332 The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. Matrons half-ravifh'd, for your recreation, And he, the royal Dane, want half a crown? may dine? Olympus fhakes!-that omen all fecures ; May every joy you give, be tenfold yours. To the upper gallery. ODE for bis MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY, June 4, 1776. By the Poet Laureat of England, William Whitehead, Esq. E weftern gales, whofe genial breath Y Unbinds the giebe, till all beneath One verdant livery wears : June This is your feason, lovely gales, Sufpend fome great event? Can Britain fail? The thought were vain ! But ftrives to foothe th' unruly flood, The powerful emprefs of the main, And dreads a conqueft ftain'd with blood. While yet, ye winds, your breezy balm Thro' nature spreads a general calm, While yet a paufe fell difcord knows, Catch the foft moment of repofe, Your genuine powers exert, To pity melt th' obdurate mind, Teach every bofom to be kind, And humanize the heart! Propitious gales, O wing your way! Whence temper'd freedom fprings; THE MONTHLY Proceedings at Guildhall on Midfummer Day, relative to the Election of Sheriffs, Chamberlain, &c. of the City of London. lected N Midfummer-Day, the livery affembled in common hall at Guildball, and proceeded to the election of two sheriffs, a chamberlain, and the other officers who are annually e There were near 3000 of the livery prefent; at one o'clock the fheriffs, chamberlain, town ferjeant, town clerk, cryer, and other officers came upon the huftings, and began the bufinets of the day by putting up the feveral aldermen who have not paffed the fhrievalty, and after them the names of fuch gentlemen as have been drank to by the different mayors, and have not yet ferved the office. The majority of hands was most clearly in favour of Mr. Alderman Kirkman and Mr. Alderman Wooldridge, who were declared duly elected. The theriffs then informed the livery, that there were two candidates for the chamberJainfhip, viz. Benjamin Hopkins, Efq. the prefent chamberlain, and John Wilkes, Efq. alderman and joiner. Mr. Wilkes came forward, but was prevented from speaking for tome time by the CHRONOLOGER. clamour in the hall; at length he was permitted to proceed, and addreffed the livery in fubftance as follows: Gentlemen of the Livery, "The very unjustifiable conduct of my opponents during the late election, makes it a point of duty, no lefs to you than to myfelf, to bring this appeal from the late proceedings, and to give you an opportunity of fhewing the abhorrence, in which the livery of London have always held every unjust and unfair method of gaining the fuffrages of this respectable body. The various criminal practices which have been made use of by them to fubvert the freedom of election, corrupt the voters, and destroy the fanction of oaths, have been fubmitted to the public at large, as well as taken cognizance of by feveral courts of judicature. The law indeed advances with flow and cautious steps, yet feldom fails to overtake the delinquents, and the late well-known cafe and punishment of Ifaac Stone already remains on record an irrefragable proof, that crimes of fo black a dye as perjury, committed likewife with a view of destroying the freedom of election, will not go unpunished. "It is, gentlemen, much to be regretted, that the undue influence, fo notoriously exerted in the most shameful manner by all the 1776. The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. the mercenaries of the M. "Give me leave, gentlemen, to renew, on this occafion, the public declaration I made from the huftings at the late election, that if I have the honour of being chofen chamberlain, I will follow the example of my worthy friend, Sir Stephen Theodore Janffen, as to the application of a part of the income of that office to the payment of all juft demands. I will appropriate at least one third of the whole income to the discharge of my debts. I need not fay what debts have been contracted in your fervice, and in the fupport of the dignity of the great offices of this corporation, to which I have been elected. "Gentlemen, many of my friends of the livery have defired me to make a declaration of my intentions with respect to the aldermanship, if I am chofen chamberlain. I moft willingly gratify their wishes. I love to be explicit, and therefore shall say in plain terms, I do not mean ever to refign this gown. I have worn it for feveral years, as hope, without reproach, to the fatisfaction of thofe worthy friends from whofe favou: I received it. It is ftill, I truft, fpotlefs, and as the honourable robe of magiftracy it shall be my pride, becaufe I think it of importance to you that I fhould continue invefted with it. My fellow-citizens gave with it powers of real confequence, that no minifter can wreft from me, by which great conftitutional points, fuch as the right of prefs-warrants, and others, may be judicially brought in question. Had I been a juftice by the king's commiffion, the courtly lord lieutenant of almoft every county in England had ftruck me out of their lift of magiftrates, As a charter magiftrate in the capital of my country, the powers you gave me, independent of the crown, will terminate only with my life. I will exert them for the defence and fecurity of my fellow-citizens. You have chofen me one of the guardians of your liberties and franchises. This authority has enabled me fuccefsfully, at different times, to oppofe the ufurpations on your rights of all the great powers of the