The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-02-03 00:00:00, page 2

font, had plunged them into such difficulties :
and distress.„ I
This, Gentlemen, I well know, is not lan-I
guage to the times. But it is better, it is ho-|
^eft truth' flowing from a heart that is ready |
to fbed its best blood for this country. Ai
real patriot can feidom or ever speak popular
language. A falfe one will never fuffer him
felf°to speak nothing else. The last: will often
be popular because he will always conform
himfelf to the present humour and passions of
the people, that he may the better gratify his
private ambition, and promote his own firii
fter designs. The firft will most generally be
unpopular, because his conscience will not
permit him to be guilty of such base compli
ances, and because he will even serve the peo
ple, if in his power, against their own incli
nations, though he be sure that he thereby
rilks his ruin or deftruftion. T am not insen
sible of the dangers I am likely to incur, but
Ido not regard them. It is the part of an
ignoble mind to decline doing good for fear
of the evil that might follow. 1 bear no en
mity to any man who means well, however we
may differ in political sentiments. I most heartily
with you, Gentlemen, and the people of this
once happy province may again enjoy peace
and prosperity, and I shall ever particularly
honour and elteem such of you and them as
have dared, with an honest and manly firmnefs,
in these worst of times, to avow their loyalty to
the best of Sovereigns, and manifeft their at
tachment to their legal Constitution. As to
my own part, I have no scruple to repeat at
this time what I formerly declared to the Af
' fembly— That no Office or Honour in the Power
of the Crown to bestow, will ever influence me to
forget or negled the Duty 1 owe my Country, nor
the most furious Rage of the most intemperate
Zealots induce me to swerve from the Duty I owe
His Majefj.
Perth-Amboy, Monday, Wm. Franklin.
June 17, 1776.
POSTSCRIPT.
Burlington, June 22, 1776.
Since writing the above, 1 have seen a Pen
fylvania News-paper of June 19, *n which
it appears that Mr. M'Kean (one of the dele
gates, I suppose of the Continental Congress)
laid before the Assembly of the three Lower
Counties a certified Copy of the Resolution of
Congress of the 15th of May last, which being
taken into consideration by that House on the
15th instant, they resolved among othdr things
that '' the Representatives of the People in this
Assembly met, alone can and ought at
this time to establish such temporary autho
rity, meaning the authority they had before
determined to be expedient in the present
exigency of affairs " until a new Government can
beformed." This Assembly met, as well as
that ofPennfylvania,under an authority derived
from the Crown, and so far from considering
such meeting as a contempt or violation of
the Resolve of the Continental Congrels, they
resolved they were the only proper persons to
take that Resolve into consideration, and to
efablifh fucb authority as was deemed adequate
to the occasion. The Assembly of New-Jersey
might certainly, with equal propriety, have
done the fame, had they been allowed to meet.
It likewise appears by the news-papers, that
the Governor of Maryland, on the 12th instant
had “ issued a Proclamation for dissolving the
General Assembly of that Province, and to or
der Writs of Election to be issued to calla new
Assembly returnable the 25th day ofjuly next."
But there is not the least surmise, that the Pro
vincial Convention of that Province have ta
ken any offence at such Proclamation, or so
much as pretended to think the Governor had
thereby afted in direT contempt and violation
ofthe Resolve of the Continental Congress and
was therefore such an enemy to the Liberties
of this country, as that he ought to be seized
and imprifaned. Yet the Maryland Conven
tion have shewn as much spirit and regard for
the Liberties of America, as any body of men
on the continent. Buttbey, it seems, are for
Peace, Reconciliation, and Union with Great-
Britain on constitutional terms, and have too
much sense and virtue to declare a Governor
an enemy to the Liberties of this country,
merely because he is an enemy to the Liberties
some designing men arc disposed to take with
the old constitutional Government.
