The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-04-03 00:00:00, page 3

GEORG E R. , ,
THROUGH the whole course of our reign, ear
conduct towards the States General of the United
Provinces has been that of a sincere friend and faithful ally.
Had they adhered to those wile principles which used to go
vern the republic, they must have shewn themselves equally
solicitous to maintain the friendship which has so long lub
ilfted between the two nations, and which is so essential to
the interests of both. But from the prevalence of a fa&ion
devoted to France, and following the dilates of that court,
a very different policy hath prevailed. The return made to
our friendship for ionic time past has been an open con
tempt of the most solemn engagements, and a repeated vi
olation of public faith..
On the commencement of the defenfive war in which we
found ourselves engaged by the aggression of France, we
shewed a tender regard for the interests of the States Gene
ra 1, and a desire of securing to their fubieds every advantage
of trade, consistent with the great and just principle of our
own defence. Our ambassador was instructed to offer a
friendly negotiation co obviate every thing that might lead
to difafretable discussion ; and to this offer? solemnly made
by him to die States General, the 2d of November, 1778,
no attention was paid. ,
After die number ofour enemies increased by the aggres
sion of Spain, equally unprovoked with that of France, we
found it necefl^ry to call upon the States General for die per
formance of their engagements. The fifth article of the
perpetual defenfive alliance between our crown and the
States General, concluded at Westminster the third of March
1678, besides the general engagement for fuccours, exprelsly
ftipuLites, “ That drat party of the two allies that is not at
“ tacked,' shall be obliged to break with the aggressor in
“ two months after the party attacked shall require it
Yet two years have passed without the least assistance given
to us, without a single fyllablc in answer to our repeated de
mands.
So totally regardless have the States been of their treaties
with us, that drey readily promised our enemies to observe a
neutrality in direct contradiction to those engagements ; and
whilst they have with-held from us the fuccours they were
bound to furnish," every secret affiftar.ee has been given to
the enemy ; andinland duties have been taken off for the
sole purpose of facilitating the carriage of naval Hores to
France./'
In dire& and open violation of treaty, they fuffered an
American pirate to remain several weeks in one of their
pons, and even permitted a part of his crew to mount guard
in 2 fort in the Texel,
In the East Indies, the fubjefts of the States General, in
concert with France, have endeavoured to raise up enemies
against us. , /
In the Weft-Indies, particularly at St. Euftatius, every
protection and assistance has been given co our rebellious
Subjects. Their privateers are openly received in the Dutch
harbours ; allowed to refit there; (applied with arms and
ammunition ; tiicir crews recruited ; their prizes brought in
and fold ; and all this in direct violation of as clear and so
lemn Stipulations as can be made.
This condud:, so inconsistent with all good faith, so repug
nant to the sense of the wisest part of the Dutch nation, is
chiefly to be ascribed to the prevalence of the leading ma-,
giftrates of Amsterdam, whose secret correspondence with
•ur rebellious fubjeds was fufpeded long before it was made
known, by the fortunate difeovery of a treaty, the firft arti
cle of which is :
“ There shall be a firm, inviolable and universal peace,
and sincere friendship, between their High Mightinesses die
Estates of the Seven. United provinces of Holland and
tire United States of North America, and the fubje&s
and people of the said parties; and between die countries,
Blinds, cities and rowns situated under the jurifdidion
of die said United whites of Holland and the said United
States of America, and the people and inhabitants
thereof, of every degree, without any exception of person or
places.?
This treaty was signed in September, 1778, by the express
order of the Penfionary of Amsterdam, and other principal
magistrates. They now not only avow the whole tranfa&ion,
but glory in .it, and expressly fay, even to the States
General, that what they did, “ was what their indif
penfible duty required."
In the mean time the States General declined to give any
answer to the memorial presented by our ambassador ; and
this refufal was aggravated by their proceeding upon other
business, nay upon the consideration of this very fubje& to
internal purposes, and while they found it impossible to ap
prove the conduct of their fubjeds, they pill induftriouuy
avoided to give us the fatisfadion so manifeftly due.
We had every right to expe& that such a difeovery would
have roused them to a just indignation at the insult offered to
us and to themselves ; and that they would have been eager
to give us full and ample fatisfa&ion for the offence, and to
infii& the severest punishment upon the offenders. The ur
gency of the business made an inhant answer essential to the
honour and fafety of this country. The demand was accord
ingly pressed by our ambassador, in repeated conferences
with tne ministers, and in a second memorial. It was prefl
ed with all earnestness which could proceed from our ancient
friendship and the sense of recent injuries : And the answer
now given to a memorial of such an obje&, delivered above
five weeks ago, is, THAT THE STATES NAVE TAKEN IT
AD REFERENDUM. Such an answer, upon such an occasi
on, could only be dictated by the fixed purpose of hostility
meditated, and already resolved, by the States, induced by the
©ffenfive councils of Amsterdam thus to countenance the herf
*"e aggression, which the magistrates of that city have made
in the name of the republic.
