The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1775-12-25 00:00:00, page 1

Universal Register,
, ok
AMERICAN and BRITISH
KALENDAR,
For the Year 1776.
CONTAINING;
THE Kalendar ; Royal Family of Great-Britain,
and Extent and Situation of England, Scotland
and Ireland ; Royal Family, &c. of France, Spain, Por
tugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Poland,
Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, Orange, Italy and Turkey;
English Nobility, Scots Nobility; Archbishops and Bi-
Ihops of England, Privy Council, Knights of the Garter,
Knights of the Thistle, Knights of the Bath, Secretaries
@f State, Lords of Treasury, Lords, of Trade, Lords of
Admiralty, High Court of do. Postmasters General,
Army, House of Commons, Rank of Army and Navy,
Royal Navy, Holydays at the Custom-House, Pav of the
Navy, Pay of the Army, Precedency among Men, Pre
cedency among Women, Kings and Queens of England,
—of Scotland,---of Great-Britain ; Irish Nobility, Arch
bishops and Bishops, Enumerated Goods fubje& to Duty
in America, Description of America, General Establish
ment, Government of Weft-Florida, —Eaft-Florida,---
Georgia,—South-Carolina,—North-Carolina, Virgi
nia,—Maryland;—Penrifylvania and lower Counties of
New-Castle, Kent, and Suffer, upon Delaware,---New-
Jerfey,---New-York ; Corporation for rhe Relief of the
Widows and Children of Clergymen of the Church of
England, Government of Connecticut,---Rhode-ifiand,
—Mallachufetts-Bay,-—New-Hampshire, Nova-Sco
tia, —Newfoundland, —St. John's, ---Canada; Ministers
and Congregations belonging to the Revd. Synod of New-
York, &c. Associate Presbytery of Philadelphia, his
Majesty's Forces at Boston, Governors of New-York,
from the Year 1664 to the present Time, Governors of
New-Jersey, Governors of the Weft-India Islands, Staff
cf the Army of the thirteen United Provinces in North-
America, State of the four Regiments raised in the Co
lony of New-York, Royal Artillery raised in New-York,
Officers in the Troop of Light Horse in New-York, In
dependent Companies in New-York, New-Jersey Bills
reduced to New-York Currency, Table of Interest,
Roads, &c.
ALSO,
On Tuesday last was published,'
And may be had at the fame Place, Price, 3s.
THE
Journal of the Proceedings
OF THE
Continental Congress,
Held at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775.
By the Ship Commerce, Capt. Price, arrived
at Philadelphia, from Bristol, we have the
following devices, viz.
VIENN A, September 13.
A Mot magnificent ball, with grand illuminations,
was given on Monday last by her Imperial Majesty
it Schonbrun, on acount of the name-day of the Arch-
Duchess Beatrix of Milan. About 400© tickets were
distributed. Th© Emperor was prefect at this entertain
ment, and was graciously pleased to shew the greatest
cdndefcenfion and affability towardsall ranksof people.
L ON DO N,
Sept. 26. Last night at the previous meeting of the
livery, at the Half Moon Tavern, Cheapfide, near 300
Liverymen assembled, where it was resolved, that John
Wilkes, Esq; our present Lord Mayor, and John Saw-
Iridge, Esq; Aldermen, be recommended by this meeting
to the next Common-Hall, to be returned to the Court
of Aldermen for their choice of one of them to be Lord
Mayor of this city, for the year ensuing.
Yesterday near 500 freeholders of the county of Mid
dlesex, met at the Mile-End Assembly-Room, agreeable
tc notice from the Sheriff; in the public papers: About
one o'clock Mr. Sheriff Plomer took the chair, and, in a
very sensible speech, told them they were convened at the
request of some refpe&able freeholders, to take into
consideration the eritical and alarming situation of this
country, and strongly recommended to them to proceed in
their arguments with loyalty to their King, a love for the
eonftitution, and decency and refpeft to each other, as
the surest way to give efficacy to their reflations. Mr.
