Gazette of the United-States. (New-York [N.Y.]) 1789-1793, May 23, 1789, Image 1
No.'XII. TH E TABLE T. No. XII. r n,k,n once a man is inured to the service of "Mm 'be will erpe/l to be paid as we// for att.ug fir, (JJ for "(iing thi diftaUs °f hl C 0"- t'Tmay seem paradoxical to reproach a man for I « contentious spirit, while it is acknowledged, ,w focietv cannot be held together, without the Sos tattion. I will make two remarks, as a <o tionof this difficulty.—One is, that the chain „f providential events is so connected, that op oofite evils mitigate or deflroy the tendency oi Lh other; while many persons who take :m agency in them, maybe actuated bj the molt nialitrnanr motives. The other is, that though a certain portion of party spirit is eflential yet it fcotdd b'«? fubjedl to foine bounds and reftne t;ons • and as there is more probability that it will be carried to excess, than that it will be an nihilated, our blaming it as a vtce, or delcribing it as an inconvenience, may be a circumstance that will restrain some of its excelles. In the natural world, we often denominate phenomina as evil, because their immediate and visible effects are fo.—lf we could view the whole scene, those parts that are represented as dark and horrid, would be found to contribute to the perfection of the whole. Tempests, tornadoes and earthquakes, are usually ranked among the most formidable natural evils. Suchjarrs and concussions of the elements, however, are cal culated to redtify disorders, which, by being let alone, would become more pernicious than their counteracting causes. Those who are within the verge of the disaster fuffer an evil, which it was requisite ftiould take place, to render the gene ral blessing more complete. It is my intention to present to the view of my voung friend a character, which may serve a* A specimen of one, on whom faction has wrought its full effedts.—This will be more likely to make strong impressions, and to put him on his g:ird agalnft undue exercises of party spirit, than merely to lay the f'ubjeft before hiin, in remarks that are general and unapplied. There is a dif ficulty in accoinplifhing this talk, resulting from the want of a complete original, by which a portrait can be formed To remedy this defect, I have had pa $ve to several of the most dit tinguilhed parry wranglers, that had fallen with in my knowledge. By seleCting different quali fications from different persons, and combining them into an aggregate, it delineates an image, not materially incomplete. No individual has furnifhed a fufiicient lhare in the features of this character, to claim the right of naming it. Such a colledtion of qualities, however, fhouid be per fonified, and for want of a b;tter name, may be called Hactotius. It can be of no importance to tell from what parents he descended. His parentage and educa tion were such as entitled hiin to the notice and esteem of his acquaintance. As his natural abi lities rather exceeded mediocrity, and as his ac quirements were handfonie, his friends hoped that he would have been distinguished in alinoft anyftation of life. He had no vices, but what proceeded from a warmth and vivacity of spirit, and which did not indicate a bad heart. There was reason to believe that age and experience would correct the few irregularities he had dil covered. * Factotius entered into public life with a re putation sb fair and unblemilhed, that to fay he wore the image of his Maker, would not impi- Mifly derogate from the divine attributes. His degeneracy was solely occasioned by the acciden tal circumstance of his falling into bad hands. As he had taken a residence in a different part of the country from that in which he had been born and educated, he malt of course form new con nections. A inifiake in this refpedt laid the foundation of his future faults and misfortunes. He unintentionally connected hiinfelf with men, were warmly engaged in partv animosities. rrom a temper naturally unguarded and aspiring, fie was inadvertently allured into a chace, the courses of which, his fagaciry could neither fore ee or elude. Though he had given the inoft attenng iymptoms of a virtuous mind, yet his principles had never been confirmed by experi and habit. There : s a critical point of 'nnein the lite of a man, from which the cha • acter takes its tone. Factotius was exactly ln period. Had he at that instant formed £°c • connections, he had never become a bad ""f 11 *1 13^ e ft' n y was unfortunate, and he made 3 atal pitch. In a very little time, he became a •!| lr "!i 3,1 parnzan in all the difputcs of ", e ?•. i s incredible how lieedlefsly he cord" '™t° t ' le depth of party rage and dif or ' e uot proceed through the regular From WEDNESDAY, May 20, to SATURDAY, May 23, 1789. gradations from a good to a bad man: his change n was almost instantaneous. His happiness at once ft deserted him, and IBs ideas of right and wrong a: suddenly diflipated.