The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-24 00:00:00, page 2

we so make use of. that hatural right which' all other nations
have done before us, and erea a government of our own
independent of all the world, the quarrel could then be no
longer called a family quarrel, but a regular war between the
two powers of Britain and America, io the fame manner as
one carried on between England and France; and in this
Rate of political Operation, the neutral powers might kindly
tender their mediation, (as hath always been the practice)
and bring about the preliminaries of a peace —not a union,
Cato, that is quite another thing. But instead of Cato's
taking it in this easy and natural sense, he flies away hn a
wrong (cent, charges the author -with propf~gto call in fora,:
affi,lance; and under this willful falfliood rants u) a mighty
cry after nothing at all. He begins his wild and uuiuteUi
gible comment in,the following manner, "Is this, fay^ he,'
“ (meaning the railage already quoted) common fenje, or
" common nmfenfe? fdrkly peace} with Groat-Britain cannot
" he the object of this writer, after the huriWe character he
" has given of the people of that country, and telling us,
“ that reconciliation with them would be our rum. The
" latter part of the paragraph seems to cast fume light upon
" the former, although it contradicts it, for theft mediators
" are 1 not to interfere for making up the qu?r? e l, bu t to
“ widen it, by supporting us tn a declaration, That we are
" not the fubjefts of Grcat-Bnt.ro, —A nfw but of buunefs
" truly for mediators. But this, continues Cato, leads ns di
" really to the rj:n enquiry—Wcat jer&gn power is able to give
" us this fupporC' What support Cato? The paltage you
have quoted neither fays a fyllabie, nor insinuates a hint
about fupport:—lt (peaks only of neutral powers in the
meighbouriy chaia&er of mediators between those which are
at war; and fays it is the custom of European courts to do
so. Cato hath already raised C^mmiffiuners into Ambalta
dors; but how he could transform mediators into men in
arms, and mediation, into military alliance, is fiirpadingly
-strange. Read the part over again Cato, if you find I have
charged you wrongfully, and will point it out, I will engage
that the author of Common Serf shall ask your pardon in the
public papers, with his name to it; but if the ctrot be yours,
the conceßion on your part follows as a duty. ,
Though I am fully persuaded that Caro does not believe
one half of what himfelf has written, he, nevertheless, takes
amazing pains to frighten his readers into a belief of the
whole : Tells them of foreign troops (which he supposes we
are going to fend for) ravaging up and down the country ;
of their" bloody massacres, unrelenting pcifecutions which
would barrow up ((&, he) the very fouls of proleftants and free
men." Were they coming, Cato, which no one ever dreamed
of but yourfelf (for think God we want them not) it wou ! d
be impotable for them to exceed, or even to equal the cruel
ties practised by the Britilh army in the Raft-Indies : The
tying men to the mouths df cannon and " blowing them
awi,, was never a&od by any but an English General, or
approved by any but an British Court* —read the proceed
ings of the Selc& Committee on Indian affairs.
From temporal fears Cato proceeds to Spiritual ones, and
in a hypocritical panic, afles, “ To whose Share will Peuh
“ Sylvania fall—that of his mod Catholic, or his most Chris
" tian King ? I confefs continues he, that these queffions
'' flagger me." I don't wonder at it, Cato— lam glad to
hear Ihat some kind of rcmorfe hath overtaken you—that
you begin to feel that you are " heavy laden" —you have had
a long run ; and the stoutest heart must fail at last.
Cato perceiving that the falfchoods in his fourth letter pas
sed unreproyed, ventured boldly on a fifth, in which hecoh
tinues, enlarging on the fame convenient bug-bear. " In my
" last," fays he, " some notice was taken of the dangerous
“ proportion held up by the author of Co, mm Sense, for
" having rccourfc to foreign ,affiftancc." When will Cato
learn to speak rhe truth ! The affiftaace which we hope for
from France, is not armies, (we want them n^t) but arms
and ammunition. We have already received into this pro
vince only, near two hundred tons of falt-petre and gun
powder, besides mullets. Surely! we may continue to cul
tivate a ufeful acquaintance, without futh malevolent beings
as Cato ratting his barbarous dander thereon. At this time,
it is not only illiberal, but impolitic, and perhaps dangerous,
to be podring forth such torrents of abuse as his fourth and
fifth letters contain, against the only power, that, in articles
of defence, hath fupplicd out hasty wants.
