BOSTON, June 21. Several vacancies having taken place in the Council (occafioned by refignations) and thofe vacancies being now filled up, the Honourable Council for advifing the Governour in the executive part of Government for the year enfuing, ftands thus-Hon. Nathan Cufhing, Jonathan Greenleaf, Edward Cutts, James Sullivan, Oliver Phelps, Ifreal Hutchinfon, John Froft, Thomas Dawes, and Peter Penniman, Efquires. On Tuesday laft, his Excellency the Governour fent the following meffage to the two Branches of the General Court, viz. Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Reprefentatives, BY your refolution of the 13th inft. you have extended the clemency of government to all the unhappy and deluded people who have been concerned in the late infurrections, excepting nine of the principal leaders. This act of benignity and mercy, I conceive cannot fail to induce thefe unhappy men to return to the open arms of their country, and again to enjoy the bleflings of a free government; but should their delufion and infatuation be ftill continued, fhall the honest and loyal part of the community be burthened with taxes for fupporting a force to defend the State against a few citizens who depart from the original compact, and refufe to be governed by a majority of the Reprefentatives annually elected by the people? Surely no man who loves the peace and tranquillity of the government, will fuppofe that the whole force of the Commonwealth, if necessary, hould not be exerted to reduce fuch of them as fhall hereafter continue unreclaimed ! But you are fenfible, gentlemen, that, by the conftitution, it is out of my power as Governour, to transport any of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth, or oblige them to march out of the limits of the fame, without their free and voluntary confent, or the confent of the General Court; and therefore fhould a very fmall force be continued to annoy the State without the limits of the fame, I cannot march the forces you have ordered to oppofe them, unless you make fome provifion for the fame. Befides this, fhould a number of men, who have relinquished their connection with all government, be fuffered to collect on the borders of this State, their accumulation of force from theives, debtors and other fugitives, would very foon render them troublefome, if not formidable to other States, as well as this. You will alfo pleafe to confider the difficulty of marching oops into another fovereign State, without the confent of the gowernment there, and that this may render it neceffary to treat with fome of the other States on that fubject. As the effect of your act of indemnity cannot be foon fully known, and as the citizens of the State may be endangered by new hoftilities, before the next meeting of the General Court, I think it my duty to fuggeft thefe ideas, that you may pay them fuch attention as you may think they deferve. The object of my measures fhall be to reftore peace and good order to the Commonwealth, and I cannot doubt of your counte nance and fupport in every measure which you may think is pointed to that great and defirable end. JOHN HANCOCK. Council Chamber, June 19, 1787. John Feffendon and Jofeph Stone, Efquires, were on Tuesday laft, by the two Houfes, chofen Senators for the county of Worcester, in the room of Samuel Curtis and Jonathan Grout, Efquires. His Excellency the Commander in Chief has been pleafed to appoint Col. Andrew Symmes, Col. Thomas Cushing, jun. Col. William Donnifon, and Col. William Turner, to be his Excellency's Aids de camp. June 25.A correfpondent having favoured us with a copy of the warrant of the reprieve, iffued in favour of Peter Wilcox and Nathaniel Auftin, we here give it to our readers. A fimilar one hath been iffued in favour of Henry McCullock, Jafon Parmiter, and Henry Gale. COMMONWEALTH of MASSACHUSETTS. To CALEB HYDE, Efq; Sheriff of the County of Berkshire. Greeting. L. S. WHEREAS Peter Wilcox, and Nathaniel Auftin, were, at our Supreme Judicial Court, held at Great Barrington, in and for our. faid County of Berkshire, the third Tuesday of March, in the year of our Lord feventeen hundred and eighty feven, in pursuance of an act of the General Court, made and paffed in February laft paft, convicted of Treafon ; and thereupon the faid Peter Wilcox and Nathaniel Austin, were, by the Justices of our faid Supreme Judicial Court, adjudged to fuffer the pains of death; and a warrant having thereupon iffued to the Sheriff of our faid county of Berkshire, to put the fame fentence into execution, upon Thursday the twenty first day of June inftant. And where as the General Court have by their Relolve fupporting and defending the Commonwealth; of the 13th inftant, made ample provifion for and at the fame time extended fuch mercy and clemency to the unhappy and deluded men, who have (under certain leaders excepted in faid indemnity) diftreffed the state by the late unhappy commotions, as will probably induce them to cease their oppofition to the just government of this Commonwealth, and return to the duty of their allegiance, whereby peace and tranquillity may be reftored to the citizens of this State; and fome further time being neceffary as well to difcover whether the lenient measures above mentioned will have the happy confequences which they are intended to procure, as to determine, whether fpirited, decifive, and forceable meafures will be neceffary to fupport the government, and to protect the citi zens in that fecurity they are entitled to have under the Conftitution. We therefore, by and with the advice of Council, of our fpecial grace and favour, do hereby direct and