The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-06-04 00:00:00, page 5

A'Visit, and compelled Kim to pay a sum
of money, with which a cow was pur
chased and sent home to the cabin of
the poor woman. A nightly guard is
placed at the passages of the river Inny
to prevent the insurgents i xtending their
depredations farther into Leinster, and
it is said to be the intention of govern
ment to call out the whole yeomanry
force of Connaught and the adjacent
counties.
[Russia has for many ages attracted
the attention of the geographer, the poli
tician, and the political economist; and
never was this mighty empire more de
serving of our contemplation than at the
present period. The follo .vu; g descrip
tion ol the 1'uviian character wiil he
perused with a double interest; because
it is the most recent, and because the
ciescriber is Dr. Aikin, England’s se
cond Addison.] Port Polio.
Russia.— 1 he people who inhabit
these wild regions are for the most part
ot Sclavonic blood, and of Asiatick ori
gin ; their progenitors were known by
the name oi Sarmatians. Long disu
nited among themselves, and in a state
of barbarism, they were reduced in the
thirteenth century to vassalage under
the Tartars, l'rom this condition they
were rescued in the fifteenth century,
by their Czar, Joar Basilowitz, who,
with his grandson, of the same name,
men.of vigor and talents tho’ rude and
ferocious, extended the Russian domin
ion, and made the nation known through
out Europe. Succeeding Sovereigns,
among whom Peter I and Catharine II
were preeminent, not only enlarged their
territories, but promoted civilization
and improvement of every kind ; and at
length raised the Russian empire to the
dignity of a first rate European power.
1 he Russian national character ap
pears to be marked with sedateness and
tranquillity, mixed with liveliness and
sociability. I hey are hospitable and
good tempered among one another, ca
pable of strong attachments, sagacious,
and patient of hardships. The servi
tude in which the lower class live, and
th<- despotic rule exercised over the
highest, have made them supple, cun
ning, and crouching. Manly elevation
of soul with steady principle are rarely
met with among them. The ancient
nobility have vast estates, which they
reckon by the number of vassals with
which they arc stocked ; and they live
ux a kind of rude magnificence, shun
ning the Court and public employments;
1 he Russian peasantry are remarka
ble for their readiness in acquiring the
common art6 of life, several of which
they exercise for domestic purposes. In
the higher departments of intellect, no
thing masterly or original has yet ap
peared among them, which may perhaps
he owing to their recent civilization.
*1 heir implicit obedience, joined with
natural robustness of constitution and
habit ot endurance,renders them excel
lent soldiers in the modern practice of
war, win re mechanical discipline is
more requisite than enthusiastic ardor.
They shrink at no danger or fatigue, I
are only to be conquered by exter
mination.
Denmark.—In the course of the pre
sent year, a great alteration in the esta
blished worship is expected to take place
in the Danish dominions.. The present
liturgy, which was framed under Chris
tian 5ih, and published so long since as
1685, has long been felt to be little
adapted to be liberal and enlightened
principles ot the nineteenth century.
With a view to bring about a suitable
reformation in this branch, the right re
vered P. O’Boisen, bishop of L.oland
and Folstcr, has composed a plan of im
provement in public worship, which in
the latter end of the year 1805, he sub
mitted in manuscript to the considera
tion of government; desiring however,
that before any resolution should be ta
ken upon it, it might be printed, and
intelligent divines called upon to give
in their opinion with respect to it. This
has accordingly been done, and the bi
shop of Zealand, Professor Munter, of
the university of Copenhagen, and Mr.
Laffen, of the royal chancery, have been
appointed commissioners for examining
and digesting the whole, the result of
whose discussions were ordered to be
laid before the king previous to the end
of December in the last year.
[Lon. pap.
[ During the debate in the British house
of commons, on the bill for the abolition
of the slave trade, many of the members
delivered their sentiments. We select the
following speeches for this number.]
Sir John Doyle made a very able
speech in favour of the bill. When
those who were interested in keeping
up the slave trade, told him the slaves
were happy, it reminded him of a man
whom he had oncj} seen in a warren
sewing up the mouth of a ferret: he re
monstrated with the man upon the cru
elty of the act; but the man answered,
‘ Lord, sir, the ferret likes it above all
things.” It was argued that the Liver
pool merchants had fitted up a number
oi ships ior this trade, that these ships
were manned with seamen who were
unfit lor any other navigation than that
of slave ships ; and that they had built
docks and piers, which would hold none
hut slave ships. He would suppose tlvv
case of a highwayman accustomed to
stop persons on the road, and when cal
led to account for it saying, “ Yes, I do
stop men on the road, and take their
money, but it I did not—well— Bag
shot and his gang would.” When ask
ed why he did not get an honest liveli
hood, he would make the parallel more
near it he should answer—I am used
to this, and would be awkward at any
other; I have bought a horse, which,
though a very good horse, is fit for no
tiling but stopping gentlemen on the
highway ; I have built a stable, which
will hold no horse,but a horse accustom
ed to highway robbery; and a blunder
buss that would never do execution but
cm such business.” lie denied
the governors of colonies were at all
qualified to give evidence of the condi
tion of the negroes. They were the.
persons in the colonies who knew least
about it. He recited some shocking
instances of cruelty to negroes that had
come under his own notice. He had
known the contempt of these poor crea
tures carried so far, that when one white
man killed two negroes belonging to
another, the other would not be so un
genteel as to exact tire fine due by the
iaw, but balanced the account genteelly
by shooting two of his Abolition of the
slave trade was the only mode of secur
ing better treatment for the blacks, and
of rendering the colonies flourishing.
Mr. IIibbert urged strongly against
the measure of abolition ; but ifitshould
be carried, he contended that to refuse
compensation to those who were likely
to suffer losses by it would be utterly in
consistent with every principle of jus*
tice. He endeavoured to show that the
legislature tolerated many institutions
opposite to the precepts of humanity
and justice, and allowed that profit
should be derived from vice, by refer
ring to certain manufactories in the
north of England, which were injurious
to the lives and morals of those who
were employed in them, and also by