(bdztttf [No. LIII.] PLAN Of the GAZETTE of the UNITED STATES. (A NATIONAL PAPER.) Published at the Seat of the National Government. CONTAINING, I EARLY and authentic Accounts of the PROCEEDINGS of CONGRESS— its LAWS, ACTS, and RESOLUTIONS, communicated so as to Form an HISTORY of the TRANSACTIONS sos the NATIONAL LEGISLATURE.. 11. Impartial Sketches of the Debates of Congress. 111. ESSAYSon the great fubjefls of Government; also upon the national and heal Rights of the american citizens, as founded upon the National or State Conllitutjons ; also upon every other Subject, which may appear fuitablc for newfpaperdifcuflion. IV. A SERIES of PARAGRAPHS, calculated to catch the « living manners as they r i se," and to point the public attention to Obje&s that have an important reference to dome/lie, facial and public happiness. V. The Interests of the United States as conue&ed with their li terary Institutions —religiousand moral Obje&s—lmprovements in Science, Arts, EDUCATION and HUMANITY—their foreign Treaties, Alliances, Connexions, &c. VI. Every fpccies of INTELLIGENCE, which may affe&the commercial, agricultural, manufacturing, or political INTERESTS of the AMERICAN NATION. VII. A CHAIN of DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. VIII. A SERIES of FOREIGN ARTICLES of INTELLI GENCE. X. The STATE of the FUNDS—Courses of Exchange—Prices Current, &c. — CONDITIONS. i. Published every WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY. Theprice toSubfcribers (exclusive of poflage) THREE DOLLARS tr. annum. r 111. The fir(l femi-annual payment to be made in three months from the l ime cjfubjeribing, andfuture payments to be made ei'ery fix months. SUBSCRIPTIONS Will be receded in all the capital towns upon the Continent; also at No. 9, Maiden-Lane, near the Ofwcgo-Market,,New-York. To the PUBLIC. AT this important Crisis, the ideas that fill the mind, are preg nant with Events of the greatest magnitude—to strengthen and complete the UNION of the States—to extend and protetl their COMMERCE, under equal Treaties yet to be formed—to explore and arrange the NATIONAL FUNDS—to restore and cftablifh the PUBLIC CREDIT —and ALL under the aufpicesof an untri ed System of Government, will require the ENERGIES of the Patriotsand Sages of our Country—Hence the propriety of encreafng the Mediums of Knowlege and Information. AMERICA, from this period, begins a new Era in her nation al existence—"the world is ai.l before her" —The •wisdom and folly—the misery and prol'perity of the EMPIRES, STATES, and KINGDOMS, which have had their day upon the great Theatre of Time, and are now no more, suggest the mofl important Mementos—These, with the rapid series of Events, in which our own Country has been so c\ccply interested, have taught the enlightened Citizens of the* United States, that FREE DOM and GOVERNMENT—LIBERTY and LAWS, are inse parable. This Conviflion has led to the adoption of thr New Constituti on; for however, various the Sentiments, refpe&ing the ME RITS of this System, all good men are agreed in the neceflity thatexifts, of an EFFICIENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. A paper, therefore, eftablifhcd upon NATIONAL, INDE PENDENT, and IMPARTIAL PRINCIPLES—whi.h shall takeupthe premised Articles, upon a competent flan, it is prefumcd, will be highly interesting, and meet with public ap probation and patronage. The Editor of this Publication is determined to leave no avenue us informaton unexplored :—He solicits the afliftance of Perfbns of leisure and abilities—which, united with his own afliduity, he flatters himfelf will render the Gazette of the ynitcd States not unworthy general encouragement and is, with due refpeft, the public's humble servant. THE EDITOR. POSTSCRIPT. SIX Months have now elapsed Jirne this paper wa< upie red into exigence —how far theffirit of the plan has been exhibited, and adhered to, is vot jor the Editor to fay.—A generous and candid pub lic has awarded its approbation, by a fubfeription which is said to be more fxtenfive than ufyal on similar occaftons. —An acknowledge went of the favor is therefore due from the publisher.