The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-08-16 00:00:00, page 4

Busiuvvtu, inRichmond, fulyzp, 1776.
Mr. Poems,
" S there is nothing more common, or
ridiculous, than the readiness men
she) w to judge in assairs of which they have
siFss neither experience or knowledge, I must
ssss pesig, injuttice to our present worthy offi
,sssiffissFrs. you will, without delay, publish the
' _. - oflobfing selcct, to prevent, it' pollible,
siibsic dematory humour which reigns in this
Mmsinion. I am the more purticularly led
sis desire by the grave censures which
' l
'y
siormerly passed on cul . W ---ds----d,
_tsihe present ones on generasil L---s, in
92.- hte 'asstir of'G wyn's iilsi-tnd ; and when
lszssure ou ! am an entire stranger to
- these oshcers, Ihope you will the more
feidfly indulge my request, to remedy
is growing evil among us. It is part of
{speech qsPnULus EM tuvs, one osthe
teines} (Fatesmen' and generals of ancient
'ctome, and very suitable to our prcs-znt
circumstmces . He was chosen to carry on
sia' , wersiagsitinst the most sormidable enemy
flannibul excepted) that ever the repub
_ ck had todeal with, and invested with an
sssilsieitfaordinary power. He thus addresses
73" she people, on taking his publick leave:
ss ' '1 , s My Fellow Subject:,
Lssss . _ si" lshall take care to give you an exact
' "- relat'mn of'whateVer happens, and you
".th sctfsiely depend on the accounts I
"ss send you, or the Senate. ln return, I
_" .ought to expect that you willneither give
, 7'; ear to, our by your credulity authorisesi,
-ss' .'" flying reports or uncertain rumour.
' " As you have hehavsi-d of late, especially
" sincethe present war, there is no gene
*4* tal,: how .bmve soever, whom your do
- "ssctme 'tck 'reflections are-not capable of
.V, " discoumging. You have men who, in
.. " publick and private company, and even
" in the midst. ofsientertainments, pretend
, *_*j_ to conduct yourarflties, regulate fhe
(
' si" sibehsvioursiof your generuls, and'direct
si '** thcte oper Ltin'ns of the camsixuign. They
;" . 'ss. know hetterthm vour molt experienced
sictct's'ctfisi consulsinwlmt statinnsw encampsi, what
" MsssP-zstm oeeufff- whatectto erect; maga
si'sisictsi sizines, or whence to dmw supplies by
' si"',;*'l_a't_ld' orsictsea. They can teach us, who
if? are on the spbt, when w engage, or
'sisi-ssq how to retrcsitt ; and they not oniy pre- .
'fsisisissuctne tu limit our conduct, but, is it is
. "; not their pilarisi, they the us (by. their
"'ss 4? ciamours) before the people. But
si know; Romans. that this liberty is a
.si' " bar to the success OF your arms and the
"" publick good. All your consuls have
" .not the patience osa Fabius, who chose
* si rzther to see his authoritv insulted by the
" rabbie, than; by an unseasonable resolu
"siiss tion, to hctz-rd th- welfare us the re
" W' publick. in supprefling the discontent.
"7 At the stme time, Romans, I am far
ct" from thinking a general needs no advice .
