The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-02-24 00:00:00, page 2

A. The petition had been considered as an olive
branch, and the witness had been complimented by
his friends, as the meflenger of peace,
Q_On the supposition that the 'prayer of this pe
tition should be rejected, what did the witness ima
gine would be the consequence?
A. That the Americans, who placed much reli
ance on the petition, would be driven to desperation
by its nonfuccefs.
Q^Did the witness imagine, that sooner than
yeild to ? what were fappofed to be the unjud claims
of Great-Britain, the Americans would take the
desperate revolution of calling in the aid of foreign
abidance?
A. The witness was apptchenfivethat this would
be the case.
Q What did the witness recoiled of the Stamp-
Ad?
A, That it caufecl great uneafmefs throughout
America.
Q. What did the witness recoiled, concerning
the repeal ofthat Ad?
A- The aniverfary of that memorable day is kept
throughout America, by every testimony of public
rejoicing, such as bonfires, illuminations, and other
exhibitions of gladhels.
Q. Would not the neglect with which the last
petition was treated induce the Americans to resign
all hopes of pacific negociations?
A. In the opinion of the witnefsit would.
Q. When the witness presented the .petition to
the Secretary of State, was he alked any questions
relative to the date of America?
A. Not a single question.
Gref; examined by the Lords Denbigh and Sa^d-
WfCH.
Qu CTE s foz LORD DENBIGH.
As the witness had acted in the capacity of Go
vernor, was he well acquainted witli the charter of
Pennsylvania ?
A. He had read the charter, and was well ac
quainted with its contents.
Q. Did he know that there was a clause which
Specifically fubjeded the colony to taxation by the
Britilh Legislature?
A. he was well apprised that there was such a
clause.
QWere the people of Pennsylvania content with
their charter?
A. Perfectly content.
Q^Then did they not acquiesce in the right <f
the Britilh parliament to enforce taxation?
A. They acquiesced in a declaration of the right,
so long as they experienced no inconvenience from
the declaration.
Queries/^ LORD SANDWICH.
Had the witness ever, heard of an ad intitled,
“ The Declaratory Ac?
A. He had heard of such an ad.
Q_Did he ever peruse, and was he fufficiently
acquainted with the contents of that ad?
A. He never had perused it. It never had been
much difeuffed whilst he resided in America.
Q Did the witness apprehend that the Congress
acquiesced in an ad which maintained the authority
of the Britilh Parliament in all cases wbatjbever ?
Objefled to, and the witness <was desired to with
dra<w; but being called in again, tbe question mas
put, and he replied.
That except in the case of TAXATION, he ap
prehended the Americans would have no objection
to acknowledge the sovereignty of Great-Britain.
Q_Had the witness any knowledge of certain re
solutions palled by the county of Suffolk?
A. He had not attended to them.
Q_had the witness any knowledge of an answer
given by the Continental Congress to what had
been commonly called Lord North's conciliatory
motion?
A. The witness knew nothing of the proceedings
of the Congress, they were generally tranfaded un
der the seal of secrecy.
Q^Was the witness personally acquainted witli
Mr. Harrison, a member of the Congress?
A. The witness knew him well.
Q. What character did he bear?
A. A very refpedable one.
Q Had the witness ever heard of any persons who
had buffered persecutions, for declaring sentiments
favourable to the supremacy of the British Parlia
ment?
A. He had heard of such oppreflions in other pro
vinces, but never met with them during his resi
dence in Pennsylvania.
Q_ln the opinion of the witness, were the Ame
ricans now free?
A. They imagined themselves to be so.
Q,ln case a formidable force should be sent to
America, in support of government, did the witness
imagine there were many who would openly profels
submission to the authority of parliament?
A. The witness apprehended the few who would
join on such an occasion would be too trivial a num
ber to be of any consequence.
Mr. Penn was then ordered to withdraw, and the
Duke of Richmond, after descanting witli singular
propriety on the necessity of immediate conciliation
proposed the last petition from the Continental Con
gress to the King, as a basis for a plan of accom
modation. His Grace of Richmond moved, “ That
Wednesday the Houle of Commons resolved,
that the sum of 474001. 12s. be granted for de
fraying the charge of raising and paying one regi
ment of Scotch Highlanders, to consist of two bat
talions of a thousand men each, for the service of
the year, 1776.
Nov. 22. Prussia as well as France has remon
strated against Ruffian troops being sent to America.
