The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-09-22 00:00:00, page 2

A D EX L N.
\T7HEkBAS George one of
the British C^rn orff!tyj|mfl^Hfring peace
in America, on the elcventlfft^qgrcl.did wrbe
and fend a letter to fofepl Reed, a Member- ,f
Co/grcf, containing th! paragraph, viz, " The
man who can be incremental in bringtogusall to^a
once mere in harmony, and to unite together the
various powers with which tide contort has drawn
forth, will deferve^nore from the King and the peo
ple from patriotism,, humanity, and all the tender
ties that,are affected ty^e quarrel and reconciliation,
than ever was yet bellowed on human kind." And
whereas, the said George Johnftone, Esq; on the
fxteenth day of Jane last wrote to Robert Morris,
Esq; another Member of Congress, containing this
paragraph, viz. " I believe the men who have ton
du&d the affairs of America uncepable of being
influenced by improper motives. But in all transac
tions there is a rifo and I think, that whoever ven
tures should be fecUrtd, at the fame time that honor
and emolument fhduld naturally follow the fortune of
those who have fleered the vessel in the storm, and
brought her fafe into port. I think Washington and
the President have a right to every favour that grate
t^l nations can beftow,.if they could once more
unite our interefh, and spare the miseries and devas
tations of war," which letters were laid before Con
gres. And whereas the said Jofephßeed Esq; hath,
in his place in Congress declared, “ That on Sun
day the 21st of June lafl, a few days after the eva
cuation of the city of Philadelphia by the British
troops,he received a written message frt.l a married
lady of character, having connections with the Bri
tish army, expressing a desire to fee him on business
that could not be committed to writing; that at
tending the lady agreeable to her appointment in
the evening, after some previous tonverfation ref
peeling her particular connexions, the business and
characters of the Britiffi Commiflloners, and particu
larly of Governor Johnftone, (meaning the said
George Johnftone Esq;) were the fubjefts of general
tonverfation, which being more confined the lady
enlarged upon,the great talents and amiable qualities
of that gentleman, and added, that in several con
versations with her, he (Governor Johnftone,) had
^xpreffed the most favourable sentiments ofhim (Mr.
Reed) and that it was particularly wished to engage
his (Mr. Reed's) interest to promote thebbje& of their
cornmiffion, viz. a re union between the two coun
tries, if confident with his principles and judgment;
and that in such case, it could not be deemed unbe
coming or improper in government (meaning the
britifh) To take,a favourable notice of such conduct,
and that in this instance he (Mr. Reed) might have
ten thousand pounds sterling, and any office in the
Colonies (meaning these United States) in his Ma
jesty's gift," (meaning his Britannic Majesty.) To
which, finding an answer expeXed, he (Mr. Reed)
replied, “ he was not worth purchasing, but such
as he was, the King of Great Britain was not rich
Enough to doit." And whereas the said paragraphs
Written and sent as aforefaid by George Johnftone;
Esq; and the said declaration made by Joseph Reed,
Esq; call loudly upon Congress to express their sense
upon them, Therefore,
Resolved, That the contents of the said para
graphs, and the particulars in the said declaration,
in the opinion of Congress, cannot but be considered
as dire& attempts to corrupt and bribe the Congress
of the United States of America.
Resolved, That as Congress feel so they ought
to demonflrate the highest and most pointed indigna
tion against such daring and attrocious attempts to
Corrupt their integrity.
Resolved, That it is incompatible with the ho
nor of Congress, to hold any manner of correspon
dence or intercourse with the said George Johnftone,
Esq; especially to negotiate with him upon affairs in
which the cause ofliberty and virtue is interested;
and for the propriety of such conduct, we make and
publish to the world, this our declaration.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, this iitb of
August, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Seventy Right, and in the
Third Year of the Independence of America.
By Order,
HENRY LAURENS, President.
In CONGRESS, August 31, 1778.
A PAPE R signed " Adam Ferguson, Secretary to
' his Majesty's commission," dated at New York,
August 26, 1778. accompanied with a Declaration
by George Jonftone, Esq; and a Declaration by the
Earl of Carlifle Sir Henry Clinton, and William
Eden, Esq; and also a Requisition refpeXing the
troops lately serving under Leuteaant General Bur
goyne weie read and are as follows.
