The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-11-17 00:00:00, page 2

Battens, fliould at last break through all these obli
gations, civil and divine, by complying with yo*r
horrid and infernal propofah Ought we ever after
to be confldeted as a part of the human race ? Or
ought we not rather to be blotted from the society of
mankind, and become a fpeaacie of misery to the
World I But there is something in corruption,Which,
like a jaundiced eye, transfers the colour of itfelf to
the object it looks upon, and fees every thing Rain
ed and impure; for Unless you were capable of
such c6ndu& yourselves, you could never have fvp
pofed such a character in us. The offer fixes your
infamy. It exhibits you as a nation without faith;
with whom oaths and treaties are considered as
trifles, and the breaking them as the breaking of a
bubble. Regard to decency or to rank might have
taught you better, or pride inspired yeu. though vir
tue could not. There is not left a step is the de
gradation of character, to which you can now de
feend; you have put your foot on the ground floor,
and the key of the dungeoh is turned upon you.
That the invitation may want nothing cf being a
complete monster, you have thought proper to finish
it with an assertion which has no foundation, either
in fad or philosophy, and as Mr. Fetgufon, your
Secretary, is a man of letters, and has made civil D
eiety bis study, and published a treatise on that fub
je&, I address this part to him.
In the elofe of the paragraph which I lafl quoted,
France is stiled the '^ natural enemy" of England,
and, by way of lugging us into the fame strange
idea, she is Riled the " late mutual and natural ene
my" of both countries. I deny that ffieever was the
natural enemy of either, and that there does not exist
in nature such a principle. The expression is an
unmeaning b^rbatifm, and wholly Unphilofophical,
when applied to beings of the fame species, let their
Ration is the creation be what it may, We have a
nerfea idea of a natural enemy when we think of the
Devil, because the enmity is perpetual, unalterable,
and unabafeable. It admits neither of peace, truce,
or treaty ; consequently the warfare is eternal, and
therefore it is natural. But man with man cannot
arrange in the fame eppofition. Their quarrels are
accidental and equivocally created. They become
friends or enemies as the change of temper, or the
raft of interest, inclines them. The Creator of man
did not constitute him the natural enemy of each
other. He has not made any one order of beings so.
Even wolves may quarrel, still they herd together.
If any two nations are so, then must all nations be
so, otherwise it is not nature but custom, and the of
fence frequently originates with the acoufer. Eng
land is as truly the natural enemy of France, as
France is of England, and perhaps more so. Se
parated from the rest of Europe, she has contrasted
an unsocial habit of manners, and imagines in others
the jealousy she creates in herfelf. Never long fa
tisfied With peace, she supposes the discontent uni
versal, and buoyed up with her own importance,
conceives herfelf the only objta pointed at. The
expieffion has been often used, and always with a
fraudulent design ; for, when the idea of a natural
enemy is conceived, it prevents all other enquiries,
and the real cause of the quarrel is hidden in the
umiverfalily of the conceit. Men start at the notion
of a natural enemy, and alk no other queflion. The
cry obtains credit like the alarm of a raad dog, and is
one cf those kind of tricks, which, by operating on
the common passions, feeures their intcreft through
their folly.
But we, Sir, are not to be thus impend upon.
We live in a large world, and have extended cur
ideas beyond the limits and prejudices of an island.
We hold out the right hand of friendship to all the
universe, and we conceive there to be a sociality in
the manners of France, which i; much better dis
posed to peace and negotiation than that of Eng
land, and until the latter become more civilized, she
cannot expert to live long at peace with any power.
Her common language is vulgar and effenfive, and
children with their milk, fuck in the rudiments of
insult ‘ The arm of Britain! The mighty arm
6 of Britain I Britain that Shakes the earth to its cen
' ter and its poles! The Scourge of France! The
' terror of the world! That governs with a nod,
f and pours down vengeance like a God.' This
language neither makes a nation great or little; but
it Shews a savageness cf manners, and has a tenden
cy to keep national animosity alive. The entertain
ments of the flage are calculated to the fame end,
and almost every public exhibition is tinctured with
insult. Yet England is always in dread cf France.
Terrified at the apprehension of an invasion. Suspi
cions of being outwitted in a treaty, and privately
cringing, though Rie is publicly offending. Let
her, therefore, reform her manners and do juflite,
and she will find the &aci"a natural eu^y, io be
only a phantom of her own imigination.
