The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-27 00:00:00, page 2

fell of kings, was signally verified to them, " when
a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even ids
enemies to be at peace with him." Pro. xvi, 7.
The benefits, advantages and favours we have
experienced by our dependence On, and connection
with, the kings and government, under which we
have enjoyed this happy date, appear to demand
from us cue greatest circumipedion, care and con
ftint endeavours, to guard against every attempt
to alter, or tubvert that dependence and connection
The Scenes lately presented to our view, and the
prospect before us, we are fenfiide, are very dihref
fing and difeouraging; and though we lament that
fuck amicable measures, as have been proposed,
both here and in England, for the adjustment of
die unhappy contests fubfiJing, have not yet been
effectual; nevertheless, we should rejoice to ob
serve the continuance of mutual peaceable endea
vours for effecting, a reconciliation; having grounds
to hope that the divin_ favour and bluffing will at
tend them.
“ It hath ever been our judgment and principle,
" fince'we were called to proteis the Light ot
“ Chritl jefus, m^niklEd in our consciences unto
“ this day, that the setting up, and putting down
" kings and governments, is God's peculiar prero
" gative; for causes bed known to himfelf: and
" that it is not our business, to have any hand or
“ contrivance therein; nor to be busy bodies above
“ our Ilation, much lets to plot and contrive the
" ruin, or overturn of any of them, but to pray
“ for the king, and fafety of our nation, and good
“ of all men; that we may live a peaceable and
" quiet life, in all godliness and honeity; under the
“ government which God is pleased to let over us."
Ancient Testimony, 1696, in Sewell's History.
May we therefore firmly unite in the abhorrence
of all such wvitings ;nd measures, as evidence a de
sire and design to break off the happy connection
we have heretofore enjoyed, with the kingdom of
Great- Britain, and our just and necefiry fubordi
nition to the king, and those who are lawfully
placed in authority under him; that thus the re
peated solemn declarations, mMe on this fubjeft,
in the addrelfes lent to the king, on the behalf of
the people of America in general, may be confirm
ed, and remain to be our firm and (incere intenti
ons to observe and fulfil.
Signed in and on behalf of a meeting of the Re
presentatives of our Religious Society, in Penn
sylvania and NewJerfey; held at Philadelphia,
the 20th day of the firfl month, 1776.
,JOHN PEMBERTON, Clerk,
tfo-fosfocfo?^^ *cfocfo^ocfoc^^
LON DO N, O&o. 23.
Extras of a letter from the Downs, Oct. 20
“ Last night in a violent gale, the Alice, Fraine,
from London to Dublin; Success, Wa lace, from
Peterfburgh for Barcelona; Mary, Marshall, from
Perth for Gibralter, and five others (but cannot
get their names) having loft their anchors and ca
bles, were obliged to run on shore on Sandwich
pats, and molt of them are bulged, but are in hopes
of having part of their cargoes and materials. We
do not hear of any lives being loft."
Extract of a letter from Portsmouth, Oft. 20.
" Yesterday arrived at Spichead, his Majesty's ship
Syren, from the Downs, with several transports un
der convoy bound for Boston; but as the wind blows
strong at W. S. W. cannot get their names."
Extrafl of a letter from Gofport, Ofl. 19.
“ Sir Peter Parker, who now commands his
Majesty's ship Barfleur of 90 guns, under Sir James
Douglas, who is Admiral of the I'quadron here, is
appointed to command his Majesty's ship Bridol,
of 50 guns, now at Chatham; and is to be second
in command at Boston, in America, with a broad
pendant."
More than four hundred hogs and dead sheep
were driven on shore in the high winds on Thurs
day in Cowes Road.
The prisoners in Newgate are much enraged
with the Americans for refuting to receive any more
transports from England; they complain they are
greater fufferers by the American dispute than any
other of his Majesty's fubjeds; for, fay they, if we
are lent to the colonies, the Americans vow they
will hang us if we land, and our countrymen will
hang us if we return.
Three more battalions are ordered from Ireland
for America.
TONER of L ONDON.
ORo. 24. Between the hours of nine and ten yef
fcrday morning, Mr. Stavely, of Half-moon street,
Piccadilly, and Mr. Mann of Queen Anne street,
Westminster (both King's messengers) attended by
a constable, repaired to the house of Stephen Sayre,
Eiq; in Oxford-ftreet. As an excuse to obtain an
interview with Mr. Sayre, these beggarly catch
poles of power pretented, that a Forged Draught,
for two hundred pounds, had been issued by the
bank of which Mr. Sayre is a proprieter. Obtain
ing I'Y such rascally means the interview they de
sired. Mr. Sayre no sooner appeared than the catch
poles acquainted him, that “ they had an order
" signed by Lord Rochford, one of the Secretaries
“ ot State, to take him into custody, on a charge
<' of High Treason; and to search for, seize, and
“ carry with them, such of his papers as they might
“ deem effectual for their purpose."
