The New-Jersey journal — Chatham, N.J., 1782-02-27 00:00:00, page 2

tk Deluded Comthins and people of England, for
whom it was calculated.
“ The war," lays the fpcech, “ is still unhappily
" pre, nged by that reftlets ambition Which first ex.
'' cited our enemies to commence it, and which Hill
" continues to ailappoint my earned withes and dili
«' gent exertions to rertore the public tranquility,"
How easy is it to abuse truth and language, when
taen, by habitual wickedneL, have learned to set ju
stice at defiance. That the very man who began the
war who, with the mull fallen infol,ce refufed to
aufwer, dud even to hear the humbled of all petitions,
who hath encouraged his officers and his army in the
mod lavage cruelties, and the mod scandalous plun
derings, who hath Birred up the Indians on one fide,
and the Negroes on the other, and invoked every aid
of Hell in his behalf, should now with an air of af
feded pity turn the tables from himfelf, and charge on
ano her the wickedness that is his own, can only be
equalled by the baseness of the heart that Spoke it.
To BE NOBLY WRONG I 3 MORE MANLY THAN
to be meanly RIGHT, is an expression I once used
on a former occasion, and it is equally applicable now.
We feel Something like helped for confidency even in
'terror. We lament the virtue that is debauched into
a v # ce, but the vice that aftecisa virtue, becomes the
more detellabic; and amongst the Various affumpti
bus of character, which bypocrify has taught, and men
have pradifed, there is none that raises a higher relith
of disgust, than to fee diiappointed inveteracy twilling
itfelf, by the mod visible falfehoods, into an appear
ance f piety it has no pretenfionsto.
“ But 1 Ihould riot," continues the Speech, "anfwdr
“ the trtilt committed to the fovereigti of a FREE
6< people, nor make a Suitable return to my fubjeds
" tor their constant, Zealous, and affectionate attach
" merit to my person, family and government, if I
" consented to Sacrifice, either to my own desire of
" pece, or to their temporary ease arid relief, those
" ESSENTIAL RIGHTS AND PERMANENT INTER
" ests, upon the mainrairiance and preservation of
•' which, the future Strength and Security of this coun
" try mud principally depend."
That the man whole ignorance and obstinacy firft
involved and dill continues the . nation in the mod
hopeless and expenfire of all wars, Ihould now mean
ly flatter them with the name of a free people and
make a merit of his crime, under the disguise of their
eff ntial rights and permanent interests, is Something
which difgaces e~n the character of perverftnefs.
Is he afraid they will fend him to Hanover, or what
does he fear ? Why is the Sycophant thus added to the
hypocrite, and the man who pretenas to govern, funk
into the humble and submissive m morialift ?
What those eflenrial rights and permanent interefls
are on which the future ft ength and Security of En
gland must principally depend,are not so much as
alluded to. They are words which impress nothing
but the ear, and are calculated only for the found.
But if they have any reference to America, then do
they amount to the difgraceful confeffion, that Eng
land who once affirmed to be her protedrefs. is now
become her dependent. The British King and mi
nifby are conflantly holding up the vast importance
which America is of to England, in order to allure
the nation to carry on the war : Now whatever
ground mere is for this idea, it ought to have opera-
N ted as a reason for not beginning it; and therefore
they Support their present measures at their own dis
grace, because the arguments they now use, are a di
red reflection on their former policy.
“ The favourable appearance of affairs," continues
the Speech “ in the EalLlndies and the Safe arrival
" of the numerous commercial fleets of my kingdom
" must have given you Satisfaction."
Thar things are not quite so bad every where
as in America may be some cause of consolation, but
can be none for triumph. One broken leg is better
than two, but fill it is not j.y: and let the appear
ance of affairs in the East Indies be ever so favoura
ble, they are nevefthelefs worse than at firft, without
a profpe& of their ever beingbetter. But the mourn
ful story of Cornwallis was yet to be told, and it was
neceSSary to give it the tofteft introduction possible.
