The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-08 00:00:00, page 3

case of troop; arriving here; o^etwife• the Canadians, who
have affiled us, will be ruined."
P HILA D E L P H I A.
Extras &fa Letter from Lewes- Town, Cape Henlopen, May 2.
" This serves to let you know that we have at this time in
ou' road, three of his Majesty's pirates."
The following was received by express on Monday last,
at eight q'clock, A. M.
Lewis Town, Cape-Heetlopen, May „ (To minutes after it,)
, Yesterday one of the British pirates with two tenders,
flood out to sea and took a Schooner and sent in here this
morning with her two tenders.—At ten o'clock this morning
the Roebuck and the other ship, with tire two tenders and
prize Schooner, ail got under fail with the wind, E. S. E. and
went out of the road, and are making tip the bay. They
have got the sloop tender, Dawson's boat and prize schooner,
all ahead of them, with intent, f believe, to found the chan
nel. The wind is freSh, therefore the whaleboats from here
can be of no use ; I have therefore feut off expreffcs to the
different alarm polls."
On Monday night, to o'clock came to hand the following :
Port Penn, Monday, half pa/l eleven o'clock.
" There are now in light, two drips of war, one top-fail
schooner, and three Smaller, foppofed to be tenders. We have
heard above forty guns fired, but know not from which vessel."
Yeftetday evening, at five o'clock, arrived an express from
Wilmington, (on Christiana creek) who brought the following.
Wilmington, Tuefda, ,5, May, two o'clock, P. M.
" Mr. B idges Brigantine is just got into our creek, es
corted by the Wasp.
" The twenty gun ship is at the Creek's mouth, and has fired
a gun, but the vessels are out of reach. We are preparing to
defend them.—The Roebuck at Newcastle, and tenders."
Extras of a letter from an Officer in Cumberland County, Weft-
New-Jerfe,, Ma, 6, 7776.
" This serves to inform you of an alarm we had about 11
o'clock this day, of a party of regulars landing on Findle's
inland, in Bacon's Neck, about four miles from Greenwich,
supposed to be about 30 in number; Shooting down the cat
tle, taking them on board, &@. whereupon I called the mili
tia together as soon as possible, and upon our appearance, a
gun was fired from on board one of the vessels for them to re
pair on board, which they did with the greatest precipitation.
Our men putfued so clofcly, that we were near taking 3 of
them prisoners, one of whom left an excellent muSket behind,
which we got, with feme catridges. They hollowed to our
men to go on board the King Fisher and they would pay for
the beef. It is supposed they took offbetween 20 and go cat
tle, § they left dead on the Shore, and wounded many others;
which, with all the others, we have drove from the water
fide. They have taken, this morning, a flialiop belonging to
Daniel Richard's, bound from Philadelphia to Morris's river;
but the hands escaped to shore."
Extras of a letter from the Camp before Quebec, March 30.
" The last week there came information from the parishes
below the river, that the people, instigated by their priests,
were beginning to take arms to destroy our guard at Point-
Levi, and from thence fuccour the town. The General sent
off immediately Major Dubois with 100 men of the York
forces, who were joined by a great number of country people
that were friendly to our cause, and made so much dispatch,
that an advanced party of the insurgents was met before they
were aware. They engaged our party, and fired three times
before our people returned the fire, who killed seven of them
on the spot, wounded four, and took thirty-eight prisoners:
amongst the wounded is one of their priests, and amongst the
prisoners is some of their chiefs. The main body after this
dispersed, and Major Dubois is in pursuit of their Command
er, and hope to have him in a day or two sent up as a prison
er. Out batteries will be opened tomorrow, one on Point-
Levi, which is opposite the town, and another on the Heights
of Abraham."
Extract of a letter from on officer at Fort George, April 10, 1,76.
