The Newport gazette (Newport [R.I.]), 1777-05-29 00:00:00

From the Connecticut Gazette.
Copy of a Letter from Lord CORNWALLIS to General WASHINGTON, dated Brunswick, April 3d, 1777.
SIR,
INCLOSE you a Paper, which Lieutenant-Colonel Walcott delivered Yesterday to Lieut. Col. Harrison, and which Lieut. Col. Harrison did not think proper to receive. I am, Sir, with due Respect, your most obedient humble Servant,
CORNWALLIS.
General Washington, &c. &c. &c. (Copy)
DEMAND, &c. by Lieutenant-Colonel WALCOTT, April 22, 1777, of RETURN of PRISONERS.
WHEREAS General Washington did, in his Letter to General Howe, bearing Date the 30th Day of July, 1776, declare, that he was authorized to propose, and he did in the same Letter accordingly propose a general Exchange of all Prisoners of War, in the Manner following, viz. Officers for Officers of equal Rank, Soldier for Soldier, and Citizen for Citizen." To To which Proposal his Excellency General Sir William Howe did, in his Answer of the first of August following, accede and agree. And whereas, in Pursuance of this Agreement, Gen. Sir William Howe, relying upon the Honour and good Faith of General Washington, for the due and punctilious Performance thereof, on his Part, hath, at several Times, sent and delivered over to General Washington, as will fully appear from the Lists with them transmitted, a Number of Officers on their Parole, and upwards of two Thousand two Hundred Privates, of the Enemy, his Prisoners; and who, as well Officers as Privates, are still to be considered as such, until they are regularly exchanged, Officers for Officers of equal Rank, and the Privates by a like Number of those who are in the Possession of General Washington; some of whom having been taken before, or about the Time of concluding the Agreement, have, in direct Violation thereof, been detained as Prisoners for full eight Months, and others taken in the latter End of December and in the Beginning of January last, have been in the like Condition of Prisoners for three Months; none, or very few of whom, have been hitherto sent in, in Return or Exchange of the Number of Prisoners sent by General Howe to General Washington. I, Lieutenant-Colonel William Walcott, vested with full Powers for this among other Purposes, do therefore, in the most positive and peremptory Manner, require and demand of General Washington the full and due Performance of the Agreement above recited; and consequently the speedy and immediate Release of all Prisoners of War, who are British, Hessians, Waldeckers, Provincials or Canadians, as well Officers as Soldiers, now in his Possession, or so far as they may go towards the Exchange of those
sent or delivered over to General Washington. And whereas there are still in the Possession of General Sir William Howe, a very considerable Number of Officers, and a Number of Privates, of the Enemy, Prisoners, unexchanged; I do further require and demand of General Washington, that so soon as he shall have completed the Exchange of those already delivered over to him, agreeable to my Requisition and Demand for that Purpose, he shall proceed to the Exchange of these last mentioned Officers and Privates, in Conformity to the Agreement of the 30th of July and the 1st of August, 1776, to the Execution of which the groundless and unprecedented Objections offered on the Part of General Washington by Lieutenant-Colonel Harrison, cannot, with any Degree of Reason, or consistently with Common Sense, be allowed or admitted as Obstacles. The One, "that the Whole of the Prisoners contained in the Commodity's Lists, and delivered over to Gen. Washington, should not be accounted for, because many of them died on their Return to the Place of their Destination, and many immediately after their Arrival." Posterior therefore, confessedly, from the Objection itself as stated, to their being delivered over to General Washington. All of whom therefore must be, and all of whom, this Objection notwithstanding, I do again require and demand to be exchanged, according to the express Terms of the Agreement, "Soldier for Soldier," for every Man delivered over to the Person who received them so and on the Behalf of Gen. Washington: The other, "The Case of Lieutenant-Colonel Let," whose Release General Washington might, with greater Propriety, demand, whenever, within the Terms of the said Agreement, "Officers for Officers, of equal Rank," he shall have in his Possession an Officer of Rank equal to the reputed Rank of the Gentleman in Question; but until that happens, the Demand and Objection upon this Subject are at least premature. I do moreover expect and demand that an immediate and categorical Answer should be given to their just and reasonable Requisitions and Demands.
GIVEN at the House of the Reverend Mr. Beach, in the Township of Hillsborough, the 2d Day of April, 1777.
