The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-27 00:00:00, page 3

smitten with any thing that is grand—a lake, a
mountain, a tempest, or a capacious thought that
includes a thousand worlds, immediately captivate
my fancy, it instantly gets upon the wing, ranges
with delight through the extensive scene, and for
gets for a moment the real objects around me; Such
had been my fixation of mind, when I surrendered
the reigns of my imagination to the guidance of
the ingenious author of Common Sense—we foar'd
aloft into the wilds of fancy, the dull beaten tracks
of monarchy, we left far behind us, and found a
republic auiidd the stars; and though the Sun
might seem, to admiring mortals below, the grand
monarch of the heavenly bodies, yet we found
other funs and other worlds innumerable, who
might only be considered as PreJidents, not Mo
narchs, of the vast system; every where Ihone a
republic, the various constellations which enipangle
the Iky, united upon the principles of perfect equa
lity; and gravitating towards each other, with
wonderful adjustment, mutually attracted and mu
tually repelled; thus, gentle reader, w^ my ima
gination led captive, with fiery velocity, through a
a pleasing, unknown, and mighty expanse, till at
length, fatigued witli the rapidity of my courle. I
alighted in my easy chair, and took a recolledive
view of my journey; but alas, 1 could not call to
mind a single stage, on which I hid given rest to
:the loal of my loot; the Sun was too hot, Saturn
was too cold, the Moon tottered with unready mo
tion, Venus held forth deceitful pleasures. Mercury
was unfixed, Jupiter had too much the austerity of
monarchy about him, and Mars rolled his rivers in
torrents of blood; in Short, I could not find that
any part of my airy progress was fraught with
happiness, for a being that had so much of morta
lity about him; like Noah's dove I returned to the
ark, and began to confider, that it was better to
wait till the waters were assuaged, and to hope for
a pleating profped, of the former verdure, whicli
had Spread the plains and crowned the mountains;
but by no means to quit the ark, till it had reded
on dry ground, and till the heavens were serene.—
Thus 1 hood on the second reading of Common
Sense—determined to remain in the ark, that is, to
continue our present opposition to Great-Britain
till a firm basis of liberty can be eltablilhed, and
then to review thole pleasing happy haunts, which
I frequently had vificed in the innocent days of my
youth; where joys unmolested Imiled around me,
and plenteous fields broke in upon my wondering
fight from every avenue of the covert; fufely
these were not delusive ideal pleasures that, like
visions of the night, have deceived my mind, but
were the golden fruits of former days; fruits which
may grow again upon the lame foil, cherished by
the fame friendly hand—l know the wild boar of
the sorest has broken in upon our borders, and car
ried deftru&ion and devaflation before him; but
the huntsmen are in arms, the found of the horn is
gone forth, and I hope soon to hear of its utter
overthrow, for a Rockingham Camden, Richmond,
Ponfonby, Fitzwilliam, Abergavenny, Abingdon,
Manchester, &c. have joined the chafe — with
these men, and with every virtuous fan of Britain
may I end my days, in the mod perfeß union: by
their influence, and superior abilities, I will hope
to lee a total defection of the diabolical lyftm of
government, eftabliffied by the prelent rulingjunto,
and a happy, perfect harmony, reflored to both
countreis, being convinced, from every observation
I have been able to make, as well as from the uni
form Sentiments of the Honorable Continental Con
gress, that a reconciliation with Great Britain, up
on constitutional principles, is the most certain
foundation for American happiness. —
In a total Separation I behold a tedious and ex
pensive war; the blood of thousands bedewing the
ground, and the whole wealth of the continent,
the whole labour of a century, vanish'd in air; the
last is an object of trifling importance I grant, but
the loss of the lives of my fellow creatures, fills my
foul with horror: Whilst England continues bent
upon enforcing her cruel mandates, I also grant
that I fee nothing before me but death or Slavery;
but the prosecution of her plan must prove so ruin
ous to herfelf, that a day mult shortly come, when
her eyes will be opened, and then may her venge
ance burst on the heads of the contrivers of our
mutual ruin! However much we may flatter our
selves with affiance from France or diversions in
our favour from her forces, either in the Weft-
Indies or any other quarter, I cannot but acknow
ledge that I elteem them too problematical and un
certain for us to depend on. France and Spain
are natural enemies to every Englishman and
nothing can afford their politics a higher gratifi
cation, than viewing our unnatural contest; every
unhappy victim that falls on both Sides,' mull be a
political cause oftriumph, since the deftrudion of a
much dreaded rival, is effeded without loss of either
blood or treasure to them; that their merchants
will furnifh us with arms and military Stores, and
that the courts of France and Spain will wink at
the Supply, I most firmly believe, but this is all we
can look for, and all we have a right to expert;
for raging as our paflions are at present, againll
the authors of our calamities, I cannot but think
that a day quill come, when we Shall diferiminate
between our interests and our resentments; and
that we Shall reunite as brethren, that have differed
through the instigation of mifehievous incendiaries,
That nature must, at last, have its course, and
a total Operation take place, between the new and
the old world, I have not a doubt remaining ; but,
that the time is noav come, or as the author of Com
mon Sense has emphatically expressed it, that the
time has found us, I can by no means assent to,
from any thing 1 have yet Seen or heard on the
fubjed—that monarchical governments are destruc
tive of happiness, and that common wealths are
more likely to produce peace, fafety, and liberty to
a people, were pofnions equally just half a century
ago.—Every argument against the corruptions of
Kings, and the English form of government, might
have been then urged with equal force; the princi
ple remains invariably the fame; the true end of all
government is the happiness of the governed.—l
deSpile the doctrines of hereditary succession and di
vine right to rule, as inherent in this or that man,
I reject from my creed every ordinance that has not
the happiness of the people for its ultimate obje&—
but the grand questions are, is a change necessary,
and is this the time for it ? —
The firft question, with refpe& to the rudiments
of government, I have before Said, was as necessa
ry fifty years ago as at this day; but the second
question, which was to carry it into execution, was
to determihe them both: Had our forefathers fat in
council on the debate, they undoubtedly would
have thought it too early, in the day—they would
have weigh'd their then present certain Situation
with the uncertain future; every connection and
enjoyment, Separation and deprivation, would have
been canvassed with earnestness and attention, and
to which ever fide happiness preponderated, that
would have been their choice. We, it seems, fifty
years after, have taken up the important question.
