The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-04-07 00:00:00, page 2

One Word for myfelf, and I have done. I
hope my dear Brethren of theFift Kill will take
in good Part, my long and laborious Illustra
tion of their pious Cogitations. I did not
mean to rob them of the Merit or the Beauties
of their Performance ; but to point out that
Merit, and to fele& those Beauties. If I have
failed in my humble Attempt, their Feelings
may sympathize with my own; for Failing
is now in Fashion, and we have the mutual
Comfort of being disappointed together. At
lealt, let them pity the Infirmities of old Age,
'out of mere Generosity : Its Mortifications and
Inquietudes they are by no means likely to en
dure. After all, the worftWilh l have for them
is, that while they are pradifing upon the
public Conftjtution, they may take good Care
of their own, and apply internally such Leni
tives and Alteratives for the Correction of
peccant Humors, as may render the more fc
vere Operation of outward Remedies abso
lutely unnecessary. Dixi.
INTEGER.
^^^^^^
CASE of Dr. John Kearfly of Philadelphia.
DR. JOHN KEARSLY, an Englishman,
redding in Pennfy Ivartia, of cophderable
Refutation as a Physician, of acknowledged
Integrity and Benevolence, having Shewn him
felf an Advocate for the Supremacy of Great-
Britain,became an Objedl of the Resentment of
the Republican Party. They began their At
tack with Endeavours to injure him in his Prac
tice. He was next pronounced “ an Enemy
to Liberty," which in America is a Signal to
fall on the wretched Victim, and insult and
harrafs him at Discretion. Accordingly on the
6th Day of September, 1775, some of the Fac
tion took Occasion (from his having refufed to
fubferibe an Affeciation, of which he in Con
science disapproved, and to contribute to the
Support of the Rebels in New-England) to in
flame and lead on a large Body of the Populace
armed, to beset his House and feife on his Per
son.
The Doctor expostulated in vain ; they broke
open his Door, and, on his making Resistance,
one of them wounded him dangeroufy with a
Bayonet. Notwithstanding the Prayers and
Shrieks of his Family, they dragged him out of
his House, fixed him on a Cart, and carried
him dreaming with Blood through the Streets,
amid the Taunts, Abuse and Menaces of the
Mob. He bore their Cruelties with silent Dig
nity, or only answering their Threats by decla
ring his Resolution to die than renounce his
Principles. They continued to exhibit him
for the Diversion of the Rabble, till their Seve
rities and the Loss of Blood deprived him of
his Senses, which induced them to finish for
that Time their Cruelties and restore him to his
Friends.
The Distress which his Family had under
gone, more painful to a tender Parent and
Husband than his own, produced no Pity.
After some Days he was dragged before the
Congress, and charged with having expressed
Opinions adverse to the Cause of Liberty, in
certain Letters which were intercepted. In his
Defence, he declared, " that he heartily will
ed every Blessing to America; but if a Difa
probation of the violent Opposition to Great-
Britain was a Crime, he confeSfed his Guilt,
and was ready to bear his Punishments. He
defied any cfhis Adversaries to prove that he
had ever done any Thing to disturb the Peace,
or lessen the Happiness of the Community."
But he could exped little Mercy from Men,
who were at the fame Time his Accusers and
Judges—whose Success depended on keeping
the Phffions of the Multitude inflamed, and pre
venting calm and deliberate Enquiry. He was
Sentenced by the Congress to close Confinement
in the common Goal at Philadelphia, denied
the Use of Pen, Ink, and Paper, and the Com
pany of his Family and Friends.
This Excess of Cruelty was however not fuf
ficient for his Persecutors. The Place of his
Confinement seemed to them too near the Habi
fadoh of those he loved. They wished to de
prive him, if possible, of the Comfort of hear
irgof their Welfare. They accordingly remo^
ved him from theCity to an inconvenient and
loathsome Goal in the County of York,' about
eighty Miles, from Philadelphia.
After he had a long Time remained in
Confinement, the Congress, in the Fulnefs of
their Mercy, offered him his Liberty, provi
ded he " would fubferibe a Paper, renouncing
and reprobating his former political Principles
and Condu&." Hereje&ed the proposal with
Abhorrence, declaring, " that he thanked Hea
ven, that though they had Power to rob him of
his Property and Life, they could not deprive
him of the Flappir.efs of Loyalty and confeious
Integrity."
