The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1780-02-05 00:00:00, page 1

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l—IBRUARY5,12_80. si, TH E_ NUMBER 52.
VIRGINIA GAZE TTE.
l-VlLLIAA/ISBURG: PRINTED PY DlXON &? NICOLSON.
All. l'\ rG-m may lsisi (si, plied wish 1an P'q-es at 50 Dollau a Year, and have Advcrtisemuu (of : modern. Lenglh) inserted for to Dolluu che sir! Wnk
and 7 DMan each Wch aftcr.-— aning Work done !! thil Office with Cut lnd Expedition.
Wuunu AYLHT, Esiqct King wunm.
5 ] R,
HH occ'nfisin ,,F me p sit from the sue
ni-y of ('a [x.-so: , wxll excuse me ful
"huvivzz- so lunsi'f neglected your Iddl'ess
so Ap icuu. Wnoever shlll underL-ke
I:) posssst ( ul "ac dbulcs us men in power
or office, and the cormdmn nf publlck enmu-z or
vicu, m.! alv—nve um; himscif cxp utd to llllP'si 'nquy
of the interested; un; ]us wall meant end! ..vc-ms
represented in che ndiou light of mgratefill :alumn'u.
Thin considemionmo ..equentiy dvkl'l [he tinud. m
luke-wmn Palrioc. sum: offmng his sentimmlsi to
lhe publizk; but he whose zed dine", contemm
equally :hc— abuses, and thctsc who attempt to fligma—
tile, his hunt" ('usignl.
Agsicola's g-ubhcznr-n Ind far in principal object,
zssnmersct nmsihg-osisiecx momen! than she condutk of
shffc ffisicrez ]; ct...lv sue! :: resurnum-n m our lx'zei;;
for wmc us pr yper siguhuum in which, we n.";- pu
ripienod to the bri..k or .h-lludlion. thlhe obser
vations or. Commisszri, I &c. though but :; mHnsi-al
ccnudernion, seemed to him of no little consequence
to (be commumty. As you hwc thought pmper to
alms}, lum upon thin ssl-rUl-d, he uwcs w the publick
: Vind-cation of hic opinions.
That all comznunitiet, in time of wzr, arc subject
to, and tlut many hue sushined considenblc damage
h-n 1. mzl-pncticcs committed by them ochtn us the
staff, in what will not be denied me. Hilhxy, ancient
and modern, fixes this "ulll beyond : doubt lo the
si'wsi virtuous times ofsh; Roman rcpussvlirk, inxiances
occur of such malversntinn. Bm why do ! mention
such proofs) The: cvil has its origin in human vn
mrc itself, lnd is won] wnh ths: ib.] us mm. Few,
usinhflppily too few, Ire culm'nle ot withthnding the
teml-tzsions ot Nuthh u-tl n.:gruul-zcmcm, when
they un he acqu-red by .! ductitity us c-vnfct'siruce with
out any Considsi'l-bl: ;isk 0! tempsi-.-. puuiih ct:.'.l— :—
Hence the przfincec of ssim uinntm z-nd nume-z-si-ly, so
den-ufliv- co the inteesh of lucsivly. thcc me
d_=hulto of ursi-ccounted lililiiohs- li. l'rtssie measure}
to iIhnlratc whit in Advssmcdd, let us constlcr lil: im
menso fimu lodsid in the hands us ('unsimsi..lmsi't, and 4
o'ther publirk lgcnsz tho difficulrcs thst intervene in l
the smlemems of tha-fir intvicatc anJ volummuuo
accountl; and me delay with which such settlcmcntz
are 'gcneully ssssimvdeelz and wc. find the default"
seemed by A Gnrdtzm knot, which few or none .;a
}.msavel. The z'ubnltct us in osice, use gan: upon their
travelc. T-hc nec-tfiry papers for tlucidlting the
account: have sun:" into Ih: hands of the enemy, or
they haveboen lust in the bnmk, in : precipitate retresic;
and perhapa thousand: of the publick treasure han
fliarc-th him she. Th' famous Mr. Pox in thnrged
With inmoptiati-tg 'o himse! , the enorm -.u sum of
fsiwrv duhom in the lad war, nnd hil sncutity lglilfl
de'tic'Ii-m and being Brought to Account, wan certainly
more innmsizsimtely ticrived from the pcrplexit of his
lcoounts, than the vemlity of Parlilment. lav- wet
no Foxu in Ametin? After this digressmn, intoi
unlsih thve hi m lead from the nlttm os tltcsuhjffl, \
] h..shm to you: Rriflurel. ] :tm fold tlmt " general
accusnti-zn is in fact no ltcusntion If all; but tend!
