iciojial taxes are laid upon any particular per
sons abo.ve those of the eitablifhed worfliip : Pro
perty is equally secured, and leases taken by all
on fiinilar terms for any nuitfber of years by every
iubjec't of the State. The Prelbyterian churches,
however alone are allowed to have steeples, and
the preachers of that profeflion are paid by go
ternment, without tithes being imposed, or mi
nisters money collected. The' American States,
however, liave gone farther, for they allow the
light of i'liffrage to citizens and landholders of
every religious denomination, provided they are
wrevioufly qualified by oath, enrolment, or fpe
tified property.
It is a very lingular circumstance, but not more
lingular than true,that in theßullian empire there
are more lkips of war than merchantmen.
Theßullian merchantmen, built in RuJlia, and
remaining the property of fubje&s of that em
dire, do not exceed seventy. This will appeat
the more surprising as the population of the Ruf
fian empire exceeds 24,000,000 of inhabitants.
The King of Pruflia is doing every thing in his
power to lender himfelf extremely popular in
Poland, and by means of his popularity to eftab
-1 iin an influence there, that will make him matter
of the councils of that country.
With this view he lately cauled a medal to be
struck, the fubjett of which alludes to certain
measures which have lately taken place in Poland
under the aufpicesof Prulfia, and particularly to
tlie great augmentation of the army.
This medal represents 011 one fide the Genius
of Poland, holding a drawn sword, with this mot
to —Propria Marte tuta—and 011 the exergue the
following words, Auflo txercitu, 1739,
On the other fide is a bull of the famous John
Sobiefki, KingofPoland, with this motto, I rifca
virtue felix —and round che bull these words, —
Concordia Cnmitiorum Convocatorum, 1788.
The Pruilian envoy at the court of Warsaw pre
sented this medal, struck in gold, to his Polish
Majesty, in the name ofthe King ofPrullia—and
two others, in silver, to the two marshals of the
Diet, in the name ofthe Monarch.
These medals were struck at Berlin.
The King has not been out of doors since liis
removal to Paris. Heliasnot even amused hiin
felf in his favorite exercise of walking, though
the gardens of the Thuilleries hold out such a
charming invitation.
The terrors of a conspiracy, faidtobe formed
in Paris, leilon daily, though the Parisians conti
nue in the firm opinion that it was on the point
to be carried into execution. The reportsoll this
fubjetft have been greatly exaggerated, such as
cloathing and arms having been found concealed
for 1 j,OOO men, &c. not a tittle of which has an}
truth. The city, however, has taken every pre
caution, in the fame manner as if it was threaten
ed, by mounting double and trebleguards in those
quarters ofthe town molt fufpetfted. The gates
were Jhut for several days during the search, and
it is only two days since people were fuffered to
pass in and out ofthe city without molestation or
enquiry.
The National Cockade is in future to be worn
by all the troops in the kingdom without diltinc
tion, and it is to be the fubftitutc for the white one.
Thefervants of Paris have resolved to raise
for the public use, the sum of one million of li
tres, or about forty thoufaud guineas.
AN AFFECTING EVENT.
Lately were executed at Old Heath, neat
Shrewsbury pursuant to their sentence at our lafl
aflizes, Thomas Phipps, Esq. the elder, and Tho
mas Fhipps, the younger (father and only son) oi
Llwynmaplis, in this county, for forging and ut
tering a note of hand for 2bl. purportingto be the
note of Mr. Richard Coleman, of Of weltry, know
ing the fame to have been forged.
It was proved on the trial of these unfortnnatt
gentlemen, that Mr. Coleman never had any trans
actions with Mr. Phipps that required the signing
of any note whatever. Thar about Chriflmas last,
Mr. Coleman was served with a writ, by order of
Mr. Phipps .it his own filit, which action Mr. C.
defended ; that Mr. Phipps not supporting it, non
pros was signed in the action, with al. 3s. costs ;
whereupon Mr. Phipps and his son, with William
Thomas, their clerk, made an affidavit, stating,
that the note was for trefy>afs in carrying away
some hay from off the land of one of Mr. Phipps'
tenants, which Mr. Coleman had taken. M
The affidavit is at full length in the printed trial,
wherein it appears, that Phipps the elder swears
only to a conversation with Coleman ; on which
the Learned judge observed, the son appeared to
have milled the father in rhe matter, Upon this
affidavit the Court of Exchequer granted a rule to
jlievv cause why the nonpros should not be ferafide.
