The Gazette of the state of South-Carolina — Charles-town [S.C.], 1784-11-11 00:00:00, page 2

STATE of PENNSYLVANIA.
In THE COUNCILc f CENSORS,
Friday, September 24, 1784. P. M.
V^ Draught of an Address from this Council to the
Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
read yefter day, and laid on the table for considera
tion, was taken up for dfecond reading, and the
fame being corfdered, was adopted as. follows, viz.
HAVING Enifhed the period of our appoint
ment, and having,as far as we are able, corn
pleated the new and important business aligned to
u«by the terms of the constitution, and the choice
of the people, we are about to return to our private
employments. Before we separate, we wish to
address a few words to our constituents on this so
lemn and important occasion, when the guardian
ship of thole iacred rights which belong to us as
freemen, is again devolved on the community at
I^-ge.
In the firft place, you perceive that we have de
termined not tb hazard the calling of a convention
for the purpose of effecting any change in the frame
of government or bill of rights. To this determi
nation the remonstrances of great numbers of free
men against a plan of alteration which had been
propoled at our former fitting, not a little contri
buted. There is no human performance which
might not be capable of amendment; and it would
therefore be great presumption to fay, that our con
stitution is perfect; but it certainly contains those
great principles of equal liberty, which, in our
opinion, ought never to be, endangered. We have
found allo, that among the numbers of people who
have been clamorous for alterations, very few could
agree together what alterations Were proper to be
made: Some have proposed one thing, some ano
ther, and what one set of them approved; another
set rejected with abhorrence. But, what is of
greater importance, we found that some persons of
high handing in life, and of great influence, among
whom were a considerable proportion of our own
body, had entertained ideas of government, which
they were struggling to carry into effect, in our opi
nion highly pernicious, and utterly inconsistent
with liberty. We did not think it, by any means,
'confident with our duty, for the fake of removing
some pretended inconveuiencies, which are either
imaginary, or have flown from abuse and not from
the constitution itfelf, to put to rifle, at a time when
such active and restless attempts were made to in
troduce an arbitrary government, the great funda^
mentals of our constitution, which hath hitherto
proved, and we trust will long remain the palla
dium of liberty. In this opinion we have the hap
piness to believe, that we ate supported by the sense
of our constituents. We would add, that after all
which has been said and written on the fubjeft, we
are firmly persuaded, that the constitution of Penn
sylvania needs only to be faithfully administered,
by men who are honestly disposed to support it,
according to its true Spirit and intention, to be the
bed system of government in the world.
Another great ta.fk enjoined upon us by the con
stitution, which indeed ought to have engaged our
earliest attention, but which has been postponed to
the last, was to enquire, “ Whether the constitu
tion has been preserved inviolate in all its parts,
and whether the legislative and executive branches.
of government have performed their duty as guar
dians of the people, or have aflumed to themselves
or exercised other or greater powers than they are
entitled to by the constitution." This arduous talk
we have undertaken and executed, we hope at least
with impartiality. We know that our power is at
an end; that we are returning to the rank of pri
vate citizens, without any more interest in the con
cerns of the public, than what belongs to every in
dividual in a free state; that for seven years to
come, the censorial authority will be suspended;
that during that period dome of us, in all probabi
lity, will be numbered with the silent dead; and
that few, perhaps none of us, will ever again fit in
judgment upon the constitution of the state, and
the administration ofits servants. We know also,
that the constitution has entrusted to us no power
of enforcing our decisions. We can only give our
opinion; we can only recommend. The good sense
and virtue of the people are entrusted with the exe
cution. We leave with you, therefore, our honest
and well meant declarations, which, for your own
fakes, we are confident you will seriously attend to.
The last seven years, which have elapsed since the
formation of the constitution, have been uncom
monly tempestuous; we are sorry to fay, but it is
too obvious to be concealed, that although the storm
has abated, yet the tolling of the waves has not
subsided. The time, we doubt not, however is at
hand, when our proceedings will be calmly con
sidered, and fully attended to, by the good people
of Pennsylvania. They will then have that weight
which the constitution requires them to have. They
are not calculated for the passion of a day; but for
permanent regulation. We have freely ccnfured
deviations from the constitution by whomsoever
committed ; we have stated our sense of the true
conftru&ion of different clauses of the constitution;
We have borne our testimony against the encroach
mehts of onebranch or government upon another,
and have endeavoured to reffOTTthat balance be
tween the different branches which the constitution
has wifely provided, and which is so highly essen
tial to constitutional liberty; but which, it was
feared, was in danger of being LA.
American Intelligence.
