The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-20 00:00:00, page 2

Toners impowered to treat with America, in con
sequence of this ard, expeds it on no other terms
than on our absolute fubmiflion, and it would do
credit to the cfpenfers of that cause, were they
honed enough candidly'to avow their Sentiments on
this head; but this answers not their purpofc, lor
it would be plainly telling us that we Should then
be, treated by our conquerors as fnbdtied ,enemi s,
and deprived of the liberty of assenting or didenting
to the disposal of our property.
So that upon a review of the foregoing circum
stances, I think we have very little reason to be
lieve that Coipmiflioners are coming, orif they are,
I am confident it mud appear very evident to every
impartial person, that they are not coming for the
purpofc of reiloring peace to the colonies, but at
the expence or our liberty and ' property; nor for
circling a constitutional' reconciliation with one
cruel and unnatural Step Mother, on any other
terms. . If'die phrliam/it of Great-Britain was dis
posed to heal the differences now fubfidiug betwixt
her and the colonies, why did they reject the mo
tion made hi the Houle of Commons by the Hon.
Mr. Lnttrel, to' impower the 'Commiffipners to
treat with any Convention, Congress, or'AHem^y,
of one or more provinces? They well knew, and
all the enemies of American liberty, who have fled
to the minidry, and are now begging their pro
tedion and Support Irom the . impoverished revenue
could declare, that all the Aliemblies throughout
the continent, referred the motion which Lord
JNortli made in Parliament lad year, to the Con
gress: how absurd then to think of treating with
the colonics Separately: were, the Parliament really
uGirous of peace, would they r' .fque it on the pre
lent plan which is now talked of? No: The Com
mhlioncrs would be directed to apply to the Con
xgrefs without delay; but this ds not their drift.
The prime minister continues in the maxim he a
dopted lad year, to divide and conquer; every mea
sure he adopts proves this to be his creed; and af
ter Subduing you he may, perhaps, think a parti
cular Share of the confiscated effaces, a proper and
reasonable compensation for his indefatigable pains,
adiduity and care, in Scheming and contriving your
ruin. Bewate then of every offer of clemency, fa
.vour and protection, lead, like the poor victims in
Bollon, you smart for it in the end; they vainly
thought tlumfelves fife, whild under the protecti
on of a few mercenaries, but were deceived. Re
member the treaty made between General Gage
and the Select Men of Boston, whereby he disarm
ed the inhabitants, and forget not howdie observed
it. This very General isnow engaged in abiding
the enemy to form their hid plan. No public cen
sure patted upon him for his treachery, which
Shews they fully approved it. Can you confide in
the treaties of such enemies? Look at Lord Mans
field's,Speeches, and be convinced of the folly of
such expectations, particularly his lad, published in
the Evening Poll of the 9th instant. Fail not then
to unite in every measure the, patrons of our liberty
may think necefiry for our preservation. Be cau
tious how, by Show or appearance of disunion, you
add to the numbers already Slain, and increase
those torrents of blood which have already flowed
in defence of our liberty. I am certain that there
is not a more effectual method of augmenting the
number of martyrs to their country, than a sub
mission of any colony, or a part of any colony, to
the tools of administration. Suppose, for a while
what I hope may never be accomplished, that such
a disunion takes place, and conquest on the part of
the King's troops ensues, what a dreadful catastro
phe appears? Who can answer for the numbers
that Shall be slain in battle and in cold blood? For
a just representation of the fatal consequences of
such a conduct, fuffer me to lay before you the
proceedings and cruelty of a Britifo army, after
conquering rebels, as 'handed to us by a noted En
glitk historian: though they were rebels against the
hate and we are not , yet, as we are both involved
in the fame character, we mull exped, if conquered,
the fame merciless treatment. In the month ofMay,
fays Smollct, “ the Duke of Cumberland advanced
with the armies into the Highlands, as far as fort
Augustus, where he encamped, and sent off de
tachments on all hands to hunt down the fugitives,
and lay waste the country with fire and sword.
The cattles of Glengary and Lochiel were plunder
ed and burned; every house, hut, or habitation
met with the fame fate, without distinction; all the
cattle and provifi'on were carried off; the men were
either j^ot upon the mountains like mild beasts, or
put to death in cold blood, without form of tryal:
the women, after having seen. their bufbands and fa
thers murdered, mere fubjefted to brutal violation,
and then turned out naked, with their children, to
Jiarve on the barren heaths : one whole family mas en
closed in a barn and confuted to aj7?es. Those mi
niiters of vengeance were so alert in the execution
cf their'ofhce, that, in a fem days, there mas nei
ther house, cottage, man, nor beast to be seen in the
compass of fifty miles-F Nor did their cruelty flop
here: " Fifty officers," fays our historian, ''were
dragged ip captivity to a flrange country; denied
the priviledge of trial in the country where the ad
(For the Remainder fee the last Page.)
