The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1783-06-03 00:00:00, page 2

The representatives ofthe people are, Ibelieve, honeftmen
at home— Many of them have a greatcompafs of experience,
a general knowledge of those things necessary for legisla
tion, a sense of national honor, and will be indefatigable to
promote our welfare. But are there not a number in every
hffembly very inadequate to their honorable office ? Have
they fumcient knowledge and experience for their places of
freft ? Are they capable of undeftranding the vast intcrefts
of a nation ? Did they ever read a Single book upon jurispru
dence ? They may be ufeful men at home, they may mean
to be honest in voting in the momentous affairs of State,
but ought they not to be very jealous of their own judgment?
Yet are not such men in general the most heady and clamor
ous ? Have they not a vast opinion of their importance ? and
yetthe reputation of individuals, their fortunes, and the honor
ofthe nation depend tip on their unformed judgments and rash
votes.
Are there not as weighty reasons to induce us to violate
till our obligations to individuals, as those abovement on
cd? The State owes a large debt to it's different fubje&s ;
But who are they, what are their characters, and what is it
for which she is indebted ? These and more questions are
asked about our military officers. Some of them were as
poor before the war and as vicious now, as some of the
officers alluded to, and 'tis said the latter ought not to be
paid for these reasons, and why then ought we to pay the
former ? Is it not to the rich farmer, the prosperous merchant
and the fuccefsful tradesman that we owe a great part ofour
national debt ? But the farmer has so d us his flesh and ftour
at twice or thrice their usual value, the merchant has done
the fame by his goods, and the tradesman by his lab^r • we
have given all these men notes at these extravagant prices,
and yet this money must be principally paid in by the poorer
class of people and by your officers and soldiers. What
justice is there in it ? If we have no regard to honor and
faith, let us vote not to pay them at ad. The majority, if
proper men take the lead, will greedily imbrace it. We
shall hereby fink our debt and done with it.
Have not the officers been compelled to fell many of their
notes, that they received for their pay greatly below par?
Are not these notes in the possession of our richer citizens ? A
man of fortune has bought up the notes of a necessitous of
ficer at the nominal value of four hundred pounds for one
hundred only in silver, the officer hereby looses three hun
dred pounds of his pay. What justice is there in making
these notes good at their nominal value in the rich possessor's
pocket ? The greater part of the assembly have probably
these notes in their possession, and they bought them at two
three and four for one ; if they have no regard to the honor
of the. nation and public faith, let them make a law to pay
the possessors no more than they gave for them, and if other
wise, if they have any sense of honor and justice in their
private dealings, as soon as they re eive their inftereft and
principal more than they gave, let them refund the officer
and soldier of whose neceHity they took the advantage. If
We dissolve our obligations, break oar faith, and tarnish
dur honor in withholding the pay ofthe army, let us make
thorough work, and decree at once never to pay any of our
debts, and so let all our creditors begin the world anew.
For I think any man of moderate capacity, upon proper con
sideration, will confefs, that the debt which we owe our
other fubjeds, is by no means so honestly due as that to the
army, even if he includes the five years pay. And lam
confident, if you go to the door ,f every freeman in the
State, and lay the truth before his eyes without colouring, a
great majority will be ofthe fame mind.
IMPARTIAL FARMER.
exposed them to death athdufand mfr. At this Critical
moment Congress pledged the faith of the United States to
gke our officers half-pay after the expiration of the war,
which has been finer three times Solemnly repeated. Why
did not the States rife and oppose it at firft, if ever they
meant to do it ? The officers then might have retired or con
tinued as they chose ; and if any hearts glowed with purer
Marnes of patriotism there would have been a door opened to
shew themselves.
Upon a cenceffion that Congress were not veiled with
powers adequate to their promise, silence of the States con
firmed heir decrees. There never was a more folem" con
trad made between two individuals, or between a ruler and
^ fubjed, than this of giving half-pay to their officers. The
Only way therefore to re< ede with honor, and without rous
ing the vengeance of Heaven against unfaithful and perjured
covenant breakers, is by treaty with the officers. For my part
I feel obliged to them for condescend,ng to accept five years
pay in lieu of half-pay for life, for it is undoubtedly more
eligible for the States. And I wish these brave men by
whom we are all honored, to shew a uniformity of condu&,
would yet give us in a little more. But had I the honor of
being one of the legislature, I should never dare to vote to
deprive them of it without their consent; for by our pad
silence, we have approved of the bargain between them and
Congress, and after they have done their work upon those
conditions, it is too late to gainsay them, in so doing I
should not only dishonor my nation in the world, but arm
die terrors of my God against my immortal foul.
The council of th s State are too enlightned and have too
sacred a regard to contrasts to oppose fettling the affair with
the army by an amicable treaty, as has been or may be ma
naged by Congress. If any of them should be influenced to
do otherwise, I should lose my present opinion of their ge
neral acquaintance with jurisprudence, or of their probity,
dr of both.
