The Gazette of the state of South-Carolina — Charles-town [S.C.], 1783-12-18 00:00:00, page 1

From the ANTIGUA GAZETTE.
W"™ ''' '"° "'niftry were driven out of
VV office by the present motley and rapacious
crew, it was easy to forefee, that no public good
could be Expected from men, who had facrificed
all to personal intcre ft,'and agreed in nothing which
did not immediately tend to their own advantage.
During thecohrfe of an inglorious war, the grea
ter part of the Weft India Ifiands, by the negled
of a former adhrniftration, were compelled to sub
mit to a foreign master. The few which remained
under the Britifn dag, Struggled with difficulties
which 'have reduced them to the brink of deftru&i
on. These difficulties were ihereafed by additional
taxes upon their produce; and the enormous prices
of provisions and other necessaries would have been
insupportable, if the increased value of Sugar had
'not in some measure alleviated their distress. The
return of peace, so anxiously desired by every per
son who Was not immediately interefled in the con
tinuance of the war, enabled a difeontented fiftion
to seize the reins of government, 'and to impose
upon their Sovereign a set of confidential servants
Whom he had every reason to detest. And when
this important national concern was fettled, and
the civil life emoluments had been properly divided ;
the remaining Colonics might have hoped, without
an y very great degree of ,reftmption, that some
leisure hour would have been found, in which their
interest might have been also attended to—at least
they had a right to expeeft, that they would not
have been excluded from enjoying some part of the
advantages, which the peace with America natural
ly offered.
Fhefc expectation's have however been entirely
deftroved by the Royal Proclamation, (announced
in your paper cf the 20 ult ) which, By confining
the importation of American commodities, as well
as the exportation of plantation produce, to British
bottoms, lias in effeA prohibited all trade and inter
course with America. I his reftriaion appears to
me so very impolitic and unnatural, that if I could
suppose it poblble for French gold th find its way
into the British cabinet, I fhou'ld be induced to be
lieve, that the proclamation, though dated at St.
James's, was really dieted from Versailles That
the Frencn, after having obtained one grand object
of their policy, fliould Hili with to preserve the
advantage widen they had already gained, by ex
cluding the Lnglifh Islands from any trade with
America, might naturally have been expected ;
but that the Bntifh court should co-operate with
them for the fame purpose, I can hardly beheve,—
although J hav4 no reason to doubt your authority.
Surety Mr. Printer, the feme political spirit which
lately pei fecuted the northern colonies, until it had
compleated their final feparati^ from the mother
country, fhli exists in the Royal Council, and has
'°'f° ° new direction to the feuth ! —Can it be fup
pefed that the Americans are so blind to their own
inttreil, or so devoted to the present Ministry, as
to accept of a partial trade, under a reftriaion
which precludes them from carrying their own
commodities tqmarx^t? or tnat, when they enjoy
a free and extensive commerce with almost every
other part of the globe, they will submit to supply
these Islands upon terms, which insult their honour
as a nation, and injure their rights as individuals ?
1 he fltill and perseverance which they have so lately
Ihewn, afford but little reason to suppose they can
be easily duped by an English Minidry. And 1 fear
that a coalition of all the wisdom in Britain will ne
ver prevail upon them to adopt a mcafure, so evi
dently prejudicial to their present interest, and fu
ture confluence.
The absurdity of this r^riftion is, if possible,
fill increased by tee permiflion granted in a former
proclamation (of the 14th of May lad) to import
American produce, into Great Britain in American
bottoms. Great Britain, which allows a bounty
THE; t—
G A ZE TTE
of The
STATE OF SOUTH-CAROLINA.
CHARLESTON: Printed for A. TIMOTHY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1783.
upon the exportation of her own corn, to foreign
parts, permits the fame commodity to be brought
into her own ports in American vessels: bat refu fe3
the fame indulgence to her Weft India Inlands,
whole very exigence necessarily depends upon a
punctual supply of provisions! This diftinftion is
either an ignorance of our colonial interests, Which
in a Ministry is ffiamefal to the last degree: or it
Brews a fixed and unalterable deiign to oppress the
few remaining colonies which ftilltonfider themfeNes
as part of the British empire, ft has indeed been said,
that this reftri&ion is wifely intended to direct our
trade to Canada and Nova Scotia, from whence We
may be easily Applied with lumber and provisions.
7° e former article may perhaps be obtained in a
{efficient quantity; but if lam rightly informed
provisions cannot be procured from Nova Scotia,
and the produce of Canada is not equal to our
wants, nor are its ports accessible during many
months in the year. But admitting that we could be
Applied from thence with the feverd articles which
our neceflities require,-— to what market is our rum
to be exported ° I think I may venture to assert that
it cannot be confuted in Canada or Nova Scotia, at
least net for. many years to come—The excessive
duties imposed upon it in Great Britain and Ireland
are nearly equal to a prohibition—and wnlefs it can
be disposed of to some advantage, it i$ impossible to
Carry ona sugar plantation.
