The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-24 00:00:00, page 1

TO THE PUBLI C.
SulTex County on Delaware.
OpHE COMMITTEE of Infptaion and observation in
1 and tor the county afurefaid having, met according to ap
pointment at Broadkim Hundred n rhe laid county, on th?
twenty-Seventh day ot Oftubr 1775. Thomas Robinfou,
Esq; of laid county appear d before the Said Committee, and
requested that certain winches (who were previously Summon
ed to appear before this Committee) might be examined,, id
Order to exculpate himfelf of certain charges exhibited in a
printed h d bill, published agaiwft him by the Committee of
infp.amn lately met at Dagfbarry, to -wit, in the month of
Ju.) ia(t past He, the said Thomas Robinfan, alledging
th# his chara&r was very much traduced by means thereof,
and that hrs reputation was very much injured, as well in the
neighb airing governments as in this and the other counties
ob Delaware. . .
Whereupon the Committee proceeded to examine the wtt
nefits refpe&ing th- firft charge in the aforesaid printed hand
bib, which is contained in the deposition of Peter Watson in
the words following, to -wit: " Peter Watson bein,^, sworn
"on the Holy Evangelft of Almighty God, depofah and
“ faith, that on Monday thr 10th nt this inßaur July, being
«' at Thomas Robinson's ft^re, on the head or Indian River,
“ he saw John Gozlin, Clerk to said Robiufon, weigh and
" fall, two small parcels of Bohea Tea, one of uhich he de r
" liveied to a girl, the other to Leatherberry Barker's wife;
" which aforchid Tea he took out of a large tailifter, that
“ hejudged would hold about twelve or fifteen pounds; and
" further faith not."
The witnesses produced in this case were, John Goflee,
Leatherberry Barker and Abigal his wife; yhole fevcral de
pofitious are a* follows;
John GofLe being sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almigh
ty God, depdeth and faith,?!. That hr hath not at any tme
tince the fi ft day of January lad patt, either doedtyur indi
reaiy fold any B ica Tea for Thomas Rubini 11, Esq; ofc
any other person wha soever, but that he had weighed qndr
ter of a p und of tea for a girl (the daughter ot Joseph Robiri
fou) in Ju 1 ) iaftj which belonged to Lcath^beiry Bakr;
bur that he received no money or any thing elje a, pay or fa
ll taftion for rhe fame; and that he delivered it to the gircat
the request of Lcathmbeny Barker's wife to him, this depo
nent, and further faith not." JOHN GOSLEE.
Swwr. to, and jubferibed the yb V o^br, 1775. before
J RODNEY,
(True Copy) DAVID TRAIN, Clerk.
Leatherberry Barker being sworn on the Hoy Evangerifts
of Almighty God, depofeth and faith, " That the Tea that
Mr Rabinfon's Clerk has been charg'd with falling tor laid
Robinson at his dore, in the new acquired lands near the head
of Indian River, on the 10th or July uh pad, he veriiybe
lieves was the property of him this deponent, a, he had put a
fi all quantity of Tea into a canifte: belonging to said Robin
f<,.,, then in his store, which he requested Mr. Robinion's
Clerk, namely, J< hn Gollee, to deliver to ferine of his freight
ers who had sent by him or Tea; Hatch rhe laid Gullee ac
cordingly did, and further this deponent faith not."
LEATHERBERRY BARKER.
Sworn to, and fobferibed ibe z,tb 4 October, 1,75, bejore
J. RODNEY.
(True Copy) DAVID TRAIN. Clerk.
Abigal Barker, the wife of Leathtrberry Barker, being
sworn on the Holy Evangejifts of Almighty God, depofeth
and faith, " That the has not at any time since the tirft day
ot January aft past, drrc&.y or indirectly, bought any Tea
or 'rnoma. Robinion, Esq; or of John G ilee bi Clerk; nei
ther did the laid John Gmlec dircaty or indirectly, weigh or
deliver this deposit 0 y quantity of Tea whatsoever for laid
Rubinfun, or any other person whatsoever Since the time
afurelaid, and furtb r this d ponent faith not."
ABIGAIL BARKER ^ (her mark.)
Sworn to, and feb/cnbed the 27th oJ Odorer, i%,§ before
J RODNEY.
(True Copy) DAVID TRAIN, Clerk.
By which d.,.6ions it clearly appears to this Committee,
that the said Thoma. -Robinion is innocent of the said charge
rcipeat g 1 felling or Tea.
