The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-12-17 00:00:00, page 2

oihim yan interloper, to whom their companion permit
ted a rifi lence. He would be no more than the Mungo of
the force; and if he disliked that, he must set off. Itweuld
be a Ration of degradation, debated by our pity, and difpi
fed by our pride, and would place England in a more con
temptible filiation than any she has yet fuffered by the war.
We have too high an opinion of ourselves, ever to think of
yielding again to the least obedience to outlandish authori
t, ; and, far a thousand reasons, England would be the lalt
country in the world to yield it to. She has been treache
rous, arid we know it. Her charafter is gone, and we have
seen the funeral.
Surely she loves to fish in troubled waters, and drink the
aup of contention, or she would not now think of mingling
her affairs with those of America. It would be like a fool
ish dotard taking to his arms the bride that difpifes him, or
who has placed on his head the ensigns of her disgust. It is
killing the hand that boxes his ears, and proposing to renew
the exchange. The thought was as servile as the war was
wicked, and shews the last scene of the drama as inconsist
ent as the firft.
As America is ^one, the only ad of manhood is to let her
go. Your Lordship had no hand in the separation, and you
will gain no honor by temporifing politics. Besides, there
is something so exceedingly whimrical, unsteady, and even
infincerc in the present conduct of England, that she exhi
bits hetfelf in most dishonorable colours.
On the second of August last General Carleton and Admi
ral Digby wrote to General Washington in these words :
'' The refo'utions of the House of Commons of the 27th
of February last have been placedin your Excellency's hands,
and intimations given at the fame time, that further pacific
measures were likely to follow. Since which, until the pre
sent time, we have had no dire& com munications from Eng
land, but a mail is now arrived, which brings us very im
portant information. We are acquainted, Sir, by authority,
that negotiations for a general peace have already commen
ced at Paris, and that Mr. Grenville is inverted with full
powers to treat with all the parties at war, and is now at Pa
ris in the execution of his commiflion. And we are farther,
Sir, made acquainted, that his Majesty, in order to remove all
ebftacles to that peace which he so ardently wishes to refere, has
commanded his Minifar: to dsrefl Mr. Grenville, that the Inde
pendence of the Thirteen Provinces should be proposed by him in the
firft infiance, instead of making it a condition of a general treaty."
Now taking your present measures into view, and com
paring them with the declarations in this letter, pray what
as the word of your King, or his Ministers, or the Parliament,
good for ? Must we not look upon you as a confederated bo
dy of faithlcfs, treacherous men, whose assurances are fraud,
and their language deceit? What opinion can we paffibf,
form of you, but that you are a loft, abandoned, profligate
nation, who even sport with your own character, and are to
be held by nothing but the bayonet or the halter.
To fay after this, that the fan of Great- Britain will be set,
whenever she acknowledges the Independence of America, when
the not doing it, is the unqualified lie of government, can
be no other than the language of ridicule, the jar ; ©a of in
confirtency. There were thaufands in America who pre
di&ed the delusion, and looked upon it as a trick of treache
ry, to take us from our guard, and draw off our attention
from the only fyltem of finance, by which we can be called,
or deserve to be called, a sovereign, independent people.
The fraud, on your part, might be worth attempting, but the
facrifice to obtain it is too high.
There were others who credited the assurances, because
they bought it impcffible that men who had their charaders
to establish should begin it with a lie. The prosecution of
the war bythe former Minirtry was savage and horrid, since
which it has been mean, trickish, and dclufive. The one
went greedily into the passion of revenge, the other into the
fubtilties of low contrivance, until between the crimes of
both, there is fcarccly left a man in America, be he whig or
tory, who does not despise or decert the condu& of Britain.
The management of Lord Shelburne, whatever may be his
views, is a caution to us, and muff be to the world, never to
regard British assurances. A perfidy so notorious cannot be
hid. It Hands even in the public papers of New-York, with
the names of Carleton and Digby affixed to it It is a pro
clamation that the King of England is not to be believed :
That the spirit oflying is the governing principle of the Mi
nistry. It is holding up the character of the House of Com
mons to public infamy, and warning all men not to credit
them. Such is the consequence which Lord Shelburne's ma
nagement has brought upon his country.
After the authorifed declaration contained in Carleton
and Digby'sletter, you ought, from every motive of honour,
policy, and prudence, to have fulfilled them, whatever might
have been the event. Ie was the least attonement you could
portioly make to America, and the greatest kindness you
could do to you selves; for you will save millions by a ge
neral peace, and you will lobfe as many by continuing the
war. COMMON SENSE.
