Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-03-20 00:00:00, page 2

general prosperity preferable to the ornaments of
individuals, millions of our money must have cir
culated at home, that row fliidfuate throughout
the continent; and seldom find their way back
again to England. Lewis XIV. never afted more
impoliticly towards the date, nor m>re fertilely
towards the church, than when he drove such
numbers of protestants out of France, as weakened
the manufactures of his own kingdoms, and im
proved the manufactures of his neighbours. Car
dinal Fleury, who, without the title, was actual
King of France during many years, saw the errors
of the preceding reign, in not giving fufficient at
tention and encouragement to trade. By peace
and policy, he corrected those errors: and to him
Lyons owes the present face, which it bears, of
opulence and prosperity. The (hops are large,
well filled, various, and ornamental. The streets,
especially those to the two rivers, have a breadth
and length, that give the city a remarkable air of
magnificence. In the middle of the Rhone, stands
2 rock, very craggy and very high, almost inac
cessible. Cn the top of it is a small building. Do
not expect the temple of Virtue, yet exped
something very like it, though it be a prison : alas !
it is a prison, in which are confined those sons of
liberty, who dare oppose arbitrary power. Such
a fight, even at a great distance, strikes horror,
you may be certain, to an EngUfs eye. Wonder
not therefore if I hastened from it to view other
parts of the town, especially the squares; the
chief of which I Aientioned to you in the begin
ning of my last letter, as containing an equestrian
flattie of Lewis XIV. This excited my curiosity,
and drew my attention for some hours, during
my (hurt iLy at Lyons. It is a noble figure, but,
like all human compactions, has its faults^ The
inscriptions upon it are not fulfome. He is neither
called invictus, nor immortalis; nor is he
supported by Haves in chains. In the Majestic
air of his person, the copy, I dare believe, has
not outdonethe original. No man appeared more
graceful on horseback. Nature fitted him to aft
the part of a King, but not of a hero. He was
the ornament and example of his own court. He
was a model of politeness to every Prince in Eu
rope. He has had more flatterers, and has de
ferred more admirers, than any Sovereign, his
grandfather excepted, [Henry IV.] that ever
filled the Callie throne. I have read many cha
raffers of him. Those compiled by Larrey, Mar
tiriere, and oher laborious adulators, exhibit a
portrait, in which few traces of refembiance can
be found. They hide him in clouds of flattery,
or they expose him, like a King upon a sign, in
coarse, fulfome, glaring colours, fit only to at
tra& the eyes of the vulgar and the ignorant. The
character of him by Monsieur Voltaire is drawn in
a maftcrly manner, yet in every stroke the partial
hand of the Frenchman, the Voltaire, is too per
ceptible. The outlines of the abbe Choify please
and inftruA, but they are few and unconnected.
I think I have gathered more of his true private
character from the loose undesigning pen of his
coufingerman, Mademoiselle de Monfepfer, than
from any other writer. By her anecdotes lAm
induced to admire him amidst his family and cour
tiers, as one of the fined and compleateft gentle
men of his time and nation. He was happy in
his own difpofirion and temper, and that happi
ness diffiifed itfelf to all who were near him. His
personal accomplishments were eminent and cap
tivating. Let us look a little into his mind. His
vanity was secreted by his modesty. His profufe
nefs was foftened into generofry, not only by his
manner of giving, but because he openly cherish
ed, and unboundedly proteAed every art and fei
ence in the world. His infidelity as an bulb nd is
much palliated, when we confider the peevishness
and simplicity of his wife. His ignorance was
Covered by his prudence. Confeious of bis own
defers, he corrected them in the education bfhis
fen- tacitly lamenting his own want of erudition.
His devotion degenerated in'o the two common
extreme of bigotry; which never fails to produce
the blindness of cruelty, and the deafnefs of op
preflion. Except in his falfe notions of religion,
he was generous, compassionate and humane. His
talents, if not shining, at leak were strong and
clear. His private conduct was always decent,
often splendid, never mean. During the favours
of fortune, he indulged his vanity. During her
frowns, he behaved himfelf with true philosophy.
He died more heroically in his bed than he had
ever appeared in his canip, Confider him in his
regal sphere; though he was far from being a
perfectly good Prince, he was almost as far from
being a bad one. Nature formed him (as she has
formed most men, to whom she gives passions and
abilities) a remarkable mixture of good and evil.
The good part attended the man; the evil part
the Monarch. His ambition was inexcusable, as
it has occasioned most of the calamities, that have
been since felt in Europe.