We Tre assured By the grealeft writers bn politic
cal law, and we firmly believe, that if all the dif
ferent blanches of power were to be centered in
the nands of one body of men, liberty would be at
an end.
It is unfortunately too true, that we have not
been unanimous in our deliberations for the public
good. It is well known that parties have for a
long time run high on the question, whether a con
vention mould be called or not. We apprehend
that it was an unfortunate circumstance, that this
question, about which we were sure to differ, was
firft of all taken up, though it be the last proposed
for our consideration in that fc&ion of the consti
tution, which gives us our authority and prescribe#
our duty. This unhappy question, which at dif
ferent times has done To much mifehief, kindled
high debates in our Council, consumed much of
the time of our firft session, and at last produced
a dired appeal to the people at large during the ad
journment. No wonder this tranfa&ion excited
some considerable degree of animosity, especially
in those who have been disappointed in the deci
sion of a question, so important in itfelf, and so
eagerly contended. This unhappy question, we
are convinced, has lain at the bottom of all our dis
putes. Indeed, this obje& has never been out of
fight; for Whilst one part of us laboured to purge
from the constitution the abuses that have crept in,
others have never ceased to hold up the pretended
heceffity of a Convention.
Our disputes have produced frequent appeals, in
the form of reasons of assent and dissent; some of
them too much in the stile of acrimony. Our fel
low-citizens, we trust) will be able to distinguish
between the voice of reason, and the language of
disappointment. We Should have been happy to
have agreed with our brethren; we were obliged
to differ with them in opinion, especially on the
great point so often mentioned.
(The eonclufan will be in our next.)
PRINCETON, Sept. 30.
On Monday last came on the examination of the
Grammar School in this place, and competitions for
premiums. In the firft class the prizes were ad
judged, the firft to Charles Snowden, the second
to Richard Eps, the third to Stephen Dehart. In
the fccond class—the firft to William Blackledge,
second to George Whiteyes, third to Richard
Quince. In the third class—the firft to Henry Jen
nings, second to George Knevels, third to Joseph
Caldwell.
On Tuesday following the Students of the Col
lege entered into competitions; and the prizes were
adjudged as follows, viz.
On English Grammar. The firft to Samuel Snow
den, second to Thomas Pollock, third to William
Hugg.
On reading English. The firft to William Hugg,
second to Samuel Snowden, third to Hercules
Whaley.
On Latin Grammar. First to John Van Cleve,
second to Horace Stockton.
On pronouncing English orations. The firft to
Horace Stockton, second to Maturin Livingston,
third to Hercules Whaley.
On English and Latin versions. To Robert G.
Hard er. =— —^^
On Wednesday, the 29th instant, was held the
Annual Commencement: The procefhon began at
10 o'clock, from the College, and proceeded to
the College Church, where the President introduc
ed the exercises of the day with prayer.—The exer
cises were as follows, viz.
1. A Latin salutatory oration on the encourage
ment of science; by Mr. Clay.
2. An oration on the influence that delicacy of
sentiment has upon manners; by Mr. Woodruff.
3. An oration on the principles of Legislation;
by Mr. Furman.
4. An humorous description of a machine for
making panegyrics; by Mr. Condiot.
5. A difeourfe on the evils of commerce in a
young country; by Mr. Livingston.
6. An humorous difeourfe on et cameras; by Mr.
Morris.
7. An oration on the evils of war; by Mr.
Cooper.
8. An oration on the bad effects which the in
dulgence of the cruel passions has had upon man
kind; by Mr. Penn.
9. A panegyric oration on Col. Francis Barber,
of the New-Jersey line; by Mr. Ford.
10, A panegyric oration on General Montgome
ry; by Mr. Gibbes: which closed the morning
exercises.
The exercises of the afternoon were:
1. An English salutatory oration on the advan
tage of fixing good principles by early education ;
by Mr. J. A. Bayard.
2. An oration on the causes of the late war, and
the proper remedy of the evils that have immedi
ately arisen fr^jn it; by Mr. Ten Brook.
3. A difl'ertation on the follies of love ; by Mr.
Edwards.
4. An oration on the love of society ; by Mr.
M'Whorter.
5. A dissertation on the qualifications of a perfect
patriot; by Mr. Radclift.
6. An oration on the difference between teme
rity and true courage; by Mr. Squire.
7. An humorous and satirical eflay on the abuses
that take place in a variety of chara&ers; by Mr.
Spencer.
8, An oration on solitude ; by Mr, Johnson,
^- and to. Two orations of emulation; by Air.
J. A. Bayard and Mr. C/ay, deputed for that
pose by two literary societies in the College: The
firft on independence of spirit ; the second on the
necessity of virtue, as the principle of free States.
