USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. III > Part 20
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The Old Valiant, formerly belonged to George Coryell, and lately to the aforesaid John Reading, covers this season at William Betts, in the state of Pennsylvania, within five miles and a half [from] Coryell's ferry, and
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one mile and a half from Buckingham meeting-house, at Sixty Dollars the season, ready cash. Pasture provided at a moderate price by said Petts, and good care will be taken of mares.
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
A ROBBERY.
THE shop of Robert Eastburn, in New-Brunswick, was broke open on Monday night, the 15th of March, and robbed of the following goods: 1 piece of blue taffeta, 1 piece of black russel, 1 piece of cambrick, a remnant of scarlet broadcloth, 2 pieces of striped holland, the one broad the other narrow-striped, about a pound and a half of sewing silk, one pound or upwards of fine thread, 2 large blue sailor's jackets, 2 remnants containing about ten yards of black gauze, 1 blue cloth cloak the hood cut off ; also sundry buttons, brass buckles, ribbons, broad silk ferret, white, yellow and black, cap tape, stay laces, brass oval sleeve buttons, fine, coarse and crooked horn combs, and some coffee. Whoever can discover the robber or robbers, so that he, she, or they may be brought to justice and convicted, and the goods recovered, shall receive the above reward, or 150 dollars for the goods, or a proportion- able reward for any part of them that can be recovered. All merchants, traders, and others, are desired to stop any part of the said goods that may be offered for sale by suspected persons.
N. B. The said Eastburn has for sale, tea, sugar, coffee; chocolate, tamarinds, currants, sweet oil, nutmegs, cinnamon, mace, cloves, citron, pasteboards, West-Indian rum and molasses by the gallon, imported fine salt by the barrel, bushel, or less quantity, writing paper, ink powder, pen knives, wafers, pipes, tobacco, watch-chains and seals, pins by the pound or ounce, check, striped and white linen,
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buttons, buckles, knives, razors, pocket bottles, needles by the thousand or less quantity, coarse and fine threads, Castile and common soap, snuff in bladders, allum, brim- stone, copperas, earthen ware, choice indigo, redwood, logwood, straight and crooked combs, and sundry other articles. April 5, 1779.
TO BE SOLD.
At publick Vendue, on Saturday, the 17th day of April, at the house of the subscriber near Baptist meeting-house, in Hopewell ;
Several draught horses, mares with foal, English colts ; Milch cows, a yoke of oxen, young cattle, and sheep; imported salt, and some shop goods, with sundry other things too tedious to mention.
The vendue to begin at ten o'clock on said day, when the conditions of sale will be made known, and attendance given by
TIMOTHY BRUSH, jun
April 12.
TO BE SOLD, a plantation, containing 200 acres of good land, well watered and timbered, and good meadow ground, with a small frame house with two rooms, a Dutch barn not thatched, with a young bearing orchard; situate in Bedminister, Somerset county, state of New Jersey, ad- joining Peter Demond, about two miles from New- Germantown on a road leading to Pluck'emin, and may be entered upon immediately. For terms apply to the subscriber near the premises.
April 2d, 1779.
DANIEL HENRY.
ALL persons indebted to, or that have any demands against Daniel Smith, saddler, of Morristown, are re-
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quested to call on him with their respective accounts, in order for a settlement.
Morristown, April 5, 1779.
WANTED, a Journeyman Saddler. Any person who will come well recommended, shall receive the current price given at this time, by applying to Daniel Smith, at Morristown.
Morristown, April 5, 1779.
Middlesex, New- By virtue of a writ of Fieri Facias Jersey issued out of the Supreme Court, at the suit of Annie Okill, against the administrators of Peter Sonmons,1 deceased, I have taken and seized a tract of land situate at the Roundabout, on Raritan river, containing by estimation 600 acres. All which I shall expose at publick sale on Monday 26th day of April next, at the house of Joseph Dennis, innholder at Spottswood, between the hours of 12 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon, pursuant to the act of assembly in that case made and provided.
JOHN PIATT, Sheriff.
Feb. 26, 1779.
TEN DOLLARS REWARD.