These however, Mr. Printer, are matters be
neath the dignity of our present Statesmen to inquire
into. Tt is Efficient for them, if by oppressive
taxes, and arbitrary commercial reftri&ions, they
can extras from the colonics such Applies, as may
answer the purpose of government during their ad
minißration. The consequences that may follow
they leave so be considered by their successors, or
by those who may have leisure to calculate chances,
which are of no use at White's or St. James's;
Recent experience has however shewn, that the
house of Bourbon will not be backward in availing
jtfelf of any future dissensions. One of the leaders
in the prelent administration has already had the
honour of difmembring the Britifli empire; and the
fame line of condud, Readily pursued, may perhaps
enable him to central it within still narrower
limits.
PERTINAX.
Extras of a letter fr®m a Gentleman of charafter
in Ne^-Tork, dated 25th of May, 1783.
" With refpe& to the Provisional Articles, it is
not yet known whether Congress have recommended
or said any thing to the Legislatures of the several
States in favour of the Loyalids, and though they
most undoubtedly will, yeTn^Tahguage is, “ Con
gress tee no right to interfere in the internal gol
vernment of the rejpeflive States, each of<wbicb,\
;the# fa,, is at liberty either to rejeft or comply with
their recommendations, as they ma) think expedi-)
ent." The Legislature of this State is not yet
chosen; of course nothing can be done before they
meet. They are at present in great confufion. An
attempt has been made to eled a M r . Thompson
for Orange County, a person accused of being
moderate, and ratherJ%£ZlEl° _J£l^
was a Efficient crime ; and though he would have
Exceeded, a mob was raised, and Mr. Thompson
obliged to relinquish the attempt. This temper
is tiniverfal, to Which is added, a spirit of patfect»
tion against the loyalists, lam sorry, my de Sir,
it's my opinion that the a& of attainder (in —i c h
you ate included) will never be repealed. I k-Ana
prqfped of it at present, and when the army let!
this place, the confifeated lands will be located
fold in final! farms, after which a recovery of thene
will be forever impossible;, I have never acquainted:
y°" .°'C-— CT being past in this state, by which all
_Jill&!s are made utterly v@, and of course the fee
simple of your hr^e y^u& ^t^is by that ^
No. 100, Meeting-street.
ve " e( ,y ou ' ^d is considered in that light by the
new Power, so that the next in remainder (though
an infant, will oe barred—a most iniquitous law ;
find as the ad of attainder, palled af^r the former,
they loft upon your eflate as their property. Front
these facts judge for yourfelf. I will now relate %
very recent tranfa&ion: A strong redoubt celled
No. 8, on the East fide of Harlem River, in the
County of Westchester, which commanded the
country around, and was built some years ago by
the King s troops, was demolished about ten days
ago (report fays at the request of Gen. Washington
and Gov. Clinton) and its garrison withdrawn. IA
confequerice of this, Delancey's corps of refugees,
who were protested by this fort, were obliged to
retire to this island. Fhey were bad enough, God
knows; but their facceffors were rather" Devils
"'" .'""' 's° persons commonly denominated
Skinhers, beaded by Israel Honeywell, jun.
^ Major Delavan (two of the RepYefentatives of
the county in Assembly) two of the Oakelys. two
of the Hunts, and fcveral other of the former inha
bitants, came down to take pofle^on of the relin
quiffied county. Every person who was foplifh e
nough to wait their coming, was devoted to theit
fury. Some cut, and all of them beat in a most
savage manner. Their conduft would difyace a
nation of barbarians. Honeywell with his own han&
cut out the bowels of one person, and cut the ten
dons of the right arm of annU^- fee die eTSb<"
and wrist. Cne lit died of ThVlz^anTg he had re
ceived. All the poor fellows who are able to crawl
have come to town, and mifc'rably they look. Such
profpe&s are not very pleasant. I think we have
little to expert from such a Government as this. I
am pleased that so many of my friends are out of
the country; 'rather] than live under the domi
nion of such barbarous wretches, I would labour al!
my life for a subsistence. I ffiall leave this city
with the army. I fear you muff now relinquish all
hopes of ever returning to America. Your agents
are threatrfed with prosecutions for the rents of
your estate, remitted you since you have been is
England."
To the PUBLIC of ANTIGUA.
Friends and Fellow Sufferers,
WHICH of us, who has seen be
heard of this Proclamation lately
arrived and now officially promulgated,
retraining the importation of all the Ame
rican commodities indifpenlably decenary
for the carrying on of our plantations,
for the supporting of our slaves, and for the
very sustenance, of our fammilies; but finks
into horror and despair at such a woeful
' ordinance.—Which of us but must be
truck with the utrnoft chagrin at tne
insulting chastisement which this proclama^
tion, this very rod of Iron, seems to threa
ten us with, when we find too that its injuri
ous exceptions are confined merely to the
Weft-India Ifiands?
Could it be supposed that any class of
Ministers, could be so inimical to a certaira
race of his Majesty's loyal fubjeds, as 011
the return of peace, to oppress them with
a repetition of some of the greatest calami
ties of the war, in a molt aggravated de
gree?
Carl we suppose that our most gracious
Sovereign, the Parent of his people, if
truly informed of our pitiable situation,
would hav€ lent his fiat to this deletmou^
No. 2181.