The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-05-10 00:00:00, page 1

MAY :o, !776-' 'r 11 12 NUMBER—ssctsi
VIRGINIA ;ssGAZETTE
.,si
Asiwna Pox L 1 8 ]: R T Y, ? AND un, PUBLlCK coonsi
ALEXANDER. PURDlE, PRlNTER.
PURSUANT to powers received from
thectlctlon. the Contincntal Congress,
the Committee of Sasety are ready to
grant commssisiions for making rcprisals
upon the pro erty of the people of Great
Britain, at ea, orin the rivers, below
high—water mark, to any persdns who
shall apply for them) and comply with
' the terms mentioned by Congrcss.
EDMUND PENDLETON, president.
-——-—-———-—-*
T HE Committee of Sasety desire the
commanding-officers of the several
minute battalions to procure and return,
without delay, an exact list of the number
of men in each company, end how they
are furnished with arms, that the same
may be laid before the Convention.
EDMUND PENDLETON, president
IN CO N G RESS, Apri111,1776.
ESOLVED, that it be recommendcd
to the several Assemblies, Conventi
ons, and Committeesor Councils ofSascty,
of the United Golonies, to use their best
endeavours in communicating to soreign
nations the resolutions ok'Congress relative
to trade.
April 16. Whereas muchinconvenienCe
may be derived to the publick from com
mittees (other than the Committces of
Sasety in each colony) on the publick post
roads, stopping and opening the muils,
and detaining letters from the Constitutio
nal Post: It is therefore resolved, that no
committees, but the Council or Cdmmit
tee os Safety in each colony, or such Per
son as they shall on extraordinary occasions
authorise, should stop the Constitutional
Post, open the mail, or detain any letters
, therefrom.
Extract: [Part: the minutes.
CHARLES Tnomson, secretary.
N the protest of the Lords against the
prohibitory bill are the following para
Fraphs respecting the commisiioners to be
ent to America, viz.
7thly. Because the whole scheme of
this predatory War ok'private lucre is put
under the arbitrary direction of certain
commisiioners, to us unknown, even by
name ; who have power to give such con
tinuance to the ravages authorised by this
'bill as their arbitrar will shall suggest; to
pardon, or except rom pardon, any num
ber or description of persons, and with
such exceptions as they shall see fit, with
out any other rule than" their own private
opinion, fancy, caprice, savour, or rest,
ment ; and without any other rule to opc ,
or keep shut, any colon-y, provincc, coun
ty, town, district, or place. We are of
opinion, that the power lest to the com
missxoners is pbrfcctly unjustisiuble and un
constitutiona]. It has, besides, a tendency
to create the most shameful and mischicv
ous monopolies. The power given to the
admiralty, and to the West lndin gover
nours, to license ships, is of the same na
ture. ]ssuch monopolics and johs should
not arise from such powcrs, it is no fault
Of this bill; which, as isit had these pur
poses in view, has taken especial care to
providc as strong :\ nmptation as human
nature, secr above law and restraint, and
furnished with every f'acility to corruption,
can possibly be exposed to.
8thly. Because we know nothing osthe
holiness of these commiflioners, further
than the above arbitrary discretion with
regard to pardons. Humour gives out,
that they are to have & power to treat with
the Americans for a redress of their grie
vance;. Of this, however, neither the
speech from the throne, nor the bill, have
given the least intimation; although, is
the commissloners treat on this subject at
all, acts and powers of parliament being
the matter ofcomplaint, the commisiionera
ought to derive some previous authority
from parliament, in order to give weight
and efficacy to their negotiations, and to
prc serve some appearance osdignity in our
selves. It is hardly pfoper- that parliament
should appear in no other light than as the
instrument of penal restrictions, attaindcr,
pcnaltics, and consiscations, as the maker
os menacing addresses, and the rejccter of
dutisul petitions. it is hardly deccnt to
show ourselves fierce and inflexi'ole here,
but to be satisfied with permittingunknown
persons, whom ministers shall choose in
future to appoint, to disposc in America
os powers and acts of parliament at their
pleasure; leaving us first the odium of re
jectingx reasonable requests, and afterwards
thc disgrace of ratisying shameful conces—
lions.