There is an end of the faith of all treaties with them, if
Amsterdam may usurp the sovereign power, may violate
those treaties with impunity, by pledging the States to en
gagements direfty contrary, and leaguing the republic with
tele rebels of a sovereign to whom she is bound by the closest
wes. An infraction of the law of nations by the meanest
Member of any country gives the injured State a right te de
PHILADELPHIA, Marchzr.
the prize brigantine Amelia, arrived here on Monday lust
from St. Kitts, we have the following important intelli
gence, taken from a St. Kitts paper dated the lath es Fe
bruary, 1781.
From the LONDON GAZETTE, Extraordinary, Thursday,
December 21, 1780.
manifest o.
Sc. CHRISTOPHER S.
By the Honorable ANTHONY JOHNSON, Com
mander in Chiefin and over all his Majesty's Leeward
Caribbee Islands, in America, Chancellor, Vice-Admiral,
and Ordinary of the fame, &c. &c.
APR OCL AM A TI O N.
WHEREAS, i have this day received from Lord
George Germaine, one of his Majesty's principal
Secretaries of State; a letter, dated Whitehall, the 20th De
cember, 1780, thereby acquainting me thatthe King, having
taken into confideratron the many injurious proceedings of
the States General @f the United provinces, and being deter
mined to take the most vigorous meafurcs for vindicating
the honour of his crown, and for procuring reparation and
fatisfa&ion ; and having in the most solemn manner affiired
me, that, in order to encourage all persons under this govern
ment to make captures of ships and verfels of the States Ge
neral and their fubjeds, and destroy or distress their com
merce : For which purpose the Lords Cornmiflioners of the
Admiralty will fend me, with all possible dispatch, proper
authorities for granting letters of marque against the States
General and their fubje&s : But, in the mean time, to allure
(which Ldo by virtue of the above power and authority in me
vested) all owners of ships bearing letters of marque against
the French or Spanish King and their fubjeds, dr to whom I
may grant such, before my further authorities arrive, that
his Majesty will confider them as having a just claim to the
King's share of all Dutch ships and property, which they
make prize of.
Given under my hand and seal, at St. Chriftophers, this
seventh day of February, 1781, and in the aid year of
his Majesty's reign..
ANTHONY JOHNSO N.
Ky his Honour's command,
ANTHONY WHARTON WHITE, Sec'ry.
Published on Thuffday the 18th day of February, in the year
ofour Lord, 1781.
HENRY BERKLEY, Dcp. Pro. Mar.
B A SSATER R E, (St. Chriftophers) February 10.
By the ship which brought the Dutch soldiers and other
prisoners to this island, we are informed, that the fleet of
vessels, amounting to twenty-seven, bound to Holland,,
under convoy of the Dntch Admiral, Which took its depar
ture only two days before the capture of St. Euftatia, was all
brought back in fafety to the road by a detachment Admiral.
Rodney had dispatched for that purpose : That the Dutch
Admiral was killed the firft broadhde,and after a very short
but sharp engagement, the whole struck.
Yesterday evening about fix o'clock appeared off this road,
a brig with a signal of a white jack at her foretopmaft-head,
on which the fire ship and frigate that were here, immedi
ately got under way, and proceeded with the brig, supposed
for St. Euftatia. Various are the conje&ures upon it, report
fays, there were a fleet seen co leeward of Martinico.
Lift of Prizes font in Jince our last.
Brig Hope, late Miles Lewis, from Plymouth and Charleftown,
with. 6000 bushels of oats, on government account, bound to New-
York, Taken by the letter of marque ship Delaware, Capt. Prole.
Erig Amelia, late Capt. Lindsey, from St. Ritt's for Glasgow,
laden with tobacco and cotton. Taken by the fehoonors Mntelope
and Felicity, of Baltimore ; and fehooner Unity, with 4^ barrels
of flour, late of Baltimore ; taken by the Medea frigate, on her
pafa^e *• Havanna, and ordered for New-York, where she was
retaken by the Navarn, Capt. Sutton.