W. WALCOTT, Lieut. Col.
To General Washington, &c. &c. (Copy)
Morris Town, April 9, 1777.
SIR,
ITAKE the Liberty of transmitting you a Copy of a Paper addressed to me by Lieut. Col. Walcott, of your Army, which came inclosed in a Letter from Lieutenant-General Lord Cornwallis. It is with peculiar Regret I am constrained to observe, that this illiberal Performance of Col. Walcott is evidently calculated to answer a less generous Purpose than that of merely effecting an Exchange, contains a gross Misre-
presentation of Facts, and is a palpable Deviation from that candid Line which I expected would mark his Conduct as a Man of Candour and Ingenuity.
That Gentleman has stated two Articles insisted on by me through Lieut. Col. Harrison, at their meeting on the 10th ult. as groundless, unprecedented, and inconsistent with any Degree of Reason or Common Sense, though founded, as I conceive, in the clearest Principles of Equity and Justice. Not contesting himself with this, which would have given me no Concern, he has assumed the Privilege of mutilating and misstating those Articles in such a Manner, and to adopt them to the unfair Conclusions he wished to establish.
Having premised these Things, and being charged in direct and positive Terms by Col. Walcott, who acted under your Authority, with a Violation of the Agreement made between us for the Exchange of Prisoners, and called upon for the Performance of the same; I think it necessary to explain the Motives of my Conduct, and the Grounds on which these Articles or Objections stand.
In Respect to the first, I freely confess, that I do not hold myself bound, either by the Spirit of the Agreement, or the Principles of Justice, to account for those Prisoners, who, from the Rigour and Severity of their Treatment, were in so emaciated and languishing a State at the Time they came out, as to render their Death almost certain and inevitable; and which, in many Instances, happened while they were returning to their Homes, and in many Others after their Arrival. You must be sensible that our Engagement, as well as all Others of the Kind, though in Letter it expressed only an Equality of Rank and Number, all the Rule of Exchange, yet it necessarily implies a Regard to the general Principles of rational Compensation and Advantage. This is inherent in its Nature, is the Voice of Reason, and no Stipulation, as to the Condition in which Prisoners should be returned, was requisite. Humanity dictated, that their Treatment should be such as their Health and Comfort demanded; and when her Laws have been duly respected, their Condition has been generally good. It is this the Language of Humanity, and Justice declares the same. But in every Parcel, or Agreement, in the Benefit of the Prisoners themselves, and that of the condescending Powers: On the Prisoner, it equally exists, that they should be well treated, as that they should be exchanged. The Reversal is therefore an evident Injustice, and ought to subject the Prisoner to whom it is chargeable to all the Damages and ill Consequences resulting therefrom. Nor can it be expected, that any Power, for future Service by Acts of Service, or direct Violation of a Compact, are subjects for an Exchange. In such a Case, to return Others not in the same Predicament, would be to give without receiving an Equivalent, and would afford the same (For the Remainder of this Letter, see the Connecticut Gazette.)

And Oyster Women lock their Fish up, To go about, and cry, no Bishop.
HUDIBRAS.
THE Leaders of the Continental Army, having been unsuccessful in their Endeavours to recruit their Forces, begin to suspect they are likely to have but a poor Time of it, the approaching Campaign; and, indeed, have not scrupled to blame the Lower and Brother, who, when dismissed by General Sullivan, were so earnestly conjured to unite and join together , in their Struggles for the Cause, and to come back as soon as they had comforted their involuntarily ravished Spouses .
What Assiduity and Application may be necessary to restore Tranquillity to a Breast torn and afflicted by an involuntary Rape , is a Point I cannot ascertain; but the Generals, it is more than probable, have determined it, and, from their repeated CALLS, seem to think there has been abundant Time allowed, not only to console the Spouses, but the ravished Lover, and the Sister too. But so fugitive a Thing is Yankee Grandeur, that he who sees whole Crowds of straight-haired Heroes, bowing to him at Pancake-Day, may, if he lives till the Ash-Wednesday, pass along unnoticed.
