The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-16 00:00:00, page 2

have been ponßantly enlarging their views, and
fcciching them beyond their firft bounds, till at
length they have wholly changed their ground.
Front the claim of Parliament to tax us sprung the
tiitt'retißance on our part. Before that unjust claim
was let on foot, not an individual, not one of all
the profound legislators with which this country
abounds, ever held out the idea of independence.
We considered our conn &ion with Great Britain
as our chief happiness —we flourished, grew rich,
a>d populous to a degree not to be paralleled in
Lißory. Let us then ad the part of Skilful phyli
ci.aand wifely adopt the remedy to the evil.
Poffoly some men may have harboured the idea
of independence from the beginning of this contro
versy. Indeed it was Rrongly fufpe&ed there were
individuals whole views tended that way; but as the
feheme was not fufficiently ripened, it was reckoned
Randerous, inimical to America,, and what not, to
intimate tlie lead fuipicion of this. kind.
Nor have many weeks yet elapsed since the firft
opcm ^proposition tor independence was published
to the world.—By what men of consequence this
scheme is supported, or whether by any, may pof
fiidy be the fubjed of future enquiry—Certainly it
has no countenance from the Congress, to whose
hmtimeufs we.took up,, with reverence. On the
contrary, it is dire&ly repugnant to every declara
tion of that refpedable body. It would be needless
to quote particular paßages in proof of this, as they
are to be met with in almost every page of their
proceedings. I will refer to a few only, viz. their
Reiolves, March 5, 1775 —their Declaration, July
6 —their Addreis to the King, July B—their Letter
to the Lord Mayor of London—and more especi
ally their Declaration for a Fast, June 12, in which
with the deepeit marks of sincerity they call upon
all America to join with them in acldreffing the great
Governor of the world—" humbly beseeching him
“ to avert the deflating judgments with which we
“ are threatened to bless our rightful sovereign, &c.
" —that so America may soon behold a gracious
" interposition of Heaven for the redress of her
" many grievances, the reßoration of her invaded
“ rights, and reconciliation with the parent Rate,
' on terms conßitutional and honorable to both."
Will any one be so hardy as to fay, that either the
appointment or observation of this solemn day was
a mere mockery of Heaven and Earth, or even that
any American joined in it, who was not sincere ?—
I trull not. But if multiplying authorities were
of any u,e, I might add the sentiments 01 our own
Representatives in Assembly, expressed in the instruc
tions to their Delegates, the sentiments of Maryland
in iimilar inftrudions; the revolves of New-Jersey
and New Hamplhire ; nor shall the much injured
province of Massachusetts Bay be left out of the
catalogue; whose Provincial Congress, while yet
bleeding with the wounds received at Lexington,
thus addressed the inhabitants of Great Britain—
“ These are marks of minilferial vengeance against
" this colony, but they have not yet detached us
" from our royal Sovereign, &c. trusting that in a
" ccnftitutional connexion with the mother coun
" try, we shall soon be a free and happy people."
Th ie were the sentiments of the colony of the Mas
sachusetts, signed by that great Martyr to Liberty,
Dr. Warren, and soon after sealed with his blood.
The sentiments of sundry other Colonies might
be ffiewn to have corresponded with these But
this letter has already reached its full length. I
shall take some future opportunity to examine the
arguments which have been offered to induce a
change of these sentiments; and upon the whole
I doubt not to make it appear that independence is
not the cause in which America is no^w engaged,
and is only the idol of thole who wish to lubvert
all order among us, and rife on the ruins of their
country! CATO.
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Mr. Humphreys,
Tour impartiality <will undoubtedly induce you to pub
lifo tie enclosed in your next paper.
March Ifo 1776.
(' .4 fO, if the designs which you, in your firft
3 letter, have laid to the charge of Committees,
^re conceived or adopted by them, they are indeed
v^ry dangerous bodies of men, and you have done
nobly in exposing them but, Sir, you ought to
go further, and support the charge by faffs, other
wise the accusation will not gain much credit upon
the word of an anonymous author What are
t^e fads, upon which the following charges Rand?
viz.
That, a few, have been aiming to destroy our
charter constitution and seize the executive, as well
as legislative. authority of the province. In what
inßance, and by whom, has an attempt been made
to intimidate our legal representatives; or their
patriotic exertions, been milreprefented, and treated
scurrilously; upon what ground, do you rest your
charge, against Committees, of design, to Jlep into
the jeats of the Assembly ? And wherefore have you
intimated, that baits of power have been thrown
out, by people of this, or some other province, to
lead individuals out of the line of their duty?
