The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-02-03 00:00:00, page 2

lAfvlmy ibwiwdf, is lesuntibh. ft reviews their
coaduft, regard# their Services, ^od i^Aias the, pgpifh^
teem due UM tneig mJyerfations, Before it, is I^4 wb'^t
^v?r intelligence, either public or secret, is received from
Animes, an 1 ever, scheme of iapproving tty adminiftra
two, tte police, or the commerce of the colonies, is fub
nntted to is confideration# From the tiedinftitutioh of
the Council of the Indies, it has been the conßarif object
of the panels monarchs, to maintain its authority, and
to m ike fach additions from time to time, both to its pow-
CT •iud its folodor, as might render it formidable to all
tA&rdobjfch in the New World. Whatever degree of
public order and virtue still remains in that country,
where so utaa, cirpurnftances conffire to relax the for
-51%, a^d to corrupt the latter, may be afatibed iu a great
measure to the vise regulations and vigilant mtptftiaa of
this refoeßabie iibund.'
As the King is tuppofed to be always present in his
Council</. the Indies, its m etings are held in the place
where he resides. Another tribunal has been inflituted,
in or~,er to regulate such commercial affairs, as required
the immediate and perfonol mfpeaion of these appointed
to (uperiuten&tnem. This is called Cafa de la Central
tinn, er the boule of trade, and was eftabbihed io Seville,
to whole port commerce with the New World was confi
ned, ase^rfy as the year t5Ol. It may be considered both
as a board of trade, and as a court of judicature. Inthe
former capacity, it takes cognizance ct whatever relates to
the intercourse of Spain with America, it regulates wuat
<oum^i:ies should be expored thither, and has the in
fpeaion offuch as are received in return. It decides con
cerning the departure of tie flex's for the Weft-Indies,
the trei^nt, and burthen of the flops, tneir equipment, and
deftum%n. In the la tercap/c^y, it judges with refpe&
to every quefjon, civil or commercial, or criminal, aiding
hi CGufequence of t ,e tenfaaibn^ of Spain with America;
and in both these departments, its decifi nos are exempted
fro n the review of any court but that of the Council of the
Indict.
Suc^ is the ,;raat outline of that fyflem of government,
which Spain has erlablifhed in, her American colonies.
To enumerate the various subordinate boards an 1 officer#
employ! in thenimmiflration of juftice,Nl co dewing the
public revenue, and in regulating the nteiicr police of be
c uncry, to describe ther different fur{tone, and to inquire
into ;hf mode and ert& of their operations, would pr^ve
a detail no tefs intricate than minute and ufaterefting.
The ErA o^jed 0! the 3pmifh monarchs was to feure the
productions of the co'onics to the parent fete, by au ah
loiute prohibition of any iaierco#rfe with foreign nations.
They Cook poffeffiou of America by ri ht of conquest and
eonfeious of the fablenefs of their infant settlements, and
aware ofthe difficulty in eftabliflhng their domafl?n over
sum vafi regions, or of retaining so many reluftapt nati.
•as under the yoke, they dreaded tie intrufien of stran
gers; they even (hunted rhety infpeaion, and endeavour
ed to kep them at a difiance frem their coafis. This
fp rit of j^al >ufy and exclusion, which at firft was patu
ra, and per # Ops neceffiry, augmented as their poffrffions
in Amet /a extended, and the value of them came to he
more fatly unffiftood. In ions quence of it, afy flem 61
colonizing was introduced, to which there had hitherto
ten nothing fimil r among mankind. In the anc ent
world, it was not uncommon to fend forth colonies. But
they were of two kinds only. Tney we^ either mipr ti
ons, which ( rved to dilburden a State of its fypirfiuous
fcbje ds, when the? multiplied too lift for the territory
Which the, occupied 1 Or they were military detachments
ft linked, as garrisons, in a conquered province. The
Pointes of fgne Gr^k repnbli s, and the (warms of nor
thern barbarians which felted in different parts of Eu
, pe, were of the firft specie.% T^e Roman colonies were
othe fecund. In the former, th# connection with the
mo her tvu?'ry quickly ceaGd, and. ,they became inde
pendent Stated. In the fitter, 'as the disjußion was not
01 pHtfi the dependence continued. In tntir Aniericah
fetbmente, the S?amih monarchs took what was peculiar
to each, *nd fitfeted te unite them. By feuding colonies
to regions so remote, by eftablirtiiog in each a form^ in.
