The Gazette of the state of South-Carolina — Charles-town [S.C.], 1784-09-16 00:00:00, page 2

lrom the New-York Packet of
-the 25th of March Lift.
(Published in this Gazette by particular defac.)
Mr. LpuDox,
A S the follow rig representation has for its ob-
A je& the health of the,city,-it is hoped it will
merit die attention of the inhabitants, par
ticularly thole whole office leads them to watch
over its fafety; tire principal evil which is here
endeavoured to be guarded against is that dan
,getous and spreading infection which arises from
.the fermentation of filth and putrefying fubilances
of all kinds. As my profeffion daily leads me into
different parts of the town, I have viewed with
pain and apprebenfon the great flore of these of
fensive materials which abound in every place.
That I may awaken the attention 'of your readers
to this important fubje&, arid convey to them the
extreme activity yf putrid effluvia, Ibegleaveto.
relate a few facts, which are known to many of
toe inhabitants, before I enter immediately upon
it. In the year 1702, a peHilential fever was in
troduced in tins place, which soon spread itfelf
over the city, and, from the great number of peo
ple who fell victims to this mortal contagion, was
then called and is Kill remembered by the name of
the great fecknefs; this dreadful disease was import
ed in a tingle bale of cotton. The yellow fever,
so fatal to the inbabhants of Philadelphia and New-
York, was brought to Barbadoes in a veflel which
arrived there from the Spanish Main, and from
that island in single vessels to Philadelphia and
New-1 ork, in 1743. In the year 1753 a fever of
a very putrid and dangerous nature was brought
into the cities -of Philadelphia and New-York, by
fume fliips crowded with Palatine passengers, and
•was diftingdifked by the name of the Palatine fever.
This disease infected manv of the inhabitants, a
-mong which were two young gentlemen who assist
ed me in my buhnefs, whose lives we're for many
days deipaired of: and here it is to be remarked,
that the pernicious effe&s of importing foreign dis
eases among us consist not only in the danger of
immediate distress and mortality while they rage
by themselves, but, mixing and uniting w:tli
the common d Tempers of the country, (which;
wiiilc they exiled simply, were mild and cafily
curable) become, from this influence, dangerous,
and often fatal.
dn.s is evident to every attentive observer; ard
one or the mod celebrated phvficians * of the age
has found that even a mortified limb, in the neigh
bourhood of patients ill of fevers, in a military
hospital, has tendered thole fevers more putrid
and dangerous. And here it is neceTwy to in
forp the inhabitants, that there is more danger of
infeaion from a corpse than before death; and
persons dyin'g of infectious diseases, especially in
* -Pringle's Diseases of the Armv, part 3, chap,
^ fed. 1.
which'his taxes were Introduced, and the great'
facility with which tome have been given up, and
almost all rendered inefficient, will agree that he is
determined not to exceed Ids early promile ol
doing no good, and perhaps go so faras to fear he
may rot succeed in ins firft proposition of prevent
ing m fchief. ,
Anecdote. A Gafcon officer went to M.
Delmarcts, the th.cn Miniftar of State in France,
fin the hrd payment of a penlion that had been
granted to him by the King; but the Mmiller,
who knew the qate poverty, refused to pay it;i
in,on which the Gafcon flawed his brevet.-
“ Hhaw, hr, (hud the minister) your brevet is an
old,long." Away went the Gafcon into the Roig's
pretence, taking care to be noticed, with insAnev r
in his hand, looming earncllly at it #
hrft one air and then another, and ihaking his
head between each, as much as to Dy, " No, that
won't do." The King-prefcntly ink'd what he
was about. " Mav it pieale your Majesty, (laid
the officer; I have been to M.;Dcfrharets to demand
payment of the pension your Majesty was pleated
to grant me, find he has inforinedine your Mayfly's
brevet is bhfAnudd iorig;"at pretext I ain trying
what tone it will,go to." The King could not for
bear laughing at the Gafcon's manner and Wit, and
Ordered tire Honey to be instantly paid.
$ U BLT N, 3^,15.
Early yesterday morning, a number of people,
armed, Seized on Mt. Plowman, woollen-drawer,
the corner of John's-lane, and hurried him to the
1% cavers-iquare, where, in a few minutes, they
firippecl and tarred him. Sheriff Kirkpatrick
having received intelligence, potted off to the
•Liberty, and imprudently threw himfelf among
the crowd, without guards, or any other assistance.
Ine Sheriff relcuyd the Unhappy man; but On
attempting to Icize feme of the ringleaders, he was
rood violently ppppfed; swords were drawn, and
tire Sheriff received two most severe cuts on the
head, fit thrsmiomtut Alderman Hart appeared,
with a Aroug military force, and came, up most
,),portur.civ 4 ^ Sheriff Kirkpatrick was knocked
.down, and fry in the utmuft danger of his life.