BROKE out of Trenton gaol, in the county of Hunter- don, the 13th of March last, a Robber, who called himself Adam Ruff, but has changed his name three times. Said robber is a down-looking fellow, with straight black hair, has the appearance of an Indian, is about five feet nine inches high; had on when he went away, an old brown coat and plush breeches, white cotton stockings, old shoes tied with strings, and old wool hat. Whoever takes up said robber, and secures him in any gaol, or brings him to Trenton gaol, shall be entitled to the above reward.
JOS. INSLEE, Sheriff.
1 For notices of Peter Sonmans, see N. J. Archives, 2:467; 11:18; 19, 425.
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N. B. Said robber is supposed to have gone towards Vir- ginia, from whence he came.
-The New Jersey Gazette, Wednesday, Vol. II., No. 71, April 14, 1779.
DESERTED,
.
From the Fourth Regiment of Light Dragoons, now lying at Lancaster,
JAMES WATSON, twenty-five years of age, born in New- Jersey, five feet six inches high, well set, light hair, fair complexion, took with him a handsome bay horse, black mane and tail, six years old this grass, branded on the rear buttock 4 L D. The said Watson formerly lived at Bor- dentown, and it is supposed is now in or about that neighborhood.
The above deserter took with him the uniform of the said regiment, consisting of a green cloak with a red cape, green coat turned up with red, red waistcoat, buckskin breeches, boots and a leather cap mounted with bearskin. Whoever takes up the aforesaid deserter and secures him in any gaol on the Continent, or brings him to the regi- ment, shall receive Twenty Dollars reward.
ANTHONY W. WHITE,1
Lieut. Col. Com. 4th Reg. L. D. -The Pennsylvania Packet, April 15, 1779.
Newtown Township, Gloucester County, 4th Mo. 9th.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
WHEREAS three men came to the house of the sub- scriber about One o'clock last night, pretending to be Continental soldiers, and demanded entrance to search
1 For a sketch of Col. Anthony Walton White, see N. J. Archives, 2d Series, 1 : 363.
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for some of their men, and being let in, asked for a candle and searched the house, when finding no men about house but myself, they presented their bayonets to my breast, and threatened to take my life unless I delivered my money, and also threatened to break open the drawers, whereupon myself and wife through terror unlocked the drawers from whence they took about One Hundred and Fifty Pounds in old paper money, Four Hundred and Forty Dollars in Continental money of those two emis- sions called in, a bag containing Ten or Twelve Pounds in Spanish pieces of Eight and small pieces of silver, and a bag containing about Ten Shillings in pennies. One of the said men was of a low stature, wore a blue coat turned up with red, and the others were of a middling size; one of them had on a red jacket and pair of trousers, the other wore brown or blue turned up with red. Whoever apprehends the said men so that they may be brought to justice, shall receive the above reward, paid by
AQUILLA JONES.
Philadelphia, April 16.
One Thousand Dollars Reward.1
On Friday the ninth instant, as Captain TRAPP was on his way from Boston to this city, between six and seven in the evening he was met by two men in the road from New Windsor to Morristown, in the Clove, when one of them with a musket stopped him, and swore if he did not immediately dismount he would blow his brains out. Capt. Trapp asked by what authority ? He replied if he did not get off he would show him. By this time the other one came and took the horse by the bridle, and took a pistol out of his pocket. Capt. Trapp then alighted, and they took him and his horse out of the main road, where they tied the horse and took off the saddle-bags, in which
1 Continental money, of course.
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were upwards of Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Pounds, lawful money, and all his cloaths, and ordered him up the mountain, where they stopped and demanded the key ; he told them he had lost it; when they with a knife cut them open. One of them then guarded him almost to the top of the mountain, when seeing an opportunity he ran and made his escape from them, and came to the first house from the place, where he found some riflemen, who went in pursuit of them, found his horse where they left him the next morning, and found his whip, but could find noth- ing of the robbers. The night before they broke open and robbed a house near the same place. One Cole and one Straw, who belonged to the same party, were executed the same day at Hackensack .- There have thirteen of them been seen, and it is supposed there are between forty and fifty now on the mountains near the same place.
Whoever takes up the robbers and secures them in any gaol on the Continent, so that they may be brought to justice, and the money be recovered, shall be entitled to the above reward.
-The Pennsylvania Packet, April 17, 1779.
