The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-01-23 00:00:00, page 2

V. We feel all the importance of this confided
ration; and, to render it clear, it is necessary, to
distinguish the case.
If any of the allied powers should fuffer itfelf to
be drawn in by motives contrary to the eftabliih
ed principles of a neutrality and perfect imparti
ality, should injure it's laws, or extend its bounds,
it cannot certainly be expected that the others
should espouse the quarrel; on the contrary, such
a conduit would be deemed an abandoning the
ties which unite them. But if the insult offered
to one of the allies should be hostile, to the prin
ciples adopted and announced in the face of all
Europe, or should be marked with the character
of hatred and animosity, inspired by resentment,
these common measures of the confederacy,
which have noother tendency than to make, in a
precise and irrevocable mariner, laws for the liber
ty of commerce, and the rights' of every nation ,
then it shall be held indifpenfible for the united
powers to make a common cause of it (at sea only)
without it's being a ground work for other ope
rations, as these connections are purely maritime,
having no other object than naval commerce and'
navigation
From all that is said above, it evidently results,
that the common will of all, founded upon the
principles admitted and adopted by the contrast
ing parties, muff alone decide, and that will aD
ways be the fixed basis of the conduct and ope-"
rations of this union. Finally, we shall observe,?
that these conventions suppose no other naval ar-'
inament than what shall be conformable to cir
cumstances, according as those shall render them<
necessary, or as may be agreed., It is probable'
that this agreement, once ratified and established,
will be of the greateftconfequence ;. and that the
belligerent powers. will find in it Sufficient mo
tives to persuade them to refpe& the neutral flag,,
and prevent their provoking the resentment of &
refpeCtable communion, founded under the au--
spices of the most evident justice, and the sole idea
of which is received with the universal applause
of all impartial Europe^
A correspondent just arrived from, Paris, de- :
clares that a very considerable revolution in dress,
hath lately taken place among the French ladies
of the ton, whole heads have rapidly funk full
half a yard, the cushion is returned to the dung
hill from whence it sprung. No caps nor any o
ther ornament except four flowing curls, and a
broad sash round the waist. In short, they look
very like our boarding school misses.
The cradle made a present of to the lady of the
late president of Madras, was a tolerable good
fortune to a reasonable man, the jewels about it
being valued at 60,0001.
OCI^ 14. The Portuguese being at present in
no condition to withstand the English, should
they be inclined to wreak their vengeance upon
them for joining in the armed confederacy. Ten
Ruffian ships of the line have entered the Tagus
for their protection. His Catholic Majesty has
also given orders for fix vessels of the line to fail
from his ports for Lisbon, where they are to be
joined by fix others fitting out by order of the
Queen of Portugal, to protest her trade and com
merce from insult. Measures so preparatory for
war, seem to speak nothing else, and will scarce
admit of any other aggravation, than an ac
knowledgment of die independence of America.
All the neutral powers, fays a correspondent,
have agreed to declare America free, and to lay
the foundation of a general peace ; and if either
Great-Britain, or any other power should be har
dy enough to fay we will not accede to the terms,
they intend to compel them.
From Paris we are informed, that a very fine
train of new brass ordnance, confiding of twelve
18 pounders,, twelve 24 pounders, and twelve
32 pounders, with several large mortars, with
tumbrells, &c. compleat, are ready to be embark
ed as a present from the Court of Versailles to
the United States of America.
The Minidry have plucked up their fpirits—
the last Gazette has elated them to the utmost.
The good news of one army of the English fub
je&s having dedroyed another army of men un
der the fame description, has been received at
Court with the utmost joy. The spirit of per
secution will now continue abroad, like the blaze
of a meteor, to frighten and destroy, while it
spends its own strength. What good has re
fused to England from the American war? What
evil has not? Misfortunes have fallen upon the
empire like thunder claps, unexpected by every
one but those who^aifed the storm. In the midst
ofthis convulsion, a great Magidrate has fat
calm and sedate, as the poet Petronius, who be
ing at sea in a hurricane, when every person on
board the Chip expelled to perish, fereneiy me
ditated on composing an exact description of the
temped.
