The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-01-04 00:00:00, page 1

A Whiten Loaf of the fineft FLOUR, to
weigh ilb. $ 1-2 oz. for 4 Coppers
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 20 s. per Ct.
e ^*^$ HE Publisher em
fr^ft braces this early op
%§ T Isl portunity of returning
I 1 ^,^l% his cordial thanks to
^^^*W,** his Customers, for the
favour and honour they have cohfer
ed upon him, by encouraging the pub
lication of this Paper, which makes its
firft appearance under a disadvantage,
ns little foreign news is to be expected
at this season of the year. He does
not mean to amuse his Reaaeis wun
pompous promises; therefore, he on
ly assures them, that he will endear
vour to merit their approbation, by
exerting himfelf to render the New
York ° Packet of public utility.
While the difficulty of the times re
quires much prudence in conducting a
Work of this nature, he hopes his
Readers will be so candid as to make
c rery reasonable allowance.
He will be extremely happy to
have it in his power, to convey, thro
the channel of this Paper, together
with useful intelligence, foreign and
comeftic, any considerations that may
id ftrate and animate the glorious
eaufe of Constitutional Liberty, and
-t the fame time pour medicine into
the bleeding wounds of the extended
empire. For this purpose, he most
earnestly invites the Friends of Amerj
ea and the Britiffi Constitution, to fa
vour him with their kind assistance.
Much has been said on the important
controversy that now engages the at
tention of all Europe; but the fubjed:
is not yet exhausted ; there is fuffici^
<?nt scope for new difeuffiohs.
In the mean time, the Printer begs
leave, very refpe&fully, to prefect the
compliments of the season to his kind
Customers ; wifliing, that the year
1776 may be the happy2Era, in which
Peace and Union, on a Constitutional
Basis, ihall be concluded between
Great-Britain and her Colonies. To
these wishes, he begs leave to have the
additional pleasure of being the Pub
lics'
Most obedient, humble fervarit,
SAMUEL LOUDON.
SUBSCRIPTIONS for this Paper,
^te taken in by the different Printers on the
Continent, and by the several Pod-Riders. Al
lo, by Mr. Robert Aitken, Bookseller in Phi
ladelphia. In New-Jersey, by Mr. Hyer,
at Princeton ; Mr. Voorhois, at New-Bruns
wick ; Mr. Ross, at Pifcataway; Mr. Fairclo,
at Black-River; Mr. Gallon, at Fluckem'n;
Mr. Dickiefon, at Morris-Town; Mr. Jacob
Morrell, at Nanover; Mr. Jonathan Morrell,
at Elizabeth-Town ; and Mr. Robert Johnston,
at New-Ark. In Connecticut, by Mr. Weed,
at Stanford ; # Mr. Betts, at Norwalk; Mr.
Penfield, at Fairfield ; Mr. Benjamin, at Strat
ford; Mr. Bryan, at Millford; Mr. Beers, at
New-Haven; Mr. Shaylor, at Middletown ;
'A^&^RR^T^ ®
•AMER I CA N
To THE/PUBLIC.
Published No% 2, 177;.
V OL. L
1
T H U R SD A Y,
Printed by SAMUEL LOU DON, in Water-Street, between the Coffee-House and the Old Slip.
AND
Thursday, 4 Min. after 8I
E,^a) 49 Min. after 81
Saturday, 32 Min. alter 9'
Sunday, 26 Min. after 101
Mr. Joseph Wabb, at Weathersfield; Mr. El
lery and Mr. Bull, at Hartford; Mr. Green, at
New-London; Mr. L. MCurdy, at Lyme;
Mr. Hart, at Saybrook; Mr. Stone, at Guild
ford; Mr. J. Russel, at Branford; Mr. Ver
nor, at Albany; Mr. Shuter, at Schenectady;
Mr. Davis, at Poughkeepsie,; Mr. Graham, at
/Efopus ; and Mr. Brinkerhoff, at Fifhkilk.
Mr. Loudon,
S I R,
The following piese b wrote by the late celebrated
Dr. Lucas of Dublin, Dewing the excellency
of the Englifo Confitution, wbenfapported on its
original basis, having afoort time finer fallen in
to my hands, I hope you willgiveit a flace in,our
ffi paper, which will oblige,
A Subscriber.