ftate. As I know I fhall steadily employ it for the fame falutary purposes, I ought not to furrender it for any lucrative office. Should another pro clamation be iffued on the addrefs of a Houfe of Commons, to apprehend a citizen, as in the cafe of Wheble, I will again give liberty to the injured citizen. Should a House of Commons venture to fend their fpeaker's 333 warrant and meffenger, contrary to law, into this city, the meffenger fhall, while I live, experience the fate of Whittam for the af fault on Miller, and be committed to a city prifon, Or fhould another houfe, wichout any appeal to a jury, for difrefpectful words against a member, and even without hearing the party, order a freeman into cuftody, as they did in the cafe of Randall during my mayoralty, the gentleman uther of the black rod will, I am perfuaded, be too prudent to attempt again to carry such an order into exe cution, when he knows I ftill wear this gown, and am armed by you with all the powers of the law in this land of legal freedom. For your fakes therefore, gentlemen, I am determined to retain this dangerous but unprofitable office of alderman, because I shall be ftill acting among you in your fervice, and although I with likewife to ferve you as chamberlain, and be farther useful in two very confiftent capacities, yet the prior duty I owe this great city, fhall make me, through life, equally vigilant and intrepid in the arduous bufinefs I firft undertook. The reft I leave to the favour, to the kindness, to the generous friendship of the livery of London." The above speech was received with applause. Mr. Hopkins came forward and addressed the livery, but was greatly interrupted by the noife in the hall. The two candidates were then feparately put up for the choice of the livery; when the fhew of hands was fo ap. parently equal, that the sheriffs were unable to determine who had the majority; they therefore put them up a fecond time, after which they declared the majority was in favour of Mr. Wilkes, but a poll was imme diately demanded by the friends of Mr. Hopkins, which began at four o'clock, and will finally clofe on Monday the first of July. Chancellor of the diocefe of London, a motion at the inftance of an Earl, against his Countefs, lately a Duchefs, for a decree to be iffued against her, to fhew caufe why the late sentence of jactitation obtained by her fhould not be revoked, and the pronounced to be the wife of the faid Earl. The judge refufed granting it, till her ladyfhip had received notice of fuch motion, in order for her to make her defence by counfel, and fuck notice is to be verified on oath, her ladyship being at this time at Calais. TUESDAY, 18. A letter from Cork mentions a gent'eman near that place having discovered the ongi tude, and that his obfervations will b. ready for 334 The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. June for laying before the board of longitude the, took a brigantine belonging to the rebels, 29th inftant. WEDNESDAY, 19. On Monday at one o'clock the failing boats started for the cup given by the Duke of Cumberland, when, after going through an arch of Fulham-Bridge, they returned, and the King's Fisher (the property of Meff. Taylor, Prince and White) being the firft through the center arch of Black-FriarsBridge, was adjudged the winner. Ten boats were entered, and the first five came all in within a minute alike. The Sea Horfe was the fecond. Commodore Smith, the proprietor of the feveral boats, and the other members of the Cumberland failing club, afterwards dined together at Smith's tea gardens, where the Duke's health was drank out of the prize cup by all prefent. Great numbers of people dined at the fame place, expecting that the Duke and Duchess would come, as they had bespoke dinner. Their Royal Highneffes, however, were under a neceffity of dining with fome foreign Princes at Cumberland-Houfe, from whence they went to Rancla h, and about eleven they came to Vauxhall, the gardens of which were filled in the most aftonishing manner, crowds of all ranks being affembled in hopes of feeing them. After walking quite round by the boxes, and very politely bowing to the company, they fupped publickly in a box, in the recefs between that room in which his Royal Highness, the late Prince of Wales used to fup and the coach door. A band of mufic attended and played at a table before them all the time. At one o'clock yesterday morning his Royal Highness and the Duchefs left the gardens; at which time there remained as many perfons as would make what is ordinarily called a large company, and among them many perfons of title and fortune. There was yesterday à full court of Aldermen at Guildhall, when Thomas Wooldridge, Efq; was fworn in Alderman of Bridge Ward within, in the room of Sir William Stephenfon, Knt. deceased. which was carrying from Philadelphia to Charles-Town, in South Carolina, a company of artillery, confifting of a captain, commiffioned by the Continental Congrefs, and 79 men, most of whom have fince entered into his Majefly's fervice with General Clinton: it alfo appears, that the other cruifers of his fquadron had intercept ed and taken 44 merchant ships and veffels belonging to his Majefty's rebellious fub. jects in North America; and that Captain Barkley, of the Scarborough, who had been fent to Savannah, in the province of Georgia, for provifions, had liberated 13 veffels richly laden, which had been feized and detained there by the rebels: and the Admiral tranfmits, with the above