9' - ctsi'si'r the contrary, ] am osopinion that
'T'whnver pretends to act sulely by his
" own light shcws more presumption than
" wililuzn. vVhatthencan be redsimahly
f' expected in this case? First, thlt they
' " only advise who are ski ied in military
" afficirs, and whom long sdfivices have
_" taught what it is to c v'nznzmcl. Next,
" " that these couns. Is bc. given (in the spot,
" by th'ise who, seeing me pushlre us the
" enemy, are able to judge of the exi
- " gencv us affairs, and who, bzinzsix em
*' [),-n'had in the sunec 'use, 1'u11cme'c0m
" m-m rish. lF u'iy Pwmm, then, be
." lieves he can aid me with his coumels
" " in this eye,)edition, with the conduct of
" which you have intrusted me, let him
" appefl, and not decline to serve his
." cnu-utry. Equip-ige, tent, armour,
" whctitcch he wants, [11 1" he defra'yed
" at my own exocnse. But isthusc rigicl
" (lireCc-n's prefer the ease and pleasure Os
" R-rne to the sttigqes ancl dangen of
" th: c mm, let them no longer presume
" to direct the war. This is a topick
WILLMMSBUKG: Printed by ALEXANDER PURDlE, at the CONSHTWZML .1'*'*si"""ffi'*"si*ss'
" beyond their capacity; and let than,
" know., we shall pay them no regnd,
te nor listen. to any advic'ctssssefg. but whatffig
" receive in Our camp." 'si siss
;
Though these excellent reflectiom o
the cesebrated consul need little comment,
I cannot forbear adding a friend's remurk
on this abujis vocix, complained of By
Emiliusr-sithat these censures equally of
fend good sense nnd eqsiuity. As to the
first, what can be more absurdly ridiculous
than to hear people wholly unexpe
rienced, and ignorant os military affairs,
establish a kind of i-lquilitiou on the best
officers, and condemn them without exa
mination or trisiz]! \Vh;1t can be more
truly base? And, as to equity, how is
the case altered, since even those most ac—
quainted with war cannot judge of thin'gs
unless on the spot ? si 'l'he Circumtturccs uf
time, place, and dispctlition of the trumps,
or secret intelligence, arc so capable of
changing the Common rules of armies,
that none but the cctlumniulor wculd de
preciate the conduct requisite to so many
chances. But should it be issruitlcsiss to wish
& fault amended, th'tt is founded on such
an ill-naluled vanity, all that the wisest
officers c.:n do is, like Emiiius, to disse—
gdrd the censnres of these foolish people,
who talk without discretion or judgment,
and with a noblsi contempt pursue the true
interest of their present aiitressed country.
R [. C T () R'.
Bumswxcx committee, Yctb' 29, 1776.
HE fat.:i consequcnces which must
inevitably attend the counterfeitiug
the paper cunsic-ucy of any us the 13 United
Colonies rcuuerit necessary that the stric'tc-st
search and most diligent inquiry should be
made after (huse persons who are justly
shspected of being guilty of that atrociohs
crime ; and a; those who harbour, udvile,
or countenance such offenders, are, we
eonceive, as great enemies to their coun
try as the offenders themselves, we shall
ever think it out duty to expose to the
displeasure and contempt of the publtck
the conduct of all such peisons, whenever
the same shdl he made known to us. An
offence us this nature appearing before this
commiteee, is the cause of publishing the
following sacts.
On the zȝd day ofjune last, at one of
the churches of" 51. Audrew's parish, in
this coumty, two lhsiangers appeared with
letters for the chairman of'this committee,
from the committees of Hartsord and
Chowan counties, in the province osNortcth
Carolina, informing him that indnbitable
testimony had been laid before those com
mittees that acertain Henry Lightsoot had
been concerned in counterfeitiug and pas
sing the paper currency of that province,
particularly the four duilar bills, issued in
pursunnce of the resulution of the North
Carohna Congreisis, held at Hillshorough
the zlst day or" Augufl 1775, and that they
were informed the said Lightsoot was
then in this county . 'l'he chairman osthis
comulittee, being then at church, imme
diately engaged c.:pt . _] )hn Msitchn to pro
ceed With the msi-iibussgers after the scttid
Lightsoot. The cuptain, on his return,
represented, thutin a very short time after
he engaged in this service he went to the
house where he was informed [he said
Lisisisihtsoot was, and msixdc diligent search,
but to no purpuse,' and from thence pro
ceeded to a meeting where hc'. expected to
find him; but when he arrived, he was
told he had precipituteictv made off, and
that there was reason to susptct a certain
William VVaii, osthis county, had given
him notice of the business thc messengers
from North Caroiinzt were upon. On the
2 Zd ofjuiy these circumstances werc provecss
before this coinmittee, and the said VVa]
was in consequence thercosm'silcred to ap
pearbefore them on the Monday following
beingsiihc 29th, to answcr'tlze- s.mc. Ac:
coxdsiing'ty on that du) hr mxulc lus appear.
ancc, wassscf-ctm-gcd with lhcct t-lxgt, and can
fessed thatth Was the means (is giving
intelligence to_the said 2.-_-_-ss!.:£1mt, which
induced him to make hiss escape: ; which
confession, together with the testimony of
other persuns rclativc to lhc cynducsit nl'sichc
said William VVuH in thisct mutter, lnnkc 'u,
appear, to the full com'u .iun us [hie cum.
mixtee, that he ought to be Cxpusi-rl .n- an
enemy to his country. And it is ordered,
that :! representation usrh-r (above proceed.
ings hc transiniuccl u- Um princes, to be
laid before the pulchk.