, .. .New York, August 26,17)8.
KIS Majesty's Cor@miffer.ers dircX Defter F. $ r
pufon to transmit to the president of the American
Congress, for the information of the Congress, the
Declaration this day by George Johnftone Esq ; and
the Declaration of the lame date by the Earl of Car
l tie, Sir Henry Clinton, and William Eden, Esq;
and also the ReqQifition refpXirig the troops lately
serving under Lieutenant General Burgoyne, signed
by the Earl cf Carlifle, Sir Henry Clinton, and Wil
liam Eden, Efg,
ADAM FERGUSON,
Secretary to his Majefiy's Cemmiffiont
New York. August 26, 1778.
George johnstone, one of the Commit
fioners appointed by his Ma'efly to carry into
execution the gracious purpefes of his Majesty and
his Parliament for quieting the disorders now sub
filling in North - America, and for maintaining the
people of these provinces in the clear and perfect
enjoyment of their liberties and rights, having seen
a Declaration of the American Congress, signed by
Henry Laurens, their President, dated 1 ith of Au
gust, to which, for certain affirmed reasons therein
Specified, is subjoined the following resolution ;
" That it is incompatible with the honor of
Congress to hold any manner of correspondence or
intercourse with the said George ,Johnftone, Esq;
especially to negotiate with him upon affair, in
which the cause of liberty and virtue is interefled"
The said George Johnftone for himfelf fays, That
he is far from considering the said resolution of the
Congress as offenfive to him; That he rather receives
it as a mark of diftin&ion to which he is by no means
entitled, either by his exertions in the cause in which
he is employed; or by his abilities for improving any
future circumstances that may occur towards fulfil
ing the purposes of the commission under which he
is appointed.
That he shall be bappy'to find when this exception
as to him shall be removed, that the Congress are
inclined to retraX their former declaration^ and to
negotiate with others upon terms equally condufive
to the happiness of both countries : at the fame time
he is inclined to believe that the said resolution of
Congress has been issued upon similar motives with
those resolutions refpe&ing the cartouch boxes of
General Burgoyne's army and calculated as an ex
cuse to a deluded people for not fending an explicit
answer to a plain requisition that was made to the
Congress from his M^jefty's Commissioners with re
gard to the unfortunate soldiers who are detained at
Boston under every indignity, contrary to the pub
lic faith of a solemn convention signed at Saratoga,
and also to serve as a pretext to the unhappy con i
tuents of the Congress, who are fuffering under the
various calamities of war, for disappointing the good
cffe&s of the commission which the real friends of
America had so long requeued by the most solemn
petitions, resolutions and public declarations, and
which so many of the inhabitants of the continent
now desire to fee carried into full effect
As the great purpose Mr Johnftone had in view
in coming to North- America Was to promote a re
conciliation between Great Britain and her colonies,
With a full determination to do nothing that could
have a tendency to prevent it, in order therefore to
defeat the purposes intended by this resolution of
Congress, the fubferiber, George Johnftone thinks
proper to decline anting as a Commissioner, or other
wise interfering in any message; answer, agreement,
negotiation matter or thing that may regard the said
Congress, Which he dees with so much the more plea
sure as he is perfeßly fatisfied the business will be
left in more able and fufficient hands, reserving to
himfelfthe liberty, if he should judge proper, of
publishing before he leaves North-America a juflifi
catien ofhis condu& against the aspersions thrown
on his character.
When the Congress were contending for essential
privileges necessary to the preservation of their liber
ty, under solemn declarations that their resistance
was calculated merely to obtain redress upon those
points, Mr. Johnftone should have been sorry to have
incurred their censure, though unheard in his defence
and upon a chain of evidence so totally incohelufive
as to him.
At present when Congress can remain deaf to the
cries of so many of their fellow fubje&s who are fuf
fering by the miseries ®fthis war, and from motives
of private ambition can so far fully the principles up
on which their firft resistance was made as to bow to
a French Ambassador, and league with the antient
enemy of both our countries, from whose hostile de
signs Great Britain has so often referred the inhabi
tants of North America, and this for the avowed
purpose of reducing the power &f the parent fate,
^te all their feft claims are gratified, and (hereby in
foi,g theh'neirT and dearer fr^r.d^ ah 4 re^tian,
forgetting all the p.iuc ,1^ of vniu c and liberty
that ought to regulate :hecondh& of men in foc.ety,
Mr. Johnftone is not ai.x.cus about the good opinion
of such a body ' notwMdLndiug the regard he shall
always bear tp many of tne & inu.v:duais who com
p.fe it, fromajuftahowaf.ee to be made for men
acting under the heats incident to c,vil commotions;
and from a certain knowledge they aid entertain and
a peTua^on that they new entertain dih:rer.t fenti.
meats.
