The Connecticut courant — Hartford, Conn., 1774-02-08 00:00:00, page 1

' »» • NUMBER 477.1
•[February, M.DCC.LXXIV,
TH E J|O^
CONNECr/c[/T ^^m^^^ c 0 u R wT '
— .
^•°k tai ting tbe frefbeji and moji important both Foreign ana Doir.ellic.
Tbe Weed) of fritting from the Floweri I cull;
3enicety taftele[s, f) correnty dull. Gwy.
Ob AVARICE and PATRIOTISM.
WHEN we conGJer the mutual dependance
of mankind upon one another, and our
natural inclinations to focicty and friendly io
tercourfe.it is wonderful that our practice (bould
so evidently contradict the sentiments of our
minds,and that Tome of the most capable of our
species (hjuld bend all their powers toprofecute
their own private imereti at the expence of their
country’s tranquility’and happinds. Too me
lancholy obferr'ations alone could ever convince
any one iofpired with coble magnanimity, that
there are such a number of persons in the fame
political body who are perpetually receiving all
pofGble advantages from their own community,
and at the fame time rcfolving none (hall ever
receive the famebenefit. from them. It is im
poffiMe but thax a'man mull have entirely ex
tieguHhed all notions of honour, of greatness
and of humility before he can arrive to such a
contracted difpoGtipn, as unfits him for every
thing but the gloomy fatisfaCtjon of building his
fortune upon the ruin of bis oM^hbdurt; and
leads him to expeCFreputation by a baseness that
deserves eternal obliquy. When we have de/
Rroyed for once that ambition, which is tbs
common glory and charaCleriftic of human na
ture, we have loft ooc of the mod powerful
Springs to all great and generous nations : We
degrade ourselves beneath the dignity ofreafen
able beings, and fink into more than brutal dif*
jrofitions, when we not only disregard the wel
fare of our country, but Jet loefe our coveteous
defircs, in an unbounded range to the deftrufti
onof our fellow creatures.
Amongftall the vicious qualities that have
tainted human nature, there is none that looks
with a more malignant afpeft upon the public
than covetousness, efpccially whin its fubjedt
is in any exalted (latioo of life. The man who
is governed by this principle, is unfit to firve
his country, his friends or himfelf: Because he
is engaged ia the vilest vaffslage to bis ravenous
appetite, and he has no more power to improve
or enjoy his passions than if they were other
Mens property ; he is fa devoted to the fcrvice
of his tyrannic mafttr that he dares not prose
cute any other design for the advantage of the
public than whit he can reconcile to his own
partial plans of avarice / and as bis ungovered
passion llifks his concern for his species, and
vilifies his actions, so there is not a fiogle person
that can pay him the lead sincere rcfpeCt when
living ; and when he expires, his memory (hall
endure only to be tortured by the tongues of
thofc whom he has iijured by his oppreffioo.
He will not be able to refleft upon his ufekff
nefs and inhumanity without the utmpft flume
and diftraAion ; nor can he cXpeCt, because he
will bt (cnlible he does not deserve, the lead
commiseration his riches will be so far from
yielding him any consolation, that they will
hang as fp many ktolera'ble burthens upon his
conference ; nor can he draw any comfort from
hisueareft relatives, who perhaps will fee eagerly
longing for his fpcedy diffolotion. In (hort,
all nature will rife up io arms agdnft him ; and
yvith the ft ghts of his fellow-creatures, the
clameun of his confckoce and the amtzing prof-
From T U E S D A Y, February 8, to TUESDAY, February 15, 1774.
glory.
What a delightful figure must such a bene
faflor make in the eyei of the wonder ng popu
lace ; while a divine fatisfadlion of mind shall
follow him in the progress of his life ; and, at
the hour ofhis departure, such gloricus profpeas
(hall arise upon his setting foul, as fttall reward
his labours of love a thouland fold into his own
bosom ; he (hall leave the world with the re
flefiivc comfort of a life well spent ; his coun
try (halt rife up and call him blcfled, asd in
the moment of his expiration be (hall be ushered
into the divine presence, where is fulnefs of
joy; and enter upon the cverlafliog exercises
of praise to God ia tbc bigheft, and of love to
all his creatures.
pedis of futurity he cicnot but be truly misera
ble. .
This may fufficiently demonfirate how dnho
notable and danger ops it is to confine our re
girds to our own per fans, wheb the kind au
thor of our nature has provided such numberlcfs
objefls, and such a boundlcfs latitude for our
love and beneficence.
As our natural parents, who are tbc infku
ments of our being,-are intitled to the most lad
ing reverence and affeftton, so the place cf our
nativity may juflly claim an high regard, and a
more than common iotereft in every exprefian
of it,and the basest ingratitude aioncwill iodine
□ s to. the contrary. But though dur native
land Aould appear in our eye- with a peculiar
lovdiocfr and diftinftion, yet the whole circle
of rational beings are <0 partake.in our atfdflion ;
and though all have not equal capacities and op
portunities to serve mankind,.-yet a benevolent
temper is an ornament and praise to even ihe
lowed members of a community ; and there is
not an individual person, b£tt,ifhe was spirited,
might be of feme real benefit to society.
