The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-02-01 00:00:00, page 2

and martial people distinguished their opposition to the
Spaniards, by efforts of courage worthy of a better fate,
great numbers fell in the field ; and there, as well as in
Peru, ft di greater numbers perished under the hardships
of attending the Spanish armies in their various expedi
tions and civil wars, worn out with the incessant toil of
carrying their baggage, provisions, and military flores.
But neither the rage nor cruelty of the Spaniards were
so deftruaive to the people of Mexico and Peru, as thein
confiderate policy with which they established their new
ftttlemens. The former were temporary calamities, fa
tal to individuals; the latter was a permanent evil, which,
with gradual consumption, wafted the nation. When the
provinces ®f Mexico and Peru were divided among the
conquer rs, each was eager to obtain a diftria, from which
he might expe& an instantaneous recompence for all his
services. Bold adventurers, accustomed to the carelessness
and dissipation of a military life, had neither induAry to
carry on any plan of regular cultivation, n@r patience to
wait for its flow, but certain returns. Instead of fettling
in the vallies occupied by the natives, where the fertily of
the foil would have amply rewarded the diligence of the
planter, they chose. to fix their flations in some of the moun
tainous regions, frequent both in New Spain and in Pe
ru To search for mines of gold and silver, was the chief
object of their activity. The vast profpeas which this o
pens, and the alluring hopes which it continually prefects,
correspond wonderfully with the spirit of eoterprize and
adventure that animated the firft emigrants to America in
every part of their conduct. In order to push forward
those favourite projects, so many hands were wanted, that
the f rrice of the natives became indispensably requisite.
They were, accordingly, compelled to abandon their an
cient habitations in t?e plains, and driven in crowds to the
mountains. T^is sudden transition from the sultry climate
of the vallies, to the chill penetrating air peculiar to high
lands in the torrid zone; the fatigue of exorbitant labour,
scanty or unwholesome nourishment, and the despondency
occasioned by a species of oppression to which they were
not accustomed, and of which they saw no end, affe&ed
them nearly as much as their less industrious countrymen
in the islands. Tney funk under the united pressure of
those calamities, and melted away with almost equal ra
p:dity. In consequence of this, together with the intro
dudi>n of toe fmail pox, a malady unknown in America,
and extremely fatal to the natives, the number < f people
belli in New Spain and Peru was so much reduced, that
io a few years the accounts of their ancient population ap
peared almost incredible.
Such are the most considerable events and causes, which,
by their combined operation, contributed to depopulate
America. Without attending to these, many authors,
astonished at the suddenness of the desolation, have ascri
bed this unexampled event to a scheme of policy no less
profound tuan attrocious. The Spaniards, as they pretend,
confeious oitheir own inability to occupy the vast regions
which they had difeovered, and forfeeing the impossibility
of maintaining their authority over a people infinitely supe
rior to themselves in number, in order to preserve America,
resolved to exterminate the inhabitants, and by convert
ing it into a defart, endeavoured to secure their own do
minion over it. But nations seldom extend their views to
objeds so remote, or lay their plans so deep ;anc> for the ho
nour of humanity, we may observe, that no nation ever de
liberately formed such an execrable scheme. The Spaoilh
monarchs, far from a&ing upon any such fyflem of de
flfu&ion were 'uniformly solicitous for the preservation of
them new fubjeds. With Ifabell , zeal for propagating
the chriflian faith, and the desire of communicating the
knowledge of truth, and the consolations of religion, to
people defti'ute of spiritual light, were more than ostensi
ble motives for encouraging Columbus to attempt his dis
coveries. Upon his success, the endeavoured to fulfil her
pious purpose, and manifested the most tender concern to
secure not only religious infiru&ion, but mild treatment,
to that inoffenfive race of men fubjefled to her crown.
