The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-02-08 00:00:00, page 1

L O N D O N, Ocl. 31.
Tie Humble ADDRESS ofthe HOUSE
of COMMONS to /ASKING.
Me# gt acinus Sovereign,
$-V^^W^^^ your Majesty's most duti
&sac^fy^Wofr ful and « )yal fubjeds, the
^ ^ oo<n s § ^ Commons of Great-Britain
_s" W § &m in Parliament aifuflbled, beg
& £ sr<co^$ r<co ^ I/( leave to return to your Ma
<^^fyfctoxfy', jetty the humble thanks
^'^^^ -%,"* of this House, tor your most
vicious Speech from the Throne.
" Permit us. Sir, to affine your Majesty
that we have long lamented rhe conditions! our
unhappy fellow fubj^fts in America ; seduced
from their allegiance by the grofleft mifrepfe
fentations, and the moll wicked and inlidious
pretences, they have been made the instruments'
of the ambition and traitorous designs of those
dangerous men who have led them hep by step
to the ilandard of rebellion, who have now as
sumed the powers of fovereig, authority, which
they exercise in the most despotic and arbitrary
manner, over the persons and properties of this
delu ' 'people.
'' Your faithful Commons took a sincere part
in your Majesty's benevolent and paternal de
sire, rather to reclaim than to subdue the most
refractory, of your colonies ; and by your Majef
tv's great example, we were anxious to prevent
if it had been possible, the effution of the blood
of our fellow fubjeds, and the calamities which
are inseparable from a state of war ; we fill
hoped that your Majesty's people in America
would have difeerned the traitorous views of
their leaders, would have considered how ruin
ous even their success must be to themselves,
and been convinced that constitutional fubjedion
,0 Great-Britain, is the treed and happiest con
dition of any civil society in the known world;
tut we now fee with indignation, that no other
life has been made of the moderation and for
bearance of your Majesty, and your Parliament,
but to ftrengtheh the preparations of this despe
rate conspiracy ; and that the rebellious war
now levied is become more general, and mani
festly carried on tor the purpose of elHblifhing
an independent empire.
" We beg leave to assure your Majesty of
our entire concurrence with your Majesty, in
thinking that it is now become the part of
wisdom, and (in its effects) of clemency, to put
a speedy end to the e disorders, by the most de
cisive exertions ; and that we learn with the
greatest fatisfadtion, that, for this purpose,
your Majesty has encreafed your naval eftabliih
ment and greatly augmented your land forces,
in such a manner as may be the left burthen
fome to your kingdoms ; and we will cheerful
ly and effectually support your Mojefty in such
. necessary measures, and enable your Majesty,
when the occasion shall require 6, to avail your
fclf of the friendly offers which your Majesty
has received of foreign a'diftance : We thank
fully acknowledge the gracious confederations
which induced your Majesty to fend a part of
your electoral troops to the garrison of Gibral
tar and Port Mahon, in order that a larger
number of the eflablifhed forces ofthis kingdom
might be applied to the maintenance of its au
thority; and we are bound in duty to return
vour Majesty our particular thanks for point
ing out to us fom the Throne, the constituti
on d resources of our well modelled and well re
gulated national militia; which upon every
great emergence, cannot fail of affording secu
rity to your Majesty's realm, and of giving
at the fame time, extent and activity to your
military operations.
“ It is with the highest fatisfa&ion and gra
titude, we hear the affectionate declaration of
the father of his people, that when the un
happy and deluded multitude, against Whom
this force will be directed, shall become sen
sible of their error, your Majesty will be ready
to receive the milled with tenderness and mercy;
and your Majesty's gracious communication,
of vour intention to give authority to certain
persons on the spot, to grant general and par
ticular pardons and indemnities, in such a
manner and to such persons as they shall think
ft, and to receive the iubmiffion of.any pro
vince or colony which may te disposed to re-
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 19 s. per Ct.
A Wheaten Loaf of the fined FLOUR, to
weigh 1 lb. 8 1-2 oz. tor 4 Coppers.
