FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES. LETTER. No. I *IR< T HAVE Jeen in the papert accounts of large AJfoCiations, and appli -1 cations to government for the abolition of Jlavery. Religion, human i ty, and thegenerofity natural to a free people, are the noble principles which dictate those meajures. Suck motives command refpeEl, and are above am elogium words canbeflow. Alt ho Ifully and join in the zvifk to fee slavery abolished, / mujl however confefs, that what Ihave collected, on the means jor ob taining the end, out ofthofe channels has given me no JatisJaQion. The JubjeEl is in wv opinion, oj higher moment than has been represent ed : Slavery is not only contrary to the feelings of freemen, but to the principles of a free government; it not only vitiates it, but it mujl alfobe considered, that in America the evil is a deep-rooted and daily increasing one ; that to cjfeEl a cure, palliatives are dangerous, and no more applica ble to it, then they are in the mortification ojgangrenated bodies ; that to heal this political and moral evil, and to doJlrid juflice on allfides, is a difficult talk : For which reason, Iprefume, that this matter mujl only be conjidered, and even decided, on the ground of philosophical and political argument. On this very scale Ifkal l try toflate the nature oj the quejlion, and the measures for a radical cure of the evil. Agreeable to the order mentioned, I[hall take up the JubjeftfJirJl on philosophical ground. Innumerable are the beings on the globe, yet the eternal wisdom has clajfed them all, gradually dejeending Jrom animated to inanimatednature ; diflinguijhable differences of form, Jize, Jlrength, weaknefs,ferocity, mildness, sensibility, tnerty, inanimation, are exiflent. rhofe difi Terences have been proved by philosophical enquiry, to proceed byg entlc tints andfhadows, till observation on thofefubje&s is Jet at nought. No less wonderful is a fome.hing simitar order in the vegetable and mi' neral kingdoms : In those we Jind also, well divided clajfes, gradua ted, connetled, yet all marked out in different charaflers ; Juch injlances are numerous, but beyond my Jlrength to invejligate, and beyond the limits of this paper ; however, in order to throw light on the ideas I have com municated, I willfeleft, and consider at large, a few examples out of the animal kingdom. From the elephant to the fnullejl infect, vifble to the eye by a microscope only, what a graduation of sizes, of animals, does there fland between those two extremes ; flrengtli, sagacity, and temper, are objects no less gradually diminfking, and form djlinci characters, between individuals of the great sum of animated brings. An other graduation is remarkable ; nature goes not Jrom one species of animals abruptly to the next; there are beings who fepar ate one fort from the othei, and par take in their form, and habit, Jomething of both ; those I call intermediate beings. Examples of this dejeription are plentiful; Jor injlance amphibious ; of these, thefea-lion, thejea-cow, the sea-horse, the sea-dog, the beaver, the otter, isc. partake at once of the nature of Jfh, and of some land iifiimal they have resemblance to. Only one more of these I beg leave to mention : on the Cape of Good Hope, a duck, at once fifh and fowl, is often met with, the form is that of a common wild duck, but the wings are conjlrufled like the Jins oja fijh ; thoje ducksJly horizontally over the wa ter to hunt the Jfkfwfter in swimming than they are ; but their power of flying is over a\ soon as their wings become dry, they lay their eggs in chffs on shore, and there breed their young ones; this Iprefume is one of the intermediate beings, between fowl and fifk. In fcveral species of animals, altho likeness is apparently great, how dfferent is their nature : This ive will exemplify by the lion, and a large dog, of which there is in Asa afpecies of a kind andfhape, almojl next to the lion, called the lion-dog: Ancient hijlory records that fuck an one was given to Alexander, Ring of Macedonia ; this needs nojurther def <r?p:ion, for even to this day the breed is not extinfl \ the Mogul, and other Asiatic Princes, hunt the lionJtill with them ; a single one, armed with ajleel collar, and breajl harness, f-ghts on equal chance, and two of these vanquijh the lion eajily. The bull-dog, and the wo J with the jfhprt muzzle, the fmallfpannel with the fox, the domejlic cat with the tyger, have allJlriking refemblances t but how different are they in cha racter, habit and temper. Among animals avowed to be of the fame kind, the differences are no