H r successors adopted the fame ideas; and, on many oc
casions, which I have mentioned, their authority was in
terposed in the most vigorous exertions, to protest the
people of America from the oppression of their Spanifli
fubjefts. Their regulations for this purpose were nume
rous, and often repeated. They were framed with wis
dom, and dictated by humanity. After their poffeiions
in the New world became so extensive, as might have ex
cited some apprel enfions of difficulty in retaining their do
minion over them, the spirit of their regulations was as
mild as when their sett lements was confined to the Islands
alone. Their solicitude to protest the Indians seems ra
ther to have augmented as their acquisitions increased ; and
from ardour to accomplilh this, they enaded, and endea
voured to enforce theexecution of laws,which excited a for-
midablerebellion inone oftheircolonies,andfpreadalarm and
difaffedion through all the rest. But the avarice of indivi
f"fl HE firft visible consequence of the establishments
A made by the Spaniards.io America, was the dimi
nution of the ancient inhabitants, to a degree equally a
ftoni/hiug and deplorable. I have already, on different
occasions, mentioned the disastrous influence under which
the connexion of the Americans with the people of our he
misphere commenced, britu in the Islands, and in several
parts of the Continent, and have touched upon various
causes of their r.pid consumption. Wherever the inha
bitants of America had resolution to take arms in defence
of their liberty and rights, many p-rifhed in the unequal
contest. and were etc off by their fierce invaders. But
the greatest defoiation followed after the (word was sheath
ed, and tue conquerors were fettled in tranquility. It
was in the Islands, and in those provinces of the Conti
nent wei h firetch from the Gulf of Trinidad to the con
tints of Mexico, that the fatal effids of the Spanish domi
nion were firfl and most sensibly felt. All these were oc
cupied either by wandering tribes of hunters or by such
as had made but final! progress in cultivation and indus
try. When they were compelled by their new matters to
take up a fixed residence, and to apply to regular labour ;
when talks were imposed upon them disproportioned to
their strength, and were exacted with unrelenting severi
ty ; they possessed not vigour either of mind or body to
sustain this unusual load of oppression. Dejection and de
spair drove many to end their lives by violence. Fatigue
and famine deflroyed more, In all those extensive regions,
the original race of inhabitants wafted away ; in some it
was totally extinguished. In Mexico, where a powerful
ftrom dr. ROBERTSON'S HISTORYor
AMERICA.
duals was too violent to be confronted, by the authority
of laws. Rapacious and daring adventurers, far removed
from the feat of government, little accustomed to the re
straints of military discipline while in service, and still
less disposed to refped the feeble jurifdiHion of civil pow
er ia an infant Colony, despised or eluded every regula
tion that set bounds to their exactions and tyranny. The
parent State, with persevering attention, issued edids to
prevent the oppression of the Indians; the Colonies, re
gardless of these, or trusting to their distance for impuni
ty, continued to confi Jer, and treat them as slaves. The
Governors themselves, and other officers employed in the
Colonies, several of whom were as indigent and rapacious
as rhe adventurers over whom they presided, were too apt
to adopt t vir contemptuous ideas of the Conquered people;
and iuflead of checking, encouraged or Connived at their
excesses. The desolation ofthe New world should not then
becharged on the court of Spain, or be eonfidered as the
effed of any fyflem of policy adopted there. It ought
to be imputed wholly to the conquerors and firft planters
of America, wha, by measures no less inconsiderate than
unjust, counteracted the ed ; as of their Sovereign, and
have brought dis racr upon their country.
With still greater injuflise, have many authors represent
ed the intolerating spirit of the Roman Catholic religion,
as the cause of exterminating the Americans, and have
accufeJ the Spanish Bcclefiaftics of animating their coun
trymen to the daughter of that inno ent people, as idola
tersand enemiesof God. But the firft missionaries who visi
ted America, though weak and illiterate were pious men.
They ea r |y espoused the defence of the natives, and vin
dicated their character from the aspersions of their
conquerors, who, describing them as incapable of be
ing formed to the offices of civil life, or of comprehend
ing the doctrines of religion, contended, that they were
a subordinate race of men, on whom the hand of nature
had set the mark of Servitude. From the accounts which
I have given of the hum ne and perfev<r ng zeal of the
Sp nifh missionaries, in protesting the helpless flock com
mitted to their ch rge, they appear in a light which re
fleCtsluftre upon their function. They were miniflers
of peace, who endeavoured to wrest the rod from the
hands of oppressors. To their powerful interposition, the
Americans were indebted for every regulation tending to
mitigate the rigour of their fate. The clergy in the Spa
nish (ettlements, regular as well secular, are still copfider
ed by the Indians as their natural guardians, to whcm
they have re ourfe under the hardships and exactions to
which they are too often exposed.
