The Pennsylvania Gazette from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 1

PROCEEDINGS i Convention of Delegates of; the People of VUII Varfon. Tofeph Bolton PHILADELPHIA PRINTED AND PUBLISHED (WEEKLY) BY HALL PIERIE, No. 51 MARKET DOLLABf ANNUM. a tl niMf Hi' ir tugniiriniww Convention of New trsetj cc(ler Franklin Davenport, Jofhua L. i Charles French, Samuel W.

Harrifon, HnwelL Samuel P. Paul, lofeph V. to the following further refolves I As the attainment of peace, by a change 1 now in the or fome of is of fuch vaft moment to the people cf rerfcy, this convention, on that account, commend to the friends of peace in each WEDNESDAY, correfpondencebe appointed, to communicate with' like committees who may be appointed, in other flates, for the purpofe of agreeing on candidates for the offices of prefident and vice prefident, and all other matters which may be ot importance Terfcyj chofen in the feveral counties oi, to the peace, union and liberties of the United unitea states, agamic tne unitca Kir.gcicm ot ir. Britain and Ireland, and its dependenctis. This a5l, fo unexpected, fo oppoled to the pe tition? and remonftranccs of every claf and part John Piffant, James Batten, Daniel Car of; the community io iteadfailly and honourably iwiuuu Avt iujv sit via isv.

uvuabv. aL.Tbomas Sinnickfon, Robert G.John congrefs from this flat and by thofe of many other flates, could not be prevented. It was, al berland Jonathan Elmer, James Giles, ter many days ftruggle, in feciec fitting, carried ih Buck, Joel Fithian, Samuel M. Shute, through, and became a law. Ewing, Jonathan Dollas.

This convention is conipofed of men who would notion, it was refolvcd, that this convention ill defervc the confidence of their felkw citi2ens, oceed to confider the alarming ftate of pub and difhonour their own principles were they to irs; and particularly on the means to be attempt to obflruA or defeat this law by ny ir Conitltuiioiiaiijr iiv ijjctuujr i tut i 0 if from the grievances of waw rreupon, after full debate on the principles proper to be adopted at this time, for egoing purpofes, it wa3, on motion, ordcr a Committee oc appuiuicuui cicvca inciu illegal combinations. It mult be lor thoic who want, a gool caufei and diftruft thft force of rea fon to lupport it, to adopt means to unworthy of' freemen ami good citizens. Some of ds have contributed early and in contending for nd jach county delegation naming one) to draft laying the foundations of civil liberty, and all of Jr.f to the People of New.Jerfcy, in con us are too deeply impreficd with the duties of fub 11 to the inflrudtions of this convention, and million to conuitutionai laws wnue uiry are report thereon at five o'clock in the af n. 1 1 the following delegates were chefen i committee Bergen John Outwater. Aaron Ogdcn.

Idlefcx James Schureman. erfet Richard Stockton. imouth Thomas Henderfon. Aaron D. Woodruff, rris John G.

Cooper, iiugton William Griffith. ucefter Samuel W. Harrifon. Thomas Sinnickfon. lbcrland William B.

Ewing. convention adjourned, to meet aain at five in the afternoon and bcin: aill mbled at to prevent their execution by the agency of popu lir pa fiions however fuch laws their continuance, dillrcls the people, or counteract their bell and moll important intcrelt. But while we feel the obligation of our duties under a law which is deemed moll impolitic and oppref five, we alio know the extent of our right and thole of the people, enabling us and thein to bring about its repeal, by our elections. We addrefs you then, fellow at this awful crifis, produced by the war hw, in the language of freemen and free agentsin the confei oufuefs of pure motives, and penetrated by the profoundeft feelings of patriotic regard for our dear countryc Our hearts and mind are filled this one and the profpect it cpeiis jur, prefent as before, the committee, by (if the voice of the people doe not fave us) of as Henderfon, their chairman, made report lengthened public miferics. We will not mingle in convention of the draft of an Addrtls to its coniideration oiner grievances, or any matter ople of Ncw Jerfey, as had been ordered, calculated to embitter or revive party diiFercnccs, i being read, debated, and amended, on the on whether this convention doth agree to; Tie, it was unanimoufly determined in the ative and it was further refolvcd, that the be figned by the chairman and fecretary, on of this convention, that it be published in pers of this ftate, and in one of the pipers cities of Philadelphia and New York, and on other quellions all arc loft, conlumnuted, united, in the lall great grievance of war.

