The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-07-17 00:00:00, page 1

that the faith of Connecticut, when unmixed
with that of the continent, is violated—The
unavoidable necessity of war, and the- want of
government in a number of the Rates within the
union, is the only excuse which can be made for
permitting the old continental bills to depreciate
so far, that a discount was authorifed by law---
The circumstances of Connecticut are not such,
*s will warrant this measure refpe&ing our own
bills—they were issued by the state equivalent to
silver and gold, and it has always been the serious
intention of the legislature to redeem them as
such—the term for payment is not expired, lo
that the pofleffor has yet no reason to complain—
the sum in present circulation is 120,000!. nearly;
more than half of this sum must come into the
Treasury by taxes now in operation—probably
the greatest partof the remainderwillbe collected
by the bale of confifeated effates, and if there be
a small balance in the hands of individuals, it
must be purchased of them according to promise.
—We are in general convinced that a longer
circulation of thofc bills is both dangerous and
dishonest ; and the legislature is actually using
such means as the exigencies of the public will
permit, to have them drawn out of circulation ;
and the happiest method of doing this instantly,
is for every man to lay up in hischeft,ten, twen
ty, or forty {hillings, or some such small sum, as
he judges will be fufficient to pay his tax, for
finking the whole sum in circulation-—the bills
are now cheap and oafily purchased, and there is
To the Virtuous AMERICAN YEOMANRY.
„ Depreciating paper currency is one of the
greatest calamities which can happen to a
state ; for it not only embarrasses every public
department of business, but it corrupts the mo
rals of the people at large. By these means you
have seen the best friends of the country, who
placed the greatest confidence in public faith,
cruelly injured—the industrious difeouraged-—
the faithful servants of the people defrauded---
their dishonest agents inriched, and knaves, of
which there will be a proportion in every society,
enabled to embezzle the property earned by the
labour and danger of men almost infinitely more
deferring than themselves. It is beyond the
power of law to remedy these evils in a free state
<—they can be remedied by nothing but the most
defootic sway of military government, which we
do not wish to have introduced. The fortunate
moment is now come, in which you may unload
yourfclves of this burden, without injuring either
the public or individuals—Gold and silver begin
to have a free circulation, and there is enough
in the country for a medium, if it can be drawn
into use. While bills on Europe may be pur
chased so much below par as at present, the mer
chant will not fend his coin to foreign markets :
The quantity of gold and silver will therefore be
continually increasing—immediately determine
you will no longer have a paper currency, and it
will at once be death to a clais of Sharping vora
cious men, who cannot be bound either by law
or conscience ; and it will also be a leading step
to the speedy obtainment of peace and indepen
dence.—But shall the bills emitted by the state
die in the hands of the possessors ? Shall the faith
of the Rate be violated ? I tell you not on any
account—let the promise of the Rate be sacred
as the ordinances of nature—let it not be said
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER._
For the Connecticut Courant.
The S ENTI NE L. No 111.
HERTFORD : Printed by H U DSO N and G 00DWI N, near the Great Bridge.
TUESDA Y, JULY 17, 1781.
no man but may stop his own proportion with
out being thereby crouded in his circumstances.
—Those who do not take this salutary advice,
will repent their mistake, when they find them
selves obliged to purchase the bills at a high price
from those who are prudent enough to keep them.
It is folly to suppose the state will violate a sacred
promise, for the fake of eanng thole persons who
have not fufficient ceconomy to make sure oftheir
own proportion, when it may be purchased at
the present low rate.
Errata, in Sentinel No. 2. In line §, from the
top, for enticed read excited —Line 31 from the
bottom, for curing read carping —Line 10 from
the bottom, for treasures read treasuries.
Christ Church Parish, ^pril 3, 1781.
S I R,
I HEREWITH inclofe you two letters, which I have
received from Lieut. Col. Balfour, Commandant in
Charleftown, with my answers, which I beg the favour
you will do me the honor of laying before Congress for
their information.
I have the honor to be,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
WILLIAM MOULTRIE, B. G.
Honorable Samuel Huntington, Esq; President of Congress.
(Copy.) Charlefawn, March 1781.
S I R,
I TAKE this opportunity to transmit for your informati
on, the proceedings of a Court of Inquiry, held here, in conse
quence which Lt. Col. Grimkie and Maj. Habersham
are committed close prisoners, until Lord Cornwallis's
pleasure shall be known. On penning these proceedings, the
lenity of British officers must forcibly strike you, as it must
come within your own knowledge and feeling, that breaches
of parole have heretofore been overlooked, and their ju&ice,
if it were now necessary, will be fully evinced, in Mr. Place
being difmifled from his.office. You will be so good as to
return the original letters, which accompany these proceed
ings.
I am now to address you on a fubjeft, with which I am
charged by Lord Cornwallis, who having in vain applied to
General Greene for an equitable and general exchange of
prisoners, finds it necessary, in justice to the king's service,
and those of his army, who are in this disagreeable predi
cament, to pursue such measures as may eventually coerce it,
and his Lordship has consequently ordered me to fend all the
prisoners of war here, forthwith to some-one of the Weft-In
dia i flands, which I am particularly direded to inform you,
cannot be delayed beyond the middle of next month, and
for this purpose the transports are now alloted, of which an
account will soon be transmitted to you.
I am sorry to add, that the treatment our militia received,
when made prisoners by Brigadier General Marian, is such,
unlcfs fpeediiy redressed, will compel me, in justice to those
unhappy persons, to a severe retaliation ; and in that case,
I shall be obliged to separate the militia from the Continen
tal prisoners of war.
lam, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) N. BALFOUR.
Brig. Gen. Moultrie.
(Copy.) Cbrif Church Parish, March 31, 1781.
