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A NATIONAL PAPER, PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY iOIIN F F.N NO, No. 69, HIGH.STREET, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 99, of Vol. lII.]
SECOND CONGRESS OF thf. UNITED STATES.
AT THE FIRST SESSION,
Begun and held at thecity of Philadelphia, in the State of Penn
sylvania, Monday the twenty-fourth of October, one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.
AN ACT for the relief of certain widows, or-
phans, invalids and other persons.
Section i. T) E it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
D fentatives of the Uoited Slates of America in
Congefs aflembled, That the Comptroller of the Tieafury adjust
the claims of the widows and orphans refpejftively, as the cafe
may be, of the late Colonel Owen Roberts, Captain William
White, Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Elliott, Major Samuel Wife,
Major Benjamin Huger,Lieutenant John Bush, and Major Charles
Motte, deceased, all of whom were killed or died in the service of
the United States, for the (even years half pay stipulated by the
refolveof Congress of the twenty-fourth day of August, one thou
sand seven hundred and eighty ; and that the register of the Trea
sury do issue his certificates accordingly.
Sec. 2. And be it further enabled, That the Secretary of the
department of war be, and he hereby is required to place on the
invaJid lift, Timothy Mix, disabled jn the late war, by the loss
of his right hand, while in the service of the United Stales, at the
rate of five dollars per month, to commence on the fourth day of
February one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. That
thefaid Secretary place on the invalid lift, Abel Turiiev, mariner,
disabled while in the fcrvice of the United States, at the rate of;
one dollar per month, to commence on the Tuft day of January,'
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the arrears of the said
pensions be paid as the laws direst in firailar cases.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Comptroller of
the Treasury be, and he hereby is required to adjust the accounts of
Joseph Pannil a Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the United
-Srates, as a deranged officer upon the principles of the ast of the
Jaie Congress, of the third of October one thousand seven hun
dred and eighty, and 10 allow him 'he usual commutation of the
half-pay for life of a Lieutenant-Colonel, and that the Register of
the Treasury be, and he hereby is required to giant a certificate for
the amount of the balance due to him. That the Comptroller
adjust the account of the late Dc Haas, admit
ting to the credit of ibcfaid account, such sums as by evidence
ihall appear to have been advanced for the public service, and
which have been charged by the United States to the officers who
!have received the fame for the public service, and that the said
.Register do grant a certificate for the balance due on such fcule
inenr. That the said Comptroller adjust the account of Thomas
Al'lntire, a Captain in the service of the United States, during the
late war, and allow h:m the usual commutation of the half-pay
ior life of a Captain, and that the said Register grant a certificate
for the amount thereof accordingly.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the Comptroller of
lh; Treasury be, and he hereby is required to adjust the account
of Fr<inc;s Suzor Debtvere, a surgeon's mate in the service of the
United States during the late war, and who remained in captivity
to the end thereof, and that thw Register of the Treasury be, and
he hereby is required to grant a certificate lor th. amount which
fhal! be found due for the fervicesof the said Francis Suzor De
bevere. That the said Comptroller adjust the account of Ro'oeit
King, as a Lieutenant, deranged upon the principles of the ast of
the iate Congress, palled the twenty-fourth day of November,
one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, and that the said
Reg fter grant a certificate accordingly. That the Comptroller
adjust the account o' Lemuel Sherman, as a failing malter of a gal
°n Lake Champlatn, and as such takeu pnfoner ; and th»:t the
lard Register grant a certificate accordingly.
Sic. 6. Aijd be it farther cnafted, That there be granted to
ic oias Ferdinand Wefttall, who left the Bnt'.fh fcrvice and
joined the array of the United States, during the late war, one
Mindred acres of unappropriat d land in the weftcrn territory of
* ><- Ln tea States, fiee of all charges, and also the ium of three
• ui.nied and thirty-fix doliars, out of any money appropriated
10 contingent charges of government.
JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Speaker
of the Houje of Reprcfentatrves-
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President ojthe United States,
and Frefjderit oj the Senate.
APPROVED, MARCH THE TTEX TY-SEVENTH, 179*.
GEORGE WASHINGTON,
['refidijit oj the Ur.itcd States.
