The RIGHT CONSTITUTION of a COMMON
WEALTH EXAMINED,
(Continued from our laj\.)
TAROUIN, by his ambafladors, solicited at
least the reltoration of his property. Brutus op
pofedit. Collatinus, the other consul, advocated
the demand of his royal banished couiin. The
senate was divided : The question was referred
to the people aflenibled by centuries. The two
consuls zealously supported their different opin
ions. Collatinus prevailed l>y one vote. Tar
quin's ambafladors rejoice and intrigue. A con-
Jpiracy was formed, in which a great part of
the yoilng nobility was concerned : two of the
Vitellii, l'ons of Collatinus's lifter, an 1 brothers
of Brutus's wife ; two of the Aquilii, sons of an
other filter of Collatinus, as well as two of Bru
tus's sons, 'were engaged in it. When the con
spiracy was discovered, Brutus alone was inexor
able. Collatinus endeavored to save his nephews.
—Collatinus, as the husband of Lucretia, ap
pears to have been actuated by resentment against
the person ofTarquin, but not to have been very
hearty in the expulsion of che family, or the abo
lition of monarchy. His warmly contending for
the reftitutijn of Tarquin's effects, and his aver
iion to the condemnation of the conspirators,
completed his ruin with Brutus. He ailembled
the people, and was sorry that the Roman peo
ple did notthink their liberties fafe whilethey saw
the name and blood of Tarquin not only fafe in
Rome, but verted with fcfvereign power, and a
dangerons obstacle to liberty. Collatinus was
amazed at such a speech, and prepared to de
fend liimfelf against this attack ; but finding his
father-in-law Spurius Lucretius join Brutus, and
other principal men, in persuading him, and
fearing that he should be forced into banishment,
with the l confifcation of his estate, he abdicated
the consulship, and retired to Lavinium : but he
carried all his effects with him, and twenty
talents, or 3,87; sterling, which Brutus
added five talents more, a molt enormous sum,
if we consider the universal poverty of that age,
and the high value of money.—ls it pollible to
find, in this character and conduct of Collatinus,
such disinterested and magnanimous virtue as our
author speaks of? Is this an example to prove
that disinterested virtue was frequent in that ltate ?
He inutt have been dead to every manly feeling,
if he had not refemed the rape and death of his
wife. He did not retire but to avoid banish
ment; nor was he contented without his whole
estate, and a splendid addition to it: So that
there is scarcely a character or anecdote in histo
ry less to our author's pnrpofe in any point of
view.
There is an extravagance in many popular wri
ters in favor or republican governments, which
injures much oftener than it lerves the cause of li
berty. Such is thai of our author, when lie cites
the example ot Rcgulrs. Let us fit ft remember,
however,that Regulus was a patrician and a sen
ator, and that he was appointed to his command,
and continued in it, by the senate ; and therefore,
instead of being an example in honour of a sim
ple or a representative democracy, it operates in
favor of an aristocracy, or at molt it favor of
a mixed government, in which an ariftocray has
full one third part. Regulus had been in a course
of victory, which the senate would not interrupt,
and therefore continued him in the command of
the army. He wrote to the senate to complain
of it. The glory of it to himfelf, the advantage
to the public, was not reward enough to him.
He demanded a fuccellor ; and what was his rea
son ! A thief had stolen his tools of liufbandry
used in manuring ; his tenant was dead, and his
prelence was absolutely neceflary to prevent his
wife and children from starving. is it possible
to read this without laughter and indignation ;
laughter at the folly of that government which
made fopoor a provision for its generals, and in
dignation at the fordid avarice of that senate and
people, who could require a threat of resignation
from the conqueror of Carthage to induce tliein
to provide for his wife and children. The senate
decreed that his field should be cultivated at the
public expence, that his working tools should be
replaced, and his wife and children provided for.
Then, indeed, Regulus's aversion to the service
was removed: To such fordid condescensions to
the prejudices and meanness of the stingy and
envious parts of the community are such exalted
fouls as that of Regulus obliged sometimes to
submit; the eternal panegyrics of Republican
writers, as they call themselves, will never recon
cile mankind to any thing so ridiculous and con
temptible. The labourer is worthy of his hire :
he who labours for the public should live by the
public, as much as he who preaches the gospel
should live by the gospel; and tliefe maxims of
equity are approved by all the geneious part of
mankind. And people whose heads are turn
ed with conttaefted notions of a contrary nature,
will forever be the dupes of the designing; for
where you will find a single Regulus, you will
find ten tlioufand Caesars.
(To be continued)
ivRUON MJHCt.LIANi.OUS ARUi.L^S.
\
LONDON, MAY IJ.
It is expcfted Mr. Neckar will be very hard
run in the Aliembly of the States. The no
bility of Paris have lhewn great ikill and in
trigue in the choice of their deputies, to the
the States-general. It can scarcely be believed,
though it is a fact, that they have chosen Monf.
