The Gazette of the state of South-Carolina — Charles-town [S.C.], 1784-05-13 00:00:00, page 2

Claiming under them respectively; provided such
claimers are not included in the act aforefaid, made
in the year 1778, who shall have the privilege of
disposing of the fame at any time within the space
of three years next coming: and any deed, or other
conveyance made thereof, to any citizen of this,
or either of the United States, shall be held good
and valid in law, to convey the fame, to all intents
and purposes, as fully and amply as if such grantor
was a free citizen of this Commonwealth. Any
law of this Commonwealth to the. contrary.not
withftanding.-
In the Tloufecf dßeprefcitatives, March -24, 1784.
This bill having had three several readings, palled
to. be amaXed.
TRITRAM DALTON, Speaker.
In. S 'E"NA TL, March, 24, 4784.
This Lill having had two.feveral readings, passed
to be enacted.
SAMUEL ADAMS, President.
Approv'd.' .JOHN EANCOCK,
A true copy, Attested.
JOHN AVERY, jun. Secretary.
?Mrs. TIMOTHY,
Madam,
'I read your last Thursday's ~ Gazette, and • con
gratulate my Country on shaving vne i Prefs free,
and uninfluenced. Relieve me, 'Madam, I feel
myfelf happy, onihnding the People have this
Bulwark, of their Liberties this theft 1 security of
hon'elbmen^and terror of the other description of
mGv, ^PREE and UNINFLUENCED :PRESS.
PERHAPS: the Enormities 6f• private fflandej
should be checked :. at the.fame times 1 think it
would be dangerous to fuffer,eyenran excrescence
of. this Ihple privilege,, this?palladium of public
liberty, to be lopped off, 'as the teath of innova
tion widens every moment, arid on this example,
if it was once opened, there is no faying.where it
might end.
.Patriotism has been the pretence of traitorsand
malecontehtsfhrall ages; Clodius the great Roman
patriot, by clamour and confidence, procured the
baniihment of Cicero ; and by that means nearly
ruined his country. This: Lwill inake bold to fay,
ti^t few men, who openly proclaim thcmfelvcs
patriots, are so, any more than a. boafUr. of. Ids . cou
rage, ever pro zed.a brave man.
True patrictifm. (and hard it is to be met with,)
is. a ray of the divine Light; it is not the , accidental
power of elocution which nature gave, .on the 'bo
ning a leading man, that deserves that title; Lor the
most part the reverie is the case, s as we find .avarice,
or ambition generally lurking at the bottom of
such; but, at length, dear bought experience, and
very coftLy knowledge, find out the delusion.
" The fuhmifhon of.a free people to Government
will continue, To long as justice is impartially ad
ministered; the obedience of the.,citizens, will be
voluntary, cheerful, J might almost fay, unlimited,
and will extend from the refpeX -due to the office
.of the Magistrates, into an affection for their per
fors; but,, on the contrary, we Tee an universal
spirit of distrust, and diffatisfa&ion prevail, which
is always the consequence of tyranny, or corrup-,
tion. The multitude in all countries are patient to
a. certain point; ill usage may rouse their indigna
tion, and hurry them into tome excesses; but the
original fault is always in the governing party."
Such reflexions drew from me the following
remarks on an address to the public, which ap
peared in your Gazette of the bth infant, signed
4 Steady and Open Republican. . The writer begins
thus, " It must diftrcfs and alarm every good
citizen, to fee the many insults on Government so
frequently happening, not only from the Press, but
at the corner of almost every street. Where can
this end? Is is possible such public outrage can
;come from any thing like friends?" I would ask
this Gentleman, and the other Nabobs and ^heir
creatures, did they, at the time of the Stamp Aid,
Tickle so for Government'? Was not Lord Wm.
Campbells, at that day, the language of Nabobs
of this? Were not the Nabobs the principals in
the searching Col. Laurens's house for ftampt pa
pers, with four or five hundred men at their heels?
Did they give the opprobrious epithet of MOBS,
to the leaders of the measures in those days, or
did the Effigies then exhibited, give offence to the
Steady and Open Republicart? It is unneceflary to
multiply instances of the like tranfaXions in those
days, as they are frefh in every one's memory.
0! but (fay the Nabobs) the then opposition io
Government was occasioned by Government aX
ing contrary to the minds of the good people of
the then Province. Do not the fears and jealousies
of the good people of the State at this day, spring
from the like source? Is our present Legislature the
free choice of the people? Did not the Jackfon
borough, and a fubiequent law, so regulate Ele&i
ony that many voters were rendered ineligible?
