The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1780-02-07 00:00:00, page 2

Fromth ^^TN^R ^UZCT, '
For ')'F')'h:R< r;,3.
On THE CONTRADICTORY' (QUALITIES
IN T:iE CHAR AC FER of MAN.
'{7 3S, my (Fir {amts, so it T Man, so
A bulled Shores to know himfelf, nei
ther knows what he is, nor what he ^voul^ be.
Eager to bc/n a thing, and apt to delay it;
unfortunate xT he knows, yet ignorant af
ter all his fdicioude, what fliall we fay of
him ? He is atone time torn with remorse, at
another perplexed wTi inquietude: He is
unh^pv in his leifwe. and weary in his Ru
dies. His chief happiness teems to be that
of blinding himfelf againfl the bgnt of Rea
son ; and he abuses his own heart, which is
so frequently betrayed by his own passions.
This very Man, at the faine time, is free in
his fetters, and has the pride of a King, un
der the habit of a Slave. Behold him, at one
moment, occupied in projects too remote ever
to come within his reach : at another intoxi
cated with imaginary hopes, and heartily fa
tigued both with himfelf and others. tie is
various, unequal, and inconsistent. He
loves what he hates at one time, and detefta
what he has admired at another. Sometimes
the most llupendous objects are too little for
the magnitude of his ideas; and fometitr.es
he can tickle his foul with a very nothing.
His fendbilities are continually in a Rate of
irritation ; and in the effort of possessing his
most violent wishes, he shortens his days, and
yet makes them appear too long. Every fa
'culty that be has are so limited, and yet eve
ry faculty is so daring, that, in order to
gratify them, he embraces illusion instead of
truth, and at each inPant creates an imagi
nary world agreeable to the frolics of his own
fancy. He is at once proud and ashamed of
his origin; and the more he attempts to bla
zin the illustrious race, the more he betrays
the frail and fickle dull of which Eve, our
general Mother, was composed. Thus it is,
that the Dwarf is placed at the fide of the
Giant. It has been said, my Friend, that the
force of Man's reason has taught the very
lions to obey his will. Behold the contrast —
He is himfelf reduced to obey the molt imper
tinent and infignificant of his own senses.
Inßead of illuminating, his reason and his
talents serve only to path him on to more il
lustrious errors. His passions, so far from
elevating his heart, torment and tear to pie
ces in his bosom. In attempting every thing,
he enjoys nothing. His ambition is pursued
with so malignant a vigour, and generally
demands the downfall of so many innocent
victims, that it is disgusting. His pride is
no more than a submissive or insolent weak
ness. His avarice is the fear of wanting af
fißance himfelf, which he knows would not be
given to him by any that referable him. His
avarice, however, at onces nurses his hopes
mnd deceives them. His brutal courage is lit
tle better than despair; what he, calls the
point of honour, is a forgetfulnefs ofhimfelf.
What he callsmodefty is pride, deeply masked
from common observation; what he calls de
licacy, is a folly artfully refined and varnilh
ed. The generous contempt of all interested
motives, is net often the brilliant emanation
of afu perior heart. That which looks like
liberality, is often a mere commerce of eti
quitte, which expels more than it bellows;
and that which looks like politeness, is often
no other than an exchange of one civil thing,
in expectation of another. Such, my dear
James, are the great lines of the human cha
#ader; after which, it is # impossible you
Should wifli me to finifh the picture.
I am
Your faithful humble Servant,
M
Extract from the Minutes of the General Assem
bly of Pennsylvania.
SATURDAY, November 27, 1779. A. M.
The letter of Johq Penn, Esq; refpeding
the bill for vetting the estates of the late Pro
prietaries of Pennsylvania, in this Common
wealth, was read the second time, and there
upon,
Ordered, That the said letter be inserted in
the minutes, agreeable to Mr. Penn's request ;
and the fame is as follows :
November 24, 1779.
SIR,
I observe, by a bill printed in the News
papers, for public consideration, that the pre
sent House, persevering in a measure, taken
up by their predecessors, seem to have in view
the divesting the Proprietaries, not only of
their legal rights to the quit-rents, but to the
foil and the chief part of their other just and
equitable demands, in Pennsylvania.
