The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-10-06 00:00:00, page 1

WHEREAS his Majesty by his royal Instruc
tions dated at St. James's the third Day of
February in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Seventy-four, and in the Four
teenth Year of his Reign, did think fit, with the
Advice of his Privy Council, to revoke and annul
all the Powers and Authorities which before that
Time had been given by his Majesty to the Gover
nors of this Province, for the laying out and passing
Grants of Land within the fame, and to dire& and
appoint certain Rules and Regulations to be thence
forth ftrialy and punctually observed for the future
Disposal by public Sale of such Lands, Tenements
and Hereditaments as then were or thereafter should
foe in his Majesty's Power to dispose of within this
Province in the Manner by the laid Inftruaions par
ticularly mentioned and directed. And whereas his
Majesty has lately been most graciously pleased to
fignify his royal wishes that the Governor of this
Province should afford every possible Protection to
such of his Subjects in the Colonies in Rebellion, as
shall be too weak to resist the Violences of the Times
and too loyal to concur in the Measures of those
Monday, October 6, 1777.
who have avowed and supported that Rebellion, and
are desirous of seeking an Asylum in Welt-Florida;
and to that End his Majesty has been pleased to dire&
that the Execution of the Instructions of the Third
Day of February, in the Year of our Lord One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-four, herein
beforementioned, should be suspended for the present
within this Colony. And whereas his Majesty has
alio been pleased to lignify his further Pleasure to the
Governor of this Province, to give every possible
Encouragement to the Exportation of Lumber from
this Colony to his Islands in the Weft-Indies, it is
therefore hereby notified to all his Majesty's good
and faithful Subjects who may be induced under the
Circumstances above dated, to seek a Retreat in this
Province, that the Governor of the laid Province
will afford them every possible Protection and Coun
tenance in his Power ; and that they upon their Ar
rival in this Province, and applying to the Governor
thereof in Council, for Grants of Land, Shall obtain
the fame exempt from Quit-Rents for Ten Years,
under the following Regulations to wit,---That One
Hundred Acres of Land will be granted to every
such Person being Master or Mithefs of a Family,
for himfelf and herfeif; and Fifty Acres.for every
white or black Man, Woman or Child of which such
Perlon's Family Shall consist at the a&ual Tune of
making the Grant. And in Case any such Person,
well offered to the Constitution, applying to the said
Governor in Council for Grants of Land, (hall be
desirous of taking up a larger Quantity than the ac
tual Number of Persons in his or her Family would
intitle such Person to take up, that the said Governor
in Council will grant to every such Person or Persons
such further Quantity of Land as they may define,
not exceeding One Thousand Acres over and above
what they are intitled rto by the Number of Persons
in their refpe&ive Families. Provided, it Shall ap
pear to the said Governor that theyare in a Condi
tion and Intention to cultivate the fame. And pro
vided alb, that they at the Time of such Application
do give good Evidence to the Governor of the said
Province of their real Attachment to the Constitu
tion, and of their Non-concurrence in the rebellious
Proceedings in the other Colonies. And it is here
by further notified that the Governor of this Province
will afford every possible Encouragement to all his
Majesty's good Subjects who may think proper to be
concerned in the Exportation of Lumber, and all
other Produce from this Province to the Weft-Indies,
and that he will grant his Licence to any such Person
or Persons to cut Wood and convert it into Lumber,
upon any Part of his Majesty's Lands within this
Province. Provided always, that proper security be
given upon the Exportation of any Lumber, that
the fame Shall be landed in some of the Weft-India
Islands belonging to the King.
Given under my Hand, and the great Seal of
his Majesty's said Province, in the Council
Chaml rat Pensacola, the Eleventh Day of
November, in the Year of our Lord One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-five,
and in the Sixteenth Year of his Majelty's
Reign.
N E W-Y O RK
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 30s. per mit.
A White Loaf of the fineft FLOUR, to weigh
3 lb. 46Z. for 14 Coppers, and in the fame
Proportion for Loaves of a lesser Weight.
—West-Florida.—
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
PETER CHESTER, Esq;
Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief,
in and over his Majesty's laid Province of Weft-
Florida, and the Territories depending thereon in
America, Chancellor, Vice Admiral, and Ordinary
of the fame, &c.
'Peter Chester.
By,his Excellency's Command,
AlexanderMacullovgh, D. Sec'ry.