To the PEOPLE or Pennsylvania.
L E T TE R VII.'
TP "^ author of Common Sense does not trull
wholly to his scripture doctrines for the de
molition of monarchical government; and indeed
how could he? For he seems only to have begun
his Study of the bible " Since the fatal 19th of April,
1775." Before that period, as he eloquently tells
us, " no man was a warmer mifoer to reconciliati
on (with monarchical government) than himielf."
It may be proper, then, to take some notice of what
he offers by way of argument againd monarchy,
and particularly the hereditary kind.
" If"hereditary fuccefiions" fays he (meaning
fucceffton to monarchical government) " did en
sure a race of good men, it would have the feal-of
divine authority." Thus we find him, with his own
hand, affixing the seal of Heaven to what he ha^
before told us, the Devil invented, and the /Ilmighty
entered his protest against. A Strange inconfittcncy
as well as heterodoxy! For it monarchy be from
Hell and reprobated by Heaven, how can a fucceS
fion to it be dandified by the authority of everlall
ing goodnef; ?
He finds another curious argument against the
English Monarchy, in particular, by tracing it to
the ra/cally original of a French bajlard. let, in'
tlie estimation of many, this will prove as little a
gainst the institution itfelf, asit would prove against
this author's argument or mine, in the present con
troversy, if both of us were difeovered not only to
have Sprung from hazards, but to be such ourselves.
The Family Scutcheon that is without a blot, mult
be but of a very frefh date The Roman empire,
By this author's argument, had a double or twin
rafcality in its original. Romulus and Remus
did not know their own father “ They were, lays
Sidney, the sons of a Nun, cqnftuprated (or
plumped up) as is probable by a htfy soldier, who
was (by the language of flattery, afterwards) laid
to be Mars, and for their vigour and valor' were
made heads of the people."' The reft'of his argu
•ments appear nothing better than these, even where
he displays his whole force, in laying before us the
.materials of the English constitution, under diffe
rent heads.
“ First —The remains of monarchical tyranny, in
the person of the King. “ Secondly—The re
mains of ariflocratical tyranny, in the persons of
the peers. " Thirdly—The new republican ma
terials, in the persons of the Commons." These he
intimates, may be virtuous.; but he should have
made them as tyrannical as the others, so far as
these colonies are concerned, else what are we
contending for against them?
Alas! What mor^ than Augean labour have I
undertaken; in attemping to answer a writer, who,
under the Specious name of Common Sense, is con
stantly dealing out paradoxes, and setting himfelf
up, not only in contradiction to the sober Senti
ments of the.wifeft of mankind, but often in con
tradiction to himfelf? Can any man expert credit,
who will gravely assert-that a people, long famed
for wisdom and love of liberty, would have em
ployed themselves for a thouland years, in com
pounding and rearing up a constitution, out of the
materials of the different f mple forms of govern
ment, and, all the while, have fele&ed nothing
but the tyrannical remains of each ? To reason with
such a writer would be loft labour. Some asserti
ons are too absurd for the poflibility of refutation.
The rules of /og/'c cannot lay hold of them.
In such a case, the bell answer that can be given,
is to lay before the reader a true account of the
English constitution; the praises of which have
adorned and.filled the volumes of the greater men,
in our own and other countries. In this part of
my work, therefore, I Shall have little more to do
than to copy them; and as the Sentiments of fo
reigners may be deemed more impartial than our
own, I Shall take one of the greatest of them—the
illuftrous Montesquieu, for mychief guide. But
as this truly enlightened genius, with the dignity
of a profound lawgiver, delivers himfelf almost in
the concise stile of aphorisms, that he may be more
ufeful to men, whole clear and comprehensive un
derstanding renders them fit for the like office them
selves, in the Service of their country; I Shall en
deavour to convey the substance of his doctrines
in the most familiar Style, retaining as far as I am
able, 'his sense and spirit. I Shall likewise venture
sometimes to make a few additions, either for il
lustration, or to bring his general principles more
closely ho,me to the English constitution.
There is certainly Something too venerable in a
fabric built up with to much care by our ancestors,
cemented with so. rn^ch blood, and to which they
have adhered for ,0 many ages, to be lightly given
up, upon the partial reprefeiuptions, or general
invectives, of any writer, or number of writers,
arguing from the.^tfeof things againftthe use of
them. We would not lock ourselves out of an old
habitation, till we had provided a new and better
one; nor part with a common friend upon the pas
sionate accusations, of an avowed enemy, without
hearing what he could fay in his defence, and giv
ing him a fair trial. For, at this rate, we could
have nothing of the least liability, or permanency
upon earth ; and our whole lives would be employ
ed in making and unmaking, building up and pul
ling down, without ever reaping the foalleft fruit
of our labours.,
(The Remainder in our next.)
KINGSTON, (Jamaica) December 23.
