The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-09 00:00:00, page 2

but not a Second tittle for tie fame cause; they rhy adminis
ter oaths or affirmations on examination of witnefts ; re
dress grievances; impeach Rate criminals; grant charters of
incorporation; constitute towns, boroughs, cities and court >
ties : And (had have all other powers necessary for the le
fiflature of 1 free State or Commonwealth :-^But they flrall
have no power to add to, alter, abolish, or infringe arty
part of this Constitution. • nn
SeR. rd. A quorum of the House of Representatives Shall
consist of two thirds of the whole number of members elect
ed ; and having met and chosen their Speaker, Shall each of
them before they proceed to business take and fubfcribc, as
well the oath or affirmation of fidelity dud allegiance, here
in after directed, as the following oath or affirmation, viz.
<< I do (wear (or affirm) that as a member of this Af
£mWy, I will not propose or admit to any bill, v©te, or rc
folutrnns which mail appear to me injurious to the people ;
nor do or content to any a& or thing, whatever, that Hull
have a tendency to lessen or abridge their rights and privi
ledges as declared in the Gonftitution of this Stare; but
will in' all things conduct myfelf as a faithful honed repre
fentaf^e and gutdiart of the people, according to the belt
of my knowledge and abilities." A i
And cac' *member, before he taxes his feat, shall make
and subscribe the following declaration, viz.
'' I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of
the Vmverfe, the rewatder of the go®d and puncher of the
wicked. And Ido acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old
and New Testament to be given by Divine.infpiratioa."
And no further or other religious tert (hail ever hereafter
& required of any civil officer or magistrate in this State, ,
Seft. 11. Delegates to reprefeut this State in,C<>ngrefs
be chosen by ballot by the future General Assembly at their
firft meeting, and annually forever afterwards, as long as
filch representation shall be necessary, Any Delegate may be
foperfeded at any tim^ by the General Assembly appointing
another in his Read. No man (hill fit in Congress longer
t'h?n two years fticdeffvely, nor be capable of re eration
fo r three ysrrs afterwards: And no perlon who holds any
office in the gift of the Congress (hall hereafter be electedto
fcprefmt this Common Wealth in Coogrefs. &
SeR. 12. If any city or cities, county or counties fha|l ae-,
gl e a or refufe to eletft and fend representatives to the Gene
ral Assembly, two thirds of the members from the cities or
counties that do elect and fe^d Repiefentatives, provided
they be a majority of the cities or coubtie, of the whole
State when met, Shall have all the powers of the General
Assembly as fully and amply ar if the whole were present.
1 Sea. 1% The doors of the house in which the Reprefoa
tives of the Freemen of this State Hiall fit in General Assem
bly, (hall be andfoain' open for the admission of all per
fins who behave decently, except only when the welfare of
this State may squire the doors to be flint. -
S^. 14. The votes and proceedings of the General Aflom
bly (hall be printed weekly during their fitting with the yeas
and nays on any question, vote or resolution, wheregny two
members require it, except when the vote is taken by ballot ;
and when the yeas and nays are so taken, every member (hall
have a right to insert the reasons of his vote upoh tire minutes,
if he defirftit.°
, Seft. 15. To the end that laws before they are enacted may
be more maturely considered, and the inconvenience of hasty
determinations as much as possible prevented, all bills of a
public na'dre (hall be printed for the confideratioa of the
people, before they are read in General Assembly the last.
rime for debate and amendment; and except on occasions of
sudden necessity, (hall not be passed into laws until the next
feffibn of Assembly.; and f& the more perfect Satisfaction of
the public, the reasons and motives for making such laws
'flrall be fully and clearly expressed in the preambles.
Sell %6. The (tile of the laws of this Common Wealth
ffihll be, " Be it enaded, and it is hereby ena&ed by the
“ Representatives of the Freemen of the Common Wealth
" of Petuifylvania, in General Amenably met, and by the au
“ thorify of the fame." And the General Assembly (hall
affix tbeir ^l to every bill, as soon as it is enacted into a
law, which seal flrall be kept by the Assembly and (hall be
called, The Seal of the Laws of Pennsylvania, and flrall not
be.ufed fbf'any other purpose..