But, notwithflauding the rapid depopulation of America,
a very considerable number of the native race still remains
both in Mexico and Peru, efpecially' in those parts which
were not exposed to the firft fury of the Spanilh arms, or
desolated by the firfl efforts of their industry, still mere
ruinous. In Guatimala, Chiapa, Nicaragua, and the
other delightful provinces of the Mexican empire that
stretch along the south sea therace of Indians is still nu
merous. Their settlements in some places are so populous,
as to merit t.e nameof cities In the three audiences into
whi.h New Spain isdivided, there are at least two milli
ons oflndi ms ; a pitifu remnant, indeed, of its ancient
population, but such as still forms a body of people fwpe
rior in number to that of all the other inhabitants of this
vast country. In Peru several diflrias, particularly in
the kingdom of Quitto, are occupied almost entirely by
Indians. In other provinces, they are mingled with the
Spaniards, and in many of their settlements pradife the
mechanic arts, and fill most of the inferior Rations in fo
cicty. As the inhabitants, both of Mexico and Peru were
accustomed to a fixed residence, and to some degree of
regular industry, less vio ence was requisite in bringing
them to some conformity with the European modes of ci
vil rife. But wherever the Spaniards fettled among the
savage tribes of America, their attempts to incorporate
with them have been always fruitlefs, and often fatal to
the natives. Impatient of restraint, and disdaining labour
as a mark of fervilhy, they either abandoned their origi
nal feats, and fought for independence in mountains and
forefts inaccessible to their oppressors, or p rifhed when
reduced toa Bate repugnant to their ancient ideas and ha
bits. In the diftrids adjacent to Carthagena, to Panama,
and to Buenos Ayres, rhe desolation is more general
than even in those parts of Mexico and Peru, of which
the Spaniards have taken most full poffeffi on.
An ESSAY on the PLEASURES of the TABLE among
the GREEKS.
T F we confider the writings of theancients, so far as they
1 relate to their manners, welhall not find them less wor
thy of our attention, than those which treat of their wit
and knowledge. The two celebrated banquets of Plato
and Xenophon are el gant models of the innocent plea
fores of their fefiai board, and plainly point out what
kind of entertainment was there conflantly to be found. It
was by converfatios like these, equally lea ned and mo
ral, that the pleasures of the table were rendered ufeful,
and that great licentiousness and forgetfulnefs of decorum,
which too often grew upon a long fitting, were happily
corrected. A review of these, and of our modern con
versations, (peaks much in behalf of the manners of anti
quity, and argues but lititein our favour. Inflead of this
elegance, so pleasing to every truly generous mind, we
enjoy nothing but inebriating drenches of wine, followed
by that deßruflive corfoder of human happiness, play,
that harpy which corrupts the whole mass if it touch but
a particle ofthe blood. It seems beyond a doubt, that by
the help of such conversation, as is in reality the life and
foul of a rational creature, the pleasures of the Greek bo rd
far surpassed ours, which is but too often, and almost al
ways, gross and inelegant. In Athens eight or ten people of
fafhion were assembled round t<,e table of a common friend
for some hours; their business was not drinking, but a
musement: And of what nature was their amusement?
It consisted not of the briskly circulated glass, the high
seasoned toast, or obfeene sentiment ; but of difeourfes the
freeft, the most uncenftrained, social, and pAifhed; the
most learned, and the most solid. They were such as be.
came philosophers and men ; such as, to their shame be it
spoken, are little cultivated among the profeffors of the
purest, the inspired doctrine, chriftianity.
If a licentious sentiment dropped from any mouth, any
thing that infringed upon the decent liberty of the table,
the offence was not passed without a tacit and proper re
primand, by turning the conversation upon some point of
morality, which hinted at, or displayed it in proper co
CHARLESTOWN, (South-Carolina) Nov. 17.
E have now here no less than seven of His Most
Chriflian Majesty's fllips, under the command of
Mr. Durumain, the gallant officer who lately, wiih a ve
ry fmail force, and witl out loss, effected the conquest of
the valuable island of St. Vincent; so that, should the
enemy think proper to revisit us this winter, we shall have
little to fear from them, only exerting our own ftrengtli
and our neighbours doing their duty. His Excellency
Count D'Eftaing, Commander in Chief of the French na
val and land force in Ameri a, co-operating with the
forces of the United States, having accomplished one of
the purposes he came upon (which was, that if he should
find it impracticable to recover the State of Georgia out
of the enemy's hands, during the hurricane season, at least
to leave us such aid as his next intended operations would
admit) is gone upon another expedition, which occasions
a variety of conjectures.
The Iphigenie frigate is returned from a cruise, having
looked into Savannah river. In a day or two the is to fail
upon another.
Las lMonday assurances were received here of the pa
cific disposition of the Creek nation of Indians, with ad
vice, that their headmen were going to meet the Spaniards
at St. Mark's, where barracks (bomb proof) capable of
containing 3 oco men, had been built. ;and that the Spa
niards were in actual peffeffion of Penfacoln. One of the
Indians who brought the intelligence declares, that hefaw
the British garrison marched out, and the Spanish centi
nals take post.
MARYLAN D.
In COUNCIL Annapolis, Jan. 19, 1 go.
