USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. IV > Part 2
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"What I have averred, amounts only to a negative proposition .- All I have to do, is to challenge those I have dealt with, to convict me .- I must be supposed innocent, till they can prove me otherwise,- I did not undertake to justify every individual, who purchases for the publick .- Those who are honest and attentive, need no vindication, and those who are not, deserve none .- Others, when arraigned, must defend themselves." You have turned out just such a hero, as I thought, and all the reward you need expect for "your extraordinary zeal and labours," is the ridicule of the honest part of your brethren, who certainly must laugh at your unnecessary defence of your repu- tation-and the hearty curses of such as know themselves to be guilty, who, having looked up to you as an able defender of their cause, must be chagrined at their disappointment.
I can single out, Sir, a number of gentlemen in the commissary and quartermaster departments, whose souls I know to be superior to every species of fraud ; you should not therefore give me your per- mission to indulge my inclination in trying to prove, that they have all been villains ;- but, Sir, you should be as honest in transcribing the expressions of your opponent as you say you have been in dis- posing of the publick money.
I have much more to say to you, but I have already transgressed the bounds to which I ought to have limited myself .- I possess not a sentiment, Sir, which I dare not utter. I utter none, which I dare not defend : I should therefore now subscribe my name to this address ; but as you discover so great an aversion from knowing me, and as I wish not to intrude upon gentlemen, I shall again call myself,
Your most obedient servant, TIMOLEON.
Somerset, June 29, 1779.
MR. COLLINS,
N OTWITHSTANDING all the reflections which have been cast upon your correspondent the True Patriot, I cannot but think, that could his scheme take place, it would be the most just and equitable of any yet pro- posed. If I took up his plan, it was for substance this, viz. that what our currency had depreciated, should be sunk immediately by the community, and either hard money borrowed, or new emissions made, in order to exchange the remainder, dollar for dollar; and then to have a regulating
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.
[1779
act passed, to keep the money good, and prevent monopoly, extortion, &c. Had this plan been executed at the time it was proposed, I humbly conceive, that it would have saved us many millions of expence, and prevented our money from degenerating into almost blank paper, and enabled us to carry on the war with infinitely less perplexity and much greater certainty of success. It is well known, that our enemny's greatest hope and expectation is derived from the depreciation of our currency, which they have endeav- oured to accomplish by every means in their power. I think the True Patriot has sufficiently proved, that it is just; that they who have received their money, at the rate of fifteen or twenty for one, ought to sink it in the same pro- portion, if it is right to tax money at all; and that it is right that money should be taxed either by lessening the interest, or deducting a part of it, must be evident to every impartial enquirer after truth. That plan, which (all things considered) will do the least injustice to the com- munity, ought to be adopted; and who can say, that it is not just to punish the guilty, and exempt innocent suf- ferers ? Sed "hic labor, hoc opus est:" here is the diffi- culty; but supposing the innocent should suffer by a tax of ten or fifteen for one upon their money, would they not then be as well off as at present, with the whole, if the remainder would purchase the same ? Surely they would. They therefore cannot be losers by such an exchange; and the community in general would, in my humble opinion, be much advantaged by having the expence of the war di- minished, our national debt lessened, and our enemies con- founded.
A FRIEND TO LIBERTY.
"To be sold by the subscriber, living in Kingwood town- ship, Hunterdon county, a Plantation containing
175 acres of land, situate, lying and being in the township of Amwell, adjoining to Peter Young's, within a mile and a half of William Chumberling's mill. Said
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plantation is now in the possession of James Matthews; there is a house and barn on said place, a good bearing orchard, some peach and cherry trees, a spring of good water near the door, 7 or 8 acres of meadow cleared, and more to be made; there are about 70 or 80 acres of cleared land, the rest timber. Any person inclining to purchase said plantation, may know the terms by applying to the subscriber.
Nov. 2.
JOHN GULICK.
To the PUBLICK.
W HEREAS Richard Stevens and John Mehelm, Esqrs. in the Pennsylvania and New-Jersey papers, have, as trustees for selling and disposing of part of the real estate of William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, among others, advertised two certain tracts of land near Cross- wicks, adjoining Plumsted's and Willock's land, contain- ing about 526 acres ;1 and whereas the greatest part of one of said tracts of land, the beginning of which is at a poplar standing on Crosswick's creek, is now in the possession of James and Peter Sexton, by conveyance from Thomas Plumstead to James Sexton, and from James Lawrence, John Leonard, Thomas Reynolds to Peter Sexton, whereby we the subscribers look upon ourselves to be the true and lawful owners of so much of said land as is included in the above-cited conveyances : therefore we do hereby forewarn all persons from purchasing, as we are determined to dis- pute the title with any person or persons purchasing the same.