Little did we, individually, or thofe who have confided this high truft to us, in our character of delegates of the people, imagine, that a majotity, however fmall, of the perfous in office, ToutiTbe brought to plunge this country into a war; and to unite, a probably it mult, our aciumes, and cer oco copies thereof be printed in a pamphlet tainly our efforts, in a common cauie with the and diftributcd among the fevtral counties tyrant ot France. ftate, in fuch manner as may be deemed ex By fome fatality incomprehcnfible to us, on by Meflrs." Charles Ewing, Garret D. any principles of prudence, and much lefs cf nc and William Potts, who are appointed a ceffity, has this happened: A law, debatM and Ittee for that purpofe. paffed in ecret, has placed this cxttnlivt country JULY 29, 1 81 2. fellow citizens, and to tranfport with eafe and eco nomy the furplus productions of labour from one flare to the other by fea, affording a real profit to the community equal to thei whole of our foreign trade all this too remained to us unaffected bv Our revenue from commerce alfo was very great equal, annually, to the payment of every ex pence of the navy, army, civil lift, and other demands of government, befide difcharging, each year, a portion of the old debt of the revolution.

The average of this revenue, not lefs than twelve millions of dollars, annually, relieving the people from any direct taxes payable to the U. States. jln thefe favoured circumflances of agriculture, navigation, coafliug trade and revenue, was. war declared, and it necefTarily fhakes them to the foundation. In regard to our political, moral, civil and religious bleffings and advantages, they were furely ly great and many.

Peace itfelf, and neutrality, at a time when all the European world is convulf ed and tending by wars and famine to diflblution, and the tyranny of one man, were to us, who almofl tfdlely enjoyed them, ineftimable bleflings. How innumerable and vaft they were, your own feelings, enjoyments, and rciledions, fellow citizens, can better determine than we defcribe. In great mercy, alio, we were removed from thofe lcenes of violence and do vacation we had talen no part in them. Our pure and free and progrcfiing country had kept itfelf from the dangerous and deadly grafp of French connection. 1 his was our frar and our danger, This war, if it is to be conrinued, deprives us of neutrality and peace.

It makes this wide ocean no longer a barrier between America and the ambition anri ruthlcfs vengeance, which are fcourging Eu rone deilmv'imr rei.illif ir llhrrt ami tinman vi i xorcc; io uc wpuoic.ui omiuuu or aiiv.ic, iciiuuig happinefs. We are brought by it to touch the con fines of a fteeped with blood, opprelfion and crimes. In a word, it brings to the people of thefe ilates, with all the reft of its adual and progrellivc evils, a co operation in the war, if not a general alliance with France againft England. With what anxious forebodings mull every heart be torn, that thinkiupon a war, which not only cuts us off from fo many pofitive blefiiugs, but launches this fafe and happy people into the vortex of European broils into wars, which twenty years of blood and devaftation have but ftrvccl to infuiiate, extend ami perpctujte. That our country had received wrongs, both in its honour' and rights, from England, during her long cotiteft with France, need not be difpu tcd.

