The Columbian informer, or, Cheshire journal — Keene, N.H., 1794-12-02 00:00:00, page 1

minished to one hundred and fix. On the
13th of June, Captain M'Shane was
4 struck with its fatal symptoms, on the
16th he expired. Every letter will prob
ably bring information of the death of one
another of the captives who was well known
TO many peculiarly dear to some of you.
If Suffered to be thus daily thinned in
number, death may at least be deemed
lef&dreadful by the miserable remnant of
survivors, than dereliction and despair.
After afew annual visitations of that mal
ady, perhaps a few will beleft for you to
redeem.
LN®. 36. ofVQL. IIJ
was hoped that a feafe of interest might
I eperate with feelings of humanity in the
nonce ffion of this favor.
Upon a representation made to me by
all the American masters in captivity at
f Algiers, of the progress which the plague
was making towards that city of human
misery ; in the month of January last, I
authorized Mr. Montgomery, cenful of
the United Stateain hh hands a Sufficient
femfor hiring# country hcufein th, vicin.
ity of the Dey of Algiers, in order to en
deavor to Separate from those infected with
the plague, sad to top out of danger the
Americans in general, or if that indui
genca: could not be obtained for all, the
matters and mates in particular. And it
In the mean time, I had more than
once written in earned terms to the
Swedish Confal, Eliciting his kind
proteaion and good offers for the
friendlefs Americans in captivity in
Algiers.
The Swedish Cooful has made repeated
applications to ihe Dey, that permission
might be glinted for the American raaf
ters and mates &c. to be withdrawn from
—the marine (underbid responsibility) and
, removed to a place of less danger during
the continuance of the plague, The Dey
at firft refufed te acknowledge that the
plague was at Algiers, he next declared
that the Services of the Slaves were indifi
penfably neceflary at the public works,
than that the Americans had been but a
Thus our brave fellow citizens (sane
of whom fought the battles which eftab
luhed our independence) are literally in
chains. During the day time they are driv
en by creel Gripes to perform (with lit,,
tie or no intermission the severest. kinds of
labor, and not unfrcquentl, compelled
to carry heavy hardens beyond their
strength. At night when their drudgery
is done, they together with the slave& of
the diferpat nations, are crowded pro
mifcupyfly intoclofa prisons ;, which from
the confined date of the air, are.but too
well calculated to propagate the contagion.
Imagination sap place byfarethe mental
eye the horror of fach a ^nation better
than deferiptipp.
However wife or proper, the policy
„ipt formerly have been to decline, ran
homing our citizens from slaver, at Al
ters, until apeace could b, negoci ^ed with
that Regency ; at prefect it appears to
very little time in slavery, and finally
that he would not permit them under any
pretext whatever to be taken from their
talks and federated from the rest of the
saves.-
ssee&reee^arfrete
REDEMPTION of AMERICAN CAP
TIKES & ALGIERS,
To the People of the United States of
America.
My dear fellow Citizens,
"[HE Plague, that terrible scourge
from heaven, new rages at Algiers. Our
fellow citizens,at work with crowds io the
marine by day, and confined in prison at
night, are much more exposed than per
sons who are at large, to fall amongst its
firft vidims. Already their number is di-
-THE.
Columbian Informer;
Or, C HESHIRE JOURNAL.
— ^- 1 —c^tfaQeLQtfoQijt^^ far „ „____
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED by HENRr BLAKE, & CO. ivKEENE, New-Hampshire.
i/Udrejd,
AT a time when a fal!e philofaphy and
falfe liberty^ attempting to break
down all the barriers which wisdom di
vine and human h@s raised to guard the
moral and fecial gate of map from the
violence qf turbulent psffiong; when Jac
obinifm in religion and in politicos aim
ing to level ^ll authority human and di
vif,e, tariff the young and uninform
ed above the venerable Sage,and raise the
thrpue of a csprieipus reason on the ruins
of chridianity, it gives us peculiar pleas
ure to find, able fynqpffi of gur fe^k ~
mong the dlftinguiflyed literati of opr own
country.
