The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-02 00:00:00, page 3

times, when one may speak them without reserve, fofbeg
you will give me your honest sentiments n the fubjecl.
Wheatly. Why, Squire, if 1 must speak, I can't help
faying, that it looks very like a scheme of the citizens, to gee
xj to put money into their pockets ;— they can't Ihip off
wheat and flour as usual to Europe and the Weft Indies, and
therefore, thinks they, if we can get the farmers to raise a
large quantity of flax, they will be obliged to bring it to town,
and the merchants will fend it off to Virginia, Carolina and
Georgia ; and so whilst we have got our wheat (hut up in our
barns, and our mills all handing still, th, will be making
a,ret, penny of us. And don't you observe, Squire, their
cunning, in wanting to set up them spinning things about the
country for us to spin cotton and wool. Thinks they, if once
we can get the country people to use 'em, they will work Jo
fafl, that all the wool will be presently be spun up, and then
they will fend to the Carolinas for cotton, and we shall be
obliged to buy it, or b^ idle. Thus, you fee, they are
scheming it both ways, to make money of us — but don't
catch old birds with chaff, Squire.
Squire Shrewdly. This is a very serious matter, neigh
bour Wheatly, and you have routed a variety of thoughts in my
mind. As I have always found you ready to listen to reason;
and frankly to acknowledge an error, when you difepver it,
I, with the more pleasure, frequently converse with you.
Your notions, neighbour Wheatly, on this fubjed, are mucli
too confined. Don't you know, that all intercourse with
Great-Britain is suspended? That there has been, for above
twelve months, a total stoppage to the importation of linen
(except a little smuggled in from Holland) and that all the
flax now on the continent, will fcartely make us a nightcap
apiece? Is not your wife daily cutting up fheeis and aprons,
to put patches on your childrens fnirts ? Nay, did you not tell
me, that the piece of brown homespun linen, flicking out of
your pocket, was for the body-lining of , our daughter's wed
ding gown, because there was no white to be had—how then
do you expert to be clothed the ensuing year, unless an ample
quantity is provided ?—lt is not enough for you to raise flax
for your own family ; you seem to know that there are seve
ral Colonies which seldom raise any, and therefore, the very
argument you use against it, should induce you to culti
vate it, in the molt extensive manner.—ls you have no
market for your wheat, you ought greedily to embrace
the offer of so good a substitute, for a hundred pounds
neated by the one, is as good as a hundred pounds by the other.
So far from fufpefting the citizens of unfriendly designs, you
are extremely obliged to them for the proposal ; for, let the
bounty be what it will, a considerable part will come out of
their pockets, and the whole benefit will be reaped by you—
And as to the invention for expediting the spinning of cotton
and wool, the gain will also be wholly on your fide ; for if it
lessens labour, it will certainly lessen the cost of your clothes,
and thereby enable you to supply yourselves perhaps as cheap
as you have been used to buy out of the ftores:—Therefore, the
citizens are generously giving up their own interest, to serve
the present cause, for jurt so much as you make for yourselves,
just io much will they be obliged to lessen in their importa
tions, when trade resumes its old channel.
Wheatly. Why, Squire, you astound me—l really ask
their pardons, I now fee it as plain as the pipe in your Wor
ftip's mouth, that we ought to raise as much flax as we can,
and to spin as fart as we can too. I will sow every grain of my
feed, initead cf carrying it to the oil mill, and let my window
flutters go unpainted for another year, when oil will be as
plenty in the country as small beer—And if our Member gives
his vote againit setting up a thingamentary in our county, he
109
shan't have my interest at the next election—and so, Squire, I
must mount my herfe and jog on.
The conversation b'eingover, I was no longer diftarbed.—-
• : Q_ IN A CORNER.'
d'Hll,^Jh : t ri/.l j. L, .
. W^&artMtHh^ C^rnffiitteehf In(pedion andG^fervation
for the city and liberties have- appointed a PROVINCIAL
CONVENTION -to 'be held in this™ city on the fe&hd Jf
April next, in order to take into their consideration the pre
sent fate of the province. The last Provincial Convention
inverted them with the above authority.
It is said the following Colonels are appointed Brigadier-
Generals in the Continental army, viz. Armstrong, Thomp
son, Lewis, Howe, Moere, and Lord Sterling.
Extras of a letter from New-York, dated Feb. 25.
" I congratulate you on the late news from England.
Your COMMOM SENSE operates most powerfully upon
the minds of the people, but its effeds are trifling compared
with the effects of the folly, ihfanity and villany of the
King and his Ministers. Their lad ads have given thefaj/j
---% ftr°ke to dependance. The man who now talks of re
conciliation and reunion, ought to be pelted with Hones, by
the children, when he walks the streets, as a town fool. I
think, upon the principle not only of policy but of humanity,
some treaty should immediately be entered into with France,
ft would be politic, for a nation can never form alliances- with
another power with so much grace, honor, and security, as
when its affairs are in a prosperous condition. If we wait a
reverse of fortune, the proposal of l an alliance would have
the air of a Solicitation for protection. It would be humane,
because the very report of such an alliance would probably
prevent the effufion of much blood in the course of the next
campaign."
Extract of a letter from Cambridge, dated Feb. 15.
" Yesterday morning about forro'clock, the enemy landed
one thousand men, with two field pieces, on Dorchester Point,
and burnt all the houses on the Point, except three, which
were saved by our people. A Captain and seventy men, who
were on the Point, retired toa height between two causeways,
which adjoins to Roxbury, and there defended themselves
until they were reinforced by Col. Reid, with one thousand
men. The enemy, after setting the houses on fire, retreated to
the castle in boats. We loft two men, taken prisoners."
Last Tuesday were brought to this city two brass field pieces,
which were cast in New-York.
MARRIED. Mr. ISAAC LEWIS, of the Welch trad, to
Miss HANNAH DUCHE, of Cox's neck, Newcastle county.
The NEW-YORK POST was not arrived when this paper
went to press.
Extracts from the Votes and Proceedings of the General As
sembly of the colony of New-Jersey.
Tuesday, November 28, 1775.
The House took into consideration the inquiry had yester
day touching the petitions presented to this House; and it ap
pearing from the petitioners of the city of Burlington, who
were called in and heard, that they signed the fame from re
ports that some men affected independancy ; and being
alarmed at such sentiments, they were induced to present the
petition, hoping that the House would difeourage such senti
ments by their resolutions ; whereupon the several petitions
being read the second time,
I Resolved, That reports of independancy in the appre
hension of this House are groundless.
2 Resolved, That it be recommended to the Delegates es