By federal passengers taken in,he brig Amelia, we have a con
firmation of the very important intelligence refpe&ting St. Euftatia
bein& taken by the English on the 3d alt. The particulars we
learn are, that all the property on the island was prized on by Ad
miral Rodney, whether belonging to English, Dutch or American
merchants. That five or fix of the merchants, fettled on the island
were confined on board the men of war. That the Dutch island of
Curraccoa had also been prized by the British Admiral, who had
sent a number of his prisoners to St. Kjtts in transports ; andthat
a report prevailed in the Weft-Indies, of the British having cut
out upwards of 150 fail of Dutch leffels'from the Texel, in Europe.
ul paflenger on board the Amelia prize fays, he was at Antigua
on the Sth of February, when war was formally declared against
the States General.
Extrafl; of a letter from Williamsburg, dated March 10.
“ The enemylaft Tuesday made an exewfan over to the north
fide of James River. They Lindedfour hundred men under . Col.
Dundas, on the eafl/ide of the nee( of land up Charles River, and
mand fatisfaftion and punishment. How much more so
when the injury complained of is a flagrant violation of
public faith, committed by leading and predominant mem
bers in the state ? Since then the fatisfa&ion we have de
manded is not given, we must, though most reluctantly, do
ourselves that justice which we cannot otherwise obtain :
We must confider the States General as parties in the injury
which they will not repair, as sharers in the aggression which
they refufe to punish, and must aft accordingly. We have
therefore ordered our ambassador to withdraw from the
Hague, and shall immediately pursue such rigorous meafurcs
as the occasion fully juftifies, and our dignity and the etfen
tial interests of our people require.
From a regard to the Dutch nation at large we wish it were
possible to dire& those measures wholly against Amsterdam ;
but this cannot be, unless the States General will immediate
ly declare that Amsterdam shall upon this occasion, receive
no assistance from them, but left to abide the consequences of
its aggression.
Whilst Amsterdam is fuffered to prevail in the general
Councils, and is backed by the strength of the States, it is im
poffibre to resist the aggression offo considerable a part, with
out contending with the whole. But we are too sensible of
the common Interests of both Countries not to remember, in
the midst of such a Conteft^ that the only Point to be aimed
at by us, is to raise a difpofitio n in the Councils of the Re
public to return to our ancient Union, by giving us that Sa
tisfadion for the past, and Security for the future, which we
shall be as read, to receive as they can be to offer, and to the
Attainment of which we shall dire& all our Operations.
We mean only to provide for our own Security, by defeating
the dangerous Deigns that have been formed against us.
We shall ever be disposed to return to Friendship with the
States General, when they sincerely revert to that Syffem
which the wisdom of their Ancestors formed, and which has
now been subverted by a powerful Faction, conspiring with
France against the true Interests of the Republic, no less than
against those of Great-Britain.
PHILADELPHIA, March 21.
proceeded to the Halfway Heife, Old. Wild's, where they exported
to furprize a small body ofour mtn, but toey had been removed to
Fork a few days before. They took Dr- Brodie, and a few mar
kets that were left there for the use of the militia ; from thence
they proceeded towards Hampton, gathering all the horses and cat
tle they could meet with. A Col. Carle of Hampton, hearing
they were out, afembled 30 or 40militsa at a mill three miles from
the Halfway House, and diluted the pass for some time, but was
at lap obliged to give way, with the lop of? killed, 5 wounded,
and himfelf taken prisoner. Lieutenant Salisbury, of tbe Charon,
with one or two privates, 'were killed, and Col. Dundas and fevers
wounded, on the part of the enemy. During the fray, out of Iso
cattle which they had collected, they onl, fa.vedfx, the rest having
run off. After this they marched quick step lJ Newpost-News,
where they embarked.
" We bear to-day the enemy are drawing in their out-posts, and
I fear are going to leave as before tbe arrival of our allies ; but if
the French arrive in time, I hope to give you a good account of
Eenedirt, as the militia are collecting faft,and every thing seems
to be in readiness." (
Extrart of a letter from Williamsburg, March ro. #
“ General Green goes on swimmingly. Hebegins to cramp his
Lordship amazingly. The last accounts were, he, Cornwallis,
was intrenching himfelf at Hillsborough, Greene's forces were
great ly faperior to bis. Marian has taken Cambden, with all
the stores General Nash defeated Prevoft and his party at Wil
mington.—Lee has taken about eighty of their cavalry, ana sr
short begins to prevent theirforaging and getting provisions, being
greatly fupcrior in cavalry. We expert shortly to hear of a Corn—
wallifan."
Extrall ofa letter dated Head-Quarters, High-Rock Ford, on
Haw River, February 28.