Cato after expending near two letters in beating down an
idol which himfelf only had set up, proudly congratulates hira
feb on the defat, and marches off to new exploits, leaving
behind him the following proclamation. " Having thus,"
fays Caro, " dispatched his (the author of Common Scnfe'%)
-" main argument for independence, which he founds on the
“ necessity of calling in foreign qgi/ta?e, I proceed to examine
“ some other parts of his work". Not a Syllable, Cato, doth
any part of the pamphlet in quel'tlon, fay of calling in foreign
affitUnce, or cYca forming military alliances. Thedream is
wholly your own; and is directly repugnant both to the letter
and spirit of every page in the piece. The idea which Common
Sense conftuitly holds up, is, to have nothing 'to do with the
political affairs of Europe. " As Europe, fays the pamphlet,
" is our market for trade, we ought to form no political con
“ helions with any part of it. It is the true interest of Ame
" rica to fleer clear of all European contentions." And where
it proposes fending a manifefto' to foreign courts (which it is
high time to do) it recommends it, only, for the purpose of
announcing to them the impossibility of our living any longer under
the British government, andof' afaring fueb Courts, of our peace
" able difynfimn towards them, and of our de/ire of entering into
" trade -with them." Learn to be an honest man, Cato, and
then thou wilt not be thus exposed.—l have been the more
particular in detecting Cats here, because it is on this bubble
that hi: air'-built battery against independance is raised—a
poor tourdation indeed! which even the point of a pin, or a
pen, if you pteafe, Can demolish with a touch, and bury the
formidable Calo beneath the ruins of a vapour.
from this part of his fifth letter to the end of his seventh,
he entirety defeats' the fubje& of independence, and fees up
the proud ftaotfad of Kings, in preference to a Republican
form of government. My remarks on this part of the fubje&
will be general and concise.
In this, part of the debate, Cato Shelters himfelf chitfly ip
quotations from other authors, without reafopiag much on the
matter himfrif; 1 in answer to which, I prefect him with a
[ For the Remainder fee the Fourth Page, l
, It it a flrange thing that Cato cannot be taught Id difin
guife between peace e^nnion.
° * Lord Clive, the chief of Fafern plunderers, received the
t^arfa of the Parliament for " his honourable conduct in the
Faff-Indies,."
5 The foWroFg is an infante of Cato's method cf condt&ng
an argument, " If hereditary foeceftm, fays Common Sense,
" (meaning fuceefion of iTmarcb^al governments) did enfere a
'' rate of good and wife men, it would have the seal of divine
'' authoriti," thus we find him, fays Cato, " with his own
“ hand affixing the seal of heaven to what he before told us
16 the Devil invented and the Almighty entered his protest
" avainft." "Calo's ,tb letter.—This is a jirange argument
hkd, Cato ! or father it is no argument at all, for be edit ar,
/ucceffion dues not ensure a race of good end wife men, confe-
Quently has not the fcabei divine authority.
EXTRACTS from the Journals of th® Provincial Congress
''of South-Carolina.
In CONGRES S, February 3, 1776.
RESOLVED, That Mr. President do Signify the approba
tion of this Congress, and prefect their thanks to the Mon.
Henry Middleton; and John Rutledge, Efqrs.now present
in Congress, and to the other Delegates of this colony at
Philadelphia, for their important services in the American
Cong,cis., .
Mr. President accordingly addressed himfelf to the Hon.
Mr. Middleton, and.Mr.-Rutledge, as follows.
Gentlemen, . r ,
Y^ THEN the band of tyranny, armed io h^ftilc manner,
VV was extended from Great-Hrirain to fp< il America of
whatever the held merit valuable; it was, for die mod im
portant purposes, that thegood people of this colony delc
paieJ you cpreptefeue them in the Continental Congress, at
Philadelphia.—it became your buGnefs to afeertain she rights
of America, to point out her violated franchites, to make
tumble reprefenrarion to the King for redraft, and, he being
chat to the cues of- his American lu'jt&s to appeal to the
Kingot Khigs, for the recovery of tire rights of an infant
people, by the Majefy of heaven formed for future Impiie.
