PUBLISHED 'WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69, HIGH STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA,
[No. 82, of Vol. ll.] Wednesday, February 9, 1 791.
LONDON, December 3.
BY a letter from Bonavifta, dated the 22(1 of
July, 1 790, we arc informed that the MeUVs.
Braitliwaites, with their small ships company,
have had a very severe engagement with five pi
rate vedels, who came to oppose them in reco
vering the property loft in the Hartwell Ealt-
Indiaman.
The force of the pirates consisted of t wo schoon
ers, mounting ten guns each ; three sloops, mount
ing five guns each, and one cohorn : that of the
English, was the sloop Endeavor, of 37 tons bur
then, mounting 2 fix pounders, 2 two pounders,
and 1 cohorn, besides small arms, and the crew
consisted of nine leamen andMeflrs. Braithwaites.
After a close action of two glafles, the pirates
fbeered off different courses, and were pursued
tor two hours: but the Endeavor having been
long at sea, was very foul, and could not come
up with them.
The English veflel received sundry Ihot thro'
her fides and fails, and the tiller rope was Ihot
away ; but we are happy to add, that none of
the crew were either killed or wounded*
It has been frequently aflerted by political
writers, that the favorite Minister of William
111. was the firfl who planned out a scheme of
a National Funded Debt, in order to carry 011
the Continental wars in Flanders againlt Louis
XIV. in conjunction with the Auftriar.s ami
Dutch, to secure the allegiance of the people.
The example was followed immediately after by
several other States. From the late investigation,
however, of the French Aflembly, we find, that
their public debt commenced so early as the
reign of Francis I. which has been accumulating
ever since. That Prince involved his country in
very expensive wars, and was himfelf takan pri
soner at the famous battle of Pavia in Italy, and
Kept in thaTlituation for a considerable time, at
the Court of Charles V. Emperor of Germany ;
and King of Spain.
Sir John Sinclair calculates, that the money
annually paid by the people of Great-Britain for
public purpofes(including the poor rates) amounts
to the amazing sum of 23,725,5591. and the sup
plies expended since the Revolution have been
upwards of athoufand millions Jterling, in the
comparatively fbort period of one hundred years.
The British trade has arrived ac that acme of
extent, beyond which it appears impossible al
inoft to strain it. How long lucli an enviable
Hate of superiority can, in the nature of human
occurrences, exist, it may be rash to calculate ;
British manufactures, however, begin now to be
eftabli/hed in other countries, and it is found
that the taxes in Great-Britain amount to four
pence in the fhillingou labour. There are to be
added to this the jealousy of other powers in Eu
rope of their trade, the difinclinatioti to renew
treaties of commerce, and that concealed refent
nent which operates when compelled to do so—
all those circumstances (arguing from long ex
perience) seem like latent feeds of deftruiftion or
diminution of a commerce which is at present
the most flourilliing in the universe.
In the year 1739, Capt. Jenkins was comman
der of one of those veil'els which had been board
ed by the Spanish GuardaCoaftas. This (hip was
rummaged on pretence of searching for contra
band commodities ; but finding nothing that
might juftify their search, they insulted Jenkins
in the mod abulive language, they tore off one
ofiiisears, wounded him in several places, and
tortured him with the moil (hocking cruelties;
they ordered him to carry his ear to the King,
and to tell him that they would serve him in the
fame manner if they had the opportunity. The
hold fearnan was examined at the bar of the House
of Commons. When his ear was produced, he
•was interrogated by a Member, what he thought
when he was in the hands of those barbarians ?
to which he replied, that he recommended his
foul to God, and his cause to his country. This
noble reply, the fight of his ear, his detail of his
fufferings, and the indignities offered to the Sove
reign, threw the House into a flame ; this brave
man's wrongs filled the Members of the opposi
tion with indignation, and 011 the 10th of July,
1739. orders were given for making reprisals on
the Spaniards.
It is said.'that the National Afl'embly of France
is now preparing to examine the foundations of
the edifice, which it has been so long and so in
dustriously employed ineretfting. Fromthenum
ter of architects who have had the management
of the building, it is expected that the following
r.quifites will be wanting : Unity of defign,exa(ft
symmetry, elegance ornamenting strength, and
durability ol materials.
From the discordance of the builders, and the
confufion of tongues which have so frequently
been observed in the railing of this fabi ic, the
enemies of the architects have presumed to call
it Babtl.
The Grecian and Roman models they havede
fpifed ; the modern improvements they liavedif
regarded ; their stile is entirely novel, aud their
materials fbfc and crumbling uiorfels for the tooih
of time
His Holiness the Pope is the very reverse of
some of his predeceflors. Some of them made
nothing of trampling on crowns and on the heads
which wore them ; he, on the contrary, fufFers
crowned heads to finite hiin on one cheek, ex
pelling to be struck 011 the other.
Inltead of fulminating cnrfesagainfl rebellions
fubjeds, he kindly admonithes them ; invites
them, molt tenderly and affectionately, to return
to their duty, and, in the true fimplicjty of child
ifli innocence, weeps bitterly over their tranf
grefiions.
The golden age is again returning, Primitive
fiinphcity will triumph over pride, ambition and
bigotry ; and the Pope of Rome will, in a fliort
time, be elected and consecrated by his flock ;
between whom and himfelf the fame amiable re
lation will be eflablifhed, as exiits between a
fliepherd and his (heep
The church lands in France find a better sale
than could have been expeded, as from the com
parative low price at which they are disposed of,
there are plenty of bidders for them. The Dutch
have been conliderable purchasers.
Anecdote of Lord Chatham.