The FORKESTE/C': ]areussel to CATO,
(rc. ('a-c.
To THE PEOPLE.
T is not a time to trifle. Men who know
they deserve nothing from their conn
try, and whose hope is on the arm that
hath sought to enflave ye, may hold out
to you., as Cato hathdone, the False light. of
reconciliation. 'l'hereisnosnchth'mg. 'Til
gone! "l'is past! The grave hath parted
us; and death, in the persons of the (lain,
hath cut the thread of life betWecn Brita'm
and America.
Conquest, and not reconcilintion', is the
plan of Brimin. But, admitting even the
last hope of the Tories to happen, which
is, that our enemies, after a long succes
sion of losses, wearied and disuhled, should
despairingly throw down theh' arms and
propose a re—union; in that case, what is
to be done ? Are defeated and disappoint
ed tyrants to be considered like mistaken
and converted friends? Or would it be
In ht— to receive those for govemours,
who, had they been conquerors, would
have hung us up for traitors? Ccrminly
not. chcct the offer then, and propof'c
another; which is, we will mu/zepmce with
you as with enemiex, but we will never re—
unite with you as friend:. This effected,
and ye sccure to yourselves the pleasing
prospect of'an eternal peace. Americru,
remote from all the wrangling world, may
live at ease. Bounded by the occzm, and
backed by the uilderncss, whnt hath she
to fear, but he r Goo!
. Be not deceiVod. It is not a little thilk
ls at stake. Reconciliatio'n will not nofl
go down, even is it were offered. 'T'ls I
dangerous question, for the eyes of all
men begin to open. There is now no se
ever in the matter; there ought to be none.
It is a case that concerns every man, and
CVery man ought to lay it to heart;
He that it here", and he that was bamherc,
are alike concerned. It is needless too to
spht the business into a thousand plrts
and erplex it with endless. and fruit]:
inve igations, in the manner that awritetct
signed : Common Man hath done: This
unparafielled contention of nations is not
to be settled like a schoulhoy's talk of
pounds, shillings, pence, and ft'actions'o .
That writer, though he may mean ws";
is strangely below the mark; for she hrlt
and greatquestion, and that Which involves
every other in it, and from which ever
other will flow, is htppinesf. Can this
continent be happy under the goycrnment
osGreat Britain, or not? Secondly, can
she be happy under a government us our
own? To live beneath the author'tt "of
those whom we cannot love is. sin et ,
flavery, or what name you pleasect "
that case, there will nevtr be peace.
Security will be a thing unknown; because,
& treacherons fn'end in power is the most
dangerous oscnemics. The answer to' the
second question, can Atnerica be happy
under a government of her own, is short
'and simple, viz. as happy as she pleases;
she hath a blank shect to write upon. Pnt
it not off too long). \ _
Painful as the taflc of speaking truth
must sometimes he, et ,] cannot. avoid
giv'n"? the following hmt, because much,
hay a most every thing, depends upon it;
and that is, a thorough knowledge us the
pevssom whom We trust.- It— is the duty Of
the publick, at this time, to scruc'mise
closely into the conduct o'stheir coffmmu
Members, Members of Assembly, lad
Dclegates in Congress; to know what
they do, and their motivei sur so doing.
YVichout knowing this, We shall never
know whom to confide in; but shall con
stantly mist-Jce friends for enemies, and
enemies surfriends, till, in the confusion
os persuns, we sucrisiee the cause. ] am
led to this refiexion by the sullowing cir
Cumsizmcsse, that the gentleman to whom
the unwise ansssil arbili'dry instructions to
the (Lelcgntes of this proviHCe owe their
being, and who hath brstowul allhispowcr
to support them, is shid to be the same
pershn who, when the ships now on the
flocks were wanting timber, nsificscd to [25]!
it; and thus, by preventing ons flrengsh,
to cry out of our insufficiencv. But his
hour assume is past; he is hastening to his
politicu] exit.
THE FORRESTER.
3" Farsiget not the hapless/Zf sl/i'ican!
N. B. 'l'he gentleman who writes
under the signature of The Furrzj/Zer is
supposed to be the author of that mnch
mlmim] pamphlct entitled (IOMMON
SENSE.