The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1779-06-19 00:00:00, page 1

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NU MB-ER 19;
VIRGINIA GAZETTE
. s . ' T & . ' 1- .f " fss'ss"
WILLIAMSBURG; murmur ny DIXON es NLCOLsoN;sif-_sssi,si'sic
M ==:
To (be ixbcbitanu of lbtUNl'l'ED S'rA'rzs of AMERlCA
anns and Counuvuu, -
HE present fituuion of publick affain demand: your most
serious attention, find putieukrly the great find encreasung
depreciation of your currency require: the immediate, (hemi
_ ous, end united efforts of all true friend: to their country, for
preventingm extension of the mischiefs that have already flowed from
that source.
ss Ahsiericn, without lum, ammunition, discipline, revenue, govem
men. or lily, almost ship: of come, and in the weakens: of
fy'o'uth, as it Were with : " affaad'a llilig" only, du " in the name of
the Lord of Hoste" to engage I gigantiek adversary, epared it all points,
bouflising of hit flrength, and of whom even miss ty warrioro " were
greedy afraid."
For desraying the expensee of thin uncommon war, your representa
tiyee in Con less Were obliged to emit paper money; an expedient that
'you _knew to an been before generally and successfully praflised on thin
connnmt.
They were very sensible of the inconvenience: with which too frequent
emiflions , would be attended, and endenoured to avoid them. For thin
surprise they elltblished Ioan office: so early as in October, 1776, and have
rdm that time to this repeated] and earnestly solieited you to lend
them mo'ney on the faith of the {mind Statee. The same received on
lean have * nevertheless proved inadeqqnte to the publick exigenciu.
Our enemies .pgsiosesieuting the war !: len and land with implaclble fury
and with some success, taxation at home and borrowing thread, in the
mid} of disieuhiee and dungen, were alike impnctieable. Hence the
edgings! My of new emifliom.
I.}!!! this cause alone we do not impute the evil before mentioned.
We have too much season to believe it has been in part owing to the
was of men who_ have hallened to enrich themselve: by monopolizipg
dlemslriel of life, and to the mlsconduct of inferiour officers employed
in the yubliek service. _
'The variety end importance of the business intrusted to your delegutel,
melted- cousin: mendznoe in Congrest, necessarily diszblee them
indicating dishrden of this kind. justly -apprehensive of them
they by their. severglrefolutiom of the ud of November end loth of
her, 1777, and of the zd and 9th of Februarysi, 1778, recommended
, to the legilletive end executive poygrljffllsk (we;, : due mention to
these interesting lfflu'n. si How far those recommendatjons have been
complied with we will not undertake toidetefinitb; but we hold ourselves
bound in duty to you to declare. that we m not convlnced there hue
been :- much diligence used in detecting end resorming abuset "'that
he: been in commttting or compleining of them. _ ,
With mind to manoeolizen it is our opinion, tlm tue: 'udieioufly
[did on sue articlee a ecome the objecte of engrofl'en. an those fre
quently collected, would operate lgainst the pernicious tendeney of such
ces. - .
As to inferiour officer- employed in the publiek service, we anxioufly
desue to call your most vigihnt etteitcion to their conduct with respect th
every species of mishehahiour, whether proceedin from ignorance, negli—
gence, or fraud, and to the making of law: or inflicting exemplary
Punishmems on all offenders of'thlsil kind; ,
We ne sony to hear that some persone are so (lightly informed of
thei'r own interesh as to suppose that it il ldvlntageoul to sell
the reduce of their farma at enormous price.. when . little ' ection
mi t' convinee them that it it injuriom to these interelb end the general
we fare. if they expect thereby to purchase imported gvod'o eheaper,
they will be egregioufiy disappointed; for the merchlnte, who know
they cannot obtain returns in gold,: silver, or hill; of exchange, but that
thetr vessels, if Iozded here at all, must be loaded with produce, will raise
the price of what they have to fell, in proportion to the price of what
they have to huy; and consequently the land holder can purchase no
more foreign good] for the same qunmity of his produce than he could
before.
The evil, however, doe: not flop atthic inn The land holder by
acting on thin mistaken caleulation is'only abourin to accumulate an
im'mense debt by encreatin the ublick expensel, For the payment of
which his estate it engage , en! to emhan-iss every measure adopted
fet vindicating his Liberty and securing his prolperity.
At the harvesh of this year, which by the divine goodness promise to
'be plentiful, will soon he gathered, and some new measures relating to
'ydpr soreign conccrm, with some arrangement! relating to your domeshck,
Ire now under consideration, from which, hencficialessccts are expected,
we entertain hopes that your uffaira will acquire :: much greater degree of
ularity and energy than thev have hitherto had.
"int we should be highiy criminal if we did not plainly tell'you that
these hope; are not sounded wholly upon our own ploceedings. These
must be supported by your virtue. your wifflom, and your diligence.
From the advantage of thnsc seat: in the national council with which
you have honoured us, we have a leasing prospect of many blessing:
ehing this our native land. : is youi' patriotil'm mofl introduce
me.'] six them hero.
