The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1780-01-18 00:00:00, page 2

glinted with their ufpiaivt c'trcumhnce; Maf
lachafea'j Bis and Virginia ware the highest on this
scale. being to farnilh 15 battalions each ; Pennfyl
vana came next, and was rated at twelve; North
Carolina 9, Conned cat and Maryland 8 each.
New York, and the Jerseys, the latter con fideed as
one government, were, in consequence of their pre
feat fituatiun„ set no higher than 4 battalions each.
The liberality of the Congress in its encourage
ment to the troops, was proportioned to the necessity
of fpeed.'y compleating the new army. Besides a
bounty of twenty dollars to each soldier at the time
of enl ling, lands were to be allotted, at the end of
the war to the survivors, and to the representatives
of all who were flainin a&iod, in different flaed
proportions from 500 acres, the allotment of a Colo
nel, to 150 which was that of an E.ifign ; the pri
vate men, and non-commissioned officers, were to
have 100 acres each. As a bar to the thoughleffnefs
and prodigality incident to soldiers, and to prevent
the most worthless and undeserving from obtaining
for trifles, those rewards due to the brave for their
blood and ferv ees, all these lands were rendered
unalienable during the war, no alignment or trans
fer being to be admitted at its conclusion.
The Congrcfi had before, as an encouragement to
their forces by sea and land, decreed that ,11 officers;
foldien, and seamen, who were or might be disabled
in action, ffiould receive, during life, one half of the
monthly pay to which they were entitled by their
rank in the service, at the time of meeting with the
misfortune. Notwithstanding these encouragements,
it seems, as if the condition of serving during the
indefinite term of the continuance of the war, was
not generally agreeable, to a people so little accus
tomed to any kind of fabordination or renraint; so
that in the month of November, the Congress found
it necefary to admit of another mode of enlistment
for the term ofthree years, the soldiers under this
compact receiving the fame bounty in money with
the 0 herr, but beiny cat out from any allotment of
lands. With all these encouragements given by the
Congress, the b,finefs of recruiting wei.t on, how
ever but heavily; and it ffiuft not be imagined, that
the army afhall/ re fed, did at any time bear any
proportion in effective men to that which was voted.
The bolding outa promle of lands as an induce
ment to fi! up their armies, was probably intended
to conn &ad the effect of a similar measure which
had forne time before been adopted on the fide of the
crown, large grants of vacant lands , to be diftribu
led at the cl fe of the troubles, having been prom fed
inits name to the Highland emigrants, and fom:
other new troops r&fed in America, as a reward for
their exp:&ed zeal and loyalty in the wuaron of
the rebellious colonies. A measure which tended
more to increase and excite the animosity of the ped
pit, than a y other perhaps wh<h could have been
proposed in the prefect circum^ances. For they
univerfaily considered the term vacant, as fignify
ing forfeited, which being an eff^ft of the treason
laws yet unknown! in America, excited the greater
horror; the people being well aware from the ex
perience of other countries, that if the sweets of for
feiture were once tasted, it would be equally happy
and unufuak if any other limits, than these which
nature had assigned to their pofleffions, could restrain
its operation.
The annual (upplics raised in the different colonies
by their rafpeA ve ademblie„ being infuffi lent to
provide for the extraordinary expences of so large an
army, together with the other numerous contingen
cies, infepevable from fach a war, the Congreft
found it necessary to negotiate a loan to answer these
purposes. They accordingly passed a resolution to
borrow five m lliorw of dollars, at an inters# of four
per cent, the faith of the united Bates being pledged
to the lenders for the payment both of principal and
interest.
As the situation of their affairs became extremely
critical, and the preservation of Philadelphia to all
appearance hopeless, at the time that Lord Corn
wallis had overrun the Jerseys, and that the British
forceshad taken prff-ffi >n of the towns and pelfs on
the Delaware, the Cengrefs published
Dec. loth. ao addreh to the people in general, but
more particularly to those of Pennsylvania and the
adjacent states. The general objeds of this p ece
were to awaken the attention of the pctye, remove
tneir deipondency, renew their hopes and spirits,
a.id confirm their intentions of supporting the war,
by Shewing that no other means were left for the
peicrvaion of these rights and liberties for which
the, orguially contended. But it was particularly
and immediately intended to forward the ccmpleti
-0:1 of <he new army, and to call oat the inhabitants
cfthe neighbouring countries to the defence of Phila
delphia.
F hefe puipo&s they enumerated the causes of
th: u^u^% ^f^ppofed grievances they had en
Spanish Declaration of War.
Don 'Diego Joseph Navarro, Garcia
de Valladeres, Knight of the order of
St. Jago, Captain General and Gover
nor of the Island of Cuba, &c. &c.