"weltersft ora Tia, b tbyeart 1754 "'' ! 755'' J"
tie late Right Hon. 'John Earl of Cork and <'-
rerj: puhiifoed from the original, with notes I,
bis Chaplain, the Rev. John Duncotahe, M. A.
Let.^r 111. ManuG6:u;cs and opulence of IgW^
— The Prison. — Character di Lewis XII> —
Observations on Trance in,general.—Particulars
of Cardinal Tencin. —Description of Chanter; ,
its Revenues Account of the Savoyards.
\f /E are now, dear Sir, in the capital of
vV Savoy, the dirtied capital in Europe, nay,
J believe, in the whole world; but I am io ho
nour booed to return with you to Lyons, before we
ramble together through the streets of Chamberry.
The chief traffic of Lyons consists in the richest
gold and hirer fiiks. Much ofit, if not the whole,
JS manufa&ured in or near the city. The raw silk
is chiefly brought from Piedmont. In our road
to Chamberry we met many mules, heavily laden
with this commodity. It is a merchandize, that
has long proved fatal to Great-Britain. Our ex
ceflive Britifb vanity, in an insatiable third for
"French silks, has forced away great wealth from
our island. On the other hand, it must be true
Englifo obstinacy to fay, that the lilies of Spital
fields are equal to the Soyerie Lionnefe: but it may
be affirmed, that if we really loved our country
better tuan ourselves, or endeavoured to make the
The town is well fortified. It ought to be so.
It lies in a tempting situation to France; and
France is easily tempted. In general, Savoy bears
the utmost appearance of poverty in its villages,
its people, and its foil. Ihe revenue from it ari
sing to the King of Sardinia is, one hundred and
fifty thousand pounds a year.
The inhabitants (I dare fay, ninety of them in
an hundred) afford a surprising fpe&ade to stran
gers. The men, women, and children, (I speak
of the Plebeians, not having leen the face of a
gentleman,) have great swellings on the outside of
their throats, occasioned, according to our in
formatic n, by the unwholfomenefs of the water,
and the severity of the winter season. These
swellings are esteemed rather beauties than de
fers. The Grandfather beholdsa Dwelling under
his Grand-daughter's chin, of the size of a Walnut,
and piously hopes to fee it encreafe to the size of
a pear. The husband experts a swelling in the
throat of his heir apparent, or he doubts the chas
tity of his consort. Baboons keep an hoard of
victuals in their throats, but the Savoyards have
not visuals fufficient to fparc a reserve. Upon
the whole, the Savoyards seem to be a very lingu
lar, and very infignificant people; of little use to
their Prince, of much less to themselves. In Eng
land they are known by their raree shows, but
scarce mentioned on any other occasion. They
have no charaderiflic, by which they are dittin
guifhed. They are a nation of Throats.
To-morrow we begin to climb the Alps. We
are at the foot of them already. When our Her
culean labour is finilhed, from the firft place of
rest you shall hear again from
hour faithful, and affectionate
humble Servant,
' COR K.
'IdHvA de FEE, the .Town Ilcufe, at Lyons,
is not only splendid without, but very magnifi
cent within. It consists of many fine rooms,
adorned with the portraits of the Royal Family,
and of the chief and mod eminent magistrates of
the city. Each chamber is fitted up and furnifhed
for the particular butinefs, to which it is adapted.
The Armory, Sa! d Armes, which is shewn to
ftra*gers as a great curiosity, is by no means equal
to the armory in the Tower of London. Had I
never seen the fatter, the former possibly might
have appeared worthy of admiration.
At Lyons we went to a French Comedy. It
was well performed, and well decorated; but,
unlei's I am very partial, when we took leave of
the Engi'ijb theatre, we quitted sense, nature,
action, dignity, and all the proper and graceful
decorations of the Rage.
I have now said enough of Lyons and Lugdunum.
If I am to (peak of France in general, I look upon
it as a great and powerful monarchy. The extent
of it may be known by maps; but the strength of
it is a secret, not easily to be guessed at, but Ef
ficiently revealed to make the Eng'ifo cautious
and wary how they enter into a war with a nation,
whole magazines of all forts are stupendous, whole
kingdom is fertile and well cultivated, whose peo
ple, however disunited, as indeed at present upon
particular points in Church or State, never fail,
at the lead, appearance of an enemy, to join them
selves into an impenetrable phalanx, and to ap
pear in the field, as one foul informing many
thouland bodies. We mistake and mifeonftrue
their faculties. Their gaiety, we imagine, folly:
their prudence, we miscall, insincerity: their
strength we despise. Our falfe judgment may,
one day or other, cost us dear. The French,
(already numerous and prolific,) if they fuffered
a natural commerce to subsist between their nuns
and friars, would swarm and overran the world.
