The Mirror — Concord, N.H., 1798-02-27 00:00:00, page 1

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MEMOIRS of
Major-General HEATH:
CONTAINING— *
Anecdotes, details of Battle, Skirmfhes, and
other Military Events, during tbe
American War.
THIS work, drawn from a Journal
kept daily during the War, con
tains a great variety of matter, intereft
iog and entertaining. Gen. Wash
:INGTON, in a letter to Gen. Heath,
dated at Mpupt Verhon, May zoth, ^,
(after bis second retirement from public
life) fays, “ It give, me great pieafure to
hear from yourfelf, that you are writing
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Gen. Heath's Memoirs.
CO NCORD, [NewbampJbire,] T U4i@ DA Y, February 27, 1798.
j r But the case between the two parties is
not quite even. For the French parti-,
zans openly avow their love for France ;
and assert that we are bound in grati
tude and justice to make great f,crifices
to her cause. It has not yet appeared
that any can be, in their opinion too great.
While France wages a privateering war
upon our trade, they joftify her, and
condemn our own country and govern
ments Many of them even declare, that
they would join the French, if they should
land here to invade as—which is unjufti
fiable on every principle.
'Thofe charged with being British par
tizans, Mt the contrary, to a man, deny
the charge. When Britain so outrage
ously wronged us io 1794, not ° ne °f
them juftified her.—ln case Mr. Jay's
treaty had failed, they laid wemuft fight
her. They also express their fears of a
too close connexion with England, if we
mould have to fight France.
If, however, any of this last descrip
tion be really British partizaos, they are
to be despised and detested. Probably
they are few,-
Candor also demands the acknowledg
ment, that many of the perfuns charged
with being too zealous for France, love
their own country, and would not know
ingly wound its happy conftiturionto
Their infatuation for the imaginary cause
of French liberty, has blinded many very
good eyes, and perverted many honest
hearts. The honest men of the party,
however, will own ,hat they are not in
good ,Company, as some of the party are
both anrifederal and frenchified.—They
Seasonable & candid Thoughts
on PARTY.
WHERE there is liberty there will
be parties. Many persons la
ment out part, divisions, and with and
really seem to hope and expert that we
shall soon be agreed, and party in a short
time entirely rooted out. But why fhauld
we imagine that will take place which
never bus been, nor can be until man be
comes a perfect being, and perhaps never
ought to be, while government needs to
be watched, and liberty is worth watch
ing for ?
It is therefore rather unreasonable, if
not cbildifh, to lament the existence of
party —it is the lot of those who are free,
and liberty, roe* avitb this blemijh, is a
million times better than slavery. Under
a despotism, there are no parties.
Party is neceflary and afeful to watch
rulers. Power is an edge tool and would
cut and wound the vitals of the public
liberty, if party did not keep it harmless
in the scabbard. An individual, when
wronged, always finds in party, a power
ful, artive and inter^fted protestor. In
deed, without party, as there never has
been any liberty, it is probable there nev
er <will be—it would be too much to get
rid of both. Nothing less keen and clear
lighted than party, would scrutinize pub
lic men and measures as they oughts be.
It is not pretended that party spirit is
not an evil ; but it has some good tend
ency and influence.
All parties are not equally salutary.—
Such as go to the very bottom of the
principles ot our government, and try to
dig up-tte famtaMHi Atofy #^ pesti
lent. There is great difference between
opposition to the men and the meafurej of
a government, and a revolutionary ftrife
against its being. Yet such is the objert
of the anti-federalifts. They are not nu
merous, but they exist. The nature of
certain amendments proposed by Virgin
ia, for the confutation is a demonstrative
proof of their existence, which is weli
proved also by other circumstances.
A party fobfervient to foreign influ
ence, is also uniformly mifehiewous—^
good can come of it —it wdll deserves the
name of faaion, and is the worst form of
the worst thing in the world. The two
great parties in our country mutually call
each other French and British ; and as
far as these words of reproach go, they
are even.™
Political MiJcellany.
From the flhfoJ MINERVA.
Mr. LYon's Narrative.
<TWfollowing Narrative was given by
Mr. Lyon in the coorfe of bis defence
before the Committee of Privileges,
on Thursday, Feb. ift, 1798.
Gralmen of the Committed,
AFTER having heard so much
about Wooden Sword, an ex,
preffion, the repetition and appli
cation of w hich, in an indignant
manner, has caused you this pre
lent trouble, I hope you'll ipdu^
me with , patent hearing to a
molt Narrative of the? circum
flahce, which awakens my feel-
ought to turn th„r backs on such with
abhorence.>
Th, dread of the power of government
is called by many a wife jealousy. Fear,
however, is a blind passion, as well as a
strong one. This at least, is clear ; the
most enlightened Jaffes of our citizens
are friends to the government. As they
are likely to fa the danger as soon as oth
ers, it is also certain th,t no class of citi
zens have more to loji by lofiog such a go
verra&nt as will protect liberty and pro
perty. For, let it be-observed, that the
firft and lureft facrifice that arbitrary
power is known to require, is ,retort,. —
The wealthiest and the beff informed part
of our citizens, and probably by far the
greatest number, are attached to our con
stitution and government. If then our
government be really progressing to
wards tyranny, as its enemies fay, the
federal supporters of it are in a miserable
error; as their interests and wishes are
opposed to such a progress ; an error that
calls for all the pity of the candid among
the opposite party, the federalifts being
those who will fuffer firft, and fuffer most,
by the introduction of arbitrary power.