Mafcall then flood up and attempted to harrangue on the
miserable predicament administration had brought this
ountry into, but was interrupted by Mr. Pell, a Middle
sex Justice, who objected to the propriety of Mr. Mafcall's
speech. Mr. Wilmott, another Middlesex Justice, begged
the Sheriff would declare the names of the freeholders
who requeued that meeting; but it being reprobated by
other gentlemen, the Sheriff put the question, whether
he should declare the requifitors, or not, which was
carriedin the negative by a great majority. This leading
question being determined, Mr. Mafcall resumed his
harrangue without interruption, wherein he declaimed
against the Ministry for their late a&s refyefting America ;
their fending armed legions of Englishmen to cue the
throatsof Eaglilhmen; their endeavouring to subvert the
constitution, and concluded with making a motion to
inftru& the members on their present alarming situation,
and held a paper in his hand, which contained inftruflions
to be read to that assembly for their approbation or
negation. Mr. Pell, with a good deal of ingenuity,
acknowledged he loved to'fee the commendable
varmth of an Englishman, in the Gentleman who
Monday, December „, i,7fr ' ,^Q^ [ general POST-OFFICE: .
N E W - T 0 R KwG A Z E ^^^
WEEKLY W^^ MERCUR Y.
A White Loaf of the fineft FLOUR, to weigh
ilb. 8 1-2 oz. for 4 Coppers.
. Published November 2, 1775.
^ Printed BY HUGH GAINE, Printer, Bookseller, and Stationer, at the Bible and Crown, in Hanover-Square.
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 20s. per Cent.
JUST PUBLISHED,
And to be SOLD at his Book-Store atid
Printing-Office, in Hanover-Square,
[llluflrated with a beautiful and accurate Cop
per Plate Plan of the City of New-York.]
G A I N E's
The infractions from the freeholders of the county of M.o lle
fex, to the Right Hon. John Wilkes and John Glynn,
Eftrs, Knights of the Shire for that County, agreed on a'
a meeting, Monday, Sept. 25, 1775, at the Mile. End
Afembly Room.
WE, the freeholders of the county of Middlefox,
Summoned here by public advertisement of the
Sheriff of this county, acknowledge our approbation and
grateful sense of your conduct as our representatives,
during the last session of parliament; and though we
have no reason to doubt your steady perseverance in the
true interests of your country, yet we think it our indif
penfible duty to acquaint you with our sentiments at the
present awful crisis, big with the fate of this great
empires and the happiness, glory and prosperity of the
Whole people.
We behold, with all the horror and grief natural to a
free people, the fatal stab given to our excellent constitu
tion, by a majority of the last venal Parliament, whereby
the most sacred and unalienable rights of the freeholders
of this county, the right of election, was in the most
impious manner wrested frorh the electors, and assumed
by the elected, who placed a person as our representative
in Parliament, contrary to the sense and will of the
county, ^preffed by a Very great majority of legal votes,
thereby establishing a precedent of the most dangerous
tendency to the rights of all the electors of Great-Brirain;
which injury has been again confirmed, by the malice of
our inveterate enemies, in the present Parliament (chosen
by furprize under a national delusion) fuftring that vote to
appear in their journals, a standing record of the injustice,
venality and corruption of their preddceffjrs.