NO nation on the globe, can boast such an
happy fyfem of government, as that of
Great-Britain : because, no policy so positively
circumscribes the prerogative of the Prince, or
so effedu dly secures the life, liberty and pro
perty of the fubje&, as ours.
His most sacred Majesty poffefles no authori
ty, power, privilege or pre^eminet c p , but what
he derives from, and holds in trust for the peo
ple; for whose good government alone, and for
no other purpose, the regal office was firft insti
tuted, and has since been supported by the peo
pleß
The King can do no wrong; that is, he
Cannot injure the commonwealth, nor annoy
the life, or health, take away, or abridge the
liberty, or invale the property of the meanest
member of the community, in any iriftance, in
any degree.
If these portions hold just of the Crown, they
can lose nothing of their weight, with relation
to the subordinate officers and Mihifters of the
State: The fame law that binds the Crown,
muff, at l aft, as strongly bind all that are con
cerned in the adminiftratiom
Every member of our community, is in the
most perfect enjoyment of liberty, that the ge
neral welfare and security of the commonwealth,
or civil society, to which the private interest of
every individual, from the highest to the lowest,
fliould ever be subservient, can possibly admit.
The life and property of every individual is
not less secure-. Neither can, by any man, be
invaded, abridged or injured, except for the
common benefit and security of the whole soci
ety; as in case of any enormous crime, offen
five to the public, a fubje& is liable to lose his
life and forfeit his property § or, for the support
of the state, he is liable to be taxed, in propor
tion to his abilities; but all this must be by his
own consent, in his Reprefehtatives in Parlia
ment; not otherwise : For, we neither acknow
ledge, nor know any power, that can lawfully
draw from the meanest fubjeft one penny of
his property against his Consent, Even the poor,
mercenary folaier, who is liable to becommand
ed by his firperiot, to put h's life to the utmost
hazard, Upon every occalion, cannot, by any
authority, be divested of the fmaileft portion of
his property, without his consent.
Thus, the wisdom of the builders of this
great, unparalleled constitution, has nobly pro
vided for the abfolitte fafety of the lives of the
inembers of the community, and for the secu
rity ofthat, without which, life could not sub
sist, property ; as well, as of that, without
which, life would prove but a lililefs burden,
Liberty.
No man's life can be annoyed or endanger
ed, but by laws, to which every fubje& has, by
hbnfelf, or his Representatives, aflented and
consented. Nor can the law beexecuted in in
flidfing pains of death, until the party be found
guilty of a crime injurious to society, and con
trary to the known established laws; not by the
feyvants or Judges of the Prince, but by the
judgment of twice twelve men of his own rank
Urdegree, and of the neighbourhood where the
fa& was committed; to wit, the presentment, or
indictment of the Grand Jury, and the verdict
of the Petit Jury ; with this unspeakable privi
lege, that the accused may challenge or object
to, twenty of the panel of the Petit Jurv, pe
remptorily, or without fnewing cause, and to as
many more, as he can affign-fufficient cause,
why they should flat be his judges ; such as, be
ing any way personally affected by the alledged
crime; pafl enmity, discord, or misunderstand
ing ; ill natured threats, aliens, and the like.
HIGH WATER at NEW,YORK.
ft —-r—^tCT^i^^^^
^3iiite
I Monday, n Min. afet it
ITuefday, §§ Mbi. after 11
! Wednesday, 38 Min. after 12
I Full Moon To-morrow.
T H E
Every man's liberty is equally sacred, equal
ly secure. It cannot be abridged in any point,
but as thelaw prescribes. So that, without po
sitive proof of a crime, firft made upon oath,
before a Magistrate, or committed in presence of
a Justice, no man can be deprived of his liber
ty. And property, as subservient and necessa
ry to both, cannot be more inSecure.
