The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-06-11 00:00:00, page 1

Messrs. Printers,
I WISH you to publish a few observations on
two pieces, published in New-London, April
the gth and 12th, in which the author has set
forth a mighty collection of fa&, taken from
the public files and records, in order to show,
thatthe landed interest is not so rich as other
people, and yet pay more taxes ; that they pay
morel grant ; and that this is right I assert ;
but that they are not so rich, or so able to pay,
I deny. The case is fp plain it needs no argu
ment ; our author hath proved it, if hehath prov
ed any thing: He might as well have weighed a
hogshead of lime and a hogshead of feathers,
to prove that the lime is worth the most money.
Our author, in his answer to his opponent, re
nounces reasoning, and profeffeth to reports fails
only : Let us fee how this is—He affeas much
to give the epithet of rich trading towns. Now
I imagine there was not, at the time ht menti
oned, 1780, one rich, trading town in theState.
He defcribeth Hartford as having a great many
rich merchants in it. lam intimately acquaint
ed in Hartford, and I am confident, that in
1780, there was not one, that might be called
so, on account of any bufmefs he had then.
He aflerts that the trade in 1779 was worth
double the value that it was the year before,and
on a refpeUable footing. Now it is very strange
that any man can think trade can be on a re
foedable footing, or of any value at all, when
the medium is discountingtwo or three hundred
per cent, per annum. If our author really
knows, and would be just, he would confefs
thatthe flocks improved in trade and manufac
tory, have funk full one half in seven years.
After running over these, and a great many
more misrepresentations and absurdities, about
Great-Britain, as well as this country, he cries
out murder ! The State is in danger, it is go
ing to ruin, the people will raise no horned cat
tle, we shall have nothing to go to market with,
there will be no trade, all the landed people will
be undone, and the other people are growing
rich.,,
Pray let us enquire into this ; but by a few
words : How came this nine tenths of the peo
ple to be so impoverished ? But by paying their
debts to the traders and tradesmen, in a medium
depreciated from 100 to 500 per cent; by fel
ling their wheat from % to '+2/1 per bushel,
which used to be at q/i—their oxen at 261. per
pair, which were not worth above 101. andother
produce in proportion, as they did from January
1777, to Miy 1781, and securing the money in
the public funds. How have the tenth men
been enriched? This is also plain : It is by
making shoes for the nine, by Shoeing their
horses, receiving their debts as above, felling
out the whole of their flock for that depreciated
medium, and by sustaining the principal ex
pence of the war, for about four of five years,
and collecting a small part of the money that
those ruined farmers had to throw away on fu
perfluities.
I freely acknowledge, that there is many of
(he middling people are hard pressed, since the
public expences have been paid by taxes ; but
so far as my observation extends, the c r y doth
not come from them, but from the overgrown
land-holders, that have grown rich by the war,
and, if need be, i think I could name some of
them.
xrelMßi^^^
IX7'I'I7WT"V tli%t^^ TfTNT ^ _ T^
^vJt^i&LX LIN X ISLLICn&M CBK„
HERTFORD : Printed by H UDSON and G OODWI N, near the Great Bridge.
T U ESDA Y, June 11, 1782.
From Rivington's Royal Gazette, May 20.
KINGSTON (Jamaica) April 27.
ON Turfday his Majesty's drip la Nymphe ar
rived at Port-Royal, which enables theedi
tor ofthis paper with supreme pleasure, to an
nounce to the public a most splendid and brilli
ant victory, obtained by Admiral Sir George B.
Rodney, and British fleet under his command,
over the Count de Graffe, who led the fleet of
his Most Christian Majesty.
About noon the fame day a letter from Sir
George B. Rodney to his Honor the Comman
der in Chief, was delivered at the King's House
in Spanish town, by Capt. Sankey of the 99th
regiment, brought from on board his Majesty's
fliip la N.ymphe,of which the following is a copy.
Formidable, between Guadalovpe and Montserrat,
Aprils, 1782.
SI R,
I AM this moment favoured with your Ex
cellency's letter, and have the happiniefs to ac
quaint you, that after having had a partial en
gagement with the enemy on the 9th, wherein
16 of my rear were prevented by calms from join
ing in the a&iorf, on the 12th I had the good for-
tune to bring them to a general action, which
lasted from 7 o'clock in the morning till balfpaft
6 in the afternoon, without a moment's intermis
sion. Count de Graffe, with the Ville de Paris
and four other ships of the line, and one funk,
graced the ridory. The remainder of their fleet
was so miserably Shattered, and their loss in men
so very great, from their having their whole ar
my, consisting of 5500 men, on board their ships
of war, that I am convinced it will be almost im
possible to put them in a condition for service for
some time.
