The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-02-01 00:00:00, page 2

From the Pennsylvania Magazine.
REFLECTIONS, on the DUTY
of .PRINCES-
A LLEGIAN@E and protection are reci
procal. The obligation and covenant
which the Kings of England enter into with
their people, are solemnly executed at Their Q-'
ronation : when every King that' reccives-the
crown and fceptre, engages with his fubjeds to
rule them according to the laws of their coun
try, and to preserve their conffitution in church
and date. Englhhmen are governed by a King,
and submit to kingly power ; but their fubmii
iioa is according to law ; tbit law, which re-
Strains the fupwme governor from aCL of vio
lence and injustice.
juliice mud be the rule of all his anions. He
fojndeed exalted above his fubjeds ; but he is
not above the law : he cannot fabititute his pal
lions and unruly appetites, in the place of this
barrier between despotic power and liberty : be
c'-.ufe, he is neither the origin of his own au
thority, nor the end of it. He is invested with
power to make justice and the laws to be faith
fully and impartially executed.
Therefore, the Sovereign, who takes an oath
' to perform thofc obligations, ought to guard his
heart strongly againtt the attacks of arbitrary
power, which too frequently difguifeth itfelt so,
as to be confounded with sovereign authority.
Pride and fclf-love are the grand increments for
a Prince to forget his duty to his fubjeGs : Or,
when he is so happy, to overcome this tempts
tian, to which trie royal Nation is principally
obnoxious; a Prince may be led into many
miltakes for Want of due attention to the real dif
ference there is between Virtue and Vice ;
whenever this happens to be the case, all hopes
of such a one's good qualities^ either vanish or
Tracer &fno ciieG, either to himfelf or to Ris
fubjefts.
The King, who obligates himfelf by fitch an
oath, should never forget, that his sovereign
power is not above the l.rs ; that its purity and
fecuritv consist in being governed by the laws ;
in having his conduct regulated by thofc oracles
of his kingdom, and in his ' abhorrence of what
ever they prohibit. Thus we may fay, thatthe
Prince and the Laws command the fame thing."
Whereas, the power which degenerates into de
spotism, tramples under feet the rights and li
berties of the people, eiLblifoeth will for law,,
and its own conduct for rule.
Sovereign authority re unites all that is wife'
and prudent in a date, and thinks and acts; as if
the nationitfelf thought and aßedin pedon. But
the Sovereign who deviates from that authority
and hfpires after arbitrary pow£r, looks upon his
fubjecb as a depurate body: as strangers, whole
intcreft is incompatible with his own views. He
is jealous of his people, looks with an evil eye
on their'liberty, and employs every means to
defttoy it.
A good King confiders himfelf amongst his
fiUjedb, as a shepherd over his flock; both in
watebfuinefs, care and gpodnefs. His anxiety
is for the fafety and case of his people ; he
chooses what is mod salutary for them, and
cheerfully exposes himfelf to defend them from
Injury and oppreflion. Ifwe survey those dates
where arbitrary power has taken root, we Ihall
abb find, that their rulers consider the people as
a flock ; but they facrifice them to their will
aid paffionU They indeed take care of them,
but it is to eat them up: feed them, but it is
for their own advantage : they not only fleece
them and fuck their milk, but they fuck their
blood and marrow ; treating them as beings @f
another species, made only for the sport of ty
rants. On which occaiion we might properly
fay with Synefius, Qd gregem non faginarejed
rt ^re^e fafnari vult, cum inter peeora coquum afr
pello.
