The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-19 00:00:00, page 1

By Virtue of a Decree of the Honorable Court of
Admiralty of this State, wdl be fold at pub
lick Vendue, for ready Money, on Monday the
21st Instant, at the House of Mrs. Watts on
Chingoteague.
rpHE Jhip Caroline: of London, lately made a
I Prize by the Harlequin privateer, Capt. Wool
fey, of Baltimore, with her fails, rigging, and ma
terials, being about zoo tuns burthen, plantation
built, about fx years old, but, having been firanded
'on the coast of England, has been face rebuilt, and
her keel, fern, fern pof, many of her futiocks and
floor timbers, of English oak, fee is fuppojed to be
equal, if not superior to a new American built vtfel.
An inventory of her fails, rigging, and materials,
may be seen at the Subferiber's, or on board said Jhip.
• —At the fame time will be fold part of cargo, con
fifing of choice Mufcovado sugars, and rum, flipped
on board said foip from Jamaica for the London mar
ket. And on the following day will commence the sale
of the refdue of the cargo, confining of 4.^0 bogfocads
°ffog ar > ""' <l7 puncheons of rum, at Pitt's land'-
iug, on Pocomoke river, in Chesapeake bay; which
lies convenient for transportation to any part of Vir
ginia, Maryland, or Philadelphia market, and will
continue until the whole is dijpofed of.
BEN. POWELL, Marshal.
Williamsburg, Oftobor 5, 1776.
THE RECORDER of DEEDS, for
the City and County of Philadelphia,
hath now in his Possession a Number of old
Deeds, for Premises situate in fevfral Parts of
the Province of Pennsylvania, the Lower Coun
ties on Delaware and New-Jersey; the Persons
who are entitled thereto may have them, on
producing proper Vouchers and Payment of
Fees.
'FIVE POUNDS Reward.
W'ENT away yeferday evening, a young Negro
woman named B ET, of middling feature,
fat and likely. She had on a blue foalloon jacket and
petticoat, white linen handkerchief and apron, black
leather high heelfoes,fiver buckles, and blue worfed
flockings with clocks. She took with her a new check
black and yellow fuff jacket and petticoat, a white
jacket and petticoat, a blue and white famped cotton
ditto, with sundry other clothes, and has had her ears
bored fir ear-rings. The said Negro belongs to a
gentleman of Maryland, and it is supposed foe is
concealed in this city. Whoever brings her to me, at
the sign of the Blue-Ball in Chefnutfreet, Philadel
phia, foall have the above Reward.
MICHAEL CLARKE.
A few Copies of the
Military Guide,
FO R
YOUNG OFFICERS,
By THOMAS SIMES, Esquire,
In Two Volumes, large Odavo, embfllilhed
with a Number of Copperplates,
[Price Three Dollars)
May be had of the PRINTER hereof.
'°"°L Ph&laaelpbia, )^ ^ w h om i t ma y concern.
Pennsylvania, J. )'
NOTICE is hereby given, that a Court of
Admiralty will be held at the Court-house,
in the city of Philadelphia, on Monday the 28th
,day of October inst. at ten o'clock in the forenoon
of the fame day, then and there to try the truth
of the fads alledged ip the bill of Captain Jones
of the armed sloop called the Providence (who as
well, &c.) against the brigantine or ycffel called the
Sea Nymph (her tackle, apparel, furniture and car
go) burthen about fifty tons, lately commanded by
Francis Trimingham, to the end & intent that the
owner or owners of the said brigantine and her car
go, or any perlon concerned therein may appear
and shew cause, ifany they have, why the lame
should nqt be condemned according to the prayer
of the laid bill. By order of the Judge.
October 10. ' ANDREW ROBESON, Regifterr
PENNSYLVANIA LEDGE R:
P Philadelphia: Printed by James Humphreys, junr. in Front-flrect, at the Corner of Black
horfe. Alley:—Where Essays. Articles of News, Advertisements, &c. are gratefully received and impartially inserted. And
Where Subferiptions are taken in for this Paper, at Ten Shillings per Year.,/
, OQober 19, 1776.
