USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. III > Part 22
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1 John Scott died 1800, aged 87 years. His wife, Eunice, b. April 3, 1743, was a dau. of Samuel Ford and Sarah Baldwin, his wife, and was the widow of Stephen Moore, whom she m. April 21, 1761 ; he d. January 19, 1777, aged 39 yrs. ; she d. March 8, 1802, aged 60 yrs.
2 Hannah Ford, b. about 1740, dau. of Samuel Ford, m. Joseph Morris, April 12, 1759. He was active in the French and Indian wars; was a major in Col. Daniel Morgan's Rangers; he was shot at White Marsh, December 6, 1777, and d. January 5, 1778 ; she d. October 12, 1783, aged 43 yrs.
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but seeing him selling all he had, to put the money in his pocket, in order to leave me, as he said he would, I tried his credit again, and made out as well as before; but this was after he fastened me out of the house, and was afraid of my life. His forbidding people to trust me on his ac- count, was quite needless, for they never would, except a trifle. The damage he has done by it is trifling, for I have the same way to trade now as ever I had, and that is with my children's estate, which if I had not had, I might have suffered, I believe, for that supported the family, in some measure whilst I lived with him, and because I would not give it all, I could not stay at home; after I left him I made him offers to quit him, and have no more demands against him if he would give me two hundred pounds, but he said he would not give me one copper, but would take all my clothes from me, which he did all he could get, and locked them up, and the writings belonging to my children, by having a key that would unlock the drawer where I kept them, which I never knew till since, and have missed money several times. I never had one of his bonds, notes, or deeds in my life, but that is like the rest of what he says. EUNICE SCOTT.
Morris county, April 19, 1779.
PERSONALLY appeared before me Eunice Scott, and made oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that what she has wrote concerning John Scott, her husband, is the truth.
EUNICE SCOTT.
STEPHEN DAY. -The New-Jersey Journal, Vol. I., Numb. XI., April 27, 1779.
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Wanted to purchase.
A NEGRO GIRL not less than nine years of age, nor more than thirteen. She must be of an affable disposition, and free from any particular fault. If bred in the country the more agreeable. Any person having such a girl to dis- pose of may hear of a purchaser by applying to the printer hereof.
Mr. COLLINS,
Your inserting the following in your next paper will oblige your most obedient humble servant,
AZ. DUNHAM.
SIR :
YOUR correspondent, under the signature of A true Patriot, has repeatedly vilified the characters of Quarter- masters and Commissaries, and roundly asserted that the cause of our present calamities, the high price of provi- sions, and depreciation of our money is occasioned by their avaricious disposition to enhance their commissions. A thought so vile would scarcely have entered the breast of any person but one capable of acting such a part himself, was he in that place of trust. And also insinuates that they have repeatedly offered more than the "upright, sincere" and virtuous farmers would have thought of ask- ing for their produce. And in your last paper, No. 70, says, "Among all the harpies which have preyed upon our vitals, none have been worse than Quartermasters, Commissaries, and the whole host of their deputies."
And your paper being printed in the state of New- Jersey, suppose your correspondence resides in it, as he has made choice of it to communicate his intelligence to the publick; and as he has made no exceptions, and I am one of the Assistant Purchasing Commissaries for the state, and superintend [ent in ] chief of the purchases made
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for the army in the eastern division of it, as such do deny that any of the charge is true, to my knowledge and belief ; and do know that the reverse is true, which I can prove in a thousand instances. And as I would wish to deserve and support a good character, publickly call on your corre- spondent to come forth and support his charge, if any he has, against me, or publickly acknowledge his fault, other- wise I shall esteem him a general caluminator, altho' he may assume the sanctity of a Divine, the importance of a quondam President or Judge, or one dispossed to flatter the farmers and tradesmen.
Morristown, April 10, 1779.
We hear that his Excellency the Ambassadour from the Court of France, will shortly make a visit at Head- Quarters, and take a View of the Grand American Army.
By a gentleman from Philadelphia, we learn, that two prizes were a few days ago sent into Delaware Bay by Capt. Douglass, the one a schooner with 135 hogsheads of rum, the other a sloop loaded with salt.
The same paper informs us that a party of twelve continental troops, with an officer, were taken on Bergen Neck and carried into New-York, on the 2d inst. at night ' by a detachment of the enemy that .lay at Paulus Hook.
§ + § The true Patriot, No. 5, to be in our next.
