Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

CHARLESTON, May 8.

Last Tuesday the following address was presented, by the Charleston Volunteers, to their Captain, on the occasion of his being about to leave this city, to take his seat in the Congress of the United States.

To JOHN RUTLEDGE, jun. Esq. Capt. of the Charleston Volunteer Company.

SIR,

THE members of the Charleston Volunteer Company, under the painful idea of being separated from a commanding officer who possesses the esteem and confidence of every individual of that corps, would be unjust to their own feelings, as well as to your merit, were they silently to pass over that event.

It was therefore unanimously resolved, after you retired from the last meeting of the company, that a Committee should, in their name, make their acknowledgements to you for the propriety of your conduct in the command of the company, ever since its first institution, and for your polite attention to every member of it.

No citizens would more deprecate any unwarrantable measures being pursued, that might tend to involve this country in a war, than the Volunteers; but should the independence of America be infringed, or her laws violated, they pledge themselves to be amongst the foremost to support the present Federal Government and its laws, against any set of men or country that may attempt to overturn the one or trample on the other.

While we sincerely regret the loss which we suffer by your absence, it affords us much consolation, that the same patriotism and abilities, to which we now pay a just tribute, are still to be employed in the public service in a post of more importance; and we anticipate with pleasure the moment when thousands of our fellow-citizens shall join with us in applauding your services.

Attached to you as an officer for the reasons we have assigned, and as a citizen for qualities we have observed, but which it might appear sycophantical to make mention of, we take leave of you with the sincerest wishes for your future happiness and honor; and we trust you will believe us equally sincere when we declare, that none in the circle of your connexions will be more happy to welcome your return to Carolina than the Charleston Volunteers.

W. Wightman,
James Scott,
S. Magwood.
J. D. Vale,
Committee,
J. S. Harwood,
James Miller,
Samuel Theus,

Charleston, May 2, 1797

CAPT. RUTLEDGE'S ANSWER.

Gentlemen,

I THANK the Charleston Volunteers most sincerely for their very affectionate address. Although circumstances have placed the affairs of the United States in a situation peculiarly embarrassing, yet I trust the wisdom and prudence of our government will speedily effect an honorable adjustment of the differences which unhappily subsist between us and the French Republic. But if America shall not be permitted to continue at peace, without suffering a violation of her rights, I flatter myself her citizens will be unanimous and zealous in supporting their independence and self government. They are too wise not to prefer their interests to those of any other nation, and much too brave not to protect with republican valour and enthusiasm the liberties for which most of them have fought and many have bled to establish.

In the event of any attempt being made to infringe or subvert them, I am persuaded the zeal and patriotism of the Charleston Volunteers will equal that of any of their fellow-citizens. Accept, I beg of you, gentlemen, my thanks for the very ready obedience which every individual of the corps has paid to my orders during the six years I have had the honor of commanding it, and for the alertness with which they have assembled in the first moments of alarm. The kind wishes you express for my health and happiness are extremely grateful to me, and I reciprocate them very sincerely to every officer and private of the corps.

J. RUTLEDGE, jun.
Capt. Charleston Volunteers.
To the Charleston Volunteers.

Charleston, May 2, 1797.