The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-08-25 00:00:00, page 2

London, sane Q.
Mia M^jefty's most gracious Speech to both Houses
of Parliament, on Wednesday June 3, 1778.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
AFIER so long and laborious an application to
the public business, I think it proper at this
season of the year to give you some recess. I come
at the fame time to return you my particular thanks
for the zeal you have shown in supporting the ho
nour of my crgwn, and for your attention to the real
interest of all my fubjeds, in the wife, juff and hu
mane laws which have been the result of your deli
berations, and which, I hope, will be attended
with the most salutary effea.% in every part of the
British empire.
My define to preserve the tranquility of Europe
has been uniform and sincere : I reflect with great
fatisfa&ion that! have made the faith of treaties and
the law of nations the rule of my conduct, and that
it has been my c^nflant care to give no just cause
Of offence to any foreign power & let that power by
whom this tranquility shall be diflurbed, answer to
their fubje&s and to the world for all the fatal con
sequences of war.
The vigour and hrmnefs erf my Parliament have
enabled me to be prepared for such events and em
ergencies as may happen ; and I trust that the expe
rienced valour and discipline of my fleets and ar
mies, and the loyal and united ardour of the nation,
dimed and animated in the defence of every thing
that is dear to themf will be able, under the protefti
on of Divine Providence, to defeat all the enterpriz
€5 which the enemies' of my crown may presume to
undertake, and convince them how dangerous it is
to provoke the spirit and strength of Great- Britain.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons.
I thank you for the chearfulnefs with which you
have granted the large and ample Supplies for the
service of the current year, and for your carein rais
ing them in a manner the most effectual and the least
burthenfome ; and my warmest acknowledgments
are due to you for the provision you have enabled me
to make for the more honourable fapport of my fa
mily.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your presence in your refpeßive counties may at
this time be of great public advantage. It is unne.
ceffary for me to recommend to you to do your du
ty in your federal stations : On my part I have no
other wish or object, but to deserve the confidence of
my Parliament, and the affedionsof my people.
Then the Lord Chancellor, by his Majeßy's com
mand, said,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
It is his Majesty's royal will and pleasure, that
this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the
fourteenth day of July next, to be then here holden ;
and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tues
day, the fourteenth day of July next.
.PHILADELPHIA, August 8.
Vefterday Capt. Orr, in a brig from the Mole of
Cape Nicholas, arrived here, after thirteen days pas
sage laden with Weft India goods. On the coai of
Virginia, he firft learned the evacuation of this city.
The parTengers tell us that European intelligence
to the joth of June, had reached Hffpaniola , that
a British fleet of nine fail of the line had failed from
Spilhead, under Admiral Byron but from insuffici
ency of the vessels returned ; that nineteen failed a
ga n under Admiral Keppel, who, on hearing that
a French fleet from Brest were at sea, had also put
back; and that no declaration of war between France
and Britain had appeared.
August 11.
Lal Thursday, being the day appointed by Con
gress for the Sieur Gerard, Minister Plenipotentiary
from his Most Christian Majeßy, that Minister re
ceived audience accordingly. In pursuance of the
ceremonial eftablilhed by Congress the Hon. Rich
ard Henry Lee, Esq; one of the Delegates from Vir
ginia, and the Hon. Samuel Adams, Esq; one of the.
Delegates from Massachusetts Bay, in a coach and
fix provided by Congress, waited upon the Minister
at his House: In a few minutes, the Minister and
the two Delegates entered the coach, Mr. Lee pla
cing himfelf at the Miaifler's left hand on the back
feat, Mr. Adams occupying the front feat : The
Mmifter's chariot being behind, received his Secre
tary. The carriages being arrived at the State-
House in this city, thetwo Members of Congress
placing themfdves at the Minister's left hand, a lit
tle before one o'clock, introduced him to his chair
in the Congress chamber ; the President and Con
gress fitting---the chair was placed fronting the Pre
sident. The Minister being seated, he gave his cre
dentials into thehand of his Secretary, who advanced
and delivered them to the President. JVe Sectary
of Congress then read and translated them; which
bei% done Mr, Leeannoui c^d the Minister to the
Piefident and Cerg^fs, at this time tie Prefidcuh
the Congress, and the Minister rose together; he
bowed to the President and Congress ; they bowed
to him: Whereupon the whole seated themselves.