AN fnpplemeiual to the A«ft for making
further arid more efFetftial Provision for the
Protection of the Frontiers of the United States.
ena&rd by the Senate and House of jteprefenta'jves of
the United State, of America in Congress assembled, Thai
* flullte lawful f sr ,he Prefix cm of the United States by and
with (he advtceand consent of the Senate to appoint such oumb-r
i~"8 ,<, ' Fr -G<:nerals " may b " conducive to the good of the
public service. Provided the whole number appointed, or to be
appointed [ball not exceed four.
JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Speaker
of the House oj Rcprefcnt^tivcs.
JOHN ADAMS, Vice.PrefdA-.t of the United Stoics,
and Ptefideat of the Senate.
APPROVES MARCH THE TWE N T Y-E ICH TH, 1792.
GEORGE WASHINGTON,
Prejiiat of the United States.
Saturday, April 7, 1792.
FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES.
MR. FEN NO,
IN T every age peculiar follies have prevailed, and theprefcntfecms
to he distinguished for a propeniity to gaming and speculation.
We possess a country which holds out the most alluring motive:.)
to the ex- rtions of the industrious, and enjoy, at the fame time
the greatest degree of political freedom, both ip the piinciples
and administration of our government. But this is not fufficient
to content us—impatient to acquire riches, too many of our citi
zens fnffer themselves to be influenced by an avaricious fpint, the
fruitful parent of the various paper bubbles, every day exhibited
to the admiration and astonishment of the public. Here is ample
scope, it mud be confefled, for the reprehension of the moraiift;
and hence we find the difcontcntcd declaiming on the degeneracy
of the times, and prognolticaiing the tuin of this young and rising
empire. But, Sir, tho' individuals may fall into these predomi
nant follies, and many innocent persons be thereb) ruined, yet, I
am persuaded, they will soon operate their own cure; and the
time is approximating when a fpcciilator or JlvindUr will be (bun
ned, as a dangerous and difhonelt character.
The affairs of New-York and Philadelphia, bring to my mind
the uproar which the failure of For dy re, the banker, caused in
London, about twenty years ago : Fotlijr qucm faciunt alicna pcricula
cautum—as a warning to others, I (ball beg leave to present to
your readers a few anecdotical notices of this gentleman ; it may
serve as an example to display the ill consequences of gafning and
fpeculution, and prevent some of out plain and industrious friends
from treading on such dangerous ground.
Mr. For dy c e was born of a very refpr&able family in Scot
land; he had several brothers, who distinguished themselves as
g»eat and good men in their refpe£live profefGons Being endow
ed with good natural parts, he was a most promising youth, and
aflifted in his education by Do&or Blackwell, a gendeman
well known for his writings in the republic of letters. He was
bred a hosier at Aberdeen; but this being too confined a scene
for the extent of his abilities, he soon quitted it, and repaired to
London, as the great mart for genius, where he soon obtained em
ployment in the capacity of an out-door cleik to MefTrs. B. & Co.
bankers. Here he displayed a great facility in figures, and an un
common attention to that business, in which he afterwards became
so eminent and confplcuous. H s employers being convinced of
Mr. For dyce's talents and abilities, and judging he would be a
very ufeful partner, and manage the most laborious part of their
business, admitted him upon the firm qf the house, threugh the
interest and recommendation of a friend. Scarce had he been
thus eftabliftied, before he began to speculate in the Alley for
very considerable sums, and was judged in the beginning to be
vei y fuccefsfu!, particularly at the time of-'he signing the prelimi
naries of the peace in of which he gained intelligence be
fore the generality of the Bulls and Bears at Jonathan's Coffee-
House.
This success wa<? fatal to Mr. Forhyce—for it induced hiin
not only to speculate for Jlill larger sums in the Alley, but in many
other purfutts, particularly in hops. The capricious goddess dill
favored him, and he feemcd so infatuated with her kindness, as to
think she was entirely at his command. Ke purchased a large
estate, with a most elegant villa, at koehampton, where he aimed
at furpafiing commiflaries & nabobs,in grandeur and magnificence.
He supported a chapel for hirofcU and family, adjoining to his
mansion ; his ambition was now unbounded, he loarcd far beyoqd
the line of mere mercantile splendor, and nothing less than nobi
lity seemed equal to his wishes. The next tcft-monial he gave of
his desire of exaltation, was his being a candidate Tor a certain
Borough ; upon which occasion, though he was not retained, he
spent near 14,000 fieri. and to secure hisfutuieejection, ere&ed
an hospital, and eftabliihed other charities there, in order to ren
der himfelf the popular candidate upon the firft vacancy. Fail
in this attempt to obtain a feat in Parliament, he fought for ho
nours in another channel, and paid his addrefles to a lauy of qua
lity, who, dazzled by his pomp and apparent fortune, consented
10 the marriage; and Lady M was now frequently intro
duced to the public in the papers, her portrait displayed at the
exhibition, and her picture in every print-fnop. He made a hand
some settlement upon her Ladyship, and is favd to have purchased
fonre estates in Scotland, to give him weight and dignity in his
native country.