The Rebels finding his Loyalty unmoved by
their Promises or Threats, directed that he
should be continued in close Imprisonment.
To render his Misfortunes more affi&ive, his
House was soon after destroyed, and his Fami
ly, accustomed to Opulence and Ease, reduced
to Indigence, and a precarious Dependence
•n the Charity of others.
ers, that whether the new Complexion they
have given to the original Meekness of Chris
tianity, theirpious ExpYeflions and still more
pious purposes, their peaceable System cf
Policy, their advantageous Plan of Commerce,
and the iefpe&aDle Characters and Fortunes
of the Authors, are duly considered ; it is im
pcffible for a found Mind not to believe in
the Integrity and DifatcreJhdmfs of the Men,
and in the 'Truth and Patriotism of their Works.
In Short, they are Works that will speak for
them in the Gate, and that entitle the Heads of
the Authors to a distinguished Exaltation
above it.
Enough of Slaughter have ye known,
Ye wayward Children of a distant Clime ;
For you we heave the kindred Groan,
We pity your Misfortune, and your Crime.
Stop Parricides, the Blow,
O find another Foe !
And hear a Parent's dear Request,
Who longs to clasp you to her yielding Breast.
What Change would ye require? What Form
Ideal, floats in Fancy's Sky?
Ye fond Enthusiasts break the Charm,
And let cool Reason clear the mental Eye.
On Britain's well-mix'd State alone
True Liberty has ax'd her Throne,
Where Law, not Man, an equal Rule main
tains. [rant reigns?
Can Freedom e'er be found where many a Ty-
United, let us all those Blessings find,
The God of Nature meant Mankind.
Whate'er of Error, ill redraft,
Whate'er of Passion, ill repreft,
Whate'er the Wicked have conceiv'd,
And Folly's heedless Sons believ'd:
Let all lie buried in Oblivion's Flood,
And our great Cement be, The Public Good.
BRESLAW, (in Pruffa) Dec. 11.
7r~'W O Polifli Noblemen, General Koz
{ lowfky and Count Rzewulki, fought a
Duel the yth of this Month, between War
temberg and Kempen, on the Confines of Si
lesia: Count Rzewufki, as the offended Party,
fired firft, and the Ball passed through the
General's Body, and lodged in his Back,
when he, putting his Hand on the Wound,
fired in his Turn, but miffed : They would
have renewed the Battle, but the Seconds in
terfering, put an End to it. It is not yet
known whether the General's Wound is dan
gerous or not.
Hamburgh, Dec. 20. The Accounts from
Peterfburgh mention, that the Count de By
landt, formerly a Sea Officer in the Dutch
Service, and who face served in the Ruf
fian Fleet, has been killed in a Duel by the
Count Spiridan Bonin Robaffoni of Sardinia,
who has taken Refuge in the Hotel of the
Spanish Ambassador.
Franfort, Nov. 16. A Lift has lately been
laid before the King of Pruffa at Potsdam, by
which it appears that his Majesty has adually in
his Service 76,200 Horse, 152,000 Foot, 7500
Cannoneers, and 36,000 Militia, making in
the whole 271,500 Men : besides 87,500 chil
dren registered.
Paris, Now. 29. The Departure of the fix
Battalions which were to fail for the American
Islands, will not, it is said, take place ; but we
are alfured a new Corps of Troops is going to
be raised. to reinforce those in our Colonies.
There has been a dreadful Fire at Brest, and
the Hospital was in Flames before any Help
could be brought. Above <0 Galley Slaves,
and a vast Number of licit Persons, periShed;
the. reltwere Wounded by the Ruins, or esca
ped by Flight. To hinder the Galley Slaves
from getting free, the Commandant made them
all go into a large Court, escorted by 500 Fu
filecrs, but as they were" not fufficientto guard
them, the Slaves were ordered to lie down on
the Ground upon their Bellies, and Orders
were given to shoot all who offered to raise
their Heads. Every Thing was carried on
with all the Tranquillity that the natural Con
fufion of the Accident will admit of, and by
great Labour the Progress of the Flames was
flopped.
Two Englishmen, who ran some Horses at
Fontainbleau, quarrelled about a Lady at the
Italian'Thcatre, and one struck the other, upon
which they both went out to fight, but the
Guard feifed them; however, the Agreffor
found Means to escape, which has heverthelefs
not prevented the Tribunal of the Marshals of
France from taking Cognizance of this Affair.
