The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-05-22 00:00:00, page 2

6'fe^s liable to seizure and confifcation ; buhlfo
to find, that those Orders are, for the nfajor part,
carried inte execution, a number of our brethren
having on Tuesday the 13th infant been sent on
board of a thip, and have not since been heard
of. Such unexpected orders, from BRITISH
COMMANDERS, whose principal charaCterif
tic is "MERCY and HUMANITY," have not
only been prod naive of the mod horrid arid me
lancholy scenes of distress and confufion that
ever British eyes beheld under the fatal couL
quences of a rigid war; but numbers of families
are now Helpless, Disconsolate, and in an abso
lute Rate of Indigence and Despair.
Unconfeious of deferring so severe a treatment
We flatter ourselves, that your Excellencies will
be pleased to hear this our humble petition, and
not involve in one—complicated scene of Distress
mid Misery, our Helpless Women 2 id Innocent
Babes; confidently relying upon, and earnestly
hoping, that through your Excellencies Judice
and Humanity, we ihall not supplicate in vain.
It is the peculiar happiness of those who live
under a British constitution, to be indulged with
their own sentiments in matters of religion, when
these principles of religion are not incompatible
with, or fubvertive of the constitution of church
or state : And it is the peculiar happiness of the
Hebrew nation to fay, that their religion teaches
peace, and obedience to the government under
which they live ; and when civil diffentions have
threatened to subvert the constitution, theHebre w
ration have ever preserved a peaceful demeanor,
with true loyalty to the King, and a firm and
Ready attachment to the laws and constitution.
For what reason, or from what motive, we are
to be BANISHED from' this iiland, we are at a
loss to account. If any one among us have com
mitted a crime for which they arc punishable, we
humbly beg those crimes may be pointed-out,
and that such persons may be purged from a
mong us. But if nothing can be alledged against
usbutthe religion ofour forefathers, we hope that
Will not be considered a crime, or that a religion
which preaches peace and recommends obedi
ence to government, should point out its feflaries
as objects of your Excellencies rigour, and merit
exclusion from a British island by the express or
ders of British Commanders. A moment's ^re
flection must difeounte nance the idea, and leave
us in perfect confidence of your Excellencies fa
vourable answer.
Permit us then to assure your Excellencies,
that we ever have, and still are willing, to give
every confeientious testimony of our obedience
to government; and those of us in particular,
who claim to be natural born fubjefts of Great-
Britain, most humbly entreat your Excellencies
to order us before you, or before such person or
persons as your Excellencies ihall plcafe to ap
point, there to prove our loyalty and fidelity,
and repeat and take our oaths of allegiance.
May the God of all mercies incline your
hearts to listen to the prayers and fupplitations
of your petitioners ; and in this confidence
we humbly submit ourselves to your Excellencies
determination, hoping you will pardon us for
the intauion~of this address ; and that, through
your Excellencies Lenity and Humanity, your
Excellencies will yet be pleased to grant us such
fiv?prable terms, as you in your Judgment and
j<itdom shall think most advantageous to his
Majesty's interest, and the honour and glory of
his iuccefsful arms. And your petitioners, as in
duy bound, will ever pray, &c.
St. Eullatia, February 16, 1781.
St. EUSTATI A, March 5 .
It is the Commander in Chief's and Admiral's
orders, that all Grangers do immediately quit this
inland, and not return till the 15th inst. the day
the file qf the goods begins, and no Grangers
whatever to presume to land or go on board ship
without pass from the Secretary.
HisExceUency the Commanderin Chief orders,
that all natives of France, or other fubjedds of the
French King, redding at prefentin this island, do
prepare to quit the fame, as soon as rcPhls can be
got ready to receive them, leaving behind them
all forts of merchandise and other itores.
His Excellency theCommander in Chief orders,
that all natives ofHolland and others, who were
in any degree fubjeci to the Status-General, re
ading at present on this inland, do prepare to quit
flic fame, as soon as vcfLls can be got ready to
receive them, leaving behind them all their
wealth, merchandise, &c. and taking with them
such effects only as they Ihall receive a particular
licence for.
(From fab Rulers, G^ Lerd driver us ! )
Fl A G IT E, January rg, 1781.