TO BE SOLD at Vendue, on Tuesday the 27th instant, at New Brunswick,
THE Sloop SPEEDWELL and the Schooner Betsey, with their tackle, apparel and furniture, per inventory.
By order of the Court of Admiralty,
JOSEPH POTTS, Marshall.
New-Jersey, April 13, 1779.
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WAS STOLEN out of the subscriber's stable, (being near Vanpelt's mill, George road, near New Brunswick) on the 13th instant, a brown horse about fifteen hands high, nine years old, low in flesh, lame in one of his fore fetlock joints, shod all round, and much used to the gears. Who- ever takes up said horse and thief and secures them, so that the owner may get the horse, and the thief brought to justice, shall have Eighty Dollars reward, or Thirty Dollars for the horse, paid by me,
WILLIAM CAYWOOD.
April 15.
THE subscriber informs the publick in general, that he has moved from the sign of the college in Princeton, to the stone house almost opposite, where Mrs. Livingston formerly lived, where he now keeps a Tavern: He takes the liberty to return his sincere thanks to all his friends in particular, and to all those gentlemen who have been so obliging as to favour him with their company; he in- tends to put up the sign of thirteen stars at said house, and is furnished with every necessary for entertainment, where the publick in general may be assured of his ut- most endeavours to merit their future favours.
From the publick's humble servant,
JACOB G. BERGEN.
Princeton, 17th April 1779.
STRAYED away from the subscriber living in Trenton, the 11th day of this inst. a grey MARE three years old, has a very short dock with the hair off of the upper side, and is a natural trotter. Whoever takes up and secures said mare, so that the owner may get her again, shall be entitled to Twenty Dollars reward, paid by
BERNARD JOHNSON.
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A LIST OF LETTERS remaining in the Post-Office at Trenton, the 5th of April, 1779.
B. CHARLES Bessonet,' Esquire, Bristol; William Brown, Esquire, P. G. Brunswick.
C. Mr. John Cain, mariner, Jersey; Lieutenant Pat- rick Cain, in Major Lee's troop light dragoons; Mr. Christopher Cobright, in Amwell.
D. Mr. Peter Dix, Trenton.
E. Mr. Robert Eastburn, Brunswick.
J. Mr. John Johnson, near Mount-Holly.
L. Major Henry Lee, of cavalry ; Mr. Richard Lloyd, Allen-town.
M. The Honourable Robert Morris, Esquire.
N. Hannah Nichols, near Princeton.
P. Mr. William Phillips, Maidenhead; Mr. Simeon Phillips, ditto; Captain James Perkins, master of the sloop Polly.
S. Richard Stockton, Esquire, near Princeton.
V. Daniel Van Voorhees, Burlington.
B. SMITH, P. M. !
ALL persons indebted to the estate of Joseph Taylor, of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth and state of New Jersey, deceased, by bond, note, or book-debts, are desired to come and pay them off, before the first day of May next, to John Van Der Veer in Freehold, or they will be put in suit against them without further notice; and all those that have any demands against said estate are de- sired to make their demands, and bring their accounts properly attested, by the abovesaid first day of May, to
JOHN VAN DER VEER, Admin. Freehold, April 9, 1779.
1
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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.
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PUTNAM.
A Beautiful, dark brown, well marked and of full size, 15 hands and an inch high, moves well; eight years old this grass, and in excellent order, will cover mares the ensuing season at the stable of the subscriber, in Penning- ton, Hunterdon county, at Sixteen Dollars the season, or one bushel of wheat; the money to be paid at the stable door, or the wheat delivered. Putnam was bred in New England, got by a full-blooded horse out of a very fine New England mare. It is needless to fill a newspaper with a long pedigree of this horse, as those who put mares to him will have the satisfaction of judging for themselves. Good care will be taken that the mares that come to him are properly served.
April 17, 1779.
STEPHEN BURROUGHS.
WILL COVER,
The ensuing season, at the stable of Major William Baird, at the moderate price of sixteen dollars the season, the famous horse
YOUNG BELSIZE
A Beautiful chesnut brown, three white feet and a snip, full sixteen hands and a half high. Young Belsize was got by that famous horse Grandbay, and is a half blooded horse got out of as famous à mare as any in this state ; as for his pedigree it is needless to say any more, as he is allowed by the best judges to be equal to any horse of his blood in this state. Said Belsize four years old next grass.
N. B. In case any of the mares should not prove with foal, and the money is paid in the season, they shall be entitled to a single leap the next season.