left pcrfefth ascertained. This field is as extenjive as the former : It rvould tire the attention to walk thro all the images it is able to furnifh ; hence IJhall keep withinJhort bounds oj the mofl common objefls. From the beforementioned AJiatic lion-dog, to the little long-haired delicate Span ifhdog, which lies Jnarling in the lap of a lady, or cowardly barks out of a bajlct, lined with cotton, what a difference oj chara6ler, Jlrength &c. and how many Jizes, and fpecies,flandbetween these two dogs. The no ble Arabian horse, thefwift tartarian, the barb, the Englijh hunter, the heavy and large oflfries and the dwarf Norwegian horse, are all hor fes,\et how differently are they marked out. In the human fpecies,differences are no lefs flriking and absolute. The Patagonian giants, the dwarfs of Laponia, the elegantly proportionedJi gurc,and beautijul color of our ladies, and oj some European nations ; the Chineje ; the copper-colored men ; the blacks with long hair ; the white negro with redjpots and white hair, called kakerlak by the Dutch ; the AJrican, andfouthern Papoe negro, with Jhort woolly hair, are all oj the specie called mankind, but how greatly do they differ, not alone in co lor andfigure, but also in original charader. Plinius gives a dejeription oj men, living in the interior parts oj Afri ca ; they have cars {landing upwards, like horjes' ears, their mouth is a longfhaped wolfs muzzle, and they have nails like a bear,Jlanding Jiff at the end of their fingers. This kind oj men carried on bloody wars againjl the Ethiopians, and were jinally rendered tributary by the fatter : they have been seen, in the armies of the Ethiopians, in their wars with the Egyptians, and Romans. When I travelled in the Asiatic southern Hemisphere.a Prince, foverign of one of {those i (lands, gave me a defer ip tion of the fame kind oj men, living in some ijlands next to him : This Prince was aflranger to Plinius's account, and the unprovoked narra tive, andperfett resemblance of his description was thefrfl conjirmation I obtained that Plinius had told no tale ; but I have since, in Europe, Jeen a female of that monjlrous specie, brought from Africa to Marseilles. This creature was thought to }>cofthc monkey kind, but her knees confrmed me in the belief, that (he was of the intermediate beings, by which nature goes from one specie to another, and probably those creatures fland between mankind andthe monkey specie : The knees of this female floodforwards, like those of men, but in general all quadrupedes have the knees of their hind legsflan ding backwards : She answered also the description given by Plinius, and by the Asiatic Prince. From this perufallittle doubt can remain that all those quoted diflinc tions are explanatory proofs of the immutable order of the universe, infti tu'ed by the infinite wisdom of the Almighty : Can human law change the fyflem, or by intermixing species, overthrow the fixed order of nature, and improve the original ? Is it in the power aj men, to make out oj a cur a bull dog ; out of a Norwegian dwarf-horje, a noble Arabian \ out vf the voracious wolf, a companionable Neafoundland dog ; out of the wild musk-bull, a domejlic or, to till his ground. ; out of the Laponian dwarf,a Patagonian giant? If this can be done, then he can also make out of the sheep-hairy African negroe, a spirited, noble, and generous American Freeman ! Afv next Utter IJhall makejhortcr; the length of this I could not well avoid. R U S T 1 C V S. PARISIAN INTELLIGENCE. Paris, Nov. 26. Frojly Nights. MDppont, a Member of the National As . fembly, is a great advocate for the Caifle d'Efcompte. He pretends that it never flopped payment ; on the contrary, he affirms, with con fidence, that it daily pays now between three and four hundred thousand livres, and refnfes no bills or notes. lie farther remarks, that the Bank of England, so renowned for its exactness, when the Pretender was in Scotland did not cease payment, it is true ; but discharged its notes in (hilling and sixpenny pieces ; which operation went 011 so slowly in the payments, that not a thousand pounds llerling were paicl in a day. And yet, fays M. Dupont, it was never aflerted, that the Bank of England had become bankrupt. Ihe said member insists, that the nation ought in jul tice and gratitude, either pay what she owes to the Caifle, or aggregate it to the National Bank, according to M. Necker's plan. A new plan of a National bank has been pro posed by a M. Cabains ; it is very concise, and in all probability will be adopted. It excludes the Caille d'Elcompte, which will be reimbursed. A