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PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN /CTA'O, No. 4:, BROAD-STREETj NeXr THE EXCHANGE, NEW-YORK
[No. 12, if Vol. ll.j
DISCOURSES ONDAVILA.
Such bribe! the rapid Greek, o'er Alia hurl'd ;
For such, the steady Romans (hook the world.
IN a city or a village, little employments and
trifling diftindiions are contended for with e
qua! eagerness, as honors and offices in common
wealths and kingdoms.
What is it that bewitches mankind to marks
and signs ? A ribbon ? A garter ? A star ? A gul
den key ? A Marfhil's ftaff ? Or a white hickory
stick Though there is in such frivolities asthefe
neither profit nor pleasure, nor any thing amia
ble, eftiinable or refpeiftable ; yet experience
teaches us, in every country of the world, they
attratft the attention of mankind more than parts
or learning, virtue or religion. They are there
fore fought with ardor, very often, by men pof
fefled in the most eminent degree, of all the more
solid advantages of birth and fortune, merit and
services, with the best faculties of the head, and
the most engaging recommendations of the heart.
Fame has been divided into three species : glo
ry, which attends the great atflions of lawgivers
and heroes, and the management of the great
commands and firft offices of State : reputation,
which is cherished by every gentleman: and cre
dit, which is supported by merchants and trades
men. But even the division is incomplete, be
cause the desire aiul the objetfl of it, though it
may be conlidered in various lights and under
different modifications, is not confined to gentle
men nor merchants but is common to every hu
man being. There are no men, who arc not am
bitious of diftinguiffiing themselves, and grow
ing conliderable anions those, with whom they
converse. This ambition is natural to the human
Ibul : and as when it receives a happy turn, it is
the fourceof private felicity and public prosper
ity ; and when it errs, produces private u«eafi>
ness, and public calamities, it isthe buftnefsqnd
duty of private prudence, of private and public
education, and of natural policy, to dired: it to
rjffh* obWte. IVt '•««. ir (hould be con
lidered, that to every man who is capable of a wor
thy condutft, the pleasure from the approbation
of worthy men is ex'quifite and inexprelfible.
It is curious to consider the final caules of things,
when the physical are wholly unknown. The in
tellectual and moral qualities, are most within
our power, and undoubtedly the most ellential to
our happiisefs. The perfonalqualitieso'fhealth,
llrength, and agility, are next in importance.—
Yet, the qualities of fortune, such as birth, rich
es, and honors, though a man has less reason to
esteem himfelf for these, than for those of his
mind or body, are, every where acknowledged to
glitter with the blighted lustre, in the eyes of the
world.
As virtue is the only rational /buret, and eter
nal foundation of honor, the wifdoin of nations,
in the titlestliey have established as ttie marks of
order and fubord-ination, has grneritlly given an
intimation, not of perfoital qualities, nor of the
qualities of fortune ; but of lome particular vir
tues, more especially bccoming.mtfij, ill the high
itations they poiiefs. Reverence is attributed to
the Clergy—veneration to Magiftratej-i—honor to
Senators—serenity, clemency, or inildnefs of dif
poiition to Princes. The sovereign authority and
iupreme executive, have commonly titles that de
signate power as well as virtue—as Majesty to
rungs—u'agniSciMiti inoit lion-orcd, and fotei Sign
-Lords, to the go\ernment of Genevan—noble
to the States of Frielland—noble and
mighty* Lords to the States of Gneldcrland—noble
great and venerable Lords to the regency of
Leyden—noble vuid grand Mightihe'Tes to the
States of Holland—noble gfre.'r atid venerable
Lords, the regency of Amfterdam—iioblemighti
nefies, the States of Utrecht—and high mighti
neiles the Stfites-(-eneral.
A death bed, it is said, (hews the eftVptinefs of
titles. '] lint may does it not eqri l a]ly
ihew the futility, of riches, power, liberty and alt
earthly things ? The cloud-capt towers, the gor
geoMs palScesjthe folenin temples, the g»eat gFobd
i'-ltil, appear the bafelcls fabric of a vilioii, and
liie irlVlf a tale, told by an ideot, full of found
and fury, fignifying nothing. Shall it beinfer
red from this, that lame, liberty, property and
life, fliall be always despised aild liegletTted ?
s naH laws and government, which regulate fub
<unary things be negletfted, becaufd they appear
baubles at t"he hour of death '
The wifdoni and virtue c' 11 nations have en
deavored to regulate the pa ni)i for re (pert and
diftimftiou, and to reduce it to some order in fo
cietv, by titles marking the gradations of-magif
N°- , >f
SATURDAY, MAT 22, 1790
tracy, to prevent as far as homan power and po
licy can prevent, collifiotis air»ng the passions of
many purfujug the fame objects, and the rivalries,
animofkies, envy, jealousy and vengeance, which
always result from thejii.
