The American herald of liberty — Exeter, N.H., 1794-03-04 00:00:00, page 1

American Herald of Liberty.
True charity does not Co much
consist in multiplying little alms
to a number of poor people, as tn
making some grand and well-di
rected efforts in favor of a few.—
Educating one ch Id of anoverbur
thened family,is a greater aCtof be
neficence,than retailing to them oc
casionally a thoufandp^/y benefac
tions. It is not a few, scattered
drops of rain, but it is a generous
shower coming all at once, which
revives the parched earth, and
quickens vegetation.
It is amazing what charities e
ven a /mail fortune will enable peo
ple to perform, if under the influ
ence of a chriftian •conomy. A
few retrenchments from dress, va
nity or pleasure, poured into the
chriftian stock will make it rich
indeed.
I do not know a better practice,
jhan that of the primitive chnf
zcians—laving by, on the firft day
, If you think the following extrafl will be
pleating to any of your readers it is freely at
your f er vice. Benevolus.
CHRISTIANITY has but
two capital features —love to
God, evidenced in ads of piety ;
and good will towards man, exem
plified in all the pofiibilities of do
ing good. As devotion,however ne
ceflary,can bring no profit to our
Maker,any more than a little taper
can add to the splendor of the fun,
the scriptures have laid the greatest
stress QhCbarily to our fellow crea
ture is called rhe “end of the
commandment,” it is the embo
dying of our piety; and the world
could not subsist without it. Hu
man life is full of woe. Charity
is rhe 4^/,that binds up the fores
of our fellow-creatures, heals the
broken in heart, clothes the naked,
and feeds the hungry. The poor
are made the reprefentadves of
Christ; whatever we give to/£m,
is, in scripture language, bellow
ed on the Saviour. Moth and rust
corrupt the treasures we hoard
up, but this is placed in rhofe funds
of heaven which never fail.
The Saviour has said, that “ it
is more blcffcd to give than to re
ceive.” And the pleasures which
spring from charity, prove its ori
gin co be divine. What value has
an heap of money, or what con
feious dignity do we derive from
it, if it is not .employed in giving
comiort to the miferable,and pro
tection to the d> fl refled ?
The very poor are provided for
by the laws of the kingdom. And
common beggars are far from being
the’moft deserving objects. Cha
rity should rather seek out the mo
duli and uncomplaining, who have
Len b. tter days, and have all the
pains of a delicate sensibility, an
nexed to their distress.
[Volume VIII.
For the Herald of Liberty.
Neffr}, Printers,
EXETER ( New-Hampshire) Printed and Published by Sterns and Winslow, in Main-Street, at 6/8 per annum.
ch a ri r r.
The bards of Italy, and the wits of
France, have drained the lafl drop from
Description’s pen, to celebrate the milder
seasons. With imaginations vivified by the
“ sweet influence” of a clement iky, they
have negleded austere Winter, or have re
ferred their readers to the poets of Iceland.
It was natural that what was rarely felt
should be rarely told. But vernal painting
has been exhibited, when nothing but froll
and fno'w fat for the picture ; and Pope,
with frozen fingers,ablurdly applies fouth
en immages to a churlish clime. In his
Pallorals he prays for repose in cool grot
toes, though, had bis wish been gratified,
the bard would have died. The reign of
good sense is now reflored. Thomson,
mindful of Caledonian cold, has grouped
the daemons of the llorm in wild and wld
ered attire ; the good taste of Cowper has
considered a portrait of the snowy season,
not an unpleasant portion of his tafle ; and
Dr. Johnfoo adds the praise of winter to
that of the preceeding seasons.
Like the Swift cantons, many of the A
mericans are enveloped in snow nearly half
the year, and 4< winter lingering chills the
lap of May.*’ Since we are condemned to
smart under this “ curse of Scotland,’* we
should endeavour to colled lenitives to mi
tigate the ferocity of our clime. In the ides
of January we should not ocly pr v de flan,
nel veils, and fur gloves, but should col
led a train band of cheering ideas, <o mar.
fhal against the combined powers of win
ter.
This sullen feafon,like other perronages,
in whole composition aufieri ty is an ingre
dient, is generally condemned with un
qualified censure ; the frown of the brow
clearly indicates to vulgar petcepiion the
furlinef* of the whole. Hyems or Winter
is yfually described, by the hyeroglyphical
pen of the ancients, as an old man, bend
ing under infirmity. The image is piftur
efque, and often well applied. Age is,
from obvious causes, decrepid, and, by.
consequence, morose. Bus when the
<« gout, ferpigo, and the ih<um,” inter
mit their paroxyfins, when the crutc^d
limb lolls in theeafy chair, and the tofp/d
heart is cheered by old wood and old wine,
all applaud the narrative, all confefs that
the venerable Nestor in his cups mellows
into the pleasant. In fancy’a frolick, how
O Winter I ruler of the inverted year,
I love thee, all unlovely as thou fetin'ft,
1 ci own thee king of intimate delight.