J . 1>w n ; ^l, it seems, made some very con
hidetable inr ortaions of English goods, the day
before he w u - # waked upon, directly infringing the
mon-importation agreement, and which, jt is
•alledged, drew upon him the refinement of the
populace.-
the fhmmei season, Biould riot remain too long
unburied,'
These accidents gave occafidh to the publifm r
of these observations at that time to prefect .a me
modal te fche Governor and Council then prcnd|h§,
fettirig ' forth the great danger of admi ting Ships
crowded with paueng-ets to the town, which of
all other causes produce the mod deadly contagion;
and observing at the lathe time tire common gaol
to be in the center of the.city, he took the liberty
further to represent the impropriety and danger 01
such a fmatipu and confirmed this .part of his re
presentation by relating the following facts, winch
are Hoiking rilances of gaol infe&ion, and may
not ' " to the present fubjefl: The firri
lie year 1577, when a number of
v. tried at the Aillses at Oxford, where
thlc no .up eople were brought from the rank
tac. pTlmeu f .•.dungeon to the court, to which
they cone ime^. 'acontagion which deftroyedthe
High Sheriff .nd no other perlons: The second
was in May, in the ear 1750, when a greater num
ber of criminals than crinal was bro iglit from New
gate to be tried at the Did Baile r , and from the
lune caoie as in the former, the Lord Mayor, one
o' the Aldermen, two of the Jud ;es, the greater
part, of the Jury, and many of thefpe&ators, fella
lacrifice to this pestilential infection. Can there
be a more cogent argument to encourage the con
ftru&ion of ventilators in prilons to purify and
renew the air ? Athird inflaoce is of a hill later date,
when a tingle pauper, oppressed with poverty,
filth, lores, and disease, by coming into a room to
beg alms of an healthy company, infedted them
with a putrid fever, of which the greater number
left their lives. Let it not be thougnt that I dwell
too circumstantially upon these matters, but rather
let it be remembered that all the proofs I have af
feMed are incontcftible fads'; and that the fame
causes, in different degrees, will co^r produce pro
portionally "the fame offers; and then these in
dances will be viewed in their proper alarming
fnape, as beacons to warn us to beware of tire like
milchicf. Soon after this remonstrance was deli
vered to the Legislature, a law was patfed to pre
vent any vessels which had lick performs on bo^rd
approaching nearer to the town than Bedlow's
bland, before they were mfye&ed and a report
made oftheir condition ; this bland was pulchafed
by the Corporation, a pest-house was ereded, and
tie new gaol was built, which always has afforded
me a pleating reflexion ; and are not these cautions
more neceflary at this time, when our commerce
will probably be extended even to those ports
where the pell itfelf is often epidemical ?
But what has nm called forth the following Te
prefentation is a source of infe&ion equally dan
gerous and productive of the fame fatal effe&s as
the abovementioned; I mean the present filth of
the town, which I have reason to think has already
changed the nature of the common simple inflam
matory diseases prevalent at this fea&m of the year,
which are. evidently, and for home time toe been
marked with lymptoms of putrefeency, in so much
as to require a very cautious treatment, and already
andf tad, prove the necessity of removing these
baneful causes before the season arrives which more
direaiy favours the fermentation and exhalation
of foch putrid fubhances, especially as the situation
of this city and the form of the ground on which
it Hands, above all others, favours the article of
purification. As filth, and every putrescent sub
stance has been colie&ing here during the last se
ven years, I hope it will not be thought presump
tuous to inform those Who are to superintend this
necessary bufmefs, that appointing fcavengem, and
cleaning the Hreetr, is perhaps the lead part of the
work ; and that, if proper perlons are not appoint
ed to examine the allies, cellars, back yards, and
private reservoirs of faulncfs and contagion, the
evil will be remedied so far only as the eye is con
cerned, while the health of the people will be
more ctpofed in proportion as they will be thrown
off their guard by this outside purification. It will
likewise be requisite to infped the cellars of the
ruined houses, and the different places of burial
in and about the city and neighbouring country, in
many places of which a regard to decency as well
as health may demand that the furface of the earth
should be raised and covered. Private interest will
probably tempt die proprietors of lands upon which
encampments have been made, especially of long-
Handing, to cultivate them; but it may- be one
additional fyur to thetr activity to be informed,
that " growing vegetables are Nature's grand anti
“ dote to putrid infection ;" and that, by plowing
such lands and sowing them with grain, they will
not only gain a recoin pence in a plentiful crop,
but will greatly contribute to the health of their
families and neighbours: Ard, on the contrary,
that, by neglecting this precaution, they will cer
tainly be mole expoled to fluxes and tedious inter
mitting and dangerous autumnal fevers. ,As far as
the city is concerned, it may probably be thought
Sufficient to trull this business to a Scavenger, with
general directions given to the inhabitants; but
such as arc acquainted with the importance of the
fubjeft, an! the exter.five mifchief which a small
quantity of effective materials, concealed in some
private corner of the city, may produce; such as
know the inattention of many, who trust this mat
ter wholly to their forvants. and the supineness of
the very poor to,heir own fafety, will,' in all pro
bability, think with me, that the appointment of
proper supervisors in each ward, to fee the woik
well den, will be no unnecMmy caution.