And, let me not forget another great happi
ness of our state, which must entitle ourGovern l
ment, above most others, to the approbation and
peculiar protection of Divine Providence; which
is, that Liberty of Confeience, so generally re
commended and inculcated throughout the sa
cred Scriptures, is generally allowed ; whereby
every man is tolerated to worship God, in the
way his conscience dire&s, provided, he holds
no tenets, or advances no doctrine, tending to
the deftru&i@n or subversion of the effabliihed
system of civil society.
Suppose you fee a man of the most heal and
robust constitution, with the utmost advantages
of health and vigour, that can be derived from
a found parentage, not only forgetting, or ne
gle&ing all the meats of preferring life, health
and vigour, but running into all the contrary
courses, into immorality, intemperance and ex
cels of every kind, into all degrees of luxury,
drunkenness, gluttony and riot, would not eve
ry person in his senses pronounce, that such a
man could not run out hi If his days. He cer
tainly has left himfelf no better choice, if he
does not speedily retrench his extravagances,
and alter his whole courie of life, than dying
fudder 4 „wof feme violent disease, or lingering
out a melancholy life, in poverty, and the in
conceivable miseries of a broken constitution.
There is mothingmore probable, if not more
certain, than that the Parliament and all subor
dinate Magistrates and Miniflers of Justice will
ever be of a piece with the people. If the peo
ple be wife, they will be virtuous, they will,
they must be free. And such will be their Par
liaments, Their Judges and Juffi'ces, their She
riffs and their Juries, must then be honest, if not
judicious. And the ceconomy of the govern
ment must be carried on, freely, equally and
harmoniously, to the common benefit and secu
rity of all parts of the constitution.
But, if the people become ignorant, they
will be readily led into sloth and immorality,
which will necessarily be attended with corrup
tion and slavery.—The infection must, necefla.
rily, extend to the Parliament.--^How shall I re
cite the d eadful, the dismal consequences !---
They aremuch easier conceived, than expressed.
However, 1 shall attempt to enumerate a few.---
Men of affluent fortunes will be able to amass
all the treasure and power of the nation ; and by
Sharing the plunder, with a corrupt Parliament,
can fear neither detention nor punishment : Pri
vate interest will then take place of the public
weal ; and place and title, however ill-gotten,
will demand pre-eminence and preference to the
most Lining merit and virtue : Justices will ty
rannize with impunity, without remorse : And
Judges will, not only delay and deny, but fell
justice and law, and even take upon them to
dispense with the laws, or alter, or frame laws at
their pleasure : Sheriffs will be venal, corrupt
and iniquitous : Juries will be packed, debated
and perjured: The lives, liberties and proper
ties of the people will be most precarious and
insecure, dependent upon the will of such great
men, as can set themselves above the law !
If this Should ever become the hapless fate of
these nations, which Heaven avert! what con
solation will it be to the public to find, that the
name and form of the commonwealth remains?
That we have Parliaments and Juries,'---Wife,
free and uheorrupted Parliaments and Juries,
are the ftrerigth and fafeguard of the confuta
tion : But foolifh, dependent, or corrupt Parli
aments and Juries must prove its bane.
It WB a maxim once laid down by a crafty
The fame may be said of the date. It is then
the duty of every member of the community, to
look about him, to examine the state of health
of the political constitution, to dilcover its dis
eases to the physicians of the commonwealth,
and to use all just means to procure timely and
effectual remedies for present, and preventatives
against future maladies.
To effect this purpose, every man must begin
a reformation at home. ,First, pluck the mote
out of your own eye, and then you may with
Judice, as easily and effedually, pluck the beam
but of your neighbour's.
Wheat per Bushel, ^s. qd.l
,"lour, - - - jßs. od.l
•Brown Bread, -15 s. od.l
,\Veft-India Rum, 4s. 6d.
[N w-England do. 2s. 6d.l
PRICE-CURRENT, in NEW-YO RK.
advertise r.
^ ^4,'—,dA&&^s£C% CX_„X/ C-J '
J A N U A R Y 4th, 1776.
I Mufeovado Sugar, 60s. od.
1' Single refin'd do. is. 2d.
Molasses, - - - 2s. od.
Beet, per Barrel, 60s. od.
f Pork, - - - 6gs. od.
From th Pennsylvania Evening Post.
