The New-Hampshire gazette and historical chronicle — Portsmouth, N.H., 1773-05-21 00:00:00, page 2

J tx ^irtute fumum. Tacitus De Mor. Cef.
4 appinefs and Qgiet of Society is the greatest Be
, 1 neh that Men, as Citizens, are capable of enjoying ; it
is therefore the Duty of each Member to contribute all in his
Power to that valuable Purpose. From this general Principle,
the relpe&ive Duty of each Individual may be collected, whether
Ruler or Ruled : premising one Remark, That the Ruler is a
Part of Society as well as the Ruled ; and that the Obligations
are reciprocal : Protection from one Side, and Obedience at least
so far as is necessary to insure that Protection on the other. The
obvious Duty of the Ruler is, he receiving his Support, and all
his Importance from the Relation he stands in, to make and
ordain such RULES for the Ruled to be govern'd by, as in
their own Nature, and the Circumstances of the PEOPLE, are
moil likely to conduce to the Principle before advanced, viz#
the Q^iet and Happiness of them.
The next Duty is the Appointment of such Executors as will
tarry those Rules, generally denominated LAWS, into Practice,
with the greatest Probability of answering the above Purpose :
I fay Probability, because such are the Imperfections of Man
kind, that Certainty of their Qualifications can never be, by the
most sagacious Ruler, come at. The Conformity of Behaviour
to those Rules is Virtue, as far as refpeds Man ; the contrary,
Vice ; therefore, the Sage that knew no other Virtue orßule of
Actions, than the Laws, said right, when he obferv'd, " where
there is no Law, there is no Transgression." Now the Duty of
the Ruler is to appoint such from the Society who are best qua
lified to compare Actions with Principles, who are with us de
nominated Judges. The Principle, that he that has most Pro
perty, or is most dependant upon the private Connections of the
-Ruler, has a Right to be one of those Comparers, will vanish
like the baseless Fabrick of a Vision. The Ruler is supposed
of fufficient Capacity to difeern the different Qualities of the
Different Candidates for Office, and by the very Principles of
Society, is bound to employ such as are fitteft for promoting
the Principles aforefaid. Therefore we have a Right to claim
at any Time, the Difmiffion of a corrupt or an ignorant Officer.
How many such there are, the Evils attending the different
Offices, will fufficiently determine. And should the Ruler neg
led such Claim, he forfeits his Right of Ruling, having dif
ftroyed the Principles upon which he himfelf has been constitu
ted. But an important Q^eftion here arises, Who flhall deter
mine the Fad ? I answer, the Persons who feel the Injury.
We fee the Ruler's Duty on one Side; let us contrast the
Subject's therewith on the other, that we may discover the ma
ny important Obligations we owe, not only to the Ruler, but
also to each other. A ftrid Adherence to Rules, formed by
the supreme Authority, is the firft and most obvious Duty, and
glares too much, to escape the most careless Observer. As a
Confluence from the foregoing Rule is, it being our Duty to
adhere to Rules, to use our utmost Endeavour to discover them;
on this Principle is founded the Maxim, of Ignorance of Law,
is no Excuse for the Breach of it ; Peace and Quietness being
the great End of Society, our utmost Vigilance to prevent, and
- (far firmeft Courage to suppress every Riot, or other Disturbance
of the public Quiet, that may arise, will be no less our Duty. I
mean not here, to insinuate an absolute Subjection to all Rules
whether equal or unjust ; for I have before observed, that the
Ruler is equally bound to the Observance of them with the
Ruled ; and so far from being agreable to Law, is such an abso
lute SubjeCtion, that Refinance to unjust Rules is strongly in
joined by the fundamental Rule of Society, via. mutual Safety.
Obedience to Laws is the Principle of all social Virtues, Hus
band and Wife, Parent and Child, Master and Servant, owe their
refpedive Duties to the fame Principle. These Obligations are
generally so well known,that few honest Minds ever in Theory
asiftake them. But some other Duties are so enveloped in Ob
scurity, or concealed by Prejudice, that even Men of Integrity
frequently mistake them, and no one Duty is more uncertain
than that which we owe to the Law, and ,each other in the
Recovery of Property. The most important Lines of that
Branch of Obligation I ffiall attempt to delineate.