Were not the most rascally Caitiffs, who took
fhel er under Governor Matthews's Proclamation, de
clared eligible; while tht/oneft quiet citizens
who were taken in town, and forced from circum
stances to take British protections, but remained
quiet, and from their innocenne thought they had
nothing to fear, more especially as they had ren
dered every service in their power to the American
caule,\were excluded? Were they not deprived,
by that stroke of Nabob policy, of their mod va
luable privilege, the privilege of chuting their Re
presentatives in the Legislature; while the most
rascally turncoats, who had 60 guineas topurchafe
their peace, were buffered, some of them, even to
return to Charleston, with a Certificate that they
mad served fix months tin the militia? I really am
.afharned to insult the public understanding, by a
recapitulation of the malepraXiccs I am acquaint
ed with, of Public Officers in that day. of Pecula
tion and Corruption.
lhe,9^„ Republican asks, "Are we henceforward
do look upon ourselves under an orderly established
Government? Or a dfet of felf-created ufftart bully
ing cenfes?" d -hope;there is n® occasion for again
mentioning the former. conduX of this Gentleman;
how 1m assisted mutinying EordWdliamCampbell,
and obliged him to fly for 'faiety on board.one of
his mdftef's'faips. But as to fheir being upstarts,
I would wish to know what idea lie, and the other
'Nabobs, annex to that word. As for my part, I
think I liave. had nearly.,as many fathers and mo
thers as any of them, ifJ.co.uld but .reckon them
-upland think it .absurd for.any ofthe Nabobs of
this State, to ooaft of antiquity, and 'family. I
am a little fkilled,in the Genealogy ofthe Nabobs
of this State;,! allo have a Tittle '{mattering of
-H&aldiy; and, if ^well encouraged, :.can provide
+ proper coats oriaams, x with luitable supporters, and
imottoes, for the most of them. II also wodld wish
no know whatidea: they, affi&tothe words “ good
citizens."
I presume the Open Republican has wilfully mil
taken, when, he fays, " Amazing reverence and
refpeX is pretended for the Assembly," when I
know- the,,gcnerality of the citizens despise the ge
nerality. of< the Members;,^ isevident from .the
publications condemning the meafures' they pursue.
A jumble of unmeaning jargon about whipping
widows, . orphans, honest public creditors, and
every honed man in. the State," is held outuotthe
public by this elegant writer. ''Can any one pene
netrateEha defigmof that paragraph? Tor my part,
:the vbare reading .a jumble of such unmeaning
,words, benumbs me, like the.ftroke df the torpedo.
.T can t perceiveawliere our trade is injured, bv
.any late measures, except^hefe of our WISE Le
gislature. T)o not the rice, wheat, and tobacco
planter, the dumber ^cutter, &c. get an. higher
price for their produce,>than ever was known be
fore? And have not we .a redundancy of foreign
goods? Is it not injurious to any State that imports
more value than they export? When this is'the
case, must not thebalan.ee be always unfavourable?
We must every year purchase less, and less, till
we fink into extreme poverty, when we can im
port nothing at all.
'Foreigners are not, nor will not be disturbed;
,and it is plain they know it, as appears by the vast
quantity uof foreign goods in this city, and still
incoming in with every tide.
The Open Republican's euloginm-on the hapninefs
of our climate, fertility-of our foil, and healthiness
of our metropolis, I shall not attempt to combat;
hut cannot withhold some animadversions on the
following Questions: " Ave we then to rilk all
these great and plain profpcXs? For what? A nar
row, pitiful, unmanly gratification of revenge, on
a few individuals at ourfeet'! Shabby politics in
deed! Is not this Biting our nose to spite our face."
Elegant di&ion! energetically Jignifaant? It could
not be otherwise, as it was inspired by the aXsof
our wife Legifiature, who fat at Jackfonborough,
and since in this city, who whipped to some pur
pole the State, even almost to ruin, and after, like
Tie man who in a paflion threw his saddle in the
fire, burnt his fingers, endeavouring to save die
old iron.
“ But to counter-aX the law of the land" fays
this immaculate writer, ^ is Shocking, and infuf
ferable, as it endeavours to counter-aft our Arifto
vratical designs of ruling by a few. But not so
formerly, when our Open Republican, and his Col
leagues, were very aXiye in pulling down Kingly
ru'e, to set up their own domination. But oppo
sition to a few Tyrants he fays is “ Capricious,
Retail, Tyranny,' and a " Gnawing worm of ma
lic, and resentment, to bite individuals," and a
“ rcfpe&aLle Fatherly Government," (such as the
Legislature at Jackfonborough) “ will commiserate
all its Subjecls," (not Citizens) " overlook all it can
confident with the fafety of the State, to proteX
the poorest citizen, and not be afraid of the high
est." As the Legislature did in the case of Mr.
Thompson, whom they facrificed at the shrine of
John Rutledge, and in his person not only violated
the privileges of the laws, but even the Magna.
