The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-23 00:00:00, page 3

WATERTOW N, May i 3.
The General Assembly have ordered five of the armed ves
sels now fitting out by this colony for the defence of America,
to bear the following names, viz. The brigantine at Kingston,
the Independance ; a brigantine building at Dartmouth, the
Rising Empire ; the flcop building at Salisbury, the Tyran
nicide; two sloops building at Swanzey, the Republic and
the Freedom.
Last Friday Capt. Waters took a brig, and carried her into
Beverly. We have not heard where she was from, nor with
what laden.
From the BOSTON GAZETTE.
The following we received last week, and now insert it not
only on account of its curiosity, but for the amusement of
our readers.
“ Head-Quarters, Boston, Dec. 18, 1775.
" The bearer hereof having volun
tarily engaged to serve his Majesty, in the Royal Regiment
of Highland Emigrants (railed and established for the just
and loyal purpose of opposing, quelling, and suppressing the
present most unnatural, unprovoked, and wanton rebellion)
conformable to the orders and directions of his Excellency
the Commander in Chief, and agreeable to his Majesty's
most gracious intentions fignified by the Earl of Dartmouth
(Secretary of State for America) “ That such emigrants from
“ North-Britain, as well as other loyal fubjeCts, that should
“ engage to serve in the above mentioned corps, should be
*' considered in the most favourable light. And after the
<' conclusion of the present unhappy civil war (to which pe
" riod only they are obliged to serve) be intitled to a pro
" portion of two hundred acres vacant, or forfeited, lands
" for every man or head of family ; together with fifty more
<' in addition for every person the family may consist of; the
" whole to be granted and patented without any expence to the
" said grantees. And moreover, to be free of any quit-rent
" to the crown for twenty years."
“ I do, therefore, with the consent and approbation of
his Excellency the Commander in Chief, certify and declare,,
That the said is, at the expiration of
the present troubles (and when peace, order, and due obe
dience to the laws are established in the Britiffi colonies on
the Continent, and islands of North-America) to be at li
berty, and intitled to a final difeharge from said regiment,
and from his Majesty's military fervice;,and likewise to re
ceive, as a just reward for his spirited loyalty, the before
mentioned grant of lands, in consequence of the orders and
directions his Majesty has been pleased to issue for that pur
pose. Given under my hand and seal, time and place as firft
above mentioned. To all whom it may concern."
This afternoon, about two o'clock, His Excellency General
WASHINGTON arrived in this city, from New-York.
Extracts of a letter from an officer in the army, at Decham
bault, forty-eight miles above Quebec, May 9, 1776.
“ I have but just time, by an express that goes to New-
York, to acquaint you of our unfortunate, and, I must add,,
difgraceful retreat. The circumhances of which, as far as I
am able, I will inform you of.
“ When I arrived within nine miles of Quebec, with the
fix companies of our regiment, I was hailed by an afficer on
board of a vessel belonging to us, and informed that our
whole army was retreating with the utmost precipitation,
and advised to retreat with the regiment as faft as possible,
which you must be well assured I could not think of doing un-
Zefs absolutely obliged to it. I then immediately put to more,
PHILADELPHI A, May 23.
259
The following Remonstrance to the Honorable the House of
Assembly, which was yesterday agreed to at a meeting of a
refpedable number of the inhabitants of this city and liber
ties, and is now signing by them, is earheftly recommended
to the inhabitants of the different counties of the province,
that in this, or some similar manner, they may express their
sentiments upon the protest referred to.
May 22, 1776.
To the Hon. the Representatives of the Freemen of the
province of Pennsylvania, in Assembly met.
The Address aW Remonstrance of the Subferibers, Inha
bitants of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia.
WHEREAS to our great affliction we find that a paper
has been presented to the House stiled “ The Protest
of divers inhabitants of this province," said to be " in be
half of themselves and others," the purport of which is to
subvert and change the constitution of this government, upon
sundry allegations which we cannot conceive to be well
founded ; and whereas we think it an indifpenfible duty to
ourselves and our posterity, to claim and support our birth
right in the charter and wife laws of Pennsylvania, either
contented to by ourselves, or delivered down to us by our an
cestors, as far as may be possible, without injury to the public
cause of America, during the present distressed situation of
cur affairs. We do therefore remonstrate against. the. said pro
tein, for the following reasons :..
First. Because it holds up the Resolve of the Congref, of
the fifteenth instant, as an absolute injunction for the “ tak
ing up and eftabliihing new governments thoughout all the
United Cblonies, under the authority of the people."
Whereas the said resolve is only a conditional recommenda
tion " to the refpe&ive Assemblies and Conventions of the
United Colonies, where no government fuffeient to the exigencies
of their affairs has been established, to adopt such governments
as shall, in the .opinion of the Representatives of the People, belt
conduce to the happiness and fafety of their constituents in par
ticular, and America in general." And here it is obvious to
remark, that in this and every other Resolve of Congress,
where “ Affimblies and Conventions" are referred to, it must
be intended (and the practice has baen accordingly) that
wherever fffemblies exist, and can meet as the ancient confti
tutionaJ bodies in their refpeCtive colonies, the public bufi-
and ordered the regiment to wait my orders before they moved
from that place. 1 accordingly set out, and ran for about fix
miles, meeting the roads full of people fhamefully flying
from an enemy that appeared by no means superior to our
strength. The General and officers halted here, and held a
council of war, to determine whether they should flop the
troops and engage the enemy. It was determined almost una
nimously against the proposal, although I was of opinion,
from the belt accounts I received from the officers, that the
British troops might have been driven backinto the town. In
vain was- every argument of disgrace attending a retreat
urged. They had determined not to make a stand till they
got to the mouth of the Sorelle, but a letter coming from
Gen. Arnold, promising a reinforcement of men and cannon,
they determined to wait here until an officer could return, who
was sent to Montreal by Gen. Thomas. The fleet is arrived
at Quebec. A frigate of thirty-fix guns, a ship of twenty
guns or upwards, and a schooner taken from us, have failed
up the river as far as this place, and remained here two days.
They landed eight boat loads of men, about four miles off,
who were obliged to embark by a party of the rear, before a
party of one hundred and fifty men, that we marched from
hence, could get up with them."