The Pennsylvania gazette — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-31 00:00:00, page 2

^ ^z 1. Upwards of 600 vessels, which vied to be effi^
ployed in the American trade, are now laid up in the ri
ver without employ.
It is notorious, and cannot be too often repeated, that
the men who have been, and are still, most blood-thirsty
and violent against America, are the Bedford party. They
have fee principle. An excessive and insatiable lull of of
fice, for the emoluments, is their only paffioh. To gra
tify this luff, tho' frequent experience has convinced dll
fids it is impombie, they attached ffiemiclves to Jenkin
fon, Bute and Mansfield. Of this closet faction is Mar
tin of Hurth-Carolina. America cannot, will not, treat
with the secret, confidential iriftrument of these men. If
p^ace is really meant, these raen must be removed Until
that is done, neither America nor England will believe the
Court sincere in any propositions they may offer. An
hundred thouiand court writers cannot deny or explain
away this truth. It is a contest upon which the King a
lone must decide. His Ministers have reduced him to
this alternative; he must part with them, or his Colonies.
A great number of soldiers deserted from the five regi
ments that last embarked from Corke for North-America,
before they could be secured on board the transports.
This day the Lord Mayor elea, Aldermen, Sheriffs,
arid City officers, went to the Lord Chancellor's, in
Great Rufful-ftreet, Bloomfbury, when the Lord Mayor
riled was presented to his Lordship for his approbation by
Alderman Crosby, who was the senior Alderman there ;
when the Lord Chancellor informed them, his Majesty
had been pleased to approve of the choice the Livery had
made.
Nov. 8. A Bill is to be brought into Parliament this
week for the pwrpofe of empowering Governors Penn,
Franklin, and the rest of the Governors of the Ameri
can provinces, to grant indemnities for past offences,
and receive the submission of all such as are willing to
fabmit to the usurpations of Great-Britain.
We hear from Corke, that on Tueiday the loth ult.
at one o'clock, when the army were in their beds, with
out previous notice, a draft was made from thetwo regi
ments, and at fcven o'clock they were taken to Cove, and
embarked for America.—We are assured the 53d regi
ment does not consist of more than ico men.
To the honour of the British nation, there is still some
little degree of virtue exiting. The unwearied endea
vours of the worthy protesting Lords, the spirit of the
freeholders as Midalefcx, and the almost general patriot
ism of the Livery of London, joined with the earnest
efforts of that pure society, the London Affocihtion, may
yet, by their perseverance, in time, open the eyes of
their fellow fubje&s, and work a material change in the
wretched situation of our affairs.
The following is the copy of a letter from Mr. Ethan
Allen, the person who commanded the party of Provin
cials which were defeated near Montreal, and who was
also taken prisoner, to Gen. Prescott, on the General's
ordering him into irons, and to be closely confined.
“ Honourable Sir,
" In the wheel of transitory events I find myfelf priso
ner, and in irons: Probably your Honour has certain
reasons to me iuconceiveable, though I challenge an in
stance of this fort of oeconomy of the Americans during
the lat® war towards any officers of the crown.
." On my part, I have to assure your Honour, that
/when I had the command, and took Captain Delaplace
and Lieut. Felton, with the garrison of Ticonderoga, I
treated them with every mark of friendfhip and genero
sity, the evidence of which is notorious even in Canada.
1 have only to add, that I expect an honourable and hu
.mane treatment, as an officer of my rank and merit
should have, and fubferibe myfelf your Honour's most
obedient humble servant, ETHAN ALLEN."
A correspondent observes, that nothing more strongly
marks the temper of the present times than the answer to
the House of Commons. Contributions are required,
foreign troops are to be hired, an army of 50,000 is to be
maintained to put the Americans in the fame situation
they were in the year 1763. The Americans, on the
f¥t&r hand, are railing as numerous an army to obtain
''Defame situation. It is what they have desired in every
tysicm: it is a situation for which they have refoived to
fteri^ce life, fortune, and whatever betides is held most
dtdryitis a situation which, once obtained, they have de
clared th/' t'eir arms shall immediately be thrown aside.
Mifimderdandings are generally the sources of most quar
rels, but finely their confid^ration will be no palliation
whtn a civil war, the greatest of all misfortunes, is the
certain confequence.—Whht are the wife and good to
conclude from such proceedings?
The tools of arbitrary power are surreptitiously obtain
ing an address from the city of Westminster, not by pub
blic advertisement, but by privately soliciting the names
of poor creatures who are deceived, and know not what
they put their hands to. Presently we shall fee it an
nounced the humble, dutiful address of the inhabitants
of Westminster. Quere. Would it not well become the
inhabitants of Westminster to call a meeting, to confider
of a truly loyal address and memorial, to describe the
real grievances of this country in the loss of the great
American trade.