WEEKLY ADVERTISE R.
Or the Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New-Jersey
SATURDAY,
A Few Sets of
Lord Chefterfieid's Letters
May be had of the PRINTER.
<3,tb^ > + < ^ > t < ^ > * < ^ > * < ^ > *^ > * <& ^ > ^ fr< ^ > * < ^ > *' @ ^ > * < ^ > * < ^ >
A DIALOG UE between Orator Puff and
Peter Easy; on the proposed Plan or frame of
Government.
(Continued from our las )
Orator. nOHOU talkeft like a Bigot, Peter. Thou
I haft not forgot yet what thy nurse
told thee. This Frame is Io calculated to coax the
people, and is to be so suddenly carriedinto execu
tion, that it cannot be opposed, and at chd end of
nine years, if we are fuccefsful, people will think
Religion is of no conlequence in military operations.
Now, Peter, however amazing these alterations in
the qualifications, and, consequently, this new re
ligious foundation for our new Commonwealth
are, yet, fuppofihg one thing, thou must acknow
ledge the ingenuity and courage of our Statesmen
deserve admiration if not esteem,
Peter. How so?
Orator. Why, suppose foine of our Statesmen
dont like the Religion profeft in this country; sup
pose they dont think it simple enough, and they
should be afraid, that their fcniiments on thisfubjt&
are well known, how confoundedly mull they have
been gravelled, if they had not made this change.
Peter. What difficulty would they have been
under.,'
Orator. Why, if the antient declaration of Faith
was to be taken by every member of Assembly, such
men must either refufe to take them, and thereby
throw themselves out of power, or else take them
from time to time, as often as required, and so by
frequently and solemnly affirming to believe in a
Religion of which they did not believe a tittle, draw
down upon themselves the reproaches and detesta
tion of all worthy men who should know their real
fentiments.\ Whether this is the case, I leave dice
to judge from fads. Certain it is, that those inha
bitants of this State who do not believe the Chrifian
Religion, would have been very well off, if they had
only been allowed a toleration, and been permitted
to live undiffurbed; and, therefore, they are under
the greatest obligations to our Statesmen, who have
put it into their power to hold the higlnf Offices in
the government, and both to/ make Layvs, hnd to
execute them. The Chrifian Religion, Peter, has
fubfilled near eighteen centuries.
Peter. Near eighteen centuries! a long while—
a very long while./
Orator. Time alters opinions, Peter, thou know
eft— as the Poet fays, '
“ We think our Fathers Fools, so wife we grow,
“ Our wiser Sons, no doubt will think us so."
Peter. However, there seems to be no great live
lihood of any large number of perlons getting into
Offices of Power, who dont believe our Religion, as
long as the inhabitants in general continue Chrifians.
Orator. Ah ! Peter, that is true; but thou aft
no politician. Thou dost not comprehend, the mighty
influence, which the foundations of a Frame of
'Government as .to Religion, gradually produce in
the minds of men. In a few years men may argue
in this manner. " What could induce rhe patriotic
c f and wife Convention of Pennsylvania, that rao
" delled the Commonwealth in the year 1776 in so
" wonderful a manner as to excite the afonifsment
66 .of all America ? what could persuade that learned
" illufrious and venerable Body, to alter the old
" religious regulations as to offices in government,
“ and to put theMbrifian. ewijb, and Mabcmetad
" Religions, with relpectt hem on the fame fbot
“ ing? Is no regard due t( hh fintiments of those
“ enlightened fathers of th country? And inuft
“ not they have had con icing realons to have
" urged them to pass so f ntly over the Christian
“ Faith? Mud not they 1 ? e been persuaded that
" the public welfare woul >e.be/i promoted by this
“ condu&? Why, else, ^ id they have aded in
“ this manner? And if th public welfare will be
“ bes promoted by this ex ^ordinary political re
.“ finement, can it be preji cial to our font? That
"is impossible: For the& hit'" ~
THE
October 19. 1776.
