VOL. I.] SUPPLEMENTARY TO No. 4. 66 -I wish no other herald "No other speaker of my living actions, "To keep mine honor from corruption "But such an honest chronicler." Shakespeare-HENRY VIII. Printed and published by H. NILES, Water-street, near the Merchants' Coffee-Hou, a $5 per annum¡ American Public Papers. [REVOLUTIONARY.] (Continued from Page 14.) The same congress agreed to a petition to the king, which, as it may serve to shew the spirit of the times, and is, besides, a piece of most elegant and eloquent composition, is annexed. [It was drawn up by the late venerable John Dickenson, Esq.] To the King's most excellent Majesty. MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, We your majesty's faithful subjects of the colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusets-Bay, RhodeIsland and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Susser, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general congress, by this our humble petition, beg leave to lay our grievances before the throne. A standing army has been kept in these colonies ever since the conclusion of the late war, without the consent of our assemblies; and this army, with a considerable naval armament has been employed to inforce the collection of taxes. By several acts o: parliament made in the fourth fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth years of your majesty's reign, duties are imposed on us, for the purpose of raising a revenue; and the powers of admiralty and vice-admiralty courts are extended byond their ancient limits, whereby our property is taken from us without our consent, the trial by jury in many civil cases is abolished, enormous forfeitures are incurred for slight offences, vexatious informers, are exempted from paying damages, to which they are justly liable, and oppressive security is required from owners, before they are allowed to defend their right. Both houses of parliament have resolved, that colonists may be tried in England, for offences alledged to have been committed in America, by virtue of a statute passed in the thirty-fifth year of Henry the eighth; and in consequence thereof attempts have been made to inforce that statute. A statute was passed in the twelfth year of your majesty's reign, directing, that persons charged with committing any offence therein described, in any place out of the realm, may be indicted and tried for the same, in any share or county within the realm, whereby inhabitants of these colonies may, in sundry cases, by that statute made capital be deprived of a trial by their peers of the vicinage. In the last session of parliament, an act was passed for blocking up the harbour of Boston; another impowering the governor of MassachusettsBay to send persons indicted for murder in that province, to another colony, or even to Great Bri The authority of the commander in chief and under him of the brigadiers-general has, in time of peace, been rendered supreme in all the civil go-tain for trial, whereby such offenders may escape vernments in America. The commander in chief of all your majesty's forces in North America has, in time of peace, been appointed governor of a colony. The charges of usual offices have been greatly increased; and, new, expensive and oppressive of fices have been multiplied. The judges of admiralty and vice-admiralty courts are impowered to receive their salaries and fees from the effects condemned by themselves. legal punishment; a third for altering the chartered constitution of government in that province; and a fourth for extending the limits of Quebec, abolishing the English, and restoring the French laws, whereby great numbers of British freemen are subjected to the latter, and establishing an absolute government and the Roman catholic religion throughout those vast regions, that border on the westerly and northerly bounderies of the free, protestant, English settlements; and a fifth for the better providing suita ble quarters for officers and soldiers in his majesty's service in North America. To a sovereign, who glories in the name of Briton; the bare recital of these acts must, we pre The officers of the customs are impowered to break open and enter houses without the authority of any civil magistrate founded on legal information. The judges of courts of common law have been made intirely dependent on one part of the legisla-sume, justify the loyal subjects who fly to the foct ture for their salaries, as well as for the duration of of his throne and implore his clemency for protectheir commissions. tion against them. Councellors, holding their commissions during pleasure, exercise legislative authority. From this destructive system of colony adminis tration, adopted since the conclusion of the last war, Humble and reasonable petitions from the repre-have flowed those distresses, dangers, fears, and sentatives of the people have been fruitless. jealousies, that overwhelm your majest'y dutiful The agents of the people have been discountenan-colonists with affliction; and we defy our most subced, and governors have been instructed to prevent tle and inveterate enemies to trace the unhappy the payment of their salaries. differences between Great Britain and these colo Assemblies have been repeatedly and injuriouslynies, from an earlier period, or from