mentioned letters, the following account, which he had received from Captain Tyringham Howe, of his engagement in the Glasgow, with five armed fhips and veffels of the rebels, viz. "On Saturday the 6th of April, 1776, at two, A. M. Block Ifland then bearing North-West about eight leagues, we difcovered a fleet on the weather-beam, confifting of feven or eight fail; tacked and flood towards them, and foon perceived them to be two or three large fhips, and other square rigged veffels; turned all hands to quarters, hauled up the main fail, and kept standing on to the N. W. with a light breeze, and fmooth water, the fleet then coming down before it. At half paft two, a large brig came within hail, and feemed to hefitate about giving any answer, but still kept ftanding towards us; and on being asked what other fhips were in company with her, they answered, the Columbus and Alfred, a 22 gun frigate; and almeft immediately a hand granadoe was thrown out of her top. We exchanged our broadfides: fhe then shot a head, and lay on our bow, to make room for a large fhip, with a top-light, to come on our broad fide, and another fhip ran under our ftern, raked as the paffed, and then luft up on our lee-beam, whilft a brig took her station on our larboard quarter; and a floop kept altering her ftation occafionally. At four the station of every veffel was altered, as the two ships had dropt on each quarter, and a brig kept aftern, giving a continual fire. Bore away, and made fail for Rhode Island, with the whole fleet within mufquet fhot on our quarters and fein. Got two ftern chafe guns out of the cabin, and kept giving and receiving a very warm fire. At daylight perceived the rebel fleet to confift of two ships, two brigs, and a floop, and a large fhip and a fnow which kept to windward as foon as the action began. At half paft fix the fleet hauled their wind, and at feven tacked and flood to the S. S. W. We had one man killed and three wounded by the mufquetry from the enemy." The 1776. The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. The following is a ftate of the rebel armed veffels above mentioned: Alfred, commanded by Hopkins, 20 nine pounders on the lower, fix ten pounders on the upper deck; 220 men; including 60 marines, Columbus, commanded by Whipple, 18 nine pounders on the lower, ten fix pounders on the upper deck; 220 men, including 60 marines. Annadona brig, commanded by Biddle, 16 fix pounders on the upper deck; 130 men, including 30 marines. Cabot brig, commanded by Hopkins, jun. 14 fix pounders on the upper deck; 120 men, including 30 marines. Providence floop, commanded by Hazard, 12 fix pounders on the upper deck; 90 men, including 28 marines. The Glasgow had 20 guns, nine pounders, and 150 men. By letters lately received from Vice-Admiral Young, dated at Antigua the 3d of March, and from Vice-Admiral Gayton, dated at Jamaica the 28th of that month, it likewife appears, that the cruifers under the command of the former had feized 26, and thofe under the command of the latter nine fhips and veffels, either belonging to or employed in carrying on a trade with his Ma jefty's rebellious fubjects in North America. Whiteball, June 10, 1776. This morning Major Caldwell, Lieutenant Colonel commandant of the British militia in Canada, arrived from Quebec, in his Majefty's floop, Hunter; by whom was received the following letter from General Carleton to Lord George Germaine, together with a copy of a letter from General Carleton to General Howe, My Lord, Quebec, May 14, 1776. After this town had been closely invested by the rebels for five months, and had defeated all their attempts, the Surprize frigate, Ifis, and floop Martin came into the bafon the 6th inftant. As foon as that part of the 29th they had on board with their marines, in all about 200, were landed, they with the greatcit part of the garrison, by this time much improved, and in high fpirits, marched out of the ports of St. Louis and St John's, to see what thofe mighty boafters were about; they were found very bufy in their preparations for a retreat; a few shots being exchanged, the line marched forward, and the plains were foon cleared of thofe plunderers; all their artillery, military ftores, fcaling ladders, petards, &c. were abandoned: the Surprize, Martin, and a province armed veffel, went up the river, when they alfo quitted the Galpé, and the armed fchooner Mary: the rear of the rebels have halted at Dechambault, and the Surprize, with the other two veffels, are a little upon this fide of the falls of Richlieu. This ended our fiege and blockade; du 335 ring which the mixed garrifon of foldiers and failors, British and Canadian militia, with the artificers from Halifax and Newfoundland, fhewed great zeal and patience, under very fevere duty and uncommon vigilance, indifpenfable in a place liable to be ftormed, befides great labour neceffary to render fuch attempts lefs practicable. Notwithstanding the inclement feafon they' preferved good health, and their fpirits increafed every day. A copy of my letter to General Howe will inform your lordship of our fituation to the defeat of the rebels upon the 31st of December. For three months after they confined their operations to the preventing all fupplies from coming to town, and in burning our fuburbs and fhipping; the latter have almost all efcaped, but the greateft part of the fuburbs. of St. Roque and St. John have been burnt; the remainder was brought into town for fuel, which was much wanted. The beginning