—The expence attending an undertaking of this kind is always great; in the prefer t inflance, it has not been counterbalanced by any of the customary receipts on account oj *dvertifeinents —the ohjeSl being an extenftve circulation, the Editor con ceiving that their insertion wonld have counteracted that part of his plan has never admitted any. This cons if it was nece/fary to bt j"BZ e Jlcd,u'ould point out the importance of punctuality on the part of the S u "jcribers— it appears to have been very generally attended to, as tht Payments have been unusually prompt. It is necessary to observe that the number of names which have honored the fubfo iption, (at the present time about 650,) is not fufjicient to defray the expence of the publication, and to afford the Editor a competer.. (upport, en a Juppoftjen that the whole jnovtd be collected.—Additiona\ Jubfcript ions are therefore solicited ; and when it is confide red, that thi paper is new in its conflruflion ; contains intelligence of the mofl inter tftii'g nature ; abounds with more originality than any other periodical fubhcution\ and, viewed as a mifeellany, is cheaper thar any maga ziie, regijler, £3c. it can not be doubted but that it will receive an ade quate patronage. In the present number, the publication of the fourvals of the Serntt » commenced. As there is no gallery 'to the Senate Chamber, ail tha be kfivzun of the proceedings of that Mofl Honorable branch of tht national Legislature,is from their Journals ; in this viewof the fubjeCt,h ufutyojedtkey will be interefiing to the public. The price of the Laws ana He Journals of the two Houses only, which will be given in the courft °J one year, amounts to more than the fubfeription. The Editor is determined to prcfecute the publication, upon its origi ,:ai Principles : He hopes to make it more interefiing, by tht commvm "]t ons oj his ingenious corrcfpondents : He Jolicits the aid oj every I ' -"' tf to faer.ee, freedom and government: And such fpeculaUons as 17 <1 friendly ofpe Tf o the peace, honor and prosperity of our riftng nctimi. be received with gratitude by the public's humbU servant JOHN FEW NO. is V. VV-Yo r» K. Q.7c'\'>- 14, 1789. WEDNESDAY, October 14, 1739. THE TABLE T.—No. LIII. " The difirc of knowledge, like the thirjl of riches incrcases with the acquisition of it." MANY philosophers have doubted whether learning, distributed among the great mafsof the people, contributes to the real liappinefs of so ciety. The iuquifitive mind of man can never be fatisfied with attainments in knowledge ; and eve ry new acquisition only encreafes his natural rest lessness of spirit. There is a plausibility in this mode ot reasoning ; but nevertheless it is salaci ous. Though it muiit be confelled that learning does not produce contentment, Hill it affords a source of fatisfacftion, which positively adds to the quantity of human happiness. It renders the mind active as well as contemplative. Its plea sures and pains become more numerous and in tenle. The happiness of an ignorant man can be called nothing uiore than an exemption from mi sery. But whether as individuals we should be more or less happy, as our understanding is more or less improved, yet as members of a community, the utility of men, may be generally said to be proportioned to their knowledge. This remark however admits of exceptions. Those men whose curiolity pushes them into vain researches of lite rature may arrive at great attainments and Itill be very useless members of the community. A spi rit of enquiry among a people will in time regu late itfelf, and the bulk of the citizens will fall into pursuits that are beneficial. The reason why demagogues in some of the antient govern ments blew up a flame in society so frequently was, that the mass of the people were uninformed. They could not distinguish the lioneft remon strances of a real patriot from the petulant cla mours of pretended ones. In the United States the inhabitants are less liable to be deceived, as there are so many men of information that the valueof characters can be fairly estimated. This diffufion of knowledge promises one of the best fafeguards as well as one of the brightell orna ments of our new government. There can be lit tle danger either of oppreflion or infurreiflion in a country where the inhabitants generally know how to read. The public opinion becomes so just and refpecflable that rulers durst not make op preflive laws, and the people wish not to violate such as are wife and salutary. It is a pleasing circumstance to observe legisla tors attempting to guard the liberties of their country by bills of rights, and checks and explana tions upon the constitution- Such precautions have no doubt a good effevfl. But all the political con ltitutions that