terror pUcy and admfni flration, under diftiaft Governors,
and with peculiar laws, they disjoined them ;r4m the mo
ther-country. By retaining in the rown hands ihe tights
oflegiflat ; on, as well as that of iropofing taxes, together
wilh the power of nominating the perlons who filled every
dteamrtm, thil or military, they fecored their depen
dence. Haopdy for 3oain, the filiation of her colours
was such, as rendered ft pcfilhle to reduce this new idea
Uto practice. Almpft all the countries which the had
difeovrted and occupied, lay within the tropics. The pro
dußionsof that Lar;e portion of the fl >oe, are different
fro^ th'oft of Europe, even in its mofi fontbera provin
ces. .The qualities of the climate and ofthe foil naturally
turn tjc industry of those who fettle there into new chan
bels. When the Spaniards firft took polesion of their do
ttwas in America, the precious metals which they yielded,
were the ody chjeft that attracted their attention, Even
when their efforts oegan to take a better direction, they
employed ihemfelves almost wholly in rearing such peculi
ar pr^uaious of theclimate, as, from their rarity or va
lue, were of chief demand in the mother country. Allu
red by vast profpeßs of immediate wealth, they difdaiaed
to waste their industry on what was lek lucrative, but of
fopmer moment. In order co render it impcffible to c%.
te& this error, and to preventthem from making any ef
forts s hat alight interfere with those of ipnin, the eftabldh
merit of fevtral species of manufactures, and even tho'cul
faWA of the vine, «u alive, are prohibited in the colonies,
uadi* severe p-nakies They must trull entirely to the
mother- cunt,y for the objects of primary neceffity.Their
clothes, their furniture, their indrurßents of labour, their
luxuries, and ever a coofiderable part of the provisions
which they confute, were imported from Spain. During
, great p-rt es the fixt?enth century, Spain poffeffiag an
extensive commerceaud fatifhlug manufactures, epuid
supply with e fe the growing demands of her colonies,
from her own Hores. The produce of their mines and
plantations wasgiven in exchange for them; But all that
the colonies received, as well as all that they gave, was
conveyed in Spanith bottoms; No veffej belonging to the
coionies fa ever permitted to carry the commodities of
Amerca to Europe. Even the commercial intercourse
of one colony with another, was either absolutely prohi.
toted, or limited by many jealous reftri&ions. All that
America yields fiqres into the portsof Spain; all that it
confutes muff issue from them. No foreigner caQ enter
@, es it# colonies wuhout wxprefs pmniffion ;
Adveffd ofany f^igt oatiart to received into their har
bours ; and the pains of death, with confifeaden of move
ables, are denounced against every inhabitant who prt
fumes to trade with theta. Thus the colonies are kept in
r slate of perpetual pupillage ; and by the introduction of
this commercial dependence, a rtfinemebt in policy of
which Spain set the firfcxafnpl* & tb the European nations,
the supremacy of the parent State hath been maintained
over remote colonies during two centuries and a half.
The PROCEEDINGS of NATURE truly
wonderful.-
ONE law sppearsto ba generally obfefved in the pro
pagation of animals; I mean the copulation of the
two sexes; yet snails, eels, &c. are generated in a man
ner utterly incooceiva t to us, no & being difcovmble,
by the mod accurate and judicious ex ruination. And
it is allo remarkable, that the former will live many heurs
in an exhibited receive r, and the heart of the latter, whm
feparited, has been known to beat an hour in the fame si
tu di&n.
Fr?gs will continue leaping nimbly wit: out their hearts,
an 'our, or two longer; yet cannot furvivLttie lof, of
their brain. But this is nothing (fay# the Hon. Mr.
Boyle) to the grange vivaity we have observed io the
viper ; for not only their hearts, when fevered from their
bodies, will beat for feveraJhours but the body itfelf
will continue to tvvine and twist for Tome days, after the
fcn, heart, head and intrails, are taken fr^m it; nod
upon purfture, wdl manifeft a vivid motion, after they
haveJoug Irin quiet. And some Indian tord/fes being
deigned for a royal table, by a King who admired tham;
their heads were cut off five days before they were dressed;
during which time, they notw.th ftandjßg continued
alive.— — To these he adds obfervitiah# on infers
surviving the lofsof their heads 1 And in particular, that
he lately found butterflies are capable of procreation after
wards..
These amazing an^ ftuoendons phenomena may b#
considered as D/vin 6 'natures ft mped on tie creation 1
And badly proclaim t'>e /^aknefe and foly of uman at
tempts to athom, with the hue of hurtru)under ftaoding,
the depth of infinite yifdom and power, in tie efficient
cause pf the meanest of his creaturefl.
All endeavours to account 'or the operations in the
wonderful works of toe Supreme Aoti.or, by hypotheses,
and principles which bear analogy to mechanic producti
ons, are id ! e, vlin, and utelels; as they are entirely a
bove our compr^henfion. Such writings therefore can only
tend to promote &neifin, pride, and arr^nce, in youth
ful minds.