Has there ever been a nation, who und«rftoW
i ;ie human heart, better thar the Romans ! Oi
made a better use of the pa/i, nfor confideratioii
congratulation anddiftinctiov ? They considered,
that as reason is the guide life, the fcnfes, tin
imagination and rhe atfcCti. ~s are the springs ol
adti\%»-. Reason holds the hilm, but pallions art
the gafles : and as the diretfeft road to thefc ii
through the senses, thelang uage offigns was em
ployed by Roman wisdom to excitc the emulatibr
and a&ive virtue of the citizens. Dijlinttions ol
conditions as well as of ages, were made by dif
terence of cloathing. The Laticlave, or largt
flowing Robe, studded with broad spots of purple,
the ancient distinction of their Kings, was, after
the eftabiifhment of the consulate, worn by the
Senators, through the whole period ofthe repub
lie and the Empire. The Tribunes of the peo
ple, were, after their inffjtntion, admitted to wear
the fame venerable signal of fandiity and author
ity. The angufticlave, orthe smaller robe, with
narrower studs of purple, wps the diftinguiihing
habit of Roman Kjiights. The golden ring was
also peculiar to Senators and Knights, an<T was
not permitted to be worn by any other citizens.
The pretext, or long "white robe reaching down
to the aoflea, bordered with purple, which was
worn by the principal u.agifrvates, fucli as Cop
fuls, Prretors, Ceufors and fohietimes on solemn
feftivals, by Senators. The cliairs of ivory ; the
Lienors ; the rods ; the axes; the crowns of gold ;
of ivory ; of flours ; of lierbs ; of laurel branches ;
and of oak-leaves ; the civil and the mural crowns ;
their ovations ; and their triumphs ; everything
in religion, government and common life ftinotig
thePiomans was parade, representation and cere
mony. Every thing was addrefled to the emula
tion of the citizens, and every thfng was calcu
lated to attract 'h« attentiov - to allure the con
sideration and excite the congratulations of the
people ; to attach their hearts to individual citi
zen# acfording to their merit : and to their law
givers, magiflratcs and judges, according totheir
ranks, stations and importance, in the State. Ai.d
this was in the true spirit of republics, in which
form of government there is no oth£r confiflent
method of' preserving order, or procuring fub
rniffion to the laws. To such means as these, or
to force, and a (landing army, recourse fnult be
had, for the giiardianfhip of laws, and the pro
tection of the people. It is universally true, that
in all the republics now remaining in Europe,
there is, as there ever has been a more constant
and anxious attention to such forms and maiks
of diftinOtions, than there is in the monarchies.
The policy of Rome was exhibited in its highest
pel fedion, in the triumph of Paulas Emillius
over I'erfeus. It was a striking exemplification
of congratulation and sympathy, contrasted with
each other. Congratulation with the conqueror :
lympathy with the captive : both suddenly chang
ed into sympathy with the conquerer. The de
(criptioli* of this triumph, is written with a pomp
of language correfpoiulent to its dazzlingmagni
ficence. The representation of the King, and his
children must excite the pity of every reader,
who is not animated with the ferocious fenti men ts
of Roman insolence and pride. Never was there
a more moving lcdbn of the melancholy lot of hu
manity, than the contrasted fortunes of the Ma
cedonian and the Roman. The one diverted of
his crown and throne, led irrchains with his chil
dren, before the chariot of the other, blazing in
gold and purple, to the capitol. Thisinftl'uitHve
leflon is given us by the viilorhimfelfin a speech
to the people. " My triumph, Romans, as if it
" had been in derlfion of all human felicity, has
" been interposed between the funerals of my
" children, and both have been exhibited, as
" fpedtacles, before you. Perseus, who, him
" felf a captive, saw his children led with him in
" captivity, now enjoys them in i'afetv. I, who
" triumphed over him, having ascended the ca
" pitol, from the funeral chariot of one of my
" sons, descended from that capitol, to fee ano
" ther expire. In the house of Paulus none re
" mains but hiinfelf. But youf felicity, Ro
" mans, and the prosperous fortune of the pub
" lie, is aconfolation to me under this deftruc
" tion of my family."
It is easy to fee how such a scene must operate
on the hearts of a nation : how it must aftetlthe
paffiori for diftintfion : and how it must excite
the ardor and virtuous emulation of the citizens.
* 45. 39-
461
PHYSIOGNOMATICAL ANECDOTE.
T REQUIRE nothing of thee, said a father to
1 his innocent f6n, when bidding him farewell,
bu; that thou lhouldft brjng me back this thy couiif
tenance.
All amiable and innocent young lady, who had
been chiefly educated in the country, saw her face
in the glals, as {he pafled i: with a candle in her
hand, returning from evening prayer, and hav
ing jutt laid down her bible. f-ier eyes were ci'.ft
on the ground"wit.h liß.ypr-.v'iblc- moicfty, at the
light of her own image. Siie pailed the win'c.
in town, I'urrotinded by adorers, hurried, away Ly
dilnpation, and plunged in triflihg
Ihe forgot her bible, and her devotion—ln the
spring ihe returned again toilie country, her
chamber, and the table on which her bible lay.