I alk pardon of the Hon. Continental Congress and
the AfTemblies and Conventions of the Several colo
nies, for using the term We, I only mean the poli
tical writers on this question, for none of those bo
dies have yet meddled with it, but with all defer
ence I presume to hope, they will not deem the ar
guments on both sides unworthy of their notice:
Fire may be struck from flints, and honey extraded
from a poppy. I fay we have taken up the impor
tant question; it certainly then behoves us with the
utmost deliberation to confider every probable con-
Sequence; to view the ground well on which we
are to ered this amazing fabric; we must exped
the storms will beat, and the tempests blow upon
our building —our foundation Should be fixed upon
a mighty rock; which rock is the happiness of the
people; for unless the change will produce us more
real happiness, than we have heretofore enjoyed
we Shall long repent the change. I Should there
fore be glad to be informed by the writer of Com
mon Sente —
Whether in a new form of government, I Shall en
joy a greater portion of religious liberty than I have
been used to; whether I Shall have fuller security
than heretofore in proftffmg with this or that fed
of chriftians, of going to this or that place of wor
ship. of paying this or that minister of the Golpel,
or not paying at all if I Should join myfelf to such
feds as have no regular established preachers; whe
ther in matters of perlonal liberty, I fliall have a
Safer and more enlarged protection against men in
power, than the habeas corpus ad, or a trial by ju
ry has always given me; whether in matters of pro
perty I Shall be better guarded than by the present
laws of the land, determined by a jury of 12 honed
men; whether I Shall have laws more fitted to my
real happiness, than I now have by the men chosen
to reprelent me by an impartial ballot. Whether
the acquisition of property will be more easy for
me than heretofore, and whether the expences of
Supporting government, will be diminished. In
Short, I Should be glad to have it clear'd up to me,
that, I am to enjoy a greater liberty of conscience,
a greater degree of personal security, more natural
freedom, to possess more largely the means of ac
quiring a comfortable lubfiftence, and not to have
the expences of government call on me for taxes
overproportioned to the additional benefits to be
derived from the change—if these can be cleared up
to my Satisfaction—here's my hand and here's my
heart.—l am diverted of all prejudices in favour of
our old connection, except what are Sounded in a
recollection of the bleffmgs we once enjoyed, and
in the belief of a possibility of a happy reunion
At any rate I can difeover no immediate neceHity
for coming to a decision on the point—l Should
rather prefer dilpatching trusty ambassadors to
France and Spain, to know what dependence we
can have on their friendship, at the fame time to
keep up a perfed harmony and union amongst our
selves—every day adds Strength to America, and
England alone can fuffer by the delay; the ports
are now as open to all the world as they would be
by an adual declaration of independence; for even
then we Should have to combat the powers of Eng
land, just as we have now; and they finding us de
termined to cart off all connection, might exert
their forces more deftrudively than it is their inte
rest at prelent to attempt; as to France or Spain's
waiting for the form of a declaration of indepen
and, bedewing each others cheeks with tears of Sor
row. Shall pour balm into each others bleeding
wounds, the aggressor acknowledging his error and
the injured witli heroic manliness, dropping the
curtain of oblivion over the wrong he has sus
tained.
dence, I conceive no gentleman can seriously assign.
that as an argument ; when nation inclines to raise
against nation, it is their interert and their ability,
not their punctilio, which they have to consult.—•
No state ever yet was deterred from military enter
prizes, by the influence of modesty and decorum—
they may be motives with private persons, but never
with Princes.—ln the mean time we Shall be trying
the experiment of exporting our own produce, of
importing the manufactures of Europe, and of ob
serving the temper of the European powers—Some:
favourable change may happen in England, that
may give us a greater Share of liberty than we ever
enjoyed; life is uncertain to the greatef as well as
the leaf; a kind protecting arm of Providence may
be held fortli to our relief, and a happy Slop may
be put to the Sanguinary tide.—
“ He fees alike as equal God of all,
“ A hero perilh or a iparrow fall."