Mr. Coleman infilling that the note was a forge
ry, the matter retted in suspense, till the event
of tfiis prosecution. After a full hearing of the
evidence on both fides, and the Jndge's charge
to the Jury, the two Phipps's were pronounced
guilty of uttering and ptibiifhing the note, know
ing the fame to'be forged. The Judge immedi
ately palled sentence of death upon them, and
recommended the [ tiry to acquit William Thomas,
who was according by found not guilty.
Mr. Plnpps and his son, from the time of their
condemnation till the morning of their execution,
persisted in their innocence. However, before
they left the goal, young Fhippsconfefl'ed thathe
committed the forgery, avowing his father's in
nocence of it, and ignorance of its being forged,
when publiflied. They were taken in a mourn
ing coach to the place of execution, accompanied
by a clergyman, and another pious person, who
attended them almost daily since their condemna
tion. On their way to the fatal tree, the father
said to the son, " Tommy, thou halt brought roe
to this fhameful end, but I freely forgive thee."
To which the son made no reply. It being re
markable wet weather, thejJevotions were chiefly
performed in the coach.
When the awful moment arrived that they mull
leave the fable vehicle, Mr. Phippsfaidto his son,
" You have brought me hither, do you lead the
way;" which the youth accordingly did, and In
the mod composed manner ascended the ladder to
a temporary fcaffold, erected on purpose, fol
lowed by his father. When the devotions were
finiihed, and the convitfis tied np, they embraced
each other, and in a few moments the execution
er let down the fcaffoJd and they were launched
into eternity, amidst a vast concourse of deeply
affected spectators, beholding a parent and child
fuffering an ignominious deatii lor violating the
laws of their country.
Mr. Phipps was in his 47th year, and his son
just 2oyearsof age, two days before his execution.
TOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES.
MR. FEN NO,
DcJRING a short residence in England I be
came acquainted with that celebrated Statesman,
and Patriot, Mr. HARTLEY—who diftinguiihed
himfelfby his opposition to those measures, which
101 l America to the Empire of Britain forever.
He favored me with correcfl copies of Several
Speeches made by him on important occasions
which I now fend you for re-publication, that
they may be preserved as monuments of the wis
dom, penetration, and patriotism of the author
—while they serve to exhibit the madness and
folly of that ministry, who, with their eyes open,
precipitated the Briiifli nation into a ruinous war,
which the just and equitable politics of this gen
tlemen, and his com-patriots, if they had been
attended to, would have prevented.
T. T.
HOUSE of COMMONS, Feb. 27, 1775*.
LONDON.
LORD NORTH'S PROPOSITION.
MR. HARTLEY.
I AM called upon on this occasion particularly
as I made a conciliatory proposition on this fub
jeift of the American disputes to the House before
Christmas, which I (hall, at a proper time, offer
to the House as a regular motion. The proposi
tion alluded to, was to make a free requisition to
the colonies for a supply towards the expence of
defending, protecting, andfecuring the colonies.
The present motion is not free but compulsory
it is attended with menacesand threats, therefore
not a lenient or conciliatory measure, but only
thrown out as such for a pretext. To fay, give
me as much money as I wifti, till I fay enough, or
I will take it from you, and then to call such a
proposition conciliatory for peacc, is insult added
to opprelfion. The proposition which I made be
fore Christmas, was, what it appeared, a free re
quisition. A requisition by a secretary of State is
an ancient, legal, approved, constitutional way.
