The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-06-27 00:00:00, page 4

farming eonfequences; but ^hich have fence
Inke out with redoubled rigour and maligni
tv. Hr wa- awx e, he laid, how much he Should
fret the ac-tr.^e uad confqqenrltrpport of the
two noble Lords in profeCuing the buhneU 4
this dav ; but however unequal to the attempt
himfelf, he deemed it a part ot his duty, and
without considering minutely all the consequen
ces, he Should, in diZuarge of th.it duty, aban
don and renounce every collateral consideration
wnairvci, and dp what hd could, indeed of cf
feeing what he might wilh.
His Grace observed, that the justice of the
American war, tue rights of the mother coun
try, and the claims of America, had been so
frequently and so amply difeuffed, that he
Should avoid, as much as ) oflwle, every fad and
argument that couid pofluly tend to introduce
those fubjecls into the prelent debate. He
Should endeavour to confine himfelt tothe terms
of his motion respecting the treaties, and only
advert to such parts of the conduct of admini
stration, and the means hitherto adopted in the
prosecution of the war, as directly applied to
them. The firlt ground he rook was, giving a
Short history of the several treaties entered into
with the Landgraves of Hesse, beginning with
that made in the year 1702, and ending with
those several explanations and modifications ot
that mode at the commencement of the late war,
down so late as the year 1761, tvhen hi# Serene
Highness was indemnified tor the losses Sustain
ed in his Landgraviate, by that country's beihg
frequently made by the enemy the feat of war.
In this historical detail his Grace, Shewed, that
the Successive L mdgraves dill from time to time
rose in their demands, and still as they conti
nued to extort better terms, they never failed to
establish the former extortion as a precedent for
the bans of the Succeeding treaty, a'ways taking
care to make some new demand on this coun
trv. This he infilled was the case of the pre
sent. The preceding treaty to a subsidy added
its continuance to a certain period. The one
now under consideration doubled the subsidy.
His Grace then entered into several computati
ons on the different heads of pay, levy money,
subsidy, victualling and transport Service for the
troops, which he affi med would amount to
1,196,000!. and that this, with transport ser
vice tor the victuallers, would make 1,250,0001.
and if the other articles under the head of con
tingencies, &c. were included, rhe expence of
which could not be now afeertained, he had lit
tle doubt that the whole, taken together, would
be full one million and an half. He contended
that this was a mod enormous sum for the as
sistance of only 17,300 men, an expence he
would venture to maintain, considering the num"
ber to be employed, not known in the history
of mankind. Those matters, however serious
in the present miserable state of our finances,
and the enormous load of public burdens we
labour under, were not, he said, what pressed so
forcibly on his mind. It was the tenor of the
treaties, the ambiguous terms in wh : ch they
were word-d, in feme places the daw, rang pre
cedents they established were gwd ip- 'r
principal, al irmed his fears. He ob ereu,
grief and the best rounded jealousy, th it an 0-
rer-ruling influence had for some years part
pervaded our councils; that this influence had
ben exercised in effecting maafures of amoft
dangerous and dark complexion ; that it Some
times made its approaches by Wealth, at other
times m .de itfelf visible in open day, and pro
ceeded to ads of violence. Hanoverians had
been brought into the dominions of the British
Crown without the content of Parliament. An
attempt was made to introduce a body of fo
reigners into Ireland, which mifearried. He
said, he understood that the fame attempt would
be repeated, though he did npt pretend to au
thenticate it as a matter of fad. And if any
doubt remained, the present treaties afforded
am.de matter for great and serious alarm. In
the firft place, he observed, that they were
formed on no found principle of alliance or re
ciprocal Support. It iskrue, they were said to
be formed cn the balls of mutual fuccour and
support, but those expressions imported nothing,
they were mere words of courie. It was a
downright mercenary bargain, for the taking
into pay a certain number of hirelings, who
were bought and fold like so many beads for
fliughter. There was no common interest which
mutually bound the parties ; and if there was,
the conduct of the foreign Princes was the most
extraordinary that was ever known. They were
to be subsidized. They were to have levy mo
ney. They were to have double subsidy. Their
corps were to be kept up complete. They were
to be paid till the troops were returned to their
refpedive countries; and the fublidies weie to
be continued according to the tenor of the re-,
Ipeftive treaties, one or two years after the
troops ceased to be of any service to us. But
taking it on the other ground, that the treaties
were formed on the true basis of alliance, what
would be the consequence ? That if any of those
powers were attacked, or should wantonly pro
voke any attack, for the engagement was left
general and unconditional, that we should give
them (domer) all the fuccour in our power.