Griggs-Town, Somerset, April 10, 1779.
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WILL COVER
The ensuing season, at Henry Mershon's in Maiden- head, near Assanpink, a likely three-quarters blooded horse, called
BOLD HUNTER,
at Thirty Dollars the season, and one to the groom. Money to be paid at or before the end of the season.
His son is the noted full blooded horse Old Grandbay, and come of a very fine Hector mare; he rises four years old next June, he is full fifteen and a half hands high, a very clever brown, has good spirits, lofty carriage, moves spry and very pleasant for the rider; he is neat limb'd, and carries a very proportionable body sufficient to perform any service whatever.
WILL COVER,
At Thirty-six Dollars the ensuing season, at the stables 1 of John Phillips, of Maidenhead,
JOLLY CHESTER,
A Fine blooded bay, rising seven years old this grass, has a beautiful star in his forehead, has black legs, mane and tail, is upwards of 15 hands high, very lengthy, gay, boney 1 and of fine spirits, and remarkable for getting ex- ceeding fine foals. Jolly Chester's sire was True Briton, his dam by Old Hero, his great-grandam by Spark, who was also sire of Old Bullyrock. This excellent breed of horses are so well known to this and the adjacent states, that their fame and performances need no enumeration. Good pasture provided for mares that come at a distance. THOMAS PHILLIPS.
April 20, 1779.
1 Bonnie.
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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.
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PURSUANT to the direction of a law of the state of New- Jersey, entitled, "An act for the regulating, training, and arraying the militia," passed at Princeton the 14th day of April, 1778, two Justices of the Peace and one Field- Officer are constituted a Court, for hearing and determin- ing upon appeals of such persons as may think themselves aggrieved by any fines imposed for remissness in publick duty; this is therefore to inform the delinquents of the 1st regiment of militia in the county of Hunterdon, that Benamin Van Cleve and Jeremiah Woolsey, Esquire, and Major Joseph Brearley were, at our last review, nominated members for said Court; which will set to audit and finally adjust this business on Friday, the 30th of this instant, (April) at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at the house of Mr. Thomas Bullman, in Pennington-of which this is not for notice.
Joseph Phillips, Col.
Maidenhead, April 10, 1779.
CAME to the forage-yard of the first Maryland brigade about the first day of October, 1778, a small bay horse, six or seven years old, shod all round, with a short bushy tail, trots and hand-gallops well, has no perceivable natural marks. The owner is desired to come, prove his property, pay charges, and take him away.
John McCay, A. F. M.
Middle-Brook, April 14, 1779.
THREE DOLLARS per BUSHEL will be given by the subscribers at their store in New Brunswick, for merchant- able FLAXSEED of last year's growth, if delivered in four weeks from the date.
P. & JOHN VAN EMBURGH. April 7th, 1779.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.
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THE Encouragers of the New-Jersey Gazette, who are in arrears to the subscribers for carrying the packets last year, are earnestly requested to pay off the same to the Gentlemen to whom the packets were directed-who are requested to send the money to the Post-Office at Morris- town, or to such other place on the post-road as may be most convenient to them. Unless the subscribers are more punctually paid, it will be impossible for them to continue to ride.
DANIEL BURNET
STEPHEN BURNET
April 18, 1779.
FRANCIS WITT,
. In TRENTON, has for SALE an assortment of Merchandize suitable to the season, viz.
CAmbricks and lawns
Stone and earthen ware
Serges
Snuff and tobacco
Dimitties
Hard soap and brimstone
Drilling
Pepper and ginger
Stripes
Alspice
Callicoes
Nutmegs
Silks for gowns & bonnets
Cinnamon
Camblets
Spirits, allum & copperas
Stocking breeches patterns
Desk, cupboards, chest & pad locks
Silk & worsted stockings
Razors, knives & scissors
Sewing silk and mohair
Shoe and knee buckles
White & colour'd threads
Silver stock buckles and broaches.
Sealing wax
Pewter, china & queen's ware
And a variety of other articles which he will sell as low as he can afford, for cash or country produce.
ALL persons indebted to the estate of Capt. John Van Cleaf, of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth and state of New-Jersey, deceased, by bond, note, or book-debts, are desired to come and pay them off before the fifteenth day
1
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of May next, to John Van Der Veer, Joshua Anderson, William A. Covenhoven, jun. or either of them, in Free- hold, or they will be put in suit against them without further notice: And all those that have any demands against said estate, are desired to make their demands, and bring their accounts properly attested to the executors, who will meet at the house where William Snyder, inn- holder, in Freehold, now lives, on the above said fifteenth day of May, for said purpose.
