Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-08-03 00:00:00, page 2

^Erngmui 3ic0u£.
RICHMOND,
FR7DA.Y, Aorust 3, 1810,
A NEW DUKE OF SULLY.
A gentleman who has occupied the
columns of the National Intelligencer
lor some time past, under the signa
ture of “Sully,” has assumed a name
which is a sarcasm upon his opinions.
The name of Rosny is connected with
every thing that is wise and valiant :
with fortitude amidst disaster; with
active courage when surrounded with
calamity ; and with poli'ical sagacity,
which counteracts, by means of prac
tical operations and not by theoretic d
speculations, the wily intrigues of a
cunning and malignant adversary.
Bn: this modern representative of the
favorite minister of Henry the fourth
evinces nothing more thau an alacrity
in reconciling us to dishonor, in sooth
ing us to submission, and justifying,
by representing as inevitable, the out
rages of the European governments.
•* It can be demonstrated,” (saith this
modera duke) “ that the attempt, on
41 our part, to defend or extend our
** trade by fVrce of arms on the ocean,
“ in our infancy, must have proved a
u l/ortheThe demonstration, like
the proposition, is, of course, clearly
made out! But how is it made out ?
By arguing, that, because Gen. Wash
ingtm aiu not see proper to wage a
naval war, when, in fact, there waa no
tt-cessijy for a nar-al war on the part
' of this ccmntry, there ought to be no
naval wur when it is necessary. Ad
mit, however, what this new 44 Sully”
says, to be true, that u at and about
44 the period of Gen. Washington’s
“ administration, we received injuries
44 from England and France, which
would have justified'a resort to force
is it not a total condemnation of Wash
ington for a neglect of duty to say,
“.Hid we created even a small well
44 equipped fieet, by joining either with
44 that of France against England, or
44 that of England against France, or
4* uniting with that of the noithern
44 powers against both, we might have
44 stood some chance of rendering it so
“ efficient, as to insure a tolerable re
44 spcct to our commercial rights. If
44 is not impossible but that ive might
“ have averted, if not altogether pre
44 vented, the entire monopoly by Bri
“ tain of the dominion of the o~ean ?”
And what is it but a contradiction in
44 Sully” himself? For, it will not be
denied that we were 41 in our infancy”
under Washington ; and if 44 it can be
44 demonstrated” (as 44 Sully” says it
can,) 44 that the attempt on our part,
44 to defend our trade by means of
44 force of arms on the ocean, in our
44 infancy, must have proved abortive,”
is it not a very gross absurdity in the
same writer to say, in the same breath,
that if we had united with England a
gainst France, or with France against
England, or with the northern powers
against both, 41 it is not impossible but
44 that we might have averted, if not
41 altogether prevented, the entire mon
44 opol) by B iiain of the dominion of
44 the ocean ?” An attc mpt that44 must
44 prove abortive” can surely 44 avert”
nothing. Yet such is the logic of a
writer who has written five tedious
numbers for the National Intelligen
cer 1 I hat an Individual should be
found weak enough to compose them,
is not, indeed, so very amazing ; but
that they should gain currency through
the medium ot that print, is really sur
prising.
This same “ Sully” says ** Had it
“ been our policy, then (in Washings
“ton’s da\) was the time to ush- r in
“our naval character” What dees
this man talk of policy ! Is it not our
policy to protect our commerce ? Is
it not our policy to vindicate our hon
or? O no, (rjuoth the dukej “It
“ seems to have been long since deci
“ ded that we shall not go to war for
“the sole purpose of vindicating our
“ violated honor but (continues
“ he) that war shall he re oned to
“ only according to the prudential cal
“dilations of interest And yet, in
the same column, this most logical
“ Sully” informs us that “ the immense
“a count ot property the French e<n
“ peior has unjustly, infamously seiz.
•• t-d ami condemned,” cannot be re
g/ ined by force but that “ there may
“ h * a possibility of getting it back by
“ negotiation /” Thus, with th»s wri
ter, our interest consists neither in our
ho..or nor our propertv—-for, he ad
mits he will fi ht for interest, but not
lor our viol ted honor nor for our
seized and confiscated pivpertv.-—
"What is, then, our interest ? To wri t
silly es*ays, make lidicul .us speeches,
and maintain ahs rd opinions, wr sup
pose, which have no other tendency
than to “Sully” the charac er of the
nation !
The curse of this country is vfcrba*- j
ity of argument—or, more strict'y
speaking, verbosity of consense. E
very thing is to be done upon paper.
