'.i.
PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 41', BROAD-STREET, NEAR THE EXCHANGE, NEW-YORK
[No. iJ, cf Vol. H-j
discourses on davila.
No. VIII.
This mournful truth is every where C"Ofefs'd,
Shw rip Worth by Poverty dtpreM.
IF we attempt to analize our ideas, still fui ther,
upon this lubje<3;,we Ihall find,that the expressi
ons we have hitherto used, attention, confideratton
and congratulation, comprehend with fufficient ac
curacy, the; genera] obje<£ ot Jie parfiori fordii
tin&iob, in the greater part of mankind. Theie
are not a few, from him who burned a temple
to the multitudes who plunge into low debauch
ery, who deliberately seek it by crimes and vi
ces. The greater number, however, search tor
it neither by vices nor virtues: But by the means
which, common sense and every dav's experience
fliows, are most sure to obtain it; by riches, by
family records, by play, and other frivolous pet
fonal accomplishments. But there are a few, and
God knows but a few, who aim at something more:
They aim at approbation as well as attention •,
at efteern as well as consideration: And at admi
ration and gratitude, as well as congratulation.
Admiration is indeed the complete idea of appro
bation, congratulation and wonder united. This
last description ofperfons is the tribe out of which
proceeds your patriots and heroes, and molt of
the great benefadiors to mankind. But for our
humiliation, we must still remember, that even
in these esteemed, beloved and adored characters,
the passion, altho refined by the purest moral sen
timents, and intended to be governed by the belt
principles, is a passion itill: And thercfoie, like
.all other human desires, unlimited and inlatiable,
No man was ever contented with any given ihare
of this human adoration. WhenCaefar declared
that he had lived enough to glory might
deceive he did not deceive the world,
who saw his declaration contradicted by every
a&ion of his fubfequenr life. Man conftaiuly
craves for more, even when Tie has 110 rival :
Eu: wicn lie fees 2»;other pofieflcd of more, or
drawing a way from liiuifelf a part of what he
'had, he feels a mortification, arising from the
loss of a good he thought his own : llis delire is
disappointed: The pain of a want unfatisfied, is
increased by a resentment of an injullice as he
thinks it: He accuses his rival of a thek or rob
bery, and the public of taking away, what was
his property, and giving it to another. These
feelings and refentuients, are but other names For
jealousy and envy; and altogether they produce
some ofthekeeneft and molt tormenting of all
sentiments. These fermentations of the paflions
are so common and so well known, that the peo
ple generally presume, that a person in such cir
camltances, is deprived of his judgment, if not
of his veracity ana reason. It is too generally a
fufficient answer to any complaint; to any ladi
alledged ; or argument advanced, to fay that it
comes from adifappoiuted man.
There is a voice within us, which seems to in
timate, that real merit (hould govern the world :
And that men ought to be refpedleS only in pro
portion to their talents, virtues and services.
But the question always has been, how can this
arrangement be accomplished ? How fiiall the
men of merit be discovered How ihall the pro
portions of mer.it be afcerrafiued and graduated ?
•Who (hall be the judge ? When the government
of a great nation is in queflion, ihall the whole
nation choose ? Will such a choice be better than
chance.' Shall the Whole nation vote for Senators !
Thirty millions of votes, for example, for each
Senator in France ! It is obvious that this would
l>e a lottery of millions of blanks to one prize,
and that the chance of having wisdom and integ
rity in a Senator by hereditary defcenpwould be
fUr better. There is no individual personally
known to an hundredth part of the Ration. ■ The
voters then mull be exposed to deception, from
intrigues and manoeuvres, without number, that
is to fav, from all the chicanery, impostures and
fajfhoods imaginable, witlifcarce a polfibility of
. prefering real merit. Will you divide the nation
into diftridts, and let each diftridt choose a Sena
tor ? This is giving up the idea of merit, and an
nexing the lionor and the trust to an accident,
that of living on a particular spot. An hundred
or a thousand men of the firft merit in a nation
may live in one city ; and all of thisdei
cription in feve*al whoje provinces. Real -merit
is so remote from the knowledge of whole nati
ons, that were magistrates to be chosen by that
criterion alone, and by, an universal fuffrage,
difTeiuipns and venality would be endless. The
4ifficplbies. arising from this source are so obvious
and uiiivecfctl/ that nations have tried all forts
of expesimcEts to avoid them. (To bt continued.)
»«r<awr.-.
E D E N T O N, May 8.
Copy of a litter from a gentlevi.ui in N:v> Tork, to
his jriend in Virginia.
New-York April 14, 1790.
LAST Monday Mr. Sedgwick delivered a fu
neral oration on the death of Miss Aftimpti
on. When this child was born, although her
mother only went leven m<>.. v i h her, ihe was
proniifing indeed—was uncommonly large, ap
peared healthy, could lisp Papa and Mama, dis
played a good let of teeth, and could bite a crust
of bread—was fond of jnolaffes, and her princi
pal food was cod's head—her voluptuous manner
of liv'lls caused hecto outgrow her age —Ihe was
seized with a consumption, which carried her oft
last Monday.