Philadelphia, October 29, 17^2.
P. S. The manufeript copy ofthisletter is sent your Lord
ship, by the way of our Head-Quarters, to New-York, in
clufing a late pamphlet of mine, addressed to the Abbe Ray
nal, which will serve to give your Lordship some idea of
the principles and sentiments of America. C. S.
c. tetthtrat _ .rap . utetratte
BALTIMORE, November 26.
Capt. Thomas Reid, and Gibbes Jones, of
Philadelphia, who have been prisoners with the
enemy at Charleftown, yesterday arrived here
from that place in 20 days. These gentlemen
are of opinion that American colours are now
flying on the fortifications of that capital, it be
ing the avowed intention of the enemy to evacu
ate it on the 25th instant (yesterday) if not soon
er; for the complefion of which business, such
preparations had been previously made, as Shew
ed, beyond a doubt, that they were in earnest.
Capt. Wing, who arrived here from St Tho
mas's, we are informed, brings advice of the fafe
arrival at Martinico of the Marquis de Bouille,
and part of the fleet in which he had failed, about
the 9th of September from France. This fleet,
confiding of between two and three hundred ves
sels, contains 16,000 troops under convoy of
three ships of the line, and were daily arriving in
port, when the lad accounts left Martinico.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 30.
By a letter from South-Carolina, dated theist
of October, we are informed, that a party of
General Marion's corps had a few days before
fallen in with twelve black British dragoons, who
were instantly attacked, one of them killed and
the rest taken. It seems that the enemy court
even the afliftance of the negroes in the southern
dates, these poor wretches desert their homes
and place themselves under the protection of the
British commanders, but too late repent their
folly, as every species of drudgery is assigned to
them. Others are often incorporated in the
British regiments, and being desperate are often
very mifehiveous in plundering.
December 3. It is reported that the packetwith
the October mail, arrived on Thursday lad at
New-York from England—That a second fleet,
or rather a second division of transports had also
arrrived there from Halifax ; and that the Que
bec fleet was taking in lumber, when the com
manding officer at that place received an express
and ordered them to proceed immediately for-
New-York, where, it appears by the late New
York papers, they have arrived.
The idea of the enemy's being about to leave
New-1 ork is again revived, and indeed theirlate
and present movements, juftify this opinion.
Sir Guy Carleton, it is confidently said, is to
leave New-York, he having fully compleated the
great object of his appointment, which was to
bring about a thorough reform in the Quarter-'
Mader, Commiflary, and Barrack-Master's de
partment. The command will again devolve on
Gen. Robertson, the firft clipper and sweater of
gold in America. Whether Sir Guy goes to the
Weft-Indies, in order to continue his great work
of reformation in the ftaff department, or whe
ther he is to retire on half pay is yet uncertain,
though it is conjectured, that ere this, the British
cabinet have come to afull determination on this
interesting point.
By a deserter, who lately left New-York, we
learn, that it was currently reported and believed
that Gibraltar was taken. This intelligence, it
is said, was brought by the packet. The Whigs
in that city, strenuously insist on the truth of this
important event, while the Tories as obflinately
fubferibe to a contrary opinion.
It is generally§believed, from the late European
accounts of the tempeftudus weather which pre
vailed in the channel of England just at the time
of Lord Howe's failing for the relief of Gibral
tar, that the British fleet must have been dis
persed. Should this be the case, we may very
justly conclude, that the report of the fall of Gib
raltaris not without foundation.
The additional numberof transports which has
lately arrived at New-York, from Halifax and
Quebec, it is judged will be fufficient to take off
the remainder of the garrison.
It is now positively asserted, that the last divi
sion of the British fleet failed from New-York a
few days ago.
Such is the general difaffe&ion which has
lately taken root in the British army at New-
York, that at no period since the war have their
troops difeovered such proneness to defertion—
not less than ten or twelve of their soldiers come
over daily to New-Jersey ; and from this speci
men of their aversion to shed the blood of their
brethren in America, to which they have hither
to been compelled by their wicked masters, we
may venture to assert, that unless a speedy eva
cuation of New-York takes place, the British
commander there will soon be left without troops
and become an easy prey to the French and
Americans.