The true idea of monirchial government 0,
ver a free peo;-y is the elevation ofa Prince to
&n honourable servitude, which by raising him
above all, charges him with the case of all. fra
prefo, fiys St. Bernard, ut providers, ut confalas,
ut procures, ut fcrves. Principem te confit&erwnt,
fedfibi, non tibi. His authority is given in be
halfof those who are committed to his eye, and
n>t to enable him to devour the flock. Where
as arbitrary will imagines, that all is due to it
alone; that its ple^fuie.muft at all tildes be 0-
beyed. It confiders power as born for it, in
corporate with it, and natural to it. Such an
one reigns for die pleasure of dominion, and for
no other end ; indulges himfelf in all that gran
deur can administer, and banifheth all concern
for' the goal of his fubjefb from his thoughts,
whom he tramples under his feet, to make'.u
own exaltation appear raore magnificent andpow-
In a inixt government, like ours, it behoves
t ^ Prince to be well inftru&ed in the diftindton
w uch thews, that the people %e incapable of
absolute liberty, and that they do not deserve
absolute servitude, There is a wife middle be
tween a weak government, that would be per
nicious to the people; and an unjust one, th;t
tife^s of which government Efficiently experi
ence! b, giving car to the ralcally informations
of a Bernaid^nd Hutchinion. This Richard
fun*he informer, was sometime ago in the Mar-
Ihcucy ; Sayre and Lee, were then Sheriffs, and
as :aid Ricuardio . was r.n American (tor one he
is it items) they look him out, procured him a
beijcancy in the Guards, and by their intefeft
he is at present wh it he is, an Adjutant and In
iormcr. The London Adociation have enter
ed most co b dially into the buhnefs of Mr. Say! e's
commitment, .nd are determined to interest
thcintelves in behalf of every friend to liberty,
whomar be marked out as a victim to minifterud
vetigeanc". Thus a fire begins to kindle, which
will require mor, /kill to quench, at this alarm
ing criii, than they arc at present aware bt."
Yet this is not so dangerous, as that biafs to
pride and love of power, which Princes, sur
rounded by flatterers, are more subject unto.
Evil counfellors have been removed from the
royal presence. But this propensity increafeth
daily, without notice, t^ken thereof. W hen
once they arc become inured to the pleafurc of
commanding; and they , find no oppofuion to
their will,they, beg®to. : .think themselves thae
kled by whatever limits their power : they fel-.
dom feck for advice; and more feidom attend to
" good council, and .le;ive lets accels to truth.
They grow uneasy with the friend! of liberty ;
are ^ifguded with thole who deal fmcerely with
them, and feel more ease and pleasure in the
rainiftry of. fuchy who approve whatever they
order, and facrifice every interest ot the Public
to their commands; these rulers forget them
' selves and their duty. So that in a year or two
a Prince has been known so changed from his.
virtuous (entiments and declarations, as not to
be the sane person, when power had intoxicat
ed him, and gained the afeendant of his former
good inclinations.
In the whole co„rfe of my reading, there is
not found one Prince, except Vefpatian, who
became a better man by his exaltation to the
throne. Tacitus writes of this Emperor, that
in private life Vefpaliaa bore none of the best
of characters; but he was the only one of all
the Princes before him, that became better by
the increase of his power. Survey the Sove
reigns of all nations and in all ages ; it will, be
found that the mod moderate have not without
the greatest difficulty been able to preserve
themselves absolutely- from the infection of the
contagious air continually penetrating their ears.
They have oftener remembered that they were
inverted with supreme authority, than that they
were, as such, obliged to behave themselves
according to the rules of equity and the laws.
And they have generally been more concerned
to maintain their power, than to render it bene
ficial to their subjects.
As an antidote against this general contagion,
' there is an excellent lelfon penned in the book
would oppress them ; and the King who ob
serves this rule, wid never attempt to take that
liberty from Ins fubje^s, w hica they, do not a
buse to their own hurt ; and will picferve them
in all thole rights and privileges, which are rc
quiiite to make them peaceable at home, and
reTpeCt ible abroad. He tills the feat of govern
ment to preserve it from tactions ; so .maintain
good order among his lubjeHs, and not to (hac
kle them like lWv.cs. Whereas a despotic Prince
exacts .every thing, became Ibmcthmg is due to
his prerogative, lie rules by power, and not
by uw ; and places his own happinels and dig
nity in his people's poverty and llaviih obedi
ence, thinking it mean to give any other reason
for ,his actions, but pis will and plealure; and
he is highly offended with those, who are virtu
.ous enough to put him in mind of his duty, and
to expolc his conduct.
A wife Prince, though young, will never de
viate into a conduc'd so contrary to reason and e
quity, and. to his own interest, does he but f^ri
oufly-consider, , and take a hear view of that
rock, arbitrary power, upon which so many
Princes have been loft : yet if they do not re?
main upon their guard, toe best Princes may be
so intoxicated with power and flattery, as, after
setting Out with moderation, to finish their days
with tyranny.
