The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1777-09-26 00:00:00, page 1

The Virginia Gazette.
WMWWW JFMWWUMJWWM WMMJMJUXM
fPrimd Lsiy ALEXANDER PURDIE, as me POST OFFICE.
man um nmm nW;W\8-AWAW man MffiW MMW MHZA M
w; LML LW; :.VNJL W). wzw i.;
75 CEORGE MASON anssl PHILIP
A ]. E X A N D E Bsi Esquirrs.
C EN 'r !. ]; M EN ,
E your constitucnts osthc coun
ty ofl—"airsax, and town ofAlex
andria, are greatly alarmed at
the Hl GH Pnlcs of every
COM moot T Y now exposed
to sale, and at the distant proisi
ect of their bein cheaper, unless some method
can be fallen on to esscn the immense quantity of'
money now in Circulation. This done, we appre
hend will be a great means of raising the value of
money, lowerinfithe price of goo s, workmens
waxes, and enab e the soldier to sup ly himself
with more neceilaries, and tender his erxsiice more
cas and cheersul to himself, and indeed more be
ne cial to his c0unrry.
We are of opinion, that Oon Months, and
money in general, has a proper Circulation through
the country, which the planter, the sarmer, and
every person that has had any dealing ( and must
have in some way ) must have experienced. from
the ver high prices they have received from the
urcha er, for every article they have lbld, some
ew excepted.
That & tax be immediately laid and collected,
we think, would be one great means of giving :
proper value to our money. lt would leil'en the
quantity, an l consequently be prodnctive of great
ood to the commumty.
We think the people are not only able to pay
the tax, but that they will cheersussty submit to it;
the people in this quarter appear we,] disposed for
the purpose. 'Lheresore We strongly recommend
it to you, and enjoin you, to use your utmost e .dea
vours [) obtain a law to pass to tax the people 4 s
this {late, in such sort as your Honourable nouse
shall judge proper.
We are ot'opi'nsion, that aCmnaAL Asstss
MENT w0uld be the most equi able, and the only
way to raise a sum adequate to the purpose. Lo g
experience has taught us, thztour mode oi'taxation
hitherto adopted never sailed the money inte .ded,
without many additions, or 10 ig continuance, of the
taxes. let us endeavour to remedy it.
We are of opinion, that opening the Coun-rs
os JUSTlCE Would operate for the publick good.
'Ihe people would then pnsiy their dcbts, or be le
gally compelled to it. 'l his would enable the mer
chant to CXtCtld h'sss trade; there would be larger
importations-7 and it would be a great means of ill
mulating us to industry, and prevent our la>ing
out money in superfluous things, that we ca-i well
do without. AnOther snlutary end would be ohsi
tained; licentioushess would be testmined, and
every thing again return to its prop >r Channel.
We desire, that you use your utmost interest
that the legislature (at any risk ) would fall on
ways and means to import A Lumrsi Qu ANTn-Y
07 SALT, for the use of the people in this stare.
The i'lfsOdllctlOfl of this necellhry article would
ease their miuds, and enable them to support their
samilies muchssbetter than they can without. ] hey
are willing to pay almost any price, ifit could be
urchased with money. Some pronsion allo might
He made for those whocannot, at any rate, purchase.
Should laws for this purpose ( which we judge
salutary ) take place, the immense quantity of
money in Circulation would decrease, its credit
and value increase; our loan office would great!
experience the bencfit; cvcr kind of 00 5
would (all in price; the o cer and oldier
( who claim yourgreatest care and attention ) that
are now, or ma be hereafter, in the service of his
countr , to pre erve and to securc to us every thing
that is ear and valuabYc, would procure neceflaries
cheapcr, And be enabled to live on his ay, which
at resent he cannot do. \-\e mi_hc t en expect
to eep up an army, and it wou d increase. in
our present situation, its duration may have a short
existence. ! erhaps this may be the last campaign.
Should this be the case, We may at last be obliged
to submit to the unconditional termsctosa tyrant
king, corrupt minisiry, :: venal Barliztmcnt, and ;;
ctucsilbanditti. Hard terms! for idit,_licaven.si
Wi— Wp W} Q'N) er AWJ- WA
We be you jo'm us i.\ Opinion, that these at lc :st
arepxsinba le means to obtain che denred end. \\ e
therefore nglin enjoin you to use our greatest es
forts that such laws do pass, by which means y u
will secure to 'ourse'nes th: esteem and confidence 7
( we hope ) o the Publick in general, and of your
constituents in pamcuar.