Little did I think, at this period of the war, to fee
a proclamation which could proniife yea no cue
ufeful purpose whatever, and tend only tb expof^
you. One would think you were just awakened
from a four years dream, and knew nothing of what
had palled in the insertm Is this a time to be of
fering pardons or renewing the long forgotten fub
je&s of charters and taxation ? Is it &orth yoßr while,
after every force has failed you, to retreat tinder the
Shelter of argument and persuasion ? Or can you
think that we with nearly half your army prisoners,
and in alliance vith France, are to be begged or
threatened into fabmiffion by a piece of paper I But
as Commissioners, at a hundred pounds Sterling a
week each, you conceive yourselves bound to do
Something, and the genius of ill fortune told you,
you must write.
For my own part, I have not put pen to paper
these Several months. Convinced of our Superiority
by the issue of every campaign, I was inclined to
hope, that that which all the rest of the world now
fee, would become v ; fible to you, and therefore felt
unwilling to rifle your temper by fretting j ou with
repetitions and discoveries. These have been inter
vals of hesitation in your conduct from which it
seemed a pity to diftutb you, and a charity to leave
,ou to yourselves. You have often ftept, as if you
intended to think, but your thoughts have ever been
too early or too late.
There was a time when Britain difdai^d to ' an
fwer, and even to hear a petition from America.
That time is past, and she in her turn is petitioning
our acceptance. We now Rand on higher ground,
and offer her peace ; and the time will come when
she, perhaps in vain, will aft it from us. The kt
tercafe is as probable as the former ever war. She
cannot refufe to acknowledge our Independence with
greater obstinacy than she before refafed to repeal
her laws; and if America alone could bring her to
the one, united with France she will reduce her to
the other. There is something in obstinacy which
differs from every other passion, whenever it fails it
never recovers, bet either breaks like iron, or crum
bles sulkily away like a fra&ured arch. Muff other
passions have their periods of fatigue and rest; their
Suffering and their @ure; but obstinacy has no re
source, and the firft wound is mortal. -You have al
ready begun to give it up, and you will, from the
natural conflru&ion of the vice, find yourselves both
obliged and inclined to do so:
If you look back you fee nothing but lok and dif
graee. If you look forward the fame scene conti
nues, and the &14ft is an impenetrable gloom. You
may plan and execute little raifehiefs, but are they
worth the expence they cost you, or will such par
tial evils have any effe& on the general cause ? Your
expedition to Egg-Harbour, will be felt at a diflance
like an attack upon a hen rood, and etpofe you in
Europe, with a fort of childish phrenfy. Is it worth
while to keep an array to proted you in writing
proclamations, or to get once a year into winter
quarters? Possessing yourselves of towns is not con
quest, but convenience, and in which you wilhone
day or other be trepanned. Your retreat from Phi
ladelphia, was only a timely escape, and your next
expedition may be less fortunate.
It would puzzle all the politicians in the uniiyerfe
to conceive what you flay for, or why you ffiould
have Raid so long. You are prosecuting a war in
which you confer you have neither objed nor
hope and that conquest, could it be effected, would
not repay the charge: In the mean while, the rest
of your affairs are running into ruin, and a Europe
an war"kindling against you. In such a fixation,
there is neither doubt or d faculty ; the firft rudi
ments of reason will determine the choice, for if
peace can be procured with more advantages than
even a conquest can be obtained, he must be ah ide
et indeed that hesitates.
But you are probably buoyed pp by a set of
wretched mortals, ^ho,having deceived themselves,
are cringing with the duplicity of a spaniel for a lit
tle temporary bread. Those men will tell you just
what you please. It is their interest to amuse, in
order to lengthen out their proteaion. They Rudy
to keep you amongst them for that very purpose;
and in proportion as you disregard their advice, and
grow callous to their complaints, they will flinch
into improbability, and pepper off their flattery the
high&.- -Charaders like these, are to be foiled in
every country, and every country will despise
them.
COMMON SENSE.
Philadelphia, O&.
20, 1778.
.WHOLESALE an, RETAIL.