Thus, for the abidance of a few thousand fo
reign mercenaries, we are not only to pay dou
ble, but we are to enter into a solemn engage
ment to exert our whole force to give them all
the fuccour in our power, if the Landgrave, or
D ike shall be attacked r disturbed in the posses
sion of his dominions. His Grace begged next
to recal to the memory of their Lotdihips, the
language held by the friends of the present mea
sures towards the close of the late war. He
said, a very ingenious gentleman (Mr. Maudu
it) at rh.it period wrote a pamphlet, entitled,
“ Considerations on the German war," in
which he intro bced several computations of
the cost of every French fealp to this nation ;
AN evening paper of lad night fays, out
of the provision article of hogs lately sent
to Holton, we can allure the public, that what
from diseases and other accidents, only four
hogs were landed, which alter paying every ex
pense, flood government in the very moderate
sum of eleven hundred pounds per hog; the
four crout, from Similar circumihnces,colt them
Seven hundred pounds. Query, It an armv of
fiity thousand men, at (he distance of three thoy
fand miles, are to be fed at this expence (al
lowing them to be victorious) is it not paying
too dear for Such a conquest ?
Colonel St. Paul is appointed Minister Pleni
potentiary to the Court of France.
Orders are said to be given from the War
office, and also from the Victualing office, to
flop all provisions from being put on board the
transport Ships, and for the soldiers laying at
Portsmouth, Chatham, &c. from embarking,
and to step all other proceedings for 20 days.
March 30. Previous to the departure of the
foreign mercenaries to America, the Sums Sti
pulated tor their hire and pay is to be advan
ced by Great-Britain. The Prince of Waldec,
and several of the German Princes, who have
engaged to furnish troops, are expected in Eng
land. These Princes have ajufter notion of the
finances of England to permit their fubjeds to
embark before th y are paid tor their hire.
It is astonishing how any man could ever
dream of fending cavalry to America. Only .
let us for a moment conceive, a dragoon witty
his bags, his bucket, his boots, his belt, his ha
vre-fack, cloak, his cantine, his broadsword and
his carbine, gallopping round a tree to catch a
rifleman or an Indian! It is a cow catching a
hare. The idea is laughable if the consequen
ces were not serious.
and made it amount to ten thou@nd pounds per
head, lie therefore recommended to the no
ble Lords, who then approved ot that gerJe
man's estimate, to consider u hat an American
Scalp would cost, when 17,000 foreigners would
Hand us in at the rate of one million and a half
per annum. He observed, be had m.ny no 1c
Lords in his eye, who prnfelfed themSer cs ot
tho opinion. One noble Lord, now abtent
from his place (Lord Bute) made ule of the ve
ry arguments here adverted to, in debate. And
a noHe Duke now deceafed(the Duke of Bed
ford) maintained the fame opinions. He re
membered a little alter, when we were victori
ous in every quarter of the globe, wh n al we
wanted was money, and all we had to contend
with was climate, to prevent us from poll tfhig
ourselves of the whole of Spanish Amrrc , the
fame two noble Lords, and their friends, justi
fied the peace on no other ground but our ina
bility to raise new taxes. They allowed that
conquest was certain, but that the national debt
was enormous. Where then was the material
change of cifcumftances, after the conclusion of
the present campaign, when the debt which was.
after a thirteen year's peace, not reduced above
Seven millions, where the conquest was not cer
tairi, and where if it were, it would be a con
quest over our own fubje&s, operating to our
own ruin, unaccompanied by either fame, ho
nour, or reputation: would not we then, as at
the close of the late war, be in a Situation, when
even to prosecute certain conquest would be the
height of folly and political frenzy ?
