The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-12-01 00:00:00, page 1

N E W-Y ORK
AND
W EEKLY
By MAJOR GENERAL
VALENTINE JONES,
COMMANDANT of New-York, &c.
A^PROCLAMATION.
11/'^REAS it hath been represented to
VV me, that the boatmen, and others who
bring fire-wood to this city, exa& the most ex
orbitant prices for the fame ; and that unless
some regulation be made, there will be no
bounds to their extortion: To remedy which,
I have thought fit to issue this proclamation,
and do hereby order and dired, that no more
than Five Pounds currency, shall be demanded
for a cord of wallnut wood; and Four Founds
a cord for any other wood.
And whereas some of the boatmen, and
others, who have usually supplied this city
with fire-wood, may endeavour to distress the
inhabitants, by defining from bringing the
fame at the above Rated prices: To remedy
which, I do hereby give notice, that on due
proof given against any such persons, their
boats will be seized, and given to proper per
sons to be employed in bringing wood to this
city.
And to prevent impositions on the part of
the propietors of wood, and their detaining
the fame from the boatmen ; I do hereby order
and dire&, that they fell the fame at a rea
sonable price ; and on their refufing so to do
(of which due proof is to be made) their
wood will be seized and confifcated ; and the
persons so refufing will be punifaed for breach
of public order..
GIVEN under my Hand, in the city of
Neva-York, the seventeenth day of No
vember, in the eighteenth year of his
Majetty's Reign.
Valentine Jones, M. g.
And Commandant of the city of New-York, &c.
By command of the General,
John L. C. Roome, Sec'ry.
By ORDER of his EXCELLENCY
Sir HENRY CLINTON,
Knight of the molt honourable Order of
the BATH, &c. &c. 0
WHEREAS a Proclamation, issued from
this Office, bearing 'Date the 15th In
fant, giving Notice to such Inhabitants of
Long-island and Staten-Island, as were in
want of Salt, to cure the necefary Provision
for their Family's Use, the ensuing Winter,
that upon their producing to the Superinten
dant of this Port, or his Deputies, a Certify
cate fro, the Justice of Peace next to their
Place of Residence, that they were proper
Persons to be trusted, would be allowed to
carry, from New-York, any Quantity of Salt,
not exceeding three Bushels for a. Family.
And whereas it appears that the Mode pointed
out by the said Proclamation, for obtaining
Certificates, is inadequate to the Purposes
thereby intended; public Notice is therefore
hereby given, that such of the Inhabitants of
Long-Illand, &c. as shall hereafter apply, at
this Office, for the said Quantity of three
Bushels of Salt, must produce a Certificate,
from the Commanding Officer of the King's
Troops, on Long-Island, or from a Field Offi
cer of the Militia of the County in wkMi
they reside, that they are proper Persons to be
trusted, and that such of the Inhabitants of
Staten-Iflapd, as shall hereafter apply for the
fame Quantity of Salt, must produce, at this
Office, a like Certificate from General Camp
bell or General Skinner: And in order that
due Attention may be paid to this Proclama
tion, Authority is hereby granted to any Per
son or Persons, to seize all such Salt as they
may difcqver, on boat'd any Vessel or Craft,
or that may be transporting, by Land, through
any Part or Parts of Long-Illand or Staten-
Island, unless accompanied with a Permiflion
from this Office; which Salt so seized shall
be the sole Property of the Person or Persons
Sizing the feme.
ANDREW ELLIOT, Superintendant.
Superintendent's Office, Nov. 18, 1777.
O a M9 pooCOOOO?OPO0000 0000 00038000000000000000 00009000 000000000000 00000000 e
Copy of a LETTER frormthe Revel. Mr. Jacob
Duche, to General Washington.
October Sth, 1777.
SIR, %
? r F this letter should find you in council, or in the
£ field, before you read another sentence I beg ycu to
t^Ke thefitft opportunity of retiring and weighing it's
important contents. --You are perfectly acquainted with
thepart I formerly took in She present unhappy contest.
1 wris, indeed, among the firft to bear my public tefti-
Monday, December i, 1777;
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 30s. per Cent.
A White Loaf of the fineftFLOUß, to weigh
3 lb. 4.0 Z. for 14 Coppers, and in the fame
Proportion for Loaves of a lesser Weight.