Her death was much lamented by her parents
who were from New-England. Mr. Sedgwick
being the most celebrated preacher was requelted
to deliver her funeral eulogium.—lt was done
with puritahic gravity. This orator being man
ly and grave, and the language being alternately
threatning and soothing, caused unusual sensa
tions—a pause ensued—her southern relations
bore the loss with fortitude (except her aunt South -
Carolina) refleifting, that if she had grown to
womanhood, that her diforuer might have been
contagious, and a general consumption in the
j family the consequence,
Sixty-one of the political fathers of the natron
were prelent, and a crouded audience of weepers
and rejoicevs.—Mrs. Speculator was the chief
mourner, and aifted her part to admiration : She
being the mother of Mils Assumption, who was
the hope of her family, the picture of herfelf,
and her youngest child. Twenty-nine of the
political fathers cried out aloud—Thirty one
bore the loss with manly fortitude, being in fnll
hope of a glorious. rel'urreCtion, when (lie might
appear again in angelic ihape and virgin inno
cence, unattended by any monstrous appendage.
Her near r !;ui?r. faprttr t '• id a prema
ture death, and intend to'tty their magic art to
raise her from the dead ; but as the days of witch
craft are over, and its presumable they have not"*
fupernatnral powers, it is hoped by thoi'e who
suppose her death will produce no ill effect, that
they will ceale their exertions for the prefentand
foffer the dead to reft,lelt by disturbing her manes,
the whole family be involved iu frelh calamities.
Mrs. Excise may have cause to rejoice, because
flie will be screened from much drudgery—as flie
must have been the principal support of Miss As
sumption, as well as of her mother and all her
other relations—Mrs. Direst Tax may reft more
easy in Virginia, as she will not be called into
foreign service.—Madam Irnpoft will have addi
tions to her burthen,fhe js however well support
ed, and can better bear it than any other of the
domestics, being much of a woman, and having
the support of Mrs. Luxury and Madam Extrava
gance, who are well-born dames, and above the
paltry considerations of economy or reputation.
Fenno's Gazette of this day * will derail the ora
tion.—Mr. S—k after delivering the fermon,took
1 his leave for the ealt tomoutn with the reft ofthe
family. * Sec Gazette of April 14.
ißß^Sfti
WEDNESDAY, 'JUNE 2, 179°
BOSTON, May 26.
DR. FRANKLIN'S DONATION.
At the Town-Meeting yelterday, the Hon.
Thomas Dawes, Ezekiel Price, Stephen
Higginson, William Tudor, and Thomas
Uawes, jun. Kfquires, were oppointed a Com
mittee to report to the meaiures neceliary to be
adopted, for carrying into effect the benevolent
intentions ofthe late Dr. Franklin, in the Do.
nation left to this his native town, in his Will.
CURIOUS MECHANISM.
Every friend to liis country, to science, and the
liberal arts, mult feel the moll pleasurable sen
sations in observing the rapid improvements,
which are made in the various branches of me
chanick arts. —It is with plea Hire we announce,
that our countryman and townfnian Dr. Josiab
Leavitt, has lately conftrutfted and completed
an Organ under a HarpAcord } —a piece of me
dian ism so curious, was never before attempted
or executed in America : Either inftruinents may
be played upon separately, or with the great ell
ease, be connected together. The tones are ex
ceedingly Iweet, and when combined, afford a
molt rich and plealing variety. Those Ladies
and Gentlemen of talle and knowledge, who have
seen and heard it, have not liefitated to express
their approbation ; and Mr. Selby, whose fupei -
iour knowledge is too well known to be doubted,
has pronounced as his opinion, that it is super-
A our to any instrument of the kind he ever saw.
473
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY, MAY ri.
On the proportion to cncrcaji the duty of tonnage on foreign bottoms.
MR. Fitzsimons said, he (hould state some particulars to the
Committee, and leave them to decide what is belt, without
giving an opinion at present. He observed the agricultural iniei
cft of the United States was fully represented in Congrefc ; but it
it was not, he -3id not conceive t; -re was difpofitioM '.r*
any part of the Union unequally. He observed that the Agricul
ture of the country, notwithstanding the duty on foreign tonnage,
had not fuffered ; on the other hand, he could appeal to gentle
men from all quarters, whether the produce of the country had
ever been in greater demand, or had fold for a better price.
He observed, one object of the report was to encourage the im
portant business of ftiip-building. He enlarged on the great advan
tages of prosecuting this branch of Manufactures, than which, per
haps there is not one more ufeful and profitable pursued in the
United States, considering the small value of the materials, in them
felves,and contrasting this with the priceofadiip when completed.