Nov 24. The Chevalier D'Eon is now expected
to leave England every hour to return to the French
court,; immediately on which, some most extraordi
nary anecdotes relative to the two powers will come
out, to the astonishment of all Europe.
The taking Hanoverian troops into English pay,
and employing them within the English dominions,
was deemed so high an insult upon the English army,
that the ministers in King George the First and Se
cond's reign never would attempt it. When Hessians
were brought into England, Lord Temple, Lord
Chatham, and others, gained immortal honour by
driving them out;—nay, the English troops were
so averse to Hanoverians, that they would not buffer
them even in Flanders.
Our minidry are alarmed, and with great reason,
at the late change in the war department in France.
The Count de St. Germain, who is now tlie Mini
ster, is a soldier, and possesses, besides being an able
statesman, considerable military talents. It was by
his advice the Marshal Duc de Richlieu pent up the
late Duke of Cumberland, last war, and reduced
him to the convention of Clofter-feven. There
seems to belittle doubt then, that this able states
man, who is so accurate a judge of national events
and who has through life, so fortunately availed
himfelf of them, will not be an idle looker on at
oui quarrels with America; but the moment he
finds tlie balance of victory likely to declare for
them, will strike such a broke, as from the present
pacific declarations of our cabinet they are not at
all prepared for.
Wednesday several more large Ships were con
tracted for by agency, for the transport service,
wliicji are to go to Ireland to take in provisions
there, for the use of the soldiers in Boston.
Extract of a Letter from Portsmouth, Nov. 22.
“ Sailed the Triton man of war, Ludwidge, for
Hallifax, witli Ihipwrights, &c.
A few days ago 80001. in foreign specie, was
seized by information, on board the Boreas man of
war at Spithead, by an officer of the customs, con
signed to a gentleman in Boston."
HOUSE of COMMONS, November 23.
The Speaker did not take the chair till half after
three; after the common business was over, the
""'""X proposed that the agent for the province
of Nova Scotia should be examined at the bar, upon
tlie petition from that province, in order to found
a motion upon it. This was violently opposed by
the Minority, under the assertion that the petition
was not authenticated, and the examination could
not be fatisfadory without counter ones. Mr. Burke
and Charles b ox were the strongest oppofers in this
previous debate, and it was expeded to last so long,
that no time would be left for the examination with
out a very late night. The gallery locked according
to custom.
" the preceding paper furnifhed grounds of concili
" ation of the unhappy differences at present subsist
" ing between Great-Britain and America, and that
“ some mode should be immediately adopted for
" the effectuating so desirable a purpose."
This produced a debate, supported on both sides
with infinite ingenuity. The numbers were:
For the motion 27 —Proxies 6 33
Against the motion 50 — Proxies 36 86
Majority against the motion §3.
Nov. 13. It is strongly reported that the court
of France has presented a hinging memorial to our
Secretary of hate, upon the taking Ruffian troops
into Britilh pay. This memorial is conceived in
terms that have struck our Administration with af
tonifhmCnt, as they confider it as a prelude to a
war with the house of Bourbon.
Nov. 20. On Wednesday the house agreed that
an addrels should be presented to his Majesty, that
he will be pleased to give directions that the petiti
on presented to him from the General Congress in
America, by Gov. Penn and Arthur Lee, Efqrs.
should be laid before them.
The Commons agreed to the report of the reso
lution of yelterday on the supply, that 47,400!.
12s. be granted to his Majesty, to enable his Majefty'
to deflay tlie expences of a regiment of Highlanders
to be railed in Scotland, confiding of two battalions
for 1776.
Dec. 6. When the order of the day was read
yesterday in the house of Commons, for going into
a committee of the wliole house on tlie bill lor pro
hibiting all trade and intercourse with the colonies
in rebellion, &c. A member (Mr. Dempfter'we be
lieve) moved, that it be an inftrudion given by the
house, before the speaker leaves the chair, to the
laid committee to accept certain clauses by way of
amendment, and to divide the bill into diftin& parts,
or to make two bills out of one in its present form.
Debates arose upon this proposition, which it seems
is called by tome gentlemen a method of frittering
away a bill; and administration not being disposed
to submit to this operation on their favourite child,
a division followed at about five o'clock, and the
numbers were, against the motion, feventy-five ; for
it thirty-four.