Mr. Sayre heard the summons with composure,
and obeyed its dictates with a manly dignity. Con
feious ofhis innocence, he foiled at the hemoufnefs
of the charge, and, in a -perfect reliance on his own
integrity, he permitted the government-riders to
plunder his efcrutores, to ransack his boxes, and
to pillage his bureaus. No sooner did they lay their
hands on a letter from Mrs. Macaulay (fitter to the
Lord Mayoi eled) and another letter, addressed to
" the Livery of London," under the signature of
" Barnard's Ghost," than they seized them with
the hand of rapacity, and carried them off with as
little feeling as men unaccustomed to honesty, in
the service of Goverment, usually experience.
.Mr. Sayre expressed his readiness to accompany
the King's Catchpoles unto Lord Rochford's house,
having previously difp itched a servant to Mr. Rey
nolds, requiring his attendance with the utmost ex
pedition. The King's Messengers, Thief-takers, or
Catchpoles (call them which you will) conducted
Mr. Sayre to (he pretence of Lord Rochford; and,
left Judice should perceive the villainy of oppreflion,
her eyes were blinded—for Sir John Fielding was
prefect. An information from one Richardton (an
Adjutant ot the guards) was read. The charge
contained in this information, was to the following
purport:
" That Stephen Sayre, Esq; had exprefled to
him, the said Richardion. an intention of seizing
the King's perfon,' as his Majesty went' on Thurs
day to the Parliament House; alto an intention of
taking possession of the Tower, and of overturning
the prelent government"
After this information had been read, Mr. Sayre
replied to the separate charges with that fort of
composure which ever accompanies heart-felt in
nocence; he stated how very Rightly he was ac
quainted with Adjutant Richardion, the informer;
he mentioned the only conversation which had ever
puffed between them; and he was about to enter
more largely into the futility of the charge, when
it was announced to Lord Rochford and the blind
Justice, “ that Mr. Reynolds demanded immediate
admittance to his client." That the chicanery of
courts might not be laid aside. several messages
puffed, but that which could not be denied as a
matter of Right, was Joon, very courteously, grant
ed as a matter of Favour. Mr. Reynolds was ad
mitted, becauie it was impoflible, confident with
justice, to refute his admittance. Having been in
troduced to Lord Rochford and Sir John Fielding,
the latter put the following question to Mr. Rey
nolds:
" Is it Mr. Sayre's desire that you should attend
in his behalf ?"
Mr. Reynolds replied in the affirmative. Sir
John Fielding, with a greater share of audacity
than decorum, said, “ that this was not true." Mr.
Reynolds with a very proper degree of spirit, re
plied, “ that Sir John "Fielding, as a Maghlratc
might fay that which, as a Gentleman he could not
juftify." The blind Knight then desired that it
might be asked of Mr. Sayre ''Whether he had
sent for Mr. Reynolds?" Mr. Sayre replied, “ he
had sent for him, without mentioning the place
where he was to attend."
These particulars being adjusted, it was agreed
that Mr. Reynolds might attend the private exami
nation ot his Friend. The firft advice Mr. Rey
nolds gave to Mr. Sayre, was this, " That he should
answer no interrogatories which Lord Rochford or
Sir John Fielding might propound; and that he
should not sign any paper."
The information which contained the charge was
a second time read at the requeit 01 Mr. Sayre who
smiling at the recital, Mr. Reynolds joined in the
laugh, and said, " that the whole was 100 ridicu
lous to be ferioufle attended to." An altercation
then entued between Mr. Reynolds and Adjutant
Richardson the Informer. Ihe two Middlesex jus
tices Lord Rochtord and Sir John fielding, were
requeued by the informer to Silence Mr. Reynolds.
He saved them the trouble by observing " that he
should always pay a proper deference to authority,
but whatever he had there laid of the Informer, he
would repeat in any other place whatever.'
Mr. Reynoldsthen told Lord Rochford, “ that if
after consulting the great law orheers ot itace (which
his Lordship would do of courie) as the informa
tion did not amount to a direct charge againit Mr.
Sayre, his Lordship should think himlelt warranted
to receive bail, ample and luhicieni bail Should be
given; but if it was thought warrantable to com
mit, he scorned to ask a favour for his client."
Mr. Sayre was ordered into an adjacent apart
ment, and he was icon afterwards committed a
cloie prisoner to the IGW ER.
It would be a Scandalous omission to conclude
this narrative without doing justice to the behavior
of Mr Sayre. As a subject of a free State, his
demeanor was manly; as a Patriot it was intrepid;
as a Gentleman it was polite. He treated the ma
lice of informers with the utmolt contempt, the iu
tility of informations, when preferred by the crea
tures, and countenanced by the authority ol govern
ment, this he smiled at with ineffable uiluain. “ Ilie
unhappy effects of Such informations, government
(Mr Sayre said) had amply experienced by giving
ear to Bernard and Hutchinjon. By ialie inlorma
tions, and the vilest of luggellions, thele men had
consented to become the willing instruments in car
rying on the purpoies of a bloody minded adminis
tration. But whatever Informers government might
encourage, integrity was a Shield which would pro
te& men of honour from their fhafis. Defended by
that Shield, Mr. Sayre laid, he Should enter the a
partments of a prison conscious that they would
prove a Safe asylum for virtue."