He observed, that the operation of the tonnage laid last session,
had been advantageous to the trade of the United States. He shew
ed how this had been the cafe. He then benefits of the
revolution are yet to be realized by the Eastern States ; the South*
ern States have the ports of the whole world open to them ; the
Eastern States are excluded from the ports to which they were for
merly-admitted, with their mod important exports. He was not
however in faVor of a duty which would prohibit foreigners Irom
coming to our ports ; he was for encouraging (Kips from all na
tions to visit our Ihores, by which a competition would be created
in purchasing our produce. But at the fame time he should la
ment, as a very great misfortune, to have the carrying trade of this
country monopolized by foreigners. He iid not doubt that the
Southern States would soon fee it as much for their intend, as it
is for the interest of the Eastern States to have our own veflels prin
cipally employed in carrying off our produce. He took notice ot
the objection, from the low price of rice, and said, this was a fa£t,
which could not be accounted for from any other cause but this,
that in the article of rice, ot which there is no competition, the de
mand cannot be' extended beyond a certain supply. He added
many other observations, to which the committee appeared to be
particularly attentive.
Mr. Livermore contrasted the former and present situation of
the merchants and traders of Portsmouth ; they have been te+
pro&c!ied for their poverty, said he— th'S however if true, is their
misfortune, not their fault; it is true, manv of them are reduced
by means of the loss of that trade, which they now petition Con
grefl to interpose their authority, that it may be reflored—among
many other observations he said that the number of ships which
are now building in several States, has been mentioned—but be
fore the rcvoku.on tScihen province of New-HsmpAuce,
more ships annually than all ot thele together.
Mr. Bloodworth, observed that there had not been fufficient
time to determine refpefting the question ; let us patiently wait
the operation ot the law as it now stands—he was for accommoda*
tion. but the accommodation ftiould not be expe£led all on one fide.
Mr. White said he was sorry the question was brought on, we
have once determined the matter after a thorough dif uflioa—and
could have wished said he that we had been fatisfied.
The influence of the commercial interest was anticipated by the
oppofers of the constitution—will not this prove an additional
burthen on agriculture ? Will it not juftify their predictions?
Would it be just to lay an extra duty on any particular article that
a particular part of the continent could not do without ? The
Southern States cannot export their produce without foreign
(hips, this (hews the injufliceof the proportion ; heobf.rved that
the measure would have an unequal operation—it would tend to
discourage agriculture—he (hewed the impra£licability of the
Eastern States carrying the Southern produce ; can they pure ha fd
that produce with specie ? Have they goods to crcdit the Southern
States for ? Can they fell this produce in foreign countries upon
terms equally advantageous with foreigners ? I think it is evident
they cannot.—He said he thought fufficient had been done to en
courage the (hipping of the Eastern States.
Mr. Page. I differ much, Mr. Chairman, from mycolleague (Mr.
White) for I think thetonnagc proposed by the committee, being the
very fame which Virginia a&ually laid on British bottoms,cannot
be too high, as that experiment was attended with happv effetts
although made by that state alone, British merchants immediate
ly giving tha>freight to Virginia (hips, which till then was refufed
them, and without encrcafing the freight in Britilh bottoms. In
deed I thought the freight was rather lowered by it, until a gen
tleman from Virginia, who was here when I mentioned
cumftanres in the last feflion, told me I was mistaken. I believe,
fir, that our constituents would be pleased with the retaliation
proposed in the memorial on which the report of the committee
now under consideration is founded ; and I confefs that, did we
not stand in need, of every means of encreafing our re
venue, and did not a proper tonnage furnifh one considera
ble branch of it, I fhouldjoin heartily with the memorialists. The
advantage of the carrying trade, and the propriety of encouraging
it, has been dated to the committee; but, independent of every
other consideration, I should vote for encreafing the tonnage, as
the house has agreed to encreafe the duties on many enumerated
articles.
Sir, if Congress will go that length to encrcafe the revenue, it
will be unpardonable not to have recourse to such an obvious
source of revenue as tonnage ; and that too, when instead of being
a grievance, it mull be highly advantageous to the United State*.
One dollar is the sum I wished to have voted the foreign tonnage
at last feflion ; I have heard no arguments to alter my opinion,
and (hall therefore, Mr. Chairman, vote against the motion before
the committee, because I think as I did when the question refpetl
ing tonnage was before us last feflion, that the fears of the gentle
men from South-Carolina and Georgia are groundless.
I believe it the interest of thefouthern states, that (hip-building
(hould be encouraged to the utmost extent in the United States.
The fine timber which they have would then be fold to advan
tage, in the form of Ihips, instead of being destroyed or thrown a
way under the name of lumber or in trifling staves : Much I know
has been destroyed in Virginia, much waftrd in Haves. Sir, it is
their interest that their lifter states should carry for them, instead.
of foreigners. Under the late confederation, when each state was
proud of its separate fovercignty and independent interest, aact
viewed each other with a jealous eye, I heard harsh expreflions
refpe&ing the'growing naval strength of the eastern states: But
under the present government, there is no reason for such reflexi
ons ; their strength is the strength of the union ; and in this re
fpett they are to the United Statfs, what Holland is to the united
Provinces. I affirm, again, fir, that we are in no danger from the
retaliation of Britain; and we may with more propriety raifethc
tonnage, than incrcafe the duties on articles.
[Whole No. 119-]