By the fame Reason that every Person is bound by Law to pay
unto you the Sum he owes, are you bound to do to him the fame.
The Preservation of Property in Society, according to the Rules
thereof, is absolutely necessary for the Preservation of Society ;
because a Society is a Body of Men united by Laws made for
the Preservation of them and their Property ; and in entering
into it, they have each given up so much of their natural Li
berty as is necessary (and no more) for the Preservation of the
Rights left them. Now the Security of Property to each Indi
vidual, to whom it belongeth, being one of those Things, that
if destroyed, will subvert the Society, it behoveth each Member
to submit to such Orders as the Society have substituted for the
acquiring, not only, but also the Security of Property. It has
been before observed, that one obvious Duty of the Cityzen is to
submit to all Rules that are not in themselves unequal and un
jud. The taking of the Body upon Execution duly obtained,
being one of those Rules, it follows, that however difagreable
it may be to the personal Liberty of the Individual, or contrary
to his Inclination, he ought to submit.
On one Side, the Officer is commanded to arrest the Body
of the Debtor, if he can be found ; and that it is his Duty to
do the firft, in Consequence of the last, no one can doubt. It
is absurd to fay, that the Officer is bound to arrest, when the
other has a Right to prevent his being arrested, because every
Law must be contradictory to itfelf, that enjoins one Man to
the Performance, and another to the Prevention of the fame
Thing. The Precept directs the Officer to arrest, and nothing
#„an be pretended to authorizea Resistance, but personal Liberty,
that I have proved before, to be given up, because the Security
of the Resister's Property depends upon the fame Law that en
joins the Arrest ; and if generally subverted, would inevitably
subvert the State : The Law upon Execution, enjoins to find
and arrest: The Officer is most certainly to use all reasonable
Endeavours to carry (he Spirit of the Command into Execution.
You shall not arrest me, fays the Resister ; if you do, I will
kill you. I must obey the Law, fays theOfficer,and proceeding
to arrest —iskilledp Now the Rule about Self-Defence is,
no Man on any Pretence, (hall kill another, unless thereby he
secures his own Life, or that appears to be the natural Tendency
of the killing.. Apply that Rule to the Case above suggested;
by the Comparison it appears, the Refiftcr has no Right, be
cause the killing has not the Tendency before-mentioned, and
the obvious Effect is, that the Resister thereby prevents the Of
ficer from dbing what was not only his Duty to do, but also his
to fuhnutto, without Resistance. This Dodrine subverts every
Principle we have heretofore held sacred, and will fubjeCt every
Man s House to be ransacked at the Diferetion of every igno
rant Deputy. What then ? Every Person that lives in, and
enjoys the Protection of Society, tacitly acknowledges himfelf
fubjed |o the ^awsof Society, and is bound to submit to them
all, not in themselves unjuft^ And no Man's House /ball
flereen him from the Law# It is true, the Law permits a Man
to flee from its Reach, but never allows Resistance to its Offi
cers, when it's Injunctions can be carried into Execution# Must
I fly and leave Family and Friends, Property and Connexion,or
else submit to the Terrors and Horrors of a Goal. If you will
live in the States submit to its Laws ; and if you- have put
5
yourfelf in such a Situation that you cannot, where is the legal
Hardship of being obliged to leave it. As Christians, we are
obliged to submit to the Powers that be, for this obvious Rea
son, "they are ordained of God, fays the Apostle. Resistance,
I am inclined to think, is in no Case lawful with real Chrifti
ansj they were never permitted to resist. It is true, they are
allowed, in certain Cases, to fly ; and a Kingdom, that is not
of this World, disdains worldly cleans to fopport its Subjects.
However, as the Community has very little to do with real
Christianity, I have ufeQ Arguments drawn from the Nature of
Society, to enforce Obedience to its LAWS. L. C. J. H#
MARBLEHEAD, May iB.
Yesterday Captain Calley arrived at Mar
blehead in 36 Days from FALMOUTH,
by whom we are favoured with the fol
lowing late Articles of Intelligence, viz.