to defirt-y the n.:esstry confidcnce which the ubltck
should hnvc in the.. [truth, and to Ctp tho uundl- ;
tion of rhzt low:.nmmt Qtzy" their authors " seem
"filtdu. to tusitpart." And you m pleased to (3
"before tfz-j' 'uccutsic men in office they should he was]
Ujctmed, poin'ed, and explictt in their charge, dis
r —_u
criminming between !hl now.! end the bad. [sin of
now examine wlsiu Agriccm hna pubhshed to all so:
such incfragnble proofs. He hu said [he: " the law
man: of our momy is in some measure oming to the
conduct of Commxssmci m-d others, who art wise!)
anowed to purchase. on cmmnifflu-nsz" and thsit " the
plan which he Psuposks wc uld save the cou-usy thou
fand! wh cl-si H : sunk in she is huds." Are yon um:
Sir of the principle you h we: laid down, and how tal
it suivs th" gemu- of : sue goulnmem? Do you
mean shut nothing but on prss/J ).osslzivc (hill be ob
jected" 10,men in office.? ') Ms mdecd wcvld be to
tempt 'si'mh ( ffiLu-s to : hrsf-cb of their duty, end ol
th: nnR cuwactu-n] to them, czcn in the most palpa—
ble inlhncc-; whcre they could profit by it, and I!
the same time had : ch'ssmcr: o! ending such pin?!
pclixive, ix 'vcvM is: to smthfj !hsiirclnracten. under
cvrctry apsivslr'lnce sin.! rsircumflmual 7:qu at their
guilt; puvide'l only the ['A-ject did not admit of, or
msszuc hzct-i-mm! to 11: wct-siaing th- proof positive you
cal: for: ]: wmld he lrnly to say the i'oundution of
gwernmcnt; so it would ssisisho che libexty of the
cnizcn, e\-.n in lht enc-mso of his judgment :nd ru
son; and h' ject him zed-.; mal} gnevon impofiliom.
whlie his lips were pzdlvdccd. You have been !
piact-tinml of the law; let me prmy your indulgence
wlntcsi ! alk you : quehnun rclsinivc lo lhe nlmrc of
proosl. An: nht strong circumshntinl proofs fre
quentfy ldmitted in the courts? Are they not even
m nseu of hu- and dead.? ]? so, shall (hay be denied
when the publick intersij in at Maker My acqunim
nnco wish she,- Gc-n'kmen of [he [his in not very rum
, live. Formcrly ! had she pleasure of some degree of
imimacssv'wnh (ful. A_\len, and it is with real sam
saction ] dcdarr, t-h-ssu ] always considered hsm :: a
, man of hosi-sivur nndsiintcgsily, and a friend to bid
i cnuntr -. :..m'ssv am ] lo observe (but he ukn upon
ss [muse] lin j-nlifimneu us all who hue been suBor
; dinau in him in office. This is a piece of Qixctnlm
'lmt [did h-N tune! fro.! his candom ;m-l gem! soule;
uid l zul pu-si'u-uhd in his coulcr how; he will regret
that such a i'ci'i:'.s"liull hrvs csczpzd him. Has L'ol.
Ayltlt appointed eivny lctu lain;: !! in lus cffice, or hid
He that poct. r of lnlpiuing flicm all With the purity of
his prinmpiss'fl? (.red'al qui quit, non Egc- Cenainly
there are man) bones} and worthy men in the busirvess,
am] ( wcil c.;nsider that such arc Bllllllcd to the clean:
'md grmin-zle of this country; but ] cannok conceive,
as ] am n-ctH and behove lhu (his i: your chuacter,
whv you should so readily take umbugc al what if
sect: th unwonhy only. I smcerely wish that th:
ngemcs- with which you hue engaged in defence of
the mmmi: urine, may not tend to cnne suspiciom
injuriom to yourself. The pr was incendod only
for these whom it might (it : ] should be sorry to see
it on your held.—But to return more immediately to
the subject: " we even ndmit that the public]: hn
hixhono been flithsully szrved in this clepnnmcm, yet
ought not a wise gcxcrumem to guard, :: far " posii
ble, lgainld every nmptation and incixemenl to fraud,
in sslheu' lgevm or servants? And in me matins
commifl'wm on purchases like to have suc effect?
But sky you, " have the Commissnrin to your know
ledge given higher pricu thzn were current? ]. I
ss dollar in their hand: of more womb dun in she hand
of an individull?" These quelfiom on which you
]ly so much Rresl, [mal big lene to observe, ippur
in me very supnficialsi nnd my rendily be wed
ss by other inm-rogzwri . Clanot : Comni nsiy bon.
ssprivno ngeon w forth! the mukefn. lad ("quid
sidim :: increased pricn. 'to increase his commictfflon!