the art of man can frame will ne ver perpetuate the freedom of an ignorant peo ple ; nor can any original defeats in a form of go vernment fubje<ft an enlightened people to slavery. It is worthy the serious attention of legislators to make provisions in all parts of the country for public schools. Mod of these should extend little further than teaching children to read and write, and perhaps to unelerftand some of the lower branches of mathematicks. It would not be amiss at the fame time, to have a political or moral chatechifm introduced that should inftru(fl chil dren in the great duties which men as well as ci tizens should observe to each other. By this means a foundation would be laid for laboring people to refle(fl and gain further knowledge as opportunity offers. They might gradually pro gress without interfering with pursuits of buli nefs ; and when once they had tailed the sweets of learning, their ardor would generally keep pace with their advantages for gaining improve ment. ANECDOTE. The following STORY in half a century more, will fcarccly be believed. NOT very many years ago, the French King's taylor, having acquired a princely fortune, pur chased a. chat ea/i in the neighborhood of Versailles. In that neighborhood lived likewise a little Marquis, whose pride and poverty were equally on a par. The taylor turned gentleman, dined in a large party at the house of a friend ; there too dined the Marquis. After dinner the quon dam profeffion of the former was accidentally brought on the carpet, and the Marquis felt all the indignance of nobility stained by fnch an as sociation, he flepped up to the burgeois gentil homme,and without any ceremony enquired if he could make him a suit of clothes ? " Volontiers," said the other, " an lioneft man lhould never be " afliamed of his profeffion—myfervant," added he, pulling the bell, " will fetch me paperanda pair of fciflars, that 1 may proceed withoutlofs of time to measure you." This was done, and the Marquis questioned as to the quality and richness of the ftufF, &c. He left every thing to the tay- \_Publijhed c,n IV ednefday and Saturday lor, putting 110 limits to liis comntiffion ; and the other called the company towitnefs the latitude he had given him. The fuic of clothes in a few days was delivered to the Marquis, exactly fuclias is usually worn by the Dauphin on a birtli-day, covered with gold, with pearls, and other precious ornaments. On this occasion, the bill, you may be sure, was not forgotten ; it amounted to thirty thousand livrts, precisely the value of the Mar quis's estate. An adtion was afterwards institu ted for recovery of the debt, the estate fold, and the Marquis put in pofleffion of a suit of clothes, which constituted his whole property. MR. FENNO\ As the public curiohty h&s again been excited refpi fling the MAM with the IRON MA) A, zvho was Jo long confined in the Bajiile, the follow ing account oj who the perjon was, publiflied many years since, which appeals very pliufible at leajl, may net be unacceptable to your readers. C. D. IT must be recolle&ed that Lewis XIV. was exceflively amor ous, and had several miftrefles. Amongst the reft was one without beauty, but tall and well ftiaped, and whose wit and fine fetife made more than amends for the deficiency of her personal graces. ' The King loved herto diftra&ion, and by her had a son, on whom he conferred the title of Duke de Vermandois, and caused him to be educated with all imaginable care. He was handsome; well made, full of vivacity, but haughty and pallionatc, and could not bear to pay the Dauphin, the only legitimate son of Lewis XIV. the refpe& due to a Prince born to be his King. These two young princes, near the fame age, were of very opposite characters. The Dauphin, poffefled of the fame personal advantages as the Duke, excelled him by his mildness, his affability, and a heart full of goodness and generosity. These qualities, as estimable as uncom mon in a Prince born to hereditary power, rendered the Dauphin the obje£t of the Duke's contempt, who miffed no occasion of cx prcfling his concern for the French nation, destined one day to o bey a Prince without spirit, and Unworthy to rule. The King was informed ofthis behavior of the Duke, and saw how blameablc it was; but authority yielding to parental affc&ion, deprived him of the power to correct his favorite son. The Duke, encouraged by this indulgence, so faT forgot himfelf as one day to give the