Published January 10, 1777.
Containing tbe eatiieff 4DOices
° Printed by HUGH GAINE, at the BIBLE and CROWN, in HANOVER-SQUARE.
mony against having any recourse to threats, or indulging
a thought of an armed opposition. The current, how
ever, was too strong for my feeble efforts to resist. I
wished to follow my countrymen as far only as virtue,
and the righteousness of their cause, would permit me.
I was, however, prevailed on, among the rest of my
clerial brethren in this cjty, to gratify tht prefling desires
of my fellow citizens, by preaching a sermon to the se
cond city battalion. I was pressed to publish this sermon,
and reluctantly confented.' From a personal attachment
of near twenty years flanging, and a high rcfpe& for
ycur character, in private, as well as public life, I took
the liberty of dedicating this sermon to you. I/& your
affectionate thanks for my performance, in a letter,
wherein was expressed, in the most delicate and obliging
terms, your regard for me, and your wishes for a conti
nuance of my friendship, and approbation of your con
duQ. Farther than this I intended not to proceed. My
sermon speaks for itfelf, and wholly disclaims the idea of
independency. My sentiments Were well known to my
friends; I communicated them, without relieve, to
many refpe&able members of Congress, who exprefled
their warm approbation of it then, I persisted, to the
very last moment, to use the prayers for my Sovereign,
though threatened with infulta from the violence of a
party. Upon the declaration of independency I called
my vestry, and solemnly put the question to them, Whe
ther they thought it best for the peace and welfare of the
congregation, to ffiut up the churches, or to continue the
service, without using the prayers for the Royal Family ?
This was the fad alternative; I concluded to abide by
their decision, as I could not have time to corifult my
Spiritual Superiors in England. They determined it most
expedient, under such critical circumstances, to keep
open the churches, that the congregations might not be
dispersed, which we had great reason to apprehend. A
very few days after the fatal declaration of independency,
I received a letter from Mr. Hancock, sent by express to
Germantown, where my family were for the Summer
Teafon, acquainting me I was appointed Chaplain to the
Congress, and desired my attendance next morning at 9
o'clock. Surprized, and distressed, as I was, by an
event! was not prepared to exped; obliged to give an
immediate attendance, Without the opportunity of con-
Suiting my friends, I easily accepted the appointment.
I could have but one motive for taking this step. I
thought the churches in danger, and hoped, by this
means, to have been instrumental in preventing those
ills I had so much reason to apprehend. I can, however,
with truth declare, I then looked upon independency
father as an expedient, and hazardous, or, indeed thrown
out in terrorem, in order to procure some favourable
terms, than a meafare that was seriously persisted in at
all events. My sudden change of conduct will clearly
evince this to have been my idea of the matter. Upon
the return of the committee of Congress, appointed to
confer with Lord Howe, I soon difeerned their whole
intentions. The different accounts which each member
gave of this conference, the time they took to make up
the matter for public view, and the amazing difagre'ement
between the news-paper accounts and the relation I
myfelf had from the mouth of one of the committee,
convinced me there mull have been some unfair and unge
nerous procedure. This determination, to treat on no
other ftraih than that of independency, which put it out
of his Lerdfhig's power to mention any terms at all, was
Sufficient proof to me, that independency was the idol they
h^l°,g wished to set up, and that, rather than Sacrifice
this, the, would deluge their country with blood. From
thismoment I determined upon my resignation, and, in the
beginning of O&ober, 1776, Sent it in form to Mr. Ha
ncock, after having officiated only two months and three
weeks ; and from that time, as far as my Safety would
permit, I have been opposed to all their nicafures. This
circumffantial account of my conduft, I think due to the
friendship you were so obliging as to express for me, andJ
hope will be Sufficient to fortify my seeming inconfiften
cics in the part I have afted. And now, dear Sir, Suffer
me, in the language of truth and real affeaion, to address
myfelf to you. All the world must be convinced you are
engaged in the Service of your country from motives per
fectly disinterested. You risked every thing that was
dear to you, abandoned the fwee'ts of domestic life, which
ycur affiuerft fortune can give the Uninterrupted enjoy
ment of; But, had you, could you have had, the least
idea of matters being carried to such a dangerous extremi
ty ? Your most intimate friends Shuddered at the thought
of a Separation from the mother country, and I took it
for granted that your Sentiments coincided with theirs.