His Grace then proceeded to point out seve
ral exceptionable packages in the treaties. He
remarked oil the danger of keeping.a body of
12,000 foreigners together, under the absolute
command of one of their own Generals: of the
possibility, though he Should consent to serve
under a junior officer, of his arriving at the su
preme command; and of the confufion which
might be created, by a difference on this head,
between the foreign General and the Comman
der ill Chief. He laid great stress on that pas-
Sage in the Hessian treaty, in which it was pro
vided, article 9, that his Majesty Shall make use
of this body of troops by land; in Europe,
whenever he Shall think proper. He said, he
could not fee what operations they could be em
ployed in, unless it were in this country, in case
ofa rebellion, or a revolt, which none forefaw
but the advisers of the present measures. He
observed, that the foreign troops were to be
double officered, which was another weighty and
useless expence ; that is, every company of 100
men were to have two Captains, four Lieute
nants, and two Ensigns, and so in proportion in
Servants, &c. So that out of the whole number
upwards of 3000 men were not to be tank and
file, contrary toevery rule of war, which, in a
given number of men, endeavours to render the
rank and file as numerous as the nature of the
Service will poffibiy allow; because it is on them
that the weight of attack or defence generally
rests. It is so in our own troops, and has#
ways been an established usage, never to allow
more than four officers to a corps of 100 men.
[ To be continue)
Apr : l 2. Mr. Hartley, member for Kingston
upon Hull rose a little after four; and in an in
trodudory speech, which laded till near fix o'-
clock, he went through the management of the
American war, in the departments of the army,
and navy, and endeavored to shew that the ex
pence far exceeded what had been dated to the
House by administration ; that the supplies vot
ed would prove inadequate ; that the estimate
fell short, as they had been laid before the
House; and that the real charge of the war for
the current year remained unprovided for. He
therefore moved, that a full and clear account
of the total expence for the navy and army
should be laid before the House, and he thought
it would be found to amount to twelve millions.
This is the belt information we could colled,
and we hope it is in fudance the meaning of the
LOND O N, March 29.
motion, but the gallery doors, ^s usual, were
locked.'
IYeltorday morning, four waggons lad th with
I money was sent off from the Bank, undera pro-
N per escort, to Portsmouth, for payment of ms
Aidjetty's Ships and the traafports lying there
bound to Am rica..
Notwithstanding the pacific notion of theSpa
niards, as we have been hitherto amused win,
we are credibly informed they have been a long
time both recruiting their infantry and marine,
that they have noJefs than four formid tble
camps at present forming, the principal of.
which is not far from the lines of Gibraltar,
and that there is in every department, both ci
vil and military, a great alacrity for ware.
April 13. General Burgoyne carried with
him 1200 fiat bottomed boats (all ready framed)
to carry his army aciofs the Lakes, to pene
trate into the back fettleraents of New-England.
Extract ofa letter from Bristol, April 13.
" This morning arrived here the Hibernia,
Capt. Knethell from Cork, who failed from
thence the 9th infant, and informs, the men of
war, with upwards of forty fail of transports un
der their convoy, failed the Bth from the Corp,
and as the wind blew frefh at N. E, and conti
nued so for some days, it is imagined they must
be got quite elear. The Tartar, Capt. Russel,
and the friendly Trader, with Several volunteers
on board, failed from this place for Cork and
America."
Extract of a letter from Madrid, March 17.
" Our Court seems to have quite given up
she propoled attempt of a Second expedition a
gainst Algiers. All the preparations for that
expedition have now another destination, and
are laid to be intended to watch over our fettle*
ments in America, as the war between England
and its Colonies lenders it neceiiary for all pow
ers who have any Settlements in those parts to
put them in so secure a Situation, that they may
be in no danger of Suffering from the above
mentioned disputes."