But as the ostensible reason for fuzing and
confining my person, does not seem to fatisfy
such people as are capable of thinking and
judging lor themselves. Hints are now throw
ing out that the Provincial Congress are in pos
session of an intercepted Letter of mine, which
contains evident proof of my inimicabdifpofi
tion to the Liberties of this Country. I know
ofno Letter of mine which has fallen into their
hands but the one taken by Lord Sterling on
the 7th of January last. That Letter was known
to the former Provincial Congress (which met at
Brunswick on the 3 ift of January and fat till the
2d of March) and though they thought proper
topafs a censure on Mr. skinner's private Letter
to his Brother, intercepted at the fame time, vet
they let mine pass unnoticed, which it is not
likely they would have done had they concei
ved they could have censured it with any tole
rable face of propriety. It is well known that 1
I have publickly and repeatedly declared that
they were very welcome to publish that Letter,
provided they would publish the whole ofit to
gether. It cannot therefore, I think be the
one to which they allude; but I remeraber
to have heard Mr. Chief Justice mention that
Mr. Kinsey told him, at the last supreme ,
Court, that he had a copy of a Letter which
was circulated as a second intercepted Letter
from me to the Minillry, that it was well
wrote, and seemed to be the performance of
some person who was well acquainted with
the affairs of the province, but that he was fare
it was not genuine. I asked the Chief Justice if
he had got a Copy of it; for if it was genuinel I
mould have no scruple to aknowledge it. His I
answer was that he did not think it worth while |
to ask fora Copy, or even to fee it, as Mr. Kinsey I
spoke of it as being a forgery. Now, whether )
this is the Letter, or whether the ingenious |
author has wrote another to suit the prefent|
purpose of the Congress, or ifit be areal Let
ter ofmine I know not. But I have no objec
tion to its publication, be it what it will--and
all the favour 1 aik is, if it should be published
that I may not have the Press shut against any
remarks or obfervatioris I may have to offer in
my own justification. This every honest man
mutt allow I have a right to infill on, if not as
a Governor, yet, as a native of America, and
a freeholder of New-Jersey.
I have the more reaibn to require this piece
of Justice, from what has happened to me since
my being brought here. Finding that the Pro
vincial Congress had publilhed some of their
resolves refpe&ing me, but kept back others,
I determined to publilh my Letter to you which
contained the whole of them, at lealt all which
had come to my hands. For this purpose, I
sent a Copy to a Mr. Isaac Collins, who holds a
Commission as Printer to his Majefly for this
province, But though he at firft gave me expec
tations that he would do his duty (as all good
Officers ought to do, or resign their cemmiffi
ons) he afterwards returned it, declaring that
he was afraid of offending the Provincial Con
gress, and that he did not doubt but he Ihould
be killed if he Ihould print it for me, with many
more excules of the like nature, I deirred a
perlon to tell him that my name, being fublcri
bed in my own hand to the paper, would be a
fufficient jollification for him, andought to re
move all his fears of perform! danger; and as
to myfelf Iwas perfectly indifferent to the con
sequences it being a rule with me to do the duty
of my Ration and leave the event to Providence.
Whether he thought, from the specimen the
Congress had already given in my Case, that
he ought not to truh to either their reason or #
justice, and that the more honestly he adieu the
greater would be the offence and punjfnment,
or whether he has a secret bias towards their
measures, 1 cannot fay : But certain t is, that
no argument could prevail, and he returned
the copy. I have since heard that he (contra
ry to my express orders) communicated it to
some persons, by which means it came to the
knowledge of the Congress, who paged a Re
solve this day, prohibiting the printing any
thing for me, —Poor men! I hey can no more 1
bear the light of truth, it seem-, than Owls I
can endure the light of the lun!
There are, however, no doubt, among ,
the persons who compole the Provincial won
grefs, men, who having honest intentions
themselves, and not muci iexperience o' the ;
world, suspect no ill designs in thole whom
they fuffer to take the lead in these transactions.
But surely there is not the leaffhadow of rea
lon for considering the voice of this Congress
as the sense of the people, when it is notorious
that they are not elected by a Twentieth part
of the Freeholders of the province, and, pro
bably, not even by a tenth part of the Alfocia
tors themselves. T® this it may, possibly, be
said, that those Freeholders and Affbeidtors
who did not vote, have no one to blame but
themselves they might have voted if they
chose it, and faience mutt be presumed to give
consent. But the tiuth ris, as I have strong
reason to believe, that a great Majority ofthe
inhabitants were averse to having at this time
any Provincial Congress at all --andtheref re,
would not attend the elections, or vote for any
of the candidates, b, which means ithappeued
in some counties that thenumber of ele&o^sdid
not exceed fiftyor an hundred, and in ore case,
I am credibly informed only about 'tuiity ap
peared. Now, it is fearcely pofibir, but that
five men of alinoh any fort, might hue Hi any
county such a number to give them their .voi
ces for any purpose; confeqeently, the depu
ties of such a minority ought not to prefame to
rule over the whole people. 1
WM. FRANKLIN*.
CONSJANTIfOPLE, (capital of '/why)
June 19.
'T~ HE Perte has just launched here fur
£ men of war, of a most magnificent
construction, and of an extraordinary llrmgth.