RICHMOND, December ft
By an officer immediately from the southern
army, we have the agreable and certain intelli
gence, that on the 10th inst. Col. Tarleton's le
gion, commanded by himfelf in person, received
a severe repulse in an attempt to surprise Colonels'
Marian and Clarke, who, with a detachment of
five or fix hundred men were polled in the
didrift of Ninety-fix ; upwards of one hundred
bf the enemy were left dead ori the field, and a
great number wounded ; the principal part of the
latter they found means to carry off: Our loss
does notexceed 20 killed and wounded. This is
the third attempt in which that enterprizing par
tizan has been ' repulsed by the vigilance and
good conduct of our troops.'.l
In she HOUS E rs DELEGATES r
Thursday, the 28th' of December, 17,80.
RESOLVEDy nem'ene contradicente, That
a Committee of four be appointed to wait on
Major General Gates, and to allure him' of the
high regard and efteemof this house. That the
remembrance of his former glorious services can-"
not be obliterated by any reverse of fortune, but
that this house, ever mindful of his great merit,'
will omit no opportunity of teftifying to the
world the grtitude which, as a member of the
American union, this country owes to him in
his military chara&er.< . .
CTeft.) , JOHN BECKLY, C. H. D?
FRIDAY, the 29th of December, 1780.
Mr. Henry reported from the Committee ap
pointed to communicate the resolution of yester
day to the Honorable Major-General Gates, that'
the Committee had, according to order com
municated the fame to that gentleman, and that
he was pleased to return the following answer?
. Richmond,, December^, 3 1780.
sirs;,'
"I Shall ever 'remember,- with the utmoft
gratitude, the high honor this day done me, by
the Honorable the House of Delegates, of Vir
ginia.—When I engaged in the noble cause of
freedom and the United States, I devoted myfelf
entirely to the service of obtaining the great end
of their union: That I have been once unfortu
nate is my great mortification ; but let the event
cf my future services be what they may, they
will, as they always have been, be direded by
the most faithful integrity, arid animated by the
trueit zeal for the honor and interest of the
United States."
HORATIO GATES.
Extract from the Journal,
JOHN BECKLEY, C. H. D.
PHILADELPHIA, January 10.
Extras of a letter from a gentleman in Amflerdam,
to his friend in this city, dated September 16.
" The capture of „ flhips at once ; so much
wealth ; so many soldiers and seamen ; and such
quantities of stores, is a severe stroke to the Eng
lish, and cannot but have the most excellent ef
fe&s for us, both in the Weft-Indies and North-
America.—The right vein is now opened, and it
is to be hoped that the Courts of France and
Spain will now be in earned in convoying their
own commerce, and cruising for that of their
enemies. This is the fhort,' easy and infallible
method of humbling the English, preventing the
effufion of an ocean of blood, and bringing the
war to a conclusion. In this policy, I hope our
countrymen will join with alacrity., Privateer
ing is as well understood by them as any people
whatever ; and it is by cutting off supplies, not
by attacks, sieges or assaults, that I exped deli
verance from our, enemies ; and I should be
wanting in my duty if I did not warn them a
gainst any relaxation of exertions,by sea or land,
from a fond expectation of peace ; they will ' de
ceive themselves if they depend upon it. Never
never, will the English make peace while they
have an army in North-America."
ExtraEl of a letter from an officer of the State of
Georgia, Aid to Major-General Gates, dated'
Hillsborough, December 26, 1781.
I am here with the General, who is returning
from the command of the southern army. You
may have heard of the compleat victory obtained
by the troops under General Sumpter over Tarl
ton's legion, and other troops under his com
mand. Gen. Sumpter was wounded in the arm
and the corps, confining of between four and
five hundred of our countrymen, and about an
equal number of South-Carrolinians is devolved
upon Col. Benjamin Tew, who has since march
ed against the enemy in the diftri& of Ninety
fix, with a view also of penetrating the frontiers
of our State. They breathe nothing but revenge
for the unheard of cruelties committed unon
distressed people.
Extract of a letter from Frederickfburgh, Tan. 2
" About 48 fail of vessels arrived ih our b^y'
Saturday evening last, supposed from New-York"
TO BE SO L DJ' °
AF A RM, containing about twenty aertf;
lying in a (quite piece : four acres of wood
land, the red under good improvement, and
well watered . An orchard of 100 feall apple freer,
and a number of other fruit treepa large one fiory
house with four lower rooms (ilmofl finifhed) also
a barn and blackfaith Vfhop, finding on the fame.'
