither owing to the popularity of
the do&rine, the unanswerable nature of the^rgu
ments, nor the fear of oppofiug them, as the vanity
of the author would suggest. I am confident that
nine-tenths of the people of Pennsylvania ye: abhor
the doctrine.
If we look back to the origin of the present con
troversy, it will appear that some among us at kall,
March 16, 1776.
Numb. LX.