In diis mxft.important bufuiefs, you engaged, as became
good citizens; and step by flep. you deliberately advanced
through it. with a regret and sorrow, and with a retortion
and condudt,- that bear all tiie characters of ancient magna
nimity. Your condiments, with a Beady eye, beheld your
pregrefs. They law the American claim of rights, the asso
ciation for the recoveiv of American franchises, and the
humble petition to the King for refrefs pt grievances. Tucy
law the American appeal to the King of Kings; and, a fe
cund humb'e petition to the British Monarch: abri*! As un
availing as the firft. They have also seen the establishment
of an American naval force a treafmy, a general pbh-uthce,
and the laying on a Continental etubargo: in short, they
have seer ipefmiibon granted to colnuics, to creel forms of
. government, independent of, and in opposition to, the regal
authority.
Your county few all these proceedings, the work of a body
of which you were and arc members; proceedings arding
from dire neetdity, and not from choice; proceedings that
.are the natural consequences of the present inauspicious
reign; proceedings just in themfelvet, and which, notwiih
ftanding the late declarations of the corrupt houses of parli
ament, the proclamation at the Court of Sr. James's, on the
13d of Augult and the fobfequent royal speech in Parlia
ment, are exactly as far dift^nt from truafon and rebellion,
as hands the glorious revolution, which deprived a tyrant of
his kingdoms, and elevated the house us Bruufwick to
royalty.
Worthy Delegates ! It is the judgment of your country,
that your conduct, of which I have just marked the grand
lines, in the American Congress, is jutiniablc before God and
man, and that, syhateVer may be the issue of this defenfive ci
vil war, in which, Unfortunately, though gloticufly, we are
engaged, whether independence or slavery, all the blood, and
all the guilt, must be imputed to British not to American
counsels. Hence your conhituents, fcnfible of the propriety
of your conduct, and of the benefits, which, with the buffing
of the Almighty, it is calculated to ihcd upon America, have
constituted me, their instrument, as well to lignify to you their
approbation, as to present to you their thanks : And it is
in the difeharge of these duties, that I now have the honour
to address you.
In an important crisis, like the present, to receive the public
thanks of a free people, is to receive the molt honorable rc
compence for pait services, and to deserve such thanks is to
be truly- great. I know that it is with pain such men hear
their commendations. Gentlemen, with the public recom
pence, I man to pay in to you, my mite alio; and left I
wound your delicacy, when 1 mean only to do justice to your
merit, I forbear to particularize, what is already well known.
J therefore confine myfclf ; and I do mob refpeafully, in
the name of the Congress, present to you, and to each of
you, the thanks of your country, for your important services
in the American Congress, at Philadelphia.
Feb. 9. Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress, an elegant
flandard, such as is to be used by the Commander in Chief of
tke American navy ; being a yellow held, with a lively reprc
fentation of a rattle snake in the middle, in the attitude of
going to strike, and these words underneath, “ Don't tread
on me."
Feb. 15. Refolvcd, That a committee be appointed to
confider and report the best means, and an estimate cf the ex
peuce of building, with the utmost dispatch, two frigates, for
the service of this colony, each to mount thirty-two guns on
one deck : And also to confider and report the expediency of
Rationing armed vessels to protect the navigation of Beaufort
and Gcorgr-towa harbours.
Refoived, That the Hun. Rawlins Lowndes, Esq; Col.
James Parlons, and Capt. Thomas Savage, be delegated to
proceed forthwith to Savannah, to make proper repicfenta
tions to induce that colony to co-operate with this, in paying
the ftiiacft obedience to all the resolves of the Continental
Congress, particularly that relative to nori-exportation; and
to urge the treceflby of extending the non-exponatiou to the
firft day of May next.
Feb. 16. A morion was made, That the majority of the
Delegates, present in Philadelphia, fball be a quorum; and
that when by sickness or accident, only one Delegate Brail
be present in Congress, in such case, such Delegate, flrall give
his voice on the part of the colony.
Marchi. Resolved, That no veffcls whatsoever, (hail pass
.any armed polls in the rivers and inlets, or on the coast of this
colony, until a fatisfaaory account Brail have been given of
them at such polls : And that public notice be given of this re
solution.