We are called upon to redouble ottr attention and zeal
for the defence and preservation of all our constitutional
rights, frem feeing the iron hand of oppression extended
to out fellow fahjeas on the other fide of the Atlantic ;
Popery, that bane of civil and religious liberty, established
in an extent of country infinitely larger than all our pof
feffionsin Europe; thereby arming, as it were, many of
our fellow fubjeCts with the crucifix in one hand, and a
dagger in the other, against our proteflant brethren ; a
Popish Eifhop appointed, and the gre^eft comfort and
encouragement given to the 'clergy of that church, while
the pastors of our own pure and excellent faith are Suffered
to remain without Support and provision, but what RomiSh
priests and RemiSh councils Shall deign to afford them ;
other cruel and oppressive a&s pafl'ed against our fellow
fubje&s in America, wholly repugnant.to the ancient,
just, and generous proceedings of British councils and
British affylblies deftruaive of that glory of the English
law, the trial by jury, and many other undoubted rights
and privileges of EngliSh fubjefts ; in violation of char
ters and royal covenants of the foof solemn nature, which
gets and oppreflions, under the influence of the present
ministers, have been productive, of a most impolitic, un
natural, cruel, and deftruCive civil war, against our fuf
fering and much injured fellow fubje&s in America.
We lament, as a commercial people, the inevitable in
juries that must be sustained by the loss of a most valuable
branch of our commerce, the decay of trade and manu
faCurto, ard consequent distresses of the industrious poor.
To remedy all these evils, the melancholy experience
of past times evincing, how infufficient is the removal of
a ministry, while their maxims and views are entailed
upon the government ; we desire that you will not only
continue flrenuoufly to oppose them, hut endeavour to
procure n? fitch constitutional feenrity, hv Shortening the
duration of Parliaments, and enabling such other laws as
may prevent the nation from buffering by the like errors
and iniquities for the future.
And we inftru& you, to exert yourselves in procuring
that vote of rhe late House of Commons to be rescinded,
which in the most injurious and unconstitutional manner,
deprived the freeholders of this county of their undoubted
right of election.
Wealfa inftruC you, to forward an enquiry into the
expenditure of the public treasure, so peculiarly necessary
at this time, and in a nation burdened with taxes, and
oppressed with debts ; that you will not fuffer the people
tu be imposed upon by the fiimfey artifices of a minister,
pretending to leSfcn, while he is, in reality, encreafing
the public burthens.
Should any additional land tax or new imports be im
posed, in the ensuing session, we expect that you will not
assent to them without a previous redress of grievances ;
and that you will ftrenueufly oppose all votes of credit, or
taking any foreign troops into the pay es Great-Britain,
unless another attempt Should be made by tories and jaco
bites against his Majesty's person, family, or government.
The state of the navy, that great bulwark, fafety, and
protection of the commence of this nation, demands, and
we hope will engage your serious attention, and ghat you
will enquire by what fatal mismanagement and corrupt in
fluence, after such immense Sums have been voted during a
peace eftabliShmmt, that it is in its present deplorable
condition#
spoke last; but as the Parliament was very food to rtieet,
and he made no doubt, with a disposition to hearken to
all honourable accommodation^ with America, he coul
wish to postpone all inftrudions to their representatives,
till the sense of the Parliament was known, and obferVed
that the Right Honourable Member (the Lord Mayor,
who was prefentj possibly would not like to go Shackled
with additional inftruftions, into the great alterably of
the nation; that hi^ Lordihip had before made them
public declarations, which ,he had most faithfully per
formed, and made no doubt of his Lordship s continuing
the Steady patriot on all occasions. In the course of his
speech he gave oblique hints of the Lord Mayor s being
acquainted with the intended resolutions, and conduced
with declaring, that he was not in the Secrets of admini
stration, neither was he influenced by any party; that
though be IVAS a Middlesex fufice, he defied any Man to
fay he ever took a DIRTY shilling, or Suffered his clerk
to take one for him : On this the Lord Mayor arose,
and declared he had no hand in the intended ihftru&ions,
but if they were carried in that afiembly, he would most
implicitly obey them, as he thought it his indifpenfible
duty to Support the sentiments of his constituents, even
if they differed from his own ; and observed, the King
called the Commons in Parliament, not to know the
sentiments of the delegated members, but that of their
constituents, the people of the kingdom at large: This
declaration was received with bursts of applause ; after
which, the queffion was called, to know whether the
inftruftions Should be read, which was carried by a great
majority. The inftru&iont were then read, and are as
follows.