08. 30. We hear that Lord North's Declaration,
in the House of Commons, “ that notwithstanding
the offers of foreign afliftance his Majesty had re
ceived, he was not fond of accepting of any such,
unless in cases of the most urgent necessity; and
that he intended to fend, at one and the fame time,
the most equitable Terms of RECONCILIATION
to our fellow-fubjeds in America, and a most re
fpedable part of our Army and Navy, to enforce
obedience in case those terms should be rejeded," —
meets with universal approbation.
The Duke of Grafton on Thursday in the House
of Lords, to the astonishment of almost everybody
drew out his whole artillery against administration;
he said, the part they were taking against America,
was equally difgraceful to statesmen and Britons,
as it was injurious to the rights of humanity,—that
he trembled tor the dismemberment of so great a
part of our empire, which he had no doubt would
be effected, if some Special check was not given to
the dreadful operations of war; that if Administra
tion was determined to go on, all he could do would
be to give them every opposition in his power, and
that he would not be retrained from this on any
consideration whatsoever—that he should make all
kind of business nay even sickness itielf bend to this
duty, forthat if his health would not otherwise per
mit it, he would be carried in a litter to the house.
Likewise the Bishop of Peterborough, in a strain
fuicable to the dignity of his profeflion, pressed with
great humanity the Hoppage of human blood.
The popular party is strengthened this feflion
with the Duke of Grafton, the Bishop of Peter
borough, General Conway, and most of their con
nections in both houses.
Extract of a letter from Chatham, OR. 26.
“ Tuesday failed from hence for America, hav
ing on board a detachment of marines, confining
of one lieut. one ferjeant, one corporal, one drum
mer, and forty private men, the Boreas frigate of
48 guns, Capt. Thompson; she has flopped at
Black-stakes to take in her powder and artillery,
after which she is to proceed dire&ly on her voyage.
" Same Day allo, the Bristol, a fine new ship of
50 guns, was launched from his Majesty's dock yard
at Sheerness; She is put into commission, bound for
America, and on board ofher commodore Sir Peter
Parker is to hoist his broad pendent."
A Letter from Pembroke, dated the 25th instant
mentions, that several pieces of wrecks, and a great
many dead bodies were continually coming on shore
there, Some without legs and others without arms,
&c. two more were fecn floating without heads.
By Virtue of a habeas corpus granted on Thurs
day night by Lord Mansfield, Stephen Sayre, Esq;
was on Saturday morning at ten o'clock convey
ed by the proper officers from the Tower to Lord
Mansfields house in Bloomfbury-fquare. Messrs.
Adair, Dayrell, Lucas, Alleyne and Lee attended
on the part of Mr. Sayre ; and White, partner with
the solicitor of the treasury, on the part of the
crown. After the two firft mentioned counsel had
descanted for some little time on the impropriety of
Mr. Sayre's being committed to elofe confinement
by virtue of the warrant of commitment, which on
ly conveyed a general charge; and Mr. White hav
ing declared that he had no inftru&ions to oppose
the bail, his Lordship called for the warrant ot com
mitment; and immediately after perusing it pro
nounced, that he had not the least doubt of Mr.
Sayre's being entitled to bail; as he observed, that,
that Gentleman was only charged with treasonable
practices, and that he (Lord M.) should not have
retufed the bail if Mr. Sayre had come without any
counsel. Bail was accordingly diredly offered and
accepted, viz. Mr. Sayre himlelf in 5001. and John
Reynolds and Coote Purdon, Efqrs. in 2501. each.
Mr. Sayre very politely thanked Lord Mansfield
for his readiness in granting the writ, and conse
quently giving him his personal liberty, at the fame
time observing, that he hoped his Lordship would
join with him " in looking back with veneration on
the wisdom and spirit ot our ancestors, in guarding
the fubje& by such effectual barriers against the
Inroads of despotism in the worst of times." To
which his Lordship replied, " I hope lb too; Mr.
S. let us both act constitutionally, and we shall tall
into no difficulties or dangers."
Mr. Sayre afterwards returned with his Lady to
their house in Oxford-ftreet; and his friends to their
relpe&ive homes.
The Lord Mayor was present, and received very
politely by Lord Mansfield.
Nov. 2. Last night's Gazette contains the fol
lowing addresses to his Majesty, relative to the pro
ceedings of the Americans, viz. of the High Sheriff,
Justices, Gentlemen, Clergy, and Freeholders of
the county of Carmarthen; of the corporation and
inhabitants of Arundal in Sussex; of the Chancellor,
Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford;
of the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of
the city of Stirling; of the Bailiffs and Citizens of
Litchfield; of the Corporation and principal Inha
bitants of Barneftable ; of the Corporation and In
habitants of Bridgewater; of the Provost, Magis
trates, and Town Council of Dundee ; of the Cor
poration of Abington, Berks; and ot the Provost,
Magistrates, and Council of Aberdeen.