SeA. 17. The city of Philadelphia and each county in this
Common Wealth respectively, thill on the firft Tuesday of
Nov briber in this present year,' and os the fecund Tuesday in
October, annually for the two next Succeeding years, to
wit, the year one thousand Seven hundred and f venty seven,
and the year' one thousand seven hundred and Seventy eight,
chufe fix persons to represent them in General Assembly.
But as Representation in proportion to the number of taxa
ble inhabitants is the only principle which cam ar all times fe
cureliberty and make the voice of a majority of the people
the law of the lar.d ; therefore the General Assembly (half
cause compleat lifts of the taxable inhabitants in the city and
each county in the Common Wealth refpeaively, to be taken
and returned to them, on or before the last meeting of the'
Assembly, elected in the year one thousand seven hundred
and feven'ty eight, who (hall appoint a representation to each
in proportion to the number of taxables in such returns,
which representation flrall continue for the next seven years
afterwards, at the end of which, a new return of the taxa
ble inhabitants Shall be made, and a representation agreea
ble thereto appointed by the said Assembly, and so on sep
tennially for ever. The wages of the Representatives in Ge
neral Assembly, and all other State charges flrall be paid out
of the State Treasury.
[ To be concluded in our next. ]
I ETTERS from Canton in China, mention the great bar
u barity which the French have exercised upon the island
of Borneo in November last. It seems that in December,
177 a, Mons. Le Veyer de Buzidon, commander of the Eioile
with some of the crew, had been killed by the inhabitants
of the above ide; and to be revenged for this, Mons. Trobi
ant went thither with two frigates, I'lndiferect and Labadine,
attacked the isle, murdered about 300, without diftinaion of
age or sex ; feme hundred wer.e thrown into the sea, be
side, some hundreds killed and wounded in the engagement,
they have ' carried off about thirty veffcls of the inhabitants
to a considerable amount, destroyed their fisheries, and
burned all the effects which they could not bring on board
their vessels.
LONDO N,
Jul, 20. Sir Thomas Rich, in his Majedy's flhip Enter
nrize; met with a French fleet, of two flrips of the line, and
Lvetal frigates, commanded by the Duke of Chartres. The
French bore diwn upon her, and the Admiral hailed the Ea
terprize, and desired the Captain to come on board immedi
ately ; to which he replied, that if the Admiral had any thing
to communicate to him he might come on board the En- #
terprize as he Should not go out of his (hip. The Duke in
filled that he Should, or he would link him ; and tin French
ffiips accordingly pointed their guns at the Eaterprize ; but
Sie Thomas Rich,' regardlch of their hoftilc threats and pre-
Derations, declared that he nev:r received any.orders but from
bis own Admiral, and that they were at liberty co fire when
ever they pleased, as he positively would not go on board ;
upon which the Duke of Chartres admired his spirited cou
dufl and begged it as a favour that he wou d do him the
honour of coming on board, as he wished much to be ac
quainted with him ; Sir Thomas immediately went, and was
received with theutmoft r c fpea by ail the officers..
It was confidently asserted on Saturday lalt in the city, that
the French ministry have feat over to the English m^fty a
tra&, published in quarto, wherein they aflut then rights to
fever'al of the contested parts of America, and set forth, that
they appeal to all other foreign powers, that if an wpen iup
t^rc fuececds this declaration they are not to be blamed, at
they look upon th'emfelvcs bound in diry to do. jufiice to
their own cause and fubje£U involved in the troubles on
thofc continents.
Extras cf d letter from Amferdam, ~
“ There is not a maritime nation in Europe but which
privately carries on a trade with the British colonies of North
America, France and Spain in particular, who have the belt
opportunity for it ; winefs, that commerce never flourished
so much throughout all Europe as it a&uahy has done since
the beginning of the present American war. Thus Grcat-
Bii;ain formerly the provider of the whole globe, now fuffers
foreign nations to enrich themselves by traficking wrh her
own colonies, while dm is contending with them for pow
er and vain faperiorty. The armament of France and
Spain, which of late has so much taken up the notice of
Europe, we now find to be for the following purpofc. # It is
far from the intention of either of those two powers to inter
rupt Great-Britain whitft die is engaged in the present con
cert; but their views merely are to carry on an open
trade (warlike ftorcs excepted) with the colonies of North-
America. They argue thus :As the colonies we :e kept in.