But if the obligation to. public ufefu’nefs
reaches down to the lower rrdcr of our species,
what expedfations may we net - etertain from the
rich and honourable ; who are the great funs
in our hemisphere, that may diffufe their influ
cnee to the remotest corners of the earth, and
may be gods to their people. Thtfc arc the
great springs of public a&ion and enterprize
which can set all the wheels of the political
world in such a flrong and regular motion as
may terminate inithc most desirable revolutions.
; It is an happy employment to viGt the heufes
of misery, and to refeue the most deplorable cb
jc&s from their melancholy circurnftacces ; but
to extend our charity to families and societies,
to fwcep whole towns and provinces within the
circle of our benevolence, is to imitate that be-
ing who is as universal as he is unwearied in the
distributions of his munificence. <s
The fcrvice of mankind.is a vast and bound,
less field in which wc may freely expatiate,and
be in no danger of running into excess cf be
nevolence. Here the most ambitious patriot
may allow the reins to his generous appetite,
and find a full cxercife for his oobleft powers,.;
and with this comfortable circumflance, that
while he is purfuiog the most laudable measures
to promote the welfare and happiness of his
country, hit epplaufc will rife in proportion to
his diligence, and the bright ministers cf fame
will vigouroufly pursue the hero, through atl bis
eoterprizes, and only wait the consummation
ofhis labours to crown him with uafadiog
’ From the BOSTON GAZZETTE?
PLYMOUTH, January 7, 1774.
Mejjicurt Edk» & Gut.,
I HAVE been aftoni(h’dthat nobody has trans
mitted to you an account of the celebration
of the 22d of December in this town, and the
anniversary of our ancestors firft landing in
New England ; an event pregnant with empire,
and ought to be commemorated that we may
keep in view the magnitude cf their fufferiogt,
and the cause which compcll’d them to aban
don their native country ap.d begin 1 fettlcment
(as it is dfewherc finely exprefs’djon bare crea
tion. In the morning the committee ofcorrcf
pondence affemblcd at Mr Howland’s, and from
thence proceeded to Mr Robbin’s meeting house,
where the Rev’d Mr. Charles Turner deliver’d
a difeonrfe on the occasion from Zechariah 4th
chapter, part of the 9 b and 10th verses. it is
difficult to-fay whether bis difeourfe was most
rcmaikab’c for the sublimity of the sentiment,
the harmony of the periods, or the glorious spi
rit of liberty which breath’d thro’every Centencc.-
After fcrvice the greater part of the people,
together with five of tbe clergy conven’d at Mr.
Howlands, and found an elegant and veryfuit
able dinner prepar’d for their Entertainment.
The whole day and evening were spent agree
ably and to the honour of all prefect. Every
countenance was expressive cf gratitude and joy
and every tongue exuberant inbleffiog tbe memo
ry of our fathers. The breast which had only
one spark of pairiotifm mud have been rais’d
to a flame, to fee a large circle of venerable old
men, in contemplating the difficulties and hard
ships the firft settlers waded through, animated
to a degree that wou’d have excited them to
bleed at the (brine of freedom*
BOSTON, Feb. 7. ■
The greatest contcfi at prefect between the
friends of Government and the friends of Liber
ty, seems to be, whether the Judges of the Su
perior Court (hall receive their Salaries as ufull
by the Grants cf the General Aflcmbly of this
Province,, or be dependent opon the Crown for
their Support. Both sides agree that if the
latter takes place, cur Courts of Juflice will be
turned into Courts of Politicks, and thofc whe
for the future are to hold the Stations of vener
able Judges, will be, equally with Crown Offi
cers, under too ftroeg a temptation to pervert
Law and Justice, in Compliance with the Hn
mour or Intcieft of a weak or corrupt British
Miniftcr.
We hear that one G , a new made
Justice at Wellfleet, purchased twoChefls efthe
EjS India Company’s Tea that was saved out
of tbe Brig lately wreck’d at Cape Cod ; one
of which he carried to the Place of his abode ;
but before he had retailed one third of it, the
Fecple there took the Insult offered them into
Coofideration at a legal Town Meeting, where
having expressed their Minds, they dtmandeef,,
and got the Remainder into their Pc&ffion.—
Tbe other Chest was left at Province Towir,
at which Place (about a Fortnight since) there
was an Ordination, when 7 Indians appeared;
who, without much Ceremony, leiz’d upon the
detested Drug and burnt it.
ChoiceMalagaLemons,
to heboid EXTRXMg^e/lE^P, by
Thsmsr, Hartford,