I A fernjon on the genpinef? ^ authen
ticity of the N,w Teft^ment, delivered by
Dr. Dwight of Greenfield,, at & anna
Leanre appointed by the General Afai
ation, of Cunneaicuh and non;puphfied,
fflhtofyffd by the ffi@ world
and will d^bflefs prove , ;&,ffence
and twOfolfyfo of pur Ota o f
§fai& ;tm< %^ tyre * &:
me, the principal political reasons on
which that policy was founded have ceas
ed to exist. In future we must either be er
peace with the Regency or fa, „ a naval
farce adequate to the protection of pur
commerce against their depredations, (n
either case, the fpecific sum which may
be given for th^ranforn of our citizens
cannot be of that pernicious canfequeace
which was apprehended by being drawn
into precedent hereafter, or increasing the
capture of our vefels by exciting the cu.
pidity of those Rovers to go especially
in quest of them. Other nations (some in
making peace, others in continuing war)
have set the example by paying the sums
demanded for the release of their fubjeCts
or citizens from captivity. Nor do I know
of any impediment to prevent the redemp
tion of our citizens (although a peace
Should not be obtained) if fufficient
money (hall be raised for the purpcle.—
Probably the sum necessary will amount
to between two and three hundred thou
sand dollars, perhaps including duties and
charges, nearest to the latter. Knowi
edgeof the circumstances and address in
the application would however be highly
requisite in the management of this thorny
butinefs.
To raise the necessary sum of money, a
state lottery has been proposed — or it
there Should be any inoperable bk|§&igns
to that measure—it is to be hoped that the
individual fates will gram particularly
lotteries for the porpefe. Let §hj, or any
more feafable plan be adopted ; and I alk,
is their within the limits of the ori;e.
States, an individual who will not cheer
fully contribute, in proportion to hb
means, to carry this into cfifed.
Citizens Qf the United States of Amer
ica ! You have it in your power to refeue
year fartcra fellow-citizens ftpp a pre
mature death, which without your inter
vention in their favor, seems inevitable.
It is time to make effedual exertions. In
the name of every thing that is dear and
sacred, Suffer me to urge that you wilt ex
ert yourselves on this affecting occasion,
in the fame manner which you- would with
others to do to you, if you were plunged
from your prefect pinnacle of prosperity
into fech a gulph of despair. By me pe
culiar blessings of freedom which you en
joy, by the disinterested Sacrifices you
made for its attainments, by the patriotic
blood of those martyrs of liberty who died
to Secure your independence,and by all the
tender ties of nature, let me conjure you
once more,tofnatch your unfortunate coun
try men from fetters, dungeons and death.
D. HUMPHREYS.
Late Commiffiener Pl'mpotentiw,from the
United States of America to the Dey and
Regency of Algiers.
Lilb?n, July 11, 17,4.
DR. DWIGHT'S SERMON.
%U E 8 D s4r, December 2, 1794.
I Summary of arguments in favor of the troth
.of our religion, expressed with precision
rand clearness, and arranged in a manner
^'hat gives them 'additional force.
r The Sermon is built on that declaration
iin.John,' This is the disciple who tefcfieth
theie things and wrote these things, and
iwe know that his testimony is true." Dr.
IDwight's general aim founded on this text,
i is to prove teat the book of St. John, was
: adu^y written by the person whofc name
it beats; & he supposed that if,i can be
proved by the highest evidence applicable
to (objects of that nature, it will establish
the authority of the whole New Teftameat,
and the divine origin of Christianity.
The j points the author endeavours to
eflaof&, are rft. That the several books
rfthe fcw Teitament, particularly the
historical books, was written by the per
son whose name theft bear. zd. That
the writers were neither deceived nor de
ceivers; 3d. That their writings have
defeeadid without a„ material alterations
to the prefect time.>
To prove the firrt proportion, the au
thor cites the authority of other writers
of undoubted credibility. These writers
agree with the evangelists in testifying to
the exigence of certain per lons, Such as
Emperors and Governors of provinces ; of
certain cusses or feds, as the Pharisees
and Sad^uces ; of certain cufioms of the
Jcq&s, Such as their prayers, fadings, and
huerdauce upon the feafis of Jerusalem ;
of certain laws and plaices of the Rg
mans, as the criminals were compelled to
carry their erotics, and in a variety ofo
then historical falls. The writers who
have aliened these tads are among those
of the fi ft reputation for talents & integ
rity ; Cicero, Tacitus and others, whole
hiltoical credibility has remained to this :
day uainfpeaehed.
That the evangelists were not deceived,
,he Dr. argues 6r!t, from their having the:
faculties and op portunities nectfory to.
,epder them competent Judges of the fa&s'
related, fel. From their believing in
Chrid, against all those motives which u:
dually govern mankind.
That they were not deceivers, he fap
;pofes obvious, firtt, from the irapradioih
ty or carrying into effect any general plan ;
of deception ; zdly, from the improbabili-}
,y of their attempting it, against all these ;
/motives which ulually influence men ;
tydly, because impostors couid not have
/aimed at the object intended in the New-
Testament, viz. to make men virtuous;
4thly, the Apogks lived lives of exem
plary goednefs, which is not the charade,
of impafture ;. gthly, an imcofoion at
tempted by so many perlons could not
have escaped deteaion. Under this head
{the author arranges a number of other
[confiderations, which are fubflautial argu.