April 16. Leiters from Stockholm advise,
that the great activity Shewn in putting the ar
my, fleet and fortreffes in the best state of de
fence, causes much talk ; which, added to the
like activity in the Prussian ports, make some
think all things are not right between the two
powers : Time, however, will clear up this mat
ter.
Letters from Warsaw advise, that the jour
ney of Prince Henry of Prussia to Peterfburgh
is looked upon to relate to the affairs of other
nations besides those of Poland.
Since mv last arrived at Spithead ten trans
ports, to take on board the guards, &c. going to
America.
H A LI F^A X, May 14.
Last Tuesday morning arrived a vessel from ;
Casto, by her we learn, that a fleet of trans
ports (about 13 fail) full of troops were seen off
that place, supposed bound for Quebec.
Sunday last the Glasgow man of war, Capt.
Howe, with four vessels under her convoy, (la
den chiefly with Boston Tories) failed for Eng
land.
In this fleet went passengers, many Gentlmen
of distinction, viz. Fiancis Legge, Esq; Gover
nor and James Monk, Esq; Solicitor-General
of this province, Governor Wright of Georgia,
Thomas Oliver, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor of
Massachusetts Bay, and President of the Coun
cil, Hon. Peter Oliver, Harrison Gray, John
Murrey, Richard Lerhmere, John Erring, Na
thaniel Hatch, and George Erving Efqrs. Coun
fellors; Brigadier-General Royal, Col. Vassal,
John Gore, Esq; Adino Paddock, Esq; Capt.
Joye, Mr. Laughton, Mr. Brindley, Mr. Bowes,
Mr. Inman, Mr. Deblois, Thomas Danforth,
Esq; Benjamin Grindley, Esq; Mr. Pitman,
and Mr. Pelham, all of them of Boston, and
most of.them with families.
Saturday night arrived a packet from Eng
land for their Excellencies Admiral Shuldham,
and General Howe.
May 28. Wednesday last was sent in here by
the Orpheus frigate, Capt. Hammond, a French
schooner, which by her epurfe when taken, was
bound to Block Island near Connecticut.
Sunday evening arrived thebrig Elliot, Capt.
Squires, in four weeks and a few days from
London.
Since our last several transports and victuallers
The Spaniards are augmenting every garrison
of the least consequence in rhe Streights. At
Barcelona, an entire hew battery is railed of
18 pounders, all brass.
Some new regulations are to be made in the
navy departments; tor which orders are sent
to the Commiffiopers of the several dock yards
to attend the Admiralty board the Second of
next month. 1
, The last French mail brought certain accounts
that there was a fleet equipped at Toulon, and
ready to put to Sea upon three day's notice, con
lifting of twelve Ships of the line of battle, three
frigates and a bomb.
arrived here.
By rhe above veflels, we hear, that a number
cf transports with German troops, in his Maje
; fry's service, on board, were seen going up the
English Channel, the latter end of April ult. to
join Admiral Howe, who was expelled to fail
for America, about the middle of this month.
April 19. Yesterday an express arrived at
Lord Germaine's office from Governor Tryon
at New-York, which was immediately sent to
the King at Buckingham house.
Yesterday private letters were received at
Northumberland house from Lord Percy at B>f
tou,which were brought by way of New-York.
The two French thips which the Dickenfon
saw up the River Delaware, with ammunition
for Philadelphia, were both under French co
lours.
Noev in the Press, ar.,lvery fan will be pullifyd
OBSER VAT lON s'
ON THE
NATURE of CIVIL LIBERTY,
T U ? E
Principles of Government, and the Tu-
Ih'c.e and Policy ot the War with Ame
rica.
To which is added,
A x A P P EN D I X,
Containing a State of the. National Debt, an Es
timate of rhe'Money drawn from the Public
-by the Takes, and an Account ot the National
Income Ind Expenditure Since the last War.
He* miferi dies ! non Hefem, inimicaque cafra,
—Fefras Spes uritis. Virg.