JAMES SEXTON, PETER SEXTON.
Nov. 2.
1 New Jersey Archives, 2d Series, 3: 536. See also p. 643 of the same volume.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1779
TRENTON, NOVEMBER 10.
Friday last the Hon. the General Assembly of this State adjourned to meet at Mountholly, on Monday following, for the dispatch of publick business.
We are informed that the enemy, to the number of about 1500 or 2000, are upon Staten-Island, and have collected a considerable number of flat-bottomed boats at Billop's Point, in order, it is said, to make a descent into this State; but, from the disposition of several detachments of the Continental Army, as well as our militia, we flatter ourselves they will be frustrated in their predatory designs.
By several corroborating accounts we learn, that the enemy at New-York are preparing for a large embarka- tion, but their destination is not yet certainly known.
W
Trenton, House of Assembly, Nov. 1, 1779. HEREAS the Honorable the Congress of the United States did, on the 23d day of July, 1779, declare and resolve in the words following, viz.
In CONGRESS, July 23, 1779.
Whereas, in the unsettled state of publick affairs, during the con- test with Great-Britain, the necessities of the United Colonies or States, induced their officers in sundry places, to take possession of divers lots, or pieces of ground, in many of the United Colonies, now States ; and barracks, hospitals, stables, storehouses, and other build- ings, have been erected thereon, sometimes without the express consent of the proprietors of the land, many of whom now either claim exor- bitant rents, or attempt to seize upon, and hold or remove the buildings which were so built, without the express consent of the said proprie- tors, or where the terms have been agreed on, and the times, for which the grounds have been taken, are expired :
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Legislatures of the re- spective States, to make effectual provision by laws, for the preserva- tion of the buildings belonging to the United States, within their respective jurisdictions, and for the punishment of those who shall seize upon, or insure the same; and in cases where there are consid- erable buildings, which cannot be removed with convenience to the publick, the proprietors of the ground be obliged to suffer the buildings to remain thereon, at least during the war, receiving therefor such compensation as shall be allowed by indifferent and proper persons duly appointed and authorized to appraise and value the same: that
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all grounds, or places occupied for the purposes of defence, although the property of individuals, shall remain, during the war, appropriated (if not before abandoned by orders of the proper authority) for the military purposes intended by their being possessed by the troops, and that no encroachments shall be made on the said grounds or places ; but the officer commanding at the post, shall remove all such encroach- ments on the dependencies of the garrison, the fort, or any out-works thereof, so that such extent of ground shall remain unoccupied, for any private purpose, round the forts or garrisons, as the defence of the same posts may require, and that compensation be made to the proprietor of such grounds, in the manner herein before mentioned.
Therefore, All persons having the charge of hospitals, barracks, stables, or other buildings, erected on lands, the property of private persons, in this State, under the au- thority, and for the use of the United States, are hereby notified to transmit to the Legislature of this State, an account of the situation, number and nature of such hos- pitals, barracks, stables and other buildings, together with the space of ground occupied for those purposes, or for the erection of fortresses, and in what manner they respect- ively came into, and continue in the possession of the United States, within the first week of the next sitting of the General Assembly. And all persons, inhabitants of this State, interested in such hospitals, barracks, stables, or other buildings, or in the lands on which they have been erected, are desired, within the aforesaid time, to state their objections to the Legislature, if any they may have, why a law may not be enacted agreeably to the tenor of the above resolution.
By order of the House, M. EWING,1 jun. Clerk. Mr. COLLINS, W ALKING through my entry on Sunday evening last, my eye was caught by a meteor of a very uncom- mon size, in the south west .- It appeared to me to be as large as a man's hand, very luminous, and descended with great rapidity from the height of about 15 'degrees
1 For some account of the Ewing family, see New Jersey Archives. XX .: 171.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1779
above the horizon, which was the place I first saw it in- But what rendered the thing still more remarkable was, that a crooked crack or luminous stroke appeared immedi- ately afterwards in the sky, which seemed to have de- scribed the path of the meteor, and continued for about 10 or 15 minutes .- This phenomenon was altogether extra- ordinary, and it would afford me great pleasure to have the thoughts of the learned and philosophical, on the subject.
CREON.
November 6, 1779.