We req uest, thmt particuhr inquiry may be made
how the Puuucx MONH HAS LI.!LN unso
a () ; is proper persons are at che head of the seve
ral de mmcncs in which they are employed, not
only those that are m the pay us this state, but those
that act in this state in the continemal service, be
cause We must not onl ay ou'r ()wn cxpcnses, but
a large proportion o : e gzncral cxpcnse. Let
inquirybe madeinco the salar given to each person
in the several departments o this rommonwcalth;
lct every man m office be well paid, but let none
make fortunes at the expensc of their councrr.
Assxzz Covn'rs, _and ClaculT ]vnczssi, wou d
be a great eale to the people, :els expcniv c to me.
country, many villanies would appear that are ' ow
concea'ed; consc uently, many mm'd suffer con
dign punishment : at now escape, sor reasocts too
obvious to mention. This has 'ssong been thought
highly usesul. Why has . or :: lays already pained
to rocure so great a good to the publick?
s a STA-n. EVSURAuc : ()Pncr. was o cned
{and sure! it may be.- done ) at Ieast it is won the
notice ofthe legiflaturc, it would be a great: means
ofintroducing goodsoseverykind. ln conse umce,
th'- wou'zd be chcapcr; the farther, indec every
bo y, would experience the grsat use: and the
happiness it would diffusc' throu h all ranks of
mankind Wou'd make them cheer u'ly pay any tax
that the 1e_ ifl-ssvurc may think necessary to impose
for the gous of the country.
As w chm thc greatcstconfidence in four attach—
rrssnt :m attention to the good of your crwun ry,
ue cxpe'ct that you win ay a proper regard to our
opinion and requefls in t c matters to you recom
mctnded. \\ c are, gentlemen, with esteem, your
humble servmts,
' YUUR CONSTITL'ENTS.
Funnx cousizty, A-sscr/ss/Z 20, 1777.
F I S H K I [. L, Sijsihmbrr 4.
]:fcfr/L! of (; lmss'r srrm Alban , S-prcwzlzrr !.
UR troops at Fort bchuyicr have taken from
the enemy sow r -ya's, heir gun cmrirgts, wag
ons, ;unmursiisiion. & number of t.nts, camp cquspagc,
'c. The cncmysid fi-ght has been very prcripssare;
for :: number of 1" flux rs and I:.dmm wvr - taken lnlchcir
cctimp, and a higer number :er sin sholling in the
woods. Thc groan flsi' part of them wi]! also fill! into
our hands, or perish fsir want of th; nccct silirics ol-silisc.
From all appearance, they must have buri-d their
cannon.
" Genrrai St. Ledger must hzvu been flushcd wfth
the cxpccration of an easy rcductzon of the son, For
in a letter (which has fallen into our hands) to one
Li:uten:mt Bfrsil, who cammanded the party, that first
invcsicd the. fort, hc chis Bl'd, th'crh .sinn-nzictn is to
carry the garrishn by siege, and that he is only to dis
pnsc of his troops accordingly ----I'ossr man .' he \'.'.ll
afraid Licdrenant Bird would crown h-msi-lf with
]aurcls, which he, with his who]; force, astcr twany
onc days huge, was not able to nuram.
" Nothing new from the nnrrhwnrd, but every ap
pearance indicate: our army": advancing."
We are informed that Burgoync has uxscnntinucd the
reward given for scalps, and has prohibm-d thc barLa
rous practice for the; future, under a scvcrc penalty.
What che reasons of this merafuj chung-si- arc, we are
left to guess. It may be a guict'ty crmlsszrcncc reprove;
him for zuchorising murdcrers to tnke away the ljvcs of
innocent women and children, or perhaps & kss nsssiblg
A
rinciplc has been h.s inducemcnt, viz. !; sClumc to
{cep the back inhabitants from leaving their h'smes; s !
.
(he fear of being sca] zed frightencd away both \Vhigs
sicen—F—-4_.-si
and Tcries, who mo' with them their castle, but Were
obliged to leave their fine cropjust nady tn gathcr ;n;
A descrtcr from Kingslrridgc informs, that the enemy
have employed : number nf'I'oric-s, both by night and
day, to guard every mad, in order to take up de'crms
from the-r 'cump, for whom they have four pounds :!
head. They are extremely v gilant, and have lately
taken many, some of whom ;ue condcmn- d to die.
W'r. hear that Col'mchanscmnrt took about twcnkv
::
barrcnu- in Wood crack, nur lum Schuyler, sixtecrssx
w) ml/NA MOA Wp W) MVp
)r siventccn prisoners, fifteen waggons, four royah
I uamity of provismn, ammunitmn, &c. &C. Sir
[ram johnson was so rerribly frightened, that, in order
't) have :: ]:ght pair of heels, be left hi- cnat upon the
si'le7d, which Colnnel Gansevooxt now has in posiissinn.