LONDO N, March 8,
TH E state of the national debt, as it flood
on the 31st of January last, from authen
tic records in the House of Commons:
Debt funded and I
unfunded f 232,345,127,9
Interest -- - 11,563,164 2 6
The whole revenues of the kingdom are only
12,000,2791. notwithstanding the heavy taxes
now fubferibing
March 15. By the late general returns from
New-York, the number of men killed in the
British service, amounts to 43,633 rank and file,
" The fame master of the bark also relates, he
saw only one priest, who was running barefoot
to the water fide, feekinga boat to take him off.
" From further accounts and letters received,
the above is confirmed, and that at the time
when the earthquake happened in Meffina, the
fame disaster happened to other cities in that
island, viz. Cantaneo, Scilla, Liparito, and places
adjacent to Meffina; no edifice remained, except
the Capauchin convent, fituatedat alittle distance
from that city.
'' Multitudes of people must have been buried
in the ruins. At the lame time also the earth
quake was felt in the interior and ulterior Cala
bria. Besides the many buildings thrown down,
the cities of Reggio, in Calabria and Begnara,
fuffered greatly. And refpe&ing the number of
dead, we have certain advice, that t e whole fa
mily ofthe Prince of Geraci, was buried in the
ruins; and calculating Meffina to have contained
30,000 fouls, the greater part are loft. This me
March 22. Yesterday, at a numerous and very
refpe&able meeting of merchants and others,
concerned in the American trade, held at the
London Tavern, a committee was appointed to
attend to the progress of the American Com
mercial Bill, depending in the House of Com
mons. An address also to his Majesty was
moved, produced and approved, left to be signed
at the London Tavern, and ordered to be pre
sented to his Majesty. The business of the meet
ing was conduced with candor and propriety.
Some of the principal speakers on the occasion
were Mr. Sanfom, Mr. Barclay, Mr. Sharp,
and Mr. Hodgfon.
An account of the dreadful earthquake which
happened at Meffina, in the island of Sicily,
on the sth of February, 1783.
Messina, one of the principal cities in the
kingdom of Sicily Wlteriore, situated on
the border ofthe sea, upon the south fide of the
island, forty years since was struck with a most
horrible affliction of the plague, which broke out
about the end of February, 1743, by which that
city was almost desolated of inhabitants, having
loft about 50,000 fouls; and now, forty years af
ter, has fullered a second more horrible punish
ment, of which the following is a relation :
" On the sth of the present month of Febru
ary, there was observed almost throughout the
whole island, a horizon full of black, intense
fog, which indicated some unhappy event, or a
presage of forrowful woe, and, in reality, about
the 19th hour, which corresponds with our neon,
a shock of an earthquake was felt, which threw
down several houses, and, in particular, that part
ofthe cross-street called the Plains of the Hospi
tal; several persons were killed, and many much
hurt and maimed by the ruins, which encreafed
the fears of the inhabitants, that some still great
er misfortune might happen; and, in reality,
their fears were not without reason, for on the
following night, about a quarter past seven (an
swering to our quarter pad one in the morning)
a molt furious shock hnifhed, in swallowing up
or throwing down the remainder of the city, and
besides the shock a whirlpool of fire issued from
the earth, which consumed and levelled to the
ground those noble and great edifices which
were not before destroyed.
" The morning of the 6th, the master of the
bark which brought this news to Naples, relates,
that on the next day, nothing more was to be
seen of Mellina; the place being covered with
an intense thick vapour, mixed with a thick dust,
prevented the fight of that fatal catastrophe of
misery and horror.
" the day advancing, and the wind dispersing
the thick vapour (Citadella, the fortification so
called) was observed half to be thrown into the
sea by the earthquake, and the other half de
stroyed by the whirlpool of fire, which was sup
posed to be a volcano. A King's frigate, which
lay at anchor in the road, aflonifhed at the fight
of the fire, began to fire shot upon the castle,
supposing it to have been maliciously set on fire;
but when they perceived the fire issuing from the
earth, ceased firing, not willing to add greater
distress to those who had saved themselves from
the dreadful chastisement.
exclusive ofthe officers which have fell in the
field, or have loft their lives either naturally or
accidentally.
March 21. There is a Scotchman now alive
inthe county of Antrim, in Ireland, who was
prefixed into the sea service in 1688, and was on
board the ship which broke the boom at the siege
of Londonderry. His age is 120 years, and he
retains the perfect use of all his faculties.
" Naples, February 17, 1783.