To findy nature experimentally and meditatively, in
the wonderful works of the cr ation, s a ch fining, an
inftruaive science. It makes cur hearts flow with love
and gratitude to the tinder, the bunti ul Author of our
beings, who has fe benignly provided for our intelleß##!
Entertainment It engage "' to P a ^r, and ardently
will for theenjoymeut of celeflial wonders, and irccom
prenenfiblt frenes ot gl ry, grandeur, and magnificence,
which are prep red far us in k future state ; and indo ! ge
ourfehes with the moss tfaofzteting hopes of being made
partakers of such knowledge, as far exceeds the grestci,
abilities of human nature.
The following faprizing relation was published in the
philcfopbicp.l traufeamns for the year 1756, concerning
two women and a girl who were buried under a vast
heap of (now in the valley of S ura in Europe; which
tumbled down from the mountains, and overwhelmed
several b^ufes to the height of 60 suet, Those women
happened to be in a ftabte, where they remained from
the 19th of March to the 24th 01 April, when they were
dug out alive, and give the following account of the
'ni oner in which they lived.
J N the morning of the 19th of M,rch we 'were.in the
& fl.ble, with a boy fix years 6 d, and a girl about I,x
In the fame stable were fix ^oats, one of which having
brought forth two dead kids the evening be ore, we
went to carry her a (mail velTel full of rye floor gruel ;
there were also an a 6 and 5 or 6 sow!,. We were
filtering curfeives in a warm corner of the liable till
the church bell thould ring, intending to attend the ser
vice.:
The wife relates, that Wanting to go out of the liable
to kindle a fire in the house for her kufband, who wat
then-clearing away the (now from thd top thereof, (he
perceived 1 mass of (now breaking down towards the bast,
on which the went back into the liable, fhyt the demand
told her filler of it, in 1?m than three minutes they
heard the roof br^k over their heads, and also part of the
ceiling of the fiabh. The fitter advised her to get into
the rack and manger, which ihe did very carefully. The
ass was tiud to the monger, but got lome by kicking and
Fruggling, and though it did not break the waeger, it
threw down =he little veffrl, which the finer took up and
tided afterwards to hold the melted [now which served them
for drink.
Very fertenatriy th^ manner Was under the main prop
ofthe flab/e, and thereby refifed the weight of the snow.
Tbiir firft care was to know what they had to eat ; the
filler (aid, she had in I er pocket 15 white chefnuts; the
children said they,had brrakfafted, and should want no
more that day. Toey rwembfiped there were 30 or 40
loaves ina place near the fta»le, and endeavoured to get
at them, but were not able, by reefed of the vast quanti
ty of (now. On this they call'd out for help as loudly as
they p:ffibly could, but were berrd by nobody. The
tifter came dgain to the mauger, after ih& had tried in
vain to come at the loaves, gave two chs'nuts to the wife,
and eat two herfelf, and they drank forue (now-water.
All this while the ass was very reftlefa, and continued
kicking, and the goats bleated very mud ; but fwn af
ter they heard no mm of them. Two of the goats how
ever were left alive, and were n^.r the manger; they felt
them very carefully, and knew by so doing that one of
them was big, and would kid about the middle of April ;
the other gave milk, wherewith they preferred their
lives.
The women affirmed, thatdur ; ng all the time th4y were
thus buried, they saw not one ra) of light; baverthtlefe,
fcr apout io days they badfome notion nl night and day ;
for when the fowls crowed, they imsg^dd it'vra frak&f
day ; but at last the fowls died.
The second day, being very hungry, they oit aU&
remaining chefnats, and drank what milk the milch goal
yielded, * winch for the fa ft days was neat two pounds a
day, but the quantity decreased gradually.
The third day being very hungry, they again cadet
voured to get to tk,e place where tMe loaves were, near the
flable, but they could not penetrate to it through the
snow. They then refolv<4 to take all possible care to feed
the genus, as very fortunately over thecielin; of the fta.
ble, and jufl above the manger, there was an hayloft,
with a hole through whlth the hay was put down into the
rack. This opening was near the fift^r, who pulled down
the hay, and gave it to the £o<na, as long as frcoyld
teach it; which when foe could no longer do, thi
g®at€ climbed upon tier fhouldtr>, and reached it thern
felve#.;
On she sixth day theboy sickened, complainings! raoft
violent pains in the fiomach, and his irineh continued fix
days, on the last ®f whithhe defiled bis mother, who all
this time had held him in her lap, t lay him at his length
so the manger. She did so, and takm^ him by the band
felt it was very cold ; foe then put hes hand to his mcuth
and finding it. likewise very ccld, she gave him a little
milk ; the boy then cried, " 0 my father in the fnowl
Oh! father' father!" and then expired.