HOUSE of LORDS.
Yesterday the House of Lords t^ok into consideration
the Petition and Address to his Majesty, from the Ame
rican Congress, which was laid before the House by the
Earl of Dartmouth.
A motion being made, that Governor Penn be called
to the bar, and examined, the fame passed in the nega
tive, $6 against 22.
The Duke of Richmond's motion for a reconciliation
with the colonies passed in the negative, 42 against 21.
HOUSE of C OMMO NS.
Mr. Luttrell made 2 long speech, in which he consi
dered the nature, principles, and spirit of government in
general, and the constitution of this kingdom in particu
lar; from which he concluded, that whenever the trust
delegated by the people was unjpftly or oppressively exer
cised by the delegates, then the trust should naturally
ceaie, and the power revert to its sirs; source, the people
at large ; that if this proposition was allowed, it must al
so be admitted, that conventions or general assemblies of
the people were, in such cases, agreeable to the spirit of
the conditution ; and he observed, that we had several ir,-
stances in our hittory of, such assemblies ; that much good
bad been effected by them, and much evil prevented;
that some of our best princes had been raised to the
throne, and our worit kings deposed, by means of a Bri
tiih Congress. He then made a motion to the following
purport : “ That the Commissioners which are to be sent
by his Majesty to the different parts of ' America be im
powered to treat with any Convention, Congress or As
sembly of one or more provinces, who may best be sup
posed to underhand the inclinations of the people, with
out enquiring into the legality of the manner in which
they had beta convened, in order that a speedy reconci-
It is really whimsical enough to hear some of the mem
bers of St. Stephen's Chapel fay, “ Well, it is true we
have been deceived once, but we shall not be deceived
again if we do but fend all the forces we can muster, and
make another attempt next spring." The world at large,
who were not blinded with ministerial dust, saw clearly
what would be the result of the expedition ; and the mi
nisters were told so at the time, and yet they think to hum
the world a second time, by frefh promises, which there
is every reason to think will prove as vain as the former.
Heaven grant some more favourable winds may disperse
the contagion which prevails in the political atmosphere,
and the ftatc be cured of its phrenzy ere it be too late.
The killing northern blasts have too long endured, and
Britannia's fruits will be all swept away, unless the su
perior powers interfere and produce gentler breezes and
more propitious gale/
The fobowing is an authentic abftrad of the army es
timate presented on Wednesday by Lord Barrington to
the House of Commons:
Refoived, that 20752 men be employed for land service,
for the year 1776, and that 659,200!. 2s. rod. < be allow
ed for maintaining them for 365 days, from the 25th of
Dec. 1775, to the 25th of Dec. 1776.
Refoived, that 723,4321. 11s. ,d. j be granted for main
taining the forces in tne Plantations and Africa, for the
year 1776.
That 42,5301. 19s qd. be granted for the charge of
paying, and the difference of pay between the British and
Iriih Establishment, fer the troops of that country now
serving in America.
That 11,5031. 7s. 3d. be granted for the pay of general
and ftaff officers for the service of the current year.
That 104,1361. 63. be granted for levy-money, for the
augmentation of the Britilh and Iriih forces for 1776.
That 15,0721. 12s. out of savings of grants of last ses
sions, for the charge of an augmentation to the forces,
and for levy-money for the augmentation to Major Ge
neral Preston's regiment of Light Dragoons, towards de
fraying the charge of levy-money for the augmentation
of the British. and Irish forces for the year 1776.
That 26,7831. 15s. 2d. % be granted for defraying the
charge of five Hanoverian battalions of foot at Gibraltar
and Minorca, from the lit of September 1775, to the
24th of December following.
That 46,838 b is. yd. be granted for defraying the
charge of five Hanoverian battalions, serving as above,
for the service of the year 1776.
That 249,655 1 . 18s. 6d. be granted for the office of
ordnance, land service for the year 1776. And,
That 225,1711. iis. iid. be granted for defraying the
expence of Services performed by the office of ordnance
for land service, and not provided for by parliament in
1775.
liatioh might be effe&ed, confident with the honour and
interest of Great-Britain, and the requisitions of the co
lonies."
Sir George Young said, that in every dispassionate con
versation, which he had had with gentlemen of either fide
of the House, he found they were, to a man, anxious for
a reconciliation with America: He was convinced that
every day's delay made this reconciliation more difficult ;
that the Congress seemed to him the most speedy, as
well as the molt effectual medium by which it could be at
tained; mid as he regrettedevery hour that passed with
out an effort towards this happy object, he was desirous
to adopt this, or any other, or all propositions calculated
to promote a reconciliation.
