The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1775-01-09 00:00:00, page 1

From the Westminster Magazine.
Reflections on the Absurdity, Folly, and Inconsistency of
variousfafeionahlg Cu,o@ and Ceremonies praclijed in
Public and Private Companies,
• Fruere est cogitgre, et videre.
I HAVE been led intoa refleaion upon the many
useless, fuperUnous, inconsistent, and troublesome
customs and ceremonies which still subsist amongst us
in our most Social and entertaining meetings ; and
which are so absurd and ridiculous in themselves,
that they rather Serve to confine and perplex,
than to support the dignity of society, or give con
lequence to individuals.
True politeness consists in ease, to which good
sense is an happy auxiliary. Form, and falfe pa
rade, flicks close to the ignorant and the vulgar.
There is another most dissonant and perplexing
cuftbm, which is that of drinking healths at table;
and'we certainly have the belt r^afon for dropping
such a troublesome custom, when we have so good
an example in all crowned heads, who never Suffer
so teaming a ceremony amongst them.
It is my misfortune tq visit some houses, where fix
children dine at table; and Mamma, to Shew tier
good breeding and manners, has taught all her fqeak
ing brats to drink every person's health at the table;
and therefore we have nothing in our ears but the
dul^repetitions of thefe.children, to Shew their ob
servance of their Mamma's dictates.
Drinxing or wealths does -uc^ flop kre, but in
large societies is the pest of every sensible ear, where
you will have a pudding-ftuffed Alderman echo some
Common-Council-Man's health, and desire the vi
bration to be contiued ten deep, when a culinary
echo is returned of, “ thank you----thank you—--
thank you, Sir." I belong to one of the most
vociferous Clubs in town, where, independent of
their natural and acquired noise, they keep eter
nally bellowing the President's health-—so that be
fore one mouthful can. succeed another, I am conti
nually interrupted with Captain--. Sir, your health!
For the universal peace of every table I mention
this in hopes an universal reformation in the cus
tom may be adopted. Sometimes I have pretend
ed not to hear this offenfive salute, in hopes there
by I might escape making a reply ; when, to my
mortification, some formal big nosed old Fellow
would wait till I was ready---nor would his good
manners fuffer him to drink until he had received
my bow and thanks.
The origin of this custom arose from a seri
ous circumstance, when the natural enemies of the
British Inlanders were often wounded or murdered
Containing the Freiherr ADVICES,
by their Invaders at the very time the cup was to
their mouths---from whence the exprellion of / pledge
you was introduced, that is a second person pledg
ing himfelf for the fafecy of him who was drink
ing; and he who took the cup drank health to him
who pledged himfelf for his Safety.
Now, Since religion and education have rather
modelled and reformed us, and while we are drink
ing there is no greatdanger of having one's throat
cut there is no pressing occasion to drink every
body's health, as we do not look for any protec
tion at tlieir hands ; and therefore I would recom
inend all my Readers to take example from ,the
S°? r '> a nd at once abolish this troublesome and
ridiculous custom, in which there is such a repeat
ed famenefs.'
M ON DAY, January 9, 1775.
CONNECTICUT
AN D
WEEKLY
,French, who have more vivacity, carry" off
tnefe trifles with more grace, and cry with fpark
hng eyes, while they rattle their glasses, Ffoe la
. John Bull cannot do thi{ but John Bull
will Solemnly and dully fit down to his pipe and
bowl with a fallow o f ^ fame sa w ^
get abominably drank without any conversation,
and to the dull repetition of tfer/s tyou!
xherefore, as long as there is not any thing to -
recommend this ff^e and infyid custom, I .recom
mend mat it may be cried d'c% by all patties.
Open to all PARTIES-——not under the influence of ANY,
To the P, inters of the BoHon News Papers.
A, Meffi'rs Edes and Gill in tlieir Paper of Mon
day the izth instant; were pleased to acquaint
the public that “ the affociaNon sent by Brigadier
Ruggles, &C- to the Town oi Hardwick, &c. toge
ther with his Son, certificate thereof, and the Re
solves of the Provincial Congress thereon, must be
referr d till their next," Iwas so credulous as to ex
pert then jo have seen their text Paper adorn'd
with the forth of an* Aflog&;on, which would have
honored it, and if attended to, and complied with
by the good People of the Province, might have put
it in tne power Of any one very easily to have dis
tinguished such loyal fubjety to the King, as dare
to assert their rights to freedom, in all refpetts con^
fiftent with the laws of the land, from such rebelli
ous ones as under the pretext of being friends to li
berty are frequently committing the most enormous
outrages upon the persons and properties of such of
his Majesty's peaceable Subjects who for want of
knowing who to call upon (in these diffracted times)
for affiftanc/, fall into the hands of a banditti whose
cruelties surpass those of lavages : But finding my
mistake, now take the liberty to lend copies to your
several Offices to be published in your next Papers,
that so the public may be trade more acquainted
therewith than at present, ant be induced to associ
ate for the above purposes And as many of the
people for some time paAh o e been arming them
deiyc_i> umy nc.be q.S ^ let them know that
their numbers will not appear in the field so large
as was imagined, before that it was known indepen
dency was the objed in contemplation ; since which,
many have associated in divers parts of the Province
to preserve their freedom and support Government ;
and as it may become necessary in a very Short time
to give convincing proof of our attachment to Go
vernment, we Shall be much wanting to ourselves if
we longer trample upon that patience which has
already endured to long-fullering, and may if this
opportunity be neglected have a tendency to ripen
many for deftruaiori who have not yet been guilty
of an overt aft of rebellion, which would be an event
diametrically opposite to the humane and benevolent
intention, of him whose abused patience cannot en
dure forever, and who hath already by his prudent
condua evidenced the most tender regard for a de
luded people. TIMOTHY RUGGLES.
