The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1784-03-16 00:00:00, page 2

To the Printer of tbe NEW-JERSEY
GAZETTE.
S I R,
AMIDST the infinite perplexity of politi
cians from what sources to draw revenues
for defraying our national debt, I have
often wondered that it has never occurred
to our Legislature to alleviate the present publick bur
den, by imposing a double tax upon Bachelors ; I
mean Bachelors arrived at such a certain age, when
it is to be presumed that they abstain from marriage
either through downright aversion to it, or from the
most inordinate avarice. Ibis aversion itfelf, and
their consequent continuance in a state of celibacy, is
so extremely detrimental to society, that it is at least
questionable whether it ought not to be punished cri
minaliter. A man who is determined not to marry,
and consequently to disobey the fiift and great com
mand, Shews an eventual resolution, as far as in him
lies, to extingmfh the whole human race. For was
every man to live and die a Bachelor, the species
must certainly, in a few years, be totally annihilated.
They may pretend, it is true, that a state of celibacy
does not necessarily imply a state of inactivity; and
indeed in my office as a Justice of the Peace, 1 have
known some of them but two aßive in that state:
But then with fubmiliion to that particular class of
those gentry, who forage upon commonage in gross,
and are determined to live like free-booters in the re
gions of corrupted female innocence, I must take the
liberty to tell them, that the laws of all well-regulated
societies reprobate the idea of promifeuous propaga
tion. Thus are they reduced to the alternative of
persisting in their disobedience to the said command,
or of complying with it in a manner dill more cri
minal than the most pertinacious delinquency. It is
not my design however in this paper, to Shew the ne
cessity of enacting penal laws against them. Probably
the pecuniary punishment of a fupernumera-y tax, for
which I am a most strenuous advocate, may fuper
cede the necessity of more rigorous edi&s. But as to
a double tax for the peculiarity of their manoeuvres to
dissolve all society, besides the reasons I Shall here
after aflign, I think I cannot be mistaken in the rec
titude of an additional burden, unlels it be in not in
lifting upon a treble instead of a double tax.
The principal Source of riches in every well-policied
community, consists in the number of its inhabitants.
I will not, upon this occasion, be lavish of that little
learning of which a poor farmer, though one of the
quorum, may be supposed to be pofTeffed, by Shewing
how greatly matrimony has been encouraged, and
how much celibacy has been difeountenanced, by the
wisest and most enlightened nations. It is needless in
3 case so clear in itfelf, to cite,the jus trium libero
rum of the Romans in favour of wedlock, or the re
markable Severity of the Emperor Augustus against
Bachelors. Nor is it necessary to recapitulate the ar
guments that have been adduced by the most judici
ous writers, to prove that the poverty and wretched
ness so peculiarly observable in popifh countries, is
principally owing to the number of the eloiflered re
ligious of both sexes, and the swarms of ecclefiafticks,
who neither marry nor are given in marriage. Rea
son wants not the aid of authorities to recommend it
felfto men of reflection and impartiality. And what
can be more reasonable than that those who so greatly
contribute as the married, to the publick prosperity,
fliength and opulence, by increasing the number of ci
tizens, fliould be favoured in point of taxes; and that
the alleviated quantum Should be laid upon those who
cannot pretend to render their country the like essenti
al and most important Services? Confider the matter in
point of expense with refped to the married man and
the Bachelor, and the argument for laying a greater
burden on the latter than the former is irresistible.
The Bachelor of equal fortune with the wedded has
no other creature to maintain but himfclf, save perhaps
a favourite dog or cat (for if he keeps a mistress, so
much the worse, by a proposition already advanced)
while the other is rearing an offspring that will in fu
ture continue the multiplication of the species, culti
vate the ground, fight for the state, populate its ter
ritories, and contribute, by the payment of taxes, to
its Support and aggrandizement. Is not all this of
greater advantage to the state, even if he paid no tax
at all, than what is paid by the Bachelor, by the Ba
chelor I fay, that useless, barren, Singular woman-hat
ing excentrick oddity of this our terraqueous globe?