On the 24 h day of Novemb.-r the Committee met puifuant
to appointment, at Cedar-Creek Hundred, in the county
aforefaid, when Nathaniel Muchel was examined concerning
the th rd charge in the aforefud hand bid (he being the only
whnefs that appeared amo g many who were cited to appear
on that dav) which runs in these words, to wit, " Nathaniel
Mitchel being duly sworn op he Holy Evangelist of Ahoogh
ty God, depofeth and faith, That being in company with
Thoma Robinion, Eq; and talking of tome public matters,
the said Robinion declared, that die present Congress wee an
uncoil Qitut,onal body of men; anti alio, that the great men
were puffing oa the common people, between them and all
danger; and further Mith not."
The fad Nathaniel Mitchel's evidence delivered before this
Committee was nearly the fame as above-mentioned, but he
further added, that he underftoQ^ Mr. Robinion was a Tory,
and that he called at his (lore on purpole to c6llt& his senti
ments refpe&iug the Congrets.
On the nth day of December, in the year aforefaid, the
Committee met according to appointment at the Couit-Houfe
in Lewes Town, when the said Rubmfbn appeared, and re
quested that the above-named Nathaniel Mitchel might be
br. ught before them, in order that he might have an oppor
tunity of cross examination: The said Mitchel appeared, and
being asked concerning his calling at Mr. Rpbinfou's (lore to
coilea has fentimenn as above-mentioned, denied that part
of his evidence given before the Committee at their left meet
fa For the remainder fee fog Fay. J
TH,;.. .
January 2, ^6. ft g Numb. 17^
PENNSYLVANIA /^' JOURNAL;
AND c':, 4 ' THE
WEEKLY . $ ADVERTISER.
§§^swsmse.^w^^s M
WEDNESDA r, 'I j^y 2 , # „6
^s^s^^s ASSSS^S^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^s^ssssssss^^s^^g
To the PEOPLE of NOR TH- A MERIC A.
WHILE government gives tolerable tecurity to th rights
of it's members, and the society enjoys i ternal
peace, the defe&s ought ho be very great and dangerous,
which could juftify a people in unsettling it in hv.es of re
moving them And On the other hand, the focict, which
ntglcas embracing any fair opportunity of correcting and
improving it's conftituti nhs in rat nto ex;tct it will be
lading. The present unfetticd Bate of govern m.nt in the
federal provinces, is one of the faired opior unities ever
offered to any people Of correaing congitminna Errors-; It
is an bcclfion pr duced by nece flity, and held out by Pro
vidence, and the fu me welfare of America mutt depend on
the use we now make of it;
We are at present i a date of absolute independence,
without any fettled form of Government, and fully convinced
of the imperteaiou of those so ms w< have he retofoteenjoyed.
If a refrleffnes of temper, nr uneasiness unde our present
difficulties should threw us into the fame chcumflaoces we
were in some years ago, poderrty, I fear, would leave reason
to cuife out proceedings. The Cotigrtfs has prayed to have
the colonies pu into the li ueti u hey were in before be
yeai 1763, i. e. liable to an attack whenever a Brrilh mihiftry
and parliament choose to begin it. For however the adts
which have caused our present diftrefle may now be re
pealed, there is no repealing of theft which may be eniCled
hereafter. No present parliament can bi d a future one,
and charters, p.oclamations and government affurmces
form no f rt of tye for Britifl K gs <nd Bri ifli Miwflcis.
Therefore in this liquation there tould be no proper fecunty
afforded to posterity for the enj(ym<nt of the priviledgts
we contend for, even granting tha our burnt towns, and de
populated and destroyed cities, on slain fri< nds and d fhelTed
Countrymen would be restored to th very Bate they were in
before the present shu 6 gle began 1 hey who think, that
prefect want of lucctfs, could prevent fu lire attacks ate
either wholly Unacquainted with the natue of ambitiori and
Itift after arbitrary power; or very unfriendly to America.