Marchi. Mr. Rutledge from theCommittee to prepare a form
of orders proper to be delivered to Col. Burl, made a report
which being amended, was unanimoully agreed to, ^s follows:
South Carolina. By authority of Cong-els.
To Stephen Bull, Esq; Colonel, or, ro the Commanding Of
ficer rar the rime being, of the South -Carolina forces, or
dered to a& in aid of Georgia.
WHEREAS there is season to apprehend that attempts
will be made to cause the merchant vetich in Savannah River
to fail withjhe-ir cargoes : And as inch a proceeding wpum be
detrimental to the interest of America, it becomes Tris colony
to aid the friends cf America in Georgia, by end.^vumirg,
with them, effectually to prevent the laid vcflels tailing ui:h
their cargoes: Therefore, you are hereby order d under the
dire&ion of the Colonel of the continental forces in Georgia,
and with the concurrence of the fri nds of America, in mat
colony, to'takepo& on either fide of Savannah river, wuh
the troops under your command, and use every effort in your
power to incapacitate those veffcls ficin proceeding with tl eir
cargoes oa thfir several voyages; and to that end, cause them
to be forthwith unrigged, tbeif- rudders taken,oft, and their
fails and rudders deported in feme lecure p ace, or kept un
der a proper guard.
You arc alfoordered, under the direction and with the con
currence aforefaid, to give every aid in your power, for re
pelling iniurreiftions and invasions there, and securing and
imprisoning every person in Georgia, whose going at large
may be dangerous to the liberties of America, or the security
at chat colony.
Having>cxecr.ted these orders, you hre, either with all or a
part of the forces coder your command, to return to this
colony, or remain i, Georgia, at your diferetion, and so a&,
under the direction, and with the concurrence aforefaid, as
you shall think moftadvantageous to the American cause, un
til you fliall receive further iaftuaions from the Congress or
Council of Safety of this colony; to whom you are, from time
to time, to transmit full information of your proceedings.
Ma-cb § Mr. President of he Council of Safety, laid be
fore the Congress fcvbral papers, received this morning, by
cr-refs, from Ge-ngia. and addressed to their board.
Resolved, That the unanimous thanks of this Congress be
returned, by Mr. President, to the Council of Safety of Geor
gia, in terms of the highest approbation of their noble and
spirited GondudL
Resolved, I hat this Congress will, on Thurflay morning
next, in a Commitree of the whole, take into consideration
the report of the Committee who were appointed, by ballot,
to prepare Inch a plan or form of government, as will best
produce the happinels of the people, and effectually secure
peace aed good order in the colony,
March 6. Mr. Ibclulcnt laid before the Congress the fol
lowing copy of the letter, written by their order, to Georgia:
South-Carolina, Charles-Town, March 5, 1776.
By Authority of Congress.
To tiro Honorable the Council of Safety for Georgia.
Gentlemen,
YOUR letters of theist and id inst. and your resolutions,
order, and proclamation of those dates were to he laid before
the Congress, transfufing a general and perfect joy. And
the Congress, fcntible of the vast importance which your ex
emplary fondua^u# be' cl to the American cause, unanj
moufly voted their thanks; and I have the honor thus to
transmit them to you, for your having decisively taken rhe
noble, politic, and vigorous resolution, That the veffcls in
the ports cf Savannah, ready to fail, contrary to the inrereft
of America, Brail be forthwith unrigged and unruddered;
and that rather than the enemy mail poftfs those veffcls and
your capital, all (Fall perith in a noble conflagration, lights
ed by youtfeives.—An instance of heroic principle, not ex
ceeded by any, and unequalled but by few, in history.
Your conduct, in citing such of the inhabitants of Savan
nah, as had abandoned their possessions iq that town, to re
turn to its defence, under penalty of being deemed to have
defeated such property, and of being excluded from any sup.
port towards obtaining an indemnification for any lots they
may Britain by a general conflagration, received "the higher
applause, as being worthy of imitation —The policy and
justice of the m- a,re are equally coufpicuous.
In Aunt, the Congress feci the greatest fatisfa dion from
their having anticipated your call for affiflance; it is fuffi
cicni that we knew our friends Band in need of our aid. We
hope that out forcer under Col. Bull, will fully accommodate
your necefliries : And you may rest allured, that we ffialt
continue to ass rd the friends of America, in Georgia, every
support in our power I have the honor to be, Gentlemen
your moil humble Servant,
WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON, President.