'"' Sugar, Giffee, choice Echea Tea Ma-
AX. deira, Lisbon, and Claret Wine, Cotton, Sew
ing Silk, Copperas, Indigo, A Ifplce Ginger Rock
and Saltertuda tilt. Lc^e-rotda ditto, a good adort
ment of American Earthen Ware, and a few other
Articles. Enquire at Caleb Bull, fun. ftcre, north
of the Court house. Hartford.-
N. B. Those that do not choose to pay caffi, may,
if they please ony tor prodt^ce at a reasonable rate.
WEST -INDIA and New England Rum,
Reck, Turk's Island, and home-made Salt.
Teneriffe and Port Wine, to be fold for Continental
Bills only, by Elisha Pitkin, jun. a few rods
south of the L berty Pole in Bast Hartford.
'l'° ° e "d by Silvester Gilbert, at bis
l fiere in Hebron, for Cash cr Country Pro
duce, New England Rum. by the barrel or less
quantity, beR of Sugar, Molasses, Bchea Tea, Cof
fee, Mace, Nutme s, Ginger, Copperas Altera,
Indigo Brimflone, imported Suit. Likewise, Cali
coes, Irilh Linens Camblets Diau boys, Caili
mancoes Durants, Tammies, Masquerades, Hair
bine Gauzes, Sewing Silks, thick Cloths, Trm
mings &c.
Hebron. Nov. 12 i„8.
THE Sale ci the famous Brig bkiiAN
.''.A' at Knowles Landing, in Chatham, as
advertised in this paper a few weeks since is ad
journdd ^to fuefday the 24th of November inst
at one 0 clock in the afternoon, at which time, with
her appurtenances, she will be fold to the highest
bidder. Aho, on the fame day will be fold* the
sloop Jenny, of about 20 tons burden; and two Pet
tiaugurs, with their appurtenances. Likewise, a
Negro Man, cf about 21 years of ape, with sundry
W ILLI A M S.
^HOJE w 10 have any demands on the elate
°f Capt. Randal Evans, late efNortkbury,
deceased, are desired to exhibit the fame to the Sub
scriber, who will attend on fading said estate, on the
firfl Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in December
next. Fhofe indebted to fad estate, are requeued
to make immediate payment to
RANDAL EVANS, Executor.
Northbury Nov. 16, 1778.
WE the Subferibers, appointed by the Hon.
Court of Probate for the diftri& of Hartford,
Commissioners to examine and adjust the claims of
the Creditors to the estate cf Jeremy Granger, late
of Suffield, in tl e county of Hartford, deceased, re
presented insolvent, hereby notify, we shall attend
laid business, at the dwelling haufe of Capt. Benja
min Kent, innholder in said Suffield, on the last
Monday of November inst. and on the two follow
ing Mondays.
AB. GRANGER;
JOSIAH KING, jun. f ^^onerr.
Suffield, Nov. 12, 1778.
WE the Subscribers being appointed by the
Hon. Court of Probate for the diftri& of
Middletown, Oomm'ffiorers to examine and ad
just the claims of the creditors to the eßate of Ben -
nit Eaglcftbne, late of said Middletown, deceas
ed, represented insolvent, do hereby give notice,
that we fhail attend the business of cur appointment,
on the last Tuesdays of this and two following
months, tit tie house of Mr. EPfhi Biewfler, inn
holder in laid Middletown, at one o'clock in the af
ternoon on each day;
JOHN ROGERS &
BEZALEEL FISK, f Zeners;
Middletown, Nov. 7. i„8.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
STRAYED or STOLEN, from the Sub
fcriher, living in Bateman's Precina, T WO
MARES, the one a bay, fix years old about 14.
hands high, with a snip on her nefe ; the other a
sorrel, about 14 hands high, all her feet white, and
a blaze on her face : Both natural trotters, and can
ter well. Whoever will take up said Mares, fhal'l
have the above reward for both, or Fifty Dollars for
each, paid by
ABRAHAM LOFEE.
FAKi is, oa. 2§. 1778.
BROKE into the enclcluie ot tue Subscriber,
about ten days ago, a,Dark Bay HORS E,
about 14 hands high, four or five yeats old, both
hind feet white, a final! Par nearly over the left ey^
The owner may have him apain, by paying charges
and applying to JOHN WARNFR.
Middletown, Weftfield Pariffi, Nev. 17,1778.