The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-11-19 00:00:00, page 2

RICMM OND, Oaob^r 26..
With a view to humanize the mode of war
fare among our savage neighbours the Indians,
we learn that General Wayne during his com
mand in Georgia sent back a few Indian prison
ers which he had taken, with a requisition that
as many of our prisoners should be sent in by
them. Such examples cannot fail to make a
good impreifion even upon Indians, and will, we
hope, be attended with very beneficial conse
quences.
BALTIMORE, O^ober 29.
Extras of a letter from Philadelphia, dated Octo
ber 22.
" Congress have recieved letters from Mr. A
dams down to the 18th of August, in which he
encloses a copy of Mr. Fitzherbert's commission,
who is sent by Great-Britain, as Minifler Pleni
potentiary to the Court of Versailles, an extract
of which you have.—•-" You are to repair to
" the Court of our aforefaid good brother, the
" Most Chfiftian King, and there, for us, and in
" our name, with the Delegates, Cbmmiffion
" ers, Deputies, and Plenipotentiaries of the
" High and Mighty Lords the States General of
'' the United Netherlands, and with those of all
'' Princes and States whom it may concern, hav
" ing fufficient authority to meet and confer, as
" well jointly as severally, &c."
" It is easy to observe the studied ambiguity
in the commission, by which the Ministers of the
United States of America, may be either admit
ted or rejected, as circumstances may turn up.
" From some Hague papers, which are in
town, it appears, that the Prince of Orange is
charged with having fruftrated rhe plan of ope
rations, fettled by the Dutch and the Court of
France; the Dutch fleet were to have gone north
about and joined the combined fleets, but the
Prince of Orange provented them, and they are
returned to the Texcl."
PHILADELPHIA, Odober 23.
Extract of a letter from Washington county,
Virginia, October 2, 1782.
" Our troubles foem to be over to the south
ward, either from the British or Tories. The
northern Indians are more troublesome than in
most former campaigns; their inroads have
reached North Carolina. The foutherri Indians
seem generally inclined to cease hoflilities. The
Chickasaws, a liberal minded tribe, have lately
sent a deputation to assure us of their pacific dis
position. The Creeks and ChaUaws profefs
their willingness to live in amity with the friends
of France and Spain. A few towns of the Che
rokees, yet give an aflylum to renegado Tories
who have call a shade on human nature, by
their black deeds in the southern states. Several
bodies of men by different routs, have lately
marched into the Cherokee country, to take or
destroy these desperadoes. Should the Indians
essay to afford them protection, a fufficient force
are gone to chastise all oppofers.
" Before you receive these, no doubt you
will hear the particulars of Col. Todd's defeat
in the Kentuckey country, by the Indians,
British, &c. headed by the infamous Simon
Girty. A most discouraging stroke to that in
fant settlement. The usual feene of torturing
the wounded and prisoners followed the defeat."
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Paris,
dated August 3d, 1782.
" You will receive numerous accounts of
peace from this quarter, none of which you
must credit. After many goings and comings,
and much talk about a negociation for a general
adjustment of differences, Mr. Grenville has
taken a final leave of Paris. This gentleman ne
ver was sincere, and I with his successor may be
more so. Mr. Fitzherbert is charged with a
royal commission, empowering him to treat with
the ministers of their High Mightinesses, and
with the powers and states at war; so that our
empire, you fee, is or is not comprehended, just
as the changeable course of things, may or may
not makeit an object of primary attention. The
Comte de Vergennes, however, will bring his
point to a speedy explanation, at least he will
oblige Mr. Fitzherbert to speak a plain intelligi
ble language, as soon as the forms which lead to
such business can be got through.
" Fitzherbert, in my opinion, is inftrufted to
,ash the negociations till the terms ofthe leagued
powers can be afeertained, but no further. One
principle end for gaining these terms is, that they
may be used if occasion requires, at the fitting of
the next British parliament to oppose an acknow
ledgment of our independence; for it seems that
this question is, either materially or formally, to
he debated; and there can be no doubt hut tb,t
Shelburne, the Premier, and the late ministry will
call into action every obstacle to prevent what
they think carries with itthe ruinofGreat-Britain.