With refpe& to taste, with refped to happiness, on
which fubjeds these gentlemen profefs to be so great
connoiSSeurs —was not the firft woman expressly cre
ated for the firft man, in order that he Should not be
alone? And are these men, in the sense of inspirati
on, the less alone, for all the women in the world,
if they will not honestly unite themselves to any ?—
Do they glory in resisting the attractive charms of the
most beautiful part of the creation, and know they
not that they glory in insensibility, and boast of the
merit of rocks and statues? Ido not wish them the
violent and singular death of Orpheus; but by all
means let us oblige them to pay for their fin of omif
fa. 3. A letter of the 17th December last, from
Mi. F. Dana was read, informing Congress of his ar
rival at Boston, after a paflage of 95 days, from Pe
terfburgh ; and desiring to know whether it is the ex
pectation of Congress, that he Should come on to the
place of their sessions, and without loss of time to ren
der a more particular account of his late mission.—
Whereupon,
Refolded, That the President inform Mr, Dana, it
is the desire of Congress to receive his communicati
on, relative to his mission to the Court of Russia, and
to the disposition of that Court towards the United
States, as soon as the circumstances of his affairs, and
the season Shall admit of his attending Congress.
? a "°, 5. On the report of a Committee to whom
was referred a memorial from Gustavus Conyngham,
praying for the renewal of a commission of Captain in
the navy of the United States, received from the
Commiflioners in Paris, in 1777, and loft by him, or
to be reinstated in h:s former Situation.
Resolved, \ hat the prayer of the said memorialift
cannot be granted, such commissions being intended
for temporary expeditions only, and not to give rank
in the navy.
On the report ofa Committee to whom was referred
a letter from the Commander in Chief, of the 28th
Atiguft, containing a proposal from the Secretary of
the Polish order of Knights of Divine Providence,
that Congress Should nominate a number of suitable
perlons to be created Knights of the said order.
Resolved, that the late Commander in Chief be
requested to inform the Chevalier Jean de Heintz,
Secretary of the order of Divine Providence, that
Congress are sensible of the attention of that order,
' n proposing to them to nominate a number of suita
ble perlons to be created Knights of the order of Di
vine Providence; but that Congress cannot, confid
ently with the principles of the confederation, accept
of their obliging proposals.
Jan. 6. The Committee to whom was referred a
letter of the 22d November, from the postmaster ge
neral, with Sundry papers enclosed therein, reipeding
the robbery of the mail at Princeton, report the fol
lowing state of fads:
“ I hat about nine o'clock in the evening of the
30th of October last, the mail for the eastward was
doled and laid on the counter, in the poftoffice—that
the poftrider came into the office, and palled into a
room adjoining, with the postmaster, leaving the mail
on the counter, and a lighted candle near it, without
any one in the office, the door leading into the ftieet
and the room adjoining being open—that under these
circumstances some person entered the office at the
front door, extinguished the candle and carried off the
mail—that some days after the robbery of the mail,
it was found in a meadow near Princeton, and re
turned to the general poftoffice—that the mail con
tained a large packet of notes Signed by Michael Hil
legas", treasurer, and other valuable effeCts, none of
which were miffing ; but that five or fix letters were loft
and several franked by members of Congress were
broke open, Upon which state of faffs the Commit
tee conceive th&t the interests of individuals, the re
venue of the poftoffice, and the national honour are
Most serene, Serene, most puissant, puissant, high,
illustrious. noble, honourable, venerable, wife and pru
dent lords, emperors, kings, republicks, princes, dukes,
earis, barons, lords, burgomasters, fchepens, counfel
lors, as also judges, officers, judiciaries and regents of
all good cities and places, whether eccletiaftical or Se
cular, who Shall fee these presents or hear them read :
W E the United States of America in Congress as
sembled, make known, That Mr. James Moore, su
percargo of the Ship called “ The United States," of
the burthen of three hundred tons, or thereabouts, at
present navigated by Captain Thomas Bell, is of the
United States of America; and as we wilh to fee the
said James Moore, supercargo, prosper in his lawful
affairs, our prayer is to all the before-mentioned, and
to each of them Separately, where the said James
Moore Shall arrive with his vessel and cargo, that they
may please to receive the said fapercargo with good
nels, and to treat him in a becoming manner, permit
ting him, upon the usual tolls, and expences in paf
ling and repaffing, to pals, navigate and frequent the
ports, passes and territories, to the end, to tranfad his
bulinels where, and in what manner he Shall judge
proper.
ANNAPOLIS, February 26.
ON Thursday morning last his Excellency the Mi
nister of France set out from this city on his re
turn to Philadelphia.
Extraßs from tbe Journal of Congrefi.