Before I left Lyons, I had a glimpse of the
Archbishop, Cardinal Tencin. His figure is tall,
and his mien noble and engaging. He visits and
captivates ail strangers. He lives in great hospi
tality; but he lives in banishment. Some parti
culars, relative to this not unfortunate exile, may
perhaps be the fubjed ofa future letter. At pit
lent let me guide you into Savoy.
How have I been miflaken in my expectations
of Chamberry ? I had read so much in news papers,
treaties, and modern hiilory, of this metropolis,
that I had painted it in my own mind a noble,
large, and magnificent qity, adorned with Church
es, steeples, convents, and palaces, decorated
again by pictures, statues, and costly furniture.
Judge then of my surprise, when I beheld it one
of the poorest, dirtiest, filthieft towns that I had
ever leen. The houses are dark, the streets nar
row, the convents miserable. The palaces of
the nobility are uninhabited, except by vermin.
Grass grows plentifully in the court-yards. Not
a coach, nor a chair, unless filled with passengers,
is ever heard rumbling through the streets.
Wehave seen the King's palace. The apart
ment of it (there is but one,) was burnt some
years ago, when the present Duke of Farms was
in pofielhon of ChamFrry. His Royal Highness
narrowly elcaped with life. The fire began in
the kitchen, over which was his bed-chamber,
and increased so fiercely, that he had not time to
put on his cloaths. Many important papers are
laid to have been destroyed in the flames.
The palace, or rather the remainder of it, is a
castle. Over the gate-way are the Governor's
lodgings, remarkable only for their height, being
fituatea on an eminence, which commands the
town and adjacent country. The Chapel is clean,
which diltinguilhes it very visibly, as the house
of God.
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
SI R,
Hs there may be many people (especially in the coun
try ) who are unacquainted with the works of the
celebrated James Fofer, your inserting the fol
lowing extract from his learned difeourfe on the
" institution and end of civil government," will
probably meet with approbation. Prom roar's,
A Custom er.
" ^" chief aim, he fays, will be to oppose
tyranny; and shew the moaftrous absur
dity of those pernicious maxims of arbitrary go
vernment which are subversive of all natural right.
The heart of man beats, by nature, most Rrungly
for liberty: And this feeling is so universal, fer
vent, insuppressible, generous, and calculated, like
the diffufions of God's munificence and bounty,
for the good of the whole, that it may reasonably
be deemed a divine inftinf f and impulse, in the
human foul. It is the peculiar prerogative of
man's reason, and the only foil in which it can be
ripened and improved. A constrained virtue and
religion from compulsion, are manifeft and flagrant
contradictions. Slavery entirely defaces the
image of God, that was, at firft, so strongly im
pressed and stamped on human nature, and renders
the condition of mankind infinitely more ignomi
nious, and more sensibly deplorable than that of
brute creatures, whose rank of being generally re
quires that they Should be fubjeft to the absolute
controul ofa superior intelligence; and who being
destined, by the God of Nature, for passive servi
tude, hare happily no afpirings after freedom
and independence; so that, upon this plan, the
arbitrary monarch, in the reasonable, and those
who are too wild or too fierce to be subdued, in
the animal world, are the only fubje&s of Gods
universal government, that he ever intended should
taste the sweets of liberty; or, in other words,
the weaker, the more ufeful and innocent are,
throughout all nature, utterly deferred by provi
dence and given up as a prey to ravaging and op
prefiive power: Tyrants, in themselves, the ob
je&s of horror and detestation, beyond pain, po
verty, or death ; the enemies of God, who insult
and let at defiance the model of his supreme go
vernment, the scourges of nations, the pests of all
human fociety,whom piety and mercy to mankind
in general oblige us to oppose, and pursue, if pos
sible, and as far as there is any probability of
success, to their absolute deftru&ion ; these aliens,
I fay, from humanity are protected from resent
ment; their violence is declared to be irrefiftable,
their sovereign anointed cruelty to be sacred."
Our author next proceeds to enquire “ How
far civil government is an ordinance of God? In
answer to which (he fays) it may be fafely assert
ed, that no government deserves to be esteemed
and reverenced as his institution, but what is fram
ed and conduced on the model of his own univer
sal government.