" But in the course of this year, " continues the
Speech "my assiduous endeavours to guard the ex
" tensive dominions of my crown, have not been
" attended with success equal to the juffice and up
'• rightness of my views." What justice and
uprightness there was in beginning a war with Ame
rica the world will judge of and the unequalled bar
barity with which it has been conducted is not to
be worn from the memory by the cant of Snivelling
foypocriSy.
66 And it is with great concern that I inform
" you that the events of war ave been very unfoftun
-66 ate to my arms in Virginia, having ended in die
" lots of my forces in that province."-^—And OUR
great concern is that they are not all Served in the
lame manner.
“ No endeavours have been wanting on my part"
fays the Speech “ to exti goifh that Spirit of rebellion
“ which our enemies have found means to foment
“ and maintain in the colonies ; and to restore to
" my deluded subjects in America that happy
" and prosperous condition which they formerly Oe
“ rived from, a due obedience to the laws.'
The expression of deluded subjects is become
so hacknied and contemptible, and the more so when
we fee them making prisoners of whole armies ata
time, that the pride of not being laughed at would
induce a man of common sense to leave it off. But
the most offensive falsehood in the paragraph, is the
attributing the prosperity of America to a wrong
cauie. It was the unremitted industry of the Settlers
and their defeendants, the hard labour and toil of
persevering fortitude that were the true causes of the
prosperity of America. The former tyranny of
England Served to people it, and the virtue of the
adventurers to improve it. Ade the man who with
his axe hath cleared a way in the wildernefe and now
pofleffes an estate, what made him rich, and he will
tell you the labour of his hands, the Sweat of his brow
arid the blefling of heaven. Let Britain but leave
America to herfclf and (he alks no more. She has
risen into greatness without the knowlege and against
the will Of England, and has a right to the unmolest
ed enjoyment of her own created wealth.
“ 1 will order " fays the Speech " the eflimates of
“ the ensuing year to be laid before you. I rely on
“ your wisdom and publidk Spirit for Such Supplies
" as the circumstances of our affairs Shall be found
" to require. Among the many ill consequences
“ which attend the continuation of the present war,
66 1 must Sincerely regret the additional burthens
" which it must unavoidably bring upon my faithful
" fubjeds,"
Strange! That a nation must run thro' such a la
byrinth of trouble, and expend Such a maL of wealth
to gain the wisdom which an hour's reflexion might
have taught. The final Superiority of America over
every attempt which an ifiand might make to conquer
her, was as naturally marked in the conftitutibn of
things, as the future ability of a giant over a dwarf is
delineated in his features while an infant How far
Providence, to accomplish purposes, which no hu
man wifdomcould forefee, permitted such extraordi
nary errors, will be believed b) Some and doubted
by others, and Rill a Secret in t e womb of lime, must
red till futurity Shall give it birth.
[The remainder in our next ]
From the Freeman's Journal.
A SPEECH that Should have been fpohen by the
king of the ifiand of Britain to his parliament.
MY lords. I can hardly from weeping refrain,
When 1 think of this year and it's cursed cam
paign. #
But still it is folly to whine and to grieve,
For things will yet alter, I hope and believe;
Of the four Southern dates we again are bereav'd,
They were just in our grasp (or I'm Sadly deceiv'd:)
There are wizzardsand witches that dwell in those /^m*
Forthe moment we gain them,they flip from our hands.
Oar profpe&s at present most gloomy appear ;
Cornwallis returns with a flea in his ear,
Sir Henry is sick of his Station we know
And Amherst, though prefs'd is unwilling to go.
The Hero that fleer'd for the cape of Good- Hope
With Monsieur Suffrein was unable to cope—
Many months are elaps'd, yet his talk is to do—
To conquer the cape, and to conquer Peru :
When his Squadron at Portsmouth he went to equip
He promis'd great things from his fifty-gun ship;
But let him alone—while he knows which is which,
He'll not be so ready to " die in the ditch."
This session, I thought to have told you thus much
“ A treaty concluded, and peace with the Dutch—"
But as Stubborn as ever, they vapour and brag,
And fail by my nose with the Prussian hag.