GOD save the KING.
In 118 to im^onxer bi Majefly to secure and
detail Ferfons charged with, or Juf,efled of,
the Crime of High Preafon, committed in any
of His Majefy's Colonies or Plantations in
America, or on the High Seas, or the Crime
of Piracy,
W'H E R EAS a Rebellion ar.d War have
been openly and haherouily levied and
Published January 10, 1777.
WEEKLY
A Proclamation.
Containing tbe catfieff o^
0 Printed by HUGH GAINE, at the BIBLE and CROWN, in HANOVER-SQUARE.
AND
carried on in certain of His Majelty's Colo
nies and Plantations in America, and Acts of
Treason and Piracy have been committed on
the High Seas, and upon the Ships and Goods
of His Majesty's Subjects, and many Persons
have been seized and taken, who are expressly
charged or strongly fufpeded of such Treasons
and Felonies, and many more such Persons
may be hereafter so seized and taken: And
whereas fuch.Perfons have been, or may be
brought into this Kingdom, and into other
Parts of his Majesty's Dominions, and it may
be inconvenient in many such Cases to pro
ceed forthwith to the Trial of such Crimi
nals, and at the fame Time of evil Example
to fuffer them to go at large; be it therefore
enacted by the King's moftExcellen tMajefty, by
and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in
this present Parliament assembled, and by the
Authority of the fame, that all and every
Person or Persons who have been, or fhali here
after be seized or taken in the Ad of High
Treason committed in any of his Majesty's
Colonies or Plantations in America, or on
the High Seas, or in the Aft of Piracy, or
who are or fhali be charged with or fufpeded
of the Crime of High Treason, committed
in any of the said Colonies, or on the High
Seas, or of Piracy, and who have been, or
shall be committed, in any Part of His Ma
jesty's Dominions, for such Crimes, or any of
them, or for Suspicion of such Crimes, or any
of them, by any Magistrate having compe
tent Authority in that Behalf, to the Common
Gaol, or other Place of Confinement as is
herein-after provided for that Purpose, fhali
and may be thereupon secured and detained
in fafe Custody, without Bail or Mainprize,
until the firft Day of January, One thousand
seven hundred and seventy eight; and that
no Judge or Justice of Peace fhali bail or try
any fucli Person or Persons without Order from
his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council,
signed by fix of the said Privy Council, un
til the said firft Day of January, One thou
sand seven hundred and seventy-eight, any
Law, Statute, or Usage, to the contrary in
any-wife notwithstanding.
And whereas it may be necessary to pro
vide for such Prisoners within this Realm
some other Places of Confinement besides the
Common Gaols; be it enabled by the Autho
rity aforefaid, That it Shall and may be law
ful for His Majesty, by Warrant under his
Sign Manual, to appoint one or more Pla
ces of Confinement within the Realm, for
the Custody of such Prisoners ; and all and
every Magistrate and Magistrates, having
competent Authority in that Behalf, are here
by authorised to commit such Persons as afore
faid to such Place or Places of Confinement,
so to be appointed, instead of the Common
Gaol. /
P H I LA D ELPIH A.
Extras of a letter from major gen. Gates to the
ferefdent of Congrejs, dated Head barters,
S f f - 3, U -
SI R,
YOUR excellency will perceive by the in
clofed letter, that the glorious victory
gained at Benington, has reduced the boasting
stile of gen. Burgoyne so much that he begins,
in fomedegree, to think and talk like other men.
Head quarters of the king's army, upon the
Hudson's river, August 3®, 1777.
Provided always, and be it enabled, That
no Offences fhali be construed to be Piracy
within the Meaning of this Aft, excepting
Ads of Felony committed on the Ships and
Goods of his Majesty's Subjects by Persons on
the High Seas.
Provided also, and it is hereby declared,
That nothing herein contained is intended,
or fhali be construed to extend to the Case
of any other Prisoner or Prisoners than such
as fhali have been out of the Realm at the
Time or Times of the Offence or Offences
wherewith he or they fhali be charged, or of
which he or they fhail be fufpeded.
And be it further enabled by the Authority
aforefaid, That this Ad fhali continue and
be in Force until the said firft Day of January,
One thousand seven hundred and feventy
eight, and no longer.