Justice and mercy wait on his eternal throne,
and by these, his dominion and the excrcife of his
omnipotence are always bounded ; and can it be
supposed that he has vested in inferior and de
pendant powers, his vicegerents and representa
tives, a licence to oppress and spurn at justice?
This would be to make himfelf a tyrant by proxy,
and to fully all the glories of his most excellent
nature.
Again, no human government can be dire&ly
and immediately derived from God, which is ab
solute and uncontroulable, because these, in the
nature of things, are the sole incommunicable cha
ra&ers of his supreme empire, which has almighty
power and unerring wisdom to regulate all its ad
ministrations, apd defend its rights. Every earth
ly government may be controuled and limited.
Farther, did God create the people for the ava
rice, grandeur and luxury of princes, or inflitute
kings and governors for the fafety and welfare of
the people? Could he intend that the greatest
part of the world should be enslaved, without re
medy, to a lineal fucceffion^ of tyrants, perhaps
the most degenerate and worthless of their kind,
especially when it is manifeft from experience,
that liberty is the parent of knowledge, of philo
sophy, of ufeful arts, of the most sublime and li
beral virtues ; and slavery the natural source of
implicit credulity, of baseness of temper, of vice,
ignorance and misery?
All that has been said will not fatisfy the unna
tural advocates for absolute power, against the
common rights of mankind and their own birth
right as the rational offspringof heaven. They
would, notwithstanding, fain ere& a throne of
violence and oppression upon the do&rine of the
New Testament.
For, thus they plead, does not St. Paul, in effed,
affirm, that all power is of God? In answer to
this, Who was then the chief reigning power?
Nero was the Emperor of Rome to whom the
greater part of the known world was fubjedt —
What was his right to govern? An hereditary
right derived from fraud and violence. It is evi
dent, from what has been said, that civil govern
ment was never derived from an express instituti
on or positive law of Almighty God—lt is equal
ly evident, that all equitable government must be
founded in mutual consent.—The authority of
the magistrate must, of neceflity, be limited, and
the possessions and liberties of the fubjedls ascer
tained.—On the whole, magistrates are not to
be considered as an order of men dissing: from,
but only as parts of the civil community; that
they can have no natural interest of their own,
but what was involved and blended with the ge
neral good, and that the ultimate end of all go
vernment can be nothing else than the prosperity
and welfare of the people*.
* Of the like sentiments aras the great .patriot Wil
liam Lord Ru,el who chose death rather than tamely
to give up the rights of humanity to the difyofal ofa
tyrant. —He being flattered with hopes °f lije, by some
divines, if be would acknowledge to the King, that be
believedfuljeas bad, in no case whatever, a right of
refinance against the throne, answered: " I can have
no conception of a limited monarchy, which has not a
right to defend its own limitations."
*9®3^®^®^oo&e^&^®^
BOSTO N, March 6.
To his Excellency THOMAS GAGE, Esq; Cap
tain General and Governor in Chief, in and over
his Majeffs province of the Mafachufetts-
Bay, tc.
WE the inhabitants of Marfhfield, in legal
town meeting assembled, this 20th day of
February, 1775, beg leave to return your Excel
lency our most grateful acknowledgments for your
seasonable assistance and protection, in fending a
detachment of his Majesty's troops to secure and
defend the loyal people of this town from the
threats and violence of an infatuated and misguided
people.
We assure your Excellency (whatever may
have been surmised to the contrary) that there
were fufficient grounds azd reasons for rrak>g ap
plication ; and we are fully convinced, that -ms
movement has preferred and promoted, net only
the peace and tranquility of this town in particu
lar, but of the county io general; owing, in great
degree, to the prudence, firmnefs and good con
|lua of Capt. Balfour, who, with pleasure as well
as justice we fay it, has done every thing in his
power to obtain those laudable ends and purposes.
Thankfully we acknowledge our obligations t®
our Sovereign, for his great goodness and wisdom,
in placing at the head of affairs, in this province,
in this day of difficulty, confufion and difeord,
a gentleman of your Excellency's well known hu
manity, moderation, capacity and intrepidity; and
shall constantly implore the supreme Governor of
the universe to assist and dired you in the faithful
discharge of the various functions of your exalted
Rations, with fidelity to your King, with honour
to yourfelf, and with happiness to the people
committed to your charge.
