The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-02-10 00:00:00, page 2

Yesterday Morning, about Five o'Clock,
Mr. Morgan, a Bricklayer, ip Great New-
Street, having, been out to take a Walk, on
his Return met a Man in <he Faffage of his
Hbufe, and enquiring what he did there, the
Fellow gave him a Blow, tripped up his Heels
and ran off; but Mr. Morgan calling out
Thieves! Murder! several of the Neighbours
were immediately alarmed, who got to the dif
ferent Avenues through which he must pass ;
the Fellow feeing himfelf thus surrounded,
fbon surrendered, and was brought back to
Mr. Morgan's, when a ConPable was sent for;
in the Interval he was observed to fhift some
thing under him where he fat, and upon exa
mining there were found a Silver Table-Spoon
and a Tea-Spoon, which he had taken out of
a Tea-Chest in the Room he was then in. The
Constable searched, and there was found upon
him another Tea-Spoon, above thirty Pick
lock Keys, from a Street-Door Key to the
smallest Lock of a Tea-Chest, a strong rip
ping Chisel, a Pistol, Tinder-Box, &c. He
had also a Watch in his Pocket, which the
Conft'able took for the Purpose of advertising.
He said very little in his Vindication, but de
fined he might not be made a Show of: He
was accordingly taken in a Coach to the
Compter, in order to be examined before the
fitting Alderman.
By a letter from Orkney we learn, that on
Monday the zd current, as Several Boats were
eroding the Pentlaud Frith, from Caithnefs to
South Ronaldfha, with Horses for Sale, in
striving with each other, one of them taking a
different Course, fell in with a very rough
Sea, which, driving all the Horses to one Side
of the Boat, soon overfet, and all on board
perished, in Sight of the other Boats, who
could give them no Assistance. The Crew con
fided of five Boatmen, two Horse Merchants,
and two Women Passengers, besides 37 Horses.
Extra# of a letter from Hamburgh.
" An ingenious mechanic of this town has
conftruded a machine which exactly represents
the internal and external appearance of a mine
situated near Hart, between the Wefer and the
Leine, and exhibits the whole process ofwork
ingit. This singular piece of mechanism is
designed for the King of Great-Britain. Any
person totally unacquainted with the nature
of mines, may attain a perfect idea of them
by an insight into this curious work of art."
The good People ofWitney,in Oxfordshire
have no Reason to complain of the American
War, Business having hardly ever been known
so brisk at that Place as at present, all the
Hands they can get being fully employed.
Extract of a letter j?cm Bridgewater, >rpt. 2%.
" We have been highly entertained in this
Town by a very numerousAiTcmbly of Quakers,
for whom a Booth was built; it was the Meet
ing of the fix Western Counties, though they
were Quakers from many Parts of this King
dom, and some fay from America, who atten
ded, and indeed some good Speakers among
them, but this will not be wondered at, when
I tell you their Number exceeded fifteen hun
dred. Our dead Town was quite alive by this
Meeting, but next Week our Friends will leave
us, and we shall fink again intoour usual lethar
gick State."
Monday Evening as Mr. Richard Barnard
Boodle, Surgeon atEpping, was returning from
London, he was attacked by a single High
wayman on Golden-Hill, in Layton, well
mounted on a black cropt Mare^ who pre
sented a Pistol, demanded his Money imme
diately, with the rood dreadful Oaths ; Mr.
Boodle having more Money than he chose to
lose, absolutely refufed b.ing robbed ; the
Highwayman finding that, attempted to fire,
but the Pistol flawed in the Pan, which frigh
tened his own Horse, and gave Mr. Boodle an
Opportunity of making oit; and though ne
was closely purfeed by the Highwayman for
near three Miles, he fortunately eicaped. Ine
Villain afterwards robbed two Ladies of their
Watches and about Seven Guineas near to the
Baldfaced Stag.
Extras of a letter from Edinburgh.
" The Court of Session have for some Days
past had under Confederation, a very extraor
dinary Cause, in which Mr. Wilson, Ironmon
ger, in Glasgow, is Pursuer, and Mr. Archi
bald M'Clean; of Langan,in Mull, Defender.
The Adion was originally brought by Mr.
Wilson, for Goods furnifh^d by him to M'
Clean. M'Clean produced a difeharged Ac
count of Capt. White's, dated in 1771, for
Goods of a similar Kind with those charged by
Wilson. It is alledged by Wilson that the
difeharged Account.pf White's is a Forgery,
White being drowned in the Year 1770. A
very long Proof was taken in Ireland and Scot
land, with Regard to + his Faff. Eighty Wit
nefles have given Evidence, many of them cir
cumstantial Evidence, that White was net
drowned till O&cber 1771. Fifteen Pieces of
Writing dated 1771, some of them written,
others fubferibed by White, were produced.
