The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-04-19 00:00:00, page 1

-PRIL 19,1776. _- si 'r H Ect _ (;,si/si NUMBER 64.
ss AND Tnz PUBLICK GOOD.
ALEXANDER'PURDIE, .Psimrza.
4!
Wx 1. LlAMSBURG, Apri/ 13, 1776.
T being thought necessary for the
publick Scrvice to keep a Body of
SHlP CARPENTERS in constant
Employment, this 13 to give Notice,
that T\ WO COMPANIES, consistinss
of one CAPTAIN and thirty MEN
each, are to be raised. The Capcain
is to have ONE DOL LAR per Dicm,
thc Men HALF a 'DOLLAR, their
Provisions and Rum. T hcy are to
find their own Tools and Arms. Such
as are willing to engage may repair
to Williambmg, or Suff'ol/c.
8 0 15 N !: R A Lss LEE must in great
meafine regulate the motiozu of the
corzti-zental troops under his command ac
{ording to the internal fbrce ofsihe colony,
the committcej of the dtfflsirent counties are
requcstcz' to find into head—quartcr: (: re
turn of their minute-men, ;with the state
ansisil condition of their arms.
Willsiiamshurg, 'ctAPrz'l 8, lsi776.
-——-——-—-—
IN CO N G RESS, [March 23, 1776.
WH E R E A 'i the petitions of these
United Colonies to the king, for
the redress of 'gi'cat. and maniscst grievan
ces, htve not only been rejected, but treat
ed with scorn and contempt, and the op -
position to designs evidently formed to
reduce them to a state us scrvile suhjectiOn,
and their necessary defence a ainst hastilc
forces actually employed to lubdnc them,
declared rebellion; and whereas :m unjust
'war hath been commenccd against them,
which the commanders of the British Hects
and annics have prosccutecl, and still con
tinue to prusecute, with their utmost vi
znur, and in a cruel manner, wailing,
sssmiling, and destruyingthe country, burn
in;: houses and descncelcss towns, and ex
polingss' che helpless inhabitants to every
misery from the inclcmcncy osthe winter,
and not only urging savagcs tu invztdc the
country, but inltigating negmcs to mur
dsi-r their m lstcrs ; and whereas the parlia
ment us Great Britain hath lately passed :m
asst nflirnuinsiz these colonies to be in open
'rche]liun, sorbi lding ;dl trade und cdnt
mcrce with the inhctbitants thereof until
they shsidlcttcccpt pardons and submit to
despotick rule, declaring their properly,
wherever sound upon the water, liable to
seizure and confiscation, and enucting,
that what had been done there, by virtue
of the royal authority, were just andlaw
sul acts, and lhdl he so deemed: From
all which, it isis m.:n'tsest that the iniquitnus
scheme consicerted to deprive them us the
]ihessrty they 11 lVC a right to, by the laws
os ntture, itnd the English constitutinn,
wi" h-ss- pertinussiously pursued. lt being
tlu-resurc nccc-ss-siry to provide For their
dcsc-ztce and security, and justifiublc to
m lkC' rsprilfdct upon their enemies, and
nthet'ssxsitse to u-muy them, according to
the lsitws and ussisgcs osnutions, thc CON
[7
GRESS, trusting that such as their friends
in Great Britain (of whom, it is conl'esscd,
there are many entitled to appluule and
gratitudc for their patriotism and bench
lcnce, and in whose favour a discriminntion
of property cannot be made) as shall susser
by captures, will impute it to the authors
ofourcommon calamities, DODECLARE
AN [) RESOLVEas solluweth, to wit:
Rcsblved, that the inhabitants of these
colonies be permitted to sit out armed
vessels, to cruise on the enemies of these
Unitcd Colonics.
Rdblved, that all ships and other vessels,
their tackle, apparel, and furniturc, and
all goods, wares, and merchandises, be
longing to any inhabitant or inhabitants of
Great Britain, taken on the high sesisis,
or between high and low water mark,
by any armed vessel fitted ont byany priv ate
person or persons, and to whom commilli
ons shfll be granted, and being Iibelled
and prosecuted in any court erected for the
that of marmme unan's m any 01 ("(He
colonies, shall be deemed and adjudged to
be lawful prize; and after deducting and
paying the wages thc seemen and mari
ners on board us such cuptnrcs as are
merchant ships and vessels shall be en
titled to, according to the term of their
contracts, until the time of the adiudica
tion, shall be condemned to and for the
use of the owner or owners, and the offi
cers, marincs, and mariners, ossuch armed
vessel, according to such rules and propor
tions as they shall agree on. Providcd
alway:, that this resolution shall not ex
tend, or be construed to extend, to any
vefl'e) bringing settlers, arms, ammunition,
or 'wurlike stores, to and for the. use of
these colonies, or any of the inhabitants
thereof, who are friends to the American
Cause, or to such warlike stores, or to the
effects ofsuch settlers.