What Passion, but Despair, can find a Seat in the perurbed Souls of these great Men? Indeed, nothing less than an Extinction of the heaven-born Fire of Freedom were imminent, had not the Ladies of Providence engaged to entertain the Flame. These Vessels of a Fishing-Town, possess a Frame so happily robust, that in the Words of Hamlet, speaking of a Person he revered, Nature might stand up and say, This is a Man . Doubts have arisen in the learned World about the Cause of this Diversity in the Species, and Doubts they must remain, for any Light that we can throw upon the Matter. The most regular Reasoners, however, prove it to be the Result either of a First Cause, or of cramped God. To Philosophy, therefore, shall we leave it to decide, whether a Diet composed of Pan-Fish and Molluscs, with a Sufficiency of Rum, or Regiment of mere Flesh, be more conducive to expand the human Soul into the higher and more active Dispositions; and having dismissed this Difficulty, we resume our Subject. The Vetsa of Providence the Great, have then, it seems, been distressed exceedingly at the dwindled State, and tottering Condition, of the American Affairs; with a Hand truly patriotic, they resolve to cherish them. In this View, they propose, as a preliminary Step, to raise a Body of Men, and teaching them the manual Exercise, to put them, early in the Field. The Command of these Levies will naturally be given to these Ladies, and, to avoid unnecessary Struggles and Contentions, each Candidate is to produce a Proof of her Abilities in the military Art, as a Ground for her Pretensions. Those who have kept up the strictest Discipline in their own Families will be considered first: And in this Point, it is said, the married Dames are likely to be promoted; there being a Number of Matrons, partially Martinsists, whose Habitations have borne so small Analogy to well drilled Garrisons, for some Years past. The Head and Shoulders of the Husband will, if the Characters be fair and legible, pass as a just Certificate of the Powers of the Candidate; and if the Traces of the Horse Whip can be found, a Regiment of Dragoons will follow. These delicate Affectionate of the Rights of Men have fixed upon an Uniform, and certain Regulations, fit to distinguish them from other Officers. They are to shave their Heads, and let their Beards grow. Those who are grey, will be allowed a due Proportion of Lamp-Black and Oil, to give a decent Colour to their Whiskers, which no Lady can
der the Degree of a Field-Officer will be allowed to wear uncurled. As the Rifle-Men are not quite so numerous as they were before the little Skirmish at Bedford last Year, every Officer is to have a Rifle Skirt. None but a Brigadier General to be allowed to wear a Petticoat and Pattens. Every Officer to wear Stays or Jumps, except when breeding; but before an Officer can be returned pregnant, she must submit to the Process of a Court of Enquiry. A Breach of this Formality, or a collusive Proceeding, will attract the severest Penalty; nothing less than the Lady's being dismissed the Service, and deemed to have behaved unlike a Gentleman.
We now come to an Article of the Dress to be worn by these tender Troops; which will not only be an Ornament to their Persons as Soldiers, but do Honour to their Feelings as Women. To be perfectly sensible of this humane Intention, it may be proper to observe, that a great Depopulation of the Colonies is likely to ensue from their present Undertaking, unless some prudent Measures be adopted to prevent it; and it is evident that according to the usual Mode of conducting an Intercourse between the Sexes, a considerable Proportion of that precious Fugitive Time is lamentably lost, in dull Decorum and chieflish Coyness: All which Procrastination would be easily banished from the World, were Men to know, at the first Sight, whether they are in a Train for good Success or not. But Education so influences our Conduct, that it is able to obstruct even the most natural Tendencies; that vulgar Part of it called Briskness, is certainly the very Arseback of the finer Passions. A Man, though seeming with Respect for a fine Woman, finds an Awkwardness hang about him, if he professes to make a Tender of his Heart to her, without, as it were, feeling the Pulse of her Affection, without watching the Effect and Progress of his Sedulousness to please; while she, acting a Part big with the same Restraint, shackles a generous Passion with the Boards of Form and feigned Indifference. These soldier-like Damsels of the Fishing-Town, have, by one noble Effort, relieved themselves and the agonizing Lovers they may have, from this Enthaladism; they wear a Belt, which, while it binds their Bosoms, sets the expanding Heart in perfect Freedom.
It descends most gracefully from the shoulder to the swelling Hip, it has no scymeter appealing to it, but wears the peaceful and inviting Word Liberty.
Let any Man now figure to himself a lovely Lass with her Hair cropped, Jack Boots on her gentle Legs, and a Rifle in her ready Hand, let him then answer upon the Information of his Conscience whether so formidable an Appearance would warm him into Love or prompt him to prefer his Passion: But if he sees that dear Word Liberty beaming its genuine Light, the Belt becomes a torrid Zone.