“ We came here two days ago, and found the Lak still
closed with ice ; yesterday it all vanished, when Doctor Frank
lin and the other delegates immediately embarked on board
batteaus and crossed the Lake. Our regiment, with sundry
other troops from New-England and the Jerseys set out at day
break to-morrow morning. The whole of the troops that
are now on the Lake and here, will amount to upwards of
1500 men ; so that I think we Shall make a very refpedtable
figure before Quebec, when we all arrive : And I hope we
Shall not lay long there, but endeavour immediately to fee
what the inside is made of."
Extras of a letter from an officer at Montreal, April 6.
" By a gentleman from Quebec, we have the following ad
viees, which may be depended on : A number of Cana
dians, at the instigation of their priests, arose, with a
design to cut off the guards at Point Levy. A party under
Mtjor Dobois, attacked their advance guard, killed seven,
wounded five, and took about fifty prisoners; twenty-five of
which arrived here last evening. General Wooster arrived
before Quebec on Monday last: The battery opened at Point
Levi on Tuesday morning. One of Captain Lamb's com
pany made his escape from Quebec, and informs, that the
foidiers and prisoners are at an allowance of three ounces of
pork per day. A Canadian, who brought letters from Carl
ton to the inhabitants, is made prifuner, and fays, (which he
offers to swear to) that the inhabitants, as well as foidiers,
have risen in a body and gone to Carlton, and that he pro
mised, if he did not get assistance in 14 days, to deliver up
the town."
In consequence of an a& of Assembly, for encreafing the
number of Representatives for this ci+y and several counties,
an ele&ion was held in the said places on Wednesday last,
when the following gentlemen were returned.
For Philadelphia.
SAMUEL HOWEL, GEORGE CLYMER,
ANDREW ALLEN, ALEXANDER WILCOX.
For Berks Count,
HENRY HALLER. JOHN LASHER.
[ The Return of the other Counties not come to Hand. J
On Sunday last Capt. Barry in the brig Lexington, return
ed from a cruise against the Enghfh pirates. On Sunday the
*6th ult. at breakof day, he difeovered a fleet of 17 drips, when
three of them gave him chace, two of which he soon run out
of fight, the other, a very large ship of war, kept up the
chace for several hours.
Extras of a letter from New-York, May 1.
“ Last night an express arrived from Quebec to General
Walhinoton, he brings an account that Carlton and his peo
ple are put to an allowance of four ounces of meat a man, per
dav, ard short of bread. Wheat they have, but the method
they take to cook it gives them the flux. Soldiers deserting
daily from him with their arms and accoutrements.
“ Part of Col. Irvin's regiment wentoff to-dav for Quebec."
„ COMMITTEE of SAFETY.
Philadelphia, 7th May, 1716.
RESOLVED, That all recruiting officers who may happen
to cnlitt apprentices or indented servants, not knowing them
to be such, Shall be entitled to receive the rezfcnable expences
rteudihg their ehliftment. Extraß from the Minutes,
' WILLIAM GOVETT, Secretary.
A C A R D.
A CITIZEN of Philadelphia, begs that Cato would inform
- : I the public in his next letter in what manner the King
of Britain's Helwan and Hanoverian AMBASSADORS of
PEACE are to be received among us. O! Cato! Cato! how
haft bon deceived the people.
EE T T E R IV
WHOEVER will take the trouble of attending to the
progress and changeability of times and things and
the conduct of mankind thereon, will find, that extraordinary
ctrcumfoces do Sometimes arise before us, of a species, either
io purely natural or so perfectly original, that none but the
man of nature can underhand them. When precedents fail
to a(Tift us, we mud return to the firft principles of things for
information; and think, as if we were the firft men that
thought. And this is the true reason, that in the prefect date
of atiairs, the wife are become foolifh, and the foolith wife.