Sir, Major gen. Reidefel has requeued
me to transmit the inclofed to lieut. colonel
Baum, whom the fortune of war put into
the hands of your troops at Bonington,
Monday, 43 Min. after 12
Tuesday, 29 Min. after 1
Wednesday, 15 Min. after 2
Thursday, 7 Min. after 3
HIGH-WATER at NEW-YORK, this Week.
THE
Friday, 57 Min. after 3
Saturday, 49 Min. after 4
Sunday, 50 Min. after 5
New Moon Thursday.
Having never failed in my attentions towards
prisoners, I cannot entertain a doubt of your
taking this opportunity to Shew me a return of
civility, and that you will permit the baggage
and servants of such officers, your prisoners, as
desire it to pass to them unmolested.
It is with great concern 1 find myfelf obliged
to add to this application a complaint of the
bad treatment the provincial Soldiers, in the
king's service, received after the affair at Ben
ington. I have reports upon oath, that some
were refufed quarter, after having aSked it. I
am willing to believe this was against the
order and inclination of your officers, but it
is my part to require an explanation, and to
warn you of the horrors of a retaliation, if
such a practice is not in the strongest terms dis
countenanced and reprehended.
Duty and principle, fir, make me a public
enemy to the Americans, who have taken arms,
but 1 seek to be a generous one; nor have 1
the Shadow of resentment against any indivi
dual, who does not induce it by ads deroga
tory to those maxims upon which all men of
honor think alike.
Persuaded that a gentleman of the flation to
which this letter is addressed, will not be
comprized in the exception 1 have made, I am
personally, fir, your most humble servant,
j. BURGOYNE, lieut. gen.
Major gen. Gates.
Head quarters of the army ,of the United
States, Sept. 2, 1777.
Sir, —Last night 1 had the honor to receive
your excellency's letter of the firft instant. I
am aftoniShed you should mention inhumanity,
or threaten retaliation. Nothing happened in
the action at Benington but what is common
when works are carried by assault.
That the Savages of America should, in
their warfare, mangle and scalp the unhappy
prisoners who fall into their hands, is neither
new nor extraordinary, but that the famous
liedt. gen. Burgoyne, in whom the fine gentle
man is united with the soldier and the scholar,
should hire the Savages of America to scalp
Europeans and the defeendants of Europeans ;
nay more, that he should pay a price for each
scalp so barbarously taken, is more than will
be believed in Europe, until authenticated
fads Shall, in every Gazette, convince man
kind of the truth of the horrid tale. Miss
M'Crea, a young lady lovely to the fight, of
virtuous character, and amiable disposition,
engaged to be married to an officer in your
army, was, with other women and children,
taken out of a house near fort Edward, car
ried into the woods, and there scalped and
mangled in the most shocking manner. Two
parents, with their fix children, were all
treated with the fame inhumanity, while qui
etly residing in their once happy and peaceful
dwelling. The miserable fate of miss M'Crea
was particularly aggravated by her being dres
sed to receive her promised husband, but met
her murderer employed by you. Upwards of
one hundred men, women, and children, have
perilled by the hands of the ruffians, to whom,
it is asserted, you have paid the price of blood.
Inclofed are letters from your wounded offi
cers, prisoners in my hands. By them you
will be informed of the generosity of their
conquerors. Such money,cloathing,attendants,
and other necessaries which your excellency
pleases to fend to the prisoners, Shall be faith
fully delivered. The late col. Baum's servant
is at Benington, would have come to your
excellency's camp, but when I offered him a
flag, he was afraid to run the rifle of being
scalped, and declined going.
When I know what surgeon and attendants
your excellency is desirous of fending to Ben
ington, I Shall dispatch an officer to your lines,
to condud them to my camp. lam, fir, your
most humble servant,
H. GATES, M. G.
Lieut, general Burgoyne.
SI R, September, 6, 1777.
I received your letter of the second infant,
and in consequence of your compliance with
my proposal of fending a surgeon to visit the
wounded officers in your hands, and some ser
vants to carry money and necessaries to their
masters, and to remain with them, I have now
to desire the favour of you to dispatch the
officer you design with a drum and a flag ' of
truce, so that he may arrive at Stillwater
about noon, on the ninth, and he Shall be met
Wheat per Bushel, gs. od.
Flour, gos. od.
Brown Bread, 255. od.
Welt-India Rum, 6s. 6d.
New-England do. ss. od.
GA Z ETTE:
M E R C U R Y.