These Writings Wilson alledges are forged.
On the other Hand, a great Number of Wit
nesses swear pofitivefy, that White was drown
ed in October 1770- So great a Number of
contradictory Witnesses, many of them respec
table Characters, have perhaps never appeared
inany Cause before.The Lawyers are much di
vided in Opinion. The Pleading of the Coun
sel continued for seven Days, and have much
engrossed the publick Attention.
^ The Counsel on both Sides seemed to agree
that more proof was necessary. The Court of
Sessions have ordered feveral' Parties to give in
Condescendences of what they intend further
to prove.
" This Cause which was originally brought
for 401. the Amount of the Goods furnilhed by
Wilson, has, it is said, already cost each of
the Parties several Hundred Pounds Sterling.
LONDON, October 16.
IBlanketing and coarse Woollen Clothe have
risen within the last fix Months upwards of
fifteen per Cent, on Account of the great De
mand for the Army.
By the accounts which Lord North collected
from all the ports, of the number of ships,
tons, and men; employed last season in the
Newfoundland Filhery, it appears, that there
was a very considerable increase, and that as
many new ships are building for being em
ployed in the fame trade, it is expected the
next year will prove much greater than any
preceding one.
Thee letters of marque have failed from
Bristol, to cruize upon the Americans.
Coventry, Sept. 27. A few Days ago the
fallowing melancholy Accident happened at
Bedworth, near this City. A Boy about four
Years old being left by his unhappy Mother
alone in the House, was playing about the
Fire place, when unfortunately the Fire caught
the Child's Clothes, and burnt him in so
Shocking a Manner that he soon after expired.
Friday fe'nnight a loaded Cannon acciden
tally went off at Comb-Abbey, near this
City, and shattered the Arm of one of Lord
Craven's Footmen so badly that he was obliged
to undergo Amputation.
On Wednesday last at the Old-Bailey,
James Ogilvie, and William Dover, alias
< Thompfon, were tried for ribbing Mary the
1 Wife of Jofcph Dickinson, Eiq; on the 27th
jof last Month, upon Finchley-Common, Mrs.
I Dickinson, as it appeared by the Evidence,
| was riding over the Common about Three
I o'clock in the Day, in her own Carriage,
Iwith four Ladies, when two Men on Horle
back, with Crapes over their Faces, com
imanded the Coachman to flop, and placed
'themfelves ore at each Side of the Coach,
desiring the Coachman to look forward, and
: the Footman, who flood behind the Coach, to
ilook backward. The Footman however took
lan Opportunity to view them, whiltt they
were taking the Ladies Purses, and on the
ITrial swore positively that Dover was one of
them, as, by the Wind's moving the Crape,
he got a Sight of his raked Face. He swore
also that, as far as it was possible to be certain
of a Man's Countenance through a Crape,
he could swear Ogilvie was the other. It ap
peared in Evidence besides, that Dover and
his Accomplice were instantly pursued, and
that the Purifiers never loft Sight of them till
'Dover, quitting his Horse near the Spaniard's,
attempted to conceal himfeif in a Ditch, where
he was immediately difeovered, and three
empty Purses found upon him, and a Brace of
Balls, but no Pistol. The Accomplice in the
mean Time got clear off. Two Witnesses
swore, that they law a Man ride out with
Doter that Morning, whpm they believed to
be Ogilvie. A Horse, which Ogilvie hired that
Morning at the Geyhound in Tafh-Street, not
being brought back at Night according to
Agreement, and being aavertifed next Day,
was brought home from an Inn at Paddington,
where it had been left in a very great Heat,
by Ogilvie, about an Hour after the Robbery
was committed ; after which he walked di
rectly to Town, and never after returned to
enquire about the Horse. The Jury were out
near two Hours, debating on their Verdid,
when they returned into Court, and brought
in Dover only guilty Death.
A letter from Paris fays, " The fleets which
are fitting out in the ports of this kingdom are
Piled Fleets of Security : —it is pretended that a
treaty of a very dangerous nature has been dis
covered between the American Continental
Congress and the Viceroy of the Brazils ; and
that, in consequence of this measure, it is found
absolutely necessary for the Crowns of France
and Spain to have a proper force in their Colo
nies to secure them from Attempts which may
prove dangerous. It is also laid, that three
American frigates have conducted themselves
with a violence little Ihort of hostilities, in or
to get a quantity of powder from Cape Francois.
All this lounds very improbable to me, but here
(at Paris) it is readily (wallowed.