Such a one (hould imprint on his heart the
EmperorGalba's Ipeech to his son Pifon : " You
have, fays Galba, hithe to been tried only by
adyerfe fortune, in which you have afted like a
Prince, with dignity and magnanimity; but it
is profperiry winch discovers the bottom of the
heart, lays it open, and thews what the man is.
Patience will bear us up under afiliaibns; but
to refill the temptations ariiing from peace and
plenty, requires another fort of firmnefs and
strength of mind. Distress routes a|l ourflrength,
but case and plenty foften and corrupt us.
“ I am persuaded that your resolutions are
Imcere, and that you will prefervo your former
virtuous sentiments in your new situation ; that
you will always remain disposed to do justice,
to love mercy, and to pei ' it every one freely to
lay open his case to you : that you will by your
finceriry, merit the approbation and love of all
good men: and that you will naturally prefer
the interest and well-being ofyour fubje&s, be
fore the sweets of mere power.
“ But how may these valuable qualifications
be weakened and destroyed by the excessive
complaisance of those who attach themselves to
vour fortune. In spite of all precautions, flat
tery will attempt an entrance into your heart,
and to violate your modesty and moderation:
submission, opportunity, importunity, courtesy,
artful insinuations, and a continual attention to
please, will supplant good men, and even ren
der good advice difgudful. No person will
freak to you ditinteredediy : A Prince rarely
meets with a sincere friend. For, a$ they gene
rally succeed bed with him that flatter, inftead l
of giving sage advice, cqurtiers commonly make
their addrefu by concealing the truth and sooth
ing the passions of their Sovereign."
By this difeourfe it is evident that Princes
are surrounded bv men, who teach them to ex-,
etcife their authority in the manner they them
felvos would do, were they possessed of ix; con
tinually representing the fate of their authori
ty, and endeavouring to make them look upon
it as weakness, not to dare to do what they have
in their ppwer toperform. These are the men
who gradually extinguish all the good sentiments
collected and improved by a happy education ;;
insinuate arrogance, cruelty and lust of domi-'
nron, inhead of equity, moderation, and bene
vclcnce; and by their .abandoned tenets and
• pernicious documents, pervert a wife and legal
administration into an arbitrary and lawless fac
tion.
That it is God who eftablilheth them, and not
men : that it is his law which ought to be their
guide, and that fame law which is given to ail
their inferiors; that the Prince ought to copy
it himfelf, and not to add untJ& dimty^ it,
nor to delay its execution. He is not allowed,
though he be King, to dispense himfelf from the
observance of any part thereof. It is to him,
as well as to all others, a path, from which he
is not to fwerye under any pretence whatever.
And he is obliged to maintain those laws with
all his power and might, for this is the only
way to preferve'the kingdom to himfelf and his
pofteriry fora long duration. It is only upon,
these terms, that he fills the throne worthily.
They that have done otherwise, have become
the sport of fortune, and the reproach of Ma
jesty; and ignominioully degraded after a short
reign.
To avoid these dangerous feducements (the
principles pf which a Prince carries about him
in his own heart) let him daily remember the
origin of his authority (ail power is from above)
and the covenant he has entered into with his
fubjedfs, so govern them according to the laws.
Let him at the fame time examine his temper,
and disposition, and enquire into Lis love of
power; that he may know whether the exces
sive homage paid to him, hqs deprived him of
any part of his modefly, and whether his love
of truth and virtue, his hatred of vice and im
morality, continues the fame; whether flattery
does not begin to gain upon him : whether he
makes juflice reign, as he oromifed, or whether
he difeovers an inclination to substitute his will
in its place; whether he rules according •o the.
Though the condemnation of arbitrary jrow
cr cannot be conceived in clearer terms, than in
this scripture, I ihall confine my observations
thereon to die precautions the Almighty requires
for avoiding that dangerous rock. It informs
us that the King's iubje&s are "his brethren.
of Deuteronomy. It is a prohibition againfl
arbitrary power ; and the terms in which it is
txprclied, are so emphatical (and the law ex
tending to all Princes) that it may well deserve
our moll serious attention. See Deut. xiii. 14,-
become irksome and burthenfome to him: and
he will soon become the darling ot Heaven, and
the delight, not only of his fubjedts, but of ajl
the human race. His fubjeds will glory in the
enjoyment of their laws, and he will be billed
with the affections of his fubjeds.