PRICE CURRENT, in NEW-YORK,
Mufcovado Sugar, 51. ros.
Single refin'd ditto, 2s. 2d.
Molasses, 2$ . 6d.
Beef per Barrel, 90$. od.
Pork, 51. 70S.
foreign ^w EW^UU^.
there by the persons he is to conduß' ,accom
panied also by a drum and a flag of truce.
I trust, fir, that it is understood between us
that the surgeon shall have fafe conduct to my
outposts, when his visit fhali be made," and he
fhaU request it, and you may be allured on my
part, that your cficcn fhal! meet with security
and civilitv.
I have hesitated, fir, upon answering the
other paragraphs of your letter. I disdain to
juftify myfelf against the raphfodies of fidion
and calumny, which, from the firft of this
contest, it has been an unvaried American po
licy to propagate, but which no longer impose
upon the world. I am induced to deviate from
this general rule, in the present inftanee, left
my silence fnould be conßrued an acknowledg
ment of the truth of your allegations, and a
pretence be thence taken for exercising future
barbarities by the American troops.
Upon this motive, and upon this only, I
condescend to inform you that I would not be
confeious of the a&s you presume to impute to
me, for the whole continent of America,
though the wealth of worlds were in its bow
els, and a paradise epon its furface.
It has happened ,that all my tranD'dions
with the Indian nations, last year and this,
have been open, clearly heard, diftindly tin
derftood, accurately minuted, by very nume
rous, and, in many parts, very unprejudiced
audience. So diametrically oppefice to truth
is your afferticn that I have paid a price for
fcalps, that one of the firft regulations cfta
blifhed by me at the great council in May, and
repeated, and enforced, and invariably ad
hered to since, was, that the Indians Ih°uld
receive compensation for prisoners, because it
would prevent cruelties, and that riot c^y
such compensation should be withheld, but
strict account demanded for scalps. These
pledges cf conquest, for such you v< know
they will ever esteem them, were solemnly and
peremptorily prohibited to be taken from the
wounded, and even the dying, and tha persons
ofaged men, women, children, and prisoners,
were pronounced sacred even in afLults.
In regard to miss M'Crea. her fall wanted
not the tragic display you have laboured to
give it, to make it as sincerely abhorred and
lamented by me as it can be by the tendered of
her friends. The fad was no premeditated
barbarity. On the contrary, two chiefs, who
had brought her off for the purpose of secu
rity, not of violence, to her person, disputed
which fnould be her guard ; and in a fit cf
savage passion in the one from whose hands
flie was snatched, the unhappv woman became
the vi&im. Upon the firft intelligence cf this
event, I obliged the Indians to deliver the
murderer into my hands; and though to have
punished him by our laws or principles of
justice, would have been perhaps ' unpreceden
ted, he certainly should have fuffered an igno
minious death, had I not been convinced by
circumstances and observation, beyond the
possibility of a doubt, that a pardon under
the terms which I prescribed, and they ac
cepted, would be more efficacious than an ex-,
ccution to prevent similar mifchiefs. 1
The above instance excepted, your intelli
gence refpe&ng cruelties of the Indians is
falfe.
You seem to threaten me with European
publications, which affe&s me as little as any
other threats you could make; but in regard
to American publications, whether your charge
against me, which I acquit you of believing,
was penned jTom a Gazette, or for a Gazette,
I ^efire, and demand of you as a man of ho
nor, that should it appear in print at all, this
answer may follow it.
I am, fir, your mos lhumble servant,
J. BURGOYNE. L. G.
Major gen. Gates.
Extracts from a letter of gen. Gates to the pre
sident of Congr^fs, dated camp of the Nor
thern army, Stillwater, loth Sept. 1777.
Sir, —Inclofed I have the honor to present
your excellency with lieut. gen. Burgoyne's
anfiver to the letter I transmitted to Congress
by the last express. All the reply 1 thought it
necessary to make to so extravagant a per
formance, is also in the packet. Having pre
pared every thing in concert with gen Lin
coln, for the march of the army, 1 left Van
Schaak's ill and on Monday, and arrived here
yetterday forenoon. The enemy gave us no
planner of interruption.
T HE
[Nq. l3s4^ '
Fine Salt, R; cd
Coarse Salt, 8s o< j
Indian Corn per Bu. 6s. 63
Coffee, is. gd
Chocolate, 265. per Do.