NEW-YORK, April 19. 1
Last Monday night a detachment of the 4th battalion of New Jersey Volunteers, (Lieut. Colonel Buskirk's) Com- manded by Capt. Van Allen, Lieut. Haslop, and Ensign Earle, surprised a Rebel guard at the Little Ferry, con- sisting of two non-commissioned Officers and 12 Privates of the Carolina Brigade and one Militia man. Lieut. Haslop and Ensign Earle with 18 or 19 men were ordered by Capt. Van Allen to cross the river, which they did by lashing two Canoes together, and after marching thro' Swamps and Woods about 3 miles (during the violence of the Storm) to get in the Rear of the guard, they came up undiscovered to the Centry at the Door, and upon being challenged rushed in, killed two, wounded two that at-
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tempted to escape and made Defence, and took the Re- mainder Prisoners, with all their Arms and Accoutre- ments, without any loss to the Loyal Party, who returned on Wednesday morning, after Sunrise, with their pockets filled with paper Dollars.
Wednesday Morning died in her 27th year, Mrs. Mary Lawrence, the amiable Consort of Lieut. Col. Elisha Law- rence, of Brigadier-General Skinner's Brigade, and Daughter to the Hon. Lewis Ashfield, Esq., of Monmouth County, in New-Jersey, deceased; and on Thursday her Remains were deposited in the Family Burying Ground in Trinity Church-Yard.
NEW-YORK, April 14.
Genuine copy of a letter from Mr. Livingston, titular Governor of New-Jersey, to his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. &c.
Elizabeth-Town, 29th March, 1779.
SIR,
"After having apologized for my delaying your and Mr. Franklin's dinner by being accidentally abroad when you did me the Honour a few Days ago to send Col. Stir- ling to wait upon me to New-York, I beg leave to acquaint you that I am possessed of the most authentic proofs of a General Officer under your Command having offered a large sum of money to an inhabitant of this State to assassinate me, in case he could not take me alive; this Sir is so repugnant to the Character which I have hitherto formed of Sir Henry Clinton, that I think it highly im- probable you should either countenance, connive at, or be Privy to a design so sanguinary and disgraceful. Taking it however for granted that you are a Gentleman of too much spirit to disown any thing that you think proper to abet, I give you this Opportunity for disavowing such
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dark Proceedings, if undertaken without your Approba- tion, assuring you at the same time that if countenanced by you, your person is more in my Power than I have reason to think you imagine.
I have the Honour to be with all due respect,
Your Excellency's most humble Servant,
(Signed)
Wil. Livingston.
General Sir Henry Clinton.
His Excellency's Answer.
New-York, April 10, 1779.
SIR,
"As you address me on a grave subject, no less than life and death, and your own person concerned, I con- descend to answer you, but must not be troubled with any further correspondence with Mr. Livingston.
Had I a soul capable of harbouring so infamous an idea as assassination, you Sir, at least would have nothing to fear; for be assured I should not blacken my- self with so foul a crime to obtain so trifling an end.
Sensible of the power you boast of being able to dispose of my life by means of intimates of yours, ready to murder at your command, I can only congratulate you on your amiable connections, and acknowledge myself,
Your most humble Servant, (Signed)
H. CLINTON,
William Livingston, Esq .; New-Jersey.
We hear the General Assembly of the Province of New- Jersey is now sitting, and that they are busy framing a Law in Order to impress every 8th Man in the Province, to serve in the Militia for the Campaign of the year 1779. -The New-York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, No. 1435, April 19, 1799.
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TRENTON, April 7.
Extracts of a letter from Elizabeth-Town, March 26.
"The enemy have an expedition on foot to the eastward and have taken with them every privateer in the harbour at New York. Their troops were embarked from Long- Island. Gen. Clinton, it is said is gone with them. Ad- miral Gambier, who sailed 4 days ago from the Hook, is arrived at RhodeIsland."-The New-York Journal, and the General Advertiser, Numb. 1821, April 19, 1779.
Maidenhead, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, April 16. ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
Stolen last night out of the yard of Capt. Quigley in Trenton, a large likely sorrel HORSE, near sixteen hands high, has a white mane and tail, clumsy trot, four years old, and shod all round. Any person taking up and secur- ing said horse and the thief, so that the owner may have his horse and the thief be brought to justice, shall receive the above reward; or for the horse alone SIXTY DOL- LARS, and reasonable charges if brought home, paid by JOSEPH BREARLEY.