0 'T H E
Boson, zzd December, 1774.
The ASSOCIATION.
WE the Subscribers being fully sensible of the
blessings of good Government on the one
hand, and convinced on the other of the evils and
calamities attending on Tyranny in all Shapes, whe
ther exercised bj one or many, and having of late
seen with great grief and concern the distressing ef
fects of a dissolution of all government, whereby
our Lives, Liberties, and Properties are rendered
precarious, and no longer under the Proteaion of
law; and apprehending it to be our indisputable
duty to life all lawful means in our power, for the
defence of our Persons and Property, again f} all ri
otous, and lawless violence, and to reeover, and se
cure the advantages which we are intitled to, from
the good and wholesome Laws of the Government;
Do hereby associate and mutually covenant, vd en
gage to and with each other as follows, Namely,
Ift. Thatwe will uporra.ll occaficns with' our
Lives, and Fortunes," Stand by and.affift each other,
in the defence of his Life, Liberty and Property,
whenever the lame Shall be attacked, or endangered
by any Body of Aden, riotously assembled, upon any
pretence, or under any authority, not warranted by
the Laws of the Land.
zdly. that we willupon all occafons, mutually
support each other in the free exercise, and enjoy
ment or our undoubted right to Liberty, in eating,
diinking, buying, telling, communing, and ading,
what, with whom, and as we please confident' with
the Laws of God, and the King,
both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC.
stlily. That when the Person or Property of an,
one of us Shall be invaded or threatned by any Com
mittees, mobs, or unlawful Assemblies, the others
of us will upon notice received forthwith repair,
properly armed, to the Person on whom, or place
where such invasion or threatning (hall be, and will
to the utmost of our Power, defend such Person and
his Property, and if need be will oppose and repel
force with force.
6th!y. That if an, one of us Shall unjustly and
unlawfully be injured in his Person or Property, by
any such Assemblies as before-mentioned, the others
of us will unitedly demand, and if in our Powercom
pel the Offenders, if known, to make full reparation
and fatisfaftion for such Injury ; and if all other
Means of Security fail, we will have recourse to the
natural Law of Retaliation.
In V/itnefs of all which we hereto fubfcnbe our
Names, this Day of
> From a foe &o&. ! cn Paper.
Lord NORTH'S SOLILOQUY.
A Plague take that Bolton Port Ad, and all the
Boitonians---thofe obstinate people will be my
downfall---thofe puritannical taftals will be my ru
in.---The public at home note perceive the drift and
Consequences of that aft, and think it endangers
their own freedom arid fafety---the merchants al
ready feel the bad effe&s ofit, arid murmur great
ly---the city is strong against me---I ffiall be hunt-.
ed down---! was afraid of thrit d--h'd aft at firft
It was none of mine---I was not the father of it-^-1
did hot beget it--J ohly supported it according to
the directions of the dofet-—lt i^ confounded hard,
that I must be refpohfible for obeying the commands
of the Thane--T Should have been turned out if I
had not.---But hold-let trie cohfider I Shall be
dismissed now if I complain---! must not recant---
I mull proceed, be the consequences what they with
—ls those ftubborri people cannot be cajoled, thev
must be forced---we mult compel them to fubmit-J
---raere soldiers must be sent—But how ffiall we pre
vent the desertion of them ?—We must fend the
third regiment of guards—they are a tried corps---
we may furel, depend upon thetn^-'-It will cost 2
great furri to lend forces over fufficient to subdue the
obstinacy of these rebellious Americans,--the people
of England will grumble ts pay hew taxes for such
a purpose-.-bu; I need not regard their grumbling--
they have ho spirit—l wish the people cf New-
England had no morc---l am sure of carrying wfet
I pieafe in the house, aye, aye, and out of the hotife
too---.I have totally conquered all opposition at
home---! must do the fame abroad---That which
gives me the most uneasiness, is the haughty me
nacing behaviour of the Spaniffi Court-Should
Spain prevail upon the French to join with her in
breaking the peace, it would put a flop to all the
fine projects of our cabinet.— We must persuade
France to kedp the peace, let it cost what it wilL
aFrench war must, at all events, be prevented --
for Should that happen, we Should never be able to
compel the colonies to a proper obedience--, and it
Shall be prevented, if gold hath the fame influence
in France as it hath in England.---We must force
the Aihericans to submit by fire and fivord, and for
which end we must fele& such officers for the con
ducting this affair, as will obey the private orders
or the cabinet.--,We muff raiSe some regiments of
Papists in Can,ada--rfhey may also recruit our army
gdly. That we will not acknowledge, or submit
tothe pretended authority, of any Congresses, Com
mittees of Coi refpondence or other ^unconstitutional
Assemblies of Men; but Will at the risque of our
Lives, if need be oppose the forceable exercise of all
such authority;
sthly. That we will to the utmost of our Power,
promote, encourage, and when called to it, enforce
obedience to the rightful Authority of our most
Gracious Sovereign King George the third, and of
his Laws.
(NUMBER 524.)
C OURA N T,
Hartford
INTELLIGENCER.