Erratumn. In the return for Cape-May, in our last, in- stead of Richard, read Henry-Young Townsend.1
I AKEN up and brought to the gaol at New-Brunswick, a certain Negro Boy named James, who says he belongs to Theophilus Hunt at Morrissania, in York State: this is to desire the owner to come and prove his property, pay charges, and take him away, or he will be sold for the cost, on the first day of December next, by JOHN PIATT, Sheriff.
S TRAYED or stolen from the subscriber in Maidenhead, on the 30th of October, a bay MARE, two years old last spring, large of her age, and not broke, has a small star in her forehead, and is a natural trotter. Who- ever has taken up said mare, and will deliver her to (or inform) the subscriber shall be handsomely rewarded.
TIMOTHY BAKER, jun.
Nov. 2.
Raritan, October 29, 1779. N OTICE is hereby given, that the Grammar-School at Raritan was opened last Monday, and that the vaca- tion of Queen's College will end on Thursday the 4th of November, when the business of said College will be again carried on at New Brunswick. Boarding may be had at each of the above places at as low a price as in any
1 See p. 4 ante.
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part of the State .- Parents and guardians may be assured of the greatest care being taken of the youth, and that proper attention will be given to every branch of English education.
By order of the Faculty, . JOHN TAYLOR, Clerk pro Tem.
One Thousand Dollars Reward.
W AS broke open on the night of the 5th inst. the con- tinental store-house at Trenton landing, and stolen from thence, Nine Barrels of flour: it appeared to be carried off in a waggon, and was tracked some dis- tance up the Sandpike road. Whoever detects said flour and thief, so as the flour may be restored, and the thief brought to justice, shall be paid the above reward, or Five Hundred Dollars for the thief, and in proportion for the quantity of flour restored.
STEPHEN LOWREY, Com. Mag.
Somerset county, W HEREAS inquisition hath been State of New-Jersey. found, and final judgment entered thereon, in favour of the State, against Oliver Delancey, of the city of New- York-Notice is hereby given that there will be sold at publick vendue, on Monday the 13th of December next, all the right, title, interest, property and demand, which the said Oliver Delancey had in a certain tract of land lying in Bernard's township, and county aforesaid, which he and Cuyler bought from Dockere,1 containing 3000 acres, lying on the south side of Passaick river; the great- est part of said tract is improved, and a great deal of good meadow thereon, and will be sold in parts as may best suit the purchasers ; the sale to begin at the house of Benjamin
' Query : William Dockwra.
2
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Inyan, on said tract .- And also, one other piece of land in the possession of Thomas Rowlen, containing about 27 acres .- And also, one other in the possession of John Elston, in said township, of 9 acres .- Likewise, one other tract in the possession of Benjamin Koon, of 100 acres or more .- One other piece of land in the possession of Joseph Stuart, containing 50 or 60 acres .- One other piece in the possession of Jonathan Dun, of about 60 acres. The ven- dues to be held from day to day, on the several tracts, until the whole are sold. The sales to begin each day at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, on the premises. The lands will be shewn on days of sale, and titles will be made for the same, pursuant to an act of the general assembly, in that case made and provided. Attendance will be given, and the conditions made known by
Jacob Bergen, Commis-
Hendrick Wilson, sioners. Nov. 3.
N. B. All persons who are indebted to said Delancey for rent, are desired forthwith to pay the same to one of us the above-said commissioners, or they may depend on being proceeded against according to law.
Forty Dollars Reward.
S TRAYED or stolen, on the night of the 28th ult. from the pasture of Benjamin Cornell, near Pennington, a black Mare with a star, near 15 hands high, 12 years old, and heavy with foal; has a short dockt switch tail, and long mane which hangs in curled strings ; paces a travel, trots and canters : also, a sorrel Horse with a star, about 14 hands high, 14 years old, paces and trots, and has white hind legs. Whoever takes up said mare and horse, and delivers them either to Benjamin Cornell aforesaid, Thomas Bullman in Pennington, or to the subscriber in Pittsgrove, Salem county, shall have the above reward, or
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Twenty Dollars for either, and all reasonable charges, paid by ELEAZER MAYHEW.
-The New-Jersey Gazette, Vol. II, No. 98, Nov. 10, 1779.
New-York, November 10.
By very recent accounts from New-Jersey, we are in- formed, Mr. Washington is still in his old quarters, at' West-Point; Lord Sterling at Haverstraw; he is rebuild- ing Stoney-Point Fort. Mr. Sullivan marched on the 6th of this instant towards Elizabeth-Town, where a stroke is most assuredly meditated against Staten-Island. Mr. Wayne is still at Paramus; and Mr. Baylor's light-horse at Peckman's River, about 8 miles back of Aquachinunk. -The Royal Gazette, No. 325, November 10, 1779.
