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dear county; the other is, the fair oocasion that my understanding. It is an absurcity; for nothit gives me to bear a free and public testimony ing has two beginnings.' 'I am sure,' said he, I against one part of our glorious constitution: I am a minister of Christ, and I am ready to debate style it glorious, although I humbly conceive it that matter with your lordship, if you please: I has several great blemishes, on account whereof cannot begin again to be a minister." it will, until corrected, be liable, in my poor opiBesides, this term of executing the duties of nion, to very weighty exception; but still it re- the place is against common right, and as I may mains glorious on account of the great quantity say, the natural franchise of every member, of the of excellent matter contained in it. That part of commonwealth who has not by some crime or the constitution this event enables me not im-delictum forfeited his natural rights and franchises. pertinently to except to, is the condition or term It, moreover, reduces the ninth article of the which the constitution holds every one to, who declaration of rights to a mere futility, and, in has the honor to be elected a member of the ge- such a connection, it would be for the reputation neral court of Massachusetts, before he may (as of the declaration of rights if that same ninth is expressed in the constitution) proceed to execute article was wholly expunged. More than that, the duties of his place. the said condition is plainly repugnant to the first

Be the person ever so immaculate and exem- great article of the said declaration: and I am plary a Christian; although he has, in the proper ready to debate that matter with any Doctor who place, that is, in the Christian church, made a assisted in framing the constitution, either in conmost solemn, explicit, and public profession of vention or without doors. The said declaration the Christian faith; though he has an hundred of faith to be subscribed, which constitutes the times, and continues perhaps every month in the said impolitic and unrighteous condition, will, I year, by participating in the church of the body believe, ever sound in every good ear almost as and blood of Christ, practically recognized and uncouthly as the Sessions Justices' famous charge affirmed the sincerity of that profession; yet, by to the standing grand jury. Let us hear them the constitution, he is held, before he may be ad-successively:

mitted to execute the duties of his office, to make "I do declare, that I believe the Christian reand subscribe a profession of the Christian faith, ligion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth; and or declaration that he is a Christian. Did our fathat I am seized and possessed in my own right of ther confessors imagine, that a man who had not the property required by the constitution," &c. so much fear of God in his heart as to restrain him from acting dishonestly and knavishly in the

"Gentlemen of the grand jury: You are required

trust of a senator or representative, would hesitate by your oath to see to it, that the several towns in a moment to subscribe that declaration? Cui bono, the county be provided, according to law, with then, is the declaration? This extraordinary, not

Pounds and School-masters,
Whipping posts and ministers,"

to say absurd, condition, brings fresh to mind a passage in the life of the pious, learned, and Each containing an odd jumble of sacred and prudent Mr. John Howe, one of the strongest profane; but, to me, the charge jingles best. By pillars of the dissenting interest in the reign of the constitution of the commonwealth of MassaCharles the 2d and James the 2d. The history is chusetts, I am, may it please your honors, one of as follows:

"That Mr. Howe, waiting upon a certain bishop, his lordship presently fell to expostulating with him about his non-conformity. Mr. Howe told him he could not have time, without greatly trespassing on his patience, to go through the objections he had to make to the terms of conformity. The bishop pressed him to name any one that he reckoned to be of weight. He there upon instanced the point of re ordination. "Why pray sir,' said the bishop. 'what hurt is there in being twice ordained?' 'Hurt, my lord,' says Mr.

its senators; and I am strongly disposed, according to my poor abilities, to execute the duties of my office; but, by the unconscionable, not to say dishonorable terms, established by the same constitution, I am barred from endeavoring to per form these duties. I have been a professed Christian nearly forty years, and, although I have been guilty of many things unworthy of that character, whereof I am ashamed, yet I am not conscious that I have been guilty of any thing wholly inconsistent with the truth of that profession.

The laws under the first charter required of

Howe to him; the thought is shocking-it hurts the subjects of that state, in order to their enjoy.

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effect, and then wheeling his horse, and hidding them good morning, departed. The dragoons, astonished at what they had witnessed, and scarcely believing their foe to be mortal, gave up the chase.

Anecdote.-General Marion was a native of South Carolina, and the immediate theatre of his exploits was a large section of maritime district of that state. The peculiar hardihood of his constitution, and his being adapted to a warm climate, and a low marshy country, qualified him to endure hardIn congress, March 16, 1776. ships and submit to exposure, which, in that sickly "The congress, considering the warlike prepara region, few other men would have been competent tions of the British ministry to subvert our into sustain. With the small force he was enabled valuable rights and privileges, and to reduce us, to embody, he was continually annoying the ene- by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness my, cautious never to risk an engagement, till he and our own domestics, to the most abject and could make victory certain. General Marion's ignominious bondage; desirous, at the same time, person was uncommonly light, and he rode, when to have people of all ranks and degrees duly imin service, one of the fleetest and most powerful pressed with a solemn sense of God's superintend chargers the South could produce:-when in fair ing Providence, and of their duty devoutly to rely pursuit nothing could escape, and when retreat. in all their lawful enterprizes on his aid and direcing nothing could overtake him. Being once tion, do earnestly recommend that Friday, the 17th Hearly surrounded by a party of British dragoons, day of May next, be observed by the said colonies he was compelled, for safety, to pass into a corn- as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer; that we field, by leaping the fence-this field, marked with may with united hearts, confess and bewail our considerable descent of surface, had been in part manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere a marsh; Marion entered it at the upper side, the repentance and amendment of life, appease his dragoons in chace, leaped the fence also, and righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and were but a short distance behind him. So com. mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and pletely was he now in their power, that his only forgiveness, humbly imploring his assistance to mode of escape was to pass over the fence at the frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enelower side. To drain the field of its superfluous water, a trench had been cut around this part of the field, four feet wide, and of the same depth; of the mud and clay removed in cutting it, a bank had been formed on its inner side, and on the top of this was erected the fence, the elevation amounting to nearly eight feet perpendicular height-a the Lord of Hosts, the God of armies, to animate ditch four feet in width running parallel with it our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, on the outer side, a foot or more intervening, be. to guard and protect them in the day of battle,