SOME this Nobleman's refiguation
of all his employments, a petition was sent from
the city to his Majelly, humbly requeuing an im
mediate difmilfion of several of his Ministers.—
The reply as might reafotiably be supposed, to so
audacious a solicitation, conlilted in a plain nega
tive.—The petitioners were told, that their de
mand was an imputation against the Royal abili
ties and penetration, as if he wanted sagacity to
perceive when he was faithfully and ably served
—In the enfuitig felfion of Parliament the Earl of
Chatham made a motion, that an humble address
be presented to his Majesty, requeuing that he
would be graciously pleased to discover to the
House the person under whose influence he had
returned such a reply to so loyal a par of his fub
jedts.—But, fays his Lordthip, " This motion of
mine will certainly l>e negatived. — 1 can antici
pate rejection in the aipects of minillers.—How
then fliall I come at the information 1 contend
for .' Was it you ?—or you I" (addressing himfelf
to thofs vioQ liable to fifpicion) " Will nobody re
ply > —Let me then fee if countenances will be
tray. —The face has been known to be the index
of crimiiialry."—He then directed his eye of fire
to every Miuifter in the aflembly, and fixing it
with all its collected force at lalt upon a great
Law Lord*, exclaimed, "Ah! metbinks J fie Fe
lix tremble !"—lt is said, that such was the irre
futable efFeifl of the united power of this slates
man's person, manner, and eloquence, that even
one of the greatest men that ever adorned Great-
Britain, was on this occalion daunted into a tem
porary fear, by this bold, though vague imputa
tion. *Lord Mansfield.
FROM THE (HARTIORD) AMERICAN MERCURY.
THE PROMPTER,
Every one to his notion
"Aj'J'OST certainly; and the Prompter to his
i.VjL notion of course. If a man is a little odd
in his -way, as we vulgarly phrase it, or what the
French call outre, his friends fay he is a notional
creature, or full of notions. And where is the man
or woman living, that is not full of notions ? Even
Congress have their notions. One of the moll
diltinguifhed fpouters in that honorable body will
insist upon it that the Speaker of the House of
Representatives is next in rank to the I resident.
This man is certainly a notional creature ; but every
one to his notion. Others have contended warmly
that their relidence ought to be fixed in the woods
about Connegocheque ; but it is belt to remove
thither by little and ititle. Is not this a notion ?
733
t(s 0p o
[Whole No. i 86.]
The legislature of Maflachufetts, some vearg
ago, took it into their heads to kill the profellion
of Law by a queer act; but the attempt failed
people would itill go to lawyers, and lawyers
would live, while people would employ them.
But the General Court was full of notions. Let
lawyers multiply till a famine of bufinels comes
upon them, and then they will die like Egyptian
frogs.
A neighbour of mine, who is a full grown man,
aflerts that the furfaceof the ocean is higher than
the land, and that by a constant miraculous re-
Itraint of the Almighty, tlie water is kept from
overflowing the earth. His opinion is founded
on those words of scripture, the bounds are ft.
This man is full of notions. Don't laugh at my
neighbour, gentle reader ; for I'll bet ten to one,
that in some other particular, thou art just as no
tional thyfelf.
Love is'the mofl notional passion ; not except
ing ambition and fuperltition. I once knew a
woman, who had a very amiable daughter, de
clare it was monfirous indelicate for a young lady
to love a man. She might love an elegant house,
a carriage and even money ; but to love a man s
person was ihocking. But every one to her notion.
When I was a young man, I knew an attorney
who was attached to what is called family; that
is, whose family, by good luck, had flripped off*
their woollen ftiirts and checked aprons, just one
generation before, and kept them off, till their
companions who had afl'ociatecl with them in their
woollen dress, were mostly dead. The attorney
had not wore linen fliirts lo long by ten years as
this family ; arid yet had the afl'urance to fall in
love with one of the daughrers. The man how
ever did not meet with cold looks from the daugh
ter—but the parents walked a tip-toe at the af
front offered their family. The daughter was no
tional as well as the parents —they intended to
have their notion, hue she had her's—and a very
good notion it was, for a more liappy couple does
not exist.
But the queerest of all notions is, that parents
will not permit a daughter, no not even a son, to
love for thetnfelves. 1 know a widow with a fa-
mily of likely daughters, who insists upon it that
her daughters do not know how to love for them
felves—lhe therefore means to love for them.
She is a queer woman, and a notional creature ;
but every one to his notion.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, Jan. 21.
THE bill laying duties on distilled fpirits,un
der consideration.
Mr. Jackson proposed an amendment, by add*
ing a clause to prevent Infpedtors, or any officers
under them, from interfering, either directly,
or indire<ftly, in elections, further than giving
theif own votes, on penalty of forfeiting their
offices.—This being seconded—
Mr. Sherman said he fltould propose an addition
to the amendment, and that was to extend the
prohibition to every other person whatever : He
supposed that to praiftife the arts of electioneer
ing would be as criminal in persons in general, as
in the officers of the revenue ; but if any provi
sion is neceflary in the cafe, he thought it might
be made in some other bill.
Mr. Livermore approved the motion : These of
ficers said he, will hold their places under the go
vernment—and from the duties afligsed them,
will acquire such a knowledge of persons and
characters, as will give them great advantages,
and enable them to influence in elections to a
great degree: He thought the proposition im
portant, and merited the attention of the house.
Mr. Vining observed, that the motion went to
illsfranchife a great number of citizens of the
rights of fufFrage : It appeared to him also, to be
unconftitutiorial, as it will deprive them of speak
ing and writing their minds—a right, of which
no law can divclt them : He offered some obser
vations on the eligibility of the duty now com-'