,V OL.L N UMB. 6
THE,
^«%taWhyb ^^A f&hr^hri+ ^
AMERICAN^ ^G^^a ADVERTISER.
— __^ —_______ —__ _ —_— : _
T H U R,S D A Y, FEBRUARY Brh, ! 77 6.
Published M~\ 2, i„fo
Printed by S A MUEL LOUDON, in Water-Street, between the Coffee-House ^nd the Old Slip.
Thursday, „ Min. after 11
Friday, 3g Min. alter 12
Saturday, 17 Min. after 1
Sunday, g 8 Min. after 1
turn to its allegiance, demands our warmed
acknowledgments, and we shall be ready to
give our concurrence to such meafhres, as may
bed contribute to carry your Majetty's wife
and humane intentions into execution.
" Every motive and every interest, that can
animate the hearts of loyal fubjeds, call upon
your faithful Commons to grant to your Majes
ty such lupphes, as the circumstance and exigen
cy ot affairs may require ; and being fully con
vinced, that the security of those advantages
which are derived to the commerce, the manu
factures and the navigation of your Majefly's
kingdoms, from the American colonies must
ever depend on their being held in >that due
Subordination to the legislature of Great-Britain
in whicli the constitution has placed them, we
fnould be wanting in the duty, which we owe
to our constituents, ourselves and our posterity,
if we did not engage witlvour lives and fortunes
to support this great and important cause, in
which the rights of your Majesty's crown, and
and the interest of your people are so effectually
concerned; and we hope and trust that we shall
by the bidding of God, put such strength and
force into your Majesty's hands, as may soon
defeat and lupprefs this rebellion, and enable
your Majesty td accomplish your gracious wish
of re-eftablilhing order, tranquility and happi
ness, through all the parts of your united em
pire."
To which bis Majesty was pleaded to return
the following most gracious Anfacr.
" Gentlemen,
" I return you my hearty thanks for this
" loyal and dutiful Address. I promise myfelf
" the molt happy consequences from the Very
" dutiful and affectionate assurances of the sup
" port ofmy Commons on this great and iin
" portant conjuncture; and I have a firm con
" fiaence, that by the bleffingof God, and the
“ juftneis of the cause, and by the affidance
" of my parliaments, I shall be enabled to sup
“ press this dangerous rebellion, and to attain
" the most defireable end of restoring my sub
" J' c G in America, to the free and happy
" condition, and to the peace and profpe
" rity, which they enjoyed in their conliitu
“ tional dependance, before the breaking out
" of these unhappy disorders."
October 17. Ihe following address, memorial
and petition of the gentlemen, merchants and
traders of London, unanimously agreed to at a
general meeting, called by public advertisement,
was presented to his Majesty on Wednesday Est,
by William Baker, Esq; Chairman, accompanied
by John Sawbfidge and George Hayley, Efqrs.
two of the representatives of this city (Mr. Oli
ver having been absent from town, and Mr.
Bull confined by klnefs) and it n®t having ap
peared in the London Gazette, it is thought
proper to adopt this method of communicating
it to the Public.
To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY.
The humble address, memorial and petition of
the gentlemen, merchants and traders of
London.
May it pleaft your Majefly,
WEyour Majesty's most dutiful and loyal
fubjeds, the gentlemen, merchants and traders
of London, beg leave to approach your Majesty
with unfeigned assurance of affection and attach
ment to your Majesty's person and government,
and to represent with great humility our senti
ments on the present alarming date of public
affairs.
By the operation of divers acts of the British
Parliament, we behold with deep affiliation, that
happy communion of interests and good offices
which had so long subsisted between this country
and America suspended, and an intercourse,
(which augmenting as it grew, the strength and
dignity of your Majesty's dominions, hath en
abled your Majesty to defeat the natural rivals
of your greatness in every quarter of the world)
threatened with irretrievable ruin.
We should humbly represent to your Majesty,
if they had not been already represented, the
deadly wounds which the commerce of this
country must feel from these unfortunate mea
sures ; that it has not yet more deeply felt them,
is owing to temporary and accidental causes
which cannot long continue.
HIGH WATER at NEW-YORK.