Monday, 58 Min. after it
Tuesday, 48 Min. after 12
Wednesday,4l Min. after 1
Thur^ay, 3° Min. after 2
HIGH-WATER at NEW-YORK, this Week.
Friday, ±7 1^- after ^
Saturday, 6 ?dm. alter 4.
Sunday, 54 i rin. after 4
Firfl Garter ?.<„.
'% particularly inrtru& you to exert yourselves in pre
venting the further eflofion ot the blood of out innocent
ellow Subjects in Ame-ica, and to put a Speedy end to
the ftefent unnatural and ruinous civil war.
We also desire you to use your unwearied endeavours to
lift and Support the representatives of the city, of London
r obtaining a rbdrefs of every obnoxious and unconftitu
mal aft, and in bringing to the justice es their country
A- advisers es irch nefarious measures, as have been
@jpted during the last fourteen years, tending to Subvert
the constitution of this country, and which we are con-
V need will very soon effect the ruin and destruction Of the
British empire.
Yesterday, at Hick's Hall there were about 30 of the
justices present. Sir John Hawkins, Chairman. Ha de
clared the motive of calling them together was to consider
of an Address to the Throne, expressing their loyalty and
attachment to the present government, and readiness to
Support Whatever flops were thought expedient for redu
cing the Colonies to a proper sense of their duty. The
measures met with the approbation of all present.—
The following is the Address, which was unanimously
agreed to and will be presented to his Majesty on Friday
next;
To the K IN G's mofl excellent Majesty.
WE your Majesty's loyal and dutiful Subjects refidcht
in this opulent county, sensible of the bleflings
which we derive from your Majesty's mild and gracious
government, during which justice 'has been administered
with an impartiality unknown to former ages, and under
which every Subject has felt himtelf protected in the enjoy
ment of all those benefits which is the ultimate end of civil
ihrtirutions to inftire, humbly piefume to address you'
'Msfty at a crisis which we conceive to be a most import
ant one, and such as is not to be paralleled in the hirtory
of this or any other country.
We look back with awful reverence on that period to
wards the end of the lift century, when by a revolution
from which it were impiety to exclude the. interposition of
civile providence, the boundsof regal authority, and the
measures of civil Subjection wer^ mutually adjusted and
ascertained upon principles coeval with and interwoven in
the very constitution of this country. To thole genuine
patriots and friends of religious and civil liberty, the
actors in that noble cause, We at this day owe it, that
perfectitioß is banished to the.realms of despotism j that
illegal restraints of civil liberty are guarded against ; that,
the ancient power of Parliaments over ever, part of the
British dominions is recognized ; and the Supreme legisla
tive authority, by a wife and happy temperature of vari
ous interefls declared to fefide in the three estates of Kings,
Lnds, and Commons.
/'fc ling on the above dufoicion's event, and the nu
merous benefits that have followed from it, we seek in
vain for the motives of that unnatural rebellion in North-
America, into which the inhabitants of fume of the pro
vinces thereof, not less by the artifices es a disappointed
and impotent faction, than their own aversion to our
religious and civil constitution, have been precipitated.
To attain the ends of a lawless association, whic^aims
at nothing less than art independence on the. niother coun
try, that would draw down deftrhCrion on their own
head's, the legal government of the Colonies, now in re
bellion, has by degrees been Subverted, and the allegiance
due to your Majesty from your legal Subjects there has
been extorted by and transferred to those, whole regard
for the public is abfotbed ; n the hope of private gain, in
the prosecution of their traiterous purposes. The hosti
lities originally commenced by the Americans have been
continued in a manner pra&fed only by Savages ; and in
the ronduß of a war in which with unhallowed lips they
implore the divine blefling, we behold with rqilal amaze
ment and horror, the violation of those rules of war, to
which humanity an+the practice es all civilized nations
have given a fanflion.