Lord North, it is said, in order to abate the rigor
of this ad, so far as it refpeds the seizing the ships
of the Americans, or any ships trading to or from
their ports, said that provision was made in the
50th clause, page 23, for giving them time to avoid
it, by a proper return to their allegiance; but if
that was not thought lufficient, gentlemen might
propose such other provisions as they judged pro
per, to come in under that clause.
We therefore think it proper to lay the clause be
fore the public as it now stands, that the friends of
America may now have an opportunity to exert
themselves, to procure the filling up the blanks,
with luch distant dates as may give them all poffi- 1
ble time to reflect on the part they are to ad.
" And be it further enaded by the authority a
forefaid, that this ad, so far as the fame relates to
the capture and forfeiture of ships and vessels be
longing to the inhabitants of the above mention
ed colonies, shall commence and be in force from
and after the and so far as the fame re
lates to the capture and forfeiture of all ships and
vessels that shall be found going in, or at any of the
said colonies, or bound and trading from any port
or place in the fame, from and after the
and shall continue to be in force so long as any of
the laid colonies shall remain in a date of rebellion
and disobedience."
Ehe blanks are proposed to be filled up with the
dates of March 1, and April 1; and all the indul
gence likely to be procured, will be a prolongation
of time before the seizures are to take place.
Yesterday the Lower Assembly proceeded on the
bill to prohibit all trade and intercourse with the
North American colonies, during tlie continuance of
the present rebellion in the said colonies. Debates
arising, expeded to fit late. The Gallery-door was
locked, and none admitted but Peers or Members.
A plan is now under consideration, for all crimi
nals in Great-Britan, sentenced for transportation,
to be sent to the British settlements on the coast of
Africa.
Extras of a Letter from Gofport, Dec. I.
Since my last tlie Pearle and Seaford frigates
came out of dock, and are now fitting for sea.
'' Capt . Halliead, of this town, is appointed to
the command of the Jersey, of 50 guns, and is to
go to Boston, there to lie as an hospital ship for the
use of the sick.
Extras of a Letter from Chathom, Dec. 3.
“ Orders are received at the commissioners office
here, for the fail-makers of this dock-yard to work
double days, in order to give the greatest dispatch
in making fails for the ships that aie fitting at this
port for Americas
It is laid here that General Gage is to return
to Boston; tlie ship he came home in is come into
the harbour."
" 1 he Milford of 28 guns, commanded by John
Bur, Esq; is nearly fitted, and will fail from hence
in a few days for America.
“ The Carysfort of 28 guns, is put into commis
sion at tliis port, and the command given to Robert
Fanfhaw, Esq; she is also to go to America."
Letteis fiom Lisbon, by Monday's mail, bring
advice, that on the 16th, 17th and 18th ult. there
were such violent storms of wind, that most of the
ships in the harbour were driven from their moor
"igs, and by running foul of eacli otlier received
damage both in their masts and hulls, and several
of them loft their bow-fprits'; that a Portuguese
man of war was loft at the mouth of the Tagus,
and all tlie ciew drowned; and tliat tlie fliippincr
on the coast futFered greatly. '°
Twelve transports, bound to America, are wait
ing in the Downs tor a favourable wind.
lefterday the House of Commons met at three
o'clock, and went through a great deal of private
business.
The bill for difeovering a northern passage to the
wellcru and loutlieri) oceans of America, and lor
encouraging adventurers to penetrate to the North
Pole, was reported with several amendments, and
ordered to be engrossed.
The bill for the better regulation of his Majesty's
marine forces while on shore was read a third time,
puffed, and ordered to the Lords.
At half after four, the order of the day for the
house to resolve itlelf into a committee of the whole
house, on the bill for prohibiting all trade and
commerce betweep Great-Britain, Ireland, and the
twelve American Colonies alLmbled in Congress,
being r^ad, a motion was made, that the speaker
do now leave the chair. This occasioned a short
debate, and the question being put, the house divi
ved, Ayes 75, Noes 34.
# The House then went into a Committee on Did
bill, when several amendments and clauses were
proposed, which occasioned warm debates. The
Committee were left fitting at half after seven, and
were expected to fit late.
In the House of Commons of Ireland, on Monday
Nov. 27, the Committee of the whole House fat till
half part eleven, on the question of admitting ^000
Hessian and Brunswick troops, when at length the
Committee divided, Ayes for admitting the troops
"°" '°'' Majority against the foreign troops