These my Countrymen are the Sentiments of a
man, who has no interest, but what is wound up
in your interest, who has not a with but for the
happiness of mankind, and who would think his
little all, too small a price for the purchase of the
peace, liberty, and Safety of America.
MODERATOR.
**-%%%%%^^^^
WIL LI A M SBU RG, April 13.
On Sunday the 30th tiothe sloop Liberty, of Perth Amboy,
from St. Euftatia, with 83 barrels of gunpowder, 21 bales of dry
goods, and two hogsheads of medicines, was 'aken by a tender,
off the capes of Philadelphia, and carried into Norfolk. lire
Captain, and three passengers, are made elofe prisoners. The
mate cicaped; he fays he was at Antigua, where were 7000 Bri
t th troops, making preparations to fail to some part of the con
tinent.
WATERTOWN, April 15.
Last Thursday three boats, with 26 hands, took a snow bound
from Grenada to Boson, James Fuz, mailer, and carried her into
Cohaffet. Her cargo consists of 354 puncheons of rum, 49 bar
rels of sugar, io barrals of coffee, 3 tons of hay, feme wood, and
about 10 barrels of perk and beef, a valuable prize.
NEW-L O ND O N, April 19.
By Capt. Bell, in eleven days from St. Martins we learn, that 15
fail of French ships of the line, and several frigates, had arrived at
Martinico, from Old France, a few days before he failed.
N E W-Y O R K, April 24.
ExtraQ f a letter from a gentleman at Albany, to his friend in
New-York.
“ I'have been told that General Wooster is gone to Quebec, and
that he had said, when he left Montreal, that he would scale the
walls of that place if there was space fufficent between them and
the heavens"
PHILADELPHI A.
Extract of a letter from Virginia, dated April 15.
" It is certain Mr. Archibald Govan's vessel, and a number of
Scotch passengers, are flopped, and the property feizA, chiefly
confiding of specie, to the amount of fifty thousand pounds,
which, if condemned, will be no bad firft fruits of your resolu
tion for reprisal. The vessel being Govan's, I suppose wißhe
considered as American property, but the cash, lr ke 'or granted,
was mostly collected for the principals in Scotland."
A letter from New-York, dated the 24th inst. fays, “ Seventy
men went ashore fr m the men of war at the Hiok, to get water,
bur, being attacked by our people, they fled into the light-houle,
where they are lurround A.”
rl Settled Citizen, Advertisements, &c, omitted
this meeh, for quant of room, foall have a place in
our next.
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T O BE SOLD,
A LOT of GROUND, adjoining the town
of Manheim, in the county of Lancaster,
containing two acres and one hundred and four
perches, being that out-lot, whicli in the plan of
the said town, is marked and called Number ten.
Also, one other LO T, in or near the said
town of Manheim, containing ten acres and forty
four perches, adjoining the lots of Frederick Leifer,
Nicholas Candour, and others, being that part of a
trart of seven hundred acres of land divided into
lots, which in the plan of the laid division is marked
and called Number thirty. The title and terms
may be known by applying to
3m. E RS FISHER.
RU N-A WAY the 22d inst-. from the Subicriber, in
Providence townfh p, Philadelphia county, an Enduh
SERVANT MAN, named THOMAS SALTAR, of
middle age and middle size, pretty broad and strong made, light
hair, a full face, red and impudent large nose, has had one of his
legs broke which is now fm^ler and shorter than the other, and
gives him a limp in his walking. He had on an old felt h.rt with
a very narrow rim, an old oznabrig shirt, a light cloth tipper
jacket half worn, having cuffs, and the Beeves a tittle diffeomr
coloured from the body, an old brown ferret cloth under jacket,
old leather breeches light blue flockings and old Ihoes. N very
apt to get in liquor and when so very noity and unruly. Whoever
secures him in any Gaol, so that his Matter may have him again,
shall have THREE POUNDS Reward,
paid by ROWLAND EVANS.
FOR Sale fpermaceti and train Oil, by the calk.
Apply to William Barrell, at his flore, the north
east corner of Market and Seconds Streets, where he
has a variety of DRY GOODS, the remains of his
last general importations, which he will fell 011
reasonable terms.
N. B. Pepper at fix Killings and sixpence per
pound by the half dozen or upw trds.
CA M E to the plantation of the Subicriber, on
the 30th of March last. in the township of
Northampton, in the county of Bucks, A bright:
bay HORSE, about 14. hands high, a large
Ear in h ; s forehead, trots and canters well; the
aid horse had a bridle on when taken up. The
owner coming, proving his property, paying
charges, may have him again, by applying to
April 7, 1776. JOHN BLAKER, junr.
Good & Cheap Writing Paper
To be Sold by the Printer hereof.