S I R,,
I RECEIVED your'syefterday evening, dated March,
fine die, 1781, with the proceedings of a Court of Inquiry,
ordered on Lieut. Col. Grimkie and Major Habersham, and
several letters relating thereto; and find every clause of so
much consequence, that I could expatiate very largely on
each, but my being a prifaner prohibits me ; I shall touch
Rightly upon them, and leave the rest to those who are moie
at iibeity. You inform me Lieut. Col. Grimkie and Major
Habersham are close prisoners, until Lord Cornwallis,
pleasure shall be known; I observe, " the Courtis of opini
on they are guilty of a breach oftheir paroles, in correspond
ing, by letters, with a man not in the king s peace, and who
is at Beaufort." lam informed the Court were of opinion,
that the letters contained nothing criminal or of bad ten
dency ; if merely the writing a letter is to be cor.flrued as a
breach of parole, Ibelieve there is scarce an officer in the
British or American service, who have been prisoners any
confiderabfe time, but what has violated his parole. lam
much at a loss to recoiled any breaches of parole that have
been overlooked ; my feelings cannot point them outcome.
I herewith return the original letters which you require.
The fubjed ofyour next clause is of a very serious nature,
and weighty consequence indeed; before I enter particularly
into that,! must rcqucß you will be so kind as to inform me,
whether you deem the capitulation dissolved ; you tell me
lord Cornwallis has frequently applied to General Ccere
for an equitable exchange of prisoners; I can also affvre
you, that General Greene, in a letter to General M'lntosh,
mentions, that he proposed such a measure to Lord Corn
wallis ; and I can also assure you, that by a letter from a
Delegate in Congress we are warranted to fay, that Con
gress has proposed a plan for a general exchange, which Sir
Henry Clinton approved, and fignified to General Washing
ton his readiness to proceed on it, and for oughtwe know is
at this moment taking place ; however, the fending us to
the Weft-India islands cannot expedite the exchange one
moment, neither can the measure alleviate the distress of
those of your officers who are prisoners, as you must bevel!
assured such treatment as we receive will be fully retaliated,
by General Washington.
I am Lorry to hear General Marian should use any prisoner
ill; 'cis contrary to his natural disposition ; I know him to
be generous and humane. Before you proceed to extremity,
I must request you will permit me to fend an officer to Gen.
Greene, with a copy or your letter and thf proceedings of
the Court, with the letter relative to Lieut. Col. Grinricic
and Major Habersham for his infection.
I am, Sir, Your nfoft obedient, humble servant,,
(Signed) WILLIAM MOULTRIE, B. G.
Lieut. Col. Balfour, Commandant, &c.
S I R, Charleftaw, ^pril 1, I,Bf.
IN reply to your letter of the jilt ult. though it is impos
sible co permit an officerco proceed with your dispatches to
General Greene, yeti have no obje&ion to fendir^ a flag
of truce, as.foon as possible, to that officer with any letters
you may fend over here; and as in refpe& to die prisoners
ofwar being fentto the Weft-Indics, I a& only in conse
quence of Lord Cornwallis's particular direftioffi ; the pro
priety of such a measure will more properly become an ob
jed for the difeuffinr . of his Lordship and General Greene,
and I shall therefore defer anting on it in the lad inftancej'
until you shall receive the result of their communications
lam, Sir, Your most obedient, humble lerrant,
(Signed) N. BALFOUR.
Brig. Gen. Moultrie.
Christ Church Parish, ^pil so 17'81.
S 1 R ,
I Am to acknowledge the reception of youi's offefterday's
dace, and as I cannot be permitted to fend an officer to Gen.
Greene with my dispatches, I have sent them down for your
perusal, and request the favor you will forward them. I am
also to request, that! may be permitted to fend to Congress,
your letters and my answers, relative to the fending the fon
tiaencal'and militia prisoners of war to the Wc^ljidies ;
which if you agree 10, I have sent down to be put inime-'
diately on board the flag going to Philadelphia, that she may
not be detained one moment on that account.
I am, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) WILLIAM MOULTRIE, B. G-
Lieut. Col. Balfour, Commandant, &c.
Torbay prison-ship, Charleftown harbour, Maj 2„ 17*''
sI. R ,
THE inclofed papers, viz. a letter from the Command
danc of Chaileftown, to the prisoners on board this ship,
our two letters in reply, a lift of our names, and our letter to
General Greene, being so interesting to us, as to excite a
desire of their speedy conveyance to his Excellency the Pie
fident of Congress, we therefore t^ke the liberty of recom
mending them co your care. Wishing you a plcafanc pafr
sage, wt rest your very obedient servants,
JOHN BADDELEY,
JOHN NEUFVILLE, jun.
Lieut. Col. Scott.
CharlcftcTn, Ma, 17, iflt.
Gentlemen,
SEVERAL * prisoners on parole, having been this
day taken up, and lent on board ship, the motives of which
are explained in the enclosed copy of a letter to them, lam
directed by the Commandant to define you will irfert the
fame in yEur next paper, for the information of the public.
I am, Gentlemen, Your most obedient servant,
H BARKY, Secretary, and D A. General.
Messrs. Wells and Sons,
Printers co she King's most excellent Majesty.
Charted (ften. May iff!.
Gentlemen,
MANY have been the representations which the out
rages committed by the American troops, and their viola
tions of all the humaner principles of war, have compelled
me to make to such of their officers as commanded parties
in this province ; but more particularly have! been obliged
to remonstrate against the rigorous treatment, in many cases
extending to death, which the loyal militia most invariably
experience.
* 73° prijinmen parcle,exclave ts 9ihfc, bright 0 bwA
afwwardh
(No. 860.)