It had been long observed, how many a modest Miliner is thrown out of a World of Business in London, merely because desiring to be thought a Gentlewoman, she cannot bring herself to the Indignity of hanging out a Sign; while perhaps she might have had her Hands full, had she been wise enough to let her Name and Trade be written on her Window Shutter. And not only her own Distress and Disappointment is the Attendant of her false Modesty, but the Public suffers an Inconvenience of great Importance to a commercial Country. How often do Mistakes happen to those who are about being Customers, from not knowing where the Thing they want is to be sold? Well-meaning Persons have been known to ask for Padlocks at a Staymakers, a Saddle at a Silversmiths, or Brimstone at a Mounters.
Our Sea-port Goddesses, find, therefore, with such irrepressible crooks of the most pitiable Consequence of maximise bonis , void out an unambiguous Index of their Benevolence to Mankind, which, like a Number on a Hickory Coach, directs the Traveller to the Vehicle he has hired, and saves him an unnecessary Application to the Driver of a private Carriage, who, besides laughing in his Face, might perhaps remain inexorable, and suffer him to walk himself to Death, rather than let him up and ride. How much more easy is it to know a Lady's Mind by this intelligible Language of the Belt, than the uncertain Dialect of the most expressive Eyes. These Organs are but imperfect Ministers to Sentiment, too tender, and too liable to Accidents: But with the Belt, a Beauty may explain herself, though she has but a single Eye. And if this agreeable Improvement reaches the Cape of Good Hope, we may conjecture the Hottentot Ladies will readily adopt it; since Nature has been pleased to furnish them with a living Belt, exceedingly convenient as to Size and breadth enough for embossing or embroidering that talismanic Term LIBERTY, without cramping a single Letter on it.
There is, however, one Objection to this Discovery; which indeed rather shews the general Inefficiency of human Art, than a Defect inherent only to this Novelty. It is, that Leather, in Spite of all the Effects of the tanning Art, will still be Leather; so that a Word which ought in Reason to be carved on Brass, is, in this Instance, merely pictured upon perishable Hide. Now, a Variety of Accidents may efface those Letters; for Life, alas, is full of Rub! What then must be the Fate of the unhappy Amazon? A Tear! A Tear, Compassion! or a Hint at least, to help the Ladies to a lasting Set of Characters.
But let them be of Comfort. Cannot Letters be distinctly traced with Blue upon the human Skin? Heh! by Heavens, it is a Thought of the first Magnitude. What though Petty-Larcenists and Wastes would mark the Initials of their Names upon their brawny Arms, yet is the Colour so expressive of Liberty, it cannot be dispensed with. Liberty, it must be owned, is an Affair on which Mankind have entertained a vast Variety of Ideas, but in one of its Essences they all agree; no Man so Rigid but is certain Liberty is blue. To deny this, were to resist the Evidence of Truth itself: For Liberty is derived from Heaven—Heaven is blue, therefore, Liberty is blue of Course; and indeed if this were not a Fact, it would follow that an azure Belt is no more expressive of true Freedom, than a yellow or a red One, which would be such a Heresy in Politics as most Americans would execrate.
If any of the Generals in the GRAND CONTINENTAL ARMY, have at Heart the Honour of the Soldier Ladies, and any interest with the Turnkey of Newgate, they may get the Secret of marking these new Camillas with the veritable marks of the Old-Bailey; by which Means they may be burned in, like old China; while that Devastation of the human Species, which follows in the Train of Mars, shall amply be compensated by the Industry and Application of these Virtues. Arxena lift up your Thirteen Heads! the Amazons of Providence have sworn, even by their Deads and Belts, to be your Friends! Stand forth, ye radiant Patterns of excelling Nature, ye Portraits of sweet Womanhood and Loveliness! Come to your Posts, ye Colonel Abigails, ye Major Sarahs, and ye Captain Bathshebas! The Small-Arms of your genuine Beauty were destructive; but the Blunderbusses and Six-pouderers of your satiric Charms, will put the Serpent down, and raise whole Mobs of Statues to your Memory.
G. G.

203 Extracts from Rebel Papers.
DESCRIPTION of the AMERICAN STANDARD.