The rights, whatever they are which the Americans
claim, are founded in charters from time to time granted
by your Mlefty's royal predeceflhfs under proper limitati
ons and reftriaions, and with savings in favour of the
legislative authority of this kingdom. With the greatest
profeffions of zeal for liberty do these infatuated people
exalt the regal into arbitrary power, and from principles
of law and logic, which are now for the firft time advan
ced, contend that the adds of the aggregate legislative body
are of left force to bind the fabjeffs than these of ah in
tegral part thereof; and with all the infidiotts arts of adu
lation, your Majesty is courted to accept of that absolute
power which you have uniformly disclaimed, as well by
the whole tenor of your conduct as by referring the
means of preserving the funremacy of this country over
the Colonies to the great council of the nation.
For this (ingular instance of moderation as for every
other benefit which we derive from your Mafefty's pater
nal care and watchful regard for our interests, receive,
most gracious Sovereign, the sincere and humble acknow
ledgments of us, your Majesty's faithful and loyal fub
jetts ; and as the merciful forbearance hitherto shewn to
the Colonies in rebellion, would, if farther extended,
be injurious to the interests of the whole Bri'ifh empire,
accept alio this tender of every affiftahce which we are
capable of rendering towards establishing the authority of
the Britiffi legislature over its colonies and dependencies;
while with unfeigned zeal we fapplicate the supreme
diwoferof all events for prosperity <n these wife and le
nient, but Ready councils, which are resolved on, a id we
doubt not will be pursued, for effectuating this important
and necessary purpose.
Mileries greater if possible than those of a war thus
conducted on the part of our enemies, have been denoun
ced against the mother country by its rebellious lons, who
by resolutions of non-importation have endeavoured to
cut off the Sources of our wealth, and by the dread of a
famirie to Stimulate the indufttious manufactures of this
kingdom to oppose the power which has been their con
stant Support. But, thanks be to God, the flourishing
condition of our trade, the quick circulation of wealth,
the state of public credit, and the amazing increase of
buildings and mercantile improvements which present
themselves to our eyes in every part of this county, are
evident proofs of the futility of all such attempts, as they
are of the flourishing state of the kingdom in general.
With very little attention to the merits of the dispute,
and without being able to controvert that fundamental
principle of civil Society, that protection and allegiance
are reciprocal, the colonies refill the payment of taxes
which their preservation has made necessary, founding
their pretended exemption not on reason, equity, or na
tural jaftice, but upon the construction ot those grants
to which the Colonies owe their political erifterite.
Wheotper Bushel, gs. gd.
Floor, jßs. oil..
Brown Bread, 15s. oil.
Weft-India Rum, 4s. 6d.
New-England, do. zs. 6d.
PRICE-CURRENT, in NEW-YORK.
Mufeovado Sugar, 60s. od.
Single refin'd ditto, is. 2d.
Molasses, zs. od.
Beef perßarrel, 60s. od.
Pork, 655. od.
The Lord Mayor has received a letter from the Cortgffi
fbpzrtcr:bed On toe service of the United Colonies, direaed
do the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, and Livery of the City
of Lord ^ ,d below, Congress, Philadelphia, JoKM
Hancock, which his Lord ship intends to Submit to the
Livery, on Friday next, at the Common-Hall.
Mont. Voltaire is daily expefted at Paris, he having
obtained perrhiffion from the King to Spend the rest us
his days in his native country.
Sept. zb. LtL't^ay a loyal and dutiful address from
the merenants and principal traders in the city of Coventry#
was preferred to his Majesty by Walter Waring and Ed^
Roe Yeo, Efqrs, representatives for that tity, which was
gracionfly received.
This day; soon after ohe o'clock, the Lord Mayor,
Several ot the Aldermen, Sheriffs, &c. Went upon 'the
Hustings; when'Mr. Alderman Hayley and Mr. Alder
man Newfiam, were sworn in Sheriffs for the year ensuing
for the city of London and county of Middlesex; after
which, Mr. Sheriff Hayley entertained the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, &c. at Metcar's-Hall;
The fame day Admiral Shuldham was at court, and
took leave of his Majesty; he being in a few days to set
out for Boston, th take the command of the fleet there.