Tar and Feathers, a Fancy Dress.
SO early as the reign of Charles the Sixth
of France (the time of our Henry the
Fourth) the French King (Charles) gave a
Masquerade, in which himfelf and five cour
tiers disguised their persons to imitate satyrs,
by covering their naked bodies with close linen
habits, which habits were then to be besmear
ed with rosin, on which down was duck all
over. One of the Company in a frolic,
touched one of these satyrs with a lighted
torch, as they were dancing in a ring; the
consequence was, all the fix masques or satyrs
were enveloped in flames inhantaneouily ; four
of the fix died immediately, and the King
never recovered the fright and disorder occa
sioned by the accident.
x^x'x^x^eoe^o^c^^oo^^eoex
The following PROCLAMATION was
lately published by the Lord Protector,
Mr. George Washington.
" By his Excellency George Washington, Esq;
“ General and Commander in Chief of all
“ the Forces of the United States of Ame
“ rica.
" YAZ^EREAS several Persons, Inhabi
" VV tants of the United States of Ame
'• rica, influenced by inimical Motives, inti
" initiated by rhe Threats of the Bnemy, or
“ deluded by a Proclamation issued the 30th of
“ November last, by Lord and General Howe,
“ stiled the King's Commissioners for granting
“ Pardons, &c. (now at open War, and in
“ vading these States) have been so loft to the
“ Interest and Welfare of their Country, as
“ to repair to the Enemy, sign a Declaration
“ of Fidelity, and in some Instances have been
“ compelled to take the Oaths of Allegiance,
“ and engage net to take up Arms, or en
" courage others so to do, against the King of
“ Great-Britain: And whereas it has become
" necessary to distinguish between the Friends
“ of America and those of Great-Britain, In
“ habitants of these States, and that every
“ Man who receives Protection from, and as a
•' Subject of any State (not being confcienti
“ oufly scrupulous against bearing Arms)
“ should hand ready to defend the fame against
“ holtile Invasion : I do therefore, in Be
" half of the United States, by Virtue of the
“ Powers committed to me by Congress, here
" by ftrUtly command and require every Per
" son, having fubferibed such Declaration,
“ taken such Oaths, and accepted such Pro
“ teCtion and Certificate, to repair to Head
“ Quarters, or to the (Quarters of the nearest
'' General Officer ;of the Continental Army,
" or Militia (until further Provision can be
'' made by Civil Authority) and there deliver
“ up such ProteCtion, Certificate and Pass
" ports, and take the Oath of Allegiance to the
" United States of America: Nevertheless,
" hereby granting full Liberty to all such as
" prefer the Interest and Protection of Great
" Britain to the Freedom and Happiness of
" their Country, forthwith to withdraw them
" selves and Families within the Enemy's
“ Lines:—And Ido hereby declare, that all
" and every Person, who may neglect or
" refgfe to comply with this Order, within
“ Thirty Days from the Date hereof, will be
" deemed Adherents to the King of Great
" Britain, and treated as common Enemies of
" these American States.
" Given at Head-Quarters, Morris-Town,
" January 25, 1777.
" By his Excellency's Command,
" Robert H. Harrison, Sec'y."
['T/j hardly possible to read over this miJerable
Proclamation without Pity and AfoniJhment. —
That Mr. Walhington, who ONCE nvas efeemed
a Gentleman, Should forfeit that Charafter by be
coming the 'Tool of an impracticable Ambition, is a
Matter of Commit; ration. But, that be faould be
so contaminated by the Nice of bis nffeiatts, as to
lose all Regard to the common Forms oj Morality, all
Dignity of Sentiment, and Decency of Londud, ivas
not to have been rxpebied from a Man, <ivho ov:ned
the leaf Pride or felt the leaf ConjciouJneJs 0/ Virtue.
His deferate Situation may be bis Apology ; but it
cannot be his Excuje. He might have been mijla
ken in Refpea to his Notions of civil Polity ; but he
could not have been deceived in those Actions and
Ideas of moral Turpitude, which is the Disgrace
of human Nature, 't is an old and true Observa
tion; Magiftratus indicat Virum, " the Ruler
“ foetus the Man ;" and we have now Nothing
more to learn of this famous Mr. VV afhington. ?
He has the Boldness to declare, that there are
"some Instances" of Persons, who " have been
" compelled to take the Oaths of Allegiance." —
This is an absolute Falsehood in Fact : And be
knew it was a Falsehood: He knew Jack a Con-|
dust is repugnant to the Genius and Spirit of 1
the Britife Nation, or he would have produced
one Instance to confirm h r s Affection. The Bra
very es Britons, which former or later will make
him tremble, diJdains any but voluntary Proftflions
of Allegiance, and, above all Things, despises the ,
dafardly Subterfuges of Falfebood and Slander.