In vain will it be for ycur delegntes to form pltms of occosinomyz to '
Men to a continuation ot' emilsions hy 'azmtion or loan, if you do
." leden y c rat- with them in promoting their desigm, and use
yoiit utmost indu _ry to prevent ihe walle of money in the expenditure,
which you: respective Man; in the several piaces where it in expended,
may enable you to do. A discharge of this duty mist : co plinnde giot
recommendltiom for supplying money, hight enable Cossse to ;}
speedy assuranceo to the public]: 'thlt no more enuflions'lh tzke pluck
and t ereby close that source of depreciation. ', , —. ,
Your government: being now elsitzbiished, and your ability to comes}!
with your invades: aseemuned, we have on the most mature Gelibctitigsip
juttfed it'indispensably necesi' to call upon'you,for forty five mflsixib'ty
of ollan, in addition to the fi teen milhom required by ; resolutios gs
Congrese of-tlu :d of Januzry list, to be paid_ into the qomi'
trettury before the nst dal} of January next, in' the the same pro ning.
as to the quotas' of the even] Knee, with that" for the said ftsie'pen
miliiom '
o _ . 4
It : _ lred pro er to no to fix the first du of next ]muar for th ;
t'nent :tPe the whole}: but :: it is probable cht some states, if! not all,?!
raise part of the sum: by instalmenu or otherwise before that time, '
recommend in the Rrongett manner the paying as much as can be collcct .
an soon n poffible into the continentnl treasury. - I .
Thou it it is manifest that modente taxation in times of peace 'wm
\
recover t e credit of your currcncy, yet the ctzcourngemem which your
enemie- derive from its depreciation, and the ptescnt cxigcncies dem'lnd
greet and speedy exertiom.
We are persuaded you will use all puflible care to m..Le !he promotion
ofthe general welfare interset-e as little as may be with LI.: use and corn)
fost ot intlividuais; but'though thc' sailing these sums should press
henvily on some of our conflitnnnts, yet the obligmiuu ue feel to you:
vonenble clergy, the truly helpless, widow: and urlnhzms, your. met
pliant, generous, meritorious officers and soldietsis, the.; publick stith
nnd the common wesii], so irresish-bly urge us to attempt the appteciztion
of your cutrency, that we cannot withhuid obedience to these authority
tive sensutions. . si.
On tt-io subject we will only mid, that as the ruics ct' juflice a'rfesstoofl
pleasing to our insitziteiy good and gtac icus thator, and an adheretice to
them molt likely to obtain his savour, lo they will ever be found to be th'
belt old snfett mzxims of human policy. ' ' ss ct
To our conflituents we submit the propriety and pucity of our intent!
on. well knowing they will not forget, that we by no burthens ttpsissq
them, but those in which we participate with she ; sia happ sstquljlh
the: pdmdeo soeietin sounde- tsshe bzsisis of equdsih'tb'ectriy. asiny _ sea,
a li'boun, end may mot , reprouhct'eis m pecusiizc t? :- !
Th e are tsu emolumenu of our unsolicited'htisson - ! and iwith shasi
we are content, if You apfrove out conduct. If you 'silo not, we sh
murn-to our private con ssition with no other rgsigret, than that which
will arise from our not hivingct served you as Icccptabl sand,.cflsiequally
n we wished and sh-ove to do, though :- chearfully and litbfnlly ;; .wq
could. , . _
- Think not we despnir of the commonwealzp. or endsseavou; to shssnnf
from opposing difficulties? No! Your cause it too good, you: objefh
loosacmd, to be relinquifhed. 'We tell yau truth:, because you an'
freencn who can bar to hehr them and may profit by them; and when
flwy reach your enemies, we sea; not the consgquences, because we am
not ignonnc of their resource: or our own. L'ex Your good sense de "
upon the comparison. Let' even their prejudiccd undcrshndings decch
upon it, und you need not_ be ap rehenfive of lh_c doermin tion. . ,
Whmver supposed advmusscs From plan of rapine, roj I of blood;
or dreams of domination, may hencefore have amuctd their inflamed
flncies, sithe conduct of one _Monarch, che friend and pmtector of the
ri hn of mankind. hal come;! the scale so muthjgu'nst them, that theilss
vi omry schc'nm vnnish :: the unwholesomc vapour: as night before ;hcct
healthful influence: of the sun. -
An tuum ha: been formed between m. Moctnsicwjnian Majesty ussk
these Scales, on the bnsis of the most perfect equnlity, for the d'sect end
of mnintpining effcctmlly' their liberty, soverengmy'znd indepmden'ce,
absolute and unlitnited, as well in matter: of govemmctcnt us of comme: ce.
The conduct at our good and re'at nlly towards us in this Inshnce and
others, has t'o fully manifelted His sincerity ud.kindness. :u toexctte
our part corruspondent sentiments os confidencc and affection. '
Observing the intefesh of his kingdom, tosiwhmt'dt'ny and inclination
prompted hie attention, to be connected with thoflos Americayand the
combtnalion of both clearly to coincide with the beneficent designsiofi
the Author of Nature, who unquestionably intended 'men to p-nake 6
certain rights and portionl of happiness, his Majesty perceived the.
attainment of these view. to be founded on the single proposition ot 5:
reputation between Ameriei end Gre-t Brinin. si ' "
The t'esentment lnd confusion of your emm will point out to yup"
the idea: you should entertain of the nuemdimity lnd consummte'f
wisdom of his Most Chrinim Mljeiy on the och . _ '*
,Tltey perceive, that &an this grand-lnd ]ufi idea from all those.I
specious once that might h'nve consused or milled inferiour judgment of
virtue, and satisfied with the advantages which molt result from the;
even! alone, he has cemented the homely between himself indfiefif
states, not only by eshtblishiog : reciprocity of benesits, but by endi-pct '
everv cause of jealousy and silsfiuoll- They :!ld iveylth
emotiom, that the moderation o our ally, in not ay in
of dominion on this continent, or an exclttfion of Mind"! . ,' ,,
share. of its commerchl advantnqee, so msi'ctfsiul D th, M'fim nisi
zlmm to these nations, but in {43 has imsirehd ppMW
ment of his generous tindcrtlking to difsoln Wh -
Great Britoin, which has already contributed to mbup-m \
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