command you, to fufpend and delay the fentence aforefaid, until Thursday, the fecond day of August next. And hereby require you, then, between the hours of twelve and three of the clock, in the day time, to put the faid fentence of death in execution against them, and cause them to be hanged up by the neck, until they be dead, as directed in. fajd warrant.. In teftimony whereof, we have caused our publick feal to be hereunto affixed. Witness JOHN HANCOCK, Esq; our Governour and Commander in Chief, at Bofton, this 16th day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand feven hundred and eighty seven, and in the eleventh year of the independence of the United States of America. Our prefent difinterested and patriotick Governour (Hancock) has, by a message to the Hon. Legislature, voluntarily relinquished Three Hundred Pounds of his falary as Commander in Chief. We are happy in communicating to the publick the pleafing intelligence, that on Saturday laft a motion was made in the House of Representatives for an emiffion of Paper Money, and after a fhort debate, the idea of fo fraudulent a currency, ftruck the houfe with fuch abhorrence, that the motion was rejected by a majority of 56. (197 voting.) Had the Supreme Executive of the state, fuffered the convicts to be executed under a death warrant Tued and refpited, by the late administration, they might have been charged with an act of revenge, which would have been faid to enrage the difaffected fo much, that the lenient measures adopted by the General Court, would have been fruftrated, and war might have been again kindled, more efpecially as nearly all the men who bad supported government in the western counties, bave become petitioners in their favour. Had they been pardoned, then a charge of pufillanimity and irrefolution, of party spirit and timidity, would have been made; therefore, a reprieve, as granted, fhews that government had force fufficient to execute them, because they were carried to the place of execution before the reprieve was communicated. At the fame time, it exhibits in the executive, the fame fpirit as appears in the legislaturea determination to fpare, if it can be done with fafety to the publick; but fhould the infurgents continue their oppofition, and again commit acts of violent treason, the prifoners being reprieved under the gallows, can be no bar to an execution, which the existence of the commonwealth may in a great meafure depend upon. Yesterday a bill was read three times, and paffed to be engroffed in the Hon. House of Reprefentatives, for continuing until the first of January next, the Tender Act (fo called), paffed by the General Court last year, and which expires in July next. The bill paffed by a majority of 141 to 32. In the Senate, the report of the Committee of a bill for the above purpose was read and not accepted. The Committee, raised by the Hon. House of Reprefentatives, to fix on a fuitable place in the country, as the feat of government, yesterday reported to the House in favour of Concord, in the county of Middlelex. A gentleman, who arrived in town yefterday from the county of Berkshire, informs, that a few days fince, a party of infurgents entered the house of a Deputy Sheriff in Pittsfield, in that county, and deftroyed all the writs, executions, and other legal papers they could lay their hands on. WORCESTER. On Thursday, laft week, Henry Gale, the prifoner in gaol in this town, under fentence of Death for Treafon, was carried to a gallows erected on the Common, and there reprieved to the fecond day of August next. The warrant for reprieving Gale, was fimilar to that for reprieving Wilcox, &c. inferted in page 166 of this Magazine. On the fame day Jafon Parmiter, and Henry McCul lock, prifoners in the gaol at Northampton, and likewife under fentence of death for the like crime, were alfo reprieved at the place of execution, until the faid fecond day of Auguft. The High Sheriff for the county of Berkshire, we are told, had received a reprieve for Wilcox and Auftin, whofe execution was appointed on the fame day for the fame crime, but they, a few nights before, made their escape from the gaol in Great Barrington, as mentioned in our laft. The time appointed for the execution of Shattuck is Thursday this week. It is hoped the lenient measures adopted by government will have the happy tendency of restoring the tranquillity of this Commonwealth; but fhould they fail, it is faid thofe of a different complexion will be pursued. We hear the divifion in the Senate for continuing the Tender Act was 13 for, and 14. against it. At the time of the paffing the late Stamp Act, by our legiflature, fixteen newspapers were published in this Commonwealth; fince then, and the paffing the prefent a laying a Duty on Advertisements as a fubftitute for the Stamp Act, eight of those newspapers have droop'd and died! a ninth was discontinued for feveral months, but was revived again by a hope that the act would have been speedily repealed. In the room of thofe newspapers thus difcontinued, two only have arifen, one in a neighbouring, and one in a diftant county, the former in a place where no newspaper was before published. And at this time only ten newspapers are published in this State. The Continental Journal, published in Bofton, was laft week difcontinued. We hear from Sterling, that on Monday the 18th inftant, the people of that town killed 3087 birds of prey. DIED.]-At the Rev. Mr. Whitney's in Shirley, Mr. James Sullivan, jun. aged 19. -Deacon Timothy Austin, late of Charlestown, aged 69.-At Newbury Port, Capt. Nicholas Tracy, aged 61.-At Salem, Mrs. Ruth Ward, aged 74.