1„ HEREAS by the Royal Order of
v the eighteenth of May of the present
year I am given to understand, That our
Sovereign Lord the King, having used all
the prudent and effectual means which a
love of peace and regard for human nature
always dilate to put an end to the war
between France and England, has seen that
the latter power delays with ill intentions,
and on improper grounds, still refufes to
accept the just proposals made by his Ma
jesty in quality of Mediator, and his So
vereign patience being no longer able to
overlock the insidious designs of the Court
of London, which are evidently calculated
to gain time and to seek for an opportuni
ty of indemnifying itfelf for the loss of its
colonies, out of the Spanish Dominions in
the Welt-Indies, as manifeftly appear by
the preparations made and insults offered
in this quarter, his Majesty has determined
to declare War against the King of Great-
Britain, and directed that, on receipt of
the said Royal Order, the fame be foleran
ly proclaimed throughout America, to the
end that coming to the knowledge of his
fubjeds in those dominions, th®, may put
dured, the late opp^ffive laws which had been pis
sed again# thera, dwelt much upon the contempt
with which all their petitions and applications for
redrew had been treated ; and to shew that no al er
native bat war, or a tarns resignation of all that could
be dear to mankind remained, they afforded, that
even the boasted Comm,ffio^ers for giving peace to
America had not offered, nor did yet offer, any terms
bit pardon on absolute submission. From this de
tail and these premises they deduced the necessity
of the aft of independency, averting, that it would
have been i% .ffible for them to have defended their
rights againf; so powerful an aggreffjr, aided by
large armies of foreign mercenaries, or to have ob
tained that affiflance from other flites which was ab
fo'udy neceffx y for jheir preservation, whil# they
acknowledged the. feveze^nty, and confeiTed them
fetves the fabje&s of th it power, a^n# which they
had taken up arras, and were engaged in L cruel
a war.
They boasted of the success that had in general
attended their cause and exertions, contending that
the prefect ft< e of weakness and danger, did not
proceed from any capital less, defeat, or from any
d<fca of valour in their troops, but merely from
the expiration cf'<h'e term of those short i^hfimen^,
which had in the beginning been adopted from an
attention to the ease of the people. They affined
them ihat foreign dates had already rendered them
essential Cervices, and had given the most positive
assurances of farther aid Aad they excited the
indignation and animofi y of the pa «ple, by expa
tiating upon the unrelenting, cruel and inhuman
manner, in which, they said, the war was carried
on, not only by the auxiliaries, but even by the
British forces tie.Selves.\
Complaints of this kind held a diflinguifhed place
in all the American publics.ions of that time. Some
of them indeed contained nothing eife, but details
of rapes, rapine cruelty and murder. Tho' these
accounts were undoubtedly highly elagerated, it is,
however, to be reprehended, that too much room
was afforded for compla nt f r that nature. The
odium began with the Heffiana, and has since hack
closely to them though the British troops were far
from Reaping a ihare of the imputation. Tue for
mer, naturally fierce and crud, ignorant of any
rights but those of difpbifm and of any manners,
but these eftabhfbrd within the natrew precinct of
their own gov^u@%uts were incopsble of forming
any diftinaion between ravaging and destroying an
enemy's county, white no prefect benefit was in
tended but plunder, and no future advantage ex
p&ed but that of weakening the fje, and the redu
cing of a malcontent people, (who, though in a
slate of rebellion, were still to be reclaimed, net de
ftroyed) to a due sense of obedience to their lawful
foverfign.
(To be continued.)
themselves in a poftufe of defence against
the enemy, and improve every opportunity
of attacking them by fitting our privateers,
with an assurance that his Majrfty grants
them all the prizes they make on the fub
je&s of Great Britain, and will moreover
reward such as diftinguilh themfclves in
this war. In compliance therefore with
the tenor of the said Royal Ord^r, I do
hereby make known to all the inhabitants
of the diftrid: under my command, the
said declaration of War against the King,
fubje&s and territories of Great-Britain, in
the terms prescribed by his Majesty, here
by prohibiting all intercourse with them
directly, or indirectly, under the pain of
high treason, and earnestly exhorting all
who for the happinels of being fuhj fts
have a regard for the honour of his Ma
jesty, to apply themfelve to War and to all
kinds of Hostilities with that valour for
which the Spanish Nation has ill all ages
been renowned, and agreeably to the forms
prescribed for privateering by the Royal
Ordinance of February ift, 1762, by in
terrupting the Englilh commerces attacking
and subduing their forces, and doing them
all pefhbie damage, with a firm confidence
that the justice of our caufi which has de
termine&his M^jefty to declare War a
gainst that nation, will secure to our op
perations the favour and assistance of the
Lord of H)fts ; and with an assurance
that this government,as far as in its power,
will give all necessary aid to promote and
render fuccefsful the enterprises of those
under its jurifuictiop, so that the fubjeds
may not only reap the advantages ot their
captures, but also merit the rewards which
his Mgefiy's liberality has promised them.
And that this may come to the know
ledge of al', and that none may plead ig
norance, I do o der that this be proclaimed
in all public places in this city, and in all
the villages of this government.
Dated at Havana, the 22d July, 1779.
D DIEGO JOSEPH NAVARRO.
By His Excellency's command
Joseph Fernandez, Sec'ry.
~NE W~LO^ D O T^jANUARTy-
Last Sabbath night we had an exceeding
hard gale of wind, attended with snow.
During the space of about four hours, the
wind went algioft round the compass, and
threw the highest tide into the harbour; by
two or three feet, that ever before was
known by the oldest person among us, and
has done very considerable damage to the
wharves, stores, and (hipping. A large
quantity oflugars and other goods are loft.
Many veff Is and boats were drove from
their moorings ; and one warchoufe with
a quantity of sugars in it, was fluted away
and beat in pieces. The tide came into
several houses situated on the beach, and
obliged the terrified people in them to
move into their chambers.
The Captains Burnham, Tryon, and
Howard, failed from hence on Saturday
last, for the Weft Indies.
TA K !2.1N UP by the b/.^tr. &bout the
middle of Dauber last, a Yearling STEAR,
no artificial mark. The owner may have him by
proving hn p eperty, and paying charges, to
ABIRAM SKINNER.
Est Winder, Ja.ls 1780
Ci AS H i.r WeU lud^G^a: 1 b: exchang'd
, for BILLS upon FRANCE, by Joseph
Lyade. at his Ap ary'j shop, n&ar the nos
Meet/ g-hcute. a H od.
January 18, >779.