WE have just received from Feterfburgh the
following advices, in a letter dated the
26th of December.—" The envoy from the
States General to this court having received, by
an express from the Hague, the' formal resoluti
on by which their High Mightinesses acceded to
the armed neutrality, rhe Barons de Waffenaar,
Starunbourgh, and Deheckeren Brutenbour, on
thh 23d of thjs Month, celebrated the anniversa
ry of the Grand Duke Alexander Powlowitfch,
in the characters of Ambafladors Extraordinary
from the Republic ; and had the fame day a pub
lic and solemn audience with the JEmprefs, in
p which their Excellencies had the honour to orc
fent their new credentials to her Imperial Ma
jesty, who received them seated on her throne.
This august sovereign, having teftified to those
Ambadadors the fatisfa&ion she received at the
proceedings of their masters, appointed a com
mittee to regulate with their Excellencies the
grand affair of the treaty to be concluded on be
tween the two powers ; this committee is com
.poled of the Count Panin, Prime Minffter of
State ; Count Afterman; Monsieur Bacunin,
actual Councilor of State to her Imperial Ma
jesty; and Mr. Befboradka, Major-General and
Secretary of the Cabinet.—The fame day the
British Envoy dispatched a courier to his court,
and also two others to Copenhagen."
We hear, by other letters from the capital of
the Ruffian empire, of the accession of the Stays
General to the armed neutrality, and that it was
received with the greater fatisfaDion. It is con
firmed that her Imperial Majesty has dispatched
a courier to her Minister at the courtyf England,
with orders to declare, " That her Majesty had
nothing more at heart than to live in harmony
wich Great-Britain ; but the dignity of her crown
arid the welfare of her fubje&s, would not per
mit her to fuffer the violence cxercifed on her
vessels ; that ihe as well as all Europe, was asto
nished to have received better treatment from
the House of Bourbon than from the British, who
had in Russia greater privileges than any other
nation ; that although she had fufficiently made
known her intentions, with refped to a perfect
neutrality, they had not put a ilop to this ill treat
ment' ; that her Imperial Majefly would no long
er bear it, nor would she acknowledge the English
tribunal, who had arrogated to tnemfelves the
right of judging vessels taken by them ; and that
ihe in consequence demanded,without procedure,
delay or protest, a complete restitution of her
vessels, without which she should be obliged to
have recourse to violent means.
BALTIMO R E, May 1.
A letter from Frederick Pourg, dated on Tues
day last, mentions, that a report then prevailed
there, that the Enemy took possession of Willi
amsburg the proceeding Saturday.
A Gentleman just arrived inTown from New
bern, North-Carolina, advises, that, by the latest
accounts, Earl Cornwallis, with about 2500 effec
tive British troops, was at Wilmington, on Cape-
Fear river, where his Lordship was waiting for
reinforcements from Charleftown, South-Caro
lina, and Portsmouth, in Virginia.
PHILADEL P II I A, May 8.
" I have the pleasure to assure you, that the
militia behaved with a spirit and resolution that
would have done honor to veterans. I am con
vinced the enemy hav2 buffered severely : Cur
loss is not yet ascertained, but I fancy it will not
exceed sixty. To-morrow we fliall be joined by
the Marquis, when, I think, we shall make Pc
teffburg too hot for them."
Chefterfield Court House, Virginia, April 26.
" On the evening of the 2qth inst. Generals
Phillips and Arnold landed their whole force,
said to consist of3ooo chosen men,at City Point,
about 12 miles from Feterfburgh : As we had
only about 1000 militia assembled, and the fllips
of war were ranged elofe along snore, it was
thought unadvifeable to attempt annoying them
while they were landing, we therefore returned
to Feterfburgh, where we determined to make a
stand. Yesterday, about one o'clock, P. M. the
enemy approached the town in two columns,
and were met by our light infantry about a mile
from the town, when the skirmish commenced,
and every inch of ground to the bridge, about a
mile in our rear was disputed. The dispute was
very hot atthe bridge for some time, but at length
they cannonaded us so Severely that we broke up
the bridge, and retreated in the greatest regula
rity, after maintaining the fight for near two
hours.
