The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1783-06-03 00:00:00, page 1

FOR SALE.
T) be Sold, at PUBLIC VENDUE, at Danbury, on the
second day of June next, all the STORES belonging
to the Quarter-Matter General's Department at that post,
confiding of a Variety of Valuable Articles, among which
are—sundry complcat Setts of Carpenters,Joiners, Coopers
and Smiths Tools—-a number of new Cart and Waggon
Wheels, Boxes and Bodies—Horse, Harness and other Fur
niturc—alfo, large and small Scales and Weights, The
raoft of the articles very good in quality, and fit for pre
sent use.—-ALSO, To be Sold, at the Deputy Quarter-Maf
oer's Office, in Hartford, on the tith day of June next, at
PUBLIC VENDUE, all the STORES belonging to the Quar
ter Master General's department at this post, confiding of
many articles similar to those at Danbury—Alfa, three
good four-borfe covered Waggons, with Harness complex
=--a number Suits of Artificers Cloathing, &c.
The Printer acNew-Haven is requested to insert the above.
Hartford, May t,, 1783.
WE the Subferibers being appointed Commissioners, by
the Hon. Court of Probate, for the diftrid of Hart
ford, on the estate of Major JOHN BIGELOW, late of Hart
ford, deceased, represented insolvent: Do hereby notify
those concerned, that we shall attend the business of our ap
pointment at the dwelling house of said deceased, on the
Second Mondays of June, July, August and September next.
No accounts will allowed unless properly attened.
JOSEPH TALCOTT, ) ,
WILLIAM ADAMS. ) Ca m miffi oners.
Ms, 20, 1,83.
To all persons concerned in Navigation in this or
the neighbouring States.
THE Subscriber having bad long and large experience,
in getting off and saving veflcls that have been drove
on shore, wrecked and filled with sand, even where the
tide has ebbed and flowed in them. Begs leave to inform
thofc, that bv the help of a machine, by means whereof
and his long experience in them matters, he has saved ma
ny which would have been otherwise loft ; stands reidy up
on all occasions of the like nature to serve them on like oc
casions, by which they may save their property by applying
to their molt humble fervanc,
JOSEPH HILLIARD.
KjHingwortb, April 29, 1783;
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.
LAST night the Subferibers Shop was broke open, and
robbed of one Silver Watch, one piece of fine Holland,
of 2 > yards, and one piece of dark Caliche, of about 10
yards. Whoever will take the thief or thieves, and the
goods, and return them to me in Norfolk, shall be incited
to the abo,e reward and all charges paid, or ten dollars
for the thief or goods.
ELIJAH PHELPS.
Norfolk, Ma, 13, 1783,
ON Tburfda, the §th day of June next, or the house of
Mrs. ELIZABETH BIGELOW, in Middletown, at
Two o'clock, P. M. Will be Sold at PUBLIC VENDUE to
the highest bidder (uniefs fold fooncr at private lale) a
large DWELLING HOUSE, with about Two Acres LAND,
an old Barn, and a Good Well, within piltol shot of the
Meeting Houfc.—The purchaser may take a smaller quan
tity of Land, if it faits.
MATTHEW TALCOTT.
Middletown, Ma, 15, 1783.
STOLEN from the Subferiber, the night after the 12th
inst. a dark brown MARE, 13 years old, about 13
handsand 3 inches high, trots and paces, her sides wore
with tackling, a fraall ftarin her forehead; also, a plain
leather Saddle and Housing, and Bridle.-- -Whoever will
take up said Marc, and return her to the fubferiber, shall
have Five Dollars reward, and for the Mare and Thief Ten
Dollars, by THOMAS BUSWELL.
Canterbury, May 13, 1783.
IN the State of Connefticut all persons having Demands
against the Quarter-Matter General, upon Contra&s
entered into since December, 1780, are requested to exhibit
them immediately for liquidation and payment, at the
Deputy Quarter-Matter's omce, in Hartford, who must soon
render in and fettle all his public accounts, after which he
will not be able to make farther payment. The Collegers
of Financiers Taxes are requested to receive the Certificates
for settlement, for the convenient, of exchanging large
orders, which will answer for their payment at the Treasury,
Hartford, May 19, 1783.