The fcjlo^ing advertisement from the General Port
office, appears in all the London papers of this evening :
" A mail will be dispatched from hence on Wednesday
“ next, for New-York ; and also one for Charleftown ;
after which there will be no regular conveyance for
“ letters from this office to North-America; but when
" ever a packet may be dispatched to any part of that
" continent, proper notice will be given."
A fund of fix millions of guilders is lately raised in
Holland, to be lent to perform ia trade, on proper fecuritv,
at very low interest.
I his morning fix hundred Sheep were Sent down in a
lighter to Deptford, to be put on hoard the ships lying
there, bound so Boston, and other ports of America.
Corre& copies are ordered to be made out, of all the
American charters Separately, ih order to their being
produced the next session of Parliament.
I he inhab i ants of Rhode-Inland being apprehensive of
an attack from General Gage's army, have fortified
themf^lves on a Spot about five miles diftamt from New
port; to which place they have removed all their cannon,
artillery, stores, and valuable efteds. They have from
tqoo to 1500 men ready at a Shore warning, to oppose the
regular— Should the latter be disposed to pay Rhode-Inland
a visit.
GUILDHALL, Briflol, Sept. 27, 1775.
AT a numerous and refpeclable Meeting
of the Merchants. Traders, and Others#
interested in, and Well-wishers to American
Commerce, held at the Guildhall, at Eleven
o'Clock this Morning, an eminent American
Merchant in the Chair, the following Resolu
tions were agreed to.
Refolded,
C That rite Trade with North America is
of very great Advantage to Great-Britain in
general, and to this City in particular.
2. That any Measures which contribute to
the Deftru&ion of that Trade, are an effehtial
Injury to the internal Commerce and Manu
factures of this Kingdom.
3. That the present unhappy Contest be
tween Great Britain and her Colonies hath a
manifeft Tendency to destroy the commercial
Connexion, and political Union which have
far many years fubfihed between the two
Countries;
4. That the Loss of our Trade to America
Will deprive many Thousand induttrious Poor
of the Means of procuring a daily Subfif
tance, (a melancholy Fad !) of which we
have already ample Experience in this City.
5. That the late Importation of American.
Grain into this City hath greatly contributed
to lower the Price of all the Necessaries of Life,
and has been the Means of preserving Multi
tudes from the calamitous Consequences of
Famine.
6. That an Approbation of Measures cal
culated to destroy the commercial Intercourse
between the two Countries, and spread the
Horrors of a civil War over a very consider
able Part of the Britilh Dominions would be
highly difgraceful to the Inhabitants of a City
that depends solely upon Trade for its Sup
port ; and to every Friend to Humanity and
the general Happiness of Society.
A Motion was then made, that a Petition
he presented to his Majesty, praying his In
terposition to put a Stop to a ruihous civil
War; that our Trade may thereby be restored
to its former flourishing State. One Person
objected to it, and very improperly grounded
his Objection on a supposed Disinclination in
his Majesty to receive Petitions refpeding the
American Dispute.—He was replied to, and
appeared to be convinced. A Petition was
then produced, read Paragraph by Paragraph,
and passed without a dissenting Voice. The
Petition was then signed by the Gentlemen,
present, and afterwards left at the Bush-Ta
vern, in Corn-street; and when the Signa
tures are fully compleated, is to be presented to
the King by our Representatives in Parliament.
It was then finally resolved, That as it has
been reported that some Gentlemen intend to
meet in Guildhall To-morrow, to confider of
an Address to his Majesty, requeuing him to
ule coercive Measures with refped to the Co
lonies—That the Chairman, attended by some
Fine Salt, gs.^
Course Salt, 3s. ,4
Indian Cornp^r Bu^s. 6d