We have paper politicians, paper states
men, paper-armies, and all our acts
are upon paper. We seem to rejoice
in the wrongs which are heaped upon
us, because they give us the best of
the argument; we glory in our politi
cal honesty, merely because, (whilst
honest as we are, we get kicked,) it
enables our legislators to make pathet
ic speeches ; and the murders of the
Chesapeake seem not to have been
unwelcome, inasmuch as they enable
the scribblers prettily to turn a period.
The day is coming when the people of
this country will dearly pay for all this
pick-nickery —when our wrangling
politicians will discover that exp.ri
ence is the only true guide in artbirs
oi State ; and th-it acts> and not words
alone, are the instruments of the most
successful negociation.
To ms Editor «i tie Ahous.
Every day's examination among the an
cient records preserved in the office of the
general court, leads to some important dis- !
covery in relation to our early history, and
the policy pursued by the British govern,
ment towards the colonies. Since the ex.
tract published in a late number of The En•
quiver, from which it appeared that a prin
ter bail been prohibited from prosecuting
his business, in the year 1682, I have d^sj
covered that it was a part of the settled
policy of the government, in 1671, as ma.
nifesied by the then governor,to keen the
colonists as ignorant as possible^ by discou
raging both the introduction of learning and
the use of (he fireee among them. The fol.
lowing interrogatory propounded to Sir Wil
liam Berkeley, by the lords cotnminsioners
for foreign plantations, and his answer,
will shew th« sentiments of that favorite of
the crown.
I am, y’rs. respectfully,
Mm. W. HENING.
July 30th, 1810.
“ What course is taken about the instruc.
tjngihe people, within your government, in
the Christian religion ; and what provision
I is there made for the paying of your min.
istry ?
41 Answ. The same course that is taken in
. England, out of towns ; every man, accor.
ding to his ability, instructing his children.
We have fforty eight parishes; and our mi.
nisti rs are well paid, and, by my consent,
'huuld be better, if they would firay often
rr, and fireach less. But, of all other com.
irodities, so of this, the worst are sent us ;
and we had tew that we c-mld boast o»,
since the persicutiou in Cromwell’s uranny
drove divers worthy men hither. But, 1
thank. God, there are no free schools, nor
firinting, and 1 hope we shall not have,
these hundred years ; for learning has
brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects
int® the world, and firinting has divulged
them, and libels, against the best govern,
mem. God keep us from bulk 1”
Curiosities of Antiquitt.
To the Editor of the Enquirer.
In ray late researches among the an.
cient records relating to Virginia, I have
, discovered some important tael , both as
it respects the rights of property; and as
furnishing matter for the his orsan.—It is
now clearly ascertained, that so early as
the year 1682, there was a printer in Vir.
i ginia, who wut prohibited by the Governor
j and Council irom prosecuting his business,
I till the king's pleasure should be known,
j It had been handed down by tradition,
ihat by a law of V.rginia, the art ol prin. I
i ting had been suppressed during sente
i period of our subjection to the legal go.
vernment—but the accuracy of ihat state
ment, had been questioned by the best
informed men among u>; no wnticn or
printed documefts having been discovered
to justify it.—No doubt cun now exit,
of the fact, >hai the liberty of the pr®»s
• aa»n M .Ml I Off uol k ff a la !■ I...
” i—..—, * -~ — "I
by an order ot the Governor and Council.
The following is the minute of their pro.
ceeritngs taken Iron; a M S with whicu 1
have bt n fimujhcd by Mi. Jtrfi'erso i, Lit
President olio Unmd S ales, ami which,
on comparison with cottmpoianeoos MSS
is found to be air.Ctly accurate.
*• Fehruaiy «lat, 169 2.
“ John Buckner called b-fore Lord Cul*
“ pepper* and his council for printing the
« laws of 1680, without hi* excellency's
*i license, and he and the printer order.
“ ed to entar into bond in 100^ not to
“ print any thing hereafter, nntil his ma.
«• jetty’s pleasure «hall be known." [ Ver*
batim from the Blind M* S. p». 498.]
It i* not probable that the king did sig.
oily hi# pleasure for a long serie# ol years
—for the first evidence hereafer of any
priming having been done in Virginia,
was on the revised laws of 1733.
Among the old bx»k# prescived in the
cleik's office of the General court, there
are a gieat number of patents, which
ought to have bren recorded in the book#
which are now In the Register’s office.