fubjeaion by the mother country, the latter prevented
other nations from dealing with them, and the former,
through filial affection, and md ual interest, submitted their
trade to be monopolized by the mother country ; but now
the ties being dissolved, the colonies being declared as ene
mies, the monopoly fcized from itfclf, every nation may go
to market according to their interest. It was in the pawcr
Of Great-Eritain to prohibit her colonics to trade with fo
reigners, but it is not ' in her power to prescribe laws to other
nations, prohibiting them fiom trading with America; nor
does it confirt with the laws of nations ; just as if R ffia,
as long as ihe was at war with the Ottoman Porte, would
have prohibited all Europe from trading to Turkey. But
it Great-Britain should insist upon it that the has a right
to prevent other nations from trafficking with North Ameri
ca, both France and Spain are determined to oppose her
by force of arms ; to whidj purpose a ftrohg united force
of these two Nations is cruising in the sea, merely to a& in
their own defence : And as it is importable for Great-Britain
to submit to this, nothing is more sure than open humilities
to be fooa c immenced at sea, which cannot fail from involv
ing all turope in a most horrid war.
A cwrrefpondent assures ds, that some accounts of a very
difagreeablc nature have been received from America within
these few days; but whether it be relative to the rumour
spread of Lord Howe being killed, and the troops under his
convoy cut to pieces on attempting to land at New York or
khcde-lfland, or whether these disagreeable accounts relative
to any repulse in the southern colonies, have not yet trans
pired. Certain it is, however, that the court and all the great
official officers were in the utmort confufion and embarrass
ment, on Sunday and Monday last.
The fame correspondent fays, that after repeated attempts
authorised by the most fpecific inftruaions, our Ambassador
cannot brirg the French miniftryto any direct or absolute en
gagement relative to the trade carried on by their fubjt&s
with our American colonies. The French cabinet treat the
complaint as having nd ground, but a mere fmuggting com
merce, opened by some persons of desperate fortunes in the
northern part of the kingdom. They fay it is not in their
power to repref or annihilate the illicit trade carried on
within their own dominions, both by foreigners and natives,
much less that carried on at three thoufatid miles dirtance.
hi Short, they insist on being permitted to remain passive,
and declare they have no manner of objection to Great-Bri
tain's taking every step in her power to put a hop to this il
legal intercourse, which may be confident with the law of
nations.
Upwards of 10 000 barrels of gunpowder, lately proved at
Puifleet, is now flopping on boaid some transports in the
river for America.„
The above powder is to be distributed on board different
vessels, which are each to mount a number of carriage guns,
in case they Should meet with any of the provincial priva
teers, and on their arrival in America are to land theie ar
tillery fur the ufe,of his Majerty's forces there.
The expences of the campaign of 1776, army debt, trans
port service, and navy extraordinary, at the most moderate
computation, it is believed, will amount to full seven milli
on Sterling, a fpm considerably more than was expended in
any one year of Mr. Pitt's fuccefsful administration, when
th s country had almost all Europe to contend with, and when
She waged war in every quarter of the globe, from Bengal to
Lake Ontario, from the defects of Africa to the banks of the
Wefer.
ST. J O H N'% (in Antigua) August 24.
This morning arrived in this harbour, the Sloop Elizabeth,
Robert Burchill, commander from Tortola, bound for New
fcundland, which veSTel with those under mentioned were
taken by a Pirate Schooner fitted out in Maryland, called the
Enterprize, ofix guns and 70 men, commanded by a James
Campbell, the fluop was returned in order to convey those
who were not wanted to assist in the navigation of the vgffels
so taken, viz.
Shi, Lancaster, Capt. Jones, for Liverpool,—brig. ,
,'from Grenada fcr Ireland, —Ship Black River, Capt.