I am leo to this reflexion by not being able to account for the
condua of the quakers on any other: for although they do
not teem to perceive it themselves, yet, it is amazing to hear
with what unanswerable ignorance many of that body, wife
inother matters, will difeburfe on the present one. Did they
hold places or coramiflions under the King, were they
Governors of provinces, or had they any intcreft apparently
diftinel: from us, the mystery would cease; but as they have
not, their folly is best attributed, to that superabundance of
■worldly knowledge, which in original matters is too cunning to
be wife. Back to the firft plain path of nature friends, and
begin anew, for in this business your firft foottteps were
wrong. You have now travelled to the Summit of incon
sistency, and that, with such accelerated rapidity as to acquire
autumnal ripeness by the firft of May. New your rotting
time comes on. You have done your utmost and mutt abide
the consequences. Yet who can reflea 011 such conduct
without feeling concern! Who can look, unaffected, on a
body of thoughtful men, undoing in one raft hour the labour of
fiventy years: Or what can be said in their excuse, more,
than that they have arrived at their fecund childhood, the in
fancy of threescore and ten. *
But my chief design, in this letter, is to set forth the incon
sistency, partiality, and injustice of the dependent faction, and
like an honest man, who courts no favor, to Shew to them
the dangerous ground they stand upon ; in order to do which,
I mud refer to the business, event, and probable conferences of
the late election.
The butinefs of that day was to do what ? Why, to ele&
four burgesses to assist those already elected, in conducting
the military proceedings of this province, against the power
of that crown by whofcauthority they pretend to fit: and
thole gentlemen when elected, are according to the rules
of that house (as the rest have done) to take an oath of alle
giance to serve the fame King against whom this province,
with themselves at the head thereof, are at war : and a neces
sary qualification required of many voters, was, that they
likewile should swear allegiance to the fame King against
whose power the fame houle of assembly had just before
obliged them, either, to fine or take up arms. Did ever na
tional hypocrisy arise to such a pitch as this! Under the pre
tence of moderation we are running into the most damnable
fins. It is now the duty of every man from the pulpit and
from the press, in his family and in the street to cry out a
gainst it. Good God! Have we no remembrance of duty left
to the King of Heaven ! No conscientious awe to restrain this
facrifice of sacred things? Is this our chartered priviledge ?
This our boasted conftitutiou, that we can fin and feel it not ?
The clergy of the English church, of which, I profefs myfelf
a member, complain of their situation, and wish relief ; in
short, every thinking man must feel distress.—Yet, to the credit
of the people be it spoken, the fin lies not at their door. We
can trace the iniquity in this province to the fountain bead,
and fee by what delusions it has imposed on others. The
guilt centers in a few, and flows from the fame source, that
e a few years ago avaricioufty fuffered the frontiers of this pro
vince to be deluged in blood; and though the vengeance
of Heaven hath slept since, it may awake too soon for their
repose.
A motion was fometinie ago made to ele& a convention to
take into confiderarion the Bate of the province, a more
judicious proposal could not be thoughtof. Our present con
dition is alarming. We are worse off than other provinces—
and such an enquiry is highly necessary. The House of As
sembly in its present form is disqualified for such business,
because it is a branch from that power against whom we are
contending. Besides, they are in intercourse with the King's
representative, and the members which compose the house
have, as members thereof, taken an oath to difeover to the
King of England the very business, which, in that inquiry
would unavoidable come before them. Their minds too are
warped and prejudiced by the provincial inftruaions they
have arbitarily and without right issued forth. They are a
gain improper, because, the enquiry would necessarily extend
telhem as a body, to fee how far it is proper to trust men with
such unlimited power as they have lately assumed. In times
like these, we must trace to the root and origin of things; It
being the only way to become right, when we are got fyfta
matically wrong. The motion for a Convention, alarmed
the crown and proprietary dependants; but, to every man
of refleaion, it had a cordial and restorative quality. The
case is, firft, we are got wrong—Secondly, how Shall we get
right : —Not by an House of Assembly; becaule the, cannot
fit as fudges, in a case, where their own exiflance under their
present form and authority is to be judged of. However, the
objectors found out a way, as they thought, to Supercede the
ncceffity of a Convention, by promoting a bill for augment
ing 'h' number of representatives; not perceiving at the
fame time, that such an augmentation would encreafe the ne
ceffitj of a convention ; because, the more any po» er is aug
mented, which derives it's authority from our enemies, the
more unfafe and dangerous it becomes to ns. Far be it from
the writer of this to censure the individuals which compofc
that house; his aim being only against the chartered autho
rity under which it a&s. However the bill palled into a law,
(which Ihews, that in Pennsylvania, as well as in England,
there is no confutation, but only a temporary form of govern
ment}.) While in order to Shew theinconfidency of the house
in its present state, the motion for a convention was post
poned, and four conscientious independant gentlemen were
proposed as candidates, on the augmentation, who, had they
been ele&ed would not have taken the oaths necessary to ad
mit a person as member of that assembly. And in that case, the
* the Quakers in 1704 who then made up the -whole house of
assembly, zealouji, guarded their own and the people's rights agairft
the encroaching p,wer of the proprietor, who nevertheless, out
witted them b, finding means to abolifr the original charter and intro
duce another, of -which the, complained in the following words.