Dauphin a blow. The King was presently acquainted with it, and trembled for the criminal. Whatever inclination he had to diffemblc this affront, the dignity of the crown, and the distur bance it made at Court, got the better of his tenderness. He as sembled, not without relu&ance, his favorite ministers, to whom he difclofcd his concern, and demanded their advice. In pro portion to the enormity of the crime, and according to the max ims of State, they all judged it merited death. However* one of the council, more sensible of the King's affection than the reft, said, there was a way to punifli the Duke without taking his life. He proposed the King should immediately fend him to the army then on the frontiers of Flanders ; that soon after his arrival there, it should be given out he was feiz; d with the plague, to prevent his being vifitcd by persons of diftin&ion ; that after a few days pretended illnets, it should be reported he was dead ; and that, while in the fight of the army, his funeral ceremonies being per formed in a manner suitable to his birth, he (hould by night be secretly conveyed to the island of St. Margaret, where he ffiould be imprisoned for life. This advice was approved by the King. Faithful perlons were intruded with the execution of it. The Duke fct out for the army with a splendid equipage. The reft of the scheme was executed as laid down; and while the whole tamp bewailed the imagined death of this unhappy prince, he w-*s conduced through bye-ways to the castle of St. Margaret, and put into the hands of the governor, who had before hand received orders from the King to fuffer his prisoner to be seen by no other person whatever. The Duke was allowed one single domestic, who was in the secret ; but he dying on the road, the guards dis figured him with their sabres, to prevent his being known ; and leaving him stripped for the fame reason, continued their journey. The governor received and treated his prisoner with the greateit refpeft. He served him in person, receiving whatever he wanted from the fcrvants at the door of the Duke's apartment, without fuffcring any of them tocnter, so that he remained invisible to all about him. One day, however, he bethought himfelf of graving his name on the back of a silver plate, with the point of his knife ; the servant who discovered this,broughtittohis mafter,in hopes of a reward ; but the unhappy wretch was killed on the spot, that the secret might die with him. The Duke remained for some years in this prison, till the governor being advanced to the go vernment of the Baftile. at Paris, it was thought proper to transfer with him his illustrious prisoner. Both at St. Margaret's and the Baftile, whenever, on account of sickness, or any other occasion, they were obliged to let the Duke be seen, he was constrained to wear a mask. Several persons worthy of credit affirm they have seen him thus. If it be queried why the Duke, having so long outlived both the King and Dauphin, was not releafcd, it must be considered as impoflibleto rcftore to his rank, dignity, or estate, a Prince, whose tomb existed, and of whose obsequies so many then living were witnesses; so that it would have been scarce poflible to undeceive the people, who to this day believe he died of the plague vn the camp of Flanders. EXTRACT. . There is nothing more ridiculous in men, or argues greater ignorance of themselves, than to be crying, as they frequently do, we will do such a thing, or such a thing, and then have done. Alas h there is noltoppingtheprogrefs ofthe paf lions without extinguiftiing life : A fire will as soon burn without air . While there will be de sires ; and these being of things to come, it is im poflible to confine them to the present instant, or any stated point of time : We cannot fay to them, Thus far go, and no further, since progrelfion is necefiary to their existence. There is no medium, between death and motion ; and when we cease to proceed, we cease to be. To be doing, therefore, is a consequence of living ; and idleness is but a diliberation of what is to be done next. Old men are generally blam'd for laying platforms and foundations of great works and buildings, which they cannot live to feefinifhed ; but I think the censure is groiindlefs, since by this means they cut out certain business and entertainment for themselves, and open a source of perpetual new adtion and observation,
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