What then can be the coofequence of this rath and vio
lent measure and degeneracy of representation, confufiop
of councils, blunders without number r The most ref
peftable characters have withdrawn themselves, and are
Succeeded by a great majority of illiberal and violent men.
Take an impartial view of the present Congress, and
what can you expect from them ? Your feelings must be
greatly hurt by the representation of your natural pro
vince. Ycu have no longer a Randolph, a Bland, or a
Braxton, men whose names will ever be revered, whose
demands never ran above the firft ground on which they
set out, and whose truly glorious and virtuous Sentiments
1 have frequently heard with rapture from their own
lips. Oh! my dear Sir, what afad contrast of characters
now prefent,---others whose friends can ne'er mingle with
your own.—Your Harrison alone remains, and he dis
gusted with the unworthy associates. As to those of
my own province, some of them are so obfeure, that
their very names were never in my ears before, and
others have only been distinguished for the weakness of
their unrierftandings,.and the violence of their tempers.
One alone I except from the general charge,---a man of
virtue, dragged rchdantly into their 'meafures, and re-
Strained, by some falfe ideas of honour, from retreating,
after having gone too far. You cannot be at a lots to
difeover whose name answers to this character.
From the New-England provinces, can you find one,
that as a gentleman, you could wish to associate with,
unless the foft^nd mild address of Mr. Hancock, can
atone for his want of every other qualification necessary
for the feat which he fills.---Bankrupts, attornies,— arid
men of desperate fortunes, are his colleagues. Maryland
no longer fends a Tilghman and a protestant Carrol, —
Monday, j$ Min. after 10
Tuesday, 6 Min. after 11
Wednesday, 56 Min. after ir
Thursday, 47 Min. after 12
HIGH-WATER at NEW-YORK, this Week.
&lTOral@«^^
Friday, 37 Min. after 1
Saturday, 21 Min. after 2
Sunday, 3 Min. after 5
First Quarter the 7th. 4
THE
Carolina has loft its Lynch, and the elder Middleton h*s
retired Are rhe dregs of Congress then Still to influ
ence a mind like yours ? These are not the men ycu
engaged to ferye; these are not the men that America
haschofen to represent her. Most of them were chosen
by a little low faction, and the few Gentlemen that are
among them now, are well known to lie on the balance,
and looking up to your hand alone to turn the beam : 'Tis
you, Sir, and you only, that Support the present Con
grels; of this you must be fully fenfible# Long before
they left Philadelphia,' their dignity and consequence was
gone; what must it be now Since their precipitate retreat ?
I write with freedom, but without inveCtive; I know
these things to be true, and I write to one whose own
observation must have convinced him that it is so.—Aster
this view of the Congress, turn to the Army. The
whole world knows that its only exigence depends upon
you ; that your death or captivity disperses it in a mo
ment, arid that there is not a man on that fide the que
stion in America, capable of Succeeding you. As to the
army itfelf, what have you to expert from them,—Have
they not frequently abandoned you yourfelf in the hour
of extremity ? Can you, have you the least confidence in
a set of undisciplined men and officers, many of them
have been taken from the lowest of the people, without
principle, without courage ; take away them who sur
round your person, How very few are there you can alk to
fit at your table ?— As to your little navy, of that little,
what is left ? Of the Delaware fleet part are taken, the
rest must soon Surrender. Of thole in the other provin
ces some are taken, one or two at sea, and others lying
unmanned and unrigged in your harbours ; and now where
dre your resources ? Oh ! my dear Sir, how sadly have
you been abused by a faction void of truth, and void of
tenderness to you and your county ! They have amused
you with hopes of a declaration of war on the part of
France. Believe me, from the best authority, it was a
fiiftion from the firft. Early in the year 1776, a French
Gentleman was intrccwced to me, with whom I became
intimately acquainted. His business, to all appearance,
was to speculate in the mercantile way. But 1 believe
it will be found, that in his country he moved in a
higher sphere. He saw your cause: He became ac
quainted with all your military preparations. He was
introduced to Congress, and engaged with them in a com