Charta of the State, which runs thps, " That no
freeman of this State he taken or i'mpiifoned, or
dilicized of his freehold, liberty or privileges, or
out-lawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed
or deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but
.by the judgment of his peers, or by the law of the
land. Some Nabob fophifters endeavour to shew
law for the depriving Mr. Thompson of his liber
ty, by an order of the Hodfe for a pretended breach
of privilege; and endeavour to Support their argu
ment by the latter part of the i@h Se&ofourCou
ifitution, which runs thus: “ And the senate, and
House of Representatives refpe&ively, shall enjoy
aI other privileges which have at any time been
° r exerc " e d, by the Commons floufe of
Aflembly:" from thence they claim a power of im
prisoning anyperfon they think fit, but don't inform
tne.public, that we are obliged to Mr. Wilkes, for
annihilating the operation of that privilege, against
any but their own Members. It would take up.,
too much of your time, to read the whole, there
fore I shall just observe, that the Lord Mayor, and
two Aldermen discharged two Printers, imprifb&
cd by the House of Commons, and committed to
piilon the Messenger that toolc up the Printers; on
which the House summoned the three Magistrates
before them. Alderman Oliver,and another, were
Members, do came under their laffi, and were
committed to the ^ower; but Mr. Wilkes lent the
House word, if they would furnmon him as a
Member for Middlesex, he would attend in his
place, but otherwise, et them at defiance, and in
formed them, that if any person, by their order
came to take him on account of that business;
lie would lay him dead at his feet. Ihey thought
fit to drop the matter, knowing they had neither
daw noi usage of Parliament to support such a
meaiuie. Yet our omnipotent House of Assembly
pretend to that power, contrary to our Constitution.
IThe Steady and Open Republican fays, '• that we
should have made examples of three or four of the
most notorious delinquents, of rank, of the highefb
authority, and universally known, whole weight
an , influence nave been of the most pernicious
monfequsnaes, after „a fair and candid trial." In
consequence mf.fuch advice, General Williamson
was pitched on (to be the scape-goat, as he had
no relations, or friend, but what his money made
for him. Lut wlry not, Mr. Open Republican, your
particular friend, the Dr^horfa that cverfet th©
Diay, and threw two States into the mud? Wiry
not the Governor that threw cold water on all our
proceedings, ,whcn in his power? Why not that
'Governor who kept the North-Carolina troops
without aims, till Georgia was 'conquered? Wiry
not that Governor, that after Pent them off with
out cartouch boxes, and other necessaries, by
u hich General Ash was defeated at Brier-creek?
Or why not Mr. Wragg, .a Volunteer in the Bri
lifh Board of Police?
I he Marine Anti-Britanrric Society, can!t escape
this Steady and Open Republicans lafli. But it is
the lash of puerile imbecillity. He attempts to dis
play his wit and reading in tire comparing the So
ciety to theFrog in the Fable; and laughs heartily
at the tile o, the Society; yet acknowledges him
felf ignorant of its design. I will condefeend to
Yell that Gentleman, it never entered into the mind
<of the Society, to establish a fleet in this State: but
[heir views .are to educate, und support the chil
dren of indigent Members, and others, who may
be willing to lend their dons to fca. That Gentle
man's reflecting that he had no handir so lauda
ble an undertaking, might have given him the
gripep hexomplains of; an undertaking that will
xeep Loiies, and tlieir abettors, out of their body,
or when discovered to be such, turn them out ; an
-undertaking which has no other view than to ass ft
the indigent, and raise up ufeful members to So
ciety, to assist our own Merchants to man their'
trading vessels, and thereby lay a foundation for a
nursery of seamen, to aflift Congress to man their
fleet, when .t should be by that body thought nc
meffarv to fit out one.
This immaculate writer adverts to the Carolina
' "gate, which belays ' *had a wretched bargain
made for her, and from which more evils fprunc,
than from Pandora's box." I would beg leave to ask
the Gentleman, what better success had the Prefer,
and other State vessels, or the American Frigates
'" ge^e^ax,winch were all supplied with money
and necedaries, when the Commander of the Ca
rolina was, -.I lais own crca.it, obliged to purchase,
and fit out the ship: as foreigners had not so fa
vourable thoughts of our Nabobs, as they have of
themselves, so would not trust them.
I take the liberty to ask the Steady and Open
Republican, of how much more use, or what less
expence than tire Carolina frigate, was the well
tonftruXed, and ufeful, zigzag bridge, which unit
ed the Continent to Sullivan's Island.
Our Author proceeds. But perhaps the Society's
fine title may have led me into a mistake, and when
something beyond the forms is published, I may
find nothing more held out, than a charitable in
stitution, to piovide a fund to encourage parents,
to fend their children to sea." ^ But .why"' fays
he, “ make a party, a national affair ofit ?" I will
indulge this Gentleman, jo far as to let liirn know
the reason, and that a Marine Society was not
thought title enough.
Just at the time the Preamble was formed, the
Court o[London issued orders to their Governors
of the \\ est-India Islands, to reflrain our Carrying