Four more of the lame rate are upon the docks.;
The Empress of Russia, who is continually;
improving her Marine, gives the Turks nol
small uneasiness, though at the fame time she I
inspires them with emulation. She is taking |
every advantage possible of the rights of na-1
vigation upon the Black Sea, ceded to her by I
the last Peace, particularly in resp At to the}
importation of wines, which confiture thel
most important branch of the Ruffian tradel
upon these coasts.
L O N D O N,
Aug. 2. On the zed ult. as a number of
men were finking part of an old marl-pit on
Sale-Moor, near Manchester, the mound of :
clay, which they had laid across to keep the ;
water from them, suddenly gave way, and 1
the water, earth, &c. rufned in upon them I
with such amazing rapidity, that fix of them [
were instantly killed, and a seventh is since dead.l
About a fortnight since, a late Lottery Of-|
fice-keeper of London, putting up at an Inn'
at Oxford, and having no company with him,
afted the Waiter if there was any other Gen
tleman Traveller without company also ?
" Yes, Sir," replied the Waiter, “ there is
a Gentleman from London, who sent me to
the Bookseller's just now for a pamphlet to
amuse him, because he had no company "
Upon this, the complimentt of the former
was sent to the latter, proposing, if agreeable,
the spending an hour together. Accordingly
they met; but it proved not a fortunate ren-j
counter to the Office-keeper ; for the Gentle
man whom he had thus sent the Waiter to, I
usual feat, when he was going, produced the
marked half crown for change, which the land
lord immediately challenged. Aw& r n alter
cation took place, and each denied <nat the
other averted; however, the landlord, for the
fake ofthe credit of his' customer, dropped the
Smarter for that time. Shortly after the land
lord placed a fleet tr?p in his till, and it was
£not long before the above gentleman's finger was
Icaught therein, to the no fmalldatisfattion of
fßoniface, and the no small mortification ofthe
I offender, whefe mean villany wa> thereby
Ipalpablylpalpably difeovered
ICn Monday an order came to the Lord Mayor
; to issue out his precepts to the Officers of the
Ifeveral Parishes of this City, to deliver in to the
Secretaries of State an ex . account of the
ftnumber of Poor of then r° •ore Pa ilbes, who
lare in their Workhouie;, or receive aims. The
I fame order is to be rat t. eve , Parish in the
I Kingdom, in 0 chw 1 e regulations may
§ be made for prov T.. er for the Poor, and
eating the inhabit.! ^ tome part of the Poor's
;Rates with which they are now loaded, and
' put a Tpto people's gaining fortunes, by ha
ving th t farmed to them, and other impo
'fitions that are daily pradtifed. This is done
- act ling to the Act paLed in the last Seflions,
'fo? - Ding General Workhouses.
ibaxpton, jG/^S. A Woman in the Pa-
: -': of Earls-hilton, Leicefterfhire, has been
fil'd ft some }cars to a disorder refcmblingthat
Iwhich proceeds from the bite of the Tarantula;
I andTo astonishing is the ignorance of many,
)that they imagine she has been bewitched by
an old woman in the neighbouring village of
Afton. On Thursday the zoth of June last, the
lafflicted person, her h fba~ k and Son, went
I to the old woman at Alien, and threatened to
destroy her inffantly, unleh she would submit to
j have bleed drav, c from some part cf her body,
I give the woman a bbFng, and remove her
;di forder: The for. (who is a Soldier) drew his
I sword, and pointing it to her breast, swore he
4 would plunge it into her heart, if she did not
immediately comply : When the old woman had
I g< ne through this ceremony, they went off:
I Butor . Monda, laft,the perfen net being cured,
$ they collected 2 great number cf people, and
I returned to Afton, pretending to hare a war-
I rant tojuftify their proceedings; then, with
luncommon1 uncommon brutality took the poor creature
i (who is eighty years of age and a pauper) from
I her house, stripped her quite naked, and,
§ tying her hands and legs together, threw her
. into a horse pond; ihe was then taken out,
landin this ihamefal condition exhibited for the
I sport of an inhuman mob. As ihe did not fink
I in the water, they concluded she was really a
} witch ; and fevr/al returned on the following
' day, determined to difciphne her in this cruel
; manner till they fhoulc put an end to her life:
1 The mob, however, was no teemed (efficiently
strong ; so that lie efcapeo i^r that time ; and
I it is hoped, that fume methods will be pursued
I to prevents repetition cf this horrid usage.