Richmond, (Virginia]Aug. 14.
In the HOUSE of DELEGATES,
8, 178.4.
Ordered)
THAT a committee be appo'nted, in concert
with a committee of the Senate, to prepare
an address, arid dire& other testimonies of grati
tude, on behalf of the General Assembly, to
° c °'^ e Wafhiri S r ° n , Esq; late Commander in
Chief of the armies of the United States of Ame
rica:
And a committee was appointed.
ExtraYil from the Journal,
JOHN BECKLEY, C. H. D.
In the HOUSE of SENATORS,
June 1784.
Ordered,. _
THAT a committee be appointed, in concert.
with a committee of the House of Dele
gates, to prepare an address, and hired other
teftimoniesof gratitude, on behalf of the General
ARembly, to George Washington, Esq; late Com
mander in Chief of the armies of the United
States of America:
And a committee was appointed.
Extrd&from the Journal,
WILLIAM DREW, C. S.
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
Jane 22, x 784.
The Address of the General Assembly
To GEORGE WASHINGTON, Efo ;
THE Representatives of this Commonwealth
would be unfaithful to the sentiments of their
confLtuents, as wed as do violence to their own,
did^they omit this occasion of congratulating you
on trie final eflablifhment of peace, which has taken
place since their lass meeting; and on the oppor
tunity, which tins event has given, for you to
return to the felicities of private life. We Half
ever remember, fir, with affection ^nd gratitude,
the patriotic exchange which you made of trefe
felicities, for the Severe taf K of conducing .'the
arms of your country through a conflict with' one
of the most powerful r^tiems of the earth. We
shall ever remember widTafynirat'on, the wifcem
which marked your counßFon this arduous occa
sion; the firmnefs and dignity whic^np trials of
adverse fortune could Hake; the moderation and
equanimity which no feenes of triumph could dis
turb. Nor (hall we ever forget the exemplary
refpcff, which, in every inflance, you have Hewn
to the rights of civil authority; or the exalted
virtue, which, on many occasions, led you to
commit to danger your fame itfelf, rather than
hazard for a moment, the true interest of your
country: in reviewing these merits, we feel every
impression which they arc calculated to make on
grateful and aHe&ionate minds ; and we fervently
pray, that they may be rewarded with every blef
'°g of which tins life will admit, and witli com
plete happincis in that which is to come.
ARCHIBALD CARY, Sp. Senate.
JOHN TYLER, Sp. 11. Delegates#
,A joint committee of the two Houses of AiTem &
bly was appointed to wait on the General, and
present the foregoing address.
The joint committee accordingly waited upon
the General, at his feat of Mount Verdon, and
presented the address, to which he was pleased to
return the following answer.
Gentlemen,
WI I H feelings which are mote easy to be
conceived than expressed, I meet and
reciprocate the congratulations of the Representa
tives of this Commonwealth, on the final eflabliH
ment of peace.
Nothing can add more to the pleasure which
arises from a confeious difeharge of public trust,
than the approbation of ones country.—To have
been io happy, under a vicissitude of fortune,
amidst the difficult and trying feenes of an arduous
conflict, as to meet this, h, in my mind, to have
attained the highest honor; —and the consideration
of it, in my present peaceful retirement, will
heighten all my domestic joys, and constitute my
greatest felicity.
I should have been truly wanting in duty, and
must have fruftrated the great and important object
for which we refuted to arms, if, seduced by a
temporary regard of fame, I had fullered trie paltry
love of it to have interfered with my country's
welfare; the interest of which, was the only in
ducement which carried me to the field; or per
mitted the sacred rights of civil authority, though
but for a moment, to be violated and infringed by
a power, meant originally to refeue and confirm
them.
for tnofe rewards and bleflings wlrich you have
invoked for me in this world; and for the fruition
of that happiness which you pray for in that which
is to come, you have, gentlemen, all my thanks,
and all mv gratitude,—l wiH I could ensure them
to you, mid the State you represent, an hundred
fold.
G. WASHINGTON.
help chfpofdion, from prHeHonal duty, arid
from [oyears residence chmily in this city, spent
in attentive obfervauce of these things, I have been
induced to offer these admonitions to my fellow
citizens, to whom I have ever had, and always
Hall have, a grateful and alHUionaie attachment.
JOHN BARD.