After which the President conferred the degree
of Bachelor of Arts on the following young gen
tlemen, viz. °°
Meflrs. John Baldwin, James A. Bayard, Sa
muel Bayard, Win. Campfield, Joseph Clay, Ira
Condiot, Thos. Cooper, Alex. Edwards, Gabriel
Ford, Agur Furman, John Gibbes, James Hop
kins, Abel Johnson, Peter R. Livingston, Alex.
C. M'Whorter, James Morris, Isaac Ogden, James
f"! 1 ' " ilham Radclift, Leonard D. Shaw. John
E. Spencer, Zadock Squier, Abraham Ten Book,
Abner Woodruff. The degree of Bachelor of
Arts was also conferred On Mr. John Parker, hono
ris caufa.
Ibe degree of Maftef of Arts was conferred on
Meflis. William Smith, of New-York; James
Hanna, Richard Hutton, of South-Carolina; Jo
seph Clark, Ebenezer Bradford, alumni of tlris
College : Mr. Daniel Boardman,' M. A; of Yale
College, was admitted ad eundem in this College.
I he degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on
the Hon. Samuel Spencer, Esq. Chief Justice of
the State of North-Carolina; and the degree of
Doctor of Divinity was conferred on the Rev.
Alexander Simpson, ofLondon; the Rev. William
loiteus, of Edinburgh, and on the Rev. John
Snodgrass )of Paiilcy, in Scotland.
Ihe Rev. Samuel IV ales, Do&of in Divinity in
Yale College, was admitted ad eundem in this
College.
Ihe Rev+ Ezra Stiles, President of Yale College,
and Do&or of Divinity in the University of Edin
burgh, was admitted zzd eundem in this College,
and also to the degree of Do&or in civil and canon
laws.
The medal given by his Excellency DoHor Dic
kinson, President of the State of Pennsylvania, to
be disposed of by the board of trustees, was public
ly announced to be due to Mr. Joseph Clay, for
the belt diflertation on the following question,
What are the best means to be adopted by civil
government for the promotion of piety and virtue
among the people? Then followed an English va
ledictory oration, spoken by Mr. Samuel Bayard,
and the President concluded the exercises of the
day by prayer.
The young gentlemen, in their exhibitions, de
servedly gained the applauses of a very numerous
and refpe&able audience. They discovered that
they had attended, with the greatest industry
and improvement, to the study of eloquence, and
the belles lettres, as well as to classic and feientific
learning. They most certainly did the highest
honor to themselves, and afforded the most flatter
ing hopes to their country.
CHARLESTON,
NOVEMBER 8, 1784.
WE are informed by a New-York paper of
the 6th of October, that a vessel from Que
bec, bound to England, was lately loft on the
coast of Ireland, and all the passengers perished,
amongst whom was Colonel Henry Hope, Lieu
tenant-Colonel of the 44th British regiment.
Extraft of a letter from Wajhington county, Virginia,
dated Sept. 11, 1784.
“ I believe that the Spaniards in Florida have
been tampering with our Southern Indians; but no
doubt, they might be baffled in their attempts, if
Congress would adopt the proper measures soon.
An Agent or Superintendant, or a something of
the name of Martin, that now a&s for us, a very
weak, illiterate man, is made a tool for leading
men in North Carolina and Georgia, to purchase
great trails of lands from the Indians, which has
provoked them much, and they lay the blame on
the American Councils, when it is the scheme of
avaricious individuals, against these. b of the
union. In short, Martin has done so much, that
to prevent a dispute with the Indians, his conduct
ought to be enquired into."
Last Sunday a brig from New-York, bound to
the Weft-Indies, put in here in distress, having
loft her masts, bowsprit, &c. She has been out
seven weeks.
M'CREDIE & HAMILTON,
No. 11, Broad-Street,
HAVE imported in the last vessels from London,
a complete assortment of S EAS 0 NABLE
GOODS, which thy fell on the most reasonable
terms. gt. Nov. 8.
TO BE SOLD,
On Tuesday the 30th day of November; at the planta
tion of the late Mr. William McDonald, in Prince
Frederick parish, all the estate of the said deceafd,
conffling of
TEN likely negroes, afmall flock of cattle, hogs,
houfhold furniture, &c. The conditions of
sale are, all sums under five pounds to be cash ; fit
fams above five pounds, twelve months credit will be
given, paying interest and giving approved fecuritv;
the property not to be altered until the conditions fog
complied with. All persons indebted to said efate are
desired to fettle by the day of sale; and those having
any demands, to fend in their accounts properly
atlefed; to
ARCHIBALD MCDONALD, Executor.