With pleasure we embrace this opportunity of
expressing our detestation and abhorrence of all as
semblies and combinations of men (by whatever
specious name they may call themselves) who
have or shall rebelliously attempt to alter or oppose
the wife constitution and government of Great-
Britain.
Furthermore we beg leave to inform your Ex
cellency, that in the most critical and dangerous
times we have always manifefted and preferred
our loyalty to the King, and obedience to his
laws; carefully avoiding all unconstitutional co
venants and engagements whatsoever, that might
warp us from our duty to our God, our King and
country; and as we are determined to persevere
in the fame course, we flatter ourselves that our
endeavours and exertions will meet with our most
gracious Sovereign's approbation, as well as your
Excellency's, and that under his and your gentle
and humane government, and kind protection, we
may peaceably and quietly fit under our own vines
and fig-trees, and have none to molest or make us
afraid. ISAAC WINSLO W.
Chairman of the Committee.
His E XCELLENCY's Answer.
To the loyal inhabitants of the town of Marfhfield.
Gentlemen,
IR ETURN you my most hearty thanks for
your address, and am to affine you, that I
feel great fatisfadion in having contributed to the
fafety and protection of a people so eminent for
their loyalty to their King, and affection to their
country, at a time when treason and rebellion is
making such hasty strides to overturn our most
excellent constitution, and spread ruin and destruc
tion through the province.
I doubt not that your duty to God, your King
and country, will excite you to persevere in the
glorious cause in which you are engaged, and that
your laudable example will animate others with
the like loyal and patriotic spirit.
T. GAGE.
SALE M, ( New England) March 7.
The South-Carolina Provincial Congress have
made choice of their former Delegates, viz. H.
Middleton, T. Lynch, C. Gadsden, J. Rutledge,
and E. Rutledge, Esquires, to attend the Conti
nental Congress in May next.
Last Saturday Captain Benjamin Weft arrived
here, and the next day Captain Pearson arrived at
Cape Ann, both from St. Euftatia. They inform'
us, that on the 9th of February a Whaling vessel
belonging to Nantucket, arrived at St. Euftatia
from Antigua, the master of which (who appear
ed to be an honest intelligent person) asserted,
that on the 7th, just before he failed, a ship from
Liverpool arrived at Antigua, in about go days
passage; that te went on board her before file
anchored, and on anting the Captain what news
he brought, was answered " the Parliament is
dissolved": The old Parliament? fays the Wha
ler; no, fays the Captain, the new.—On the
Whaler's asking the occasion of the Parliament
being dissolved, he was told that it was owing to
their opposing the King's measures. This intel
ligence was confirmed by four or five passengers.
We have inferred the above extraordinary in
telligence just as we heard it related. We only
add, that the two Captains agree in their accounts,
and that the nevts occasioned great speculation at
Antigua.
Col. Leslie's ridiculous expedition on the 26th
tilt, occasioned such an alarm, that the people of
all the neighbouring towns, as well as those of
30 and 40 miles distant, were mustering, and
great numbers actually on their march for this
place; so that it is thought not less than 12 or
15000 men would have been assembled in this
town within 24 hours after the alarm, bad not the
precipitate retreat of the troops from the drawn
bridge prevented it.
N EW - Y 0 R K, March r 6.
In our last, we gave a short account of the pro
ceedings of this city and county, on Merida, the
6th instant, when, by a very great majority, the
following mode of proceeding was affected to,
VIZ 4 That the General Committee ffiould no
minate eleven persons, to be on Wednesday the
15th, proposed to the choice of the freemen and
freeholders, as deputies to meet on the 20th of
^pril, such Deputies as the other counties might
eleft, and join with them, for the jo/e purpose of
appointing, out oftheir body, Delegates for the
next General Congress, agreeable to the recom
mendation of the last, Accordingly the Commit
tee nominated the following persons, viz.
Philip Livingston, John jay, James Duane,
John Allop, Isaac Low, Francis Lewis, Abra
ham Walton, Abraham Brasher, Alexander
M'Dougal, Leonard Lifpenard, Isaac RoGevelt.
I rom the time ofthe nomination, every artifice
was used, (by the fame party who have constant
ly exerted their utmost abilities, to offtrud and
disconcert every measure of opposition to the ty
rannical a&s of the British Mindby' iin ou’er to
prevent the election ofthe Deputies, ri<mhated
by the Committee, and to fruftrae fb ^ n <f
a Provincial Congress, and offt,d ; fr ,es
(at least with full powers from du u &•.. j ?c)