. , -. . 1.)—
' v'r
.
Will not ; judicial]: hint, without ! palpnblc snud,
!)G sulsi :ient los lhil purpose? Have you never bend
of such practice! bexrg suspeRedP ! nssurc you they
hue upon real grouhds of probabvlity, but not
)q/iu-m. got " Agricoh retutu himldt—Tne Loo
mflsictry cannot mail hin se" of the increase of his
'Ol'l'llnllhonh from the consequem dcpnciniou."
Here unl-nckiiy 'he blu. .Ier is your own. Let ut
.uppose flux: ;- C--nm-.Zss.:-y :. to maken purchasc of
loo.ooolh. of pnrk, :mci shut the price !! lstiicillly
r-lfld lrcm !; 1; 50]. [I hundred: w: find By such
pu-thsc he much hu fo-mniffioni amount !. woe;
influx! of seek An : is his: invention so burn,
vh the can makc— am advantage of such increased sun?
]- be : landmungzz ? It ps-sscunzs : wnram for no
acrel of land, inflead of "50. [in he aquc
had;? A !ew shoku of th'! kind inrnish him with
:\ capiul. In short hc v-pi! t'; wi .hd mpney depmiued
in nothing mon', ansij ix. lc'A thing; so much :: nous
sariu otsi nicg. am! " is me: ::we evident he llilll a
the dcgncianon, and ib .? ( me latitude, the ents:
extendiuct; the tvnl. Let us suppose tlso du! th
Commissu'y with .hmssctm of th. publick money it
his hands meets wnh mnpmiom to realiu ths ,
fcrhis own ] nvate , n.c:!ument. Will thy Ilwlyn li.
n'ifled? And if he it ups. nuna'ely Mlblyfm- kid
duty, ducsis it not become his interelt tude mittain
money u 1',>ccd-ly as possible, that by suc moll- it
may the more rrnuiiy make up hil ucounn? ] hlvcct
been well informsisi-j by a (iv-mtlman of not in the
army, who is dinhnguishcd hy hilimcgricy, umllu '
vcraJty, that such prac'ms hue notonly been
ed by him, and those (l'aisi'tjhv whom: d !
lbo publid 'thjan; but that the_ lm'eff m
stancm proofs m nm wanting Few mia hue w.
Avle-u's pmr-oxil'm of zinki 15 (heir cmnisiont i
ehe publick sensivigcct—Thn such evil puflim In]
been commi-rcd, ] will not undernke Psilstass A
cttctsiiumss, but ! :L-c occasion mo often to turthnpu si?
m'mcy is applied to prn ne purpofel- Cumm
w.1'e acsinnm for th. mddcn ri;c of some assent! from
penursiy m afflucnce; flom p.".clridul subfiflme !.
luxury and vnluplu usn-ss? Such exm ['I thou
no in muse timcs; and will they not be I ' by
the imparual puhhck, " circunztbncill proofuflh
doctzinc ] hzwc advanced? Mofl unde] thou so.
necessity fsi-r confidisg our money to publlck inn;
but we urnut be too careful in the choice of th]
and should always. have in mind shut commu
proverb, that (her! recx'sivrctin : mak. w
To opvn the eyes ci the pen p (: to the . ' .
(heir scrvlnu, or to guard them lgl'ln Inch endl
qenciec, [ever hsild to be the duty of: podcitiml.
\ and to my counlr) men ] sunmil, whilur-my publi
cation had such lemirssucy, or tho iniuriougm you
lscnibc to it. Sure I am, ] neither inan m'
( conceive it has done injury to us V.
Good character; d/striminah (bignflhw, " "!
destrctw no jh-mm . 'son unlimiud I confined K
me affiCers or ierss-N of :- firm, sisun the line
Magiflme, lhsough all the different :?lnnenu of
office; not only has the generul effect dshdhiuq.
.
.,ul too often rrduces i\ m flu-ery. A un es [lilo
rica] knowledge med; ru sum! of inhnm so v.
this uiom in pol-ticks. Let every one ibeMciI-W
wlshcl to preseru (he Iibe ny of hil country, fetutiniu
:lhe conduct of shosi- who m (ruled either with in
government or riches, with lpierting eye. Good
l'crnnn will exult in every inquiry, " it "inns
sslbcir worth and imegrity; and corrupt oned mmwh'
um infamv and contempt they so jufly debt", '
] 'l