LONDON, January 2.
On Friday Night, about Twelve o'Clock,
the following melancholy Accident happened
at the Swan, Westminster-Bridge: Capt. Geo.
Keith, of the 64th Regiment, being in Li
quor, called at the said House to drink a Bat
tle.; but being refufed by the Landlord, the
Captain brake the Door of the Bar, and with
This brave but unfortunate Loyalist, is still
enduring with honourable Resolution, the
Hardfnips of a noisome Goal. By the Accounts
o's Gentletnen who visited him lately in Prison,
he is so worn by Confinement, a Want of the
Conveniences of Life, and by the Distresses to
which his Wife and Children are exposed,
that even his Enemies, who knew him in his
better Days, would be melted by a View of
him, into Pity and Forgiveness.
Whoever, with Fads of this Nature before
him, can deliberately call the Rebels, " Pa
trons of Justice, Liberty and Humanity," must
have either facrificed his Common Sense to his
political Creed, or have loft the Benevolence
of a Man in the Prejudices of Party.
CORIOLANUS.
::„: : :-:::: L, j.... b .:„„..i :...„J...„.:.....J...
:::: i i • •
ODE for the Ne=w Tear, as performed before
their Majesties and the Ro, al Family at St.
fames's, ewritten by William Whitehead, Esq;
Poet Laureat.
AGAIN imperial Winter's Sway
Bids the Earth and Air obey,
Throws o'er yon hostile Lakes his Icy Bar,
And, for awhile, suspends the Rage of War.
O may it ne'er revive ! Ye Wife,
Ye Just, ye Virtuous, and ye Brave,
Leave fell Contention to the Sons of Vice,
And join your Powers to save.
his drawn Sword attempted by Force to enter
the Bar; the Landlord 'with a great Stick de
fended hindelf; a Clergyman, it seems, on a
Journey, had lodged for' two or three Nights
in that House, and hearing a Noise as be was
stepping into Bed, took one of his Servant s
Pistols, and came down half dressed to the
Bottom ' of the Stairs, at the Time 'that the
Landlord was retreating, and parrying his
Assailant's Blows, and called to the Officer to
know his Business; he immediately quitted
the Landlord, and attacked the Clergyman,
who retired from him, holding the Piftel out,
and repeatedly begging him not to advance,
left he fliould be obliged to fire on him in his
own Defence. The Officer still advanced,
bidding him “ Fire and be d—'d," when the
Clergyman not having it in his Power to re
treat any further, on Account of the Staircase,
and feeing the Sword very near his Breast,
was induced through Self Preservation, to
draw the Trigger, fatally for the Officer, who
expired at his Lodgings twenty-four Hours
After. The Coroner's Inquest brought in their
Verdict Manslaughter.
Extras of a Letter from Liverpool, Off. 26.
" In a Letter which was brought by one of
our Jamaica Men, which arrived this Week, I
have an Account that two Days before this Let
ter was wrote, there arrived in Montego Bay
his Majesty's Sloop of War the Pomona, with
two American Prizes ; the one a large Ship of
9QO Tons, mounting 22 Guns, bound from
Cape Francois to Boston with Bale Goods. She
has on board 12,000 Pair of Shoes, and seve
ral Medicine Chests, which the Provincials are
greatly in Want of. The other a Brig, with
Flour and Lumber, bound to Guadeloupe.
These two make 23 Prizes which this Vessel
has taken since the Commencement of this
unhappy War,"
A Letter from a Merchant at Lisbon to his
Brother at Birmingham, dated Dec. 1, 1776,
fays, “ Since our last the Levant Frigate, Cap
tain Murray, has brought in here a Prize taken
off CapeFinniftre, about the 18th oflaftMonth:
It was a Ship cfgoo Tons Burthen, from South
Carolina, laden with 380 Barrels of Rice and
Boßarrels oflndigo; each ofwhich is upwards
of 4 Cwt. and an Half, and is worth 10s. 6d.
a Pound, which makes the Capture very va
luable.—The Captain of the American Vessel
is M'Kenfey, and the Supercargo Dupont,
both of whom are on board the Levant, which
fails to Gibraltar in a few Days. The Ship
taken was bound to Bourdeaux, with Orders
to fell the Cargo, and to purchase Wearing
Apparrel, &c. for the American Army, viz.