Captain Munds on his voyage from Oporto to this city was, off the Banks of Newfoundland, taken by two French frigates, he afterwards ransomed a vessel to proceed hither, but notwithstanding that transaction was lately taken and carried by the rebels into Egg Harbour .- The Royal Ga- zette, No. 326, November 13, 1779.
New-York, November 13.
In a former paper we announced the re-election of Mr. William Livingston to the rebel government of New-Jer- sey, previous to which we find in Mr. Collins's New-Jersey Gazette, a suit of hints, exhibiting a portrait, said to apply to the said Mr. Livingston, the following is a copy of them.1-Supplement to the Royal Gazette, November 13, 1779.
1 See New Jersey Archives, 2d Series, III. : 711.
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.
NEW-YORK, Nov. 15.
Capt. Munns, who we mentioned in our last to be taken and carried into Egg-Harbour, was first captured by two French Frigates bound for the West-Indies; who soon after took a small English Brig, which Captain Munns ransomed from the Frenchmen, and was proceeding in for this Port, and notwithstanding his Ransom Bill had 23 Days to run, he was carried into New-Jersey .- The New- . York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury, No. 1465, No- vember 15, 1779.
CHATHAM, NOVEMBER 2.
Last Tuesday morning a party of the enemy's light dra- goons, consisting of about ninety-six, under the command of Lieut. Col. Simcoe, landed at Amboy, and proceeded, by way of Quibble-Town, to Bound Brook, where they burnt some of the artificers shops, cut and burnt part of the flat bottom boats that lay there, burnt the Dutch church at Raritan, and then proceeded to Somerset court- house, which they also burnt. From thence they began their retreat, via Brunswick, to South Amboy (where a party of infantry had landed that day to' cover their flight) which they effected, with the loss of their Colonel, three privates, and six horses, taken. The rapidity with which they proceeded, and not knowing the route they would retreat, prevented them, in all probability, from shearing the fate of their hapless Colonel. They very in- humanly murdered Capt. Voorhes, of the first Jersey Reg- iment, after he surrendered himself; and it was with the greatest difficulty, the Governor could restrain the troops from retaliating his death on Col. Simcoe.
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To be SOLD,
By THOMAS MORRELL,
At the house of the late Amos Potter,1 Esq; 21/2 miles from New-Providence meeting-house, the following MEDICINES:
-
B EST Peruvian quill bark, rubarb, tartar emetic, war- ranted genuine; glauber salts, cantharides, opium, sal absynthii, g. myrrh, 'Carolina pink root, quick- silver red precipitit, compound spirit lavender, spirit volatile, camphor, Anderson's pills, &c.
At the same place may be had excellent Jamaica spirit by the barrel or gallon.
November 2. 1779.
For SALE,
A Good new house, with five acres of land, within 100 yards of South Hanover meeting-house. Also 20 acres of land within one mile of Gardiner's tavern, at Bottle-Hill, one half of which is well timbered, the other half good plough land, and in good fence. The whole will be sold together, or separate, as may best suit the purchaser.
1 Amos Potter, b. 1725, was a son of Daniel, whose father, Samuel Potter, came from Wales, according to Littell ("Family Records : or Genealogies of the First Settlers of Passaic Valley") ; the Rev. Dr. E. F. Hatfield, however ("Hist. of Elizabeth," p. 268), says that Samuel Potter was a grandson of John Potter, one of the first settlers of New Haven, Conn., 1639, who had two sons, John and Samuel ; the latter was bap. Oct. 17, 1641, and became one of the early settlers of Newark, and probably located later at Con- necticut Farms. Littell says that Daniel, son of Samuel, had three sons, who removed from Connecticut Farms to Passaic Valley or New Provi- dence, or near the present Summit. Amos had children: 1. Elizabeth, bap. Jan. 25, 1767; m. Daniel Doty ; 2. Joanna, d. Dec. 23, 1767 ; 3. Daniel, d. Feb. 18, 1768 ; 4. John, m. May 2, 1770, Bethia (dau. of Peter) Lyon, and went to Ohio ; 5. Russel, m. Rhoda Maxwell, and went to Ohio ; 6. Moses, m. April 29, 1772, Rhoda (dau. of Jonathan Howel) Osborn, and went to Ohio; 7. Rebecca, m. Ellis (son of Benjamin) Squier, they went to Ohio ; 8. Rachel, m. Dan Cauldwell, and went to Ohio. Amos Potter was twice married ; his second wife d. Feb. 13, 1768. See Littell's "Passaic Valley" Family Records, 325; N. J. Hist. Soc. Proc., 3d Series 3: 174, 175, 176 .- W. N.