LONDON, March 27.
VESTERDAY at 2 o'clock the Lord-Mayor, attended by
Serjeant Glynn, Recorder, Alderman Bull, Mr# Sheriff
Lewes, City Remembrancer, Common Serjeant, Town-Clerk,
eight of the Livery, and the Rest of the City-Officers, went to
St. James's, where the Recorder read to his Majesty the Address,
Petition and Remonstrance from the City of London : To
which his Majesty was pleased to give the fallowing answer.
" I have the fatisfadion to think that my people don't doubt
" of my readiness to attend to their complaints, or of my ardent
" desire to promote their happiness, which I cannot more es
" fedualy do, than by resisting every attempt to sow groundless
" jealousies among them.
" Your Petition is so void of foundation, and is besides con
" ceived in such difrefpedful terms, that lam convinced you
" do not seriously imagine it can be complied with."
The King was attended by a numerous Court, and seemed
very chearful ; and before the Citizens were introduced to his
Majesty, they were given to understand, that on such ait occa
sion as the present, they were not to expert to kiss the King's
hand#
Yesterday the Earl of Stormont took leave of his Majesty, and
to-morrow will set out on his ambaffy to the court of France#
Yesterday Col. Barre observed in the House of commons, that
opposition was quite dead, and he was left Chief Mourner over
her Bier.
March 28. Letters from Paris fay, that the court of Verfail
lies only wait to receive some advices from the French Ambas
sador at Vienna, after which that Court will declare itfelf an
enemy to the conduct of the three united Powers.
March 29. It is expeded that Parliament will not rife, at
soonest, till the 20th of June, nor, if punishments or public cen
sures takes place, till the month of July.
March 30. The present conduct of the French Ambassador
and our Ministry, with refped to their balls, brings to our recol
ledion the expression of the Kings of Brentford 1 "We fhgll
fettle our ftate-affairs butfrft woe'll bane a dance,."
The famous alliance which is now almost concluded between
England, France, and Spain, is universally allowed to be unna
tural, and will certainly share the fate of unnatural things : it
is a monfler, and cannot live long.
It is reported that the City Remonstrance is to be laid before
a great Assembly.
* We have the pleasure to inform the public, that the Earl of
Bellamoht is perfectly recovered.
They write from Paris that the Court of France has openly
declared, that, if any Prussian troops march into Swedish Po
merania, a numerous army shall immediately set out for Emb
den, Friefland, and other states belonging to Brandenburgh.
The House of Commons, it is said, will prolong their Sessions
'till the middle of July, on account of the many affairs still re
maining for their consideration.
Two Couriers arrived this day from the Continent with
some spirited remonstrances to our court.
We hear that the bug-bear which the King of Prussia holds
up continually to deter our K--- from interfering with the
plunders on the Continent is, the ruin of Hanover. If Great-
Britain makes one offentive step to interrupt that Monarch's
views in this scandalous affair, he threatens, as his firft stroke,
to pour swarms of troops into Hanoyer# It appears that these
threats are fufficient, for it has been determined in the British
cabinet, that the division of Poland can be ia no degree injurious
to the Interests of Britain.
As a frefh stroke to public credit, a very eminent banker flop
ped payment yefterday#
April 3. We hear that Sir John Dalrymple has lately dis
covered some curious manuferipts, in the ruins of Herculoneum,
by which it appears, that all the old Greek and Roman patriots,
were traitors to their country#
Norton, May 13.
Yesterday arrived here the Ship John, Capt. Hunter, and the
Brig Minerva, Capt. Morrison, in 6 Weeks from Glasgow, have
bro't no public Prints, but by Letters from thence of the 28th,
and gift of March we are informed, that there had been a Riot
among the Seamen on account of their Wages, about 600 as
sembled and continued together till they encreafed to about 900,
when they began to be outrageous, whereupon Authority was
obliged to call the Guards to their Assistance, who fired on them
and killed two on the spot, and wounded two more, who died
in a short time after, whereupon they dispersed.
