The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-07-30 00:00:00, page 1

OR IGt N A L POET R T.
Epistles.
I o a Friend in England.—[Continued.^
Rhyme, see / has made a serious slip,
And brought me back on board the ship,
AVhere my gross senses, at a stroke,
Imagination’s spell have broke,
knock’d all abroad* mv little wits,
And thrown poor Musey into fits.
\Vcll! since ’tis so, do thou repair,
I o least on fatted ducks at Ware,
fOf which, from Fancy, I would beg
'The favour of a wing or leg,
Hut she, no Epicure herself,
Would not indulge a sensual elf—)
Whilst I, with stomach keen, poor man/
Must get my dinner how I can,
On ship’s provisions, not so fat,
Course grub ! and not enough of that /
I' arc well \-m- Thy friend to all our frienda
^ arm wishes lor tlu ir welfare sends,
And trusts (dear nu ! what pleasure ’tis?)
1 hat he possesses theirs for his*
I ell them how earnestly he prays
1 o spend with them some future days ;
So much he loves (methinks they smile)
Grcwt-Britain’s charming little Isle.
Some one, like thy dear uncle James,
VV ho (entre nous) on hobby themes
Hide into Error’s slough so plump,—
1 hat is—praise England in the lamp,
And from the judgment-saddle, glance
On alien worth th’invectivc lance,_
i hey, now, may think the Buck.sltin-\oon
Has wonderfully changed his tune,
And blindly praise old England’s glory
I'or making such a whig a tory.
But tell them,—though he used to joke
About their Jreedom and a—yoke ;
Allude to things so apt to warp, as
Namely, the right of Habeas Corpusyf
Make odd comparisons, at times,
71’wixt penal punishments--and crimes;
Contrast the Sessions of Old Bailey
* ** To fall abroad*’ is a phrafe peculiar to
the weft of EngUud. It fignifies, to jcjttert
fpi'/> or fall down.
f This is an allufjon to the fufpenfion of that
boafted privilege, by an a<ft of parlianscot then
recently pafltd.
THE
i f
WHEELING REPOSITORY.
(VOL. I.)
Thursday, 30th July- 1807.
(No. 22.)
W ith slaughter-houses, garnish’d daily;
Or intimate that somewhere else
Humanity at rigour melts ;
Confess how loyal he\ must think’em,
Who spends on whores—their nation’s in
Ilint that their tar/Jtho’very good, [come;
Is not, to him, quite novel food;
Or slily, when he drank their beer,
Ask what had made the malt so dear;—
I ell them, he meant no harm by this
And hopes they took it not amiss ;—
’ 1'was natural to be not blind,
And, sometimes, cast a look behind.
Discriminating still, he dares
Compare his native land with theirs,
And, spite of prejudice and whim,
I race kindred traits in every limb,
So striking, Vanity alone
(He thinks) would venture to disown.
The slave to Prejudice will judge;
Nor trom his own dear notions budge,
Though naked Keason should oppose
Rank confutation to his nose.
Their friend, in his opinion, steers
With caution when a doubt appears ;
Hut when there is none, wherefore stint
The flight of Truth, an^ curb the hint?
For homespun bias then take ofF [clough,
Some scruples, which we might call
And,fairly weigh’d in Judgment’s scales,
These rival realms,—prodigious bales !
To eyes, impartial eyes, ’twill seem,
That neither of them Jails the beam.
What would ye more ? Have I denied
Our countries’ equal shares of pride ?
Of Luxury, whose wild excess
Displays its many-colour’d dress?
Both the same valour when pursued ?
The same steel-temperM Fortitude ?
Knowledge in science and in arms ?
In laws ? in ms ? in social charms ?
In either, said, the heroes’ line
Is not, what History paints it, fine ?
II e’er I spoke of Hamilton,
Of Adams, Rush, or Jefferson ;
Or mentioned with delight the names
Of Washington, our King, or Ames ;
Did I, by doing so, declare
I hat Lrskine’s talents are not rare ?
t The prefent Prince of Wale?.
Deny the learning- of Home Tooke ?
Lettsom dispraise ? or Reeves o’erlook?
Or could it he wire drawn, to wit
’Gainst George, your king, or Burke, or
Pitt? [To be continued.]
WHEEL ING,
Thursday, 30th July, 180r._
The following are copies of the letter
received on the 4th inst. by the Mayor
ot Norfolk, from the commodore of the
British squadron below that place, and
oi the Mayor’s reply:—
His Majefty's (hip B.Ilona, Hampton
Roads, July.3, 1807.
S**;—I'beg leave to reprerent to you, that
having obferved in the newfpapcrs a rcfolution
made by a committee on the 29th ult. prohibit
ing any communication between his Britannic
rnajefty s conful at Norfolk and his fhips in
Lynnhaven Bay; and this being a meafure ex
tremely hoflile, not only in depriving the
Britilh conful from difeharging the duties of his
office, but at the fame time preventing me from
I obtaining that information fo abfolutely nectf.
fary for his majefty 8 fervice I am therefore
determined, if this infringement is not imme
diately annulled, to prohibit every vein.!
bound either in 01 out of Norfolk, until I know •
the plrafure of my government, or the com*
mander in chief’s on this ftation. You mufl le
perfectly aware that the British flag never has,
nor never will be, infulted with impunity: you
muft alfo be aware that it has been, anti i* ftdl,
in my power to obftruft the whole trade of the
Chelapeake lincc the late circumftancc, which
I delifted from, trufting that general unanimity
would be reftored, Refpefting the circumftance
of the deferters, lately apprehended from the
United States frigate Chefapeake, in my opi
nion, muft be decided between the two govern
ments alone. It therefore refts with the inha
bitants of Norfolk either to engage in a war, or
to remain on terms of peace.
Agreeable to my intentions, I have proceeded
i*o Hampton Roads with the fquadron under
my command, to await your anfwer, which l
truft you will favour me with without delay,
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient bumble fervant,
J. E. DOUGLAS. •
P S. I enclofe you two letters, directed to
the Britifh conful at Norfolk, which you will
pleafe to forward hirti. j. £,
To Richard E. Lee, Efq- Mayor)
of Norfolk, Virginia. 3