Mr. Rice expressed some regret, that he had not been
soon enough in the House to hear the arguments by which
the motion had been introduced: He wilhed fora happy
reconciliation as much as any gentleman in the House,
but said he was desirous, if possible, to avoid treating
with any felf-sreated assembly; and he apprehended that
our entering into treaty with the Congress Would esta
blish its power, and lay the foundation for future troubles.
The question was then called for, and the motion re
jected without a division.
The House then went into a committee, and voted a
reward for the difeovery of the North East Passage ; and
also to any person, whether fuccefsful or not, who in the
attempt should venture as far as the North Pole. After
which the Chairman made his report, and about half past
four the House adjourned to this day.
Nov. 9. An intelligent correspondent fays, he can take
upon him to assure us that there are more lottery tickets
in the possession of the inhabitants of some addressing
towns, than in all the other towns in England put toge
ther.
Great betts are laid in the city, that within fix months,
one or both of the garrisons of Gibraltar and Mahon are
surrendered either to the French'or Spaniards.
It can hardly be doubted, unless the Americans receive
proposals of accommodation soon, but they will relin
quilh all hope of peace, and throw away the scabbard.
They have been accused of entertaining views of inde
pendance; it is hard to fay, on what that accusation is
founded. Profeffions of attachment to Great-Britain
can never be suited to advance such a design : Besides em
barrassing their own councils, and diffusing among the
people sentiments of veneration and refped for the
Mother Country, they iruft, so long as they are made
use of, absolutely preclude all hope of foreign assistance;
for who will interpose ii their favour, while a recon
ciliation seems probable : If they aimed at independance,
they would never talk of submission.
Their Delegates have Paid, “ Foreign assistance is at
tainable :" And who, that confiders what they have to
offer, can doubt it? Supplies for the fifheries, commer
cial advantages, or an extent of territory, are stipula
tions too favourable tor the interests of France and Spain
to admit of their refufing them. The fubjeds of those
crowns would not fuffer their ministers to do it. “ What,
it is asked, would the Americans become fubje&s of
France and Spain?" No, they would be independent of
all the world, and ALLIES of the House of Bourbon.
If a treaty of that kind was proposed, is it possible it
should mifearry? Are all the world become at once en
tirely disinterested ? Is every nation under heaven so com
plaisant to us, as to refufe riches and power, merely be
cause we wilh them to do so? O! ye rulers, lay aside
your puerile witticisms, your rhetorical tittle tattle, and
apply in earned some remedy to the miseries of your
finking country.
Nov. io. The King will review the s2d regiment of
foot, commanded by Col. Amherst, cn Monday next, on
Putney Common, previous to their embarking for Ireland.
It is said the proportion of the militia for Scotland is to
be 30,C00 men ; Lord North was daggered at this demand
in the Scotch, but Sir Gilbert Elliot and the Solicitor-
General insist upon it, and they are fapported by all their
countrymen.
The battalions railing by Lord Lovat's son are to con
fid of 2000 men.
this day Richard Penn, Ffq; will go through an exa
mination at the bar of the House of Peers, upon a mo
tion made for that purpose by the Duke of Richmond on
Tuesday lad.
James Harris, Esq; his Majesty's Minister at the Court
of Berlin, arrived in London on Mondav last; he had
but four days notice to fettle his affairs' and leave that
kingdom; the reason is not yet known, but it is conjectur
ed his Prussian Majesty intends making some incursions
into our German dominions.
Extras of & letter from Milford, Nov. 4.
“ On the 30th of October, the commanding officer of
the regiments defined for .America received orders to dis
embark the troops till further orders. It is talked here,
that they are not to go for America till next formg."
Yesterday the Right Hon. John Sawbridge, Lord Mayor
of this city, went in the city barge, accompanied by 'the'
late Lord Mayor, and the different Companies in their
barges, by water to Westminster, where he was sworn
in at the Exchequer-bar, before the Curfitor Barons, and
then returned to Guildhall, where a very sumptuous en
tertainment was provided.
The Duke of QlpuCefter is certainly dead; the news
is not declared, that miniftry' may have time to fettle the
disposal of his places.
There is nothing so convincing in this ministerial con
duct of the certainty of mifearriage, that all the expe
rienced soldiers, admirals, f.iilors, ftateffilen, arid orators,
are in the opposition, which proves the opposite party
have neither heads or hands to conduct the measures.
A certain naval Lord is so chagrined at the times, that
he is determined to retire into France, and pais the re
mainder of his days in a monaftick manner, but not of
the order of St. Francis.