Currie, from Dominica for Briftol,—brig. —- from
St. Croix for Dunkirk, belonging to Guefnfey—fubw James,
Isaac Higgins, from this island for Lancafter —the brig Har
riot, Capt. Hammond from Barbadoes for Cork was spoke
with by Capt. Higgins in lat. 28, and when the pirate took
possession of his vcflel a brig was in fight, to which they gave
chafe. The Captain of the pirate informed the prisoners that
the American rebels had declared themselves independent
before he failed.
The following receipt was taken on board the pirate.
I DO hereby acknowledge to have received of Capt. James
Campbell of the En erprize privateer of Maryland, the Hoop
Elizabeth taken by him some days ago, on the following con
ditions, viz.
That I Shall land Mr. Thomas Willock and such other
people as said Campbell Shall fend on board, at Antigua,
and there deliver to the said Mr. Thomas Willock, all the
cargo I now have on board, to be by him divided amongst
the mates and crew of the faow James, also taken by laid
Campbell, in such proportion as the said Mi. Thomas Wil
lock Shall find upon enquiry, the said cargo may be as to the
lots of every individual of fold (now's crew, and the vrffel to
be Delivered to the former owner, wh?ch conditions I pro
mife to fulfill ; and do now hereby voluntarily subscribe the
fame this 13th of August 1776 ROBERT BURCHALL.
Wituefs. JAMES HANKINSON.
We are informed that his Maj sty has been pleased to no
minace William Matthew Burt, ESq; to succeed bis Excelled
cy, Sir Ralph Payne, K. B. in the g vernment of theft
islands, as Soon as his leave of absence expiree; which veil
be some time next month.
Sir Ralph Payne was gone downto Caovafs in the borougl
of Morpeth, and it is thought he will meet with no opposition.
CHRISTIANSTJE D, (St. Cro-x,) Sept. 11.
. On Saturday last blew the mod violent gale of wind attend
ed with inceffaat, ram, we have had fierce the 31st Augurt,
1772. Eleven lab otvdTcls drove on iho eby fas feverctub
in this harbou. ; # moft of the veiLls in Frcdeiicfcted obliged
to put to sea. The vcffels drove on fhnreh.re we hope w:h
be got off without any material damage. As to the damage
the c< uury hath received is very considerable.
Monday morning last put in here in d stress, a final! fcho^n
er, Robinion, Commander, bound with an express from
St. Christopher's to Antigua, by whom we have the following
melancholy account On Thursday m irning last between
the hours of two and three a fire broke out in the town 01
Baff^er.e, in the house of Mt Stanley, which communicated
itL f to the adjacent buildings and coufumed meft |fart of the
spvn. It continued on. pre till the h urs of nine and ten,
when art the houses and bores Situate on the bay were entirely
consumed. The fame day three effaces near the town were
fe;n on tire, the names of which we ais not able to inform
our readers. His H nor the Commander has laid an embargo
on all veflcls g ing from the irtand, on fulpicion fan iieur
ruction of the negroes, wh in it is laid iat the row;
and estates on fire. There were no lives loft except four ne
groes,who were dealing goods out of a cellar. Capt. Rebin
fcd in his way down law federal vessels in dhirefs, like wife
the week of a vertej, who, by her timbers he fuppofcd te
be Bermudas built; he also law the head of a rudder of
large vetiel.
Theis was before the above accident plenty of provisions
ip the town, bu; after the fire not 20 barrels of any kind to
be had. ~
WILLfAMSBUR f, (Virginia) S^t. 27.
Since our iatt two veiled l^zve arrived at Hampton, or
with 800 bufbeis of salt, the üß.cr with 300 ; and one is juh
come up to James-Town with 250© bumcis, and some Luk
A foall Baltimore privateer carried into Chingoteague, up
on the Eastern ihore, the b< ginning of lab week, a big tr'err
Jamaica, laden with 400 hogsheads of sugar, and 240 hugf
heads of sugar, and 14'0 hoglheads of rum..
B O S T O N, September 26.
The privateer General Greene, of East Greenwich, anc
the privateer Harlequin, of Baltimore, have taken a Jamaica
Hip of 310 tons, arid fenc her into a fafe port : Her carg:
cobfilb of 312" hugtheads of sugar, 8% puncheons of runt
36 pipes and 4 h gtlkads of Madeira wine, 1800 pound
weight of copper,&c. This ihip we hear failed in company
with a large fleet, convoyed by ,two men of war, one 0
which was soon to leave them, the other, said to be a du
feller, was to proceed with them to Europe.