It Urates the cafe, represents the services neceflary
to be done, and requires the free aid of the fub
jecflfor those neceflary services, leaving, as a con
stitutional controul, to the fubjedt whose money
is required, the judgment upon the neceflity of
the services stated, and the right of appropriating
the money so granted. How totally different
from this proposition is that before us now, which
fays neither more nor less than this—give me what
1 ask, leaving likewise the quantity to iny discre
tion, or I will take it by force. Besides, this pro
fition is a direift breach of faith towards America,
who have been allured by a circular letter from
the secretary of State, that his Majesty's ministers
never meant,nor ever would entertain the thought
of railing a revenue in America by taxing. This
proposition before us is a direift breach of the
public faith so pledged in America, by a circuj-.-
letter from a secretary of state, in which his Ma'
jefty's royal word was particularly plighted. The
noble Lord's propofition,who was minister in this
house when the above mentioned circular lette
was written, is that we will forbear to taxjuftf u
long as they will give us a revenue to our CO J
tent. What is this if it |be not extorting a reve".
nue by threats of taxing ? The only conceflibu
contained in this proportion is, that it gives up
at once the mode of our proceedings with Ameri
ca for these lall ten years, as it confers that it
would be proper to proceed in the way of requifi.
tions. This proposition pretends to condemn the
exercise of taxation before you have made are
quifition at least, and have met with a refufal
though by uniting them-in the fame proposition'
it destroys the very nature of the requisition by
making it compulsory.
Let us enquire now whether ever North Ame
rica did refufe to contribute to the common de
fence upon requisition ; so far from it that tliev
have contributed in cafe of necessity, even beyond
their abilities, as the records of thanks to them,
and retribution for the excels of the zeal and fidel
ity, which ft and annually upon your journals
during the late war, do fully and inconteftiblv
prove. Throughout the whole course of this
conteftfincethe war, they have over and over of
fered to contribute to the neceflary supply when
called upon in a conflitutionaliuay. 1 have extract
ed proofs of these from addreftes, petitions, &c.
for the whole period of the last ten years. Their
petitionsyouhave thrown out of your doors—their
repeated addreftes, remonstrances, letters, and
memorials you have treated with contempt. 1
have now hand manyproofs that they have
offered to pay upon requisition according to the
ut 111 oft of their abilities, ifthoferequilitionswere
made in a legal and constitutional way. I have
collected offers of this kind, and I have got them
from, I think, almost every colony. I can lliew
them repeatedly from Mallachufetts Bay, from
New-York, New-Jersey, Maryland, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, Carolina, and these repeated from
time to time during the whole of this contest. 1
have them in my hand, and will beg to read them
to the House. [Reads them.~\ And to conclude
the whole, North America aflembled at the conti
nental congress pledge themselves, That whenever
the exigencies oj the State Jbalt require a fuppl),tht)
will, as they have always heretofore done, contribute
their full proportion of men and money. The terms
in which all these offers are expressed, are clear,
uniform and explicit. All that they require, is,
that they may stand upon the footing of freemen
and free British fubjefts, and giving and granting
their own money ; for these reasons I objeftto
the motion before us, and shall, with thepermif
fion of the House, endeavor to put the propofi.
tion upon its proper grounds by another motion
on fonie future day.
UNITED STATES.
PITTSBURG, November 28.
BY Simon M'Grew lately from Detroit, we
are informed, that while at that place, aveffet
had arrived with cannon ant) stores forthegar
rifon, which is now making very strong, and
there is every appearance of an intention tohoM
it against force.
It is with regret we announce to the public,
the death of the Hon. Samuel H. Parsons, one
of the judges of the western territory. He had
accompanied captain Hart as far as the Salt
Licks, on his way to Giahaga, and was on his
return, down Big Beaver creek, in a can® with
one man, when coming over the falls, the can®
was daflied to pieces,and they both were drowned.
To delay the business of dividing the .Ohio
Company lands, observes a correfpondeitt, woul
not only be highly injurious to the propri etor °
generaly, but to many industrious families, that
have long been anxiously waiting an event whici
may accommodate them with the opportunity 0
purchasing small tratfts for plantations, and e
coming settlers in that part of the western teirito
ry, and certainly would deprive the company
an acquiiition of inhabitants which'every fpimg
embarkation upon the head waters (always con
lifting of multitudes without any fixed dcftii iatloll J
might enable them to obtain.