The next material Circumflance in this Proclama
tion, is fufficient to make an boneft Man shudder.
is may be fyled, a Proclamation for the Encourage
ment of Perjury. Mr. Washington " fritfly
" commands and requires every Person," who has
taken a solemn Oath of Allegiance to the King, and
called God to witnejs the Truth and Sincerity of it,
to repair to Him or bis Officers, and take another
Jolemn Oath, and call Goa to witness the Sincerity
and Truth of his Adherence to the Cause of Rebel
lion. —Such an impious Disregard, —-such a flagrant
Violation, —of all that is serious and sacred among
Men, has rarely blen Jeen in any Age, Country or
Profeffion. For the Honour of human Nature, it
may be said, that it was left for Rebels to their
King and Destroyers of their Country, to give a
public SanAion to Wilful Perjury.
'Tis no Wonder, that a Principle of this Kind
foould be attended with a suitable Praßice. Mr.
Washington grants by this Proclamation " full
" Liberty" to all Jucb, as prefer the Protellion
of Great-Britain to his own, '' forthwith to witn
" draw themselves and Families within the Ene
" mies Lines." —This is only a Trap to difaver \
those who are not affected to the Rebellion; and
even this mean Idea has been followed by a Conduit,
of which a common Turk would have been ajham
ed. Dr. BROWN, of Newark in the ferfies, re
lying not merely upon Mr. Washington's Wora as
a Gentleman, but upon bis public Faith, pledged
in the foregoing Paper as a public Man, immediately
wrote to him, desiring Leave to withdraw himfelf
and Family to New-Tork, pursuant to his Procla
mation. Infead of complying with the Deflor's
Wishes, be sent a Party of bis Rebels to drag him
away to Morris-Town. He is now confined there
in a fail, his Family is almost difrafled, and all
bis Property seized. So much for the public I aith
of Mr. Washington!
He seems indebted for the las cruel Idea of bis
Proclamation to the worthy Author of Common
Sense andtbe American Crisis. This Gentleman
is for fixing all the Property of People, who refufe
to join in bis Measures, for the Sake of the Spoil;
and has the Confidence to declare, that jucb a Sei
zure would enable bis rebellious Adherents to carry
on the War for two Tears longer. 'Tis to be hop
ed, for the Honour and Safety of America, that
the good People of this Country well give an exafl
Account of him and some of bis Associates in bas
the Time. It is every Man's Interest, who has
any Thing to lose, to take Care of a Person, who
has the Impudence to profefs bimfelf a public Rob
ber and Defroytr, and can call this unheard of
Cruelty and Devafation by the Name of '' foft
“ Resentment." However, if Men, who can en
courage Perjury by Proclamation, andplunge Tbou
fands of Families into irretrievable Ruin, only for
the Purpose of a%fa:ring their dark Ambition ; if
Men, who can have the cotfummate Boldnejs to
break their public Faith, and, calling the gentle
Government of Britain Tyranny, can become the
mos insolent and outrageous Tyrants themselves ; if
Jucb can poffbly arrive at the Rule of this office hap
py Country ; it will be the Interest of every one,
who lives the Enjoyment of Liberty more than the
Sound, to retire from Amer ca asfpeedily as be can.
In fueb an Bvent, (which however is not likely to
happen) be would escape the Anarchy, Riot, and
Bloodjbed, which these " unprincipled Impofors"
sooner or later would spread over the Land, and,
which would then become the Vengeance of Provi
dence ifelf on this mos ungrateful and unnatural
Rebellion.)
Ticonderoga, November 15.
r y HE boat from Ticonderoga, called a flag
I of truce, may be sent back with the per
sons who came in it. Itis unnecessary to fay
more to these people than to repeat, that hi 3
Excellency the Commander in Chief, does not
permit Hags of truce, or any communication
witli the , American rebels—unless coming to
implore the King's mercy. Ihe allowing these
rebels in this boat to return, and not made
prisoners, is an inllance of the clemency of his
Malefty's officers to these unfortunate people,
but it is recommended to them, to be careful
how they venture within the posts of the army,
as they will be treated as Spies.
W. PHILIPS, M. General.
Camp at St. John's, Nov 15, 1776.
To Capt. Schanks, commanding the naval
department at St. John's, to be sent by him to
Lieut. Lancroft, and a copy of this may be
given to the rebels.,
... rt ^Ms^rt^^
The following Advertisement is taken from the CON
NECTICUT News-Papers.