T HE colours of the American fleet have a snake with thirteen rattles, the fourteenth budding, described in the attitude of going to strike, with this motto, DON'T TREAD ON ME. It is a rule in heraldry that the worthy properties of the animal in the crest borne should be considered, and the base ones to be intended. The Ancients accounted a Snake or serpent an emblem of wisdom, and, in certain attitudes, of endless duration. The rattlesnake is properly a Representative of America, as this animal is found in no other part of the world. The eyes of this creature excel in brightness most of any other animal. She has no eye lids, and is therefore an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor ever surrenders; she is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. When injured, or in danger of being injured, she never wounds till she has given notice to her enemies of their danger. No other of her kind shows such generosity. When undisturbed, and in peace, she does not appear to be furnished with weapons of any kind. They are latent in the roof of her mouth, and even when extended for her defence, appear to those who are not acquainted with her to be weak and contemptible; yet her wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. She is solitary and associates with her kind only when it is necessary for their preservation. Her poison is at once the necessary means of digesting her food, and certain destruction to her enemies. The power of fascination attributed to her by a generous construction, resembles America. Those who look steadily on her are delighted; and involuntarily advance towards her; and having once approached, never leave her. She is frequently found with thirteen rattles, and they increase yearly. She is beautiful in youth, and her beauty increases with her age. Her tongue is blue and forked as the lightning.
PHILADELPHIA, April 29.
We learn by an express arrived in town yesterday that Gen. Carleton is within forty-five miles of Tinconderoga. The garrison at that place is commanded by Gen. Wayne. PENNSYLVANIA WAR-OFFICE, Philadelphia, April 17, 1777.
I. Resolved, That a Committee of Fifty be appointed to have the direction and superintendence of the removal of all the provisions and other stores now in this City, or near the river Delaware in this state, below the Falls of Trenton, that will be useful to our enemies, should they get possession of them, or that may be necessary to the army of the United States.
II. That the inhabitants of this city and liberties be allowed to retain as much provisions of all kinds as is usual and customary for families to be possessed of at this season, it being the intention of this Board to remove the extraordinary stores only of those who have been returned, as having greater quantities than is usually laid up by families of similar circumstances in common times.
III. That all provisions, the property of private persons, so returned to this Board, over and above what is customary as aforesaid, be removed into the country, to such place or places as this Board may direct.
HARTFORD, May 5.
Last Monday a parcel of Tories from New-Milford, and other places, were committed to the goal in this place, two of which are under sentence of death by a Court martial, but the time of their execution is not yet appointed.
FISH-KILL, May 1.
Information from Ulster County, that a Number of armed Tories marched, in open day, through Wallkill and Little-Britain,
on their Way to join Howe's Army. They were pursued by Parties of Militia who killed one, and took 15 or 20 of them Prisoners, among whom is one Roofa, a daring Villain, who had, some Time before, conducted two Parties of Tories to New-York. It is said, Major Strong was mortally wounded.
NEWPORT May 29.
The Sufferings of his Majesty's liege Subjects, who are in the Power of those impious Demagogues, are beyond Description.
We hear that the Town of West Greenwich have, almost to a Man, refused to guard the Shore, or to pay any Fines.
We last Week furnished our Readers with an Act of the mock Assembly of this Colony, for the Relief of Persons of tender Consciences, a Title exactly corresponding with its humane Contents; since which by Person in the Flag which arrived here, we have been informed, that a Warrant of Distress had been issued on Mr. Simeon Tucker, of West Greenwich. The Persons employed in carrying it into Execution attached a Part of his Stock, to the Value of the Fine, &c. among which was a favourite Cow, on which Mr. Tucker's Family placed the greatest Dependence, and which he desired them, by all Means, not to take away, as the Loss of it would occasion the greatest Distress to his Family; this reasonable Request, (though Stock to as great an Amount was offered them) was rejected with Insult and Abuse. Mr. Tucker then attempted to drive the Cow back, when three of these Villains leaped their Pieces at him, one of which went off, took him in the Head, and killed him instantly. The Person who shot him was one Devins, who was carried before their Assembly: They approved of his Conduct, and dismissed him immediately. Such are the Proceedings of these Sons of Devilry.