mercial contrast. In the course of our intimacy, he has
frequently told me, that he hoped the Americans would
never think of independency ; he gave me his reasons.—-
Independency can never be Supported unless France fiiould
declare war against England. I well know the fiate of
her finances, years to come will not put them in a situ
ation to enter upon a breach with England. At this
moment there are two parties in the Court of Versailles ;
one inlifted under the Duke De Choifeulfthe other un
der Count Maurepas. Choifeul has no chance of Suc
ceeding, tho' ne is violent for war; Maurepas must get
the better; he is for economy and peace ; this was his
information, which I mentioned to Several members of
Congress, they treated it as a fable, depending entirely
on Dr. Franklin's intelligence. The truth of the mat
ter is this : Dr. Franklin built upon the success of Choi
feul. Upon his arrival in France, he found him out of
place, his councils reprobated, and his party dwindled
into an insignificant faction : This you may depend upon
to be the true state of affairs in France, or the court of
Dr. F. And further, by vast numbers of letters found
on board prizes taken by the King's ships, it appears, that
all commerce with the merchants, through whom all
your supplies have been conveyed, will be at an end ; the
letters being full of complaints of no remittances from
America, and many individuals having generally Suffered,
From your friends in England you have nothing to expert,
their numbers have diminished to a cypher ; the spirit of
the whole nation is in activity, a few founding names
among theNobility, though perpetually ringing in your ears,
arc without character, without influence. Disappointed
ambition has made them desperate, and they only wiffi
to make the deluded Americans instruments of revenge.
All orders and ranks of men in Great-Britain are now«
unanimous, and determined to rifle their all with content.
Trade and manufactures are found to flourish, and new
channels are continually offering, that will perhaps more
than supply the loss of the old. In America your har
bours are blocked up, your cities fall one after another ;
fortrefs after fortrefs, battle after battle is loft, A 'British
army, after having paSTed unmolested through a vast extent
of country, have possessed themselves of the capital of
America. How unequal the contest ! How fruitlefi the ex
pence of blood ? Under so many difeouraging circumflan
ccs, can Virtue, can Honour, can the Love of your Coun
try, prompt you to proceed ? Humanity itfelf, and sure
humanity is no Stranger to your breast, call! upon you to
desist. Your army must periSh for want of common ne
ceffarics, or thousands of innocent families must perish
to support them ; whenever they encamp, the country
must be impoverished ; wherever they march the troops
of Britain will pursue, and must complete the destruction
which America herfelf has begun; perhaps it may be
Said, it is better to die than to be made Slaves. This
indeed is a splendid maxim in theory, and perhaps in
feme instances may be found 'experimentally true; but
when there is the least probability of an happy accom
modation, surely wisdom and humanity call for some
facrifices to be made, to prevent inevitable deftruCtion,
You well know there is but one invincible bar to such an
accommodation, could this be removed, other obstacles
mightreadily be removed.
It is to you, and you alone, your bleeding country looks
and calls aloud for this facrifice, your arm alone has
Strength fufficient to remove this bar ; may Heaven in
'P're yp u with this glorious resolution of exerting your
Strength at this crisis, and immortalizing yourfelf as friend
and guardian to your country; your penetrating eye
needs not more explicit language to difeern my pneaning ;
with that prudence and delicacy therefore, of which I
know you possessed, represent to Congress the indifpen
fible necessity of refeinding the hafy and ill-advised de
claration of Independency. Recommend, and you have
an undoubted right to recommend, an immediate cessation
of hostilities; Let the controversy be taken up where
that declaration left it, and where Lord Howe certainly
expected to find it left, Let men of ekar and impartial
Wheat per Bushel, 9s. od.
Flour, gos. od.
Brown Bread, 255. od.
Welt-India Rum, 6s. 6d.
New-England do. ss. od.
GAZETTE:
THE
MERCU R Y.
PRICE CURRENT, in NEW-YORK.
Mufeevado Sugar, sl. 10s.
Single refin'd ditto, 2s. 2d.
Motaffes, 2S. 6d.
Beef per Barrel, 90s. od.'
Pork, 51. 10s.
foreign ano Domett.