With respect to the people of America at large, the
fubferiber sincerely withes to avoid every fubjed of
offence which designing men may possibly intend to
cicre by exciting angry pillions in retain to perfua.
al provocations, and thereby defeat any effeda cf
good will towards Mr. Johnftone winch the remem
branchct foraer good offices ha has rendered them,
might cccafion.
GEORGE JOHNSTONE.
DEC LA R A T I O N.
WHEREAS the Earl ci Carlifle, Sir Henry
Clinton, Knight of the Btth, and W Ili^n
Eten, Eq; three of his Majesty's Commissioners,
appointed with fufficient powers to treat, conftlt,
and agree upon the means of quieting dhorders now
fubfi&ng in certain of the colonies, plantations and
provinces of North America.
h HAVE rec.ived a Declaration of the American
congress, dated the 11th instant, winch relates to a
gentleman, with whom they have the honour to be
joined ,n commiffi^ andis meant to affe& him as a
Commissioner; they hereby think proper on their
part solemnly to declare that they had not any
knowledge, eitherdire&ly or indire&ly of theletter
&.nd comverfation alluded to in the said Declaration,
until they saw them made public in the news papers.
At the fame time, they do not mean either to imply
any assent to the conftru&ion put upon private cor
respondence which the Congress have thought pro
per to publish, or to intimate ar belief tlrat any per
lon could have been authorifed to hold the convcrfa«
tion to which the said Declaration of the Congress
alludes;- nor do they, on the other hand, mean to
enter into an explanation of the condu& of a gentle
man, whose abilities and integrity require no vindi
cation from them: Bat they think proper, in juaice
to that gentleman, as well as to themselves, and to
the commiffi@n with which they are charged to fay.
That in the many conversations which he has had
with them upon the measures adopted to restore the
peace of these colonies, the principle of all his r,a
fenings seemed tobe. that the offers of Great Britain
were obviously adapted to promote and eftabirth the
liberties, peace, opulence, increase security aad
permanent happiness of the inhabitants of this conti
nent, and that those blessings, in an equal d- ee,
were not to be expected from any other connc&ioa
or mode of government whatever. When, there
fore, the King's Comm ffioners tranfmitmd to (be
Congress the A&s of Parliament to exempt 'the echo
iiies for ever from British taxation, and to -.</
their charters and established governments.; A a
when they added, that they were author fed a..i
defirou, to restore peace, to revive free inieicourfe
and mutual affection, to preserve the value and
promote the credit of the paper circclaion, to give
fatisfa&ion and security for ever on the fubje& of
the military eftabliihments, and to extend every
freedom to trade, they felt that they were enabled to
stipulate, and had offered not only every thing that
is, or can be, propped by the French alliance, but
alf6 many advantages to this continent which can
never by any possibility be derived from that unna
tural connexion. And they remain aflonifhed at
the calamities in which the unhappy pe pie of these
colonies continue to be involved' from the blind de
ference which their leaders profefs towards a power
that has ever shewn itfelf an enemy to all civil and
religious liberty, and whcfe offers, his Majesty's
Commissioners must repeat, whatever may be- the
pretended date and present form of them, were made
only in consequence of the plan of accommodation
previously concerted in Great Britain, and w^h a
view to prevent the reconciliation proposed, and to
prolong this destructive war.
This assertion is made on the credit cf the fol
lowing facts.
It is well known to the whole continent, that
public intimation of the conciliatory proportions on
the part of Great Britain, was given to the Bruifh
Parliament, and confidently to the whole world,
, the mc^th of November last; and reason- sfor de
laying those proportions till after the recess for the
holidays were at the fame time given to the House
of Commons.
It is equally well known, that the preliminaries
cf a Fk#cJi treaty with which Mr, Simeon Droe