" We are all here under the greatest affliction
at the terrible earthquake, which has destroyed
all Meffina and Calabria Ulterior. The Prince
of Carinta alone has loft 17 feudal estates, and
15,000 ducates Value in oil, which were in store
houses, and we are Bill wanting the particulars
for want of couriers; but we know of many
towns, which once were in Calabria, now not
even a shadow remains, with almost all their in
habitants. Montoleone is half deitroyed. Meide,
Nicaftro, and some few more towns, are not en
tirely lolt# Catanzero remains fate. The Prin
cess Gerace Crimaldi, with her family, ptrifhed
in Cazal Nuevo. Some bewail the lots of a ion,
others a father, another a huiband, another a wife.
In one night and a day, hundreds of earthquakes
were counted without an interval between them.
The King, penetrated with the greatest grief,
has taken the wifelt precautions, has ordered the
* Triduo of St, Gennario, forbid all diversions,
assigned a considerable lum for the relief of Mef
fina and Calabria; has ordered the fugitives who
have come to Naples, to retire to their own coun
try, and all the Barons to return to theirrefpe&ire
feudal estates, in order to give every affillance in
their power; iorae are already gone.
" Naples , February IQ.
" In the foregoing letter, besides what is here
related, it is laid, that the number of cities, cas
tles, and towns, amount to one hundred and
thirty two. That the number which have peril
ed is incredible; amongst which are several per
sons of diftindion. Many volcanoes are opened,
and even rivers have entirely disappeared."
* Triduo is a ceremony used in their churches
upon ver?fo.emn @ccafans, to expiatefar their of
fences, or to avert calamities.
LONDO N, March 15.
Yesterday Col. Onflow gave not re :n the House of Com
mons, that he would, on a future day, make a motion for an
humble address to his M^jefly, to entreat, that he would be
graciously pleased to give direction,, .but the fortress of
Gibraltar be given up for an adequate om,enfat on.
The danger with which the. nation is threatened, from
the difappoiritment of the general hope hat an admindfra
tion was on the point of being formed, of strength and con
sistency adequate to the exigences of the present momen
tous c rifis, can only be < on<.eived by those who are acquant
ed with the adual Rate of public affairs, and who forefee
the inevitable confequentes of continuing in this Rate of
fufpence and anarchy. If we look at home—a mutinous
army, and a navy still mere m tinous, and [repared for
every erfefs to which their uhreftrained h entioufnefs may
carry them --no money in the treasury to diftharge the one
or pay off the other, which, besides the inconveniencies to
which the public service is exposed, by the troops and ships
refiling to proceed as they are ordered, ton ini es to loadus
with the whole expense of the war. The East-India Com
pany reduced to that extremity, that if the loan for which
they have petitioned parliament be nor granted them by the
latter end of the month, they must flop payment, and shake
the credi of this country to its very foundation ; and where
do they look for th s loan ? To atreafury exhat Red and un
able to defray the ordinary expences of government. If we
took to our concerns abroad, the pre im nary articles of
peace yet remain to be definitively signed and ratified.
Treaties of commerce are yet to be fettled and aranged ; —
our negotiations with the Dutch are fifpended, and peace
with thof. our natural allies, so essential to the state of our
funds, ftil hangs in uncertainty. In what contempt must
we hand with every foreign power, and what advantages
may no be taken of our distressed liquation by those whom
we cannot yet tease to all our armed enemies? Is the inters
course between us and them so restrained since the signing
the preliminaries, as to leave them ignorant of the state of
our fleets and armies ? Have they dilcontinued their war
like preparations ? Are we so secure of their good faith ?
How must tire man, who in such an hour can defeat every
attempt to procure a liable and permanent government,
meri the execrat on of his fellow citizens?
The indignation so universally teftfi don the negociati
ons for an adminiftrAtion having re apfed Into their former
uncertainty, however loud and vehement, is barely propor
tioned to the injury done to the country. It must increafc
every hour, and finally burst o t with effe&. But let it fall
where it ought ; and to .hatend it s of the urmoft impor
tant e that men should coo y weigh with themselves upon
what grounds an event so fatal has taken place.
Dr. Franklin daily increases in favour with the court of
France ; the queen lately presented hm with a gold fnuff
box, the intrinsic value of which is said to be upwards of
10001. sterling.
Lord Howe set off for Portsmouth last Friday morning, in
consequence ofan exurefs received from Sir Thomas Pye,
giving an account of fresh irregularit.es having prevailed
among the seamen. The crews of many of the ships had
it seems, paraded about the streets, with bludgeons, in a
molt tumultous manner, to the treat dread of the inhabi
tants, who were under the necessity of continuing confined
to their houses, to avoid danger.
fancholly accident has been followed by the wisest
precautions of government. A flop has been
put to all public fpe&acles; the theatres are shut
up in this kingdom, as well as in Sicilly; and
public prayers are offered up to appease the Lord
and Disposer of the Universe, who has in his
power those just chastisements which mankind
merit for their own fins.