Uniforms of several Qualities, Shirts, Stock
ings, Shoes, Caps, Drums, Fifes, Medicines;
limiting the Quantity of every different Arti
cle, &c. and if the Produce of the Cargo was
more than fufficient for such Purpose, the
Commander was impowered to contra^ for one
or two faft failing Vessels, and to fit them out
as Privateers to protest the above Ship to the
destined Port of Carolina.
" These Inftrudions were this Day Ihewn
at the Consul's Office here.—A Gentleman,
Passenger in the American Vessel, being asked
by some People here, what the American Uni
forms were, replied, they were once Blue
turned up with Buff; but he thought by this
Time they were all Buffs."
Monday Morning the A&ion upon a Breach
of Promise of Marriage, in which Mils Ellis
was Plaintiff, and Mr. Cock, an Attorney,
Defendant, was tried before the Earl of Mans
field, and a Special Jury, in the Court of
King's Bench, London. The Declaration Rated
that the Defendant, before the Death of his
Father, late a very considerable Auctioneer,
being then an indented Clerk to Mr. Ellis,
the Plaintiff's Father, paid his Addresses te
her, obtained her Affections, and the Consent
of her Friends, and promised to marry her
upon the Death of his Father, which Contract
he ever since that Event refufed to comply
with. On the Part of the Defendant it was
urged, that his Father being a Man of consi
derable Property, indented him to her Father,
in order to make him competent to the Pro
tection cf his own Fortune, which chiefly
confided in Houses in London and Middlesex;
that he was then but a Boy under Sixteen Years
of Age; that he being difeovered to have too
great an AffeCtion for the Plaintiff's younger
Sifter, it was infilled by his Father that the
young Lady Should be sent into the Country,
which was accordingly complied with ; that
fne was no sooner removed than the Defen
dant made his Profeffions to the present Plain
tiff, which it was urged her Father, and after
his Death her Brother, connived at, and en
couraged ; that being at Age, he requested a
private Meeting, in order to confider of their
Situations; at which Time, without his
Knowledge, and contrary to his Expectations,
the Plaintiff's Brother, Counfellor Ellis, ap
peared, and that he was, by the Artifice of
the Parties, tricked into the Promise upon
which the ACtion was grounded. Lord Mans
field, in his Charge, bore extremely hard upon
the Conduct of the Plaintiff's Friends ;
opened the whole of the Laws refpeCting such
Contracts Civil and Ecclesiastical ; observed
that the young Man's Non-compliance seemed
to be the Consequence of his Father's dying
Injunction; and that any Promise antecedent
to his full Age, was contrary to the Law of
the Land. The Jury begged to retire, and
after confuting near two Hours, returned
with a Verdict for the Plaintiff, and 1000 1.
Damages.
Yesterday there was a full Court at St.
James's, but no Levee.
Yeflerday Dr. Beilby Porteous kissed the
King's Hand at St. J mes's, on his Promotion
to the Bifhoprick of Cheller. He is to hold
the Rectory of Lambeth in Commendam.
This Morning a thousand Hogs were con
traded for, to be killed and salted for the Use
of the Transports fitting out for America.
Yesterday, about One o'Clock, a Duel was
fought with Pistols in the Ring cf Hyde-Park,
between Captain Roache and a Mr. Englilh,
of the Kingdom of Ireland. The Seconds
marked out the Ground at twelve Yards asun
der, when Capt. Roache fired his firft Shot, and
received that of Mr. E. without any Effed, upon
which the former advanced five or fix Paces
and fired his other Piftel, as did Mr. E. his
second, without any Execution. Capt. Roache
addressed his Adversary and said, that firing
a Pistol was not a fufficient Satisfaction for the
Insult he had received, and therefore infilled
upon their both loading again. Mr. E. upon
this replied, that he should have made him an
Apology for the Offence before Matters had
been driven to that Extremity, had he not ap
prehended it might have been attributed to
Fear; therefore now like a Gentleman mak
ing the Apology, and the Seconds interfering
the Affair was adjusted to the Honour and Sa.
tisfa&ion of both Parties. Capt. Cummings
was Second to Capt. Roache, and Capt. San
diford to Mr. English.
Some Time lad Month, aDuel was fought:
in Hyde-Park, between an Officer in the
Army and an eminent Tradesman in the
City, when the latter received a mortal
Wound in the Groin from the former's Pistol
going off by some Accident before they had
engaged.