On Wednesday the twenty-eighth instant, at the house of Col. Richard Wescott, at the Forks of Little Egg harbour, The following VESSELS, viz.
The Sloop Hornet, burthen about seventy tons, mount- ing 8 four-pounders, and 6 swivels, a fast sailor, being com- pleatly fitted for a privateer, and now ready for sea, per inventory to be seen at the day of sale.
The schooner Rattle Snake, burthen about forty tons, mounting 6 two-pounders and 6 swivels, sails remarkably fast, and now ready for sea, being compleatly fitted for a privateer.
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The Sloop Chance, burthen about thirty-five tons, her sails all new, and now ready for sea, being compleatly fitted.
At the same time and place will be sold, a quantity of Goods, three good Anchors, a quantity of Sails, and sundry other articles of Merchandize.
Forks, April 16
JOSEPH BALL.
TO ALL whom it may concern :
Notice is hereby given, That a Court of Admiralty will be held at the Court-house in Trenton, on Friday the sev- enth day of May next, at Ten o'clock in the forenoon of the same day, then and there to try the truth of the facts alledged in the bill of John Tilton (who as well &c.) against the snow or vessel called the Polly, lately com- manded by Michael Barstow, with her tackle, apparel, furniture and cargo: To the end and intent that the owner or owners of the said vessel, or any person or persons con- cerned therein, may appear and shew cause, if any they have, why the said vessel, her apparel, furniture and cargo should not be condemned according to the prayer of the said bill.
By order of the Judge Salem, April 12. Joseph Bloomfield, Reg. -The Pennsylvania Packet, April 20, 1779.
For the NEW-JERSEY JOURNAL.
Vectigalia nervos esse reipublica semper durimus. CIC.
I T is the duty of every citizen to contribute to the services of his country, by counsel and action. The public papers are a channel by which every individual may convey his opinion and advice for the public good. I think the States in general, and this in particular, labour under some obvious political evils; the remedies of which are
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easy, and yet too much neglected. I am by no means of the whining, hypocondriac class of scriblers, who talk wildly of our country being in convulsive struggles, labouring under malignant distempers, in danger of ruin, and political dissolution ; that our virtue, our patriotism, and public spirits are lost, &c. For my part, I abhor such stuff, which are either guns of distress from political quacks unpensioned and out of place, or the mere ebullitions of ignorance, stupidly false and basely ungrateful. There is much real patriotism and public spirit in our country. There is not the same call for the exertions of these virtues that was, a few years ago, before our civil governments were formed and established, and therefore they do not glare with such splendor ; but was the necessity the same as formerly, the living coals would instantly be fanned into a blaze, and pour, like port-fire, flashes of confusion upon our foes.
It is readily granted, that we labour under some partial evils, but I firmly believe there never was a country, in the recent circumstances of a revolution, laboured under so few; and it is the part of a good citizen and true patriot not to exaggerate these evils, but to state them with precission, and administer practicable and effectual remedies. The unanimity, firmness, bravery, humanity, patience and perseverence of these states will be the admiration of the world, and the boast of our posterity .- The principal evil which this country labours under, and demands the attention of its virtuous citizens, is the ABUNDANCE OF MONEY. If our virtue and patriotism have at all declined, the declension is chiefly to be attributed to this cause. That vice should make a considerable appearance where money abounds, is neither new nor extraordinary. It is almost an invariable effect from such a cause ; take away the cause, and the effect, so far as produced by it, will cease. I do not say that the abundance of money is the only cause of the decay of virtue or increase of vice ; but I say it is a very principal cause ; it operates more this way than any other; yea, than all other causes (the depravity of nature excepted) put together. An abundance of money creates idleness, pride, dissipation, and avarice, and these co-operate with the money in the quick production of luxury, debauchery, gambling, and every species of prodigal extravigance. Now lay the axe to the root of these evils, reduce the quantity of our money, and you will instantly reduce multitudes to industry and frugality, the friends of virtue, enemies of vice. The continent is involved in much debt, by reason of non-taxation for the support of the war. The carrying on so heavy a war, for four years, merely by the strength of self credit, by the public spirit and patriotic virtue of the country, without previous funds, foreign loans, or internal taxes, is a new phenominon in the political world. All those vast sums of money (money invented by political imagination and supported by such credit as has confounded our enemies and astonished the nations of Europe) exist among us and must be sunk. Now this money which must be annihilated by taxation, to be wasting it in dissipation, gam- ing, sumptuous and riotous living, is hurtful to our morals, and
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-