I have always considered it, as an inviola
ble maxim, that no person can be deprived of
his property, without his consent, or in the
due course of law; and as I have no autho
rity from the other Proprietor, who is absent,
and a Minor, to give his consent to a tranf
attion, that would deprive him of his proper
ty, so neither can I give any consent to the
being deprived of my own.
If, therefore, the House should kill be
disposed to proceed in such a bill, they will
do me the justice to enter this letter in their
Minutes, thatit may appear to the world and
posterity, that no consent of any kind hath
been obtained from the Proprietaries, for such
1 measure; but that they wholly protest a
gainst it, as injurious and repugnant to every
rule of justice and equity.
I. am, Sir, your very humble Servant,
JOHN PENN.
Tothe Non. fohn Bayard, Esq; Speaker
§f the House of Assembly of Fewtylvania.
BALTIMORE, ?W iLi
Er^aa of an A.l of 'feebly, entitled, An Ad |
far the Afifment of Prdpertfiuitbin this State,|
published by orrirr of the House of Delegates.
For the more equal assessment of those who [
may have ready money or plate,
Re it enabled, That every person Ihall be
called upon by the anchor of the Hundred
where he or the (hall reside, on or b^oie the
Itwenty-fifth day of February next, to give a
Ifull accouriton oath, or affirmation, if a Qua
-Iker, Menonift or Dunker, (which oath or as-
Ifirmmation the assessor is hereby empowered
land directed to adminik^r) of the weight of
I all plate, and the fam or sums of all ready
I money, and of what species of money, that
was either in his or her poßeßion, or in the
care of any person in trust for him or her, on
ithe firtl day of February, at seven o'clock in
the morning of that day, under the penalty
of treble the value of the money or plate con
cealed. And in case any person, being so
called upon bv the assessor, foal! refufe or ne
gkd to give such account of money or plate,
, he or they shall forfeit and pay a sum not ex-
Iceeding TWENTY THOUSAND POUNDS,
I at the diferetion of the Court where such pe
:nalty may be find f>r.
To the Printer of the Maryland Journal.
I The annexed copy of a letter was given me
Iby a gentleman jurt arrived from L'Orient ;if
I it has not reached you, I imagine you will
think it worthy a place in your paper.—You
may depend on its being authentic.
Baltimore, Jan. 15, 1780. W. S.
Copy of a letter from Commodore John Paul
Jones, late commander of the feip of war Good
Man Richard, to Messieurs Courlade and Moy
lan, of L'Orient, dated on board the ship of
mar Serapbis, off the Texel, 3d of October,
1 779-
" I have only time, my dear friends, to in
-Iform you, that I have this day anchored here,
I having taken this flrip in the night of the 23d
ult. on the coast of England, after a battle
of three hours and a half; two hours and a
half of that time the Good Man Richard and
this ship being faft along fide of one another,
both ships being in flames, and the Good Man
Richard making water falter than all the
pumps could deliver it. .This ship mounts
44 guns, and has two entire batteries, one of
them 18 pounders, so that my situation was
severe enough, to have to deal with such an
enemy, in such a dreadful situation. Judge
then, what it must have been when the Alli
ance came up, towards the close of the action,
and, inßead of assisting me, directed her whole
fire against the Good Man Richard, not once
or twice, but repeatedly, after being fyoken
to, and Ihewing a private signal of recogni
zance. The Alliance killed 11 men, and
mortally wounded an officer on the Good Man
Richard's forecaftle, at one volley. I have
loft in killed and wounded the belt part of my
men. The Good Man Richard went to the
bottom on the morning of the 2flh ult. in
spite of every effort to bring her'into port. —
No adion before was ever, in all refpeds, so
bloody, so severe, and so lasting. I beg of
you to communicate this, with my best rc
fpefts, to the gentlemen of your port.
" The fire was not quite extinguished on
board the Good Man Richard, till eight hours
after the enemy had firuck; and at left it had
reached within a foot of the magazine. We
loft all the stores, and all our private effects ;
but no lives were loft from the conflagration.
The Fallas took, at the fame time, an armed
flip of 20 fix pounders.
JOHN PAUL JONES."