The Brig Bee, failed 5 or 6 Days before Capt, Morrison, for
this Place.
Monday, May 17.
By a Gentleman from Hartford this Morning, we are told,
that at the General Election there last Wednesday, the fame
Gentlemen who served in Office last Year were again re-elected :
I hat the Commissioners for fettling the Boundary Line between
this Province and New-York, had met; and 'twas thought
would # accomplish the Bufimefs of the Congress so as to set off
03 their Return from thence on Wednesday next#
Capt. Lee in a Ship from hence, and a New-Brig, --- .-
was arrived at Glasgow.
There is now at Charleftown, South-Carolina,(lately brought
from London) a wonderful, furprizihg^unparallelled natural cu
riosity, confiding of twelve furprizing pictures, which are the
genuine productions of nature in a walnut tree. This curiosity
was sawed accidentally out of the large spur root of a tree, in
the city of Hereford, in England : as the sawyer were ordered
to saw the root of the tree into thin Board, every board that
same from the saw had the true pictures of the portraits of men's
buffs in profile, as large as the life, with every feature in just
proportion, with a perfect representation of the hair on the
heads and beards, differing in their likenesses from youth to old
age, requiring no co-operating fancy, but strike powerfully and
at once, in the fame manner that other elegant pictures do#
They write from Jamaica, that the Governor of the Havana
had received orders to oblige all the natives of England, who
may be there, to evacuate the island of Cuba.
°f a Letter from Glasgow, Sunday, March 7,
“ .There is just now a riot at Greenock among the sailors,
who infitt that their wages should commence immediately on
their going aboard at the tailof * e bank , inflead of u hen they
set fail, as was the practice formerly, They are assembled to
the number of 500, headed by some Irishmen. They have not
only prevented the ffiips from failing, but put a flop to all busi
ness at the port, and will not even allow tobacco to be weighed
at the King's scales. What military we have here, which is
only about 100 men, are gone down this morning"'
Another letter received from Glasgow, mentions, "that the
mob continuing to behave in a riotous manner, the 'magiftrates
read the riot aft ; the mob still continuing, the soldiers fired
their pieces over the people's heads, when two women were
killed, and a man and woman dangeroully wounded. The mi
litary then seized some of the Ringleaders, and the mob disper
sed. They however assembled again at midnight, and the ma
gistrates thought it prudent to deliver up the persons they had
taken. This morning letters were received by General Ough
ton, desiring the assistance of the military which are immediate
ly to be lent."
Thursday last arrived his Majefly's Ship Gibraltar from South
Carolina.
We hear a Vessel is arrived at Rhode-Bland from Hispaniola,
which bring advice, that upwards of 20 Sail of Vessels had beeri
ately leized or detained, in the different Ports at that Island for
Waving on Board Articles, which by ACls of Trade, were'nct
allowed either to be carried thither, cr brought from thence
We are informed, That one Day last Week, a Number of
People at New-London, took and burnt a Barge belonging to
one of the Protectors of their Trade for being rather too offici
ous in their Business.
A letter from Burnt Island, in Scotland,
“ Dear Reverend Sir,
t" ^^"y be "°" for others th ^t you are acquainted with any
that afteCts the circumstances of multitudes. The people em
ployed in the manufactories in this country, (the chief of which
. is liner#) have now only from a third to an half of their usual
business .which their Employers divide in a manner that seems
very just ; they give each workman a little, so that in some
places they will have two days work in the week, some three,
but in many parts of the country the poor people have really no
employment at all, amohgft which are swarms of women and
girls whose food used to be procured by their wheels, many of
which have of course ftopt with the looms, and those that'are
employed receive three-half pence and two-pence in the Shilling
less than they did in August last,
" The necessaries of life I think are much the fame price as
they were last Year at this time, oatmeal you know is the com
mon food of the poor here, and this is a little more than three
half pence per pounds--thirteen pence per peck of eight pounds#
Dundee and Perth there hadjeea some inattentive in
supplying the markets with a fufficient quantity of meal for the
CQnfumptian, the people could not be served at any price, and as
they saw corn Whipping at their Keys, hunger prevailed over fear
and they ran together and formed a body to prevent it, and also
to compel others that had corn to bring it to market. Sixteen
or Seventeen of these people were afterwards laid hold of, and
nbt °u^ ht into Edinburg to be tried for their lives
Should it be the fate of any ofthem to be hanged, their fituatior
may be as much envied as pitied by those that are left behind.