Monday, 43 Min. after 2
Tuesday, 32 Min. after 3
Wednesday, 23 Min. after 4
Lalt Quarter 12th.
The experience we have had of your Majes
ty's paternal regard for the welfare and privi
leges of all yo A people, and the opinion we en
tertain of the justice of the ihitifh Parliament,
forbid us to believe, that laws so repugnant to
the policy of former times, would have received
theif fandion, had the real circumllances and
Sentiments of the colonics been thoroughly un
derstood, or the true principles of their connec
tion with the mother country been duly weigh
ed: we are therefore necessarily constrained to
impute blame to those, by whom your Majesty
and the Parliament have been designedly milled,
or partially informed of those matters, on a full
knowledge of which alone, determinations of
such importance Should hive been founded.
We beg leave further to represent to your
Majesty, that in auctions of high national con
cern, affecting the dearest interests of a State,
Speculation and experiment are Seldom to be
justified; that want of forefight is want ofjudg
ment; and perseverance in measures which re
peated experiences hath condemned, ceases to
be error.
But we beg your Majesty to cast an eye on
the general property of this land, and to refled
what mull be its fate when deprived of our A
meriean commerce.
It fills our minds with additional grief to fee
the blood and treasure of your Majesty's fubje&s
wafted in effedinga fatal Separation between the
different parts of your Majesty's empire, by a
war, uncertain in rhe event, deftrudive in its
cox Sequences, and the object contended for loft
in the canteft.
Wg mitfht appeal to the history of all countries
to flicw, that force hath never been employed
with Iticcels, to change the opinions or convince
rhe minds of freemen; and from the annuls of
our own in particular, we learn that the free
and voluntary gifts of the fubjed have ever ex
ceeded the exactions or the sword.
Retraining, prohibitory, and penal laws have
failed to re-ehabliffi the public tranquility ; and
the present date of this unfortunate dispute af
fords reason to believe, that it is commenced
without policy, it must be prosecuted by means
which the natural and conflitutional strength of
Great Britain cannot supply.
In your Majesty's justice we confide for a fair
conftruCtion of an apprehension we have conceiv
ed, that your Majesty hath been advised to take
foreign troops into British pay, and to raise and
discipline Papists, both in Ireland and Canada,
for the purpose of enforcing laws, which your
Majesty's Protestant fubje&s in America con
ceive to be deftru&ive of their liberties, and a
guinft which they have repeatedly petitioned
in vain.
Anxious to vindicate the national honour,
we would willingly diferedit reports of slaves
incited to infurreCtion, and barbarous nations
encouraged to take arms againff our American
brethren, if they had not prevailed without re
futation, and filled the minds of your Majesty's
faithful fubje&s with indignation and hor
ror.
If to these circumstances of peril and dis
tress, our fears could suggest any addition, we
might justly exped it from the resentment of
those powerful enemies, who have ever (hewn
a readinets to take advantage of our internal
commotions, and joyfully embrace the occasion
of avenging the disgrace they sustained during
the late glorious war, from the united arms of
Great-Britain and America---and we should in
deed be reduced to difpair, but that we are
encouraged to look up to your Majesty, the
common father of all your people, as the happy
instrument in the hands of divine providence,
which bringeth good out of evil, forreftoring to
this diftra&ed empire the bleflings of mutual
confidence, liberty, and peace.
Forthe speedy effecting of which, we most
humbly beseech your Majesty to cause hostili
ties to cease in your Majesty's colonies in Ame
rica, and to adopt such mode of reconciling this
i inh 4ppy controversy, as may best promote
the interest of commerce, and the welfare of
all your people.
The number of names signed to this petition
were one thousand one hundred.
St. James's, 03. 14. The following Gentle
men, viz. Ilaae Hughes, Esq; Chairman, the
Right Hon, Thomas Harley, Zachary. Philip
Wheat per Bushel, 6s. od.l
Flour, -I- -19 s. od.
Brown Bread, -13 s. 6d.
Weft-India Rum, 4s. 6d.
New-England do. 3s. odd
PRICE-CURRENT, in NEW-YORK.