December 4. The brig Iris, which arrived at
New-York on Wednesday last from England,
brings accounts, said to be received there by way
of France, of a repulse of the Spanish gun-boats
in an attack upon Gibraltar, on the 13th of Sept,
with the loss of 1500 or 2000 men. It is added,
the besiegers were preparing for a general assault
on the garrison.
TRENTON, December 4.
On Friday night, the 22d ult. Captain Richard
Salter, in a brig belonging to New-Hampshire,
but last from Montferat, with a cargo of rum,
bound for Virginia, was drove ashore in a gale of
wind, on Abfecom Beach ; it is thought most of
the rum will be saved, but the vessel is loft. She
, left Montferat the 4th ult. hut was taken cfth^
Capes of Virginia by the Amphion frigate, who
put a prize-matter and eleven hands on board
and ordered her for New-York. The prize-mas
ter and hands were made prisoners by the militia
and sent to Philadelphia.
Captain Salter, of whom we got this intelli
gence, further informs, that before he left Mont
ferat, certain accounts was received there, that
the Marquis de Bouille had arrived at Martini
co with upwards of 150 fail of transports, and
eight or ten thousand troops, under convoy of 4
fail of the line, and that the Count de Eftaing
was hourly expected with ten or twelve more
capital ships.
-The above fleet captured off St. Lucia, a large
British transport, with troops on board, bound
for that port.
We are informed the following pretty ma
noeuvre was put in practice not long since in
New-York :
A few days before the last fleet failed Jemmy
Rivington published a Gazette extraordinary,
containing a most pompous account of an action,
said to have happened at sea between the grand
fleet of En land and the combined fleets of
France and Spain, in which the former had come
off victorious, and had captured and funk fix of
their enemy's capital fliips, requesting the inha
bitants of the town to illuminate their houses,
and informed them that superb fireworks were to
be played off upon the common on the joyful
occasion; this drew many of the jolly tars upon
the common to view the entertainment, when
in the midst of their mirth and fquibing, a press
gang, prepared for the purpose, to their inexpres
sible amazement, ftept in and swept offabou^
500 of them. The next day Mr. Rivington in
hi# paper acknowledged the information to have
been premature.
We are told that Sir Guy Carleton will fliort
ly return to Britain. He goes home in disgust,
concieving himfelf illy treated by the Ministry,
who directed him on his arrival, to declare in ef
fect that Britain was heartily tired of the war,
and was ready to make peace with us almost up
on any terms whatever. He as well as we hav@
found it a dirty deception, much beneath the
dignity of a great and powerful nation; but
which, however, is perfectly consonant with tha
rest of their condu& for the last seven years.
CHAT HA M, December 4.
By the Vulture, Capt. Hearne, arrived a#
New-York, uho left Charleftown the 23d ult.
we learn, that about 3000 loyalists had departed
from thence for the island of Jamaica, and the
fame number for St. Auguftine;—That the Bri
tons were under such apprehensions of danger
from the whigs that were in town, that a number
of them had been turned out ; —That a number
of the inhabitants had obtained Governor Mat
thews permission to remain with their efle&s in
Charleftown;—That the 63d and 64th regiments
had failed from thence.
The schooner Lively, arrived at New-York
from St. Lucia, brings an account of the arrival
of two snips of the line and one of 50 guns, with
5000 land forces, at Martinico.
Last week arri/ed at New-York, from Eng
land, thirty fliip carpenters, with their wives, &c.
They intend to fettle there, should the city be
evacuated.
There are a number of transports gathering at
New-York, but for what purpose time will de
termine.
FIS H-K ILL December 12.
We hear that the remaining part of the garri
son of Charleftown is arrived at New-York, con
fiding chiefly of Hessian troops and loyalist re
fugees; the latter of which are dispersed in
Queen's county, where they are to linger out
a dreary winter of cold and hunger.
By BATES & AUSTIN
At their Store, a few rods north of the Church,Middletown :
BROADCLOTHS and Irish and Dutch Linens.
Coatings, Cambricks and Lawns.
Flannels and Dutch Blankets Death Head & Metal But?
Shalloons and Durants. tons.
Calimancoes. Knives and Forks.
Ruffels and Camblets. Gilt and common Shoe and
An elegant aflortment of Knee Buckles.
Calicoes and Chintzes. Temple Spe&acles.
Taffaty, Modes & Sattins. Green and'Bohea Tea#
Black and White Gauze, by Loaf and Brown Sugar.
the piece or single yard. Tea-Cups and Tea-Pots;
Silk Handkerchiefs.
With a Variety of other ARTICLES.
December 13, 1781