" the King was to d ~fi re to have a true account of
the situation of the poor part of his fubjeds in this country, the
", orma , 0n might run pretty much in the style of the French
General s letter, who went into Germany to take thecommand
the forces in the late war. He wrote to the King that he
had tound the army in three divisions ; the xft, who were abun
dantly the happiest, were under ground, the zd in Hospitals, and
the 3d a set of half flarved creatures eloathed in rags."
NEW-LONDON, May 7.
Monday arrived Capt. Melally from Guadeloupe, in whom
came Passenger Mr. Edward Hallam, Merchant.
Capt. Melally informs, that the day before he failed from
Point Petre, a Man of War arrived there from Old France,
with Orders that no English Vessels should trade at that Place,
without a Permit from the Governor.
A Letter from on Board the Schooner , Captain Joseph
Powers, who failed from this Port in December last, bound to
Gibralter ; gives an Account that on the 26th of that month
they had a most violent Gale of Wind : After the Gale, in
Lat# 36, 26, Long. 9. they spoke a schooner, Capt. Looper from
Salem who in the fame Gale, had her Mainmast carried away, &
her Bowsprit sprung ; but afterwards arrived at Cadiz.
Arrived, Ship London Packet, Captain Parker, from Bristol.
It is reported that there has lately been a capital Failure in
Ireland.
The E^rl of Halifax Packet, Capt. Boulderfon fails this Day
with the Mail for Falmouth.
We hear from Crown Point that about Noon on Wednefey
the 21st of April, last, the Men being all out a Fishing, a:
Chimney Point, the commanding Officer, froma Summer-house
perceived a Fire breaking out on the Roof of the Barracks, in
that Part next to the Store Bedding. He immediately ran to
the Flag-Staff, hoifled a Signal for the Men to come in, and or
dered the Women out of the Garrison, Capt. Anftruther and
Dr. Miller, exerted themselves to the utmost, but it Was impos
sible to ftopt the Flames which were risen to a great Height in
the Store Bedding, and were soon communicated to the Maga
zine, which contained 25 Chests of Arms, 25 Stands in each
Chest, and 99 Barrels of Gun-Powder; In a few Minutes, the
Arms were destroyed together with all the Mens goods, &c.
the Magazine blew up with a dreadful Explosion, and the Build
ings except some of the Gone Walls, were burnt and deftrbyed
to their Foundations# The People all efeaped unhurt.
Tuesday last arrived the Brig Havannah Capt. Hamiliton, in
37 Days from Dublin, in whom came Passengers, Licut. George
Cupbaige, of the 26th Regiment, Licut. M'lntelh, late of the
2 7jjjregiment, and Ensign Buchanan, of the 47th Regiment.
Ihe Sloop'Sally, Capt. Benjamin Trev^rt, belonging to
Rhode-Ifland, seized at Turks-Island, for having foreign Rum
on board, is condemned at Providence.
On Wednesday last arrived at the Watering Place, his Ma
jesty's Ship Lively, Capt. Talbot, ordered on this Station by
Admiral Montague, until the return of the Arathufa, Captain
Hammond, gone to carreen at Halifax.
Saturday last the Supreme Court ended here, at which was
tried and found guilty, john Burns, alias Thomas Watson, for
being concerned with Thompson, (who was executed here last
November) in robbing the House of Samson Benfon,at Harlem,
Heis to be executed on Friday the 28th Instant. When he
found he was brought in guilty, he made Preparations for an Es
cape, in which he was detected, and fecuted.
PHILADELPHI A, May 3.
Extract of a Letter from London, March 18.
" Last Week B, and F. flopped payment for 180,000 k flerh
NEW-YORK, May 6.
o Monday last the Mercury Packet, Capt. Robert Dillon, arrived
in 8 Weeks from Falmouth.