Fire fide enjoyments, home born happiness,
And all the pleasures, that the hours
Os long uninterrupted evening know.
Cowper.
IN the “ Revenge,” one of the most in*
terefting dramisof Dr. Young, Zanga,
a, gloomy Moor, wa'king on the ramparts
of a cattle, aflailed by a ** pidlefs florm.”
declares to liabel, his expostulating wife,
that “ He likes this recking of the bat le
meats.” Let the winds rulh, and the wa
ters roar, continues the pensive barbarian,
they comport with the gloomy habit of my
foul. To him, who pofleffes that fortunate
alchymy of fpirit,which turns all it touch
e .into gold, even the “ fambre” season, in
which we now fliiver, may be dcledable.
The author of the Farrago, while he hears
the sturdy fledman ling, “ Biels my heart
how cold it is I’* and warned of the ttorm
without,howling to enter,hitches nearer the
fire, quaffs another bumper of grape juice,
and, as the rafters of his garret crack, re
peats, “ I like this rocking of the battle*
meets.”
of the week, a little pittance for
this purpose. These drops will
not be miffed from the general re
fer voir, and yer, colieEHvoly, will
rain a shower of bleflings on ma
ny indigent and distressed.
[Rennet's Letters,*]
FARRAGO.—No. XV.
From the Eagle.
TUESDAY, March 4, 1794.
2d. Re/blwed, That the high profeflions
of diGnterefted patriotism held out by the
Democratic Society, are very equivocal
proofs of its public virtue ;and that these
are best difeovered in the resolutions which
it has publilhed.
3d. Rtjol<ved. That it is extremely im
politic, as well as ungenerous, for any ci
tizens of America, publicly to pour forth
illiberal abide against foreign powers with
. --S K
T figure to myfelf dotard Win'cr before a
high piled hearth. Resembling the old
man in real life,the blustering power low
ers his boisterous voice, and, in Head of a
p?llig the hearts of quaking mortals,
*• He capers nimbly in my lady's chamber,
Fo the lafeivious pieafing of her lute.”
The icicles drop from his chin, the froft
departs from his limbs, and, like pantomu
mical Harlequin disguised on the ttage,the
crabbed churl ftartsupa merry wight, re
plete with gambol and glee.
Although the beauties of nature are, at
this season, either blasted with froft, or
concealed by a mantle, yet the pinion of
fancy, and the “flow of foul” no torpid in
fluence can restrain. Perhaps mind, like
body, is corroborated by winter ; perhaps
those, whom May allured from exertion to
loiter in the bower, or doze by the brook,
a less genial power urges to the fire fide,to
seek in books what the sorest and the moun
tains deny. Spring and summer, auxilia
ry to loungers, detain those, who love ru
ral feenery, so long, that laflitude, sworn
foe to study, is the companion of their li
terary pleasure. Mib.on, in his letter to
Harilib, fays th at in those vernal seasons oi
the year,when the air is calm and pleasant,
it were an injury and sullenness to nature,
not to go ou and fee her riches, and par.
take of her rejoicing with heaven and earth.
These rural rambles, which the author of
Paradife Loft,thu» with a poet’s enthusiasm
enjoins, lead us so far into the distant
woods, and charm so pleasingly, that we
forget we left at home a fcientifick chapter,
or a tragedy of bhakelpear’s nufinilhed.—-
When Winter waves his icy wand, every
volatile spirit, that, like the butterfly, had
fluttered away the summer, is at once con
jured into the fludicious or the facial cir
cle. Reading and conversation are, to
winter, what flowers are to fprtng, and
fruits are to autumn. They are the boast of
the season. Superior to vernal joys, these
permanent pleasures of the intel left are in
vigor, when those are faded and no more.
The author of the Farrago hopes, that those
of his readers, who, like him {educed by
summer, stretched their lifllels length upon
funny bank?, will now cull from the va:ie*
ga'ed parterres of faience and sentiment
perennial flowers. They who made up
nosegays to adorn the bo(om, or regale the
sense of l heir refpe&ive Amanda', must seat
ed by their lair ones and their fire fide,
make vocal to her the inftruflive page, or
chat away the frofty evening. To repine
at the rigor of nature, even Lord Boling,
broke aflures us, is impious. Surrounded
as win.er is with alleviat n? circumstances,
it .is ablurd. He therefore, who has
wine in fl Acs four years old, who poflef
fes Shakefprare, and is visited by friends of
companionable kind, need not grieve.