'' And then b, a subtle contrivance and artifice, " of thine," laid
" deepen than the capacities of some could fathom, or the circum
" farces of many could admit time then to consider of, a way was
" found cut, to lay the firft charter aftde and introduce another."—
Query, Would these men have elefled the proprietary persons which
you have done?
f This difinffion will be more full, explained in femefuture letter.
TO THE PUBLI C,
WHEREAS, J. F. DAVENPORT, in the Pennsylvania
Gazette, No. 2471. has forwarned all persons from
taking an assignment of a Note of Twelve Peunds given by
him to the fubferiber, declaring it to be surreptitiously gotten:
These are therefore to acquaint the public, that the Note was
given by virtue of an award made by four indifferent persons
elected and chosen by the said J. F. Davenport, and myfelf,
to fettle all matters in difference between us : And as to hifr
forewarning any person from taking an assignment of said note
he might have saved himfelf the trouble, as I believe that no
person that is acquainted with his circumftanees would choose
to have any thing to do with him; and I am determined to
bring an action for the recovery of the money as soon as ;he
said note becomes due. JOSEPH ARCHER,
Burlington County, May 2, 1776. f „ w.
He that is wife will reflect, that the fafeft asylum, efpcci
ally in times of general convulsion when no fettled form of
g'"'"""'"' prevails, is, the lave of the people. All property
is rare under their proteaion. Even in countries where the
lowest and most licentious of them have risen into outrage,
they have never departed from the path of natural honour.
Volunteers unto death in defence of the person or fortune of
those who had served or defended them. Division of proper
ty never entered the mind of the populace.—lt is incompa
tible with that Spirit which impels them into a&ion. n
avaricious mob was never heard of; nay, even a miser put
in the midst of them, and catching their spirit, would, for
that infant, cease to be covetous
On our fide w e had to sustain the lofts of those gallant citi
zens who are now before the walls of Quebec, and other
parts of the continent ; while the tories by never ftiiring out
remain at home to take the advantage of elections; and
this evil prevails more or left from the Congress down to the
Committees. A numerous body of Germans, of property zea
lots in the cause of freedom, were likewise excluded for non
allegiance : Notwithstanding which, the tory non-conformifts.