D'Elpremenil as their firft repi efentative, in pre
ference to the piince of the blood and the fii lt
nobility in the kingdom.—This gentleman not
long since, declared in parliament, that he was
the enemy of M. Neckar, and said, Let his friends
■withhold their votes •from me. since I -will never ceafi
till ] unmajk him.
The opinion of the city of Paris may be judged
of from this election.
In the mean time, Paris swarms with periodi
cal publications in opposition to government, and
the king has found itneceflary, notwithstanding
the declaration in M. Neckar s speech, that the
liberty of the press should be allowed, to publilh
an ordinance for their suppression, as well as no
tice to all booksellers who shall fell them, on the
penalty of forfeiture of their estates.
June 3. Yesterday morning advices were re
ceived from Hamburgh, confirming the intelli
gence, that Admiral Wrangell has put to sea
from Carlfcroon, with thirty men of war,
great part of which were line of battle fliips,
from 66 to too guns. The Admiral was proceed
mg up the Baltic, towards the coafl of Finland,
in order to make acruife in fucha iituation as to
bloc', up the port of Revel, and to prevent the
lquadron from Conftradi forming a junction with
the Ruffian fleet, in the harbour of Copenhagen :
In such cafe, one engagement may fettle the Hate
of this year's campaign by sea.
Extract of a letter Jrotn Madrid, June j.
" The Hon. W. tutu, commercial negociator from London,
havin , finilhed the lyftcm of commerce which is about to take
place between Spam and England, left this city last week, and is
gon.* from hcnce to London. All rcllndions on the commerce
between the two nations will be removed, and a plan of trade
fettled. No articles have yet appeared, but they are cxpc&cd to
be nearly similar to those with trance."
The benevolent and philanthropic Mr. Howard is pre
paring to leave his native country on a three year's tour. One
year ne purposes to spend in Egypt. Should this truly valuable
member of society live to return', and that he may mull be the sin
cere wilhof every good man, his gieat work on Lazarettocs will
be enriched by an appendix, in which the history of the plague
will make a conspicuous figure.
It is now prettyclear to every discerning mind that nothing
deeifne will be done in the slave-trade this ieflion, several
having been alreadv taken up in examining a few witneiles
when such a multitude remained behind. The reports before the
privy council too, now printed for the use of the members, arc all
so contradictory—so much the efleft of interest, of pailion, of
hear-say, &c. that it would be next to drawing lots Jor jujlicc to
come to a ready condufion either way. It is to be hoped, how
ever, some temporary measures will be adopted,and that the trjed
eft rts of those mealures, with a clearer view of the general queilion
will enable Parliament to effect that reform next leflion, which will
do credu to the legislature of Grcat-Britian.
FRANCE JUNE 8.
The payments at the Hotel de Ville are begun
for the last fix months of 1788, as Mr. Neckar
had mentioned in his speech. It is wonderful
how government keep up their credit, when the
finances are so very low. It is true that the half
yearly dividend has been due these five or fix
months, but it is likewise too true that when
Cardinal Lo mh n ey, Archbishop of Sens, quitted
the administration, not half a million oflivres
were found the treasury. It is a guardian angel;
it is the director general ; it is a Neckar, who
nobis dejundit vivum per tnembra vigorcm, exclaim
ed enthufiaflically, the commons !
june 21. At the moment when France thought
lierfelf happy in the establishment of her RIGHTS
and LIBERTIES, every thing is again thrown
into confufion.
On friday the national aflembly (that is to fay,
tbat part of the states, late called the commons)
had finally voted the provisional grant of taxes,
till the end of the sessions ; the consolidation of
the national debt; a loan for the immediate pay
ment of the arrears due from government : and
confulerable lums of money to be forthwith lent
into the provinces for the relief of the poor at
the fame time the clergy had determined to join
the third estate on the next day, Saturday.
In the morning, at three o'clock, an officer
with sixty men was ported at the door of the as
sembly room, to prevent the entrance of the de
puties ; and at nine o'clock the heralds proclaim
ed a suspension of the meeting till Monday, when
his majerty would go to the house, to receive them.
Ihe president and several members arriving
at their usual hour, and finding the doors shut
against them, remained some time in the llreet
but at length adjourned to the Tennis-court'
and there held their aflembly till late in the even
ing, when they separately took the following
oath:
" WE SOLEMNLY SIVE4R NEVER TO SEPARATE
FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, BUTTOUNITE
OURSELVES IN EVERY PLACE, WHEREVER CIR
CUMSTANCES MAY REQUIRE, UNTIL THE CON
STITUTION IS ESTABLISHED ON A SOLID FOUN
DATION."
" RESO'VED, That this determination (hall be
printed and Cent to the differentprovinces."