What peaceable and neutral power has not, and which of thofe injured powers, embarkimg in a war, or alliance, with Fiance, or alone, to i vindicate thofe rights, that has not fufFered injuries tenfold greater Moll of them indeed lofing their very liberties and independence in. attempting to eilablilh minor pretentions, and vindicate what was called their honour. That G. Britain is wrong in preventing our trade with France, be caufc France interdicted our trade with England, or that her crullers on the ocean frequently have iroprcfied American feamen, pretendiug they were Britilh iubjects, or under real miftakes of the fact, are undoubted wrongs that of impreffmetit, a muft injurious pradice, and juftly calculated to kindle our rtfeutments, and tu, claim from our go vernmeiu piudent and perfevenng means to prevent or mitigate its fevcrity, cither by arming merchant fhip for defence, or agreeing with En convention, after full confider ation, did and all its great interells of peace commerce eland on fome tdan of avoiding the miflakes or agriculture union aim. iuiuic proiperny, on the fate of war.

Defence, within our. own borders, and even arming our own vcficls for defence on the againll both, French and Englifli aggreflionj was a practicable and not a hazardous expedient. to convene at fome fuitablc time and place, But without preparation, and without trial of the point two delegates to meet other delegates, means cf defence, difTention in our country, andv the nth day of Auguft next, at two general oppofition to war, to become the. attack tin the afternoon, at Trenton, for the pur sing power, and to declare open, general, atul of agreeing on fit perfons to be nominated feufive war, againll one of the grcatoutending lors of prefident and vice prefidenti and as ftates of Europe we repeat it fellow' citizens, is of congrtfs for this ftate, to be chofen at an event in the hiftory, cvtn of thefe times, which fuing fall election And it is further re. fill arid we belivve the great body of the pco ndedto the feveral counties, as well in the pie, with grief and amazement.

ment of the above delegates, an in the no We were not invaded no power even threat of members of council and afTembly for cned jt we ftill enjoyed a tenfold greater voftion legiflature, that they endeavour to lelecV of internal and even external happmefs and pn who will ufe alf conftitutional means to penty than any nation, in the wortd uur agri repeal of the War BilL pafled in Congrefs commerce and manufactures, the gieat icth of June, aid who will promote the products ot our fields, loreits and mheries, grow ntof any differences with Great Britain, ing out of the induftry and entcrprife of feveu ot. her fea olhccrs ouch a plan was in fail agreed England, and approved of by our ambafladors Pinkuey and Monroe, but rejected by ti American cabinet. Fellow citizens, wrongs to our country will never be vindicated by usand even infilled upon, cannot be reviewed by us with feel' ings. lefs arcure to their real importance, thui by others. WaftHintoti, JciFerfon, and Adams, du ring twenty of adminill ration, never cuu fidered the pretention or pract.ee of imprelfinent, more rigoroufly enforced then, as fuffici ently jullifying them to go to war.

And' now that our adminiftration in the prefent ftate of ihc world, and circumftanced as it is, unprepared, and with divided councils, lhouldby a bare majority declare general and offenfive, war, by, hud and fea, on fuch points not vitally affecting us in our national prosperity, inftead of waiting for time, mutual intercfts, and negociation, to fettle them, (many of which muft end of themfclves with the war in Europe,) isaq event whi fcems urable terms, by negociation and oppofe millions of free and virtuous citizens, were yet to almoft defv belief. The peonle reflect insr ci ice with France. but little impaired, except by our own internal re tizens, are ftruck with amazement and difappro dly And it is further agreed upon aud ftriAions, which could at any time be fufpended bation, looking round for means of relief from 1 by this convention, that a committee of or removed, the threatened evils of a protracted, hazardous, No. 4258. In regard even to trade and navigation on the and' untimely war a war 'declared againft En ocean, an immenfc and fufScient fcope remained gland too in the midft of negociations, and whilk foraUour fliips, feamen and capital, free from her miniilry and parUament were dclibe belligerent and temporary reftramts.

The Dritifli rating on the very point of repea orders orders council (made the principal ejoundof the It is then, countrymen nd friends, to this ereat, war) only put France, Holland and a part of Italy unlocked for, and portentous queftion we claim 1 State, anu nrw uj rr oiaic wiutu vumumwe was uiuij n.v ui uiuftuc, iccuiu our mercnanc your joiemn and candid attention We Kjum. citY ot irenton, on ic poinieu. mwc. 1 11c wnoic woria Deiiae. was, lleitc i 1 ir" a i.