[ On Friday aman upwarT .f eighty years
I old, was triedat the Cid Bailey, upon the fta
' tute against robbing itady furniftud lodgings,
Ifor stealing a feather-bed. In his defence he
I said that he lived in the Strand foi many years,
I where he kept a miliner's ihop wnh great repu
tation, but that having accepted notes to the
amount of 30M. to f rve a person, whom he
thought his friend, he was oif ged to pay the
whole sum with cohs ; that ever since be had
been in a date f ex' rente indigence , and r hat
he had now living ftui teen Children, by whom
he was decreed at tne elofe of life, and .r
I the midi tof poverty ;he was funi guilty of
|petty larceny, a d ordered to be whipped and
I discharged.
happened to be a person who had been paid at
the elofe of the Lottery, and immediately de
manded the sum of nine pounds and upwards,
for Insurance of Tickets, which he infilled
on being that instant paid, or he would break
every bone in the Office-keeper's Ikin. Ihe
money was accordingly paid, and the Gentle
man returned to the amusement of his pam
phlet.
Friday night as Mr. Rycraft, Ironmonger,
of Deptford, was returning home about ten
o'clock, in a lane between Lewilham and
Deptford, he was flopped by two footpads,
armed with a cutlass and pistol, who de
manded his money, which he immediately
delivered, being only a few shillings, but in
giving them the money they difeovered he
had a ring on, which they demanded with
imprecation, and which he as resolutely re
fufed; on this one of them made a stroke at
him with a cutlass, but Mr. Rycraft warded
the blew off With a kick he had in his right
hand and at the fame time clqfing with the
robber, knocked him down with his left, on
which the other presented his pistol to Mr,
Rycraft's breast, who, at the instant of its
going off, knocked it upwards, the badl graz
ing on his left cheek, and going through his
hat, not half an inch from his temple, in its
passage. Mr. Rycraft not having any thing
left to defend himfef (his flick being broke
by the cut it received from the firft man, and
he being on his feet again, coming to assist
his companion) thought it high time to re
treat, which he did with the loss of his hat,
&c. 'it was afterwards found, (together with
some of the money supposed to have fallen
out of the man's hand who was knocked down)
by Mr. Rycraft, and others, who went in pur
suit of them, but miffed them.
A short time ago, a publican near Freih
Wharf. London Bridge, having, at different
times loft money our of his tib and-not being
able to account for the fame, At himfelf on the
watch: He observed a constant customer very
fond of drinking in the bar, which gave him
reasons to fufpe& femething more than fancy
was his inducement. He therefore marked a
half-crown, and hiscufl mer having taken his
NEW-YORK, February
By fevers! Persons very lately arrived from As
ny and other Northern Paris of this Province E
learn, that the Inhabitants in general are most
tily we^ry of the Rebellion and of their pre&'
of low tyrannical Masters, and that the mohf
would he very glad to compromise Matter^
amicable Way, if Fear of those in Anni
Southward did not prevent their moving in
Meafare. At present, a Man that expresses ax
of American Victory, or talks of Peace, runs a L
of being sent to Prison for a Tory. Such is the O,'
preffion and Constraint of thele, who have styled
themselves, Sons oj Liberty !
The [lebel recruiting Parties have failed of Suc
cess in the northern Counties of this Colony, as well -'
as in the four Provinces of New-England. A fefea
Committee was appointed for the Purpose of Enlist
ment and of giving all the Encouragement cf Pro
mises to those who were returning upon the Expira
tion of their stipulated Time ; but the People in ge
neral, perceiving that scarce any “ Steps led back
“ ward from the Lion's Den," and justly fufpe&ing
the Integrity of their Leaders, have been very back
ward to offer themselves. It is said, that in all the
Colonies, not half the Forces, proposed by the Con
gress, have been railed ; nor is there any Probability
cf accomplifhiag their Design.
The People of Maryland so much fufre& the sini
ster, Designs of the Congress and of WaJoington's Fol
lowers, that, in the whole Colony, not more than
30 Men have turn-out in Defence of the prelent
arbitrary and tyrannical Government.
Immediately after the Affair at Princeton with the
gallant 17th Regiment, the greatest Part of Mifflin's
Brigade, deferred from the Rebel Army. Putnam
flopped many of them as they were about to pass tlte
Ferries upon the Delaware.
So very contagious is the Disorder now raging
among the Rebel Army ftatiened in Philadelphia,
that above a Thousand of them have already been
buried in the Potter's Field near that City.
We hear that the Assembly of Pennfylvmia have
laid a Very heavy Fine upon the Militia of that Co
lony, who refute to join the Rebel-Army. This
Meafuie causes them to desert their Homes and re
tire by Hundreds.