of February the rebels again attempted to enter into a correfpondence by a flag of truce, encouraged to it, I fuppofe, by a permiffion granted for the prifoners baggage to enter the town; but as they were told immediately to withdraw, unless they came to emplore the King's mercy, they have not fince returned. March the 25th, the advance guard of a party, raifed by Mr. Beaujeau to relieve the town, was defeated; the reft difperfed. The 31ft it was difcovered that the rebel prifoners had formed a plot to efcape, to feize the guard of St. John's gate, and let in Mr. Arnold; which was effectually difappointed. The 4th of April the rebels opened a battery of four guns and one howitzer from the oppofite fide of the river St. Lawrence; and the 22d another of two guns and one howitzer from the oppofite fide of the river St. Charles. These were alfo intended to burn the town and fhipping. From both they' fired red hot balls. The 23d they attempted throwing fome fhells into town from a battery. on the heights oppofite Port St. Louis, All thefe batteries were much damaged by our artillery. May the 3d, about ten at night, a fireship attempted to run into the Cul-de-Sac, where the greatest part of our fhipping were laid up; but this alfo proved abortive, and the burned to the water's edge, without doing us. the leaft injury: it is fuppofed they intended a general affault, had they fucceeded in fetting fire to the ships and lower town. I cannot conclude this letter without doing juftice to lieutenant colonel Maclean, who has been indefatigably zealous in the king's fervice, and to his regiment, wherein he has collected a number of experienced good officers, who have been very useful. * Co- . lonel Hamilton, who commanded the battalion of feamen, his officers, and men, difcharged their duty with great alacrity and Captain of bis Majesty's Ship Lizard. Spirit. * 336 FOREIGN AFFAIRS. fpirit. The fame thing must be acknowledged of the mafters, inferior officers, and feamen belonging to his majefty's tranfports and merchantmen, detained here laft fall: only one feaman deferted the whole time. The militia, British and Canadian, behaved with a steadiness and refolution that could hardly have been expected from men unused to arms. Judges, and other officers of government, as well as merchants, chearfully fubmitted to every inconvenience to The whole indeed, uppreferve the town. on the occafion, fhewed a spirit and perfeverance that do them great honour. The 47th from Halifax, and the greatest part of the 29th, are fince arrived. Major Caldwell, who commanded the British militia all winter, as lieutenant colonel commandant, and is bearer of thefe difpatches to your lordship, has proved himself a faithful fubject of his Majefty, and an active diligent officer, He, and indeed almost every loyal fubject, are very confiderable fufferers by the prefent hoftile invafion. I am, GUY CARLETON. &c. Copy of a Letter from General Carleton to General Howe, dated Quebec, January 12, 3776. SIR, THE 5th of December Mr. Montgomery took poft at St. Croix, within lefs than two miles of Quebec, with fame field artillery; his heavy cannon were landed at Caprouge; at the fame time Arnold's party took poffeffion of the other avenues leading to the town, and prevented all communication with the country. The 7th a woman ftole into town with letters addrefled to the principal merchants, advifing them to an immediate fubmiffion, and promiling great indulgence in cafe of their compliance. Inclofed was a letter to me in very extraordinary language, and a fummons to deliver up the town; the meffenger was fent to prifon for a few days, and drummed out. To give more efficacy to thefe letters, five fmall mortars were brought to St. Rock's, apd a battery of five cannon and one howitzer raized upon the heighths within about 700 yards of the walls, Soon after Arnold appeared with a white flag, faid he had a letter for me, but was refufed admittance, and ordered to carry back his letter. After every preparatory stratagem had been This at first met with fome fuccefs, but in the end was stopped. A fally from the upper town under Capt. Laws attacked their rear, and fent in many prifoners; Capt. M' Dougal afterwards reinforced this party, and followed the rebels into the poft they had ta ken. Thus Mr. Arnold's corps, himself and a few others excepted, who were wounded and carried off early, were compleatiy ruined. They were caught as it were in a trap; we brought in their five mortars and one cannon. The other attack was (oon repulfed with flaughter. Mr. Montgomery was left among the dead. The rebels bad on this affault between fix and feven hundred men, and between forty and fifty officers, killed, wounded, and taken prifoners. We had only one lieutenant of the navy, doing duty as a captain in the garrifon, and four rank and file, killed, and thirteen rank and file wounded. Two of the latter are fince dead. To our CORRESPONDENTS. REFLEXIONS on the Marriage State-Scenes at Rome Mr. Bryant's Ob fervations on the Invention of Letters-Rational Principles of Government-The Ramble-and a Song, Here it is, shall appear next month. The Epigrams on a cruel Barber, and on a Mifer-Wine, a new Song, and feveral other poetical Pieces are received. T. P's Favours shall be duly noticed. as the Language too incorrect for the Public. L- but his too myflerious, as well Vicarius-and a complete Lift of the Members chofen, and contested Elec tions determined during the last Seffions, fhall appear in our next. |