The printers in this State arc requested to insert the above
in their next papers.
oil ' (£w^^
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HARTFORD: Printed by H U DSON and GOODWI N, near the Great Bridge
T~U E~S D A Y,
'' We regard the ad of Congress refpe&ing half pay, as
an honorable and just re ompence, for several years hard
service, in which the health and fortunes of the officers have
been worn down and exhausted. We fee, with chagrin, the
odious point of view in which the citizens us too many of
the Sates endeavor to place the men entitu'ed to it. We
hope, for the honor of human nature, that there are none so
hardened in the fin of ingratitude, as to deny the justice of
the reward. We have reason to believe that the objection,
generally, is against the mode only. To prevent therefore
any altercations and diftindions which may tend to injure
that harmony, which we ardently desire may reign through
out the community, we are willing to commute the half
pay pledged, for full pay fora certain number of years ? or
for a sum in gross, as shall be agreed to by the committee
sent with th s address. And in this we pray, that the disa
bled officers and soldiers, with the widows and orphans of
those who have expended, or may expend their lives in the
service of their country, may be fully comprehended. We
alb beg, that feme mode may be pointed out for the effectu
al payment of those soldiers, who are the fubjeds of the re
solution of Congress of the r^h of May, 1778."
Of the manner in which Congress regarded this proposal
and their generous compliance with it, the commutation ad,
palled the 22d of March lalt, is an ample and very honorable
testimony. —And that the writer alluded to either wanted,
or designed v suppressed the necessary informat on on his
fubjed, the following a& of Congress, of the 15th of May,
1778, is adduced as a proof.
" That every non-commissioned military officer and fol
dip r, who hath enlisted or shall enlist into the service ofthefe
United States, for and during the war, and shall continue
therein to the end thereof, shall be entituled to receive rhe
further reward of eighty dollars at the expiration ofthe war."
It would be easy tofoint out many other instances where
fads have been fupprefled by this writer, in objecting to the
compensation allowed to offi ers, as being dispropor
tionate to that of the so diers, he very industriously avoids
mentioning the furrs which have been given to some of the
latter, as encouragement to engage in die army. I have
good authority to afferr, that in many towns @fthe eastern
States, men have received seventy—eighty - -amd, in sane in.
fences., aimHck set one hundred mid twenty founds, in faciei as
TO T HE P VB L I C.
AT a time when all America are exp-effing their gratitude
to heaven, for the lignal success which has crowned
their virtuous exertions in the cause of freedom, and secured
to them the obje&s of their glorious warfare, in the full pof
feflion of peace, liberty and fafety, it must give pain to eve
ry sensible mind to observe the ungenerous attempts of some
designing persons to injure that cla.fi of citizens, who, under
God, have been the happy instruments of securing to their
country those inehimable bleflings which it now enjoys. I
am led to this remark, from the perusal ofa piece in the
Connecticut Courant of the 13th instant, wherein the writer,
in a very plausible manner, affeds to feel the highest obliga
tion to the army for it's fcrv ices—while, by holding up an in
vidious diftin&ion between those of the officers a nd soldiers, he
the more artfully endeavours to conceal his black design of
rendering both odious to the community, and as far as in
him lies, preventing the 0} eration of that gratitude towards
them, which has so dcfervedl, placed the country in the most
honorable point of view. This writer profeffes a desire to
reward the officer and soldier, in proportion to their services,
but cannot fee the justice of giving a compensation to the
former, to the exclusion of the latter, if he could, he would
poleis very extraordinary opticsindeed. He must excufeme,
when I tell him, that he either wants information on this fub
jed, or has willfully and wickedly kept it out of fight. A
shore retr fpe& will set this matter in it's proper light.
After the close of the campaign 1777, the officers who had
been in service from the commencement of the war found
themselves reduced to a situation which was no longer tole
rable. The exorbitant price of eve, article of life, ef,eci
al.y all kinds of cloathing, which their rank obliged them
to furnish themselves with, reduced their pay, which in he
beginning was competent to their Support, to a very ffender
pittance. Theirdiftrefs spoke for tfytf- -and Congress, who
are certainly adequate judges, were pleased to pass an ad
granting them half pay, for a certain term of years after the
war should cease, as an indemnification for the losses whi,h
their public Rations inevitably funjeded them to. This, in
pursuance of the fame equitable principle, was afterwards
extended for life. However honorable these a&s were to
thatauguft body, as we las to the fubjeds of them-—yet the
better to accommodate themselves. co the difpofit on of their
brethren at large, the officers, in their late address to Con
gress, requested a commutation of the half pay, from a full
conviaion that there was no objection to the reward itfelf,
though there might possibly be to the mode ofconfering it.