1 1 n. lledled uuon.it Our, imavinntinn. 'U. iiicduuitnu. uujvuH.tnuuii, uvt giwu, vjj wiiuun me xi 39 ircc io us us over its lonaad dclolatini? track defolate nff.

nnmiintmn and choice of a chair (. flf 11 III wo I frctarv. and did unanimoufly appoint 4than Elmer, of Cumberland, Chairman, fouN Ootwater, of Bergen, Secretary. motion, Ordered that the names of. the dees prcfent be inferted on the minutes as fol rgen county John Outwater, Jacob Ter "cx Aaron Ogden, Jeremiah Ballard, Elias ivton.

ddlefex James Schureman, Ercurics Bcatty ias MDowell, John Poole. ncrfet Richard Stockton, jonn u. 1 en rr l9 John Kinney, John G. TJoopcr. rtthJ Elias Conover, Thomas Hender ADDRESS.

FELLOW CITIZENS, A. CRISIS has at length arrived ia the admmi (Iration of the public affairs of this country, in which every one of us has a. deep and folemn con declare our confidence in the great body of citi Elbert StootofT, Gilbert B. Taylor, John zens, whatever may have been our diftruft or dif lktisfacl ion in regard to many men in office, and the meafures they havepurfued. as fcetore.

China, the halt and Well Indies, South and long, even beyond imagination, will it prove America, Great Britain and her dependencies, and if we no not cut it (hort, before its corruptions! all the flates and kingdoms in Europe, none of all tin's vaft portion' of the world was affected or cern. It is not our purpofe to review the various blockade of their ports cxifted, ads and proceedings of thofe to whom the people worth very little, as it was fubie very little, as it was lubiect lor twelve years palt have entriuted the management, of thefe affairs. Unhappily they feem to have left us to reflect upon our divifions and mif fortunes. Moft unequivocally, however, do we We believe the people to whatever of men belligerent edidK. lines H.Imlay, David Craig, John atuweii, anu meaiures tney nave attacnea tneir conuaence LloyJ Wm.

Lawric, James Lloyd. and fupport, could only mean did mean, the iterdon Aaron D. Woodruff, Wm. Potts, good, the peace, and profperity of a country rcn sEwing, John Scudder, John Coryell, Wm. dereddcar to them by fo many privileges and bltfT ore Toferh Phillips, John Stevens, James ings.

It is to this people, fa enlightened, fo in fon Wm. Maxwell, John E. Forman, John dependent and patriotic, may we can iter Ira Jewell, James White. did asto confide in our fincerity), that yvc now ad inVton John Black, Wm. Griffith, Wm.

drefs ourfclves. rtorp Anderfon, Wm.Irick, Charles Ellii, On the iSth of June, a fmall majority in con A Cor Samuel I. Keau, iawara rrcutu, um uy a. war mi mc pan vi its palCons, and violence, Ihall have fired it uDon. it i uur ianu oeyona remedy or controul.

It is in its fluitagamll us by the Bntifii orders in council beginnings we mull make oiTr lawfufftand bc nuie tenths, at leaft, of all our trade was free. foie it fpreads and llrikes deep its roots. If lonir France only, and her dependencies of Holland and permitted to flourHh ovei peace and focial habit? Dart of Italv. were blockaded, with i1inm. if nn ill KiA.v i our trade could be j'lUYts uui war Dccomes the prcdomi rre nant paiuon.

and civil hberrv too nfr, to every loecies its blt flino to th A "uiuiuuu, yi iuc vcxauon, lofs, plunder and prohibitory duties, and opprelfion. Our own reading trade of 1500 miles in extent, We perceive this meafure of the adminiftration uuu io iupFun j. many 01 our Dig.wiih Unutterable milchiefs. lit Derfifted in. when will it end? What is it to train for us? Arc we furc, or is there even the fhadow of probability, that we ihall conquer England compelling her, by force of arms, to yield what fhe maintains to be her right, and refufts ablolutely to rc linquifh ic any other way than by agreement and mutual coiiccffions? If war is rtlotted to, and while the war jaw continues, no further room is left for treaty, we muft toice our demands, and fuc ceed in them by the tword by bringuig our enemy to fub million.