^ excellent Method of making Gunpowder.|
HAVING for many months been fenfi
' Uy affected with the great difadvarraye,
the colonies labour under for want of ainumri
on, l thought it my duty to apply myfelf, to
the attainment of those necelfatv arts of mak
ing SALTPETRE and GUNPOW
DER ; and having far exceeded my expecta
tions in both manufactures, I think myfetf
frill farther obliged to communicate the so
much needed knowledge to my country at large.
My firft trial was on Saltpetre, two pounds of
which my son has extracted from about £x
bushels of Stable dirt, perfectly fit for making
Gunpowder. This was done by the method of
Dr, Young and Mr. Rubfaman, lately publish
ed by the former, for which, and many other
ufeful informations, I take this opportunity to
return those gentlemen my public th , k^
I have lately erected a Powder Mill in the
south end of Ulster county, in the province of
New-York, at which 1 have made as good
powder as I have ever seen, and will b<ar the
infpedion of good judges, in the following
manner :
GUNPOWDER is composed of nothing
more than the four plain liinple articles, Salt
petre, Brimstone, Charcoal, and Water. Tae
three firft of which, are to be made as fin^ ^
possible, so as to be fitted through a gauze
sieve, or fine boult, as fine as common fotir; But:
it being difficult to make the Saltpetre all fin%
those parts that will not be ealily got through
the sieve, mull be dissolved in fott warm wa
ter, then let the Sulphur, Saltpetre and Char
coal, be each separately weighed. Take of
the Saltpetre an hundred weight, of ~he Sul
phur fifteen pounds, and Charcoal eighteen
pounds, and in that proportion for ahy grtr/er
or smaller quantity, This being done, mix:
them all well together in some large v^fleL Pich
as a potash or any other kettle, and when V 11
mixed, moisten the whole with the aforefaid ni
trous water till it is as moist as dough fee ma
king bread. Then put an equal quantuy ill
each mortar, and pound it well for at leaf
twenty hours ; and if the mill runs flow\
let it rux twenty four hours ; and as the paft\
by pounding will naturally grow dry, it must
be kept moist by putting in a little of said
water, and when pounded fufficiently take it & „
of the mortar, and put it in force tub, ot at~
other proper veffeh As to the graining,
must be done in the following manner, vty.
have a box made about five feet fquwe, be;
tides eighteen inches deep, the bottom faht,
and top entirely open ; fix acfofs the bo. t%o.
rods or laths near the middle, abcat four
inches below the top, and about ten D,% 1
apart, then have fix sieves made of woo< ben
splits in the farce manner as awheat riddh
but much finer, the coarsest ffouffi be a?
fine as a cockle sieve, or little finer, and so each
sieve to increase in finenefs tip, th? Lft U q« fine
as possible. I behe eit were best to toak^J
twe coarsest of wire ; then take about a qua
Minister, to one of the many weak and wicked
Kings, that would have ruldd England, not by
law, but by the force of a landing array, " That
the English would not be subdued by force, but
that they must be undone in their own way."
The King not rightly apprehending his favour
ite, he explained his internal heart to this pur
pose : " The people of this island, said be, will
never consent to change their form of govern
ment ; they will, they must have Pa lamer%
they must have Juries mlfo : But, rar Prince,
let Ine manage them: It is but introducing lux,
uty, and pinching poverty will follow. This
will, of course, create dependence : Give me
then the power of disposing of places and Peer
ages ; trust me with the key of the treasury;
they shall have Parliaments, they shall have Ju
ries ; but they shall not be their Parliaments, or
their Juries -;they shall be our dependent crea
tures, passive Slaves, cheap hirelings. Thus, by
leaving them the Shadow, they will impercep
tibly, perhaps, contentedly, give up the fub
flance ; and it will be much easier, as well as
fafer, to keep a party, or faction of the Parlia
ment in pay, than an army."
O! That men would be wife, and not quit
the substance for the fliadow ! That they would
guard and preserve the Constitution in all points,
and fuport it not nominally, but effehtialiy!
T H E
Fine Salt, - - - 3s. 3d.
Coarse Salt, - - 32. yd.
Indian Corn, per Bush. 3s. bd.
NUMF. 1.