On LIBERT Y.
0 Liberty! thou fair enchantress, thou irf
eftimable jewel, thou bluffing from hea
ven ! difeover thy tacred residence, and agree
able habitation, to thy humble votary; make
him acquainted with what most men boall of,
but few can define; let him know in what true
liberty consists, and what part of the globe ihe
has chosen for her dwelling.
Do not they enjoy that blessing in a great
degree, who inhabit a country governed by ju
stice and equity, whose laws favour the poor as
much as the rich, afford redress to the oppres
sed,- and puniih the opprellbr?---Cerfai,n;y yes.
Is liberty to be found in any of the eastern
countries ?---No; for there the will of the
Prince, is the fubjeffs law. Is it to be found
in France, Italy, or Spain?-—No; for in all
those places absolute monarchy is eflabliihed.
Where then does foe reside ? Is it in Great Bri
tain, where so many warriors and victorious ge
nerals have been born ? The inhabitants of that
ille once pofleffed it in its purest, and uncor
rupted date; for the British conttitution formed
and modelled as it is, upon the fare and firm
basis of equity, and the power being equally di
vided amongst the King, Lords and Common
ers, (where if one erred, cither through n£gle&
or deiign, the others had it in their power to
corre& his mistake) afforded a pattern worthy
of imitation, to all the world, where the right
of the fubjeft was fecufed, the Peer and the
Commoner put upon an equal footing, and it
either transgressed, they were tried by their
peers, and it legally convicted, they (by virtue
of laws enabled by their Reprpfentative?) were
punished according to the nature of the offence
committed. If any evil minded Minister or too!
of ministerial power, attempted to infringe the
rights of the people, many were found even a
mongff the nobility themselves, wh® without a
ny hopes of reward, but through their own na
tural goodness of heart, hazarded their lives in
defending the citizens rights. It was for this
that a Russel and a Sidney bled, in the reign of
the unhappy Charles. But Britain now seems
onthe decline, and few are to be found unbiaf
fed and uncorrupted by ministerial bribes, in
the House of Commons, where they ought to
consult in a more particular manner for the
common good,as being representatives of far the
greater body of people. A few there are, who
declare themfelyes the patrons of American li
berty, among whom in the House of Lords, 3
Chatham is most conspicuous. In the House
of Commons a Burke appears in its defence, and
by means of his irreliftible eloquence, and the
virtuous cause be espouses, refutes the argu
ments ingeniously contrived by men in power,
and advanced to Subvert the freedom of the Bih
tifh colonies. Araongft the military Gentlemen
a person of no small rank, Effingham himfelf,
with a nobleness of heart becoming a soldier,
refufes to serve in so iniquitous a cause. If any
one should think„he resigned a command, in
which (as he fays) he took great pleafiirc, thro'
want of perfon,al bravery, let him look back to
the last war, and the aliens he performed in
Germany.,will fufficiemly attest his courage, He
hath set an example to the Gentlemen of that
honourable profelfion, which will immortalize
his name : on th# contrary, the Generals Howe,
laws without reluftance ; or whether they are
By a Perfel front Liverpool, arrived in Maffhcbit—
fate-Bay, we have the foUxvin^ jfdvicci.
LON.H O N, OX. 17.
1 |NIE lad reibhition of the Cabinet, refpe<%
1 i H g America, was, tor VIGOROUS me^
fur'es.'
The following - anecdote may be'depended on:
A few days ago an American Gentleman of
great respectability had a con verfation / with
Lord D== on the prefect disputes ; /when
the,Gentleman, after giving very athfle rea
sons for his opinion, allured his Lordship the fr
mericans would never submit to the force of
arms. " Why then, Sir, lap this,'^s Mini
ster, every man in England Hull Heed, but we'll
try that opinion."
Advice is received from Mahon, that the rar
rifon isiu gre.itconfusion on account of their
being ordered for America ; and they have de
clared their detestation of the fertile in pofid^
and very warm terms ; that most of the officers
seem greatly difeontented; and that 'fevcral of
them fay ti>ey will throw tip their cornmiffions
ir they find that they are to bejent there.