This perhaps accounts for the many un
successful applies ions at the Register's
office, for ancient patents, which can be
found no where but in the office of th :
General Court, in<er<»pcr»ed thro' a great
t umber of volumes, labelled as contain,
mg *• bonds," • commission*” Ac. For
many years after the fitsi set Icnocnt of
1 Virginia, the Srcretaiy waabj h the Cletk
I of the General Court and Register of the
i Land uffice, and itll helitV'ks which are
' i ow m the • wooiVtses wvre deposited in his
• A reletence to our laws Will shew
F at Lord Culpepper was Governor of Vir
ginia at this period,
atoned—It scerts to have been the prac
tice among his clerks to record the pa*
ptrs in the first bo A which came to hand
without regard to the subject matter, or
to chronological order. Thus we'find in
“ Deed Book'-,** a great number of wills,
and Hate papers—and in a •* Will Book,’’
we have the entire proceedings of the
Court Martial held by Sir William Berke
ly, for the trial of the adheients to Na
thaniel Bacon—The abuses in the Sec
re ary’s office were so great, that rhey
called for the interposition of the Legis
lature., who, by an act, passed in 1664,
entitled “ An act concerning the regula
ting the secretary’s office,” expiessly de
clare, “ that it appears that there hath
beene a greate ncg-ect in keeping the
records in this country,” and appoint a
committee, to examine into the subject,
and propose a relorm.
I am respectfully, yours,
W * W. H« NING
William Waller HENiNo,,Esq, a
member of the Privy Council^ is appointed
Clerk of the Super-or Court of Chancery
for the Richmond District -to supply tha
vacancy occnsioned by the death of Peter
Paisley, Esq.
From the Boston Patriot.
MUCH TRUTH IN A SMALL
COMPASS.
The principle of our Commercial
embarrassment being fully ascertained
both in theory and in fact, the particu
lars are, in a national point of view, of
very little consequence.
On one side——the utter exclusf.
on from the continent, or, (what is
not much better,) vexatious detention,
of all part of American commmerce,
which is even suspected to have any
connection with England—
v>.-u me umcr an me promoiuon or
all that trade which th« continental
powers would permit with us, by Bri
tish blockade and orders of council.
This is fully demonstrated to be the
theory and the practice of the great
sea and land robbers of Europe.
As it respects us, the poli'y of both
is predicated on the same principles—
Our insatiable appetite for gain, and
our unconquerable digestion of in
sults.
Both will endeavor to manage the
maiter so as to stimulate this wonder
ful appetite and wonderful digestion
—and what renders our malady still
; worse in prospect—Our own political
quacks, (and I fear too our regular
state physicians,) will directly or in
directly do much to aid the destroyers
in their pernicious operations.
An Independent American.
HEMP! !!
The Order in Council of the British
king, d ited the 20th of May, of which
we this day publish a copy: declares
the port of Elsiueur in a state of (pa
per) blockade. This is an event of
considerable moment to our commer
cial interests. Elsineur is a Danish
port at which all merchantmen are
obliged to call to pay what is called
the Sound dues, and without doing
which you cannct proceed up the Sound
without being liable to capture and
condemnation on the part of the Danes.
This new proof of British Friendship
is in realitv an exclusion ol our flag
from the Baltic.
Hemp, Duck and Sheeting are a
mongst the most valuable articles we
import from thence. The first is of
'he utmost consequence and the want
i of it has occasioned an immense rise,
it may now be quoted at 400 dolls, per
ton, and must of necessity, considera
bly rnhanr*
Two years ago we strongly recom
mended, and we repeat the recom
mendation to our farmers, not to lose
a moment in turning their attention
to the cultivation of an article which
affords the certainty of so much profit
and is of so much utility.
Some Hemp has been grown in
Bucks county and the result was eve
ry way highly flattering.
Pennsylvania and New-York, Ken
tucky and Ohio States, are able not
only to supply the United States with
this valuable product, but to allow of
its exportation, and if Great Britain
continues to pursue her present dit
grac ful policy of Paper Blockades,
we must either resolve to forego com
merci ormake War upon her—there is
no alternative.
Demo, Press.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in
New Haven (Conn.) to his friend in
Augusta, Georgia, dated June 13 h,
1810.
“ I went yesterday with Governor
Strong, of Massachusetts, to visit
Whitney’s GUN FACTORY near
this place. It is situated on East river,
at the foot of a mountain, and all its
machinery, is, in the first instance, j
moved by two large wheels, the barrels J
are gelded in a furnace—ground by j
one or unore grindstones—and bored
with an iron screw auger, with as much
facility as you would bore a pine board.