Jan. 2. On the report of a Committee to whom
was referred, a memorial of Philip Moore:
Refolded, That the following form of sea letters be
granted for the Ship United States, belonging to the
memorialift and others.
fion, and their deviation from the grand object of so
ciety, at least a double tax.
S C I P I O,
American Intelligence.
KINGSTON (Jamaica) Nov. 29.
THE Bostonians, from being puritannical, are
become the politest people in the world ; for
bolides the theatre which they hope will be established,
they have assemblies and dances every week. Some
of their favourite dances take their names from war
like events of late years; such as the Saratoga jigg;
Sir Henry's minuet; Mrs. Lee's fancy; the big bow
wow; push about the loyalists; with some Congress
reels, &c.
The Langrifhe cruiser, commanded by James Brif
tow, Esquire, arrived in this harbour on Friday from
Dublin. On her way thither on Wednesday evening,
about 8 o'clock, a few miles from the Isle of Man,
the vessel flopped on a sudden, and began to fink;
die funk so low that the water was entering her ports;
all hands were called on deck and expeded every mo
ment to go to the bottom : The boat was then hoisted
out, which instantly went down; nothing was now ex
peded but a sudden dissolution, when suddenly she
righted, and pursued her voyage. No person on
board can possibly account for this extraordinary cir
cumstance, nor was a similar instance ever known, ex
cept in the year 1759, when a vessel bound from Lon
don for this town, under full fail, was flopped in the
fame manner, and nearly covered with water, after
which she righted, and on that very day and hour
there happened a most dreadful earthquake at Lisbon.
LONDO N, December 4.
The air balloons, if they have any use at all, it
must be to translate us to our proper regions.—The
coalition will go to Gemini —the Jrifh to Taurus,
that is, the Bull —the criticks to Scorpio —the ladies
to Tirgo —the cuckolds to Capricorn —the merchants
to Libra, and so forth, although, perhaps, emigrati
ons to the Moon, will be most frequent, particularly
in the month of November.
UTRECHT, November 24.
The Baron de Reifchach, the Imperial Envoy, has
presented a note to the States General, in which he
mentions that the government of the Austrian Low
Countries perceives with pain that what has passed on
the frontiers has made such an impression here, that
troops has been lent off, as if the friendfhip of his Im
perial Majesty towards this Republick was doubted:
The Baron assures their High Mightinesses, that the
Emperor has not the least intention of doing any thing
to the prejudice of the lawful pofleffion of this Repub
lick, but that no answer could be returned to their
proposal of appointing Commiflioners for the amicable
fettling of matters, until an answer on that fubjeCt was
received from his Imperial Majesty.
Foreign Intelligence.
M A D R I D, November 4.
MR. Favre, the Prussian Secretary at this Court,
being much offended at some conversation that he
heaid had puffed at the house of the Comte de Gerf
dorf, the Saxon Minister, he incited upon the Comte
telling him from whom it proceeded, which he re
fufed, but did all he could to pacify him, but to no
effect, for Mr. Favre's passion carried him so far that
he struck the Comte several times with his cane at the
door of the playhouse; the guard arrested Mr. Favre
immediately, and he is now in the hands of Comte de
Florida Blanca.
Letters from Naples give an account of frefh earth
quakes in Calabria, where a contagious distemper is
likewise broke out, attended with great mortality.
intimately concerned in the fafety and prefervatioa
of the publick mails, and of the letters, packets and
defpatches committed to the poftoffice." Where
upon,
Resolved, That a copy of the letters and papers
referred to the Committee, be transmitted to the su
preme executive of the state of New-Jersey, who are
requeued to order a ftriCt enquiry into the conduct
°f J°hn Harrison, postmaster at Princeton, and James
Martin, poftrider, relative to the premises— to afeer
tain whether, and how far they were culpable in the
loss of the mail—to discover, if possible, the perpe
trators of the robbery, and to transmit the result of
such enquiry to Congress.
Resolved, That the postmaster general be directed
to inform Congress, to whom the mail was delivered
when found, and whose hands it paSTed through till
lodged in the general poftoffice; that he also be di
rected to give positive orders to the several postmas
ters and poftriders, to take the most effectual care of
the letters, packets, defpatches and mails committed
to them refpe&ively, as any negled or mifeondud in
that department will meet witli no indulgence from
Congress.
BELFAST, November 18.
ROM E, November 11.