Again fiie had the candle in her hand, and again
saw herfelf in the glass. She turned pale, put
down the candle, retreated to her fofa, and fell
on her ki:res—Oh God ! I no longer know my
face. How am I degraded ! My follies and vani
ties are all written in my countenance, Where
fore have they been negletfted, illegible, till this
inltant ? Oh come and expel, come and utterly
efface them, mild tranquillity, sweet devotion,
and ye gentle cares of benevolent love !■"
CONGRESS
0,1 the ytfy infiant in the Hqufeof Beprefentaihes, vSlien tie hill forfi
valty ahujling the claims oj Baron Stmbcr\ was before {he Houj}, se
veral Members having frevroufly spoken to a motion for Jti;iking c\iz
the JirJi clause of the bill, Mr. Pace made thcjalfowing reply.
S I R,
I AM a earn (I the motion for (hiking out the 2706 dollars, and
lnftgrtinjt 1 5 00 » because it is incompatible with the preceding
of the bill, which slates the sum {2706) as justly due to the
Baron according to the report ot the Secretary of the Treasury ;
;ind bccaufe it is derogatory to the honor and veracity of the mem
bers of the committee of Congiefs, on whose tcftimony the Ba
ron's claim is founded.
Some gentlemen, iir, lay great (tress.on the want of proof, ref
pc&ing wh?t is called the contract with Baron Steuben ; but*fy,
I think we have had all the proof the nature of the cafe will admit
of, and Cor toy part I (hould want no other than Mr. Lee's leitfr
ti» the Baron.
Sir, this illustrious vetefan offered hisfervihes on such gfirerouai
terms and served us so eflentialLy, that I (hall blush for Congrtfsv
fhotild tht ideas of fomegentlemen hqw. prevail. It is unworthy
of Congress, after having f» long enjoyed the benefit of those ser
vices, now to be thus coldly scrutinizing the terms on which he
offered them, and speaking of them aS of little importance I
Weigh them not, fir, with she dollars proposed : they are far be
yond any sum which we can give : .and if the worthy member
Irom North-Carolina (Mr. Bloodworth) who mpyed the motion,
wishes to abandon the principles of the bill, aud inftcad of pay
ing to the Baron the debt there dated as due to him, means to
give him a sum by way of compensation for his services, and has
economy in view, I would advise him to withdraw his motion ;
tor if we depart from the principles'of the bill, they who v9luc
this great man's services as I do, will vote to give him much more
than the bill proposes. If I (hould be at liberty to propofea com
pensation for the facrifices he made by coming to America and
lerving in her war, and to recompense him for his great fcrvicei,
I am sure I (hall propose a much larger sum than has yet been
talked of.
Sir, had the Baron ftipultJed to receivc but two percent on the
afticles under his dire&ion, or I fay on what be saved, lie
would be entitled to much more than is now propof.-d to fc>e given
him. The economy he introduced into the army was the occa
sion of an imtnenfe (aving. Who can fay now what was saved, in
arms, accoutrements and ammunition, and by the reduction of bag
gage and forage ? I have been told that ofHcers, who had leaded a
waggon with their baggage, wrre (bon reduced to a (ingle pack
horse.
Some gentlemen have made light of the diftipbne which has
been attributed to the Baron, and told us of the affairs of Bunker's-
Hill, Trenton, Princeton, and Germantown. It was true these
were brilliant a&ions ; but the mcmberlrom South-Carolina (Mr.
Smith) and the member from Delaware, had replied fully to this
observation. They well observed that, brilliant as those anions
were, valoiii 1 without discipline ij.qfttn vain, and may lead only
to definition —that the commander in chief did wood, rs with
out the Baron, and (they might have added) he was Wonderful iri
refourcrs, and " in him'felf an hoil" : but we (hould not now con.
fider what the commander in chief did before he had the Baron'i
alfiftance, but what he did with his assistance, and what use he
made of his services ; and to this, at far as relates to the Baron, he
has. repeatedly and geneioufly borne ample trftimony.
Sir, the Baron, as Adjutant-General and Director General, was
peculiarly adapted to the purpose of the American arm). Hav
ing served S2 yars in the Pruflian army, wllich Americans had
been taugbt to believe was the belt difcip(iued in the world, his
discipline was more readily embraced, and more confidence *re
posed in it, than would have been the cafe bad almost any other
man, of any other nation, undertaken that great tallc. Thepiaife
now given to the Baron is no disparagement, therefore, to other
officers. The Commander in Chief flood in need of an adjutant
like him, from the peculiar fituatioa of our army, and has acknow
ledged his services ; therefore it does not become us to speak of
them as unimportant.
Sir, the importance of those services would have been displayed
to your view by many officers now in this house, had they not,
from that delicacy peculiar to American officers, who having laid
by the name and dress of foldicrs and mixed with their fellow-ci
tizens in civil life, refrained from appearing to be more know
ing in military matters than the other members of this house : I
fay, were it not for this delicacy, we should have had a full dis
play of the Baron's services. One officer, indeed (Col. Bland)
from the honest warmth of his heart, has not refrained fiomfa\-
ing a few words in support of the Baron's claim. But, fir. I have
alked officers, and some of them now n this house, whether I had
misunderstood or over raied the Baron's claim ? and I have been
constantly told that 1 did not. Though I had not the honor of
being in the army, I was well informed by my correfpoadcms
[Wholf. No. 1 to.]