Rq/blved, that all ships or vessels, with
their tackle, apparel, andsnrnitnre, goods,
wares, and merchandises, belonging to
any inhabitant of'C-reat Britain, as asore—
stid, which shall be taken by any of the
vessels of war of these United Cplonics,
shall be deemed sorseited; one third (after
deducting and paying the wages Qsseamen
and mariners, as asorcsuid) to the officers
and men on board, and two thirds to the
11-1
Ulc Os \l]e umlcu UUlUlllCIO
Rc/blved, that all ships or vessels, with
theirtacklc, apparel, and surniturc, goods,
wares, and merchandises, belonging to
any inhabicant of Great Britain, as aforc
said, which shall be taken by any vessel of
war fitted out b and at the expense of
any ok'ctthe Unitcc Colonics, shall be deem
ed lsibrstitcd, and divided (after deducting
and paying thc wages of scamen and mari
ners, as ashresaid) in such manner and
pro mrtions as the Assembly or Convcntion
of uch colony shall direct.
Rdalved, that all vessels, their tackle,
apparel, and f'umiturc, and cargoes, be
longing to inhabitants of Great Britain,
ns usorcshid, and all vessels which may be
employed in carrying supplics tothc minis
tcr'ul armics, which shall happen to be
taken near the share: osany of these colo
nies, by the people of the conntr , or de
tachmcnts from the army, shall deem
ed lawful prize ; and the court of'admiral
ty within the fiid colony is required, on
condemnation thereof, to adjudge that
all church andcxpenses which may attend
the capture and trinl be first aid out of
the monies arising from the alel of the
prize, and the remainder equally divided
among all those who shall have been actu
ally engaged and employed in taking the
{hid prize. Provided, that where any de
tachmeuts of the army shall have been
employed as asoresaid, their part Of the
prize money shall be diflributed among
them, in proportion to the pay of the
officers and soldiers so employed. '
Extract fiom the minant. ,,
(;HARLES THOMSON, secretary_
Be pleafl-d to publish the enclosed, for the
ber/efit of such [ler/bm a: wrsi/b to be in
jbrmed qftlte bulinels and puwers of the
commsivsh'om r.: expected in Amerkja.
KING'S SPEECH.
HEN the unhappy and deluded muil
titude, :: ainst whom this force will
be directed, sha ! become sensible of their
errour, ] shall be ready to receive the mifled
with tenderness and mercy; nnd in order
to prevent the inconvenicncies which may
arise from the great distance of their fitl
ation, and to remove as soon as possible
the calamities which they suffer, ] shall
give authority to certain person: upon the
spot to grant general or particular pardon:
am! indemnitiet, in such manner, and to
such persuns, as they shall think fit, and
to recdive the submiffian of any provin'ce or
coiony which shall be disposed to return to
its ailegiance. ]: ma' be llshct roper to
authorisc the persons o commi loued to
restore such province or cohmy, so return
ing to its allegiance, to the free exercise \
of its trade and commerce, and? the
same protection and security as ' uch
province or colony had never revulted."
Mr. Ac LAND. 'l'hereis now no medi
um lest between submiliion nnd indepen
dence.
Governour LYTTLETON leconded tne
motion for an addresi. He expatiated on
the necessity of sh'engthening the hand!
of government, is coercive measures were
intended to be pursued.
He compared America to a chain, the
upper part of which was strong, and the
lOWer weak. .He explained this, by saying
the northern colonies, or upper part
the chain, were strong, populoua, and of
course able to make resiltanc'e; the sou
thern colonies, or lower palt, were weak,
on account of the number of negroes in
them. He intinmted, itsiasew regimenn
Were sent there, the ncgroea would-rise
am] imbrue their hands in the blood of
their masters. He was against any con
ciliatnry offers being made; said, this wal
the most proper time to speak out; and
thought, at all events, the honour of the
nation required coercive measures; that
the colum'cct ought to be conquered , and then