The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-12-24 00:00:00, page 1

WHEELING REPOSITORY.
(VOL. I.)
Thursday, 24th December, 1807.
(No 33.)
M ISC EL LA NT.
Ter the Wheeling Repository.
^ ii.liam Sampson, Ksq. of New*
V(^rk, one ot those Irishmen who have
been prosecuted, imprisoned and exiled
for their political opinions and conduct,
has lately published an oc'avo volume
ol his own memoirs. This work is
said to abound with humour and plea
santry, and to be written in a superior
<>t\ le of case and elegance. The fol
lowing letter to a noble lord, is given in
the American Citizen as a specimen of
the work, and I think its republication
cannot fail to please the readers of the
Repository.
1 ic style oi tins letter is certainly of
the superior order, and the satire is at
' nee delicate and severe. How far it is
just, there may perhaps be a difference
ol opinion. 1 hose among us, who are
the advocates of a high miiitarv spirit,
may-consider the allusion to the want of
bai: a and to ih • soldiers having
country-houses, ships, S:c. as a sarcasm
upon our militia system ; while with the
advocates of the militia, this mav pass
for a compliment. So the account given
of our clergy, will no doubt he relish
ed by every sectarian as a complirm nt
to his own pastor : but the man who has
been acquainted with the country more
at large, and who has seen clergymen
labouring only to make proselytes, and
damning all who dhT r from them in o
pinion, w ill smile at the irony contained
in the statement, that their chief con
cern is, to tt ach the living how to live
and the d\ ing how to die/’ The Rev.
*1 hon.as I.« Birch, a countrvman of Mr.
Sampson’s, and a fellow-sufferer for the
same principles, will consider Mr.
S mrpsoi/s opinion of the clergy, as a
bittersarcasm upon thr^e among whom
it has been his misfortune to be thrown.
Politicians may !>«- divided also, re
specting Mr. Sampson’s opinions of the
Philosoph* r who is at the head of our
affairs. 1 nos who have heard and be
lieved th' -t ries of Mrs. Walker and
Cabrid Joues, and those who consider
Hamilton as the father of our system of
finance, will laugh out, to hear that this
Philosopher “ keeps his oxen conscience,
and his own accounts; pays his own
debts and the nation's debts, and has
hoarded up eight millions and an half in
the treasury while those who do not
believe these things, will perceive in this
sentence a delicate compliment to the
Philosopher, and a good-humoured re
buke upon his enemies.
Those good people among us who are
governed altogether by appearances,
who will not degrade themselves by go
ing to market, and who are ashamed to
be seen in a suit of clothes of their own
manufacture, will treat the idea of “ an
engraving to shew him hitching his bri
dle to a peg,” as a quiz ; while others
will view it as truly characteristical of a
Philosopher.
nut however we may differ about the
I application ot Mr. Sampson’s satire to
our own affairs, all will agree that the
whole letter is a sprightly, pleasant, and
spirited satire upon Englishmen, and
upon their notions and opinions of this
country* His witty and satirical attacks
upon Parkinson and Anacreon Moore,
must be peculiarly grateful to the Ame
rican reader. These two men, after tra
viliing through the United States, and
partaking of the attention and hospitality
of all our most distinguished citizens,
returned to England and published their
journals, in which they have indulged
themselves in the most shameful mis
representations of the American people,
their character and manners. Though
Mr. Sampson’s ridicule of these jour
nals cannot be fully understood, except
by those who have read them, yet it will
be in some degree intelligible to all, and
bis manner must excite risibility, even
where the matter is somewhat obscure.
II.
A letter from Nrw-Tork, to the right
honourable lordS/n neer, his Britannic
majesty's principal secretary of state
for the home department.
My Lord—According to your or
ders, i was landed in this city on the 4th
°f J ulv, 1806, by capt. Sutton, of the
Windsor Castle. I was sorry his maje
sty’s ministers had judged it unsafe
that I should be seen at Halifax, as l
needed to recruit my health, and to
reinforce my principles. I feared to dis
tress your lordship’s humanity with
the account of my sufferings, or I should
have written sooner. My first sickness
was the yellow jaundice, of which I
nearly died : I was afterwards siezed
with the rheumatism, and nearly lost
my limbs. I am now, thank God, in.
good health and spirits, and shall take
every means of shewing myself grate*
for past favours.
The day I arrived, they were com
memorating their independence—ca
rousing, singing republican songs, drink
ing revolutionary toasts, bonfires blaz
ing, cannons firing, and huzzaing for
liberty / !!
I was in expectation that the lord may
or would have brought the military, and
fired on them ; but the mayor is not a
lord ; and I was informed he was seen
drinking with the soldiers. They wt te
also making an outcry about a Yankee
sailor, called Pearce, that was killed off'
by capt. Whitby. It is a pity we hadn’t
them in lr. l tnd—we might have ten
thousand of them shot in a day—and not
a word about them.
1 would have gone to the barracks
myscll to inform against them, but there
was no barracks. The soldiers live in
their ow n houses, and sleep with their
own wives. Nay more—they have
counting-houses, clerks, ware-houses,
ships, coaches, country seats—the like
was never seen amongst common sol
diers.
1 asked if there was no elergvman that,
was a justice of peace to head' the mili
tary^ They shewed me a bishop, a mild,
venerable looking old gentleman, that
would not know which end of a gun to
put foremost ; fitter to give a blessing,
than to lead a corporal’s guard—no vi.
gour—energy. And they say the clergy
dont act as justices in this country.—.
Indeed the clergy here are not like err