We hear that one Varmum has put himself at the Head of about 40 Villains, who make it their Business to go from Town to Town, upon the Narraganset Shore, disturbing the peaceable Inhabitants, and taking up all Persons who are suspected of being friendly to Government. This Villain apprehended Mr. John Hart, belonging to New-York Government, and carried him to Providence, where he underwent a sham Trial, for certain supposed Offences against their impious Government: They declared him guilty, carried him immediately from the Place of Trial to the Place of Execution, and there hung him. Such is the Impudence of those Candidates for Tyburn. It is well known who were concerned in the Death of this unfortunate Man, and it will be as well remembered.
We hear that Mr. Hart made a short, but very pathetic Speech, to the Persons concerned in his Execution, told them that their Conduct was owing to an Inseparability of their real Situation, warned them of those Consequences that would in a few Months ensue, and then, with the greatest Serenity of Mind, submitted himself to his Fate. He has left a Widow, with several Children, to join that Train of disconsolate Mourners, whose Cries have already extended to the remotest Corners of his unhappy Continent.
A Providence Paper of last Saturday was brought by the Flag; the most material information in it, is an Account of Mr. John Hart's Execution the 19th Instant at Providence; and a Letter from Fish Kill, of May 11th, giving an Account of twelve Tories, sentenced to the same Fate, besides several more apprehended for the like humane Purpose. — Desertions and Defectors — "ad infinitum;" should they apprehend all that are advertised, it would require a new Edition of Paper to pay the Rewards; though the Price of an American military Patriot is very reasonable, say, they only offer Two Dollars for, the highest Price is Six; Ten and Twelve for Negroes deserted from Private Masters. — In this Land of Liberty the so
verew of Patriots is such, that they offer twice the Price for a Slave that they would choose to give for the Defenders of the Privilege handed down to them by their heroic Lawgivers.
Yesterday arrived the Diamond and Grey, homeward from their Cruise.
The Rebels have shut a Man at Providence for Desertion.
The following Candid Queries, are taken from a Boston Paper.
CAN there be any propriety in a people fasting and praying, making solemn address to Heaven, for deliverance from the oppression of their enemies, while at the same time, they are wantonly practicing the vilest oppression upon one another?
Have the government acted with proper spirit and vigor, for putting a stop to that oppression among ourselves which is so notoriously prevalent, which is of such baneful influence, and which bears an aspect the most direful threatening?
By MAJOR-GENERAL RICHARD PRESCOTT.
INFORMATION having been received, that sundry Persons have of late made a Practice of going on, and returning from the Main, Clandestinely.
To kinder, therefore, the Like in future, All Persons hereafter convicted of such iniquitous Proceedings, as well as their Aidors and Abettors, will be deemed SPIES, and treated with the utmost Rigor of Martial Law.
GIVEN under my Hand, at Head-Quarters in NEWPORT, this 26th Day of May, 1777.
R. PRESCOTT.
By the General's Command, JOHN SMITH, Secretary.
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
WHEREAS a Treasonable Paper was this Morning found posted up at the Corner of the Grand Parade, under one of the Proclamations issued here. Whoever will give Information of the Author or Authors thereof, so as that they may be convicted, shall receive the above Reward of TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.
GIVEN under my Hand, at Head-Quarters in NEWPORT, this 29th Day of May, 1777.
R. PRESCOTT.
By the General's Command, JOHN SMITH, Secretary.
T HE Subscriber requests all Persons who have any Demands on the Estates of Capt. ROBERT STODDARD, or Capt. THOMAS G. STODDARD, deceased, to bring in the same that they may receive Payment. And all those indebted to either of said Estates are hereby desired to pay the same immediately.
SIMEON PEASE, Executor to said Estates. N. B. Said PEASE, has for sale, Six Casks of best London Stout, London Fine Tobacco in Casks, Platters Oil and other things, Sperma-Ceti Candles, and a Quantity of Corks in Casks.
BY the Request of some Gentlemen there is to be Subscription opened at the Assembly-Room, for a BALL on the KING's Birth Night.
WANTED,
THREE WHITE SERVANTS to attend OFFICERS. In case they should have Charities, add to the Care of Horses. — For particulars enquire of the PRINTERS. May the 19th, 1777.