There never was an instance of disappointed ambition fitting
down contested, Ind he who will view the conductor ttfe
Eriiilh Adminiftrdtibn throughout this whole contest with an
unprejudiced and impartial eye will find, the utmost which
can be exptdbd is, that the appetite w 11 be whetted by pre
fect disappointment, arid that o,ure fehemes will be con
cert d with more cunning and atirftc. We owe our pref nt
fooy as much 'to the low opmi " our enemies enfettered
of Us, as to our own virtue. The case in this reip cl will
hereafter be very much altered; at d the fun that rifts on a
reccrcifiari^ and dependance, such as we njend brf>e
the year 1763 will fee ftrotog garrisons of Brit ill s ro< pson ail
our roirifi d places, and new Schemes concerted for enflavtog
us, which will be ennceated only until more certain of tuecefs
than at present. May God therefore prohrve us from he
dependance ' and connexion bf 176 g, until he lias yu,td
Britift mindters and Brit th parliaments of ail coLupti <n
and iniquity, and made Brit:fh K . gs deceit ambition and
injuft.ee as much asany monarch e^er loved them.
Independent powers at va;anee ire so far ft ir, confiding
in the good faith of each otar, hit ilvytnqucnTy cadto
neutral powers as gauranters of th ir treaties, and generally
begin to prepare 'or an open tup ure the day afrei their dif
ferences art fettled, a d experience juftifi s their conduct.
The present plan of court policy is to try who can out iithe
other, and the court which puts th m .It,effectual deception
on its neighbour is esteemed the molt able in fabrics.this
shews the absurdity and fully or lulling to the faith of treanes
with modern courts, and as 110 gtuTiucs wii, be admitted
in making up out disputes, the e is an absolute neceffi y of
obtaining fulh an internal vigour in our own conlluutio 7 as
may effiauahy secure us fn m all usure' attempts, bet ce
any terms of accommodation be agreed ro. This is only to
be had in a general and equitable continental acknowledged
and established union which can cal- fort the whole power
of the united provi ccs to repel auv track, together with
such reforms in the cunfritution of each particular colony as
will effectually secure us agaidft bribery and corruption.
The moment danger approached we were obliged, for our
own fafety and preservation, in a great degree to dissolve our
present forms of gover. menr, and to create new ones. Does
not this fliew evidently, that the forms we have hitherto
lived under are by no means eqna' to the talk ot preserving
our liberties, and that without such reforms as will enable
them to withfland attacks we can nev r be fafe?
However men may season on the fubjed, it is evident to
every one that the interests of Britain and America are not
now the fame. The conduct of the Britiflilegislature con
firms this dr &rine, and so far as thufe of the colonies are
fr*e from the influence of the crown they corroborate the
fame. As far as fecorid causes had a hand in our present
difficulties, a Bernard and Hutehmfen gave them an exig
ence. a Gage and Dunm-ne, &c, cause their continuance. —
The striking difference between the behaviour of the officers
appointed by the crown and those appointed by the people
lead to one plain fierce of our calamities, and while it holds
up to us a very great defed in < ui civil constitution, it points
out an eff, &ual remedy. The Colonies of Connecticut aud
Rhode Island can conhitutioDany exert their force, because
their governors arc appointed by Tie people. The other
Colonies cannot for want of this priviledge. That form of
government alone can give us security which puts all the ser
vants of the public under the power of the people. The
officer wlw is removcmable by the people will serve the peo
ple with fidelity. He who is not, will behave otherwise.
He who has the giving of all places i&a government will
always be master, it th, constitution were in ail other refpe&s
the best id the world. No one is fit to pofl'efs such a trust be
low the Almighty. Angels of the fiftorder we know have
fallen. Jfhigh flation* did not corrupt the heart, turn the
brains and excite ambition, Lucifer had never taHe.
SALUS POPU L J.
++4 ,-4-H !-...!-+ ..< ,-.;..-; ..,4-4 -,-,...|_,q;
LONDO N, October 28.
The following, it is said, was the amendment proposed on
Thursday iaft in the House of Lords, by the Marquis of
R ckingham.
rj^HAT we behold, with the utmost concern, the diford rs
and discontents in the Britifb Colonies, rather increased
than dimigilhed by rhe means that have been us d to fop
prefs and allay them ; a circumstance alone fufficieut to give
this House just reaf n to fear that chose means were not ori
gina ly well c ufid red, or properly adapted to answer the
ends to which they were directed.
" We arc fatisfied, by experience, that the misfortune has,
in a great measure, arisen from the want of full and proper
informa ion being laid before the Parliament of the true date
aid condition of the Colonies; by reason of which, measures
have S-eu cyrird into exrcti^on injurious and in< fficacioui.
fam whence no faiwary emu la- rt@°w hly to be ct;r.&cd;
tending to tarnidi the luftre or th/ Britilh arras, to bring dif*
credit on the wisdom of his Mtjtfty's councils, and to nou
roll, without hope of end, a mod unhappy civil w<r.