" The public reception which Doctor Frank
lin and Mr. Jay meet with from Comte de Aran
da is not a little promising, and mull serve to give
them additional consequence in the approaching
negociation.
" America should know how much she is in
debted to Major-General the Marquis de la
Fayette—This French nobleman has been par
ticularly serviceable to our ministers : they have
wanted no information, nor the United States
any friendly assistance which he could give, that
has not been rendered—His exaft knowledge of
our army, both under his Excellency General
Washington and General Greene, the temper
of the troops ; their number , their virtues ;
their wants,and theirneceffities—His perfect ac
quaintance with the spirit and disposition of our
people wherever the enemy have been, and
wherever he has been himfelf—his intercourse
with our men in high trull—His accurate ideas
of the finances and abilities of the refpedive
States, with their capacities and inclinations to
prosecute the war—l fay, all these things could
not fail to make his intelligence and presence,
during a negociation, of the utmost importance..
His informations mult have been such as no
other person in France could have given to our
minillers ; and such, perhaps, as the whole body
of Congress could not have communicated ; be
cause his knowledge was collected from obser
vation and personal enquiries, and theirs, from
the nature of their situation, cannot be so vari
ous, so critical and extensive.---He was very
anxious to return to America, and was only de
tained here on a special request of our ministers.
For my own part this man surprises me : We of
America are not less virtuous or less firm for
the defence of our rights than we were at the
begining of the war ; but our enthusiasm which
blazed beyond description at that time, is now
nearly extinguished. This nobleman, who has
been so long with us, brings with him to France
all our earliefl and brightelt enthusiasm, with all
our present firmnefs and virtue. Much may he
be rewarded by his own country, for much he
deserves from ours, which can give him nothing,
save gratitude.
" You cannot well conceive how affe&ingly
de Grade's defeat was felt by the gayefl and live
liest people in the world : Had I been an unin
terefled fpe&ator I also mult have been affeaed.
But this shock was not of long continuance, and
was succeeded by a patriotic spirit which gave
a new vigor to a new thing. Voluntary sub
scriptions from provincial states, cities and pri
vate societies of men, soon made a much larger
number of ships than what has been taken. So
great was the spirit of giving, that the King
would not permit all that was affered to be re
ceived, because he saw that numbers had rather
consulted their zeal than their fortunes. I blush
ed during this feene for my own country, there
being no infiance of the fame kind to be found
on our records.
" One word more on politics—The recovery
of Gibraltar remains the fixed object of Spain :
The siege is pertinaciously kept up; new mea
sures and a new armament are in a train for the
most determined attempt ; and it is not impro
bable but that a grand assault will take place on
or about the 25th of this month."
November. 2.
On Thursday evening two gentlemen belong
ing to the fliip Carolina, Captain Newel, came
to town from Baltimore: Where that veflel ar
rived last Tuesday, after a passage of 40 days from
L’Orient. Neither the letters nor papers have
come to hand; but theprinciple accountsbrought
by her are, that the combined fleet of France and
Spain, confiding of about 60 fail of the line, had
failed for Gibraltar to second the grand attack on
that fortrefs which it was thought would be
made about the middle of September; It was
uncertain whether the British fleet would at
tempt the relief against this very formidable ar
mament. That the late aHion in the East-Indies
had proved favourable to the fleet of our ally,
and it was asserted three British men of war were
taken in it. An English officer was heard to fay
that their affairs were ruined in the East, and that
nothing could retrieve them from deftru&ion.
That although Sir Joseph Yorke and Mr. Fitz
herbert were at Paris, yet a peace seemed very
doubtful, and no decisive opinion could be made
on it; and that the Dutch fluet of 20 fail ofthe
line, had protested their trade in the North fee
and prevented the Baltic fleet from reaching'
England.