Encouragement to Cruelty and Inhumanity. The Argument drawn from the mere Circumstance of the Prisoners having been received, is of no Validity. Though, from their wretched Situation, they could not, at that Time, be deemed proper for an Exchange, our Humanity required that they should be permitted to return amongst us. It may perhaps be fairly doubted, whether an Apprehension of their Death, or a great Part of them, did not contribute somewhat to their being sent out when they were. Such an Event, while they remained with you, would have been truly in crying, because it would have destroyed every Shadow of Claim for the Prisoners in our Hands, and therefore Policy, concurring with Humanity, dictated that the Measure should be adopted. Happy had it been, if the Expedition had been thought of before these ill-fated Men had been reduced to such Extremity. It is confessed, however, on all Sides, that after their Delivery, they still continued your Prisoners, and would be so, till regularly exchanged. I acknowledge that I should be, and I have been always willing, notwithstanding this Concession, to account for every Man that was in a proper Condition, and fit to be exchanged, at the Time they came out, so far as the Proportion of Prisoners with us would extend. With what Propriety, or on what Foundation of Justice, can more be demanded? This has been proposed, or what is the same, was most clearly implied, in the first Article or Objection made by Lieut. Colonel Harrison, and illiberally rejected since, as inconsistent with any Degree of Reason or Common Sense. Painful as it is, I am compelled to consider it as a Fact, not to be questioned, that the Usages of our Prisoners, whilst in your Possession, (the Privates at least) was such as could not be justified. This was proclaimed, by the concurrent Testimony of all that came out, their Appearances sanctified the Assertion, and melancholy Experience, in the speedy Death of a large Part of them, stamped it with infallible Certainty.
In Respect to the second Article insisted on—Your discriminating Maj. General Lee from other captive Officers belonging to the American Army, demanded my particular Attention. I was authorized to conclude, from your laying him under particular Restraints, and from your Letter of the 23d of January last, that you considered him in a singular Point of View, and meant to exclude him from the common Right of Exchange, stipulated for all Officers in general to me. This Distinction, the more injurious and unwarrantable, as you never accepted him, though you knew him to be an Officer in our Army at the Time, and long before, the Agreement was entered into, made it my Duty to assert his Right in an explicit Manner, and to endeavour to put the Matter on so unequivocal a Footing as to insure his Engagement, whenever an Officer of equal Rank, belonging to your Army should be in our Power. This was attempted by the Article, and nothing more, nor is any other Inference to be drawn from it. It is true, a Proposition was made since his Captivity, to give a certain Number of Officers of inferior Rank in Exchange for him, but it was not claimed as a Matter of Right. What Name then does that Proceeding merit, by which it is suggested that the immediate Release of General Lee had been demanded, without having an Officer of equal Rank to give for him? The Suggestion cannot be supported by the most tortured Exposition, nor will it have Credit, where Candour is deemed a Virtue, and Words preserve their Form and Meaning.
As to the Charge of Delay in not returning the Prisoners in our Hands,—the dispersed State of those taken at a more early Period of the War, through the di-
fferent States, arising from the Circumstances of their Captivity, and a Regard to their better Accommodation, made their Detention for a considerable Time unavoidable. When the Agreement subsisting between us took Place, the speediest Dispositions were given to have them collected, that an Exchange might be effected. This was done in Part, and at a Time when Motives of Policy opposed the Measure, but were made to yield to rigid Maxims of good Faith. We were pursuing the Exchange, and continued our Exertions to accomplish it, till the miserable Appearance, indicating an approaching Catastrophe, of those sent out by you, made it proper. For seeing that a Difficulty might arise, and that it might be expected I should account for the Whole of them, which I by no Means thought equitable, it became necessary that the Matter should be adjusted, and the due Proportion settled, for which I ought to be responsible, before any Thing farther could be done on my Part. Upon this Ground stands also the Detention of those who have been since captured.
Added to those Considerations, the Discrimination set up in the Instance of Gen. Lee, is to be regarded as utterly irreconcilable to the Tenor of our Agreement, and an insurmountable Obstacle to a Compliance with your Demands.
Thus, Sir, have I explained the Motives of my Conduct, and, I trust, vindicated myself, in the Eye of Impartiality, from the improper and groundless Charge, which you, and the Gentlemen acting by your Authority, have been pleased to alledge against me. If in doing this, I have departed, in the smallest Degree, from that Delicacy, which I always wished should form a Part of my Character, you will remember, I have been forced into Recrimination, and that it has become an Act of necessary Justice.