The mother fold the sister the bay wgs dead, and them
laid him in the manger near wherethe fitter was. In the
mean while the quantity & milk given by the goat dimt
nifhed daily, and the fowls being dead they could no
more diftingpifh night and day ; but according to their
calculation the time was near when the other goat fhoold
kid, which, rr they computed, would happen about the
middle of April ; at length tfoey found the goat was kick
ding by its cries : The ester helped it 1 They killed the
kid, to save the mi k for their own fubfifieece. And Dow
they knew it was the middle of April. Whenever they
called this goat, if would corrie and lick their faces and
hands, and gave them every day two pounds of milk, fee
which reafoo they still bear a great affeaiou to thia fame
goat.
They fay, during all this time, hunger gave them but
little uneaforfs, except 00 the 6ft five er fix days: That
their g©teft pain was from the extreme coldness of the
melted (how water, which fell on them, from the flench
of the dead ass, dead goats, fo^ls, from lice, &c but
more than all from ine very uneasy posture they were 0-
bliged to conunne in, For though the place in which
t^-y were buried was u E„J;& feet long, 8 wide,
and five high, the manner in which they fat fauat
ting agaioftthe will, was no inert than 3 feet 4 inches
broad.
For 36 days they had no evacuation by stool afte? the
firft days : The melted feow- water (which after some
t^rne they drank without dtxug them any harm)
was dricharged by urine. The mother Aid fie had ne
ver slept, bu^ the filter and caught er. declare they slept as
vtnib;
The abov^ account was attefled by rhe Aid women be
fore the Intendant on the &6m of May,ll7o.
L O N D O N.
A Letter from Ignatius Sancho, a very fesflUe Bte*,
lately in the fervfce of theDoke of Montagne, in Eag
tend, to Mr srr#RE, witty th# Aufw^r of that cele
brated genius. Exfrafted from the third volume of
Sterne's Letters, published by Ida daughter,
RIVERENO @r,
Jr would be an infufe on ,our humanity (or perhaps
look like i;) to apologize for the liberty lam taking,
40; one of fhofe people whom the vulgar and illiberal
call Nq%"'.-- The frit part of my life was rather un
lucky, as I wxs placed ina family wh@ judged ignorance
the bell ahd only security for obedience —A little reading
I got by unwearied application.—The letter part of my
life, has h^n, through God's bieffing, truly fortunate—.
having f^nf it in the service of cue of the best and great
est families in the kingdom —my chics pleasure has fees
books— Philanthropy I adore—How very much, good Sir,
^ml (among millions) indebted to you for tti'& character
of your Uncle Toby I—l declare I would walk (^ miles
in the dog days to thake k^nds with the heneft corporal.
—Your Sermon# have touched me re the heart, and I hope'
have amended it, which brings me to the point— In your
tenth dKQurfa page 7% in the fecund volume, is this ve
ry affecting passage “ Confider how great a part of our
fp r crt&, fn all ages dewn to thia, have been trod under
the feet cf cruel and capricious tyrants, who would neither
hear their crier nor pity their diftreffi^.—Confider flav'er,
—what is it—how bitter a draught—and bow many mil-m
lions are made to drink of it." Of all my favourite au
thors not oHsbas drawn a tear,in favour of my miserable
black brethren, excepting yourfelf and the humane author
of Sir George hlhfua—l think you will forgive me; I
am (ere you will applaud me for beseeching you to give one
half hour's attentive to slavery, ae it is at this day prv&f
fed in the Wefl-Indies.— That fubj^a handled in year
striking manner would case the yoke (perhaps) of ma
ny—but if only of one—Gracious God! what a feaft to
a benevolent heart ! and sure I am, you are an Epicurean
in ads of charity.—You are universally read, and as u
niverfaUy admired—you could not fail. Dear Sir, think
in me you behold the uplifted hands of thousands of my
brother Moors. Grief (you pathetically observe) is elo
quent : Figure to vourfelf their attitudes'; hrar their
fupplkating aadrefles ! Alas! you cannot rriufe.—Huma
ty must comply—in whi^h hope I beg permission to fub
fcrtbe myfelf. Reverend Sir, &c. I. S.
& This word is not printed exaftl? according to the 0-
rigiual letter : Sandlo wrote it A>g% to express hte
contempt of the vulgar pronunciation.
Mr. Sterne's ANSWER to Ignatius Sancmq,
Ccxwould, July 17, 1766.
TH ERE is a strange coincidence, Sancho, in the lit
tle events, (as well as in the great ones) of this
world ; Fer I had been writing a tender tale of the (or
rows ofa friendless poor negro g*h and my eyes had scarce
done smarting with it, when your letter of recommendation,
in behalf of so many of her bertren and sisters, came to rfe
—but why her brethren or yours, Sancho, any more than
mine? life by the finefl ties, and most insensible grada
tion, that nature descends from the draft face about St.
James's to the footiffl complexion in Africa I—At which