WHEREAS by the A& for the more eftdual
preventing foreftalling and eugruffug, and for 0-
ther purposes therein mentioned, pafftdat a session of
Assembly, begun and held at the city of Annapolis on
the eighth day of November 177,, the Governor and
Council are authorized and requested to lay out and di
vide the several Counties of this State into eight Dis.
trißs ; in pursuance whereof, it is hereby ordered, that
the several Counties in this State be divided and laid out
into eight difirias, in the following manner, to wit.
Hartford and Baltimore thefirft; Wafhirgton and Frede
rick the second ; Montgomery hnd Prince-George's the
third; Anne-Arundel and C-lvert the fourth ; Charles
and St. Mary's the fifth; Kent, Cecil and Queen Anne's
the sixth; Caroline, Talbot and t'orchefler the seventh;
Somerset and Wercefler rhe eighth Difirid
By Ordar,
„ T. JOHNSON Jun. Clk.
Extracts from the Aft, intitled, An a& for the more ef
fe&ual preventing foreftalring and engre ffing, and fc r
other purposes therein mentioned, passed at a session of
Assembly, begun ana hel , at the city ofAnnapolis, on the
eighth day of November, 1779.
“ And be it enaded, That no person fell be per
mitted to aft within this State as Commiff ry General,
Agent, Qiarter Mader General, er as Deputy to either
for the United States before such person c r perlons have
been licensed by the Governor and Council of this State
and all persons applying for such licence, (hall produce
their Commission to the Governor and Council, 'if the
fame hath not been already done, who on examination
thereof, fhallcaufe the date of such commission, and the
name of the person producing the fame, to be entered m
their proceedings, and also the Difiria in which such per
foß, so licensed as a forefaid, shall be permitted to exercise
his office, and the Governor and Council are hereby re
quefttd to transmit to the Clerks of the several counties, a
Lift of the names of all persons by them licensed as afore
faid, and the difrift in which they are permitted to pur
chase, which laid Lifi ihall be deported among the re
e"ch coumt y> and shill alto publish the names and
districts of the persons so licensed, in the Annapolis and
Baltimore Gazette, that the fame may be known to the
Inhabitants of this State.
" And be it ena&ed, That the Governor and the Coun
cil be authorifed and requefled tc lay out and divide the fe
vcral Counties of this State into eight Diftri&s, of which
In this sense did Horace mean to (peak of Cato, in fay
ing that he firengthened his virtue with a measure of wine.
Naratur et prifei Cat orris Jape moro caluiffe virtue.
It will, undoubtedly, be objededby those who have at
tentively perused the banquet of Plato, that the conversa
tion is often very licentious ; that from love, which is the
fubted, are deduced many maxims, for from being COB
fiftent with the gravity of the wife men whoaffifted at this
celebrated repast. The answer is obvious to a few mo
ments rt fleflicn; here we find the immortal Socrates, as
the wisest of the aflembly, when the conversation falls to
his turn, nobly reproving and correßing the licentiousness
of his companions; and insensibly altering their love for
Creatures into that of the Sovereign Creator. Company
such as this, after long fitting, rose from table greater
friends, if possible, than when they met, not only more
intruded, but more virtuous Jt may indeed be laid,
that in these banquets Plato and Xenophon have only pre
sented us with the fruits of their refined imagination:
But it is not doing more justice to these celebrated orna
ments of human nature, and not at all less probable to sup
pose, they served up to us the banquet of their own times
as it was, and of which the witnesses were many; and
more so, as we find them generally attentive to a real ex
hibition of the manners of the age on which they reflected
such luftre!
lours. This pofitiori is proved by the behaviour of Socra
tes, who at the banquet of Xenophon, perceiving his friend
inclined to make rather too free with t -e bottle, delivered
himfelf elegantly upon the excellency of drinking with
moderation.
" Liquor," laid this great light of antiquity, “ has tl e
fame effed upon us, as rain has upon plants, beneath
which, when excessive, they fink oppressed, nor can they
rife to the foftering breeze : But if lightly sprinkled, they
acquire new strength; they thrive apace, the flower
blooms upon the ftromg flalk, and at length matures into
fruit: Thus it is with us. If we drink excessively, we rot
only find our bodies heavy and languid; but we can
scarcely breathe, much less express ourselves intelligibly ;
whereas, let vs drink our wine, to use a faying of Gorgias,
as plants imbibe the dews ; let us take it often, but always
in fmail quantities; in flead of oppftffing with violence, it
will warm with persuasion, and give spirit to keep alive the
utile et dulce of converf tion."