CHATH AM, January 25.
A general exchange of priforters, we hear,
is likely to take place very soon.
With pleasure we promulgate to our readers,
that our army is now exuberantly Supplied
with provision and every other necessary to
make a soldier's life comfortable The late
scarcity they experienced was oecafio^d by
the inclemency of the weather, and large
quantities -of snow that fell in quick fucceflien
upon the back cf each other, wiiic.l made
the roads impassable.
Extrafi fro* the orders of Major General Lord
Sterling, ifoed to the troops under bis command,
previous to the excursion on Staten-ifand, the
tyb inf.
The commandants of columns will take usual
precautions for the security of their refpectivc
corps on the march, and for preferring the
ftriaeft order, obliging the troops to observe
the most profound silence; and fuffering no
man to leave his ranks, without permission,
on pain of death.
The general promifea, in case of fuceefs,
that the value of every thing that is public
property, or lawful plunder, shall be divided,
in just proportion, among the troops; and if
any officer attempts to appropriate any thing
to his own use, he shall be compelled to de
liver it up, and shall forfeit all pretentions to
a common share, and shall be punished at the
diferetion of a court-martial for difobedierce
of orders; any man quitting his post or ranks
in order to plunder, ffiall be puniffied with in
-IRant death.
I Every officer is to haee a rol! of the platopn
I he commands, and to fee that no man absents
himfelf from it.
No private property of the inhabitants is
to be meddled with, or brought off on any
pretence whatever, excepting fat cattle and
Iheep, of which regular accounts aie to be
taken, with the names of the persons from
whom taken, and to whom delivered.
If any parties of the militia of the Rate
will join either of the columns, they are to be
admitted, and are to be fubjeft to the fame
regulations with tho continental troops.
It is expressly forbidden the- ery 0 7 th e
militia, or other peri >ns, do plunder or in
fulr the inhabitants of the,Raad. '1 he inha
bitants of the inland are to be informed, that
if any of them are fouui in arms they will be
treated as enemies ':etherwife eve:y favour
will be Ihewh to them and their property.
W. BARBER, A. D. Camp.
^ ^o^ ^f^f^^,^^
ON INCONSISTENCY.
A FICKLE concilia is always,an object of
ridicule and contempt, The reason is,
that it argues a confeioufnefs of the impro-|
prietv of our designs and actions, when we
relinquish them as ib^n as forihed, or neglect
them before they are finished. A man who
appears to condemn his own conduft, will be
fare to be condemned by others. A man's
constancy, resolution, and spirit, even in a
bad cause, seem to teftify a conviction of rec
titude, and induce others to imagine, that
there is a possibility of his being right, who
seems clearly convinced that he is not wrong.
We are naturally disposed to admire fortitude,
from our natural want of protection. We
naturally separate from timidity, because it
only increases the general weaknels cf man
kind ; and, indeed, exclusively of all consi
deration of our own advantage or infirmities,
the appearance of courage and resolution has
in it something captivating, which often, in
contradiction to reason, excites our wonders
and approbation.
But there are those who can despise the
opinion of the world, if that were the only
inconvenience arising from the consistency;
but, in truth, it not only incurs the imputa
tion of extreme folly, but produces all the
confequencesof it : for however excellent the
natural faculties of the mind may be, if they
do not operate confidently, they will not
differ in their effects from mental weakness.
To the success of [any rational design, rati
onal means are necessary. No height of per
fe&ion can be reached, without a regular
progression of intermediate steps. Cause and
effect are constantly allied in morals, as well
as il lphifiQ. He, therefore, that begins
without continuation, who seizes on the mid
dle without attending to the preceding ex
treme, who experts the consequence without
the cause, must be disappointed in every de
sign, however rationally adopted. With the
powers of reason, and with the pretentions to
prudence, he must resign the event of all his
undertakings to the blind intervention of
Chance—adeity said to have been originally
made and adored only by Folly.
The preservation of-confiftency, as it is al
lowed to be expedient, must likewise be
granted to be difficult. After a rational end
is proposed, and a proper means concerted,
for its attainment, a thousand external acci
dents obftrud, a thousand internal weaknesses
retard the completion. When an undertaking
is new, all is hope, alacrity and pleasure;
but the grace of novelty is trahfitory. San
guine expectations and glowing ardour soon
give place to Ready toil and cool perseverance.