In' a moment the Minister arose and made a fpeeoh to
the Congress, they fitting. The speech being fi
nished, the Minister fat down, and giving a copy of
his speech to his Secretary, he presented ft to the
Pefident. The Frefident and Congress then -ofe,
and the President pronounced their answer to the
fpeedh; the Minister handing. The answer being
ended, the whole Were again seated, and the Prefi
dent giving a copy of the answer to therSesretary of
Congress, he preferred it to the Minifter.' The Pre
sident, the Congress, and the Minister then again
arose together: The Minister bowed to the Pre
sident, who returned the salute, and then to the Con
gress, who also bowed in return : And the Minifi'er
having again bowed to the President, and received
his bow, he withdrew, and was attended home in
the fame manner in which he had been conducted
to the audience.
Within the bar ofthe House the Congress form
ed a semicircle on each fide ofthe President. and the
Minister ; the President fitting at one extremity of
the circle at a table uprn a platform elevated two
ftepi-the.Minifter ft ing at the opposite extremity
of the circle in an ar@ chair upon the fame lev-l
with the Congress. The door oi theCongrefs cham
ber being thrown open, below the bar, about ioo
gentlemen were admitted to the audience, among
whom were the Vice President of the Supreme Ex
ecutive Council; of Pennfylyania; the Supreme Exe
cutive Council the Speaker and Members of the
House of Assembly, several foreigners of dißinaion,
and officers of the army.
Thus has a new and noble fight been exhibited in
this new world ^theßep efe.ua.ives of the United
States of America, solemnly giving public audience
to a Minister Plenipotentiary from the most power
ful Prince in Europe. Four,y&rs ago, such an e
yent, at so near a day, Was not in the view even cf,
imagination : But if is the Almighty who raifeth up;.
he hath Rationed America among the powers of the
earth and eloathed her in robes of Sovereignty.
The audience being over the Congress and the
Minister at a proper hour, repaired to an entertain
ment' by Congress Vysn'to the Minister ; at which
were present by myitarion,feveraf foreigners of dif
tin&ion, and gentlemen of public character. The
entertainment was onduaedwith a decorum suited
to the occasion ;a id g.ve the most p^fe& fatisfac
tion to the whole company.
BOSTON August 20.
An henticlntelligence from our army Bnßhode-Ifland.
/' On the 15th fttnt, at fix o'clock, P. M. a
detachment of our troops, with a covering party,
pa aded in the front cf our array where the fafemes,
intrenching tools, gabions, &c. were ordered, and
as soon as it was dark, took possession of a height on
the enemy's riftht,which commands their font line
cf works, at the distance cf about half a mile The
enemy d.d not dffcover our taking pofflffion of this
post until me morning ofthe 16th. when they be
gan and continued a brisk cannonade without efL&.
During the time our detachment were at work, they
opened a covered way, and about half compleat
ed a battery on the right of it, which was to be fi
nifhed, and another on the left erected, the next
night; that our batteries would be opened on the
19th, Our troops were in high spirits and that
great regularity had been confp ; cuous in all their
manoeuvres. The French fleet not returned on the
morning of the 1 Bth."
By the last night's express from Rhode Island, we
are informed, that on the night of the 17th inst. the
covered way and two batteries of four guns each,
were almost completed. That a fatigue party of
1000 men, were employed on the works on the 1 Bth,
which so much, provoked the enemy, that they fired
three or four hundred shot at our people, but to ve
ry little purpose two men only being slightly wound,
ed, and the party continued at work.
Extract ofa letter from Major General Hancock, to
the Hom. J. Powell, Esq; dated Tuesday even
ing Aug. 18.
'' Nothing material has happened since my let.
ter of this morning, except a conilant cannonade
from the enemy, without any other damage than
Rightly wounding one man. A firing has been
heard at sea, which we think denotes the approach
of the French fleet, and expert to fee them in the
morning, after which we shall proceed with great
vigour and dispatch. Our men being busily em
ployed in completing the works near the enemy's
lines. Desertion prevails amqng them, notwith
standing their circumferibed situation and their dou
ble guards. This nigUt being very dark, we ?x
---peR many ; in one day 41 have some in.
; « W^M^y r ^«„ § Xtek, £fy ff^
qiiet, and Very hea7y fog and small rains. No ^
count cf the French fleet, indeed it is impoffib^
they Should t et in, as it is exceeding thick "
HARIFO R D, August
Extract of a letter from ^Gentleman at Camp, so
Newport, dated A% U R 16, n o'clock PM.