JOHN VAN DER VEER, JOSHUA ANDERSON, WILLIAM A. COVENHOVEN, jun. Executors. Freehold, April 9, 1779.
STRAYED or stolen from the plantation of Benjamin Mitchell, near Kingston, in Somerset county, on the 16th of March last .- A brindle cow, about 9 years old, with a white face and belly, heavy with calf, has a red ring round each eye, marked with two halfpennies, one on the end and the other on the edge of her off ear. Whoever takes up said cow and delivers her at the plantation above, if strayed, shall receive Five Pounds, and if stolen, and the thief secured, Ten Pounds.
-The New-Jersey Gazette, Vol. II., No. 72, Wednesday, April 21, 1779.
[No. V.]
Mr. COLLINS,
AFTER I had, in my last, pursued the consequences and tendencies of the two different plans under consideration, with respect to sound and good policy, I was prevented to proceed by the bounds prescribed to the length of my pieces. I shall therefore now resume and prosecute the
2. Relation of these different plans to the rules of equity and justice. I confess it appears to me impossible to redress this general and ad- vanced evil, without doing injustice to some individuals; But it is incontestible that the injustice is greatly aggravated by the greater number it affects, the ingratitudc it might be attended with, and the
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greater detriment it may render to the community in general .- Hence the common saying holds true, of two evils the least ought to be chosen. If we thus compare each plan with the strict rules of equity and justice, we shall find both will be unavoidably infringe them; But I humbly conceive the one in a much more aggravated degree than the other.
1. If the tax for recovering the value of our currency be laid on the money itself, it seems to threaten shocking injustice to persons who had their estates in money before depreciated, and some who have sold their real estates before the money was quarter so low as it is now, and others of similar circumstances ; these would be obliged to pay as much tax in proportion to the money they possess, as others who got it fifteen and twenty to one for one. However, great part of this injustice might easily be avoided. Let all the monies laid up for the maintenance of superannuated, widows and orphans, be exempted. Also all the monies brought into our loans before the first day of March, 1778. The reasons for this are evident. These monies stand the respective owners at their original value, they have had no agency in the depreciation, and are reduceable to certain classes in the com- munity, without descending to individuals, to which (if it was done) there would be no end. As to those who have sold real property, and come not within the depreciation aforesaid, the advanced price has probably been their inducement; and therefore I cannot see great injustice in their being obliged, like traders, to balance their loss and gain. There are many particular cases of individuals similar to this, the injustice which this plan seems to expose them to would be greatly alleviated by considering them in the same point of view .- There is no objection against this scheme, which in the opinion of some, might make it appear very unjust, namely, that the farmers who possess the soil of all improved America, should be exempt from so large a tax in sinking the national debt. Whatever colour of injustice this objection may carry on the face of it, I am confident, if thoroughly examined, it will be found void of foundation. Let it only be considered-That this charge supposes several things which are not true, as, that the farmers will be free of this tax. Have they got no money? If not, it is a sufficient evidence that they have not been guilty of the deprecia- tion. If they have, they will pay their proportionable share. In each case it will be just .- That none but farmers have real property. Have not merchants houses and other improvements, furniture, merchandise, shipping, &c ?- That this tax is to be paid for sinking the national debt. This I deny ; I have before proved the contrary. It is for raising the value of the money. And as much as the depreciation has truly sunk of the national debt, they have bore their part. If this tax is laid on real property, it will not sink, but vastly increase the real national debt, as I have before demonstrated .- Let us
2. Next examine how it will square with the rules of equity and justice, if the tax for recovering the value of our currency be laid on real property. I frankly own it appears to me.
1. In its very nature unjust and oppressive, because then the farmers would be compelled to give thousands and millions to the monied part of
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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.
