The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1783-03-11 00:00:00, page 2

<^r ; now thejcveral neighbourhoods of chur
ches y^ewppre precif&ly bounded, arid limited
to the refpe^ive coufttie& ot diftrias" (Clap's
Hist. P. 13, 63, 66.) It is wbll known how ftre
nuoufy the members of the corporation have
infilled, that the constitution admits of no coun
cil but the ministers and churches of the county
or diftria. But the ministers and churches of
the county were not called on the present occa
sion, though they must be supposed to be best
acquainted with the circumstances of Milford
and of the college. Nor were any churches in
vited. Seven ministers, in three different coun
ties of this state, with one belonging to the state
of New-York and educated in Prefaterianifm,
were sent to. Five only attended; including the
member from New-York. They advised the
pastor of Milford church to accept his invitati
on to the profefforfliip of divinity at college, tho'
the church and society at Milford remonstrated
against their interposing their opinion and influ
ence in the matter. The ecclefiaßical constitu
tion allowed the then pastor of Milford church
to call the confociation, if he supposed he want
ed council, whether the church concurred or
not. The church being unanimous and fixed
against his removal, wanted no council : # And he
could invite no other than the confociation, ac
cording to the sense in which the ecclesiastical
constitution has been interpreted by the corpo
ration. Why then were ministers out of the
county, and not of the state, invited on the oc
casion ? Why were the churches under the care
ofthefe ministers neglected ? What becomes of
the corporation's consent to a constitution which
they thu^ break in the open face of the world ?
Is not the violation of order, peace, and charity
in regard to Milford, a precedent most danger
ous in its afpeft on all the churches ? If the chur
ches may be neglected when a pastor is to be re
moved from office, they may be also when a pas
tor is to be introduced to office. Some think that
the messengers of the churches have but little
influence in ecclesiastical councils It seems that
the corporation would now wholly exclude them.
How confidently I need not further fay.
N. B. Some general things in this paper may
have particular illußrations in an after one.
FEBRUARY 24, 1783.
RICHMOND, February ig.
Tuesday last being rhe birth day of his Excel
lency General Washington, was observed in this
city, with every public and private demonstrati
on of joy. At noon minute difeharges of thir
teen pieces of cannon were fired at the State-
House, and at four o'clock in the afternoon, the
fame number from the shipping at Rocket,. # In
the evening there was a numerous and brilliant
assembly of ladies and gentlemen from this city,
and the neighbouring country ; upwards of one
hundred ladies, and an equal number of gentle
men being present; the ceconomy, decorum,
and propriety of which could only be exceeded
but by the feftive mirth and social happiness,
which appeared in every countenance, affording
the surest testimony of unaflebted regard to the
character of the illustrious WASIIINGION,
whose years may heaven multiply with encreal
ing honors, until it shall please the Great Re
warder of virtue to translate him into happier
feenes of endless glory.
Arrivals. The thip Rambler, Captain Lovet,
the brig - , Capt. Pearce, and the brig Don
Galvez, Capt. Jones, from the Hayannah, be
longing to New-England, is arrived in this State.
The two firft mentioned in James river, loaded
with sugars and about 40,080 dollars, and the
last in York river, loaded with wines, bound to
Baltimore.
The Galloon, a Spanish (hip of the line, had
arrived at the Havannah, from Mexico, with
seven millions of dollars, and a very valuable
fleet of merchantmen.
Fourteen Spanish fail of the line were ready at
the Havannah, under the command of Don Sa
,* Parnassus hath been informed, that the
exception in No. 11. in behalf of the senior Fel
low, h^s been construed as an irony. He had no
apprehension of such a conftruftion, as nothing
could be more opposite to his real meaning. Jus
tice calls upon him to declare, that the exception
aforefaid proceeded from an esteem of that ve
nerable gentleman, as poflfeffed of much candor
and liberality. Had the sentence containing the
exception been ironical in the mind ofParnaffus,
it would have been distinguished by Italic cha
raders.
The Jamaica fleet, under convoy of a ship of
the line and two frigates, passed by the Havan
nah on the 20th ult. In consequence of which
Admiral Don Solana ordered his fleet to pursue
them, but a strong northerly wind prevented
their getting out soon enough to intercept them;
or they must inevitably have fallen into their
hands.
BALTIMORE, Feb. 21.
By the schooner Clio, Capt. Dafhiel, 'juft ar
rived here, in 19 days from St. Chriftophers,
we have the following intelligence, viz.
Extract of a letter from from St. Chriftophers,
dated January 29, 1783.
" On the 26th inst. Count Dillon receivedan
express from the Governor of Guadaloupe, ac
quainting him that the Venus frigate had arrived
there, and announced the failing of the Count
d'Eß^ing from Cadiz, on the 18th ult. for Mar
tinico, with 45 fail of the line, and 300 trans
ports, on board of which were 15,000 troops.—
The Captain of the frigate also reports, that all
negociations for a peace were at an end. If the
news of the day should prove true, which seems
to carry conviction with it, as no peace messen
ger has yet made his appearance, business will
again flourifh in this island."
Saturday morning last the schooner , Capt.
Burrows, arrived here from Grenada, which ihe
left the §th inst. when no accounts had been re
ceived from Europe, which could ascertain that
a peace would shortly take place.
Capt. Burrows had very rough weather on his
passage; a sea having carried away some of his
upper works, and washed off one of his men.
OffCape-Henry he was chafed by a brig, and in
the bay exchanged some (hot with three refugee
boats, but they did not attempt to board him.
In the latitude of Bermuda he left the ship Hero,
Capt. Trefadden, from Grenada, bound eaß
ward.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 26.