Characters, in or out of Congress, liberal in their senti
ments, heretofore independent in their fortunes ; and
some such may be found in America, be appointed to
Confer with his Majesty's commissioners. Let them, if
they please, prepare some well-digested constitutional
plan, to lay before them at the commencement of the
negdciatiom'; when they have gone this far, I am confi
dent the usual happy consequences will ensue; unanimity
will immediately take place through the different pro
vinces ; thousands who are now ardently wishing and
praying for such a measure, will step forth and declare
themselves the zealous advocates, for constitutional li
berty, and millions will bless the hero that left the
field of war, to decide this most important contest with rhe
weapons of wisdom and humanity. Oh! Sir, let no
falfe ideas of worldly honour deter you from engaging
in so glorious a talk, whatever censures may be thrown
out, by mean illiberal minds, your character will rife
in the estimation of the virtuous and noble ; it will ap
pear with luftre in the annals of history, and form a
glorious contrast, to that of those, who have fought to
obtain conquest, and gratify their own ambition by the
destruction of their fpecics, and the ruin of their coun
try- Be, alfured, -Sir, that I write not this under the
eye of any British officer, or person connected with the
British army, or ministry. The sentiments I express,
are the real sentiments of my own heart, such as I have
long held, and which I Should have made known to you
by letter before, had I not fully expected an opportunity
of a private conference. When you passed through Phi
ladelphia on your way to Wilmington, I was confined
by a severe fit of the gravel, to my chamber ; I have
Since continued so much indisposed, and times have been
so very distressing, that I had neither spirit to write a
letter, nor an opportunity to convey it when written,
nor do I yet know by what means, I Shall get these Sheets
to your hands ; I would fain hope that I have laid nothing
by which your delicacy can be in the least hurt; if I
have, I assure you it has been without the least intenti
on, and therefore your candour will lead you to forgive
me. I have spoke freely of Congress, and of the army,
but what I have said is partly from my own knowledge,
and partly from the information of some referable
members of the former, and some of the best officers in
the latter; I Would not offerfd the meanest person upon
earth ; what I fay to ycu, I fay in confidence, to ahfwer
what I cannot but deem a most valuable pur/ofe. I love
my country, I love you ; but the love of truth, the love
of peace, and the love of God, I hope I Should be enabled,
if called upon to the tryal, to facrifice every other inferior
love. If the arguments made use of in this letter Should
have so much influence as to engage you in the glorious
work, which I have warmly reGomm^nded, I Shall ever
deem my success the highest temporal favour that Provi
dence could grant me. Your interp< fition and advice. I
am confident, would meet with a favourable reception
from the authority under which you aft, if it Should not,
you have an infallible recourse still left, negociate for
your country at the head of your army. After all it
may appear preemption as an individual to address him
feli to you on a fubjea of such magnitude, or to fa,
what measures would best secure the interest and welfare
of a whole continent. The friendly and favourable opi
nion you have always expressed for me, emboldens me to
undertake it, and which has greatly added to thf weight
of this motive ; I have been strongly imperiled wuh a
sense of duty upon the occasion, which left ,my ccn
fcience uneasy, and my heart affliftd till I fully dif
oharged it. I am no enthusiast ; the cause is new /and
Singular to me, but I could not enjoy one moment's
peace till this letter was written, with the mori a.denb
prayers for your spiritual, as well as temporal welfare.
Ism your most obedient,
And hurabic Friend and Servant,
JACOB DUCH E,
Hi: Excellency General Washington.
This Day is publijhed.
By H.GAI N E,
And to be fold at his Book-Store in Hanover-Square,
L ETTTRS
WRITTEN BY
THE LATE RIGHT HONORABLE
PHILIP DORMER STANHOPE,
Earl of Cbefterfeld,
so
HIS SO N,
PHILIP STANHOPE, Esq;
Late Envoy Extraordinary at the Qourt of Drelden.
TOGETHER WITH
SEVERAL OTHER PIECES
ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
THE
MANUAL EXERCISE,
As ordered by his Majesty, in 1764,
Together with
PLANS and EXPLANATIONS
Of the Method generally practis'd at
Reviews and Field Days.
The wonderful LIFE, and furprizing
ADVENTURES
Of that renowned Hero
ROBINSON CRUSOE,
Who lived 28 Years on an uninhabited Island, which he
afterwards colonifcd.
IFine Salt, Bs. od
ICoarfe Salt, Bs. od
llndian Corn per Bu. 6s. 6d
ICoffee,. is. gd
IChocolate, 265. per Do.
[No. .36^.]