WILLIAMSBURG, (Virginia,) Zpiin.
Last Saturday Capt. James Barron arrived in town with
dispatches from the Secretary of State for Governor .Ed<n of
Maryland, which he took from on board a fmalj veffet that
had been sent by Lord Dunmore to cany them to Annapolis.
They were in the custody of a certain Mr. Rots, from fore
Pitt, an old offender, and an associate of rhe infamous Con
nolly.
The packet contained three letters. The firft, dated N^v.
30th, only serves to announce his Lordfhipb succeeding the
Earl of Dartmouth as Secretary for the American department.
The second, of Dec 13d, enclosed the Ad of Parliament
for feiziog American property; and affurts him of his Ma
jesty's being determined, in concurrence with his Parliament
to pursue the most vigorous measures for redoing bis rebellion
fubjebts in North-America; and then c/ofes. wt:n the Koh
exh<,rta r ipn to the people of his government, couched in
terms of the fame import, which we have already seen in
sundry proclamations from his governors. The third letter
being more intcrefting, is inferred at full length, and is as
follows :
" S I R, Whitehall, December 23, 1775.
“ It was not till the 27th o.t November that your dispatch
to Lord Dartmouth, us the 27th of August, was received
here, when I had the honour of laying it before the King :
and I have it in command from his Majesty, to express to
you bis Majesty's l approbation of your zeal for the public fo
vice, and of the unalterable attachment you have shewn to his
person and government, from the firft commencement of the
present unhappy disputes, which have involved his Majesty's
faithful servants in the colonies in difficulties and distress
that are only to be equalled by the fortitude with which they
Are born.
# " Your letter contains a great deal of ver, ufeful informa
tion, and your confidential communication of the chataßers of in
dividuals, more efpcciall, of fach as come over into England is
of great advantage; and you may rest assured, that <v<„,cfr
fible precaution will be uied that no part of ,our letter Jhatl
transpire.
" An armament confining cf seven regiments, with a fleet
of frigates and fmali ffiips, is now in icadincis to proceed to
the foutbern colonies, in order to attempt the restoration cf le
gal government in that part of America. It will proceed, in
the firft place, to North-Carolina, and from thence either to
South-Carolina or Virginia, as circumstances of greater or
less advantage Shall point out. If to the latter, it may have
very important conferences to the celon, under your government;
and therefore, you will do well to confider of every means
by which you may, in conjunction ivitb Lord Dunmore, give
facility and assistance to its operations. I am, Sir, your most
obedient humble Servant, GEO. GERMAIN.
By two deserters who came into York last Sunday, from
Goodrich's pink, commanded by one Picket, of the Eastern
Share, we learn that the tenders took off our capes a French
(loop with 150 barrels of powder and 250 fiand of arms;
there were three engineers on board likewise, whom the go
vernor ordered to be put in irons. They also inform, that
Lord Dunmore has fitted out a veffcl with 16 oars, that car
ries §e men, 6 three-pounders, and 12 Swivels ; and that
another was on the flocks, under the infpe&ion of old
G oodrich.
On Sunday the 30th ult. the sloop Liberty,, of Perth Am
boy, from St. Enftatia, with 83 barrels of gun-powder xz
bales of dry goods, and 2 hogfiieads of medicines, was taken
by a tender off the capes of Philadelphia, and carried into
Norfolk. The Capt. and three passengers, arc made elofe
prisoners. The mate escaped; he fays he was at Antigua,
whete were 700 British troops, making preparations to
fail to some part of the Continent; that the Roebuck, and
another man of war (which he supposed was the Mercury)
at the time he was taken, lay in Delaware bay; that there
were so many tenders cruifiag upon the coast, and the cauffi
on board so very vigilent since the proclamation came ever
direfling the deftribution of the prizes, that is was almost
impossible for any vessel to escape them; and that the peo
ple on board the tender informed him the American fleet wa^
at Charleftown, confining of eleven fail.
Brigad er General Armstrong, who arrived Jhere a few davs
ago from New-York, fa out laftTbotfUt fa N. Carifiua,