-At Richmond, Vir ginia, Mr. John Hunter Holt, Printer. JAH D I X, ELIJAH Has just received, in the laft Veffels from LONDON, and opened for Sale, exceeding Cheap, At bis VARIETY STORE, in WORCESTER, Of DRUGS and MEDICINES. Alfo, a neat Affortment of HOSIERY, fuitable for the season, Phyfical Authors, Surgeon's Inftruments of various kinds, Painter's Colours and Oils, &c. Ο IL Vitriol, Ground Redwood, He has alfa for SALE, Prefs Papers, Clothier's Cards, Indigo, Otter, Madder, Fuftick, Redwood and Logwood, Copperas, &c. Aifo, Figs, Raifins, Cinnamon, Dial Plates, &c. per dozen. Neat Beams with Copper Scales. Aife, An Affortment of Shop Furniture for Apothecaries, With other Articles too many to enumerate. Cafh, Pot and Pearl Afh, Bees-Wax, and Flax-Seed, will be received in payment. As faid DIX imports his Articles from the first Medicinal Warehouses in England, Gentlemen Practitioners, Apothecaries, and others, may always depend upon being fupplied with the very best articles in the Medicinal way, in large or fmall quantities, on the best terms, as well by letter as if present. Punctual attendance given at faid Store, and all favours gratefully acknowledged. Worcester, Now. 7th, 1786. ESERTED from my Company, on the night of the 18th inft. the following defcribed Soldiers, viz. DE ABNER RICHARDSON, 23 years of age, 6 feet high, his complexion, eyes and hair dark, marked with a hair mole on his right cheek, late retident in Wefton. AMOS READ, 23 years old, complexion, eyes and hair light, his last place of refidence was Stockbridge. ELIAS WHEELER, 18 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high, light complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair, has loft the fore finger of the right hand, late refident in Springfield. JAMES CUTTER, 19 years old, 5 feet 6 inches high, complexion, eyes and hair dark, a Shoemaker, his last place of refidence was Little Cambridge. PRESTON LOVEJOY, 19 years old, 5 feet 6 inches high, complexion and eyes dark, and black hair, his last refidence in Andover. JOHN SCUDDER, 27 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high, complexion and eyes dark, and black hair, has a fear on his upper lip, born in Rhode Island, and lately refided in the town of Amefbury, in Massachusetts. WILLIAM TRAIN, aged 20 years, 5 feet 6 inches high, light complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair, late resident in the town of Adams, in the county of Berkshire. The above named men are all natives of the country. I do hereby offer a reward of FIVE DOLLARS to any perfon who will take up and fecure either of the above deferters, in any gaol of this Commonwealth, and give me information at Springfield. The above men deferted with their uniforms complete, consisting of blue coat with red facings, and white overalls and vefts. June 19th, 1787. HENRY BURBECK, Capt, Federal Artillery. VOL. III.] THE [NUMB. XIV, WORCESTER MAGAZINE. ON 1 For the First Week in July, 1787. HISTORY of the late WAR in AMERICA. From the BRITISH ANNUAL REGISTER, for 1779. N the morning of the 27th of July, the French fleet were at day break, as much to windward, and at as great a diftance, as they had generally been during the preceding days; and feemed alfo to 'avoid an action with as much industry as ever. The vice admiral of the blue was then rather more to leeward than his ftation required, and having his mainfail up, it obliged the ships of that divifion to continue under an eafy fail. This induced the commander in chief to throw out a fignal, for feveral fhips of that divifion to chace to windward. The enemy's fleet were then near three leagues to windward, and going off close by the wind with a preffed fail. The motive affigned for the fignal was to collect as many of thofe fhips to windward as could be done, in order to fill up that interval between the commander in chief's fhip and the vice admiral, which had been occafioned by the latter falling fo far to leeward; and thus, by ftrengthening the main body of the fleet, to be ready for any chace that might occur of bringing the enemy to action. And the reason why the fignal was not made to the whole divifion inftead of particular fhips, was, that they then must have chaced in a body, which would have retarded the beft fhips, by an attendance on their immediate commander. Inleed the vice admiral feemed fo fenfible. of the object of the fignal, that it produced an immediate effect in the conduct of hr own fhip, by a confiderable augmentaion of fail. Some changes of the wind, and a dark fquall, wich came on before 11 o'clock produced several evolutions in both fleets, the tature and effect of which are not easily explained to the fatisfaction of landmen. feems upon the whole, that fome fudden fhifts of the wind, together with the unexpected and unin tentional effect produced by an evolution on the French fide, being all improved upon by the most masterly efforts on the other, brought the two fleets so close, that they could not part without an engagement. But as this was a fituation not fought, and a decision not wished by the French commanders, they endeavoured to evade its confequences as much as poffible; and accordingly, inRead of hortening fail, and lying to, in order to receive the British fleet in a line of battle on the fame tack, by which every hip on either fide, would have been fairly engaged with her adversary in the oppofite line, and the action could fcarcely fail of being decifive, they fuddenly put about on the contrary tack. By this manoeuvre, the heads and courfe of the fhips in each fleet, being directed to oppofite points of the compafs with thofe of the other, they