The Empress refuses to join on our fide,
As yet with the Indians we're Only ally'd
(Though such an alliance is rather improper
For we English are white, but their colour is copper.)
The Lili, I fear, have some mifehief in view ;
They ever have been a most tioublefome crew.—
If a truce or a treaty hereafter be made,
They Shall pay very dear for their present free trade.
Dame Fortune T think has our (Hoards forfaktri,
For Tobago they fay by Frenchmen is taken:
Minorca's besieged— and as to Gibraltar,
By Jove if it's taken I'd take to the halter.
It makes me so w oth, I could Scold like Xantippe
When 1 think of our losses along Miffifippi
And fee in the Indies that horrible Hyder
His conquers extending still wider and wider.
Twixt Washington, Hyder, Don Galvez, de Graffe,
By my foul we are brought to a very fine pass;
When we've reason to hope new battles are won
A packet arrives—and an army's undone!—
In the midst of this Scene of dismay and distress
What is belt to be done, is not easy to guess,
For things may go wrong tho' we plan them aright,
And blowsthey must look for, whose trade is to fight.
In regard to the rebels it is my decree,
That dependant on Britain they ever Shall be;
Or I've Captains and bolls that will By at my nod
And Slaughter them all—by the blessing of God
But if they Succeed, as they're likely to do,
Our neighbours mutt part with their colonies too:—
Let them laugh and be merry and make us their jest.
When La Plata revolts we Shall laugh with the restart
'Tis true that the journey to castle St. Juan
Was a project that brought the projectors to ruin ;
But still, my dear I ords. I w^uld have you reflea.
Who nothing do venture can nothing expert ——.
If the Commons agree to afford me new treasures,
My fen ence once more is for vigorous measures;
Accustom'd so long to head winds and bad weather
Let us conquer or go to the devil together.
By his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON,
Esq. General and Commander in Chief of the ar
mies of the United States of America.
Proclamation.
WHEREAS there is good reason r u believe, that
there are many deserters from the Con mental
army, who, from a conviction of their errors, and
from finding themselves deluded by Salle promises,
would willingly return to their colours, were they
not apprehensive of that punishment which is justly
due to their crimes: Therefore from motives of hu
manity, and in order to give all such an opportunity
of returning to the service of their country, I have
thought fit to issue this, my Proclamation, offe ing
free pardon to all deserters; as well those who may
have joined the enemy as others, who Shall deliver
themfe ves up to any Continental Officer, cn or be
fore the firft day of June next.
But I think it necessary at the fame time to declare
that all those who neglect to embrace the terms now
offered, and are hereafter apprehended, may expeft
the most exemplary punishment.
GIKEN at Head Quarters in Philadelphia, this
eighteenth day of February, 1782.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
By his Excellency's command,
Tench Tilghman, A. D. C.
[The Printers in the different States are requested
to publish the above ]
LONDO N, December 2.
Delates i^ the Deaf of Lords on his Majeftfs Speech^
Lord Southampton lamented the loss we had
lately sustained in the capture of Lord Cornwa lis
and his army, and complemented that noble and
gallant commander in terms of warm panegyric,
as well for his general bravery, Spirit, and good
conduft, as for his having furrend red on capitula
tion, in a moment of great exigency, and thereby
prevented his army from becoming a Sacrifice to
the sword, which must have been the inevitable
cohfequence <f his hanging out longer agrintt a
force every way so much his superior in po ; n^of
numbers arid advantage, as to Situation, art Tory,
&c. After drfcanting hr some Short time on this
melancholy circumstance, he took occafiun to ob
serve, that it ought not to make too deep an im
pression on the minds of their LordShlps, because
that their example would naturally be looked up
to by the rest of the kingdom, and the moment of
calamity, and the pressure of misfortune, was by no
means the moment for a great people to give way
to despondency. His LomShip then call'd the at
tention of the Hcufe to th p efent Bare of cur af
fairs in India, and argued that ifour arms had I en
less fuccefiful in America, than the justice cf our