I am hafting with my whole fleet to the fuc
cour of Jamaica, and youmay hourly expert me,
with such ships of my fleet as are in a condition
to keep the sea, off the east end of your island ;
not a few will be obliged to repair toPort-Royal.
I have the honor to be,
With the highest regard;
Your Most humble servant, -
G. B. RODNEY.
His Excellency General Campbell.
A NNA POL I. S, May 23.
By a gentleman from Baltimore we are in
formed, that a veflel arrived there yesterday from
St. Euftatius, brings the copy of a letter from
Count de Graffe to the Marquis Bouille, dated
the 13th of April,.which contains an account
of the late naval action in the Weft-Indies ; the
substance of .which is, as far as we can collea
that the action was bloody andobftinate, that our
allies had one ship blown up some hours after the
engagement, and have 101 l a great number of
men : That the British are so disabled that it is
believed they will not be able to make Jamaica.
The letter further informs, that M. Motte
Picquet has arrived at St. Domingo with 16 fail
of the line, and 15,000 land forces. The Couni
de Graffe having saved all his convoy, the late
action cannot have any bad influence on those
operations in the Weft-Indies, from which we
have a right to expe& the happiest confluences.
FIS H-K I L L, June 6.
By Captains Trevett and Arnold of Rhode
lfland, who passed through this town on the 3d
inst. from Philadelphia to the eastward, we learn,
that the island of New-Providence (in the Weft-
Indies) with an English garrison of 300 men, sur
rendered to the Governor es Havannah, and
Commodore billon in the frigate South-Caro,
hna, on the nth of May last—that two thou,
sand five hundred Spanish troops, were employ
ed on the expedition. The Spanish Governor
we hear, was for fending the garrison to C.harlef
town,but Commodore Gillon not con fenting, they
are to go to England., awo Spanish fleets with
between ten and twelve thousand troops on board,
failed from the Havannah for the Cape, before
the South-Carolina left that island. „ ,
One of the above gentlemen, ' who left Cadiz
theist of March, fays the combined fleet at that
place consisted of upwards of sixty fail of the line,
well manned and completely ready for sea—that
twenty thousand troops were ready to embark,
but their destination not known—that the Eng
lish channel fleet was said to consist of twenty
four fail only...[ T>
Commodore Gillon arrived in tie Delaware
the 27th ultimo. 1
On the 13th of May, the birth of the Dau-
FHIN, & was celebrated at Weft-Point, by the
American army, Rationed on the banks of the
Hudson ; —preparatory to which the following
communication had been made in the General
Orders of the 26th. r
" The Commander in Chief, happv in the
opportunity of announcing to the army the birth
of a Daupmn, and desirous of giving a general
occasion of teßifring the fatisfa&ion which held
convinced will pervade the heart of every ? me
ricap officer and soldier, on the communication
of an event so highly infcrefting to ^Monarch
and nation, who have given us such dfilinguilh.
ed proofs of their attachment, is pleased to or
der afeu dejoye on Thursday next, and requests
" e company of all the General; Regimental and
Safi Officers of the army (who are not necefla
rily detained by duty) at Weft-Point, on that
day, at 4 o'clock. Commanding officers of bri
gades and corps, will receive particular inflec
tions for their government."
, The celebrations however, on account of the
weather, , and some other inevitable circum
ftanecs, was poftfrfd till the next day, when a
magnificent bower having been ere&ed, an eled
font entertainment, at which more than geo co
vers were laid, was given by bis Excellency to
the officers ot the army, at which were also fre
fent, his Excellency Governor Clinton, with a
great number of gentlemen and ladies, forming
a refpedtible and brilliant company.
After dinner, the following tcafts were drank
under ? difeharge of cannon. The band of the
3d regiment of artillerf, with the other martial
music, playing alternate!, the whole time.
I. Longlife,hafeinefs and glory to theDauphim
2. The United States in Congress.
3. His most Christian Majesty.
4. The Queen and Royal family; of France.'
5. His Catholic Majesty, and the friendly
. powers of Europe.,
6. The Count Rochambeau and the French'
army.
7. The American soldiery.
8. The Allied fleets.
9. The Chevalier de la Luzerne,
10. The American Minillers, at norite and abroad:
It; Perpetual deration to the alliance.
12. .A new edge to our swords, untill they shall
have opened ' the way to Independence;
freedom and glory ; and then may they
he converted to instruments of peace;
13. May the Independence of America jive
freedom and peace 10 & w&rW
(Ne. 907.)