By RICHARD PRICE, D. D. F. R.&-
, The following paragraph, extracted from a
ILondon paper, Serves to fyew the high esti
mation this performance is held in by the Com
mon Council of that metropolis:
" At a court of Common Council, held the
" loth inst. (March, 1776) amotion was made
" and carried by a great majority, that the
“ thanks of the court be given to Dr. Pr ice,
“ for his excellent pamphlet on Civil Liberty,
“ just published. Also That the freedom of this
" cit, be presented to him in a gold box of the va
"lne of FIFTY POUNDS."
Farther ExtraAs from this celebrated pamphlet.
=—! " The United Provinces of Holland
were once fubjed to the Spanilh.monarchy;' but,
provoked, by the violation of their charters; by
levies of money, without their consent; by the
introduction of Spanish troops among them;
by. innovations in their ancient mode of govern
ment ; and the rejection of their petitions,
they were driven to that refinance which we
and all the wcrld.have ever Since admired; and
which has given birth to one of the greatest and
happiest republics that ever exifled.
"The colonies are persuaded that they are
fighting for liberty. We fee them Sacrificing
to this perfyafion every private advantage. If
mistaken, and though guilty of irregularities,
they Should be pardoned by a people whose an
ceflors have given them so many examples of
Similar conduCf. . England Should venerate the
attachment to liberty, amidst all its excefles ;
and, instead of indignation and scorn, it
would be mod becoming them in the present
instance to declare their applause, and to lay to
the colonies, 6 We excuse your mistakes. We
'admire ypur Spirit. It is the spirit that has
' inore than once fared ourselves. We aSpire
' to no dominion over you. We underhand the
' rights of men too well to think of taking;
' from you the inestimable privileges ot govern
‘ i"g ybuffelvefr; and, iuftead of employing oct
4 power for any such furpofe, we offer it to
' you as a friendly and guardian power, to be
' a mediator in your quarrels; a protection a
' gainft your enemies; and an aid to you in
' establishing a plan of liberty that Shall make
6 you gr at and happy. In return, we alk n%
' thing but your gratitude and your commerce.'
“ One of the most violent enemies of the
colonies has pronounced them 6 all Mr. Locke's
difciples.' Glorious title! How Shameful is it
to make war against them for that reason?
" This war is difgraceful on account of the
persuasion which led to it, and under which it
has been undertaken. The general cry was last
winter, that the people of New-England were
a body of cowards, who would at once be tum
bled into submission by a hostile look from c<r
troops. In this light were they held up to jubre
derilion in both Houses of Parliament. --Indeed
no one can doubt, but that had it been believed
feme time ago, the people of America were
brave, more care would have been taken not to
provoke them.
" Suppose, in opposition to all their own de
clarations tha; the colonies are now aiming at
independence. 'lt they can subsist without vou;'
is it to be wondered at? Did there ever exist a
community, or even an individual, that would
not do the fame ? 'lf they cannot subsist with
out you;' let them alone. They will soon
come back. ' If you cannot fulfill without
them; reclaim them by kindness ; engage them
by moderation and equity. It is madneSs to re
fwlve to butcher them. This will make them
detest and avoid you for ever. Freemen are not
to be governed by force; or dragooned into
compliance. If capable of bearing to be 0
treated, it is a diigrace to be connected with
them.
" If they can subsist without you; and also
you without them, the attempt to Subjugate
them by confiscating their effects, burning their
towns, and ravaging their territories, is a wan
ton exertion of cruel ambition, which, however
common it has been among mankind, deserves
to be called by harder names than I choose to
apply to it.
" With refpe& to the Colonies; it would
be folly to pretend they aie faultlefs. They
were running faft into our vices. But this quar
rel gives them a salutary check : And it may be
permitted on purpose to favour them, and in
them the rest of mankind ; by making way for
the establishment, in an extensive country, pos
sessed of every advantage, a plan of government,
and a growing power that Shall aftonilh the.
world, and under which every fubjeß of human
enquiry Shall be open to free difluffion, and the
friends to liberty, in every quarter of the globe,
find a Ittfe retreat from civil and spiritual tyran
ny. I hope therefore our brethren in America
will forgive their enemies'. For it is certain
that thg know not what the, arc doing?