tween the fence and ditch.

mies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood. But, if continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please

and to crown the continental arms by sea and land, with victory and success: Earnestly beseeching The dragoons, acquainted with the nature and him to bless our civil rulers, and the representaextent of this obstacle, and considering it im- tives of the people in their several assemblies and possible for their enemy to pass it, pushed towards conventions; to preserve and strengthen their him with loud shouts of exultation and insult, and union; to inspire them with an ardent disinterested summoning him to surrender or perish by the love of their country; to give wisdom and stability sword; regardless of their rudeness and empty to their councils; and direct them to the most clamour, and inflexibly determined not to become efficacious measures for establishing the rights of their prisoner, Marion spurred his horse to the America on the most honorable and permanent charge, the noble animal, as if conscious that his basis; that he would be graciously pleased to bless master's life was in danger, and that on his exer- all the people in these colonies with health and tions depended his safety, approached the barrier plenty; and grant that a spirit of incorruptible in his finest style, and with a bound that was patriotism, and of pure undefiled religion, may almost supernatural, cleared the fence and ditch universally prevail: and this continent be speedily completely, and recovered himself without loss restored to the blessings of peace and liberty, and of time on the opposite side-Marion instantly enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest wheeled about and saw his pursuers unable to pass posterity. And it is recommended to Christians the ditch, discharged his pistol at them withou! [of all denominations, to assemble for public wor

ship, and abstain from servile labor on the said day. By order of the congress.

JOHN HANCOCK, president.”

GENEROSITY OF PAUL JONES.

FROM A BRITISH MAGAZINE.

The next exploit, which took place on the same day, was the plunder of lord Selkirk's house, in St. Mary's Isle, near the town of Kirkcudbright. The particulars of this event, and of the action which succeeded, as well as the motives upon which Jones acted, are well given in the following letter, which he addressed to lady Selkirk, and which has not before been printed:

"RANGER, BREST, 8th May, 1778. "Madam-It cannot be too much lamented, that, in the profession of arms, the officer of finer feeling, and of real sensibility, should be under the necessity of winking at any action of persons under his command which his heart cannot approve; but the reflection is doubly severe, when he finds himself obliged, in appearance, to countenance such action by authority.

This distinguished person was the son of a small farmer a few miles from Dumfries, and impelled by that love of enterprize which is so frequently to be met with among the peasantry of Scotland, he seems to have eagerly embarked in the cause of the colonies against the mother country. Whe ther he was actuated, in any degree, by a sense of the injustice of Britain towards America at the outset of his career, or merely availing himself of the opportunities in which revolutionary warfare so greatly abounds, to rise from his original obscurity, it is now, perhaps, impossible to determine, and "This hard case was mine, when, on the 23d of unnecessary to enquire. But it will be seen, from April last, I landed on St. Mary's Isle. Knowing the letters we are going to lay before our readers, lord Selkirk's interest with his king, I wished to that, in the progress of his adventurous life, he make him the happy instrument of alleviating the well knew how to employ the language of men horrors of hopeless captivity, when the brave are inspired with the love of liberty, and that he was honored by some of its warmest friends in both hemispheres.

overpowered and made prisoners of war. It was perhaps fortunate for you, madam, that he was from home, for it was my intention to have taken him on board the Ranger, and to have detained There are probably few instances, especially him, until, through his means, a general and fair among adventurers who have risen from the cond exchange of prisoners, as well in Europe as in Ametion in which Paul Jones was originally placed-of rica, had been effected. more enlarged views-more generous feelingsand a more disinterested conduct, than the following letters exhibit, combined as these are with sentiments of relentless hostility towards the claims of his native country.