The mind, disappointed at finding where
pleasure only was expected, relinquishes its
pursuit fora new one, where it feels a repeti
tion of the pleafareof novelty, and th? difi
gust of satiety.
It has ever been the boast of the moralist,
that man is possessed of reason; a guide
which can direct him with certainty through
the labyrinths of doubt; which penetrate into
futurity, and gather wisdom from the past ;
yet, whatever cause there may be to boast,
that human nature is endowed with such a fa
culty ; there is no less reason to lament, that
its operation is universally impeded, or per
verted by prejudice and passion. Even they
who can drfcourfe with all the dignity of phi
losophy, on the advantages cf regulating the
passions, are often influenced in their conduct
I by humour and caprice. It as ever been as
serted, that every man is the man of the day,
I that he is governed by present circumßantes
! and situations, and that he is entirely unio-
IRuenced by fettled plans and permanent prin-
I ciples. Hunger and repletion, this slightest
;indifpefition of body, or emotion of mind,
I will unhinge the temper of the philosopher,
and make him resemble the childish chalange
ing, or thcpecvifh dotard.
But let not a fault be imputed to Nature
which arises from inattention. The Hißory
of Philosophy evinces, that there are men who
have petfevered in the conduct founded on
principle, without the smallest deviation.
The Stoics resolution was neither shaken by
the ftreng allurements;of pleasure, nor the re
al fufferings of adversity. The more rational
of that fed, perhaps, did not really pretend
to delpife bodily pain, but ascertain they were
infenhble to the severest attacks on the mind.
What was done by Stoics may be done by
other men ; since it is certain, that other
men possesses the faculties of the mind, and
the qualities of the heart, in a Rate equal to
theirs. They were not naturally a superior
species, but they appeared to be such ; be
cause they a&ed up to thatdigqity of human na
ture, ofwhich others scarcely had a conception.
Fickleness is much increased by the effemi
nacy of modern manners. Refinements in
morals and behaviour, tho' they add a delica
cy, commonly fuperinduce a weakaefs. The
faftidioufnefs of refined take immediately ,e
---linquifhe its object, upon the difeovery of the
smallest defed. It must, therefore, be wished
by every friend to mankind, that while we
cultivate elegance and refinement, we may not
acquire such a sensibility of difguftful objeds,
as to become incapable of performing the du
ties of common life with that manly constancy
which can alone obtain success, and deserve
reputation.
. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22.
On the morning of the 15th inflant, Major
Lee detached from Burlington, 40 men, under
the command cf Copt. Patten, in feighs,'
who, before next morning were along fide the
guard ship, laying froze in the ice near Sandy
Hook; but finding that the ice, for several
yards round her, was cut,~R) that they could
not Board her, they retired thafmall distance
unperceived, where they surprised two fch<?& •
nets and a lloop, made the men prisoners,
burnt the vessels, and then returned without
the least loss, bringing with them the prison
ers and what plunder thev thought proper,
C HATHAM, Feb. 2.
Last Sunday evening about 8 o'clock, a
party of the enemy landed at Raway, and.
carried off near a dozen of the inhabitants.
*****************************..
TO be Sold at Public Vendue on Wednesday,
the firft Day of March, or at private Sale any
Time before, the very valuable Farm lately the
Property of Talman Waters, Enquire, late of
Flushing, deceased ; containing Two Hundred and
Thirty Acres of Land, Thirty of width is Wood-
Land. Twenty-Five Acres of OtcharFn„ most of
the Trees grafted, and a Number of other Fruit
Trees ; Thirty Acres of good Sat Meadow, and
Ten Acres cf Clover Meadow ; There is on said
Farm a very good Dwelling Hcufe, Barn and Out-
Houses ; likewise, all the moveable Eftaie, such as
Cattle, Horses and Hogs, Houfhold Furniture, and
Faming Utensils. The Vendue to begin at io
o'Clock.
Conditions of the the Sale will 1 Sam. Doughty),
be made known on the Day < William Waters,
of Sale by us the Executors. J John Waters.