“ motes the public welfare, must be best in ever/
“ relped.” May not this lead people, Peter, to
think with more indifference of the Cbrifian Reli
gion than they used to do? Oh, Peter, great things
may arise from this step of our Convention. They
are many of them bright men; they fee far into fu
turity. It must be acknowledged, that the Chrifian
/Religion, some how or other, difeourages many bold
exertions of the human mind. Rome and Athens,
Peter, were not Chrifian Commonwealths.
Peter. This innovation is very, extraordinary
indeed.
Orator. Now, Peter, I will give thee a most re
markable proof of the sagacity and depth of some of
our leading men. Thou obferveft in their plan, it
is said, " the supreme executive power Ihall be veiled
in a President and Council," and that this Council
may " appoint Judges, Naval officers, Judge of the
Admiralty, Attorney General, and other 'officers,
civil and military," &c. May “ hear and determine
impeachments," &c. &c. &c. This looks as if here
was a difribution of power between the Assembly
and Council; but it only looks so. Some shrewd
folks know this would not answer their purpose.
These great men, Pfer, know very well, that it
would not appear quite proper that, they should
all at once spring up into the highest offices of State.
They thought their being in a House of Assembly
amongst a number, would not be so exceptionable,
and knowing their popular abilities by the experi-,
ence they have had in the Convention, where th'ey
ruled as they pleased, they therefore have artfully
contrived a Frame of Government, which will ren
der the executive power dependent on the legislative,
that is, on the House of Assembly, where they pro-\
pose to fit and dilate for a while. The President
and Vice President are to be chosen annually by the
houfe,of Representatives, for as to the Council
joining in the choice, it is a mere farce, their num
ber being only twelve, and the Prefdent, Tice Pre
fdent, and Council are to be totally dependent on the
house for their pay. If the President and Vice Pre
sident exped to hold their places, or if the other
Councillors expea to be President or Vice President;
or if any of them exped to be paid for their services,
lec them take care how they disoblige their Govern
ors, the leading men in Assembly. Let them pay
due attention to the recommendations of these lead
ers in the appointment of all officers, and in every
part of their conduct. Again, by the twentieth
fedion, every officer of State judicial or executive,
may be impeached hy the Assembly before the
President or Vice % President and Council, thus
DEPENDENT ON THE ASSEMBLY. Wo be to the
officers, judicial or executive, that shall dare to dis
oblige one of our great Leaders in the Assembly.
Nay, our very Courts of justice, ah, the judges of
the Supreme Court itfelf will be liable at any mo
ment to feel the indignation of these Leaders—for
by the twenty-third lection they are to be commissi
oned for seven years only, and tho' it is said they
shall have fixed falai ies, yet they are to ba removeable
at any time by the Assembly for any thing they
please to,call “ mifeonduef." Thus our ingenious
and bold Leaders spurn out of our new State the
most revered maxims' that have ever been established
amongst men—such as this that judges should hold
their commissions curing gqod behaviour. It
is true the Continental Congress has expressly de
clared it to be a grievgnpe, that “ Judges of Courts
of Common Law should be dependent on ohe part
of the Legislature for their Salaries as well as for
the duration of their Commissions." But what is
their opinion? It is only opinion against opinion:
And between us, Peter, I dont believe there ever ;
were in any Congress, such men as cur Leaders in
the Convention.
Peter. But, Neighbour Puff, thou.fhouldft not
give all the credit of this invention to the leaders of
our Convention. Does not the New-Jersey Frame
of Government dired, that the judges of the Su
pretoe Court shall continue in office for seven years?
Orator' . Ics, yes, but the New-Jersey head pieces
were not like ours. They foohlhly provided, that
for those seven years, the Judges should jhold their
/Commifhons iCtb, behaved well, and should nor
c ~ be difmifLd chiefs th^y should be impeach'd, triA\
Numb. XCI.