—This may happen, without f< any original ill intention in those who fall a vie- w tim to the fury of faction. h Thrown into a situation, where he was often ai called upon to oppose what is right and encou- vv rage what is wrong, Factotius had some con- hi flict of emotions between former principles, and p new temptations.—He was however wretked with c such an inceflant ardour of temper and tumult of t( paflions, as to put calm reflexion out of his pow- ti er, and soon became familiarized to the charac- f ter he had aflinned. The love of. triumph, the h hatred of opposition, and the enchanting hopes t of being a diftinguilhed partizan, led him a ca- a rcer that was no less tormenting to hinil'elf, thau !i mifchiveous to society. ISO soon were all dif- v tincftions of virtue and vice broken down and c levelled, that his old friends and connections, ;i who did not coincide with his new objeifts and I party views, fuffered «very thing that could re- I fult from violated confidence, or from a vindic- r tive overbearing conduct. His enmities and at- 1 tachments were all converted to party purposes. f Nor is this all—Factotius not only loft his t redlitude, but his consistency : He became the f most capricious, as well as the most abandoned ot 1 men.—ln some cases, he would applaud and imi- a tate what in others he would avoid and condemn ; t one while he would reprobate and persecute a v character, whom afterwards he would take by ' the hand and patronize. Atftions in no material f refpecft different from what he himfelf prafcfHfed, 1 he would ridicule and detest in his antagoniils. i In short, there is no vice that can be lashed, and 1 no folly that can be laughed at, which he would t not represent as praise-worthy and decent in ) those who adhered to his cause.—On the other < hand, the most worthy actions of his opponents were stigmatized with opprobious epithets. But all human affairs have their limits—Fac totius could not always run such a race. His enormities were, from the nature of things, re strained to certain bounds : There was no new man for him to deceive, no new abl'urdiry for him to commit.—His fall From the glare and po pularity of gilded caprice and iniquity, into a state of infamy and negledt, was so rapid and unprogreflive, as to form one of the moil extra ordinary events of his life. He was instantly for faken. His name, which for a while was only mentioned with scorn and detestation, was in a few years so generally forgot, as never to be in troduced but as a comparison for something ex tremely odious and deftruiflive. So strong a con trail between his present and former fortune seems to have fafisfied all feelings of revenge in his ene mies. The natural di&ates of humanity strove to silence further reproaches, and to allow his name the privilege of oblivion. , Such a character, and such a situation, a wife man will avoid for his own fake ; and a. good man, for the fake of other people. EXTRACT FROM " AMERICAN ESSAYS." STORY o/HONESTUS and CONSTANTIA. HONESTUS and CONSTANTIA were a happy pair, a virtuous sympathy allied their hearts; the facredunion was cemented, by con stant, kind, reciprocal attentions : Conftantia • \yas fair and beautiful, as she was good : Her ex - ; ter null charms captivated the rich Corrumpus.— - Honeftus had embarked in an undertaking that * required a loan—Corrumpus instantly stepped forth, and in the pressing moment, offered him . his purse—the artless Honeftus gratefully accept - f ed, and most cordially embraced the insidious i friend :—But here the traitor milled his aim. Conftantia's virtues bore the stamp of Heaven, l' and kept pollution at an awful diftance.—Rag in~ alternately with difappoininent and desire, , atTength Corrumpus sullenly withdrew ; butftill ;! resolved if potfible, to gratify his mean revenge, and hellish lull.—The commercial enterprises of e Honeftus,' terminated unfortunately—Corrum - pus saw and seized the flattering occasion, to 1: screen his name, and hide the blackness of his s hellish purpose :He artfully transferred the debt due from Honeftus, to his petifogging and pan s der, one of that execrable tribe of canabals in i London, who live on human prey : This faithful, v callous tormentor, stripped the poor Honeftus d bqre ; consigned him to that vile terreftial hell d a <:aol, there left him naked on a bed of thorns, e —Who can unfold thy complicated woes, ye a <r\<: om v tenants of that dark abode ! Who can grasp >f the wide'fpread miseries ifl'uing from that cruel e fource—Conftantia, large was thy portion of the ("- bitter cup. In a dark corner of a naked hovel, ir exnofed to all the rigors of inclemeut winter. now behold, die lute liappy wife of the once as- . fluent Honeftus ! Poor, cold, comf. jrtlefs, lick, and forfuken ! horror and fpeeclilefs agony de formed that fair face, where all the graces once where wont to finile ! Two infant daughters hang ing on herknees, with piercing cries for bread, and their lolt father, probing inceilantly her wounded foul; close by her lide in dumb diftrefe, herhoary fire,fat looking resignation.