A Farmer, in the interior Parts 'of Pennsylvania,
came lately! > Philadelphia for Salt ; but, though he
offered a most extravagant Price for so small a Quan
tity as Half a Bulh:1, he was obliged to return with
out a Grain.
Mercer, who was mortally wounded in the AHion
with the 17th Regiment near Princeton, was lately
buried at Philadelphia.
The Rebels, we hear, have been conftruding Fire
Ships and Rafts to make an Attempt upon His Ma
jesty's Fleet at Rhode Island. The great American
Squadron frill remains blocked up at Providence by
two or three Ships of War.
With a View of cutting off any Supply of Provi
sions to New-York from the Country about Newark,
the Rebels have scuttled 'all the Boats, &c. upon Se
coqd River from the Falls downwards, and threaten
immediate Dearh to any Persons, who may be found
laden with Previsions to be carried out of the
Country.
By some Persons just arrived from the Jerfies, we
learn, that the Rebel-Army now in that Country,
does not exceed 7000 Men. Besides these, there are
about 300 Light Horse, and foraging Parties.
An epidemic Disorder prevails greatly in the Coun
ty of Sussex, in New Jersey, which was brought thi
ther by the Rebels who formed the Northern Army
under Gates ; and many have been carried off with
it. It short, the Rebels, as a just Puniihment from
Heaven, begin to feel the triple Scourge of Pesti
lence, Famine, and the Sword ; and, if they persist
in their DJufion, will probably wen receive those
dreadful Calamities in an extreme Degree.
The Rebels, upon the Appearance of some Britifli
Ships in the Sound, Lave left West-Chester and
the adjacent Country with great Precipitation.
The Ravages of the Rebel Army in and about
the Jerfies are (hocking to Humanity. Several
Persons upon the bare Suspicion of being well
affeaed to legal Government, have had their Pro
perty seized, and their Houses and Furniture entirely
demobbed. They have so harr^ffed the poor Far
mers in general, that all Agriculture is ftopt, and
every Profpe& is opened to an approaching Famine.
The Rebels have also forced away almoftall their
Cattle, and left many Scores cf Families in the most
melancholly Situation of Poverty and Distress.
It is confidently reported, that the Congress have
devolved all their Power upon Mr. Wajbingtcn, and
appointed him Dictator, in Example of the Ro
mans. The Reason, if the Fa& be true, is very ap
parent : They find themselves in a slippery Situation,
and are glad to throw their Burthen upon the firft
Simpleton of Consequence that would take it. Wmfe
ington has now no mean Character to support : He
mult be the firfl or lafi of Men, who would accept
Power upon such Teims. But as the Congress are
def,erate, so is this Gentleman, as the firft Instance
of this Prote&orfhip, he has ordered all Persons to
take an a&ive Part in bis Concerns, and for the Sup
port of bis Authority, upon Pain es Cenfifeatien of
all their Properties.
Fuel, which was some Time ago very scarce, is
new brought to Town frora various Parts in great
Plenty.
The following Prizes were sent in here within
these few Days, viz. Sloop Savage, Nathaniel Atkin,
Master, from Boston, for Carolina, loaded with
Rum, Sugar, and Mohagony Plank ; Schooner
Smack, John Leighton, Master, from Boston, for
Virginia, with the like Cargo ; Schooner Friendship,
Daniel Rhodes, from Cape Nichola Mole, for Phi
ladelphia, with Rum and Mplaffes ; a Sloop from
Connecticut with Flaxseed, &c. The above were
sent in by his Majesty's Ship Unicorn.
A Bermuda Sloop, with 400 Barrels of Gunpow
der and 150 Stands of Arms, and a Schooner with
45 Hogsheads of Rum, have been taken and sent in
by his Majesty's Ship Phoenix.
The Publick are desired to take Notice, that there
are Counterfeit Dollars now pafftng amongst us:
They are dated in the Year 1774, and made of Pew
ter, are very light, and may be easily difeovered from
the true Ones, being of a blueiffi Cast. One of
the Sort is now in the Hands of the Printer.
Capt. Benson's Company of New-York Rangers,
having dined together at Brooklyn Ferry last Tues
day, the f llowing Teafts were drank, viz.
King-- Qgeen and Royal Dozen---Lord North--
Lord Ceorge Germaine---Two Erothers---Governor
Tryon---Navy and Army---General Carleton and
the Army at Quebec-- General de Heister and the
Heflian Troops—Col. Mawhood and the 17th Re
giment---The new rais'd Corps—A speedy Relief
to all Friends of Government.
An ENSIGNCY in the 57th Regiment, to be
difpoied of. Enquire of Hugh Gaine.