that is, those who are advertised as enemies to their country
^ere admitted to vote on the other fide. A ftrang 6 contra
diction inuced. To which were added the teftimoaizing
Quakers, wno, after Suffering themselves to be duped by the
...eanelt of all passion, religious spleen, endeavoured in a
v ^L e , lchar ! table manner to possess the Roman Catholics
° f , disease. These parties, with such others as they
could influence, were headed by the proprietary dependants,
!° '"^l" '?' British and Proprietary power aga nft the pub
lic. They had pompously given out that nine tenths of the
people were on their fide. A vast majority truly! But it so
happened, that notwithstanding the disadvantages we laid un
having many of our voters rejected, others disqua
lified for non-allegiance, with the great loss sustained by
abfrntees, the manoeuvre of Shutting up the doors between
seven and eight o'clock, and circulating the report of ad
journing and finishing the next morning, by which, several
were deceived; it so happened, I fay, that on calling up the
tickets that the firft, in numbers, on the dependant fide, and
the firft on the independant fide, viz. Clymer and Allen
were a tye 9x3 each.,
To the description which I have already given of those
who are against us, I may add, that they have neither affoci
a„ °? r alined, or but very few of them ; that they are a
collection of different bodies blended by accident, having
no natural relation to each other; that they have agreed
rather out of spite than right; and that, as they met by
chance, they will dissolve away again for the want of a
cement.
On our fide, our object was fogle, our cause was one;
wherefore, we cannot separate, neither -will we Separate. We
have flood the experiment of the election, for the fake of
knowing the men who were against us. Alafs what are they !
One half of them ought to be now asking public pardon for
their former offences; and the other half may think them
selves well off that they are let alone. When the enemy
enters the country, can they defend themselves ? Or will they
±. fe ? d , emlel . ves ? And if not, are they so foolifh as to
think, that in times like these, when it is our duty to fca'di
the corrupted wound to the bottom, that we, with ten times
their Strength and @ number (if the queftiou were put to the
people at large) will submit to be governed by cowards and
tories.'
I Mr. Samuel Howell, though in their ticket, was never con
sidered b, us a propretar, dependant.
ofcofoofcofc ofc ofc o^# cs>foe<K)ofoofoofo ofcofoofoofcofoogo
Northampton, April a,, 17,6.
TH E following prisoners, lately Officers in the Britifli
navy, who had given their parole of honour, not to de
part from the bounds of the town of Northampton, without
leave from the Commander in Chief, did, in the evening of
the a,th infant, abscond and run-away, viz. HENRY ED
WIN STANHOPE, 24 years of age, has lightish eyes, hair,
and complexion, pitted with the small-pox, has a large nose,
and is about 5 feet 6 inches in heighth. Also GEORGE
GREGORY, 24 years old, with light coloured short hair,
light complexion and thin favoured, about 5 feet 8 inches
high. THEY TOOK AWAY a young STONE HORSE, al
most black, with a white face and hog mane, and an old roan
GELDING, both good horses. It is hoped the greatest vigi
lance will be exerted to apprehend the said prisoners, who,
in return for the indulgence Shewn them, have basely violated
their word of honor. FIVE DOLLARS, and all necessary
charges will be paid far apprehending and securing either of
them. Per Order of the Committee of Northampton,
ROBERT BRECK, Chanman.
N. B. The Printers in this and the neighbouring Colonies
are desired to insert the above in their several Papers.
I Shall conclude this letter with remarking, that the English
fleet and army have of late gone upon a different plan of
operation to what they firft set out with ; for instead of going
against those Colonies where independance prevails meft, ihcy
go against those onl, where they suppose it prevails leaf. They
have quitted Maffachufetts-Bav and gone to North-Carolina;
supposing they had many friends there. Why are they el
pe&ed at New-York ? But because they imagine the inhabi
tants are not generally independants, (yet that province hath
a large Share of virtue, notwithstanding the odium which its
House of Assembly brought upon it.) From which I argue,
that the electing the King's Attorney for a Burgess of this
city, is a fair invitation for them to come here; and in that
case, will those who have invited them turn out to repulse
them; I suppose not, for in their 9x3 votes there will not
be found more than Sixty armed men, perhaps not so many.
Wherefore, Should such an event happen, which probably
will, I here give my firft vote to levy the expence attending
the expedition against them, on the eflates of these who have
invited them. The F ORESTE R.
h ^"' e ^°^ h 7 e had ncith erone kind of authority nor ano
ther. While the old part remained Sworn to divulge to the
the new pa " thou g ht it their duty to declare a
gainst him. Thus matters stood on the morning of the
ele&ion. 6