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Likewise for SALE,
Good Madeira and red port wine by the pipe or half hogshead, and a few bushels of good shore salts, which may be had by applying to the subscriber, near Bottle-Hill. SETH GREGORY. October 31. 1779. ALLEN WILSON,
H AS for sale, for cash or country produce, a small quantity of excellent salt. New-Providence, Nov. 1, 1779.
To be sold at public VENDUE,
At the late dwelling-house of Amos Potter, Esq; deceased, in New-Providence, on Monday the 8th instant ;
W T ORKING horses, colts, sheep, hogs, hay, and house- hold goods. The vendue to begin at 10 o'clock, when the conditions will be made known by JOHN POTTER; - RUSEL POTTER, Administrators. November 2, 1779.
To be sold at public VENDUE,
At the late dwelling-house of Andrew Miller, deceased, in Elizabeth Town, on Thursday the 4th inst. at ten o'clock of said day ;
A Good clock, all his wheel making tools, and sundry household goods. Also a certain building almost new, fit for a work shop or small barn. MARY MILLER, Executrix. ISAAC BROKAW, GEORGE ROSS, Administrators. 1 November 2, 1779.
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To be sold at public VENDUE,
On Thursday the 4th instant, at the house of Joseph Den- man, near Springfield ;
H ORSES, a waggon, cyder, potatoes, Indian corn, buck wheat, and salt. Vendue to begin at one o'clock.
TRAYED from the subscriber, living at Vaux-hall, near Springfield, two milch cows; one was brown, with white legs, white tail, and white heart in her face; marked with a half crop in the left ear, and swallow fork in the right. The other was a small brown cow, with some white on her belly, marked with a slit in the end of the left ear, and a swallow fork in the right. Whoever takes up said cows, and secures them so that the owner may get them again, shall have a good reward, and all reasonable charges paid by
DAVID CLARK.
November 2, 1779.
C AME to the plantation of the subscriber, last Sunday, between Baskenridge and Quibble Town, a brown mare about 13 hands high; she has a white slip on her nose, and a wart on the inside of her off hind leg ; is a natural trotter .- The owner is requested to come, pay charges, and take her away.
SAMUEL TINGLEY.
Oct. 31, 1779.
A Few copies of a Treatise on Courts-Martial, New System of Military Discipline, and Military In- structions for Officers, to be had of the printer hereof.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1779
In the press, and speedily will be published,
The UNITED STATES
ALMANACK,
For the YEAR of our LORD 1780.
S YTRAYED or stolen, on the 29th of May last, a dark bay MARE, about 121/2 hands high, 9 years old last spring, thick mane and tail, trots and canters exceeding well, her left hind foot white, and a white ring above one of her hams. Whoever takes up said mare and thief, so that the owner may get the mare, and the thief brought to justice, shall receive One Hundred Dollars re- ward, or Forty Dollars for the mare alone, by applying to Mr. Jacamiah Smith, at Elizabeth Town, or the sub- scriber at Doctor Blachly's.1
WILLIAM J. SMITH.
Mendham, October 31, 1779.
TRAYED or stolen out of the pasture of Nathan Reeves, in Morris Town, about the 20 inst: a small black MARE, about 13 hands high in good order, 3 white feet, a star in her forehead, and snip on her nose, trots and canters .- Whoever secures said mare,
1 Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, of Mendham, Morris county, was a son of a physician of the same name, of Long Island, who, after his marriage to Mary Wick, settled near Mendham, where he died April 11, 1805, aged seventy years. Five of his seven sons studied medicine. His namesake, his oldest son, was born in 1760. He was somewhat eccentric, and, being the third of his name usually signed himself "Ebenezer Blachly, tertius." He served in the Revolutionary war as surgeon's mate and afterwards as assistant surgeon. He m. Elizabeth, dau. of Col. Oliver Spencer, of Eliza- bethtown. About 1790 he settled in Paterson, where he acquired an exten- sive practice and considerable property. He d. at Pennington, Aug. 20, 1812, and is buried in the Presbyterian Churchyard in that place. His son, Henry Wickham Blachly, was a practising physician at Pennington, and was the father of four physicians .- W. N.
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so that the owner may have her again, shall have Twenty Dollars, and reasonable charges paid by
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