Bayonets arc turned, a» a turner would
make the round of a chair ; and then
gro Jnd into their proper shape With j
chisels. Screws anti locks arc made |
with great ease, and (which b a great
improvement) so constructed as to
fit any gun w hatever. There is an axe,
which being moved by a wheel, will
will cut the largest piece of Iron.—
Ramrods are turned as you would turn
a rule. It is curious to see the whole
machine set into operation by one
wheel—and although one band carries
them all, yet it is so happily contrived,
that one workman may stop his part
of the machine without any interrup
tion to the rest, six guns are made in
one day.
“ 1 his is, I think, the most impor
tant establishment of which our coun
try can boast, ’Mr Whitney deserves
great credit, as every part of the ma
chine was his own invention, and it
was three years before he completed
one gun.**
CURE ron the DYSENTERY.
(Extract from “the Philadelphia Med
ical and Physical Journal,” edited
by Dr. B. S. Barton, vol. 1. page
130.
“ Last summerj when I was near
the settlement of the Oneida Indians,
(in the state of N. Y.) the Dysentery
prevailed much, and carried olT some
of the white ^ inhabitants, who applied
to the Indians lor a remedy. They
directed them to drink a decoction of
the roots of Blackberry bushes (liobtis
Gcidentalis) which they did, after
which not oue died. All who used it,
agreed that it is a safe cure, and spee
dy cure.
JAMES V. A. ANDERSON.
London, April 21.
CEUT A.—The complete command
of the Straits, and the additional secu
rity of Gibraltar, by possessing means
of victualling it at pleasure, are not
the only advantages which England
will derive from the occupation of
Ceuta. This city is situated within
120 miles of Fez, the second ci£y, and j
great emporium of the trade of the em- j
pire of Morocco. The distance is [
trifling in a country where tr4de is car- j
ried on by means of caravans, and j
i when the trader who, in the hop« of j
gain, has braved all the dangers of the
desert, and has already travelled seve
ral thousand miles, is sure of finding
a ready market. Of this advantage
the Spaniards could never avail them
selves, on account of their superstiti..
ous and political animosities aga nst
the Moors ; their want of trading capi
tals, and the nature of their govern.,
ment, Sy which even retail inland trade
was shacki d in a manner almost a
mounting to prohibition. But the Bri
tish trader will have none of these ob
stacles to dread and we are happy to
see that conciliatory measures have
been already adopted with success.
BRITISH AMERICA.
Quebec, July 12.
Hia excellency the Governor in
chief, has directed the following to be
inserted for general information ;
Extract of a letter from his excellency
major general Broderick, governor
of Martinique.
St. Pierre, Martq.'May 8,1810.
“ This island is now put on the same
footing, with regard to exports, as any
other Wes’-India Isalnd, consequent
ly British vessels arriving here with
cargoes, can ship colonial produce in
return as freely as any other port in the
West-Indies.’*
f __ •»
IrtUH tftfri) JUlie
Eje'raci of a private Letter from France.
44 Bonaparte is so given to passion, that
at times he appears mad, and there is no
doubt that he will at last turn renliy mad.
In his late journey to An.werp he c m
mitted himself in such a way., that a sta
tute of lunacy would have b-.n taken out
against any other person. When the de
putation of commerce a .d manufactures
were introduced, h« abu-ed them in the
coarsest way, callt d '.hem “ Fools, they
did not know what commerce was, that
they had deceived him with their p-o.
mises, hut to punish them he would
build a town on the other side of the ri
ver, plant 6000 Du'ch families, and give
it such import mt privileges, as Vrould
ensure it to become more famous than
Tyre and Cartha^’* He stopped ihe
Archbishop of Mdcklin, who went to
compliment him at the head of the cler
gy. and *aid to him, in a great passion,
“how durst he appear before him with
such false language, that he knew their
hearts, and that they refused to pray for
his marriage with Louisa, that if they
had their deserts, they ought to hsve a
stone tied to their necks, and be thrown
into the Scheldt, but that if it were done
there were duasi betes as to think that
they died martyrs ** The above, how.
ever s range, may be relied on.
4 T he situation of Holland is snort la.
mentoble, I see nothing but bankruptcy.
“ 1 he empcior scarcely ever takes the
advice or opinion of his ministers. Like
Mahomet he considers every thing that
comas into his head as inspiration. The <
king of nu;;*i.C i.u has used in a bar'oa
rous manner, and would have sent In n
to prison had not his mother interfered.
The empress Josephine, is said to .be
greatly in debt—and she will soon I have
no doubt, be forced to resign the title of
emptevs.”
Boston, July 2r#
~r?Vhe of Majr’lhe French Prince
of baling (Massena) arrived at VaJIado
lid, having previously visited the centrj
of the army at Salamancha—He has <W
bably chosen this position to digest and
direct great operations against Portugal.