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the community, for which neither they nor the community never received the equivalent, and that to the farmers destruction. Before I proceed permit me to explain my meaning, in the use of two terms. If I use the word monied-man, I mean a person who gets his living or has his estate chiefly in money, in trade, or bonds, bills and notes. By farmer I don't mean a person who has no money, but one who chiefly has his income from the produce of his land .- Now, in order to make my above assertion evident, let the monied man and the farmer in this case be placed in their different situations, and the injustice and oppression will evidently appear from the contrast. Suppose the monied man has now an estate of fifty thousand pounds present value of our currency, in money, bonds, bills or notes. A farmer has five hundred acres of land, which would have readily sold four years ago at five pounds per acre. The land is now worth, according to the sup- posed medium at twenty for one, fifty thousand pounds. Consequently these two are so far on a par, or of equal estate. The yearly interest for the money is £3000. If he trades with it he gets more. According then to the plan of Congress, this land paying its proportion of tax, in thirteen years one hundred millions will be sunk. Then thirty millions will remain, which we will suppose to be only sufficient for a circulating medium. The monied man had three thousand per year interest, his original stock, which was in true value no more than two thousand five hundred, is now fifty thousand. But the farmer whose estate was but thirteen years before equal to his, is now worth two thousand five hundred. Now only consider how many such able farmers will have to labour and sweat thirteen years, to raise this man's estate from two thousand five hundred to fifty thousand? And then there are the thirty millions of dollars yet to pay, after they have been reduced to their original value. So that farmers by thirteen years hard labour, and many by having their estate sold, will have made the monied man twenty times as rich as they are now, and en- creased the true national debt from eight to thirty millions of dollars. At the same time the monied man may live sumptuous and luxuri- ously, and daily add to their original stock. If this is justice and . equity in a nation, I confess I know not what justice is.
2. This injustice would be shockingly aggravated from the multi- tude it would affect .- Here the monied men are to be compared to the yeomanry throughout this vast continent. I do not presume to deter- mine in what proportion the number of the latter exceeds the former. This however none will deny, that the farmers vastly out-number the others .- To the number of farmers must be added that of all the mer- chants and tradesmen, who necessarily must stand, rise or fall with farmers, as well as day labourers .- This set of men need no other argu- ment to convince them of this, than only to recall the present time. Though to appearance they made money by raising the price of their labour, but in fact they have paid dear for what they got for that money, and their full proportion in what the depreciation has sunk of the national debt. Ask the sober and industrious among them, though they have laboured as hard as in former days, whether they have been
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well fed and cloathed as before? Had foreign and home produce been distributed without monopoly, forestalling and extortion, not an indi- vidual would have needed to suffer any want. Now if this class of men have already felt the sad effects of this evil, while the monied few have been only preparing to make their fortunes, what will they feel when these shall actually make them in the proportion of twenty to one? Add to these the thousands of brave American soldiers who vol- untarily confined themselves to the sword and musket, and waded through seas of blood and difficulties, and thousands sacrificing their lives for the defence of their country's liberties and properties ; while the monied men have been hoarding up and depreciating millions. And shall these brave men, besides what they have already suffered by the depreciation, be compelled to sacrifice what some of them possess as yet in real property, or their sweat and labour, to make good the depreciated money in the hands of those who have hoarded it up as dust? What would the manes of those heroes who bravely fell in their country's cause say, could they behold their relicts and offsprings engaged in such unworthy drudgery? Now if all the monied men in this empire be compared with those, as to their collective numbers, they will be an insignificant dust in the balance. And what aggra- vated injustice would that be to make so many thousands, yea millions miserable to enrich a few?
3. This injustice will still appear more aggravated if we consider its inseparable ingratitude .- The men who have served their country most, are undoubtedly most entitled to their country's grateful reward. Some have served their country in the cabinet, or by salutary councils given their fellow-citizens at large; others in the field .- While our valiant army encountered unparalleled hardships, and braved danger and slaughter ; while our farmers, mechanicks and tradesmen bravely stepped forth from their lawful and necessary business, to the great damage of their private interest, to defend their country in the service of the militia, at the risk and hazard of their lives; where then were the monied men of the community? I answer, some sculking about to hoard up and depreciate our money, and to avoid their duty in the field ; and when they could no longer escape the penalty for neglect of duty, then to pay their fines with money they had been purchasing at a low value. Others were basking in the sunshine of monopoly, forestalling and extortion, and withal pampering their vile natures in ease, super- fluities and luxury .- If all Americans had acted such a part, where would our enemies have been? Where would we have been ?- And are these the men whom we should reward, by compelling this pa- triotic collective body, who at the risk of their lives and fortunes, have rescued this country from slavery and depredation, to give them millions of money for which the community has received no kind of value? O! incomparable and fatal ingratitude! Pagans would put us to the blush ; whose proverb was ingratum dixeris, et omnia dixeris.
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