very generous present was sent to the Na tional Alfembly by the Nuns of Maubeuge. They are sorry, they fay, in the letter that accompanies the gift, that it is not in their power to fend any plate (they gave it all to Louis XV) to encreal'e the specie ; but, to make amends, they offer to the nation an annual income of 147,000 livres (61251.) The national Aflembly received it with demonitrations of gratitude and joy. There is a scheme of melting the bells of all the churches. They may be of some service. Since the Members of the National Ailembly gave their buckles, 110 silver ones are to be seen in the llreets. It is true, that theapprehenfion of being flopped by some daring fellows, who, un der pretence of serving their country, strip you of whatever visible silver or gold they can find on you, does not a little contribute to render aln?olt every individual generous. I have sent mine, and my lifter her gold ear-rings, and thimble to the Mint. Yesterday, as it was reported, was the day ap pointed by the Aristocratic party to produce a counter-revolution. All the diftridts were under arms from midnight till ten o'clock, in the morn ing. Thank Goo, it was a falfe ; and I do not imagine we lhall experience another ibock within this year. The national Aflembly begins to acquire a consistency, and the provinces :n general fatisfied, and adopt all the articles palled at the National Aflembly with Teeming fa tisfadlion. His Majesty remains in ftatu quo, and there is no probability of his hunting this autumn. The Duke of Bourbon and his ion have left Turin. NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Thitrfta? t Nov. 19. We have already mentioned the Articles of the Constitution decreed this day. A Report was read from the Committee of War, the beginning of which deserves to be noticed. " Although it be neither the interest of France, nor the ivifh of Frenchmen to make conquers, we mnil nevertheless have an army always on foot, and ready for action, to refill the attacks of power ful and armed neighbours, &c." To keep up such an army, two methods are proposed. First.Personal ferv ice by every French man, without diftinc r tion, for four years, at least once in his life ; allowing such only as are inca pable of personal service to find substitutes. Se cond, Volunteers willing to serve for pay, to open a field for tliofe whose inclination may lead thein to the profeffion of arms. No man, after serving once, to be ordered out a second time, but by his own consent ; and in cafe of war, ba chelors, to take the field before married men. This report was ordered to be printed. [The business of Friday is related in the for. mer part of this letter.] The Canons of St. Genevieve having offered to present their magnificent library to the city of Paris, it was this day proposed to ratify the gift; but the Assembly declined giving any opinion on the fubje<ft. The Baron de Comere, who has long been em ployed on calculations of finance, presented a plan, which he requested leave to read at the bar. This could not be granted ; but the plan was re ferred to the Committee of Finance, with an 111- flru<ftion to take it into immediate consideration. IVednefday, Nov. 25. The following articles of ConlHtution were de creed : " The present municipalities of all cities, towns, pariibes, or communities, under whatever title or qualification, are fupprefled and abolish ed ; and, in the mean time, Magistrates now in office shall continue their functions, till others be appointed in their room. On a petition from the City of Metz, setting forth that the Parliament, by a new arret, had acknowledged that liberty and union surrounded the King and National Aflembly, and profefling their lincere repentance for the error into whicli report had led them, the Aflembly decreed, that the attendance of the Members of that Parlia ment at the bar ihould be dispensed with ; and the petition from the City in their behalf print ted in the minutes. A discussion took place on the necessity of defi ning, in clear and precise terms, the crime of treason against the State ; but as this will make part of the labours of the Committee of Consti tution, the matter was referred to that Commit tee. The fiift part of the pension lift, containino; wentv four quarto pages, is publiihed. The 360 Saturday, Nov. 21 plan of the work, is to divide the whole into leven parts ; the lirlt to contain, in alphabetical order, the names of all those who enjoy pensions of 20,000 livres and upwards, with the age of the pensioner, the date of the penlion, and the reasons for which it was given ; the