F hough icicles hang by the wall.
And Hick, the Jbepberd, blow! nail..
And Fom hears logs into the ball.
And milk comes frotten home in pails”
Shakespeare.
tic Society of Philadelphia— -Genuine Pa
triotifmxn Te chair: The following re
solutions were unanimou'fly adopted.
I ft. Refolded, That it is one of the un
alienable Rights of Freemen to difeufs with
freedom and firmnefs all fubjefts of. public
concern ; That in consequence of this prin
ciple, these meetings have an indisputa
ble right to offer their sentiments concern
ing the Democratic Society, and its leveral
refoliations.
Erom the Gazette of the United
AT numberles meetings throughout
the United Stares, for taking into
confiderauon the resolves of the Democra-
Stat es.
sth. Refo'ved, That the determination
exprefled by the Democratic Society, to
abide by our national engagements and pre
scribe national friendfbips, when con trailed
with its insults againA/rf^^y nations, is
as flagrant an instance of its inconsisten
cy, as the insinuation of punic faith against
our il'uftrious President, is a convincing
proof of its imprudence and presumption.
6.h. Refolded, That the conduct of the
French Republic in seizing our vessels la
den with provisions for the countries, with
which (he is at war, is as daring dgf in
fringment oj the ejlablifhed law cf nations,
ss any that we have experienced from other
powers. Nay, this condudl is peculiarly
aggrava ing, as it is expressly stipulated
be ween I r^ce and, America by treaty,
that the vessel- of the latter,thus laden,fhali
pals free and unmolested.
7th. Reflved, That the outrages of
fered to o^r trade, or citizens, by Great-
Britain, will probably be resented in a
much more proper manner, and redrels
much moreeafily obtained by rhe spirited
conduct of our Nati< nal Ccngrefs,and the
long tried wisdom of our beloved Presi
dent, than by the intemperate (uggeftions,
and noisy declarations of any obfeure
Soc'ety wifhir g to bawl itfell into politi
cal consequence.
8?h. Refolvtd, That the trade of Amer,
ica has greatly contributed to her prosper
ity and credit, and that th^s trade having
been greater with Great Britain and her
colonies, than all the rest of Europe toge.
ther—its interruption at this time, would
overwhelm the agri ultural and mercantile
intertft in unspeakable distress. Neither
could its loss, in any proportion be*fuppli.
ed,by any commercial privileges in trad
ing with colonies overrun with banditti,
and defaU e by incepdiaries.
9 h. Revived, Tha' however Foreign
ministers may be juftified, in adhering
ftriftly to the inftruflions of their own
Sovereigns, yet these inftruftions are by
no m'ans binding on the nation, to which
:hey are sent; neither is any Minister au
thorized on that account, to affront the
government to which he is delegated, or
to look for countenance from the real
Friends of that government.
Refolded, That every government
has a natural right ro interpret its own
treaties—-that we rely implicitly, on the
honour and abilities of cur Executive to do
so— and that the sense of these United
States refpefting our treaty with France,
has been abut dantly colleded and evinc
ed, not only by addrefies and relolvesfrom
every quarter of the Union, but also by
the unanimous declaration ofCongrefa;
nth. Rffolved, Thu Impedium in Im
perio, or one favereign authority within
another, n a fatal solecism in politic*, and
incompatible with Liberty : We there
fore d< em any particular Democratic So
ciety , rising in the midst of our graat De
mocratic Government, and presuming to
di&ateto its enflirutfd authorities, fraught
with the deftredive materials of anarchy,
inimical to law and order, a*d highly in
ful ting to the great body of the people,
who, confiding in the wisdom and virtue
of their own delegates, wish neither the
advice nor interference of felf-conftituted
facieties.
12th. Refolded, That we are united in
the bonds of Civjl Society, to refill with
whom we are at peace—merely, because
they are enemies to France : We fay im
politic, because powerful nations tnay
thereby be irritated to attack us, to whom
we are by no means equal, either in po
pulation or military preparations; We fay
ungenerous, because fame of these nations
w re our friends in the most trying days
of our difficulties and distress.
4th. Refolded, That the public faith be
ing equally pledged to preserve peace with
Great-Britain as well as with France, all
perfans or facieties, who dire&S or indi
reflly, Ihall endeav our to bully or trick our
country into a war with either, must in
tend a violation of our national honour,
and must therefore, be considered as ene^
mies to America.
[Number 35.