8] order oft/zc rmflmf'ttee.
— ]). ictissi-Hfsili, clerk.
N. B. The commixmc u'r' [hid c-cmucty,
that so base; and nfnschisisivuus an oii'si-udd
be brought to conclictsxn pnn'zshmcnt, offer
a reward of TENPOU/YDS to any person
who shall apprehend and bring; the above,
mentioned HENRY LIGHTFUOT before.- a
magistrate osthis couuly, that he nuyjzc
dealt with according to law . D. F.
A1>vElesmn lzNTS.
' " AN'FED, a person capable 01 teach
ing EN q LlSH, W K 1 TIN (ss', and
A 11 1 'r ]! M ET 1 c R. Such a one, coming
well recommended, for sumicty, diligence,
(we. will meet with goml csirzcuuragssement
from the subscribersiss liyiug near Amelia
counhousc. -
jmm TOVVNRS.
TO BE BOLD,
By virtue of a decree of the Host. Court of
Admirally, on 'shun'duy t/le zzd ofthz':
in/Zant, jbr ready money, ut Broadway,
on Appnmutcox rivr-r,
" "VIE ship OXFOIU), with her rigging,
tackle, apparel, :md surmzurc , toge
ther with a quantity of COAL on board
the Vcsisiel.
BEN: POWFLL, marshal.
70 be SOLD, or KENTED,
LARGE commodious hrick dWelling
house in the towu of Hamjzton, with
three lots osgronnd adjoining, belonging
to the subscriber. Posi'ciiion to be had on
the lst day ot'O-Tober. For farther parti
culars, inquire of mr. j'ulm (ctsiarter, mer- '
chant in Williamstmrg, whom I have apt
pointed my attorney during my absence
from the colouy, of which I thought. it
necessary to inlorm all pcrshns indebted to
me. ' CAHY MICHELL.
W lLLlAMSBURG, ct-juctqzC/t 16, i77si6.
ESERTED from the (.'sll.'ctz7_(;c camp, on
Friday the 9th of this instant, E. D
w ARD M'A RSH A L, a soldier be
longingto the 8th ;egimcnt, and a recruit
ing party ot capt. Kuosisizsi's company. He
had been about a sorlnight recruited, and
has gone off with one of the country's
rifles, and a blanket. He is below the
middle stature, of :: brown Complexion,
very talkativc, and given to liquor. He
had on when he went away an old hunting
shirt, raggcd bi'ccchezsi, linchings with
holes in them, an ohsflsizsi-vch hsint, mid
wvs very disty. He Was not long since
dischargctctul from on hc-rml the Kslleisiizh
cruZser, by capt. Yame: (L'nr/cc, which dis
charg'el have nowinmssv pnflL-ilion . Vv ho
ever secnrcs thc said (iCsLl'lctfl', and delivcis
him at the camp, shni! have :osiss. rcwsin'd
2" ED'V; iRl) MooDY.
_____,___si _ _ ___ _ _____-.__si___
"'0MEtinic in 'simjy ht't two men descrt-l
ed from capt. 'Tclylur's iuinuu- company
of the Laucq/z'cr battzihon, who enhs'sied
with one juste G'eorge, to scrw in one
the row—gailies. A strj-ss-unt was sent for.
them, and I understand s'nzm him he could
not get them. The ui'ctsiuctu- \\ hu cnhstcd
them is desired to send thun to capt
Taylor, in Lancct-g/fcr connl y.
PETLR PRESLY 'l'nnRNToN.
].sii-susc'ssisisd csiuiunci
sisiA . __..._-..._-_-_.--—