On Thursday afternoon the Sloop Dove, Capt.
Bull, belonging to Rhode-Ifland, was brought in
to Port-Royal harbour. This vessel had loaded at
Cape Nichola Mole with French produce, and on
her passage homeward was met by his Majesty's
ship Maidftone, Allan Gardiner, Esq; commander,
who seized her. We are informed that the Maid
ftone was then in chafe of a brigantine and sloop,
the latter laden with gunpowder, and came out of
Cape Francois, which was yesterday sent in.
SAVANNAH, (Georgia) February 21.
Friday last our Provincial Congress proceeded to
the election of Delegates to represent this province
in the grand Continental Congress, when, on clos
ing the poll, it appeared that Archibald Bullock,
John Houftoun, Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett:
and George Walton, Efqs; were duly elected, and
declared Delegates accordingly.
CHARLESTOWN, (South-Carolina) ^ r ^ 8.
On the twenty-fourth pf last month the Proving
cial Congress appointed the following Gentlemen
to be Delegates to represent this province in the
Continental Congress, viz. John Rutledge, Tho
mas Lynch, Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton,
and Thomas Heyward, jun. Efqrs.
N E WP O R T, Hpril^.
Last Friday the ministerial fleet went a little with
out the mouth of our harbour, and in tile evening
they all returned and anchored between Gould-
Island and Coddington's Point, except the Glafgpw
of 24 guns, and a Small tender, -which kept out all
night —As soon as it was light the next morning,
a party of the troops Rationed on this illand got
down two of their 18 pounders upon the point, and
played so well upon those worse chan Algerine ro
vers, they hulled the Rose 2or 3 times, the Nau
tilus once or twice, and sent one Shot through and
through one of the armed tenders, upon which.
Capt. Wallace, of the Rose, sent off a boat to cut
awav the buoy of his anchor, then flipped his cable,
and made off as faft as possible, and the rest of his
fleet followed in the utmost hurry and confufion,
having Sired about 15 cannon upon our people
without the lead effe&, though they flood in con
siderable numbers as open as they could well be,
without the least breast-work or other Shelter.
For several hours before, and during the above
engagement, a vast nurqber of cannon were heard
from the S. E. and about sunrise, 8 or 10 fail of
Ships, brigs, &c. were seen a little to the eastward
of Block-ISland, and indeed the flashes of the can
non were seen by some people about day break.
These things caused much Speculation; but in a few
hours the mystery was Somewhat cleared up, for
awav came the poor Glasgow, under all the fail She
could set, yelping from the mouths of her cannon
(as bad as a boken legged dog) in token of her
being fadiv wounded : And though She fettled away
and banded the most of her fails, just before flie
came into the harbour, it was plainly perceived by
the holes In those She had (landing, and by the
hanging of her yards, that She had been treated in
a very rough manner — The other vessels seen off
flood up the western found; and by very authentic
intelligence, received on Saturday evening, we are
fully convinced, they were 12 fail of the Continen
tal Navy, very deeply laden with cannon, mortars,
cannon Shot, bombs, and other warlike stores, from
the Weft-Indies; so that it is probable their preci
ous cargoes were the sole cause of Mrs. Glasgow's
making her escape; her tender it is supposed was
taken; as a!fo the bomb brig, and a Schooner, which
had been out near a week in Search of prey.
As soon as the Ghfgow got in, the Rose, Capt.
Wallace, the Nautilus, Capt. Collins, the Swan,
Capt. Ayfeough, with Several tenders and pirated
prizes, flood out to sea, leaving the Glasgow, a
large Show, and two fmalffloops, at'anchor, about:
three quarters of a mile from Brenton's point. The
ensuing night, a party of troops carried one 18
pounder, one 9, one 6, and two 4 pounders on
said point; and early yesterday morning saluted the
Glasgow with such warmth that She Slipped her
cable, and pushed up the river without firing a gun
under all the fail She could make, and the others
followed with great precipitation. By the terrible
crocking on board the Glasgow, the noise and con
fufion among her men, 'tis thought the cannon did
good execution. The wind Shifting to the north
ward about noon, those veff Is run down the back
of Conanicut, and flood out to sea, supposed to
have gone in quell of Capt. Wallace, ro make a
woeful complaint ofthe incivility of the Y ANKIES!
Yesterday in the forenoon, as a company of Ame
rican regul s rs were getting up the cable and anchor
which the Glasgow had a little before left in her
great fright, a large.prize Sloop came in, which
Wallace had carried out with him the day before;
and it being a very thick air, and she expecting to
find the Glasgow lying where She was left, got close
in with the boat before they lifcovered her, when
the boat immediately laid her aboard, and bro't
her in here. She had on board 7 men and one wo
man. This Sloop was loaded with flour, &c. and
was, when taken by the pirates, bound from Mary
land to Providence.