Februarythe ift 1780.
'T^rE^'LDr~
AVERY pleasant situated Farm, at Bufhwick
Cross-Road, on Long-Bland, opposite to
Rapalje's Tavern, 5 Miles from the Ferry ; onfajs
a good Dwelling House, Kitchen, and Barn, an
excellent bearing Orchard, producing the best of
Clover and Timothy Hay, and all manner of Fruit-
Trees, it has a good Well and Garden at the Door,
The most of it is in new Stcne Fence, contains
about so Acres of Land, besides a Piece of Wood-
Land near it, very suitable for a Gentleman's
Country Seat, Merchant, or Tradesman. Any
Perfen may know the Conditions by applying to the
Printer, or Owner on the Premises.
STOLE N,
OUT of the Entry of the Subscriber last
Friday Night, a middle sized HAIR
TRUNK, with Iron Hinges, containing
Matters which can be of no real Use to any
Person but the Owner. If the printed Work
that was therein can be conveyed in any Man
ner back again, it will oblige
HUGH GAINS.
TO' BE SOL D,
THE estate of CHARLES WARD AP
THORP, Esq; at Bloomingdale, confiding
of about 300 acres of choice rich land, chiefly mea
dow, in good order, on which are two very fine or
chards of the best fruit, one of them in its prime,
and the otter beginning to bear plentifully. All
exceeding good house, elegantly finifhed, com
manding beautiful profpeas of the East and North-
Rivero, on the latter of which the estate is bounded.
Also, a two Rory brick house, for an overseer
and servants. a wash house, cyder house and mill,
corn crib, a pidgeon house, well flocked, a very
large barn, and hovels for cattle, large tables and
coach houses, and every other convenience.
About the dwelling house is a very handfomt!
pleasure garden, in the English taste, with good
kitchen gardens, well furnifhed with excellent fruit
trees, of most kinds ; in short, nothing is wanting
to make it a most agreeable and profitable estate
for a gentleman, having a good landing and
wharf on the river, where may be advantageous
ly bui ! t, a distillery or brewery, as a fofficient sup
ply of water runs to it. The whole of the build
ings are almost new, and in good repair. For
terms, apply to JOHN KELLY, No. 843, Hano
ver-fquart, New- York.
Who has to dispose of, a lease of 14 years, of
three new well built Hcufes and Lots of Ground,
marked No. 1,2, and 3, each lot containing 16 feet
in breadth, and too feet in depth, the whole en
cloled with a strong post fence, and lituate in a good
hand for business near the Ship-Yards, in Oliver
ftieet, fubjea to a rent of 81. per annum each.
Abb, sundry Lots of Ground advantageously situate
in this city, to be leafed tor such a term of years as
shill be agreed upon.
To BE ToTd;
A,id entered upon the firft of May next,
A Convenient Dwelling House, two flory and
an halt itigh, with several other conveniences,
all in good repair, situate in Little-Queen-street, No.
14. Enquire of Thomas Quill, living on the pre
mises, who will give an indisputable title for the
fame.
RUN-AWAY from the fubfciiber, a negro man
named DUKE, about 47 years of age, a yel
low cast, bufhv head, one leg much thicker than the
other, maimed in one foot, limps in his w%lk, (peaks
N goud Enghfh,tad on when he * eat away, a whitift
great coat, a blue upper jacket, a white under ditto,
brown corduroy breeches, yellow buckles, talks
much of Rhode-Bland and Philadelphia ; he had
likewise in his packet a bunch of keys, Whoever
will apprehend the said negro, so that bis master
may have him again, (hall receive a reward of FIVE
DOLLARS, by applying to the commanding
officer on board the ship Venture, laying at Willet
Taylor's wharf, or delivering him to 11 Gaine.
JAMES TWEED.
(P°ffifli° n t o be gi%en the First of May next)
''< '"° Houses and Lots of Ground, situate
I in the Breadway, belonging to the
estate of Jacobus Turk, deceased. For par
ticulars, enquire at the fubferibers,
HENRY ROOME, Executor,
ELIZ. CAMPBELL, Executrix.
N. B. If said Houses are not disposed of on
or before theist of April next, then to be
left for the ensuing year.