The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1780-02-29 00:00:00, page 1

Mtffi'rs PRINTERS.
By publishing this Short piece you will oblige your
humble servant, D.
IT is notorious to every person of the least obser
vation, that a communication is kept up from
this State to Long-ISland and New York. British
goods are now publicly fold in our Shops, known to
have been brought direAly from our enemies, and
obtained of them by purchase, or In a way no less
wicked ; by plundering the defenceUfs inhabitants
of Long Island.
Some attempts have been made to prevent this iU
licit trade by Seizing the goods when in open mar
ket and exposed for sale, and it has been proposed
to put the proof of their being legally imported on
the possessor. This Scheme failed, as I hope every
witked one may ; this would have been fatal to the
charaAer of honest men, who bad bought their goods
fairly, or put them to the expence of Peeking for proof
of their innocence at the in fiance of every worthless
petfon who chose to give them trouble, and would
have produced greater evils than were prepofed to
be remedied. It has been said we kre not injured
by the exchange of cur gold and Silver for Britiffi
goods with our enemies, if we obtain them at a
cheaper rate than from our friend# : this may per
haps be true; but the tranfea oh brings on an ac
quaintance, and tho' insensibly, yet fwiftly increa
ses into confidence and friendOrp. Oar Secrets are
betrayed ; opportunities present for exporting pro
visions, and men who at firft shuddered at the thought
cf having the most distant correspondence with the
enemies of their country, in a little time become
their country's worst enemies, and blinded by the
%d of this world, flatter themfdves they are still her
friends; though pursuing measures more fatal to her
than the arms of the British king. Ochers, and those
not a few, regardlefo of every thing but their per
sonal interest, which they believe to be in nothing
but the possession of money, who have the name of
whigs merely from erecting Liberty Polls, and c'l
ling every body not as mad and cowardly as them
selves, Tories; who frdta the commencement of
the war to this hour, never continued long enough
in one place to be taxed or do military duty, (ex
cept affixing at a tar and feathering match can be
called so) are flying from Size to State and purchaf
ing hard money to remit to New York, thereby raif
ing the value of gold and fiver,, and depreciating
the paper money.
A third elafs have always been our enemies, at
least not our friends; not enough attached to either
fide to care how the rented ends, or a& openly for
either : These play between both, and will give in
formation to either fide as Mammoth lAates, or pre
sent Safety bids, and would not only fell their coun
try but their God for gold. No law has been found
Sufficient to prevent this ruinous and wicked com
munication with our enemies; and common fame
declares it to be carried on by the very per fans whoSe
immediate duty it is to prevent it. No man Should
be trusted with a command whose character is doubt
ful ; the law Should be severe, and nothing but his
life Should atone for so great a crime as betraying his
trust. The trial Should be by Court Martial, however
reprobated by a (pouting Self-righteous declaimer :
It is no hardship for a military officer to be tried by
a military court, when accused of a crime in his mi
litary character. At any rate, it is a very improper
place for a man to be tried where he holds a feat, and
s allowed to continue after being dircAly charged
„iih TREASON. Ido not mean to be undetftood
hat any person now charged is guilty : I am not
tequainted with the fa&e, nor would I condemn
my man unheard. The mode of trial is what I ob
t& too, both as it refpe&s the public and the person
iccufed. The proceedings at courts martial being
ill taken down in writing, have a tendency to make
he evidences very careful to tell the truth, and the
:ourt cautious in judging, whether disposed to fa
our the person accused or not, or to be severe; they
now the ool^ Wal mast be made public If <<-
TUESDAY, February 2 9 , 17^ T HE NUMBER^'.
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
lANDtlti
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HART FO RD: Printed by HUDSON and GOODWIN, near the Great-Bridge;
qaired by either party ; and this mode of trial
would flop the mouth of clamour; hinder and
malice would be dumb. Their would be no room
for the malicious to report that the G r and
and C 1 smothered the trial to save a favourite,
or that the G 1 A y winked at the crime be
cause a majority were concerned in the acturfed ba
finefs. And it wou'd be very dfficult and I believe
impossible to carry it on if it was not patronifed by
feme of the officers who command cn the sea coast,
I have hastily thrown these thoughts together, ho
ping they may be ufeful and rouse the legislature to
take feme eftaual measures to prevent an evil of such
magnitude. At a feafen ofmoie leisure I will com
municate some fads refpeAing the matter, and in the
interim hull take feme pains to colled more, and if
in the course of the enquiry, I Should be furaiffied
with evidence against any mao, the public may be
assured his name shall be inferred in this paper.
DETECTOR.-/
The Printer in this State id State of Rhode-
Island are requested to publish thtJollowing account,
THE Subscribers, who were appointed a com
mit ee to receive the donations frem thia
Sate, beg leave according to promise, to lay be
fore the public the whole amount of money a:d
grain given, and by us received, from the religious
Societies in this government, for the relief of the
(offering inhabitants from Newport Rhode ffland.
In the year 1,75, when the harbour of Newport
Was under the command of Sir James Wallace, the
charitable and well disposed in ft iddletown, sent for
the relief of the poor a: Newnan ag barrels of flour
which was very thankfully received, and carefully
divided for their Support And in the year pafi
we have received grain collected from this State to
the amount of 1003 bushels, including meal and
flour. Received in Cassi from 201 Societies and
private perfon# f. 7969 14 0 1 farthing. Expen
ded for calks, coileAing and transporting grain, &c.
£.3536 io 3 half penny.