At the fame time Monsieur De Gocies, on the
part of the inhabitants of St. Domingo, put the
colonies under the protection of i£ e » 3t ; ,
lembly, and declared that licnceforw, i lf "
would call the, Selves Colonies Nadonales
All Fans is, in the greatelt coiffiernation j
the court under the utmost euibarraflme,,' f
intention of the king in going the houle i i-»
a profound secret ; and the people lr( . rh pt
alarmed, as they fee no reason why r™'
ihould be made, if his design was favoraL "
the other hand, the finnnefs 0 f the a<fanU ' ■"
their proceedings of yeherday,
put the court party under the greatett dilem j
for this evening at fix o'clock, no orders a «7«
given for his niajefty's equipage, norat,v no £
lent to the officers who should attend him t£
general report is, that the king will N „ 'J
the house to-morrow, and that a counter-prod
mat,on will be on the breaking up of the conn il
Every day brings frefh accounts ofthe'diftrl
of the country for want of bread. In the neigh
bourhood of Senlis, Soiflons, Chantilly
is credibly affirmed, that the bakers wirinot'l*
able to furniffi a single loaf at any price .f-
Wednesday. To Paris, Versailles, M ar ii7
not a cart load of flour is brought without the
protection of a guard.
LONDON', JUNE 29.
Received at ten o'clok UJI night, by £ xp rl f l) f m
VERSAILLES.
La Seance Royale, which we formerly announc
ed, took place on Tuesday last, at >vhich time
the king abolished all the arrets entered into by
the tiers etat. Each order of the allbmblj
went separately to their refpecftive chambers, the
etat remaining in their own.—After'the
king's departure, they voted in their own caps
city, a confirmation of the arrets which they had
jull agreed to, notwitliflanding the kino- had
commanded them to be abolished.—They then
fevei-ally took an oath, not to confidcr themselves
as diflolved, although the king had ifl'ued his or
ders for that purpoie !
Immediately after this, Monf. Neckar, the
minifler of finance, went up to the king, and en
treated permillion to resign the seals of kit offici,
This was peremptorily refufed by the sovereign.
On going out of the palace, he was embracedby
the allenibly of the tiers etat, and conduced by
them in a shew of triumph and adoration to his
official apartments.
This proves a llrange revolution in poli.ics—
and, if the phrase can be allowable, wewilladd,
an usurpation of liberty in the very heart of the
latedefpotic capital of France.
Twelve months ago, tiles of mnfqueteers, witli
drawn bayonets, were placed in, and fjrround
ed the courts of justice and houses of parliament
in Paris. At this moment the third and inferior
slate of the kingdom is bidding defiance to arbi
trary power, and the decrees of their sovereign.
This may be tonfidered as a critical epoch in the
history of nations, and France in particular;
whilst famine is haflening to the very gates of
the capital.
Liberty will have another feather in her cap.
The seraphic contagion was caught from Britain,
—it crofled the Atlantic to North America
from whence the flame has been communicated
to France.
July 2. We areaffiired from refpetfableau
thority, that the great controverted qaeltionin
France has received its final determination. The
two superior orders have yielded to the com
mons, in consequence of a letter from the king.
On Saturday lafl, the three orders met and form
ed a liouf£ ; none of the clergy diflenriftg,
of the nobles only forty five ; so that every thing
now is peace and concord without doors.
PRICE CURRENT. NEJV-YORK.
Jamaica Spirits, ... £,[.
Antigua Rum, - / - 4/6. a 4/?.
St. Croix, do. - - 4/5. a 4/6.
Country, do. - - ? / 10 -
MoJaflcs, - a 2/0.
Brandy, - - - 5/9-
Geneva, - 5J3•
Do, in cases, - - 28 fa 2 qJ.
Muscovado Sugar, - - 0 I*f
Loaf, do. - - if \ * y3'
Lump, do. - - V l e*
Pepper, - 2/0. a 2JIO.
Pimento, - 1/9. a V-
Chocolate, - l/ 2.
Cocoa, - - ' 75 f a
Coffee, - - 1/8. * »>
Indigo, (Carolina) - - 4/ a %
Rice, - - - 22/6. -a 2 3jf
Superfine Flour, -
Common do. - - 4°/
Rye do. - 24f- a 2 «5>
Indian Meal, - ,1'
Rye, . . 4/3. fr- hjk
Corn, (Southern) - zf\9- a i/'
Do. (Northern,) - 4/3- * 4 -> r
Beef, fir ft quality, - - 4 V a $ 0 t
Second quality, - - 43/J*
Pork, firft quality, - • Jfc
Sccond quality, - - ' -A'
Hams, . < d \
Carolina Tobacco, - J )
Virginia , - - 4d- a $
Published by JOHN FENNO, No. 9,
Lane, near the Ofwcgo-Markct, New-York. [3'"/'"