For these things you are answerable to the public,
and if you have ground for the charge, speak out,
and speak boldly—dont be affrighted; the danger
of freaking truth, is not so great as you seem to
fear Use yourfclf to it, and you will soon be
convinced, by experience, that there is little risk
in it—the danger lies, wholly, in the uttering of
falsehoods.
As to the account you give, of the election of the
Committee, it is evident you are miflaken : For
wickednels itfejf with a single grain of common
lenfe mixed with it, wouldnothave miftated the fad
where it is well known, as you have done— it could
have answered no purpose. And, as you may have
occasion to mention these tilings again, give me
leave, Sir, to remind you, that, on the 18th of June
l 77+> a Committee was appointed by the public
voice, for the purpose of taking into conlideration,
the general Itate of public affairs, and lat, with the
Committees of tlie counties, in General Convention,
where the whole fate of our public affairs, so far as
related to the prelent controvcrly, was considered,
and determined upon 1 lie Convention recom
mended the continuation of Committees through
out the province, and authorized the Committee of
Philadelphia, to call another Convention wiien they
Ihould judge it necessary In consequence of this
recommendation, an election was advertised, by the
Committee firft chosen, to be held on the 12th of
November—hereupon a question arose on the mode
of election Whether it Ihould be by public voice,
poll, or ballot? And it was determined at a public
meeting, called for that purpole, that it Ihould be
by ballot Iwo tickets were, by the then two
parties, made out, printed and handed to the public,
for their examination and amendment At the
day of election five hundred and leventeen voters,
betides the voters from the diftrid of Southwark,
gave in their votes, and, upon counting them off,
there appeared to be four hundred and ninety-nine
for one ticket, with very few exceptions to any one
name—and eighteen only tor the other ticket
A majority so clear, and lo evident, that it could
not be a doubt, how the election would go, which
rendered it uniieceilary for the voters to turn out,
io generally as they, otherwise, would have done
As the conduct of the Committee then chosen,
had the approbation of, all the friends to tlie pre
lent oppolnion, to the wicked mealures of Great-
Briiain, at the twofolio wing elections, few alterations
were made, and tlie perlons propoled were lo gene
rally approved, it would have been unnecessary to have
voted at all, but for the formality and name of the
thing I ou are allo greatly mißaken in the num
ber of voters lor the prelent Committee, and I
would let you right herein, if it were at all mate
rial in the case— but if you know any thing of our
elections, you mult know, that the circumltance of
having but a few voters, is common in cur elections,
even tor Afemblymen and Burgesses, where there is
little or nochange propoled, or where the new can
didate has the voice of the.people, generally, in his
favour You are undobtedly right in your obser
vation That attempts of unjultly acquiring power,
Ihould be equally retrained in the lowest as in the
highest, and the oblervation points out the necessity
there is, for the middle clals of men, constantly to
watch both these orders and rigorously to exert
themlelves in the defence of liberty—for upon their
conduft will for ever depend the liberty of mankind.
But, if your other charges and infinuacions are
as unjust, and groundless as the infatuations ref
peding of the Committee, whatever declarations of
regard to order, government, charter rights and
liberty which you may make; and whether your
complexion be black, brown, or fair—your conduß
and sentiments, will relemble a modern (more than
an antient) Cato, who will content to live a slave
rather than to die free.
Tiberiu s.
%#s%%*%^ %%-%-%5#%%
CAMBRID GE, March 6.
The Continental army, affißed by a large body
of Militia, are now carrying on the siege of Bolion
with great vigor. LaR Saturday night our artille
ry at the fortreffes of Cobble-hill and Lechmore's
point, below this town, and at Lamb's dam in Rox
bury, bombarded and cannonnaded the town; the
following night the lame was continued with great
brifknels; and the whole of Monday night the ar
tillery from all the above fortreffes played incessant
ly. Our shot and Ihells were heard to make a great
craffiing in the town, but we have not learnt any
particulars of the execution done thereby. The e
nemy returned the fire, from their batteries at Weft
Bolton, and from their lines on the neck very vi
gorously. They threw many Ihells into the battery
at Lechmore's point, one into the fort on Profped
-11111, and one or two as far up as fort No. 2, within
a quarter of a mile of the college. On Monday
night we had two killed, Lieut. Mayo, at Roxbu
ry, by a cannon ball; and a man at Lechmore's
point by a shell, which with one or two wounded,
is all the loss of any consequence, that we have sus
tained. We have but little firing since Tuesday
morning.
On Monday night a body of the Continental
troops took poßeßion of two large hills at Dor
chelter, about a mile from the south part of. Bolton
where they are now Rrongly fortified. These are
two of the heights which General Burgoyne said
in a letter to a noble Lord, commanded the town
of Boston, and which, he also laid, it was abfolute
dyneceftary the Britilh troops Ihould be possessed of.