But the fatal period now approached when all his tinsel glories
vaniflied. The affair of Faulkland Island, which occasioned
Stocks greatly to flu&uate, gave the most sensible shock to his
finances; and to make up his Jpccult.tivt dijfercnct.s, he was com
pelled to employ a very considerable sum ot '.he Company's Stock.
This step alarmed the partners, and they remonftrated'to him upon
the impropriety of his conduct. Mr. Fordyci treated th re
monflrance of his partners with.the most mortifying contempt,
threatening to difiolve the partnership, if they attempted to re
strain his operations, and leave them to manage a bufinffs to
which they were altogether unequal; and to convince them thar
he had power to put his threats in execution, produced bank notes
;o a great amount, which had been borrowed for a few hours to
answer his purpose. Equally (buck with the piaufibility of his
discourse, and the sum, they were ea&ly reconciled. But Mr.
v ordyce's ijl fortune now pursued H*m as rapidly and invarra,
blv as his good genius had before accompanied him ; he found
himfelf iucapable of fulfilling engagements, so very confiderabk
on all hands, that he resolved upon a retreat, after having em
ployed every method his imagination could suggest to oifcovei
some new rcfource. The immediate consequence of his absenting
himfelf from business, was a stoppage of payment at the house,
«ind an advertifemenr succeeded, intimating that the other part
ners were not privy to Mr. Fordyce's proceedings: however,
the whole Company became bankrupts ; the fatal infiutnee of
which afFe&ed a great number of other considerable houses in
volved with them. Such were the effects of gaming in 'Change-
Alley, and such may be the effetts of similar proceedings among
Qlirfrlvcs,
Many unfufpe&ing industrious people were entirely ruined by
this unlucky event. A merchant in the city put an end to his ex
igence with a pistol, on hearing the news ; a confidrrable silver-
had recourse to a knife; a lady, finding herfelf undone,
followed the example ; and a gentleman near Bloomfbury Square
became melancholy.
The following Anecdote is worth notice The dav before
Mr. Fctrdycb flopped payment, he called on a Banker, who
was a Quaker, of whom he deft re a the loan of 20,000 —On
being refufed, and going away dtfiatisfied, the laiier callcd him
back, and said, 41 Harkee, friend, 7W-dice h2ve hint many, but
I promiie thee, Four-dicc fbail never rutn me."
393
UUso
[Whole No. 507.]
With a V iew to render every fpeciej of gaming as detcftable as
poflihle, I would makeafew remaikson the unhappy faie of ano
ther eminent character. The lale D.iftor Dodd was univerfaliv
Tdmirtd and < fleemed, as a polite scholar, an elepant wiifr. and
-m energetic graceful prcac'ner. Charity and brotherly lore, when
recommended with the charms of his path.nc language, warmed
every bnaft; hi 3 hearers hung about him with admiration and
rapture! But, what a falling off! when we contemplate the fine
nun engaged at the card-table, and rattling the dice-box ! —'l was
gaming multiplied his wants—'iwasgaming led him toforgery, in
order to supply them, and forgery led him to the igneminitJm tree!
Religion saw it, and wept, and cried aloud 10 (nilul mortals, " Jet
him thatJi*nd:th t take heed, lejl he jail."
It was not inexperience, or tlie want of knowledge, that in
volved this celebrated Divine in the snares and infatuations of
gaming. I nave heard him prear.h against it like an Angel—but
nreaching and a&ing are two different things. What pen can
delcrihe the effeffs of this odious vice better than his, in that ad
mired Novel, entitled, the " SijlersCaptain Thomas hid met
with a great loss at a gaming table; he grew frantic, and dcftr«,r
ed himself—how elegantly doth Dodo refteft on this oCcafcoji {
" Rut do th«u, if gaming is thy ruling and favourite paflion, Q rea
der ! not yet depart hence, till thou haft well conftdered, and di
ligently meditated on the whole tranfa&ion. Behold here a man
strong in youth, buoyant in health, and blefTcd with piofufe plenry
of this world's good ; behold him in an inltant, by his own h«»nd,
cut off from the sons of men, and blotted from the book of life !