wears an unfriendly aspect on our national faith and credit. But the disease is far from being dangerous, because the remedy is plain, the application is easy, and the cure will be infallible. Let the Honour- able representatives of our country (who have performed wonders, and who will receive the admiring praises of millions unborn) only recom- mend the levying of very large taxes; hereby we shall pay our just debts, be restrained from those vices and extravagances which our vast sums of money naturally produce ; our political disorders will be cured, and our civil constitution be rendered firm, robust, and immortal. We have been too remiss in this important matter heretofore. The Conti- nent should have begun to tax in the year 1777, and raised about ten millions of dollars ; last year we should have paid fifteen, and this year twenty millions. This measure would have sunk forty-five millions, which we now pay interest for at six per cent. This would have been a saving of many millions to the Continent; it would have greatly checked the depreciation of our money, restrained the exorbi- tant prices of home produce and foreign goods; and it would have prevented much idleness, extortion, gambling, and other such evils as have arose from a neglect of it. But though our delatoriness must. cost us a great deal of money unnecessarily, yet I know we have an abundant sufficiency to pay all our debts, and the Continent be millions richer than when the war commenced. And for a people who are growing richer in reality, notwithstanding they are deeply in debt, it is a shame to see them dejected, or hear them complain, as if they were on the borders of bankruptcy and ruin. The only thing almost wanting to recover us from every danger, is to pay more tax, as we have paid too little in the years past.
The American debt is about one hundred and twenty-three millions of dollars. Suppose thirty-two millions to be converted to loan office certificates by the first of June, when there is to be an entire end to the two emissions taken out of circulation ; and suppose thirty millions more of other emissions lent to the continent; these will make sixty- two millions at interest at six per cent, which interest amounts an- nually to three millions seven hundred and twenty thousand dollars. This shows us that one quarter nearly of the fifteen millions to be raised this year must be expended for interest, which (to use a phrase well understood) is paying for a dead horse, and this many wise men have done as well as we.
But though the Congress have been slow in recommending taxation, expecting no doubt but the respective states would be wise enough to be stimulated hereto by their own emolument, they have my joyful thanks for what they have done this year; and had they recommended thirty millions instead of fifteen, the country would have paid it with pleasure, and borne it with great advantage. I know not a greater favour, I know nothing more profitable to this country, or would add more to its wealth and felicity, than to tax the Continent this year thirty millions of dollars, next year twenty, and after that about ten millions per annum, till we shall have paid all the debts of the war.
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Can it possibly be wise or advantageous in a person, who has money sufficient in his hands to take up his bonds which are running on interest, to suffer his money to lie dead by him, and pay annually a large interest, and must pay the principal one day or other? A great part of the continental money is now bearing interest, we must be taxed to pay this interest yearly, and sometime or other must pay the original debt. Were it not infinitely wiser policy, and better oeconomy to pay a very large tax instantly, in some proportion to the quantity of money emitted, and the call for it to support our army ? And thus save millions of interest, and hasten the return of the valua- tion of our currency, which has sunk into a state of disreputable depreciation, not through want of credit, or being on a precarious foundation (for no bills of credit were ever on a surer bottom than the American) but mainly by its being suffered to accumulate to such enormous sums, through neglect, the unhappy, unnecessary, and mis- chievous neglect of taxation. The Continent ought, before this time, to be taxed forty-five millions of dollars for defraying the expences of the war. If this had been done, our money would not have been half so much in debt; and we should scarcely have had any interest to pay, which would have been a saving of four millions per year. Upon this plan, raising fifteen millions this year, and six millions per year, might have answered ; but suffering matters to run to so great a length, without taxation, and now recommending it in such small proportions, its operation will be slow in effecting a cure; and instead of having only six millions a year to pay for eighteen years after this, we shall have ten, in case the war ceases, and if the war continues another campaign, I will not mention the number of millions we ought next year to pay, upon a fair calculation of the expence of the war, the depreciation of our money, and the interest we must pay, added to- gether. For depend upon it, if the war proceeds, the fifteen millions to be raised this year, will neither prevent the encrease of our money, nor its depreciation.
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