The firm lies in Litchfield, upward, of mile from the
slate hcufe; near the main road. To be fold on rea
sonable terms ; enquire of the fubferiber, who wil|
give a good title.
SILAS DIBOU
Since our last arrived the schooner Livingston,
capt. Kelly,from the Havanna ; and the Ichoo
"er ''—, Capt. Clunn, from St. Euftatia.
p H- KI L; January 18.
• Gen. Sir Harry Clinton, ever willing to em
brace an opportunity to farther his master's inte-'
lall week sent over two fpies'to the revolted
'fnnfylvariians's camp,With written inftru&ions
that by laying down their arms,? anifcomihg/in
to bis camp, they should be paid up/thei? afrear
ages in hard cafh,' and clothed?, Werieafti ,tfriat,
the mal-contents (for this we give them credit)'
gave up the spies and inftru&ions tb General'
Wayne ; one of them a British ferjeant, the
guide, a native of New-Jersey, named Ogden ;
bave received the gallows,' as their reward.
We sincerely wifli, Sir Harry would ddift from
plaguing us with hanging Kis fpies'; and let him
keep his money to pay his o^ri troops, who are
deserting to us in considerable numbers, with
loud complaints—that they are poorly paid, ill
clothed, and worse fed.
B O S T O N, January 12.
Extras of a letter from Cape Francois, dated No-*
member 21, 178 c.
" Yesterday by the post from Port au Prince
there was brought about twenty letters to gen
tlemen of this town, which give on account that
Count D Eftaing is arrived at Martinico, with
twenty-two Ships of the line and a lage number
ofland forces. Jam sorry I can't give you the
prrticulars"
Extract fa -letter from St. Pierre, Martinique,
December 17, 1780.
“ Admiral Rodney is arrived at St. Lucia,
from New-York, with 10 fail of the line, $ of
which, it is reported, with 3000 troops, are
gone against St. Vincents, where we have a gar
rison of 600 men, 400 are now embarking at Fort
Royal, on board of frigates, to reinforce the
garrison ; the British left St Lucia la^ Friday,
a few days will determine the matter, when I
flatter myfelf I shall have the pleasure of inform
ing you of the enemy's defeat."
HARTFORD, January 23.
A gentleman of the best intellgence, in a letter
from Europe, dated ^th of September last,
writes, “ That Britain thoughtnot on peace ;
she forgot the state of Ireland, France, Spain, the
Weft-Indies, the armed neutrality of the mari
time powers, and her own diftra&ed state, in her
joy for the capture of Charleftown : That it ap
peared as if this infatuated nation were permited
to have success enough to lead them on until
they become the mod striking fpe&acle of hor
ror that ever was seen : That they were reveng
ing the loss of their power upon those who had
uniformly endeavoured to save it; Burke, Kep
plc, Sawbridge, Hartley, all thrown out of the
House of Commons." He adds, “ Ought not
this to convince every American of the impor
tance of Independence, and the wretched ftat^
of slavery and subjugation they must submit t,
by a re-union with so absolute and venal a
power.
In the late hurricane in Jamaica, with an
earthquake and an inundation of the sea, three
towns were nearly swallowed up, and about 400
families perished.
Friday last arrived here the privateer ship R e .
Solution, from New-York, on a cruize; taken
Saratoga sloop of war, Captain Young.
1 he fame day arrived the brig Betsey, bound
from New-Yerk, for Charleftown, taken and
lent in by an eastern vessel.
On Sunday arrived here the brigantines Patty,
Capt. Read, and Polly, Capt. Frazer, in eight
weeks from I'Orient.
Capt. Read, on his passage, captured and
br ^ ht with him a hr ^ e schooner, from Pe-
^ bfc , ot ' bound for New-York, laden with spars.
I he famous Major Rogers, of the British army,
a passenger on board this prize, and is now
lately lodged in the new goal.
A letter from 1 Orient of the Bth of November
mentions/ that the British fleet at Tofbaf had
received a great deal of damage in a gale of wind,
which obliged them to put back to Portsmouth
to refit, where it was thought they would remain
all winter.