Extract of a letter from an officer of rank dated
FIS H-K ILL, May 17.
We have just heard that a party of our's at
Croton's, under the command of Col. Green,
were furprized by the enemy, two days ago, a
bout fun-rife. '1 he enemy's guides came firft to
Col. Green and Major Flag's quarters, and point
ed to the beds where they lay. The Major was
murdered in bed, the Colonel badly wounded,
they attempted to cary him off, but finding he
could not march as fall as their fears obliged
them, they inhumanly murdered him. Report
fays, the whole party were either killed or taken.
We hear that a number of the enemy's vessels
are now in Hudson's River, and that a party of
the refugees have advanced to the Engliln
Neighbourhood on the weft fide of the river.
B O S T O N, May 17.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman of note in
Holland, dated Amsterdam, Feb. 26, 1781.
" You have already no doubt been furprized,'
or will be, when you ,ear that England, who
must for some time pah have fought more from
despair thafl from any rational hopes of conquer
ing her enemies, should have been so fool hardy
as to deciarcwar toour republic ; they have taken
many of our merchant veflels, unapprifed, ina
piratical manner ; but we hope the day of retri
bution is now at hand, from the assistance ofthe
northern powers of the armed neutrality, which
will, we think, greatly contribute in humbling
that haughty power, whose iniquiticus condu&
tor some time past, has rather made it a losing
game to Britain. We flatter ourselves it will be
new the part of American bravery to extirpate
her forces from the Western Continent; wnilft'
we hope the united powers that fight against
Britain in Europe, will ihortly compel her togivs
up her ambitious claims, and compel her toyield
to those equitable laws dictated by the mighty
Catharine and allies, whom we hope soon to fee
hail the American Independence.
" May the union of your States with ours
grow the Wronger by our having made a joint
cause ofit against the common enemy ; and may
we both loon enjoy the fruits of it, by mutually
advantageous commerce, secured by a speedy
and lasting peace."
Yesterday arrived in port Capt. Porter, in 27
days from France.
By the latoft letters and accounts brought us
by the fcveral veflelsjuft arrived from Europe, we
find that the treatment the Dutch have received
from the Britifli court, so contrary to justice and
all the laws of civilized nations, makes no fmali
impreluon on the minds of all Europe ; that the
Dutch are not at all difeouraged by the captures
the British have made from them, but are every
where taking spirited measures, and ,have a firm
reliance on the affiftanceof thenorthern powers;
'That they hav£ already made many reprisals in
the Englhh channel. Some letters that mention
accounts from Amfterdam 2 so late as March Bth,
fay, That the Empress ofßuiha held the sword
in one hand to Britain,and the olive branchintha
other; that before she entered into the war, flic
chefe to oiier her mediation for a peaceful set-•
dement: That Britain, which depended on the
immediate submission ofthe Dutthupon her late
violent measures, but being disappointed, began
to grow very serious herfeif, and accepted the
mediation or Ruflia: That the Emperor of Ger
many was to be joined in the mediation ; andone
letter fays, the conferences were open at Vienna;
another letter mentions Antwerp as the place of
negociation. But whether Brit; in really intends
an accommodation agreeable to the views of the
European powers, or onlyto amuse and retard ths
operations of those pee ^ , time will difeover.
America has every encouragement to proficute
the remainder of the war with firrnnefs and spi
rit, as she has evidently, and beyond all con
tradition, the friencifuip and support of all the
maritime powers in Europe.
Last Thursday arrived a brig from France,
after a paflage of 36 days—By this vcfel we are
informed, thata fleet, making upwards of 203
fail have actually failed from France---This fleet
was generally luppofed to be defined to Ame
rica and the Weft-Indies, 15 fail of the line, and
a confidcrable body of land forces it is said, were
bound to the former.
Saturday fail arrived in this harbour, a prize
brig of twenty 12 (iron) and fifteen 4 pound
(brass) cannon, befdes two cohorns, with 112
men, fitted out at Guernsey; she was in concert
with a Blip cf 32 guns, which was also taken, and
may be soon expended to arrive.
Friday last arrived at Marblehead, a prize brig
of twelve four pouados, ladou with provifio^s.