In the name and behalf of the Suffering poor,
with great thankfulness we return the good people cf
this S ate our hearty rd facere acknowledgments
for their public zeal and liberality, whereby their
attachment to the common cause of their country
has bexn manifested, and the wants and diflr&ffas of
our Offering brethren so seasonably and charitably
alleviated. And we Should think ourselves wanting
in duty not to acknowledge thebenevolent and early
attention given ns by his Excellency the Governor
and the honorable the General Assembly, and the
reverend ftntkmen in the sacred minify, in advis
ing, granting and z^lui fly recommending a gene
ral centributton through the S ate, Which has given
such great and fafonabte relief.
We can with pleafare inform the public, that we
have received letters and receipts from the cororhit
tee who hiverec,ived the grain and money sent #ai
given, except the donations cf graincolkaed from
the towns of Fairfield, Stratfj/ Norwalk &c.
which was ftnred in, and unhap, ^confarned with
the town cf Fai&ld, when that and other places
were reduced to affiei and so many innocent and
worthy inhabitants inhumanly plundered and dis
tressed As companions in tribulation we cannot
forbear to express the fympathifing feelings of our
hearts for them; and sincerely w sh our (offering
friends in those towns may find th& kindness shewn
them in the day of their trouble and distress, which
they have so liberally shewn to us, who are, with
every sense of regard and esteem. the public's very
humble fexvants,
JONATHAN OTIS,
OLIVER R. WARNER.
N. B. We flull take it as a favour if those who
are acquainted with any parcels of donation grain,
&c. yet on hand, would give us information where
it is lodged, that we may apply for it.
Middletown, State of Connecticut, Jan. 4, 1780.
At a General Assembly of the Governor and Compa
ny of the State of Connecticut, holden at Hartford,
on the second Thursday ofMay; 1778.
RESOLVED by this Assembly, That an Rm-,
bargo be forthwith laid upon the exportation
out or this State, by land or, water of the following
articles, viz. Wheat, Rye, Indian Corn, Peas, Brans,
Oats , Bread, Flour and everv kind of Meal, Pork;
Beef, Live Cattle,.Sheep. Swipe. Rum, Sugar.
Molasses; Salt, Bar Iron, Wool, Flax, Woolen
Lingn Cloth, Tanned Leather and Sheer, Provide!
nevertheless, that, this A& ffiall not extend to ne
cessary sea fores for veftls outward bound ; to any
cattle, provisions, or eloathing purchased or to be
purchased, procured and sent for the use of the army
or for the navy, belonging to this State, nor to hin-,
der any particular perlon or performs from carrying
or fending to such soldiers in the army, as may be
under the care, and special relation of such person or
perfens any neccffiiry cloathipg or provision they
may want for their own use and consumption ; such
Embargo to continue in force Bntil the Afhmbly
(hall order other wife. And his Excellency the Go
vernor be, and he is hereby defined to igue a Pro
clamation, prohibiting the exportation of such pro
visions and articles accordingly. , Provided never,
thelefs, that his Excellency the Governor be, and
he is hereby authorised and impowered, with the
advice of the Council of Safety, to grant permits for
the exportation of, such articles in such cases and to
such place# as the, (hall judge reasonable and expe
dient. Provided alto, that his Excellency the Go
vernor, by and with the advice of his Council, aA
the Council cf Safety, may difeqntinue the Grid
Embargo in whole or in part, if they shall judge the
public good requires It, at any time dating the rec^fr
cl the Gmeral Assembly.
A true Copy of Record,
Examined by
GEORGE WYLLY S, Sic'ry.
An A& in Addition to the law of this State; entitul
ed, An A& to enable the Governor to lay an Erri;
bar^o, and for rendering the fame, when laid
eff<auak _r
BE it ena&ed by the Governor, Council, and Rt,
p elintatives, in General Court assembled, and
by .he Authority of the fame, That when it shall
appear to any one Affiflant and Jufticeof Peace, of
to any two justices of Peace, that there is a reasona
ble Ground to apprehend or believe that an, Wheat.
Flour, Meal, Rye, Indian Corn, Peafe, Beans, Beef,
or Pork, is on Board any Vessel in any River or Port,
or in any House or Store in this State; with an la
tent that the fame shall be concealed or removed
therefrom, by the Owner or Owners thereof, out cf
this State, contrary 4 Law, it shall be the Duty of
such Authority to issue a Warrant to some proper Of
ficer to enter any V^ffel, House or Store; designated
by said Warrant, and search for and feizs any of said
Kovifions which he shall find therein ; which Offi
cer shall proceed according to the Directions of fuck
Warrant, and shall fecute any of such Provision,
which he shall so find, and shall make his Return to
said Authority of the Kind, Quantity and Situation
of said Provisions which he shall have so failed and
secured ; whereupon said Authority shall, according
to their Discretion, order said Provifioni to be re
moved to any Place within this State, and there (e
---cured, or take Bond of the Owner or Ownert of iai&
Prov Aous that the fame shall net be removed out rs
this State aiftforefaid, or shall order the fame to be
returned to (aid Owner or Owners, as upon Corfi
deration of the Evidence and Circumflances relative
to said Provisions it Shall appear just and reasonable,
both in Regard to the Owner or Owners of foch
Provisions, and a due Attention to prevent the fafts
bang concealed or removed out cf this State contra
ry to the Laws of it. That all the Cost attending
the Seizing, remcvirg, and securing such Provision,
shall be paid by the Owner or Owners thereof, before
tie fame Shall be repined, to be taxed by Said All