On Monday Taft, the stockholders of the bank
of North-America met, for the purpose of elect
ing directors, for the management of the affair®
of the said corporation for the ensuing year.—
When the following gentlemen were appointed.
Thomas Willing, James Wilson, John M«
Nefbit, William Bingham, Thomas Fitzfimpns,
Henry Hill, Samuel Meredith, Cadwalader
Morris, Andrew Caldwell, Samuel Osgood,
Samuel Inglis and George Haynes.
It must give the public particular pleasure, to
observe that this institution has succeeded be
yond the most sanguine expeditions of its best
friends. Individuals, as wellas the community,
have received the greatest advantages from the
effeds of its extensive operation, and notwith
standing tire many difficulties it had to encoun
ter, from the prejudices of partial or misinformed
persons, it has rose superior to every effort of
open or concealed enemies to injure it.
Its present flourishing Situation, arising from
the assiduity and attention of the directors, of the
last year, in placing it umpn so refpedable an
establishment, became so flrikingly apparent to
the body of ftockholders,that the following vote
of thanks unanimously passed.
" At a meeting of the stockholders of the
bank of North-America, this 4th November,.
I 782, for the purpose of holding an election of
direCtors—The directors of the said bank, hav
ing laid before the stockholders met, an account
of their proceedings for the year pall. We the
said flockholdets, having considered the fame,
and being also influenced by our knowledge and
observations on the manner in which the busi
ness of the said bank hath been framed and con
duced, think it a justice due to the President
and Directors, to acknowledge the fatisfadion
we feel on this occasion, by giving this public
tefl imony of our approbation. We do therefore
return our sincere thanks to the President and.
Diredors, for the skill and attention they have
manifefted in arranging an institution, altoge
ther new in America, the good effeds of which
the public hath already so fully experienced, for
their disinterested services therein, and for the
fidelity, punduality and care, with which they
have executed the trust reposed in them."
Extract of a letter from I'Orient, dated Sept. 1.
" Sir Joseph Yorke is now in ' Paris, but his
embassy is a secret as yet. The volunteers of
Ireland are once more under arms, the privileges
granted them some time ago, being again in
fringed by the British parliament. The English
are much divided among themselves. We have
had the wettest summer seen in Europe for 2©
years past ; the harvest is almost entirely loft."
Nov. $ Wednesday last the Hon. Frederick Au
gustus Muhlenburg, Esq; was chosen Speaker of
the General Assembly of this State.
Peter Zachary Lloyd, Esq; is re-appointed
Clerk to the General Assembly.
On Monday last the Hon. Elias Boudinot, Esq;
was eleded President of the United States in
Congress assembled.
Extraci of a letter from Paris, August 29.
" Last Sunday the Marquis de Bouille and the
Count de Lavarp, Colonel of the regiment of
Aamagnac, took leave of theKing in order to go
to Rochfort, to embark there with 1000 volun
teers taken from different regiments.
“ It appears decided that the Count de Eftaing
and- the Marquis de Bouille, will a& in concert
in the Antilles, The firft will go immediately
to Brest. Eight regiments, and 3000 volunteers
will follow him to the Well Indies, to undertake
some frefh conquests.
" The transports lying off the Isle of Aix
have, according to letters from Rochfort, of the
23d inst. hoisted fail, under convoy of four fail of
the line, and under the proteaion of the com
bined fleet, which was cruising thereabouts. It
is said they amounted to near 500 fail, part destin
ed for Boston, part for the Antilles, and the rest
for the East-Indies."
A judicious writer (under the signature of
Hampden) in the London Courant, of August
14, concludes a long and pabhetic address to
the inhabitants of London and Westminster
with this elegant apostrophe: " O America"
liberated, triumphant- independent—Nurse of
Heroes—Asylum sacred to fuffering Humanity !
Grateful to me it is to reflect, that in every stage
of this calamitous contest, my heart hasje/f, my
tongue has confined, the Justice of THY
Cause !".