—ln this de plorable, defencelefs Hate—the Villain's pre cious hour!—thefalfeCorruinpus enters, affevfts to curse the unfeeling monster, who could dis turb the fair Conftantia's peace ; and with mock sympathy pretends that he was jult informed of her distress, and had hastened with all the impa tient ardor of a friend to offer her piotetfiion and relief: Still ihe fat dumb, motionless, tranf fixed ! her eager eyes intent upon her children ; with well diflembled grief, he next communi cates the cruel fate of his dear friend Honeftus ; and said he intended to go immediately to him : Here Conftantia looked up—and to offer him his fervice.s—a gleam of hope appeared once more to rouse her torpid foul, and with a feeble ray re lumed her eye—a faint fuffufion of an lie&ic hue slushed on her lifelefs cheek—Sliefeemedto wilh to finile : Rank with detire, the gloating lecher saw returning life, and eagerly approached to seize her hand ; by chaste antipathy, she took the alarm ; flirunk from the hateful and forbidden touch, and shook with horror; then ftafed at Hea ven, and menaced fierce : Her children screeched in wild affright, not knowing what they feared, and trembling clung for fafety to their helpless mother.--The pious father felt the unfeel ing wound, but now his palsied arms liungnerve leis, a cumberous useless load; he could no more than weep,and look again to Heaven.—Struck,but not foftened at the melting scene', with consci ous guilt, the sneaking friend retired. After a long and awful pause, returning reason seemed again to dawn—the storm that rudely snook Conftantia's gentle frame, gradually lub fided intoapenlive, calm, and fettled melancholy; when with the fofteft voice of melting grief, ihe thus articulated ; still persecuted by that cruel spoiler!! thought I had nothing left! Yes,ftill Virtue thou art mine ! for thee am 1 once more pursu ed ! if stripped of tliee, Ifliouldbe poor indeed* Lovely Virtue! with thee, and with my dear Ho neftus, how happy fliould I ueein the humfcleft lot! thus blest, rich in content, I yet could tread some humble vale in sweet security, and bless all bounteous Heaven, unenvying andunenvied ; but doomed to live bereft of either ; how bitter even is my scanty bread ! The keen reflection ltung her to her foul, andchoaked her utterance. In a few days, death mercifully closed this dreadful scene, ami happily released the poor Conftantia : This stroke i f mercy, so far relieved the injured, wounded, and world sick Honef tus, that he was soon removed from his prison to a mad-house, where in sweet oblivion on his bed of straw, he dreams himself a King. Revenge fould ask no more—There yet remain ed, to satiate luft,with an inceftuons feaft ; —mark how the monster deliberately prepares the hellilh banquet! Corrumpus took the friendlefs orphans, and with t a more than parent's fondnefs cherished them ; till with the unripe fruit, his rank, salacious, ap petite was gorged ; then with a cloyed indifference, l cold!y cast them to the common herd ; and e'er they reached their teens, they joined the iftale, forlorn patrolers of the Strand, who in nodturnal l orgies seek relief, and know no other joys. I Such was the fate, of a worthy, virtuous family, , all for no crime, who had they not been Britons, . might probably have lived, to have been an orira s ment to their species, and an honor to their country. Blush Britons ! blush ! and boast no more, of SUBJECTS SACRED RIGHTS t O ! 'twas an impious theft, to rob decrepit age 1 of it's sole prop !to snatch with sacrilegious hand, the only cordial that remained to qualify the f bitter dregs of life ! —To strip the virtuous, fond, . and faithful wife, of liufband, hope, protection, 0 and support !—lt was A DAMNING DEED, to s pluck the harmless infants from the brooding lt wings of their fond, loitering parents ;to blot _ fair, white-robed innocence, their only boon, „ with foul, indelible pollution ; then rlirow the 1 violated in the street, there to wander, 1S houlelefs, helpless, hopeless, hungry, diseased, U abandoned, naked, loft ! S. ■■- ■ " Quis talia fando " Temperet a lachrymis I** !p This eclipses all the glory, and annihilates the el most eflential benefits of the British Constitution, ie by thus involving misfortunes with crimes, and 1, giving the wealthy villain absolute power over r, the nrffortunate, and authorizing him, unuer the PRICE SIX PEN'CC.