other causes dissolved. than we have assigned. Had they proceeded on Commerce has been burthened with many useless our part from a restless levity of temper, unjust and oppressive restrictions. impulses of ambition, or artful suggestions of sedi. E ve tious persons, we should merit the opprobrious demonstrate their loyalty to your majesty, by exert terms frequently bestowed upon us of those we re-ing their most strenuous efforts in grant.ng supplies vere. But so far from promoting innovations, we and raising forces. Yielding to no British subjects have only opposed them; and can be charged with an affectionate attachment to your najesty's perno offence, unless it be one to receive injuries, and son, family, and government, we too dearly prize be sensible of them. the priviliges of expressing that attachment by those Had our creator been pleased to give us exist-proofs that are honorable to the prince who reence in a land of slavery, the sense of our conditionceives them and to the people who give them, ever might have been mitigated by ignorance and habit. to resign it to any body of men upon earth. But thanks be to his adorable goodness, we were Had we been permitted to enjoy, 'n quiet the inborn the heirs of freedom, and ever enjoyed our heritance left us by our fore-tathers, we should at right under the auspices of your royal ancestors, this time have been peaceably, cheerfully, and usewhose family was seated on the British throne to fully employed in recommending ourselves, by rescue and secure a pious and gallant nation from ry testimony of devotion to your majesty, and of the popery and despotism of a superstitious and veneration to the state, from which we derive our inexorable tyrant. Your majesty, we are confident, origin. But though now exposed to unexpected justly rejoices that your title to the crown is thus and unnatural scenes of distress, by a content.on founded on the title of your people to liberty; and with that nation, in whose parental guidance on aik therefore we doubt not but your royal wisdom must important affairs we have hitherto, with filial reapprove the sensibility that teaches your subjects verence, constantly trusted, and therefore can derive anxiously to guard the blessings they received no instruction in our present unhappy and perplexfrom Divine Providence, and thereby to prove the ing cirsumstances from any former experience, yet, performance of that compact, that elevated the we doubt not, the purity of our intentions, and the illustrious house of Brunswick to the imperial dig-integrity of our conduct, will justify us at that nity it now possesses. grand tribunal, before which all mankind must submit to judgment. WE ASK BUT FOR PEACE, LIBERTY, AND SAFETY. We wish not a diminutiou of the prerogative, nor do we solicit the grant of any new right in our favor. Your royal authority over us, and our connection with Great Britain, we shall always carefully and zealously endeavour to sup. port and maintain. The apprehension of being degraded into a state of servitude, from the pre-eminent rank of English freemen, while our minds retain the strongest love of liberty, and clearly foresee the miseries preparing for us and our posterity, excites emotions in our breasts, which though we cannot describe, we should not wish to conceal. Feeling as men, and thinking as subjects in the manner we do, silence would be disloyalty. By giving this faithful infor- Filled with sentiments of duty to your majesty, mation, we do all in our power to promote the great and of affection to our parent state, deeply impress objects of your royal cares, the tranquility of youred by our education, and strongly confirmed by our government, and the welfare of your people. reason, and anxious to evince the sincerity of these Duty to your majesty, and regard for the preser-dispositions, we present this petition only to obtain vation of ourselves and our posterity, the primary redress of grievances, and relief from fears and jeaobligations of nature and society, command us to lousies, occasioned by the system of statutes and intreat your royal attention; and as your majesty regulations adopted since the close of the late war, enjoys the signal distinction of reigning over free-for raising a revenue in America-extending the men, we apprehend the language of freemen cannot powers of courts of admiralty and vice-admiraltybe displeasing. Your royal indignation, we hope, trying persons in Great Britain for offences alledged will rather fall on those designing and dangerous to be committed in America-affecting the province men, who daringly interpose themselves between of Massachusetts-Bay-and altering the government your royal person and your faithful subjects, & for and extending the limits of Quebec; by the aboli several years past incessantly employed to dissolve tion of which system, the harmony between Great the bonds of society, by abusing your majesty's Britain and these colonies, so necessary to the hap. authority, misrepresenting your Imerican subjects, piness of both, and so ardently desired by the latter, and prosecuting the most deperate and irritating and the usual intercourse will be immediately restor projects of oppression, have at length compelled ed. In the magnanimity and justice of your majesus by the force of accumulated