OX. 24. Last week arrivedin town from Boston,
by way or Brdtol, Robin Auchmury, Esq; one
ot the Amcric 11 seven year linecme Judges of
Admiralty ; he is broperts the Doctor Auch
muty of New-York, whole letters to thearmy -
in Bolton, (reprefeuting the fate of the " raf
c^lly Whig mob at New-York,") were inter
cepted by the Provincial Generals atCambridge-
Letters written by many refpe&able Gentle
man to their friends in America, have been in
tercepted, and are to be laid before the Hauler
of Commons the fecon 1 day of their meeting,
in order that they may order the authors into
custody, to be punifheci, for anting contrary to
the King, proclamation,
OX. 26, We are assured, that Adjutant Rich
ardson was appointed to his present cominiflion,
meerly on the te,ms of impeaching his friends
and countrymen, Mess. Sayre and Lee.
We hear that it will be recommended to Par
liament, " to embody all the militia of the se
veral counties throughout England." The re
gular forces arc almost to a man to be ft nt a
g@inf America, and it is not fappofed, that even
a tingle regiment of guards will be left in the
capital. All the troops which can be feared
from Ireland are aifo to be drafted Eom that
country and lenfagainft the Americans.'
Our English Newgate, if report fays true,
seems to be converted into a F;QCh Baftile.
Monday last, , prisoner (who, or what, is not
said, nor on what account) was conveyed therm
under an efeort of ten or twelve hurle before,
and as many behind,
<And yesterday a diflenting Minister,.. named
Riley, was Jikewife conyeyed there on a charge
of treasonable praffices ugainft the fate..
Mefengers are also Hid to be gone into the
country to fetch up two other dillenting Mini
sters lixty or fetenty miles off.-
Tire five regiments ordered on immediate ser
vice to America, we hear, are defined to Vir
ginia and North-Caroling. They are to fail th^
firft week in December.
OX. 27. Many friends present their compli
ments to Mr. Sayre, and recpmmehd it to him
and his partners' to appeal to rhe candid and ge
nerous public for support. The enemies of li
berty have c'clared war against the credit of his
house, which they mean to destroy by this hel
lifh plot, forit js too contemptible to he believ
ed upon any other ground.) TMey can assure
him that there has been a design long since to
ruin his bank, and they now fairly conclude,
that like determined rob . r s, his enemies mean
to take the life rather than give up their pur
phfe. Disappointed in their wished for revenge
against the people of America, they are now
playing off the whole power of government a
gainst Mr, Sayre, as their best friend. 1
" What BLOODY sane hath ROCIUS now to
A bet of twenty guineas to five, was last
night made at the Philadelphia Coffee-houfe,
that two quondam American Governors would
be exalted according to their merits soon after
the Chrigma& holidays ! if they do not, of th ir
own meer. motion, take to the cord before that
time.
By virtue of a Habeas Corpus granted on
Thu/day night by Lord hlansficid, Stephen
Sayre, Et'q; was on Saturday morning at ten
o'clock conveyed by th: proper officers from the
Tower to Loid Mansfield's house in Bloomf
bury fqu^re, ' Mell; Adair, Dayrell, Lucas,
Alleyne, anj Lee, attended on the part of Mr.
Sayre; and. White, partner with the ' dicitet
of the Treasury, op the part qf the crowt.
After the two futt mentioned Council had d<G
canted for fame little time on the impropric y
of Mr. Sayre's btng committed to cloje coi
finemeit by virtue of the warr, nt of commo
- which only conveyed a general chalet ;
and Mr. White hat lag declared that he had': 0
Clinton dud Burgoyne, who bare emhmATi^
that infamous cause, will only tafnhh tie htu
re.s they have reaped in form r wars, end bring
disgrace up<m the British arms. Ifthe unhappy
depute which now lublids between the mother
country, and her colonies, Ihould continue for
any length of time, inevitable destruction to
bo,hcountries, wdl be the natural conference ;
ir on the contrary, they should be again united
in the firm bo<ds of amity and friendfliip, they
may bid. deviance to the greatest potehtareupon
earth. Mav then our most gracious Sovc%yra
restore peace to his American lutyefts, and c
ftablilh their indubitable rights, u on the most
sure and lasting foundation, and may he for e
ver after place his greeted happinels in the love
and cittern of his loyal futyetts.
Twi lo-Ltzertatis.