One party or the other is no doubt in
such an error. Each really thinks the
other is wrong. Now which es the two
parties is most likely to be mistaken—the
wealthy and the learned, the merchants,
the clergy, the universities, the gover
nors, (except one) senates and majorities
of the assemblies, from Virginia east
ward, who admire and support our gov
ernment, or the difeontented and com
plaining honest men, few in number ;
(even-eights of whom are to be found in
the cities of Philadelphia, Newyork and
Boston, who oppose and condemn our
public measures?
Let every man, notwithftandlng, use
all the sense and understanding he has,
,nd forbear terpin his faith blindly on
the Heaves of these rich and dignified
people. But at the fame time it is fair
and proper to ask him, when he fees fob
characters opposed to his prejudices, to
use all the candor and judgment he pos
sesses, before he allows himfelf to with
draw his assertions and services from the
constituted authorities of his own coun
try, and ^attaches himfelf to one that in
sults, plunders and wrongs it.
These farts are mentioned, and these
brought into its proper place, as far as
he was able, every consideration that will
tend to vindicate those who differ from
him in opinion.
One remark more should not be for
gotten. In a time of danger, and in a
threatening crisis of affairs, like the pres
ent, honest men of all parties should u
nite for a time — (and it is only in such a
time that parries can unite) —knd by leav
ing the British agentsjf any such there
be, and the fervil^ tools of France, in a
very final! minority, and in merited con
tempt, afford to government at least a
temporary confidence and aid. The time
calls for it—as by rhe appearance of uni
on among honest citizens, and measures
of energy in Congress, our peace, our
property, and our national independence
may even jet be preserved.
remarks are suggested with a view to a
bate the mutual binernefs of honest
minds on both sides. The writer does
not deny for a moment that he is zeai
oufly attached to the American constitu
tion and administration. But he has
men,'and that there were but two
companies, and a part of another,
besides mine, tailed, and that cob
Earner, who was expected to
have commanded our fix compa
nies had received a commission
and order from Congress for rais
ing a regiment on the continental
establishment during the war, and
that in fiia endeavors to raise hit
regiment, the raifiog of our dom*
paniea was wholly impeded. Find
ing the bufioefs falling into fo
ptoenefa, l applied to the General
to difeharge me and my men, in
order that I might join Warner', 'ty
regiment. The General once a
greed to difeharge me and my
men, and ordered me to make op
my pay roll for the purpose. But
at thia juncture application was
made to the General by some peo-1
pie who had bought the crops of
the whig#, who had removedl
from Onion River, and he was 1
induced to order our party to
marc /to terico and take post at;
ings, and utterly disables me from
bearing such rtfleaiont After
living ten years in Conneaicut,
from m, 15th to 25th year, 1 re
moved to a new fetdement in
Vermont, then called N. Hampm
(hire Graptt, about go mile# from
Ticonderoga. On the firft at
tempts of the British government
to e- (lave this country, I joined
with about twenty other young
men to form a minute company
fed learn military ekercife; we
made proficiency, and on the firft
newt of a&ual war we battened ^
join Ethan Alien, in takirgTi.
conderoga, Crown-Point and St;
John'i. I continued in that ser
vice, without pay or profpea of
it, until the Conneaicut forces
came on to keep the forts, when
I Returned home to take care of
my affairs, which had buffered in
my absence. In the fame sum
mer, 1775, the militia was organ
ized, and I was appointed Adju
tant of my regiment.
In 17,6, after the retreat from
Canada, Col. Seth Warner being
east from Ticonderoga ; which
by this time had become bead
quarteri. At the rendezvous I
found the captain and firft lieuten
ant of my company had raised no
out of employ, applied to the
commander in chief in the North
ern Department, for some defence
for the frontier of the N. Hamp
lhire Grants, which became expofc
ed by the retreat of the army.—
The Gen. recommended to the
committee of the New-Hampshire
Graoti, of which I was a mem
ber, to nominate the commiflion
officers for fix companies, and he -
promised to commission them, &
that they should be entitled to
continental pay. In one of those
companies I received a commis
sion, as a second lieutenant: I fete
about enlisting my men, and im
mediately obtained my quota, %
at my own expence, marched
them to the rendezvous at Pitta
ford, about twenty miles fouth-