"When I was informed by some men whom I met at landing, that his lordship was absent, I walked back to my boat, determined to leave the island. By the way, however, some officers who were with me, could not forbear expressing their In the progress of the revolutionary war, Paul discontent, observing, that in America no delicacy Jones obtained the command of a squadron, with was shown by the English, who took away all which, in 1778, he undertook to annoy the coasts sorts of moveable property, setting fire not only of Great Britain. On the 2d of December, 1777, to towns, and to the houses of the rich without he arrived at Nantez, and in January he repaired distinction, but not even sparing the wretched to Paris, with the view of making arrangements hamlets and milch-cows of the poor and helpless, with the American ministers and the French go at the approach of an inclement winter. That vernment. In February he conveyed some Ameri- party had been with me as volunteers the same can vessels to the Bay of Quiberon, and, on his morning at Whitehaven; some complaisance, there. return to Brest, communicated his plan to admiral fore, was their due. I had but a moment to think D'Aruillers, who afforded him every means of for- how I might gratify them, and, at the same time, warding it. He accordingly left Brest, and sailed do your ladyship the least injury. I charged the through the Bristol channel without giving any two officers to permit none of the seamen to enter alarm. Early in the morning of the 23d of April, the house, or to hurt any thing about it; to treat he made an attack on the harbor of Whitehaven, you, madam, with the utmost respect; to accept in which there were about three hundred sail. He of the plate which was offered; and to come away succeeded in setting fire to several vessels, but was without making a search, or demanding any thing not able to effect any thing decisive before day else. I am induced to believe that I was punctually light, when he was obliged to retire. obeyed, since I am informed that the plate which

they brought away is far short of the quantity] "As the feelings of your gentle bosom cannot, in which is expressed in the inventory which ac- that respect, but be congenial with mine, let me companied it. I have gratified my men, and when entreat you, madam, to use your soft persuasive the plate is sold I shall become the purchaser, arts with your husband, to endeavor to stop this and will gratify my own feelings, by restoring it cruel and destructive war, in which Britain never to you by such conveyance as you shall please to can succeed. Heaven can never countenance the direct. barbarous and unmanly practices of the Britons in America, which savages would blush at, and which, "Had the earl been on board the following even-if not discontinued, will soon be retaliated in Bri ing, he would have seen the awful pomp and dread-tain by a justly enraged people. Should you fail ful carnage of a sea engagement; both affording in this, (for I am persuaded you will attempt itample subject for the pencil, as well as melancholy and who can resist the power of such an advocate?) reflection for the contemplative mind. Humanity your endeavors to effect a general exchange of starts back at such scenes of horror, and cannot prisoners will be an act of humanity, which will but execrate the vile promoters of this detested afford you golden feelings on a death bed.

war:

For they, 'twas they, unsheathed the ruthless blade,
And Heaven shall ask the havock it has made.

"I hope this cruel contest will soon be closed: but should it continue, I wage no war with the fair! I acknowledge their power, and bend before

"The British ship of war Drake, mounting twenty it with profound submission! Let not, therefore, guns, with more than her full complement of offi- the amiable countess of Selkirk regard me as an cers and men, besides a number of volunteers, enemy; I am ambitious of her esteem and friend. came out from Carrickfergus, in order to attack ship, and would do any thing consistent with my and take the continental ship of war Ranger, of duty to merit it.

"The honor of a line from your hand, in answer

racter so far as to command me without the least

eighteen guns, and short of her complement of officers and men; the ships met, and the advantage was disputed with great fortitude on each side for to this, will lay me under a very singular obligation; an hour and five minutes, when the gallant com- and if I can render you any acceptable service, in mander of the Drake fell, and victory declared in France or elsewhere, I hope you see into my chafavor of the Ranger. His amiable lieutenant lay mortally wounded, besides near forty of the in-grain of service. I wish to know, exactly, the be ferior officers and crew killed and wounded. A haviour of my people, as I am determined to pu melancholy demonstration of the uncertainty of nish them if they have exceeded their liberty. human prospects. I buried them in a spacious grave, with the honors due to the memory of the brave.

I have the honor to be, with much esteem and with profound respect, madam, your most obedient and most humble servant,

PAUL JONES.

SELKIRK, St. Mary's Isle, Scotland."

PENNSYLVANIA.

The following spirited address of the deputies of Pennsylvania, met in provincial conference at Philadelphia, on the 24th of June, 1776-should have followed their "declaration" inserted in page 252. It was unanimously adopted the day after that declaration was agreed upon.

"Though I have drawn my sword in the pre-"To the Right Hon. the countess of sent generous struggle for the rights of man, yet I am in arms, merely, as an American, nor am I in pursuit of riches. My fortune is liberal enough, having no wife nor family, and having lived long! enough to know that riches cannot ensure happiness. I profess myself a citizen of the world, totally unfettered by the little mean distinctions of climate or of country, which diminish the benevolence of the heart, and set bounds to philanthropy. Before this war began, I had, at an early time of life, withdrawn from the sea service, in favor of 'calm contemplation and poetic ease.' I have sacrificed, not only my favorite scheme of life, but the softer affections of the heart, and my prospects of domestic a government under the authority of the people. But happiness, and I am ready to sacrifice my life also, with cheerfulness, if that forfeiture would restore peace and good will amongst mankind.

Address to the people of Pennsylvania. "The only design of our meeting together was, to put an end to our own power, in the province, by fixing upon a plan for calling a convention, to form

the sudden and unexpected separation of the last assembly has compelled us to undertake the exccution of a resolve of congress, for calling forth

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