" Deeply impelled with a melancholy Ba e of public con
cerns, we shall, in the fulled information we can ob a ; n, and
with the mod mature deliberation we can employ, reV ov the
whole of the late proceedings, that we may be enabled to
difeover, as we th <ll be most willing to apply, the most effec
tual means of reftorjng order to the difFa-ed affairs of the
Britiih empire, confide rice to his Majesty's government, obe
dience by a prudent and temperate use of its powers, to the
authority of Parliament, and fatisfacbon and happinets to
all his people.
."By these means, we trust, we shall avoid any occasion of
having rccouife to ihe alarming and dangerous expedient of
calling <n foreign forces to the fupporr of his Majesty's autho
rity within his w. dominions, and the Bill more dreadful
ca amity of Shedding British blood by B i ifh arms."
Inie House of Lords on Thursday, before any motion
cou d be made for taking his Maj fly's tycl-h into Confidera
t:on Lord Camden rob and picfeuted a ,etition fom the
Lord Mayor, A dermten, and Camms:. Council of the city
of London. The petition was accordingly iffrivid, read,
and.id..cd ro ie cn he table — The Lord C aar Irr
role with 1 # mt degree of warmth, and condemned the impro
priety of th. condua of the noble Lord who preferred the
petition; said that it had been always a rule in that House,
on ruch ccalims as the present not to receive or enter upon
any bufin<fs whatever, til the Speech from the throne as
previously aken into con&lerat.on. Hr added, it ^asac m
pliment uniformly paid and xpe&d; hat a failure of it was
looked upon as a mark or difrefp cl, bu that however, since
the learned and nob e Loid had thou Ie pro, r : ,depart
from that rule, he sh old, in urn, beg leave to pr fent,^ pe
titiou Hum the Freeholders &c. o, his Majeßy'sColon of
Nova Scotia. His Lord th p then preferred the petition, in
his p ace, which was of cut ri read by the Clerk. Ir is a
very long one, and asserts T C fovereiguty and supremacy of
the mother country, in the (bongeft and must Specific terms;
makes offers of assistance, and testifies their loyalty, obedi
ence and zeal or the Nava-Scotians in expre Bions as the most
z alous Supporters or the claims of fritifh Parliament could
poflibly dictate But, before the clerk had proceeded quite
ha f through, the matter took a Orange turn, for, alter thr,
political confeSlioß of faith, the Nova-Scotians immediately
change their note, and dnter into a very long enumerate ,
and detail of their grievances, condemn the whole f stem cf
colony government; point out several modes of redress .rid
regulation ; and, in line, become at once th? amhorifative
counfellors; and if not the adlual, at least the viruri ac
cusers of their trusty friends the present miniffers. When
the C rk was beginning to read this part of the petition, it
ftemed to be the wish of some of the noble Lord, in office,
and their friends, to fink it ; but several of the noble Lords
in oppufition infilled that it Should be read through, that the
whole might be received or rejected together. It was ordered
to lie on the able.
The SPEECH of the LORD MAYOR, JOHN WILKES,
Esq; lari Thursday in the House ot Commons, on the mo
tion for an Address to the King:
" Mr Speaker,
“ I intirely agree with the Honorable Gentleman, who se
conded the motion for an Address 10 his Mijeily, that every
man ought now to fpeak,# , aad 10 a moment so impor ant
as the present to the whole empire, I think it ill becomes the
dignity and duty of Parliament to lose i fcif in such a ful
fome, adulatory Address to the throne as that now proposed.
We ought rather, Sir, toapp< rich our fovereigu with found
and wlohfome advice, and even with remo Nonces against
the conduct of hit M ; iers, who have precipitated the nati
on into an uujuft, ruinous, felonious, and mu dcrous war,
I call the war with our be tlnenin America, an unjust, felo
nious war, because th • primary cause and conferred orig in of
it is, the attempt to take rh-r money from them without,their
consent, contrary to the common rights of all mankind and
thole great fundamental principles of the Eugbflicoriffitution
for which Hampden bled. I aifat, Sir, that it is in^onfe
qaence, murderous ,&- because it is an a,tempj to Opriye
men of their live,, for TYan'ty^ up'in the just taUfe'of # the
defence of rhei- p^ppexty andthtif tlcaf rights'. "It becomes
no Infs a murderous war with rotpea to many of our fellow
fubjeas ot this island, for every man, either of the navy or
army, who has been sent by government to America, and