Last Sunday was lent into Fiovidencc by Capt. Munro, th
prize Ihip Blaaie Castle, from Barbados, bound for London
having on board 100 pipes Madeira wine, 126 hogsheads fit
gar, 18^0 weight whalebone, izc barrels oil, &e.
i ELISHA COLE, matter of the schooner Triton, brunt
from Kennebec to Cape Francois, certify and declare
that on the twentieth day of July last, I was taken by th
Milford man of war, John Burr commander, who took fron
me my bed, bedding, sea cioaihs, and every thing cife, ex
cept what I had in my chert ; when I got on hoard Capt. Ifo,
he alked me, after taking my papers, where my money was
ranfwered that I had not any, then he ordered his Clerk t
search me, and I was searched accordingly ; He then tec
away my watch but returned it. Next morning the Captei
called for me and demandedthc key of my chert, and whee
opened, took every thing out of it to search for money, find
ing none, they gave me the chert, and ordered me to carry :
to my birth.—On the twenty fifth of July we difeovered
fliip, which he took near Newbury-Barr.—Capt, Burr the.
ordered me to the fourth gun, and the opposite forward, am
compelled me to go, which I was obliged to do after a for
dispute, arid my mate and all my men were put on the ffi:p'
books and compelled to do duty, and obliged to fight again,
their American brethren, as are all the ptifoners they take
which I often heard the officers of the Milford deciare.
left Halifax the eleventh day of Aaguft, leaving my mat
and men all on board the Milford. — I cold Capt. Burr ow
people gave the martcis, mates, &c. their adventures, andi
was very hard to have my all taken from me. He replug
he could not do it, his people would not allow it, and fwos
by God he would not give me any thing.—The Yank-
Hero's men, by the information of the Reward and oef
belonging to the Milford, had but three quarters of the cor
mon allowance of'provifions to teamen tor their support, an
no allowance of eloathing. ELISHA COLE.
Suffolk, g Eiifha Cole made oath to the truth of the abi
deposition, by him fubfcribtd before me.
Boston, Sept.'s, 177&. Joseph Greenleaf, J. P,
N EWBURY-P O R T, Sept. 27.
Last Tuesday was brought in here by the Washington p:
vateer, a bark bound to the Weft-Indies, to fetch foldlc
for the enemy; the had on board a quantity of pruvifioo.
and a few pieces of cannon.
Yesterday was carried into Portsmouth, a fhh)of betwee.
X'and 300 tons, laden with about 250 h?glhcad» of fuga
5® of rum, and some wine. We allo hear that a fchoonm c
about 90 tons, laden with salt, linen, and houlhold furniture
was carried into Ipswich, about two days ago.
N E W - PORT (Rhode- Ifian'd,) September 23.
Lart Tuesday arrived here, Mr. Joleph Kinyon and M
William Clarke, who were two of the pica made prifmer'
Quebec; on the 6<h of June, they, with eight more, wc
taken out of prison to go on a filling voyage to Gafpc
which place Kiayoa aid Clarke, with four .others, left I.^
boat the 4th of August, and got to Cdco-Bay, from when
they travelled by land. As they came along, they lodged
Newbury Port, where they were inf tmed that a number
prifoneis who h/d been taken in prizes, had been paid the
wager, &c. aid allowed to purchafc a velfcl to,go home :
but went immediately to Halifax, and bat another -let wc
then about purchasing another vcflll for the fame purpose.
Qiery. Docs the enemy give our people such liberties?!
N £ W - L O N D O N, Sep ember a 7.
The following papers vere a few days free brought from L #
gland, and are given to us for publication.
SI R, J mica, Sept, t, 1776.
I AM ordered by his Excellency the Houor,be Wilhl
Howe, Esq; G oci- and Commander in Chief of his Tv:
jelly's forces in North America, from Nova Srfa ^ he Fh
ridas, on the apo'icatiun of die cou^y of Suffolk, u,'Nath.
nicl Woodiiuo and Samuel Philips, who have hguilied to hr