,'ihents in point,,but which the limits of this
;review will not permit as to enumerate.
The p^aor ,fterward, proceeds to.
;prove that the New Teliament has been
ipreft r.ved to this day. without corruptions,.
Afety,evidence of this fad is, that the
antient fhriftian and heathen writers, have
generally quoted the fame passage in th,
fame:wordsand a'mpft always in the fame
jfenfe, which we find in these plages in
!% pre,Lent copy qf the New Tflament.-
IA large part of the New Tefta@ent might
{be cpllefyj_Qom tbefe featured quota
tip^s, and in th, very fame, wore) now
found in the printed copy. ,
' Ui, al,fo 4ftpflng ,rg,mcntQf th< sap.
ty of §he fcrjptt|re text, that the fic&chrif
me regardrd these writing with fogu
„r reverence, which,nqt ofy prevented
%, from wilfully corrupting them, but
c^ff^re^ ^ 4°, ^%%?°4^
ignoranttra nfembers. And to „„, fyit
;tb ? ~ Ww,,,nMU h^ <rf
§ra,fir,fa wM ^l&ft tte
possibility pf Mips &wi% 4h«,4i
j IC OU have permitted fomebody,who
calls himfclf " A CITIZEN," to out
rage " Christian Prudence" for a nojauit
lot mine. You will fuller me, to beg foch a
citizen to be assured, that in behalf of my
friend Christian Prudence, I demand fat,
isfadron. Is it a crime fir a man to be
affl aed with biindnefs? What law dees
such an invalid transgress in fecking re
lief? And if he should take it upon hira
felf to write to fomc notorious pbyfrcian,who
had' advrrtijedWrrfetf as one (efficient for
these things ; & feme friend of his (hould
witness th, wri§ing^nuft that,friend heor (he
tamely submit to be abated for noth
ing ? No.—l an A CITI^NOF THE
WORLD., as blind as I am, with in ach
ing head and atender, heart. And if„a
cannot fee what is not, try to difeern what
IS, “ But above all, that the good ri
dings of greitjoy, which fc|l be to alt
people, is hill continued among us, ar
far the hope we have of future happirefc.'!
In other words. Tfo&t 6, to. God for bis
aqfea&a&gQ,, The raWe. " whole heads
ang eyp ate in a found date," need not
a physician, h^ they who are fck. [•
QX %te become this" better fort of
people" to be mcr^gcntle, & apt touacb.
The } public my be led to conclude that £
am fallen aiqong @v fl .(the better fort},
who scorn to steal such fr^fe as money -.
And ^^^ " a. chnfyancitizen," and
. The style of this sermon, is, as might
be expelled, pure, correct and perspicu
ous ; and as elegant as is cenfiftent with
an uncommon terSeneSs which compress
the greater number and variety of ideal
into the foiled compass. This difeourfe
will on the whole, be found to contain an
excellent Summary of the external or his
torical evidence of the authenticity of the
New Tefliroent ; perhaps the best Summary
extant. It contains also much historical
information, and will furniSh amusement
to the mere mao of feience, as well as
confutation to the pious chriftian whrfe
hopes are Supported by his faith. We would
particularly recommend the peruSal of it
to young perfens whole minds are open to
impressions, and very liable to be led a
flray by the chimeras of an upstart philo +
phy. The French have abolished chriftiJ
unity and renewed the mythology of she
ancient Greeks and Romans, by creding
certain virtues as jutlice, troth, patriutifa
&c. into divinities to be worshipped, and
areally instituting festivals and cieding
temples in honour of these visionary, met
apbyGcal, undefined deify*. This waa
the predfe origin of the pagan idolatry—
the foundation on which the whole fyflem
of anctos mythology was eroded ; and
out of which g ew all its absurdities and
corruptions. This idea leeros not to havq
been Started in America, but it is such it
cannot be denied or evaded, that the
French Convention have formally renew
edthe foundation of the ancient heathen
worffiip ; andTt^e„bd# altogether on the
furore knowledge and gircomdanees of
mankind, whether they mail or Shall not
/revert back to the polytheism of the an.
cients—ln this Situation we are to be doub
ly cautious not to fuffer our attachment to
lout allies to debauch ub from our faith in
that sy stem of religion, which naturally
humanizes men, and has rendered the
<hara&er of Americans uncommonly pikla
;beneveleat and amiable.
Foa the Columbian Informer, &%
from the original. Multitudes cf menu
fcript copies of the New Testament are
bow extent, many of them of an early
dlrey and the wonderful agreement be
t#&h them all, proves that the writings
ofithe Apotties have not been effentiahy
Corrupted.
Mess rs. Printers,
[Whole No. 81]
[Am. Min.)