Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1827-08-25
A REVOLUTIONARY RELIC

Daring q call which the u. S. ship North
Ciroma made at Citadeula i'm the Island of
NIinofca, In April 1926, one of her officers
picked up IN shoe-maker's shop in that place,
curious relic of our revolution. namely. a
picture painted on glass and well executed
dated London, l715, designed by the tory art
ISL 10 ridicule the patriotic spirit which had be-
gun to shew itself in the then colonies i'm re-
Sis,ing the usurPatious of the mother country
nc purpoTta to be representation of"1 Socieiy
o. La"tcs al Etenton, an Nnrti Cn,oEan. -
convened Tor the purpose oil entering into a
compact to abstain from the use of tea and
BftlsA manufactures. That such an article
Should nave been found in such place, is moi
less matter of curiosity than the picture itself
o! when the following is an accurate descrip-
ton e
The picture represents on its left, the Lady
moderator, cat. fair and forty" uorueously
attred according to the fashion of the day seat
ed AT the end Of a table, with an upliifed NAL
let III her right hand, as if in the act of calling
to order British officer who is attempting to
ravish kiss from the fair Secretary, seated
little way on to hcr right, whose youth and
charms would seem to be indisputabe war;
rant Tor such boldness-though she Furnishes it
by puncturing his audacious hand with the
sharp point of her pen. On the left of the
Moderator is seated lady Of a remarkably mo-
dest demeanor, ana by her dress supposed to
be OF high quality, who appears to be blushing
at the scene we have Just described Behind
The chair of the Moderator stands tall hard
favored female, stricken in wears and coarsely
habited, but with cast of countenance eX-
PressIye of great iorttude and resolution
Though this groupe is seen the round black
face, thick lips, and Eat nose, with their ac-
companylng vacant, goOd-natured smile of
female domestic, who is handling a china ink
stand towards the table, upon pretty little
cocquei,co waiter. The front of the picture
she'"s elderly NATION in a snuff colored
silk GOWN and black scarf and bonnet, who has
Just risen from an old ias, 6oned mahogany
chair, and bending over the table, seems to be
writing OH large scroll containing the follow
ing patriotic spirited resolution:
We the Ladies of Edentou do hereby So
Iemny engage not to conform to that perpicious
custom Of drinking Tea, or that we the afore-
said ladies, viii not promote the wear of any
manuactnre from England until such time
that all Acts which tend to cnsaye this our ma
tive country shall be repealed"
On the right of the picture, three ladies'
whose appearance bespeaks them among the
beauty and fashion" OF Edenton, are seen
cmptylng the contents Of their tea canisters in
to a couple Of hats, of the olden cut, which
are held by a sly, Sinking old codger in
brown coat and red perriwig, perhaps charged
bv these patriotic DANES with the Office of con
signing the hated emblem of British tyranny
to the bottom of the hlbemarle, or to the
flames In the back ground merry old JOAN
cIoaked and hooded, is seen already in posses
sion of a succedancum for the interdicted arti.
Gle, which she is quaffing from an ample china
punch b0aoI, with an expression OF great salts
faction, while her neighbor with the loBg-eared
cap and oypscy hat, md hulf benccc hing
half upbraiding physiognomy, is extending a
hand to dscngage it from her insatiobe lips.
Tn the foreground are two PROSTATE tea-cans-
tiers, dishonored by dog which is licking the
cheek Of an infant at play on the carpet, as ii
in token Of appreciation at seeing the child up
set waiter Of ten china.
The picture is marked "plate V" and must
have been one Of series of the same des-
criptlon. The officer who discovered it imme-
diately purchased it from the mender Of soals
whose property it was, and presented it to
Commodore Rodgers, who we understand i'll
tends to present it to the Governor Of North
Carolina destiny which it well merits, how
ever humble its professions may be as work
Of art NorfoM Her,