The trench force which is to execute
them, form a line nearly the length of
Portugal.—The right, commanded by the
Duke of Abrantes (Junot) is at Astor.
ga;—the centre under the Duke of El*
chiogen (Ney) near Ciudad Rodrigo ; and
the left, under Count Regnier, in Spanish
bstrainandura. These operations will not
only be extensive, but from the selection
f so able a captain as Massena, and such
experienced lieutenants as Ney, Junot and
Regnier, to execute them, they mufcl b~
important and complicated. To oppose
this force, the British have in Portugal
some of their best and most popular Gen
eral;—but unless more reliance can be
placed, in a regular onset, on the Spa
nish and Poriuguese'mduia, than expe.
nence has appealed to warrant, their
lorce is much inferior in effective streng h
to the Fiench—;Le latter having received
much st.onger reinforcements than th«
formersthe veteran roop3 from the gar
risoned cities forming part of these rein
foicements -—their places being .-supplied
wi h new troops. If a general battle is
loughi (which we do not think the Eng.
llsh commander will risk) it must indeed
be bloody—and be decisive of the fate of
'he campaign, if not the kingdom.
Iv is worthy remark that two of the
Fiench Generals, (Junot and Regnierl
advancing on Portugal, have heie oinr«
men defeated by two of the English
Generals in Portugal. It may be that
Napoleon, has assigned to them theirpre_
sent situations to give them opportunities
to wipe ofT what he may consider dis
graceful spots on their sabres— and if h«
has so done, he has doubtless furnished
the nece^ary mem* to effect the end.
The hatred of the French by the Porto.
guese is rep esen’ed to be as inveterate as
was to be ex pec ed'from the baibarities ex
ercised bja he former when they traiterous
ly overran the kingdom, before'they were
driven .herefrom by the English.
The Anglo-Losiianitm army, under
Lord Welle-ley, had their head quarter* • *
near Guards, and was estimated at 65,000
men -about one half militia. The Spani
atds near the Tag is, are in detachments,
directed by the Marquis Ro,nana.
- •'—■■■» *» -
From, i/ic Trenton '/rue Amerienny e
ARMSTRONG & PINKNEY.
While our minister at France, Mrj,
Armstrong, has been very generally toas
ted at the la'e national fes sval, with j0..ji
applauses for his dignified conduct and
manly rem mstrances at the French couiC
— be name ol Mr; Pinkney, our minis
ter in England, has, on the same occasi—
no, been loaded with ridicule and re
proach for his obsequious behavior and
pusillanimous language at the court of St.
Jamc’s. We select a few toasts relating
to each of the1* ministers as a fair spe
cimen of public seijtimint .
At Dinwiddie c. h. Virginia.
General Armstrong-The able, (h©
manly and dTgnified minister-the de
fender of his country’s rights, the faithful
servant of his government. Four cheers.
William Pinkney-The humble, ser.
vile and sycophantic minister-.he in*
fers that submission is the order of tl.©
day. No cheer.
At Surry c. h. Va*
William Pinkney—Pivery one to his
post——wc will give him the head of th«
table at a sheep shearing frolic.
John Armstrong—.He vindicates the
rights of his country, in the midst of ene
mies, with an indignant and becoming
spirit.
At Boston.
General Armstrong--May every A.'
rnencan minister in Europe, apeak a latC
guage as honorable to their coun ry a«
this inflexible patrio*.
At Washington City.
General Armstrong—The American
soldier and patriot. He has not disgraced
himself, by making courtly harrangues at
political sheep.shearings.
A*. Shippensbarg,
General Armstrong-He has shewed
Inm.elf woithy the applause of a free peo.
pie—he has our thanks. 4 cheers.
Pinknev—We • infer* his residence at
London has been of ample endurance.
6 cheers.
At Providence R. 1.
General Armstrong-Uncorruptcd by
the manners of a luxurious court, and un«
daunted by military despotism his republic
can freedom and bold eloquence cotiiound
bit calumniators, and afford us the ctmo*
lauon, that we have one minister so much
under Amencan »« influence,” as to rm
dicaie our rights in the epi.it with which
we are bound to maintain them*
At Patterson.
John Armstrong—The firm and en„ 1
lightened minister. W iliam Pinkney j “
‘ My lord, your lordship's moat ob.dicot
humble servant.”
We might select many more toasts of j
the tame tenor—these will suffice to shew
hat Mr. Pinkney has lost, while general
Armstrong has relaioed, the confidence
>f the people.
f r