And ihall we, fellow citizens, at this tune, and in our circumftances, on account of thefe dilputa bl? points of trade with France, and abuie 01 ini preliraent, incur fo many immediate loffes, and lubject ourfelves to fo many ccrtaiu future Cvils as this war mull produce. You have feen what thefe immediate and certain lolTes will be in our agriculture, foreign and coafting trade, revenue, and internal bleflings of peace and neutrality loffes, any one of them a hundred fold more to our injury than all that has accrued or Can accrue from the occafional injuries we complain of at fea. If we go to, war for commerce and feamen, is it not evident that we facrificc them both and entirely i But what we muft lofc and fuTcr in the outfet, great as it is, finks into nothing, compared with that which will follow. Surely thefe dreadful confe quenccs have cfcaped the notice of the advocates of war iii their full extent, or they have preferred to encounter them, rather than forego their refent mcnts and retreat from imprudent How unfortunate, when nicii prefer the bonour of perfevcring in error to the honour of retracting; it; and whcn their country too is at llake. Befide the decay of agriculture, commerce and ieveuue, war will vitiate the morals of our people particularly the rifing generation, Is it nothing to bnog on a general decline of virtue, order aiid regard for life, property, and private rights Will nor war neccifarily produce this, with a decline alfo of induftry and the evils of a wide fpreading iufolvcncy Perhaps even all thefe might by Ionic be viewed without alarm; but what will the people fay to, or how endure, for a great length ot time, other neceflary concomitants of a ftate of war i In a con teft, fuch as we muft go through, with fuch a power, to force it into fubmiflion, Handing armies, the bane and dellroyers of liberty in every country, muft be continued, and fwelled to a dangerous magnitude.

No matter what wc call them, volunteers felect corps, if they are not militia, under our own iUte officer and government, they are ftanding troops, in the pay and under the direction of military chiefs, who maybe come ambitious, infolcnt, and over whom we can have little controul." In the train of war alfo follows, wallefulncfs and infatiable demands upon the people's labour and l'ubftance, to fupport its never ceafing and growing cxpences. Great armies muft be railed, cloathed, equipped, and paid and thus, year after year, in addition to the ordi rtarv crnr nces of vovfrnment. and the funoort of 7 the militia eftablifhment, it is computed the additional annual ar expencc will not be fhort of zo millions; how many years of war uncertain. The burthens ou every man in the country will increafc four fold, ui dcr war taxes, levied on his land and occupation, vhilft his capacity to pay is diminifh ed in the fame by the privations of war. Thofe, fo ea er to make Or encourage the war, will fbare feweft of its dangers or burthens; they will fall oii tfyefe aftern ftates.

on their capital, induftry, citizens. Is it poflible for the reflecting citizciiyto look even on this confequence alone, and its rnnnitude we meaiijtuxes, per fohal fervices; an lofs.uf bulincfs, and not fhud der with apprchenficn. Public credit, or a capacity to borrow, wll, iti'a'l likelihood, fuffcr, par ticularly if the war is unluo elful and paper money follow we believe this muft be refortcd to. The old debt will remain unpaid, and a new one of vaft extent be incurred. And is it nothirg or is it cot the moil awful of all.

Ith.it torrents of blood muft flow and private diftrcfl'csof all kinds be multiplied in this unnatural and difaftnnis con teft. Where too are our experienced captains, and what Washington lelt to infpirc and con duct usf We enquire, alfo, when our preparation lhv ll be complete, jl ihw eve caa be. what are to gain by war in an 'degree adequate to. the evils it bri.gs upoa ourfelves Where are we to (hike for the wcftek on account of the orders in council tnJ impreflment Tne itilh navy our reach, aio. iupenor to our own.

Her armies do not invade us no triumph over them can (ben probably be.