It is confidently asserted in the city, that the Court of
Portugal has entered into a treaty with the Court of
Spain, to give the Spaniards all the assistance in their
power in case they should be at war with England; and
that the Spaniards are to give them the like assistance in
case they should be attacked by any European power.
Several thousand pairs of worked stockings, and inside
flannel waistcoats, were shipped yesterday on board a ves
sel in the river, bound to America, for the use of his
Majesty's troops during the winter.
the ministerial address intended to have been obtained
on Tuesday surreptitiously at Abingdon, as the sense of
the county of Berks, was thrown out by a large majority
of freeholders. The business opened with a speech from
the High Sheriff, offering to read an address, and letters
in favour of it, from absent freeholders. This was agi
tated and allowed. Lord Abingdon then made a sensible
speech against it, offering a lenient, not sanguinary peti
tion, which he had brought with him. He was opposed
by a Mr. Loveden. Lord Craven, and the late Sheriff
Baker, spoke ably, and above all, Major Hartley, so as
almost to draw tears in favour of his clients, the 'Ameri
cans.
Never was any thing more artful than the conduct of
the friends of adminifiration on Tuesday at the county
meeting for Berks. They strangely contended, that the
meeting was called to confider of an Addrefs —an Address
they had brought avitb them, and were proceeding to f.gn
it as the Address of the county, absolutely reading to
know whether it was the sense of the majority then pru
fent. The Sheriff refufed to put the question, whether
his address was the sense of the majority. Upon which
Lord Craven put the question himfelf, and walking to the
other end of the Town Hall, bid the friends of America,
follow him, and the rest remain with the High Sheriff;
upon which there were left not above thirty, if so man%
in favour of the address; the multitude in the interest of
mercy and conciliatory measures, triumphing incredibly
over the disproportion, which was to have been imposed
on the King and kingdom, as a majority of the county
•f Berks*
Lord George Germaine, during the latter part of the
late King's reign, was held in such a light, that the
Courtiers even refufed to pay him the compliments due
to his rank; Lord George is now & favourite at St. James's,
and in the high road to preferment.—“ Temfora mutantur,
" et nos mutamur cum illis."
Yesterday the order of the day was read in the House
of Commons for the House to be put into a Committee,
to confider further of a supply to be granted to his Ma
jesty; five estimates of the army, an estimate of the ex
pence of five battalions of Hanoverians, and also an es
timate of the ordnance, were moved to be referred to the
said Committee, which being done, the Speaker left the
chair, and Lord Barrington, with his hands full of papers,
got up and spoke for some time, as an introduction to a
resolution for 20,000 soldiers to lie voted for the Ameri
can service. A motion was afterwards made for Sir
Charles Whitworth to quit the chair, which occasioned
a debate that lasted till near midnight.
Brief AbJh-aa of the Heel of yesterday's Debate on a Motion
of Mr. Poivis, fir Sir Charles Whitworth to leave the
chair, when the House were in a Committee of Supply.
General Conway urged the Ministry to give some sketch
of their intended measures, and spoke much in favour of
the Americans, declaring they were naturally dutiful and
obedient fubje&s, and that it was obviously their inclina
tion to live in a state of dependance on this country.
Mr. Jenkinfon replied to him, and with great earnest
ness entered into a defence of the present measures, de
claring, that fending a large force would do the business,
and effectually end the dispute with honour to this coun
try. He observed, that none but cowards would at this
moment offer terms of reconciliation, after the concilia
tory proposals of lad year had been treated by the Con
gress with so much contempt, and after such violent con
dud had been the charaderiftie of twelve governments,
who had most of them expelled their Governors, and
daringly trampled on every right of the mother country.
Mr. Jenkinfon expressed much furprize that the last speak
er, after the Americans had refufed submission to the
Declaratory Ad (an aft moved for by himfelf) and after
it was notorious that they were in open rebellion, should
venture to call them dutiful and obedient fubjeds.
Lord John Cavendish followed Mr. Jenk infon, and op
posed Adminifiration, declaring whenever great arma
ments had been agreed to by that House, they were ge
nerally unnecessary, and he instanced the last peace, im
mediately previous to which a great naval force had been
agreed to, and never used.
Lord Frederick Campbell supported the present mea
sures, and declared that he was in favour of railing a
great force, for the very reason the last speaker had given
why he was against it, viz. that the measure might be
followed by peace. His Lordship gave it as his opinion,
that if the colonists were not compelled to submit, this
country would be merely a province to America.
Governor Johnston paid General Conway a compliment
on his valour and wisdom, and joined him in requesting
at leult some outlines of the intention of Adminiltration,