l'econd, from 8,000 livres to 20,000 ; the third, fiom 1,400 to 8000 ; and soon. 7 lie result of the firft part, which is said to lie very incorrect, is that eighty-fix persons fuare among them annually 2,895,623 livres. Of thel'e ten are Ladies ; fifteen fuperanuated, or dis charged Ministers ; twenty six-persons, whofefer vices were never heard of ; five whom the nation would recompence more liberally, and thirty, for whose zeal and talents ten thousand livres would be a liberal reward. The reasons most commonly afligned for granting these pensions are, to make good a pension no longer paid by some foreign Prince, or tq reward political fer. vices Marshal Broglio enjoys four several penfigns, making together 70,000 livres. The fitting in the morning of this day was re markable for the extraordinary progrefsmade in the organization of the primary and intermedi ate Afleinblies A Deputy from Guadaloupe proposed, in the name of the Welt India Deputies, to appoint a Committee of planters and merchants to receive and examine all plans of Conltitution for the Co lonies ; to which, heobferved, the principles of Constitution for the Continent where not proper ly applicable. The consideration of this propo lition was postponed. A decree was paded, forbidding all persons holding or exercising public offices to receive any present or gratification of any kind or nature, on pain of being punished as guilty of extortion ; and it was ordered to be presented immediately for the Royal fan<ftion. The consideration of M. Necker's plan for a National Bank was returned. The prevailing opinion seemed to be, that the general state of the finances is not yet fufficiemly investigated to enable men to judge of tlie advan tages or disadvantages of such a plan. The Aflembly ordered the Committee of Fi* nance, in concert with the firft Miniver, to draw up a detailed account of the demands that require ninety millions over and above the actual reve nue for the year 1790, with an ellimate of ways and means for railing that sum ; and adjourned the further difcuflion till Saturday. The Bishop of Treguier has publifiied a second mandate, in which he retraces all that he said in his former again ft the revolution and the proceed ings of the National Aflembly. In conlequence of this recantation, the fame indulgence has been foliciced for him that was grantea to the parlia ment of Rouen and Metz, but hitherto without effect. M. Guillotin called the.attention of theAflem bly to some amendments which he conceived highly neceflary to be added to the provisional re form of criminal These were the fame penalties for criminals of all ranks and con ditions ; the fame punilhment for all capital of fences ; a decapitation by a machine conftrufted for the purpose, instead of an executioner : and the proscription of the absurd prejudice w*J/:h extends the infamy of a criminal to his family. It was agreed to confkler them on Tuefay next. A report was read from the Committee of Fi nance, containing the state of the public treafijry on the firft of November, and an eltimate of the probable receipt from that time to the end of the present year, which including the plate carried to the Mint, and the fubfcriptiQns to the loan of eighty millions, did not exceed forty millions of livres. LONDON, Dec. 3. The affairs of Europe never wore so Angular and even whimsical an afpecft as at present : The Head of the House of Austria oppressing the Catholic Church ; and the Catholic Church offering the riches of the Sacred Temples at the shrine of Liberty ! The Patriots of Holland Re fugees in Brabant, and the Patriots of Brabant Refugees in Holland ! Prussia the restraint of Dutch, and the hope of Flemish freedom ! The great Protestant Alliance of England, Prussia, and Holland, considered as the shield of the most zeal ous Catholics in the world. The campaign is now intirely finiflied in the North. The Swedish fleet is returned to Charlf croon, and the Ruffian to Revel. The troops too, of both the powers, in Finland, are put into win ter quartes. A very extraordinary circumftanee occurred on Wednesday night, at the entrance of Covent- Garden Theatre. A gentleman, who made an unfuccelsful attempt to gain admiffion,was return ing home,and on putting his hand into his pock et for his handkerchief, difcoveredapurfe with eight guineas and some silver. This must have happened through the mistake of one of the light fingered gentry, who, in the preflure ofthe croud, mistook the gentleman's pocket for his own. Thttrfday., Nov. 26. Saturday, Nov. 2?.
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