It is said that Burgnyne bculns to grow anxious for
:hc safety of his main bfdy, siaving mited with it to
the us} side of the nver ac Saxatoga, and building on
rhe west side : pickcr fort.
———-———-——-———
PHlI-ADELPHIA, Srpmuber n.
WE hear that ]ohn 'Dickenson, Esq; has ad
drefled the militia of the Dclaware state in
the most spirited manner to step forth in defence of.
their invaded country, and that he has since joined
them in the character of a volunteer.
Colonel Gurney, of this city, was (lightly
woun {ed, and colnnel Dnff of [Newcattle county
had his horse shov under him; in the skirmish that
happened be'ow thisteen on ] hursday last.
L'xsrmsf as (! lmrr ficm :: gtntlrman as Mad quar
rm, to his fr/md in this tity, daml S-jsitmtb'sr 9,
30'z/ork A. M.
" lembracethisoppmuhity, by express, osin:
forming you that the mm ements of the enemy in
the greatest reason to believe that they are en ea—
vouring to force a march to Philadel hia. "] his
they will e deavobr to prosecute to ay, or else
give us battle. Yesierday they advanced towards
us. our army Prepared to giwe them battle; but
whether a dillike to our situation, or & desire to
steal a march. ] know not, but they have, and are
shll doing their utmost, to filc off to_the right of
us. '
Extract of a lsm'r from Chad's Ford, dm-JSp.
11, 1777, 3 rctsszmrzerssiast 8 o'clrck At M.
" 'I h': enemy are now advancing, and their
present appearance indicates a disposition to pursue
this route. If they do, ltrust they will meet with
a s uitable reception, and such as will establish ous
liberties. They are now advanced near the Bran
dywine, and ha. e fired several pieces of artil1ery."
By a gentleman last night from camp, vhichhc',
lest yesterday at noon, we learn that the enem ,
about two o'clcck in the morning. made a push,
as was expected, to try to ass our army on she
sight, and to cross the man ywine at (.had s Ford.
(si'n their moving, general vss'ashington suspected
their dcsign, moved sooctaster, and took seffiOn
of the high ground: on this side Cha 's Ford,
where the army la) last night. it is said the enemy
halted ata place called Neholas's Bill, about 1
miles from our army.
Bya hew York aper, of the firstinstant, we
find that Colcnel n an and Major Bames, of
the new levies, are hot dead as the wound: they
received in the affair on Staten island;
By various accounts, we learn that an the ena
my's fleet, ex ept 12 or 14 shi 's, have lest Elk
l'hel', and (Fone down Chesapea e bay; and it 75
sonjecture they mean to come up Delaware bay,
W ? art favoured 'zritlr rl's sigmmzl mlrrs as our gmstsi
anclillsssQ-Trious romm/mdrr, rl'! frsp am] glory qf'
this Hsistem !! brlu', ifflml to I is rrmy 0): ] 'rida/y
t/siesi :,t/si m/Zm-sir , m ir/ssv eve ;up/si'sh an arcotmt qf tN .
virtuous nmlmssils fi-sissivmsss r-f'rctv mzta/n. ss
thLKAL UKDERS.
\V]LM!.\'GTON, Srpt. ;, ]77'7';
FROM every insormntitm of the cnemy's dcsi n',
and srum their movements, it is manisesi't m
heir aimis, it" possible, to usiess themselves nt'
Philadelphxa. lhis is,- vuit nhcm, :! ca ital ob
ect; it is when they last year sh'mctocct cct, bu:
wersi- happily dilixppointqd; 'l hcy made a second
many: at the opening of this campaign; but, asccl
fast preparation and expenle for that purpdc, they
.bandoncd their design, and corall 'esacuatcd the
erseysct 'I h-y arc now making : eir last effort.
tsccms they first intended to come up the Deln—
wares but, sromchc mss'asuresi-takcn against them
1 the river, judged the enterprise that way am
xazardous. At length th-y have l.:ndcsil on -r!tsssi.
astcm shore in Mary lsimsil, and nd\ ;mczd some [in ! ct
say into the country; but the Gum ml thinks chsi- "
fill bc again dishpsminted in their \ie\\s, shut! ?
ley push chcir dungnaqctinst ! h.l.1dclphin 01 (I: :
mea. Their all is at dnkc-nsithcy will [m :l:—.