I shall now declare it to be my ardent Wish, that a general Exchange may take Place on generous and liberal Principles, as far as it can be effected, and that the Agreement subsisting between us for that Purpose should be invariably observed; and I call on you, by every Obligation of good Faith, to remove all Impediments on your Part to the Accomplishment of it. If, however, you do not, I console myself with a Hope that those unfortunate Men, whose Lot it is to be your Prisoners, will bear their Sufferings with becoming Fortitude and Magnanimity. I am, Sir, with due Respect, your most obedient humble Servant, G. WASHINGTON.
His Excellency Gen. Sir WILLIAM HOWE. (Copy) Published by Order of Congress, CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
NEW - YORK, May 12. On Tuesday last, a small Sloop, Alexander Hill, Master, arrived here in 16 Days from St. Eustatius, by whom we are informed, that an Account was just received there, that a Ship of War belonging to Admiral Young's Squadron had taken a Rebel Frigate with Siles-Donne of Connecticut on board, and carried her into Antigua. This Ship had arrived at Martha's some Time before, with Stores and other valuable Articles on board, of which Circumstance Admiral Young having received positive Intelligence, commanded two Ships to cruize for her and intercept her Passage.
We hear, that the Emerald Frigate in her last Cruise took and destroyed 19 Ships and Vessels belonging to the Rebels.
On Friday last, several Transports failed under Convoy for Island.
The Albany Sloop of War and the Elephant Store Ship, from England, but left from Halifax, arrived here Yesterday Morning.
The Rebel Privateer Cabot, Capt. Sturtevant lately drove ashore on the Coast of Nova-Scotia, by the Milford Frigate; and we hear she has since been got off, and carried into Halifax.
Nineteen Rebel Vessels have been lately taken and carried into Tortola, and seven into St. Kitts and Antigua, by his Majesty's Ships, and some small Vessels fitted out for the Islands.
Last Week was married by the Revd. Mr. Inglis, Rector of Trinity Church, Mr. Solomon, Surgeon, to Miss Burgess of this City, an amiable Lady, with every Request to make the Marriage-State happy.
Last Week was also married Lieut. Broom of the 14th Regiment, to Miss Polly French, Daughter of Joseph French, Esq.; of Jamaica, on Long Island; a young Lady of great Beauty and Merit.
TO BE SOLD, By ISAAC HART,
At his SHOP on the North Side of the GRAND PARADE, under his own LINO HOUSE on the POINT, (At CUBAS as at any Shop in Newport)
The following GOODS, just imported, via YARD - WIDE Leaf Sugar, and 7 Sibs do. Muscovado ditto, Cotton Checks, Coffee, Yard-wide Irish Linen, Pepper, Royal Platillos, Mace, Irish Sheeting, Nutmegs, Russia ditto, Sweet Oil, Cambrick, Crackers in Kegs, An Assortment of Corks, Linen Handkerchiefs, Madeira, Red Port, Black Barcelona do. and Claret Wine, Coloured ditto, Jamaica Spirits and Barbadoes Rum, An Assortment of Holland's Geneva, Latticing ditto, Best London Boiled Porter, Ditto Negligee ditto, Barcelona ditto, An Assortment of Spermaceti Candles, Soot's Thread, Tallow ditto, Bolt white Silk Soap, Stockings, Candles and Pigtail Tobacco, White Silk Mats, Genuine Kippin's, Black ditto, Women's Shoes, Scots Snuff, Scotch Whisky, Whale-Bone, Fellers ditto.
A general Assortment of Glass and Earthen Ware, and many other Articles, not here enumerated.
TO BE SOLD, By JACOB I AACKS,
At his HOUSE, in BROAD STREET, SALT, by the Bushel or larger Quantity Men's and Women's Shoes, Black Pepper, Women's Cloaks ready made, West-India Rum. ALSO, a Negro Wench about 30 Years old, a good Cook, and can be well recommended.
TO BE SOLD, By MYER POLOCK,
IRISH Malt Beef, Ham, by the barrel, Ruffs Duck, New Flour ditto, English ditto, Coffee, Sweet Oil, West India Rum, by Barley, in quarter-casks, the hoghead, tierce or barrel, Tallow Candles, Red Wine, by the Hard Soap, hoghead, Bobs Tea.
FOUND,
A HANGER. Any Person who has lost the same, may hear of it, by applying to the PRINTER.