On" fatal caff hath done it ! Beware, and even now flop ihy hand :
thy all. thy present and eternal *//, think and tremble, depends on
those base dies ! This cafl perhaps drives the ball through th'v
diftracled brain, plunges thee in iirecoverable perdition, and
leaves a forlnm. diftrelfed and undone family, to ttrugglewuh
want and "frli&ion ; to languish in sorrow, in penuty and con
tempt. What is the pleasure that can counterbalance the/e ? —
Be wife and reflect—refrain and be happy."
Elkton, April ?, 1792
FROM THE NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH CHRONICLE,
FtBLISHED A 1 NORFOLK (viRCINtA.)
IT has been stated as a fafl, and proved on the .floor of Con*refs,
by Mr. Sedgwick and Mr. Bou Jinot, and confirmed by a ma
jority of ihe member-, that discrimination was imprd&irable, be
cause the grcateft part of the public debt was in fi&iiious certifi
cates, and a revffjon of the fc?eral fpccicsof paper that conilituted
the public debt could not be adniitti d.
It was alio brought forward as Ihe moffc powerful and perfoafive
arguments agatpft difcrimmation, htcaule the loldier* had bffiii
fullv paid by the bounties they received at titpe pt their jhi
liftments.
This, however, wa« poor confirmation for the men who had
loaned-their money , nd rendert-d fupplics,and rijceiveo certificates
of ineonfiderable vaiue, forced on" ib< m by the* public, and de
preciated by,their a£h, and compelled to part with their evidences
of the debt at one-sixth of t{»eir nominal value, tor a fuLfillencc
occasioned by a diminution of their flock and other property.
But ?s these gentlemen are unacquainted with military opera
tions, I beg leave to inform them, that contracts in time of war
are estimated according to the magnitude and hazard of the en
terprise—and from twenty to forty dollars per month was given
by merchants for Tailors, according to the risque of the voy age.
And when a soldier inliftcd in the Continental army, he receiv
ed a premium from individuals for the risque of being killed, or
perilling in a sugar houfc in New-York., and apromile from his
courttrv, of fix dollars and two-thirds, as his momhly wages, if he
proved vi&orious.
If the public cid not owe the monthly wages, the certificates
ought not to have been ifiued; and if the oid Congress rffj-ed
twenty millions of dollars wuhout confederation, the new govern
ment ought to have corre&ed the error, and not compelled their
constituents to pay the full sum, with interest, in gold or (ilver,
because they had been purchasers of these demands at is. 6d. m
the pound.
This kind'-of public faith and national honor, being a new reli
gion, and Mr. Hamilton the grand herefiarch, it will be laid open
and fairly explained in an address to the people of the United
Slates, at their next ele&ion.
A CONTINENTAL SOLDIER.
N. B. The public are referred to the Journal oj Congress, in the
committee oj the whole on the Secretary's Report on Public Credit.
FROM THE COLUMBIAN CEXTINEL.
MR. RUSSELL,
Ton are defied to publish the following account of
the//os of the ship Columbia, of Exeter, late com
manded by Capt, Isaac Chauncey.
THE snip left Liverpool on the 18th of De
cember last for this port, laden with about
one thousand hhds. of fait, four hundred crares
of earthen ware, and about thirty bales of dry
goods. She made the land of Cape-Cod on the
loth infl. and took her departure from the Race
Point, about 12 o'clock : The wind being to the
southward, and thick weather, it wasjudged belt
to keep the south ftiore 011 board, and 011 the
weather clearing up they found themselves close
ill with Duxbury beach, the ship then hauled to
the wind to the northward, but the wind (hifting
to the N. E. (he could not lay clear of the Brant
Rock ; they then hove about intending for Ply
mouth, and would have gained that port, but
when palling a ledge of rocks, called High Pine
Ledge, it died away calm, and a high sea setting
diredtly on the reef, obliged them to come toan
anchor about 3 o'clock, P. M. on the outside iit
J fathoms of water, but in a quarter of an hour
afterwards the <hip (Iruck on the reef ; they then
got a spring 011 their cable, and cafling the fliip's
head off, cut away the cable and got under fail ;
deepning their water, they came too again m
SEN EX,