Mufeovado Sugar, 6os. od.
Single refin'd do. is . 2d.
Molafles, - - - 2s. Bd.
Beef, per Barrel, q§s. od.
Pork, - - -70 s. od.
With regret and indignation we fee colonies,
which owe their exigence, and every blessing
that attended their late prosperous situation, to
this their parent country, unnaturally regard
left of the foftering hand that raised and ' fop
ported them, and adcaihg diminutions in their
dependance, not founded in law, or in the con
stitution of Great-Britain.
Fonnereau, John Cornwall, John Rily, Samuel
Smith, George Stainiorth, Peter Cazaret, Rich
ard Willis, John William Anderson, Benjamin
Winthrop, Edward Foster, James Bogle French,
Bignall Potter, and Peter Hodgfo n , Efqrs. hav
ing been deputed to attend his Majesty, with an
address of a very numerous body of the mer
chants and traders of the city of London, they
•did all; (except Mr. Cornwall and Mr . Rilr,
who were prevented by illncfs) wait on his Ma
jesty with tie following address, being introdu
ced by the Lord of his Majesty's bed-chamber
in waiting: which address his Majesty was
pleased to receive very gracionfly; and they
had the honour to kiss his Majefty' shand, ,
To the KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY,
Theft gracious Sovereign,
WE your Majesty's faithful and loyal fub
jeCls, merchants and traders of the city of Lon
don, filled witn the deepest concern at the on
juftifiable proceedings of some of your Majefy '3
colonies in America, beg leave to approach your
Royal throne, to teftify our entire disapprobati
on and abhorrence of them; with the inoft so
lemn assurances, that we will fopport your Ma
jesty with our lives and fortunes, in maintaining
the authority of the legislature of this country'
which, we conceive, does and ought to extend
over and pervade every part of the British do
minions.
We are convinced, by the experienced cle
mency of your Majesty's government, that no
endeavours will be wanting to induce our de
luded fellow fubje&s to return to their obedi
ence to that constitution which our anceflors
bled to e&blifh, and which has flourifhed pure
and uninterrupted, under the mild government
of the Hbufe of Hanover.
May that Being who governs the unirerfe, so
dired your Majelly's councils and measures,
that, from the present confufion, order may a
rise, and peace again be restored.
That your Majesty may long reign over an
l^ppy and united people, is the earnest prayer
May it plcafe your Majesty,
Your Majesty's most faithful
and loyal fubjeas,
The number of names signed to this petition
were 941.
The Speech of the late Lord Mavor, JOHN
WILKES, Efa; from the buffings at ties Guild
ball, London, on Wednesday, the ^tb of Novem
ber, on bis going out op office.
Gentlemen of the TJoei,,
THE important and extensive powers, with
which you entrusted me the last year as your
Chief Magistrate, I now resign with singula r fa
tisfadion, because they devolve to a gentleman,
whom I am persuaded you will find exerting
them at this time for your advantage, and the
emolument of this great metropolis. The noble
privileges and immunities transmitted down to
us by our spirited ancestors, I am fatisfied he will
carefully maintain and support.
The last year, gentlemen, has passed without
any attack on our rights and privileges from
the House of Commons. That arbirary and
unprincipled body has been almost wholly em
ployed, with the industry and spirit of fiends,
in the vain and wicked attempt of perfecting their
plans to eftalfhfh despotism in New-England,
and popery in Canada. They have stained the
guiltless blood of our fellow fubjeds in Ameri
ca. But the Hotife es Lords, early in the pre
sent year, made a dire& attack on the rights of
every commoner in England, and the eflential
privileges of this city, they ordered a citizen,
Mr. Randall, unheard, into custody, with
out any appeal to a jury, only for difre
fpeatul words against a member of their Houle.
Although parties they endeavoured to elfablilh
themselves judges in their own cause, in equal
violation of the dictates of common sense and
justice ; and in the firft instance, not by an an,
peal from an inferior court to them, as the fl
Fine Salt, - - - None.
Coarse Salt, - - 3s. gd.
Indian Corn, per Eufo. ys. 6d„