^^3%^©^^te^^rnw.^
Eine Offentliche Bekanntmachung.
NACHDEME der General-Majors
PIG OT, in Erfahrung gebracht hat,
dasz die Bibliothec zu des Koenigs Hohen.
Schule gehcerig, wie auch die Bibliothec, der
Bibliothep-Societarf in der Stadt Neu-York
Zuitendig, find beraubet worden, so wohl der
Buechcr, als auch eir.es Theils des Philofo
phifchen Inftruraenten-Satzes, naturlitQer und
anatomiefcher rariaeten, u. s. f. So <wird biemit
ledermaenmglicb Zwwifen gemacht, dasz in denen,
Buechern Zu der Hohen Schule gehcerig das
Wapen der Hohen Schule, oder das Wapen
der Zu Fortpflanzung des Evangelii errichteten
Societet feftgemacht oder figiret flehet, und
dasz in denen Buechern der Stadt Bibliothecs-
Gefellschafft das Wapen befagter Gesellschaft
figirit ift; oder, dasz die Zerfchiedene so
entwendete Buecher fonften so gezeichnet find,
dasz ledermann widen kan, wem felbige aller
feits Zugehceren. Und alien Perfonen, in
deren Hamden einige der befagten Buecher,
cder einiger Theil des Philofophifchen Inllru
menten-Satzes u. s. f. dermalen find, auf Wa
ferley Weife fie auch zu deren Befiz mcegen
gekommen feyn, wird hiedurch auf das
fclferffste anbefohlen, dieselbigen innerhalb
EINEM MONATH dem Erhwtirdigen
Herra Pfarrer Hcufeal, wohnhafft in Little-
Queen-Street, in No. 10, in diefer Stadt, ein
zuhamdigen, Zu dem Gebrauch derer aller
feitigen Eigenthums-Herrn :—Oder fie werden
dem Profos gefenglick ueberlieffert und ge
ftraffet werden als folche, die geftohlene Gue
ther einnehmen und verhelen.
NEU-YORK, den 26ften Merz. 1777.
VON HEISTER.
PROCLAMATION.
INFORMATION having been made
to Major General PIGO T, that the
Library of King's College, and the Society
Library in the City of New-York, have been
pillaged, as well of the Books as of Fart of
the Philosophical Apparatus, of the natural
and anatomical Curiosities, &c. PUBLIC
NOTICE is hereby given, That in the
Books belonging to the College, is placed
cither the Arms of the College, or of the
Society for propagating the Gospel ; and that:
in the Books of the City Society Library, is
placed the Arms of the said Society ; or that the
several Books so pillaged, are otherwise so
marked that no one can be ignorant to whom
they refpe&ively belong. And all Persons in
whose Hands any ©f the said Books or Appa-
I ratus, &c. now are, by whatever Means they
came into their Possession, are hereby ftridly
ordered within O^e BLnth, to deliver the fam^
to the Reverend Mr. Houfeal, Minister of the
ancient Lutheran Trinity-Church, living in
Little-Queen-Street, at No. 10, of this City,
for the Use of the refpe&ive Proprietors ; or
they will be committed to the Provost, and
punished as Receivers of ilolen Goods.
NEW=YORK, 26th March, 1777.
Rr. PIGOT,
Extras of a Letterfrow Exeter, Dec. 6..
" The Circumstance of the re-taking the
Elliot, Squires, from Oporto, arrived in this
Port, deserves, I think, tu be made public:--
When the above Vessel was made Prize of, the
Provincials took out of her, theMafter, a Passen
ger, and five Seamen, leaving only the Mate
and one Hand more on board, and put in a
Prize- Matter and five others to navigate the
Vessel to Salem. The Mate getting acquain
ted with one of the Privateers Men (who is a
Londoner) they agreed to retake the Vessel,
which they did in the Night, and confining the
Prize-Mailer and the other Hands, brought the
Vessel fafe into Topffiam. What is extraordi--
nary, all the Weapons they had were a Cutlass
and an Axe, though the Provincials had Fire
Arms."
The Hedor, a new 74 Gun Ship, at Ports
mouth, is put into Commission, and the Com
mand given to Sir John Hamilton, Bart.
Yefierday several of Sir John Fielding's Men
were dispatched from the publick Office in.
Bow-Street, to Pertfmouth, in order to appre
hend several suspicious Persons that are ima
gined to have had some Hand in setting Fire
to the Dock Yard.