october i6 1778 " t u t * y ihe number 450 tforth-carolina gazette with the lateft advices foreign and domestic semper pro libertate et bono publico ny of rhe inhabitants of this continent now defire to fee carried into full iffttt as the great parpofe mr johnftone had in view in coming to north america was to promote a reconciliation between great britain and her colonies with a full determination ro do no-hing that could have a tendency to prevent ir in order therefore to defeat the purpofes intended by this refolotion of c-ngref the fubfcriber george j hnitone thinks proper to decline a&mg a a ccmmiffioner or otherwife interfering in any meff^e anfwer agreement negotiation matter cr thing that may regard the faid congrtf which he does with fo much the more pleafore as he is peructjy fanned the bufinefs will be jeft in more able and fufficient hands referving to h;mfeif the liberty if he mould jjvge proper of publimir.g before he leaves north america a juft:hcation of his conduct againrt the afpcrfions thrown on his t&a«a/ter whtn the congrefs were contending for eltential privileges re ceffary to the preservation of their liberty under loleinn declara tions that their refinance was calculated merely to obtain redrefs upon thofe points mr j hnltone fhould have been forry to have incurred their cenfure though unheard in his defence and upon a chain of evidence jo tocaliy incor.cluine as to hi.-n at prtfent when the congrefs can remain deaf to the cries of fo many of their feilow fubjecls h are fuffering by the miferiis of tms war and from motives of private ambition can jo far iully he principles upon which rhcir fcft reiillaoce was made as to b v u a french ambatfador and league with the ancient enemy or both our countries from whofe h itiie defigns great britain has fo often rticued the inhabitants of norck america and this for thz avowed purpofe of reducing the power of the parent ltate after all their juil claims are gratified and thereby ir.ju>ing their neareit and ikareft friends and relations forgetting all the prin ciples of virtue and liberty that ought to regulate the condud of men in bctety mr johnftone is roc anxious about the good rpi nion of fuch a body notwithihnding the regard he ihall always bear to many of the individuals who comp-^fe it from a juit al lowance to be made for men acting under the heats incident to ci vil comni tions and from a certain knowledge they did enter tain add a pcifuaiiou that they now entertain different lend ments iw congress auguft 31 i 77 8 a paper figned «• adam fergufor ftcittary to his majefty'a commiffion dated at new yuik auguft 26 1778 accompanied with a declaration by georgt joimftone efq ; and a declaration by the earl of carlifle sir hvnry clinton and william eden efq ; and al(o a requifinon refpe&ing the troops lately ferving under lieut general burgoyne were read and are as follows : new york a:>g 16 2 77s his m?jefty's comreiflioners dirtd dr r/ergul n to irarfrnit to the prefident of the am?rican congieis for ihe information of the congrefs the declaration of ihic cay by grorge j hn ftone efq ; and the declaration of the fame date by the kul if carlifle sirhenr canton and wiiham etien l q ; ard alfo th requifition refpediag the trorp lately farvii g u;,jer l:»-ut gen burgoyne limned bv the earl of carlifle sir henry clin ton and william eden efq adam f e r g u s o ,. secretary to bis majepfs commifficn new york ug 2 i george johmstone cne of the cooim.iiiof.c i h pjinted by his majeily to car;y into execution the s aci l r pofes of his majefty and his parliament for quie.iii trie ci rtitrs now fubfiiting in nonh america a id for maintaining the p^o pie of thefe provinces in th cl-ar ard ptrftct enjoy merit oi heir liberties ar.d rights having feen st declaration a the american cmgrefs figmd by henry lauren iheir p/efident the nth of auguft to which lor certain aifumed r;^ijis therein fpe c'.lied is fubjpined the fallowing rcr.'iuuon : " fhat it is incout m patible witn the honour of c-'ngref to hold any rtas.ner of m correfpondence or imercou'fc with the faid ge i^e j h;.;t..'ne 11 e r q ; efpecially to negotiate with him upon aryana in which •• the caufe of liberty and virtue it interred the laid george j hnit>ne for hitnfelf fays that he is far from confidering the laid ref<luticn^f the congrefs asoffct.five to him that he rather receives it s ma;k of dilt.n&ion to which he is by no means envhled ei at by his exertions in the caofe in wheh he is employed or by his abilities for improving any iai circumftances tnat'^iay occur towards fulfilling the purpj o the comn»ilfi.n un<fer which he is appointtd that he fhali be happy to find when this exception as tn him u be removed that the congrefs ate inclined to retract ihcir mer declaration and to negotiate wich others upon terms e til conducive to the happincfb of b-'tfe countries at the farce e he ii inclined to believe that the fuid refolucion of cungreis been ifiued upon fmiilar motives with thufe refolutions lef ling the cartouch boxes of gen bnr^oyne's army and calcu d as an excufs to a deluded people for not feeding a explicit wer to a plain reqoiiition that whs made to the congrefs from may fty's commifiiorers with regard to the unfortunate foldi who are detained at boftos under every indignity contrary to public faith of a folemn convention figned at saratoga and i to ferve as a pretext to the unhappy conflituents of the ccn fs who are fuffering under the the various calamities of war difappcinting the good tffefts of the a mmiflion which the 1 friends of america had fo long requited by the moft folemn itiens rellutioiis atapubi;c declarations and which io ma with refpeft to the people of america at la-ge the fubfcriber fincercly wiftus to av id every fubjeft of offence which designing men may polfibly intend to create by exciting angry paffi ns ia recurn to perfonal provocations and thereb defeat any tffcfts cfgxidwill towards mr johnftone which the remembrance of former good cilices be has rendered them might occafi->n george johnstone declaration whereas ihe earl of carlifle sir henry clinton knight of the bath and william eden efq ; three of his majelty's coromiffijneis appointed with fufficient powers to treat confult and agree upon the means of quieting diforders now fubfiiling ia certain of the colonies plantations and provinces of nirth a mcrica have received a declaration of the american congrtft da;ed the nth inttant which relates to a gentleman wirti whom they have the honour to be joined in ccmmifiion and is meant to affjft him as a comaiiffijner they hereby think proper en ihhr part folemnly 10 declare that they had not any knowledge ei