“LOAN OFFICE^
" 'TC7"EREAS the railing and supplying the
VV "Continental army with thequuta assigned
“ to this State, requites our utmoll exertion; and not
" having monies from the CentinentA Congress in a
"ny Manner adequateJor that purpose, a Loan Office
" is established, by Or^et es Congress, in this State,
" to receivein such monies as may beoffered so; Loan.
“ John Lawrence, Esq; Tieafurer of this State, is ap
“ pointed Commissioner to superintend said Office ;
“ but proper certificates not being received to enable
“ him to secure such persons who may lodge the
“ fame ; it is ref:ved by the Assembly, that trie said
" John Lawrence, Esq; be empowered to iflue bis
“ Proclamation, giving notice to all persons disposed
“ to bring in such monies as he Shall receive—Pro
" mijing and assuring such person or persons so ledge
<'ing their monies, to produce to him or them, !uch
" Continental certificates, or assurances, as by them
" ordered. Otherwise that this State will stand liable
<'and accountable; to each and every perlon, for the
" refpe&ive sums by him or them so lodged, with
6 'the interest thereof, at the rate of four per
" cent, annually, till the principal be paid Agree
" able te which relolve, said Loan Office is now
c< opened for the receiving of monies, at the Treafur
" ei's Office in Hartford, this 13th day of January,
" 1777-"
[The Ingenuity and Patriotism of the above Scheme
of Loans are pretty equally matched, and, one would
imagine, tolerably evident to the meanest Capacity.
Not fatisfied with turning Paper into Caln for real
Property, the Gentlemen, who fit at the Helm in Con
necticut, even require Money for Nothing, and in
such a Hurry too, that the Lendeis are not to wait
for such Certificates, as the Congress have been pleas
ed to ttyle a proper Security. With Rofyea to this
extraordinary Advertisement, it sets cut with a Con
fcffion, that the Quota, aligned by the Congress, from
Connecticut, cannot be made good in an, adequate
Manner, and that therefore the People are to fubicribe
by Loan to the Supply of that Deficiency. What
this Free-will Offering will amount to, may be easily
guessed, and efpccially when it is to be advanced up
on the bare Sanction of a private Individual, who
may be honest indeed, but who may, if he pleases,
decamp with the Amount, as some others hate done
before him. And what is the utmotl Security pro
posed, after all ? It conies only to this. A ,obn
Lawrence is to pomife and to assure the Lenders,
that Continental Certificates flrall be given them for
their Money. Without meaning to pay any Com
pliment to this Mr. Lawrence, one would as soon
take bis Word for the Money as the Certificates of
the Congress: Both would amount to the fame Thing
in the Idue ; for neither will be able to restore a Dol
lar. Upon the whole, this is such a bare-faced At
tempt to gull People's Monies cut cf their Hands,
if they have Heart or Ability to spare any, that one
is struck with Aftoniffiment at the Ir.fult offered by
it to the lowed Understandings, and with greater Af
tonilhment that this and some other Circumstances
do not open the Eyes of the poor misguided Multi
tude to a View of the real State and desperate Situa
tion of their Affairs. But Ji decipi vult populus, de
cipiatur. The next Generation will have Reason 10
abhor, and perhaps Leisure to contemplate, the Mad
ness of this.]
From a BOSTON Paper, of December 15.
The following is a return given by order of
General Carleton, by a Slag @f truce from
NEW-YORK, February io.
The Milfoid Frigate lately took a large My
chant-Vcfl'cl, mounting twenty Guns, bound to Vir
ginia, and a Brig, bound to France, at one Time
within Sight of the Town of Boston.
We hear, that the Necessaries of Life are extra-,
vagantly dear at Boston, that the Town is but thinly
inhabited, that the People are in general difeontmted.
with the total Stagnation of Business, and that the
only Persons, who seem at all fatisfied or engaged,
'are the Milters and Crews of Privateers who resort
thither. The Leaders of Rebellion there are draught
ing every Fourth Man to recruit their Army.
The Rebels have colle&ed, as nearly as can be
conjectured, about 10,000 Men, at Providence and
its Environs. Their Spirits are much elated by the
late Surprize of the Hessian Post ; and, though it is
of no great Cor.fequence in the Issue of the War,
they boast of it as one of the most glorious and de
cisive Victories, that was ever atchieved. Their Fri
gates lay there as before, under the Protection of
bis Majelty's Ships; and they are fortifying (as
usual) with Ditches and Breaftwoiks all the Emi
nences about the Town.
It is affeited, that one whole Regiment, command
ed by Colonel Habbit of Norwich, lately quitted the
Rebel Army in New-England, find declared the,