could only engage as they paffed, inftead of lying fide to fide, fo as to make an effectual impreffion. Thus it will be easily conceived, that in this course of engagement, any Britifh fhip that could fetch the head of the French fleet, would receive and return the fire of every ship from first to last in their line; which would have been still kept up by thofe that followed, until both fleets had totally paffed each other. It neceffarily followed of course, that thofe fhips which engaged first, would be the fooneft out of action; and that the continuance of each in it, must depend upon the part of the French line which he was able to fetch, and the confequent number of fhips she had ftill to pafs. Although this mode of fighting did not at all prevent the lofs of men, or damage to the fhips, yet it tended greatly to defer, if not totally to evade, the confequences incident to thofe circumftances; as it prevented the fuccefs ful adverfary from being capable of immediately pursuing with effect, either the blow which he had given to a fingle fhip, or the general impreffion which he had made in the enemy's line. The neceffity which induced the British commander to bring on an engagement, and the determined perfeverance of the enemy in avoiding it, rendered him, of course, incapable of prefcribing the terms. The French began the engagement, by firing at a great diftance at the head moft of Sir Robert Harland's divifion, as they led up; who on the contrary, did not return a hot until they came within a very close distance. The example was followed, or a fimilar conduct purfued, by the fleet in general, as fast as each fhip could close up with the enemy; and notwithstanding their being neceffarily extended by the chace, they were all foon in battle. As the fleets paffed each other very clofe on the oppolite tacks, the cannonade was very heavy, and the effect confiderable. The action lafted from first to laft fomething about three hours. As the French, in their ufual way, directed their fire principally at the rigging, feveral of the British fhips were a good deal crippled, and fuffered confiderably in their mafts, yards, and fails. The fire on their fide, which was principally levelled at the hulls of the enemy, was not deficient in its effect of another kind. action, without throwing them into the utmost diforder and confufion. This movement was, however, performed as speedily as poffible, and notwithstanding the damages fuftained by the Victory, fhe was not only the first flip that wore off the center divifion, and that got round again towards the enemy, but it was fome time before the example could be followed, and not above three or four, were then able to close up with her. In this fituation of the fleet, the admiral hauled down the fignal for battle, which, he judged improper to be kept abroad, until the fhips could recover their stations, or at least get near enough to fupport ch other in action; and in order to call them together for that purpofe, he immediately made the fignal to form the line of battle a head, which is of all others, that confidered by feamen as the most forcible, and as commanding the most prompt obedience. At this time the Victory was a head of all the center and red divifions, and had time to unbend her maintopfail (which had been rendered totally unferviceable) while the hips aftern were endeavouring to get into their respective stations. As the vice admiral of the blue commanded the rear divifion, which was of courfe the laft out of action, he was at this time a head of the Victory, which was now become his proper ftation; yet without regard to the fignal, he (on whatever motives, poffibly juftifiable ones) quitted his ftation in the front of that line of battle for which it was flying, and pasfing his admiral to leeward on the contrary tack, whilst he was advancing to the enemy, never came into the line during the rest of the day. The following is reprefented as being then the exact fituation of the fleet. The Victory was the nearest ship to the enemy, with no more than three or four of her own divifion in any fituation, ci As foon as the commander in chief had paffed the rear of the enemy, and that the smoke was fo far cleared as to admit of any obfervation, his first object was to look round to the position of the fhips which were already come out of action, and to confider of the best means of bringing on a close and general engagement, as foon as the remainder of the fleets, which were still fighting, had paffed and cleared each other. He foon perceived, that the vice admiral of the red, with part of his divifion, had alrea-ther to have immediately fupported her dy tacked, and was standing towards the enemy; but obferved at the fame time, that none of the other ships which were come out of action had yet tacked, and that fome of them were dropping to leeward, and feemingly employed in repairing their damages. His own fhip, the Victory, had fo confiderable a fhare in the action, as not to be in condition for immediate tacking; nor, if it had been otherwife expedient, could he immediately wear, and stand back on the ships coming up aftern of him out of the or each other in action; Sir Robert Harland, with fix or feven fail of his divi fion, was to windward, and ready for inftant fervice; the vice admiral of the blue was on a contrary tack, and totally out of the line; other thips were far a ftern, and five that were difabled in their rigging at a great diftance to leeward. Thus, the admiral could not at that time, which was about three, o'clock in the afternoon, collect above, twelve ships to renew the engagement. [To be continucal.} |