I have this moment return'd from walking thef
rounds ; we have traversed the lines as hid out and
a fa ,g ue p^rty are now going on to the ground ta
r ° ad is with teams carrying ne
cessaries of all kinds ; by day break we hope they
will cover .themselves, so as to be able to contini
the work by day, which is within pofot black fhet
01 a 3 lb field pece from their redoubts.
6 P. S. Monday morning 8 o'clock. The morn
ing is favorable for completing the works laid out,
which/ if the fog breaks away, will doubtless be
infiantl, obtafled by the eremy ; a cannonade will
therefore most Ikdy commence the moment our fa
tigue party is difeovered, which darkness and the
niift hath set concealed.
',° 0 clock.. A Cannonade has this moment
begun - Cod fyeed the attempt in our favour."
Ex^aft of another letter from the fame Gentleman;
dated August i^.
" The firing men ioted'in the tlofe of my-faft;
drove off the fatigue parties from their work which
was not so far ccmpleated as to secure tfle men, and
which the engineer, deceived by the c'aikncfs of
the night, had laid outwrong. On the evenly cf
the 17th the work was continued without ime-r.n
tion, till about 8 o'clock next morning when'the 1
mist was so far dispersed that they eould d feern (heir
©bje& ; they then b^an a pretty foart cannonade*
on the 1 , part, which was continued with some in-,
termiffiom till evening, and the work was continued
an c^rstll the next morning : We had then one
battery mounting 4 18- pounders compleat, a long
covered Way, and another battery in great forward
nefs. When the mill broke away on the morning of
the 19th, the enemy began their fire as usual, wh;ch
was returned on our part, when they tho't fit imme
diately to evacuate one of their redoubts which lay
on lower ground, and within point blank fhet cf our
new erected battery.' The firing has been continu
ed on bbth tides With interm^ons all day, but
doubtless to very little effeCt as cur whole loss from)
the firft, is only one man killed, and three wounded.
“ The enemy arc now very securely posted ; they
have the water on the r Rank, the town in their
rear, a commanding height with a strong fort ora
their left wing, a deep hallow-way in front, with'
compleat lines and five advanced redoubts."
Last Thursday afternoon, the French fleet returned'
to Newport, except One So gun ship, and next<day
failed for Boften to refit; the Admiral's ship being,
difraaled and the others much damaged in the latd
ve r y severe fform. They havs taken a British Fri
gate and, a Sloop of war.
We hear that 17 fail ofthe British fleet, wh ch aj»
pea ed off Newport, have arrived at Sandy Hook.
Exnad of a letter fiom a Gentleman in Albany,
dated August 9.
" This country, since tire reduction of Burgoyne's
army, dies not abound with such grand and afto
m filing events a's before -we have no dearth of
news however, and such as it is you are welcome to.
" Robberies acre rife, so rife that travelling in
these parts 16 attended with danger. Many families
plundered of their effe&s and otkerways abused b,
a band of ruffians who spread terror every where ;
we are daily picking of them up - three men and
two women under sentence of death and to be ex
ecuted next Week for these enormities. Four days
since one Taylor, captain of the band, and brother
to the two women before mentioned, and also to th^
villain who fiva'lowed the silver bullet and was
hanged at New Windsor, was catched and put in
irons in this city : Themother of these Taylors was
, tried for her life at the fame time ; lut,I ut, being m
d'&ed as principal instead of acceffary, flipped her
neck out of thecollar. She is held for another trial
on a lower indictment — A solemn fight ! to fee &
whole family so eager to be hanged !-:-They had
embraced the doflrine of toryifm in its fulleft sense,
viewing it as meritorious to plunder the whigs ; and
so tenacious of their tenets, or rather hardned in
villainy, that the halter perhaps will not extras
from them an ingenuous confeffion of their guilt.
Die they muR---and may all of similar fentimentz
meet with a similar fate-- exile or the loiter be the
portion of robbers and parricides !
" Two villages, Springfield and Andrewrfeld,
100 families perhaps in each, have lately been burnt
to tire ground : The villages were situated near
Cherry Valley, which is 70 or 80 milts from hence
---Some of the inhabitants taken.captive, some tom
mahawked, but mofily efc^ped to Cherry. Valley,