Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-20

ohe, oi whom IL may be truly said, he was
a gallant spirit, a a with pure hands.
and a most jealous and devoted servant of
his sovereign.
Sir George Provost was the eldest son
OF Maj. Gen. Augustine Provost. who
served under Gen. Wolfe, and was severe
J. wounded on the plains of Abraham, aud
who afterwards SO eminently distinguish
ca himself In the first American war, by
ms defence OF Savannah. The surviving
brothers OF Sir George are both in his Ma.
lesty,s service. the eldest a Post captain
IN the Royal Navy, and the other a Colo
mel IN the Army.
olrGeorge Provost married in the year
IIo9, Catherine, daughter of Mai. Gen.
fhiPPs, who survived him, together with a
son, a MINOR, who succeeds to the title,
and two daughters.
From Gobbett's Political Register, Dec. 9.
PLAN
For the publishing of truth, and for keep
ing upa literary intercourse aoiM .ameri-
en- which intercourse shall tend to as
slst the cause of.freedom. /
kept silence," says st. Paul, " ever
" good toorks, though it was pain and grief
" to me-" In this respect L have, for a
long while, been initiating the apostle. 1t
has been great pain & grief tn me to refrain
from putting upon paper numerous truths,
which, 1t made public, could not have fail
ed to do much public good am ~resolv-
ed to make a great effort to secure the
means OF freely expressing my thoughts to
millions OF people, on the other side of the
Atlantic, and, though that channel, to ev-
ry the world, where truth has, or can
obtain, circulation.
According to the practice of the law in
England, the publication of Truth, clear
ly proved truth, nay, notorious truth, though
concerning public men and their actions as
publlc men, may be deemed a crime. and
finished with long Imprisonment in felons'
Jalls, and with heavy fines, and even with
pillory besides. This does not suit nv
taste. Without saying any thing about
motives I; without making any professions.
shall simply observe, that it is my wish
to be able, with safety to myself, to ex.
press the opinions that | entertain. and to
promulgate, though the press, such facts.
concerning public men and measures. as |
am in possession of, and as [ think proper
to promulgate.
1t IS, therefore, proposed to place, in the
city OF New-York, some person, to 90 from
England next spring, who shall cause to be
printed, and to be published in that city,
81 throughout the United States, such yeri
lungs as the authors ma act choose to put
"a press here. In Eng and the letter foun.
ders and press makers, are compelled to
seep, and to render an account to the 20.
De'hment of all the types aud presses that
they sell, and of the persons to whom they
sell them. No man dares have tunes or a
press in his possession uithout a license.
No printer dareS put any thing to press
without being able and ready to discover.
aud sicear to the author, or his em%Dlouer.
No printer dares print any thing without
putting his nane to it. The man who pub
fishes is liable to punishment as well as he
who writes or who prints. To sell. or eire
aICay, to lay upon a counter or a table, to
Tend, or to send By post, is topubLish. Such
IS the law in England ; and, whenever a.
ny one complains of this law /: when he
complains that the law is not what if was
20 years ago the approvers of this new
law tell him, that, if he does not like it, he
may Ieare The country ; or in the words OF
FULLER, a late member of parliament.
if they do not like it, d--n them. lief
them " leave it."
But, though a man does not like to have
his mind subjected to these restraints. he
may like the country as well as F%uLLER,
He may have an estate and MANY othe,
ties, which bind him to the countrU. and
what is more, he MAY hink, that dutu e.
ven towards that country, bids him re.
nam IN 1T However, as to the writings.
they may teaUe the country. So far FIJI
ter's adUice may be followed, if proper ar.
engagements are made for the purpose.
To do this thing well ; to put the ma.
chine into efficient motion, and to keen nm
that motion, there must be a regular and
rapid communication between ENGLAND
and America, carried on by persons of
some talent and Ofgreat zeal and activity.
TO trust to the casual communications Of
booksellers, or editors Of papers, would ne
yer answer They have their business to
attend to; and that is incompatible with the
keeping up Of a literary intercourse of an v
considerable magnitude, aud especially
one Of the kind here contemplated.
An intelligent person, fixed i'm the city
IF New York, would not only cause TO be
printed and promulgated any original
writings sent to him from England but
he would be able to send from america TO
England such American publications as he
might think likely to be useful here /; and
It any curious persona wished to see the
original writings that he published at New
York, they might through the same means,
obtain them.
AS for myself, l must confess, that I
would rather live on bread and water for
the remainder Of nv lie thnn 81 -