On this occasion I must ask the reader's indulgence to annex
their own words.
June 3, 1783.
Mess. PRINTERS.
Please to give the following observations a place in yont
Intelligencer.
EVI RY man of the least knowledge or sense of the impor
tance of national charader, feels anxious, at this criti
cal stage of American affairs. Ourfame hasfpread through
al: nations. And while we are thus lif ed up to view, and!
the eyes of the whole world are fixed upon us, as a new phe
nomenon in the pol rival atmoffhere, there is great danger
of an explosion, that shall blow up our present form of ex
iftance, and turn our light and glory into fmoak and con
tempt, that may end in eternal oblivion. And the whole bf
this danger originates from the mercen # ry fee tings of the
people, who are under the ini ence of that covetoufnefe
which is idolatry. Their cursed avarice will reate clamor
and scolding, if nothing worfe,which cal s for firmnefs and
persevering fortitude in all our leaders and men of true ho
nor. And the ambitious and wicked will endeavor to dis
grace all those that a& for the best interest of the Stace, ta
pave rhe way for their own promotion.
The only thing that remains necessary to perf & our re
putation, and to hand to ail posterity an unful ied fame is to
fund our debt, and establish luffi < ient revenues, which, with
moderate taxat on, will honestly and punctually pay it's in
tcreft and gradually fink it's principal
The five years pay of our military officers, as a reward for
their unparalleled Bufferings, wil be considered by many a
great grievance. But my desire is to give them too much
ra her than too little. Those brave men have well faught;
our battles, supported military diftiplinc, and gained im
mortal honor to our young empire. We have taken them
from their business, by which they supported themselves and
Amides, and while they have been in the field jeoparding
their lives, others have fter ed into their fla< es and procured'
that business which was their former life. Many have ruin
ed their conftitut.ons by particular hardships in frofts, rains
and heat of battles. Many have been compelled to fell their
notes much under par. And the greater part of our officers
were in younger life,v ho have fpentfix or eight years in
public service, at that period when fortunate circumflances
time and chance, which happens to al! men, opens ways for
railing estates, and laying foundations for future support and
refutation.
But was there nothing of th ! s kind to induce us to give
them a generous reward. Our faith, if we have any, or%an
ever to have any, obliges us to do it. When all were Seeing
from the service as their country, our armies were unappli
ed with necessary provision, their pay was withheld, their
wives and children were pressing them to extinguish the pa
triotic flames in their breasts, and look out for themselves
with theirneighbors at home, and thoferhatwere unmarried
were urged by their parents and their dear relations to do the
fame; and the enemy were in full force and open-mouthed
with vengeance; eyuy month's continuance in the service
a bounty for three years, beffdes the pay and cloathing
which they draw as soldiers. These emoluments, including
the eighty dollars they are to receive, will on an average,
amount to five years whole pay, and, if we take into calcula
tion the greater part of it being specie or a full equivolenr,
exceeds the compensation al owed to the officers, who, in
nine cases out often, would gladly commute the five years
securities, to be given them at a future period, for half the
amount paid to them in money.
Asto the queries-- 66 Who has performed the duty and drudge=
r, of the army ? Who has been the gentleman or servant?" —And
others of the fame ftamp,—-they are so evidently the ebuli
rion of malevolence a d ill nature as not to deserve a reply.
No person, possessed of candor or common honesty, will de
ny that the officers have made facrifices and many of them
great ones. They have, for the public good, quitted their
private concerns, and, in a number of instances, very lucra
tive business, whiclr having passed into other channels is ir
recoverably loft—the little which their honest indiftry had
acquired has been expended by their families-—and them
selves, at a distance from home, been obliged tofupport the
chara&ers, which, at the call of their country, they found
necessary to assume. These circumstances nave exhausted
their fortunes, or involved them in debts which they will
find difficulty to discharge. Added to all this the officer has
shared the fatigue and danger of the field in common with
the soldier-- he has undergone the most painful anxiety of
mind, ever inseparable from a configuration that he is re—
fponfib'e to the country, not only for his own particular du
ty, but for the lives and welfare of the men committed to
his care. Under the influence ofthefe principles, he anti
cipates, with the utmost fatisfad on, the happy moment:
which shall put a period to his toils—destroy the diftindiott
between citizen and soldier, and convince the world that A
merica will most inviolably regard the immutable and eter
nal law of
JUSTICE.
(No. 957.)