We have undoubted authority to assure the pub
lic, that a ship belonging to Melfrs. Franklins, load
ed with fall and wine, some time ago taken by the
men of war here, and sent for Boston, was on Wed
nelday last call away on the rocks on Montock
point, at the east end of Long-Island; the vessel is
entirely bilged, and the fait all run out; the peo
ple had gieat difficulty to save their lives, some of
them being mucli bruised when taken out of the
water. There were fourteen men and an Officer
belonging to the Affia, on board, who were all
made priloners, and on Monday they set off with
a Iti 0 11g guard for this city and may be expected
here in a day or two: The officer is named Smith,
and laid to have been very a&ive the night the Asa
fired on the town 5 he behaved with great insolence,
and ordered Colonel Mulford to provide a coach
to carry him on board his fliip.
PHILADELPHIA.
In CONGRESS, March 9, 1776.
Refolded, That no oath, by way of test, be imposed
upon, exacted or required of any of the inhabitants
of these Colonies, by any military officer.
Extras from the Minutes.
Published by order of Congrefs,-
Charles Thomson, Secretary.
In Committee of Safety, March 6.
Resolved, That Major Meredith, Capt. Wilcocks,
Capt. 1 eters, and Mr. Peter Dehaven, be appointed
to lupei mtend and conduft the Provincial Manu
lactoiy of Gun Locks in this city, and they are
empowered to contrast for a convenient situation,
and to eie& all works necessary for carrying on the
laid manufactory in the molt beneficial manner to
the public : And further, to contrast for the making
lire Arms, and fee that the artificers who have
ali eady contracted in this city for that purpose per
form their engagements faithfully; and this Board
will Supply them with fucli sums of money as the
business shall require Extratl from the Minutes,
William Govett, Secretary.
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given, That we
have, in pursuance of the above Resolve of the
Committee of Safety, provided a convenient place
for the carrying on a Provincial Lock Factory on an
extensive plan; and as a proper person is appointed
to dii eCt, teach and superintend workmen in that
branch, all smiths who already are acquainted with
tlie lock business, or those who are desirous of in-
Rrudion, will be employed, by applying to us, or
to Mr. Benjamin Rittenboufe, at the Lock Factory,
in Cherry-itreet, between Third and Fourth-Rreets,
Philadelphia. All persons desirous to contract for
the making of Fire Arms, are requested also to
apply to Samuel Meredith, John Wilcocks, Richard
Peters, jun. Peter Dehaven.
Philadelphia, March 11, 1776.
The Hon. General Assambly have voted 1500
Men for the immediate Defence of this Province,
viz. two Battalions of Rifle-man, and one Battalion
of Musket-men.
NEW - YO RK, TWarej ig.
On Sunday last the Swallow packet, Captain.
Coopeland, arrived at Sandy Hook, with the mail
in 9 weeks from Falmouth; the letters not being
come on shore, we can only favour the public with
the following accounts from fevcral gentlemen ^hat
came passengers, viz.
That the retraining bill, whereby all American
property, wherever found, would be confifcated,
had passed both houses, and had come in this vessel
to the refpedive Governors; that Commissioners
to the number of twenty were about embarking at
the time they left Falmouth, in a ninety gun ship,
luppoled to be bound to Philadelphia, and it was
alio conjectured they would have unlimited powers
to make peace with the different Assemblies, but not
certain that they would have powers to treat with
the Continental Congress. Lord Howe was fixed
for one of the commissioners, and Sir Jeffery Am
herß wanted certain conditions if he came on th t
business ; that the French Ambassador had informed
the mnußry that altho' his master had only heen a
IpeHator of the differences with the colonies, yet if
Great Britain took foreign troops in pay, they
might be assured his master would take an active
paic in the matter. General Burgoyne on his ar
rival at Portsmouth, reported, that he had brought
peace in his pocket from the Americans, which is
luppoled to be tlie letters that palled between him
and our General while at Bolton ; the people of
England are very desirous of peace; the minority
increasing very fall.
Col. Guy Johnßon, Col. Clause, and Mr. Chew
were arrived in England from Canada, but would
not tell any news; it is supposed because they had
not been with the ministry.
The brave Col. Allen, with about 30 others who
was uniol tunately taken prisoner by Gen. Carleton,
were confined in Penndenncfs castle, but were or
dered on board to work their passage and do duty
on board the fleet that failed about the time this
packet did, with seven regiments from Corke for
Virginia, under the command of General Corn
wallis."
Yeßerday the sloop Fanny, Captain Hayman,
arrived here from Ocracock, in North-Carolina,
which he left about 13 days ago. By him we learn,'
that Governor Martin, at the head of about 700
Regulators and Tories, had got between rhe twp