;“ Lord Cornwallis evacuated Hillsborough on the 26th, moved
on the road towards Guilford Ccurt- House, and cropped tbe Haw
River at Tarlinger's Ford, twenty miles below this place lap night
" Our detachments have been fuccefsful in several sk rtm "^ s
upon the enemy's pickets,having killed and wounaed about 30, and
taken 20 prisoners, without any loss. Gen. Pickens, with a body
of mounted riflemen, and Lieutenant- Colonel Lee, with the caval
ry of his legion, were detached to endeavour to harrafs the enemy,
and beiq.g informed that Lieut. Col. Tarleton had pdfled the
Haw River, near Gen. Butler's plantation, they immediately
went in pursuit of him, but unfortunately came up with a body C
upwards of 200 of Col. Hambleton's corps and the North-Caro
lina tories, three miles ih bis rear, wvo were to nave i&ingl him that
evening ; tbe General attempted to pass by the, ~as a detacbmint
of the British army, which the legion fac^sdei in ; butwoen r,e
militia came up, the enemy difiovered their mifial, w^. obliged
our troops to charge them, in doing which feme of rhe mP.tia could
not be prevented, from firing, which alarmed Colonel Tarleton, and
gave him an opportunity to escape. Tbe whole of the enemy were
routed in a few minutes, and tbe greater part of them left deed or
the field. Colonel Piles and several officers were among tne
number."
Just Published, and now felling by tbe Printers hereof,•
A DROLL, ADEIST,
AND A
JOHN BACO N, Master of Arts,
GENTLY REPRIMANDED,
By the AUTHOR of the LETTERS of FRIENDSHIP.
Answer a Fool according te his Felly, left he be wife in his own
Conceit. King Solomon.
At the fafae place may be had.
Letters of Friendship, &c.
Letterrof Gratitude, for the Letters of Friendship, and
Illustrations Illustrated, a Reply to some part of thqjlluflra
wens affixed to the Letters of Friendship.
STATE of VERMONT.
Bennington-County, October 19, 1780.
WHEREAS Application has been made to me (one
ofthe Justices of the Peaec for the county of Ben
nington) by more than one Sixteenth part of the Proprietors
of WOODFORD, to warn a mcetingor said Proprietors, to
be holden at the dwelling house of Mr. Irad Terrill, innholder
in said Woodford, on the lourthWednefday of May next, at
two o'clock in the afternoon, to ad on the following ar
ticles,'viz. First, To choose a moderator. Second, To choole
a clerk. Third, To choose a committee to finish the firft di
vision. Fourth, To fee if the proprietors will lay out another
division. Fifth, To fee if they will' give away any lands for
settlement of faidtown. Sixth, To fee if the proprietors will
raise money to defray necessary changes, past and futures
Seventh, To fee if the proprietors will order a road laid out
to meet a road, proposed to be laid out through Stamford,
running north and south through the center of said towns, of
Woodford and Stamford. And to adupon any other bufinete
proper to be done at said meeting. In confeqnence of said
application, I have thought fit to warn said proprietors to
meet at the time and place abovementioned, to tranfa& said
business.
STATE of CONNECTICUT,
' Hartford, March 29, 17^1.
P UBLIC Notice is hereby given, That a Libel is filed be
fore the Hon. JABEZ HAMLIN, Esq. Judge of
the Maritime Court for the County of Hartford, by George Smith,
Commander of tbe commissioned Eoat Polly, and others, against a
quantity of English Goods, conffling of Gauze, Tea, &c. and a
quantity of fiver and gold; said to be captured within tbe enemies
lines, from British fubjefts, on or about the 24th day cf infant
March : And for tbe trial of the justice of said capture, a Court
will be held at tbe Court-House in Hartford tn the County afore
faid, on the 2d Thursday of April next, of which all concerned writ
take notice. By Order of tbe Judge,
GEORGE H/TLLTS, Reg'r.
this town, dated March 27.
"I am totally cured of the prejudices cf.in English Sailor
The excursion of the French to Chefapeak, " r the face of an enemy
of superior force;has convinced me they do not wantfpsrit or enter
prize ; their engagement with that enemy has been honorable to
the French —they returned here lafr evening : The Britiso fleet
keeping their wind from Montauck Point, arrived off Cnefapeak
before the French. The two fleetsmet the 16th, they were engag
ed about two hours, when they parted and formed their lines a-new
The British pushed intoChefaveal;,and have given substantial
proof that they have no relish for fighting. The Freneh Ships have
fuffered very little, and will be ready for sea in a few days. Tbe
particulars in my next."
HARTFO R D, Aprs! 3,
Extrart of a letter from a Gentleman in Newport, to his friend in
SAMUEL ROBINSON, Just. Peace.