By the UNITED STATES in CON
GRESS assembled, January 28, 1783.
THE Commanderin Chief having, in a let
ter ofthe 20th, informed Congress of the death
of Major-General Lord Stirling: On motion,
Resolved. That the President fignify to the
Commander in Chief, in a manner the most re
fpe&fcl, to the memory of the late Major-Gene
ral the Earl of Stirling, the sense Congress en
tertain of the early and meritorious exertions of
that General in the common cause, and of the
bravery, perseverance, and military talents he
pofTefTed, which having fixed their esteem for
his character while living, induce a proportio
nate regret, for the loss of an officer who has
rendered fueh constant and important services to
his country.
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
January 30, 1783.
The committee to whom were referred the
memorials of the representatives of the common
wealth of Pennsylvania, ofthe 28th of August,
and 12th of November last, reported an answer,
which was agreed to as follows.
The memorial of the 28th of August Rates,
that their constituents labour under grievances,
because they are not enabled to lettle their ac
counts against the United States, and because
they cannot obtain payment of the debts due to
them by the public, nor receive interest on
loan-office certificates, dated subsequent to the
month of February, 1778. It states further,
that apprehensions had taken place, that the in
terest on certificates of a prior date, would be
suspended p that other States made, and were
making provision for afeertaining and paying
sundry debts due to their citizens, and that the
suspension of payments complained of, was a
material impediment to the collection of taxes ;
after which a request, that Congress will be
pleased to devise and recommend such general
plan, as they shall think adequate and efie&ual
for fettling and afeertainiug the unliquidated
debts of the United States, and for paying the
fame, or at least some part thereof, and also for
the regular and punctual payment of the interest
on all the public debts, as well on loan as other
wise, until the principal shall befinally discharg
ed.
The subsequent memorial of the 12th of No
vember, after referring particularly to the for
mer, and observing, that the business was yet
unefteaed, declares the Assembly to be deeply
impressed with the abfoluteneceffity, that speedy
lona, to join the combined debt, who are or their
way from Europe, on an expedition against Ja
maica.
That when Congress received the determina
tion of the State of Rhode-Ifland on that fubjeff,
they resolved to fend a solemn deputation to that
State, to induce a re-consideration of the mea
sure. At the moment when the committee
were about to depart, intelligence was received,
that Virginia had repealed the aft formerly pas
sed on that recommendation, which has placed
the business on a new ground, and compelled
Congress to take it up in a more extensive view.
The inability of Congress to perform the en
gagements taken with the public creditors will
readily appear, when it is considered how de
fe^ive have been the compliances of the States,
in every period of the war.
Without recurring to details previous to the
year 1782, it will be fufficient to Rate the situa
tion of the finances for that year, which is as fol,
lows. Congress, by their resolution of the 30th
of October, 1281, demanded eight millions of
dollars for the service ofthe ensuing year. With
out noticing the lefler neglects of their requisi
tion, the annexed account will shew, that only
420,031 29-goths have been received.
The precise Rate of monies in Europe cannot
be ascertained, until the final settlement of the
accounts there; because the bills drawn on Spain
and Holland, having been finally paid, and made
payable in France, the sum in livres of these
That Congress are, and have long been deep
ly impressed with the absolute necessity, , that
speedy and effedual measures ffiould be taken,
ift, to liquidate and ascertain the public debts;
zdly, to secure the payment of the interest, un
til the principal could be difeharged, as will ap
pear from the following faffs.
That for the firft 01 these essential objects,
Congress had made provision by their a&s of the
20th and 27th of February last, and have reason
to believe, from the information contained in a
letter from the Office of Finance, dated the 3d
of December following, and the report of a
committee thereon, (both which are annexed)
that the plan adopted will speedily be in an effec
tual train of execution throughout the United
States.
That the duty of five per cent, was recom
mended by Congress so early as the 3d of Feb.
1781 ; but after a delay of near two years, Con
gress have the mortification to find, that one
State intirely refufes its concurrence, that ano
ther has withdrawn its assent once given, and
that a third has returned no answer.
That the attempts to pay any of the past debts
would he found so heavy a deduction from the
greatest revenue which can be raised, as would
totally obßrua all present service. Wherefore,
the provision to be made at present, ought to be
confined to the interest of the public debts.
That such provision would afford eventual re
lief to the public creditors, and enable to flip
port their share of the public burthens, without
appropriating the whole revenue which can be
drawn from the people, to a payment of debts,
and leaving thereby the public service unprovi
ded for, which would involve the ruin of all
ranks, whether creditors or others.
and eiTe&ual measures be taken to afford relief
to the public creditors, at least so far as to liqui
date and ascertain their refpe&ive claims, and
to secure to them the payment of the interest
due thereon, until the principal be discharged.
and then requests, that Congress will be pleated
to give them frich information, as will enable
the house tojudge, what Reps it may be proper
to take, in order to afford that effe&ual relief 10
the public creditors in Pennsylvania, which they
conceive it to be their indispensable duty to pro
cure.
On these memorials Congress remark,
That,the obje&s to which they relate, .must
necefiarily depend on the compliance of the se
veral States, with the requifiticns of Congress.
That the interest payable by bills of exchange
on loan-office certificates, continued until an ex
press declaration made to Congress, that those
who should draw bills for that purpefe, must
provide for the payment of them.
That Congress are not informed of any State,
which has taken separate measures for fatisfying
it's own citizens, who are public creditors ; and
that there does not appear a pofhbility of making
such a private and partial provision ; because the
various certificates are principally made payable
to the bearer of them, and have been transfer
red and negcciated. A provision for them by
any Sta,e v ..muß therefore exclude the 'demands
of many 0 it's own citizens, or admit the de
mands of all.