injuries, too severe ty and parliament, we confide for a redress of our to be any longer tolerable, to disturb your majesty's other grievances, trusting that when the causes of repose by our complaints. our apprehensions are removed, our future conduct These sentiments are extorted from hearts, that will prove us not unworthy the regard, we have much more willingly would bleed in your majesty's been accustomed in our happier days, to enjoy.service. Yet so greatly have we been misrepresent-For appealing to that Being who searches thoroughed, that a necessity has been alledged of taking ourly the hearts of his creatures, we solemnly profess, property from us without our consent, "to defray the charge of the administration of justice, the support of civil government and the defence, protection Permit us then, most gracious sovereign, in the and security of the colonies." But we beg leave to name of all your faithful people in America, with assure your majesty that such provision has been the utmost humility to implore you, for the honor and will be made for defraying the two first articles of Almighty God, whose pure religion, our eneas has been and shall be judged, by the legislature mies are undermining; for your glory, which can be of the several colonies, just and suitable to their advanced only by rendering your subjects happy, respective circumstances: and for the defence, pro-and keeping them united; for the interests of your tection, and security of the colonies, their militias, family, depending on an adherence to the principles if properly regulated, as they earnestly desire may that enthroned it; for the safety and welfare of your immediately be done, would be fully sufficient, at kingdoms and dominions, threatened with almost least in times of peace; and in case of war, your unavoidable dangers and distresses, that your mafaithful colonists will be ready and willing, as they jesty, as the loving father of your whole people, ever have been, when constitutionally required, to connected by the same bonds of law, loyalty, faith that our councils have been influenced by no other motive, than a dread of impending destruction. be used for our relief, that a gracious answer may be given to this petition. and blood, though dwelling in various countries, will not suffer the transcendent relation formed by these ties to be farther violated, in uncertain expec- That your majesty may enjoy every felicity, tion of effects, that if attained, never can compen-through a long and glorious reign over loyal and sate for the calamities, through which they must happy subjects, and that your descendants may inbe gained. herit your prosperity and dominions till time shall We therefore most earnestly beseech your majes- be no more; is, and always will be, our sincere and ty, thatyour royal authority and interposition may | fervent prayer. BRITISH STATISTICS. REVENUES ORDINARY-1805. Nett produce applicable to national objects, and to payments into the exchequer. CUSTOMS EXCISE STAMPS England 16,715.794 19 6 3-4 477,094 16 4 1-2 15,137,096 14 6 1-4 1,215,788 16 10 1-2 3,854.240 17 3 149,247 0 10 1-2 17,192,889 13 11 14 16,352,885 10 10 34 4,123,527 3 2 6,261,778 19 4 14 1,237,004 19 10 1-2 53,832 12 4 1-4 18 in the 1. on pen-England sions & salaries $ Scotland 6d.d.tto England & Scotland Hackney coaches Hawkers and Pedlars Total permanent and annual duties To this sum is to be added-certain "small branches of hereditary revenue," consisting of fines; seizures, compositions, proffers, and produce of crown tands, in all producing 26,454 14 10 3-4 8,444 2 9 3-4 135,314,158 10 4 1-4 EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCES-WAR TAXES. (England and Scotland.) Monies paid on account of the interests of loans raised for service in Ireland 157,373 7 10 34 8,992,377 13 7 14 4,427,976 2 3 1-2 1,010 17 8 3-4 13.419,364 13 1 1-2 360.043 3 7 1,592,570 10 5 485,532 0 3 34 51,399,045 15 10 1-4 - 25,130,404 15 4 3-4 176,796,450 15 4 3-4 2,898 12 4 1-2 4,324 12 0 5,896,818 1 8 1-2 19,699,263 12 1 74,681,299 1 0 3-4 395,566 15 9 In 1807, ordinary and extraordinary Total independent of loans 6,272,384 17 5 2,977,747 4 9 -the loans, including 1,500,000 for Ireland 9,250,132 2 2 Grand total 68 GREAT BRITAIN, in 1810 70,235,792 18 4 1-2 EXPENDITURES— 1. Interests on the unre deemed public debt 3. The civil list Mint 278,281 59,350 17 3 14,686 10 6 4 0 1-2 10. Loans, remittances & advances to other 2. Interest on exchequer bills‡ 1,478,316 4. Courts of Justice Allowances to the royal family $ countries-to Ireland Miscellaneous services at home 100,000 Charge of management : 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 1. Interests of debt 12,372,035 2 2 33,996 11 0 3.4 Edward I. II. 80,000 150,000 100,000 154,139 Reduction of national debt 954,045 8 1 3-4 13,359,077 1 4 1-2 THE WEEKLY REGISTER-EDUCATION. Education. The following interesting letter will be perused with pleasure even by those who long since have read it. We intend to follow it by some notice of Pestalozzi's method and Lancaster's system and also with an acount of a famous school at Paris. NEEF'S SCHOOL. FROM THE PROVIDENCE AMERICAN. syllables, to spell. straight line into any required number of parts by The fourth stage of the old school is words of four syllables. competent to discribe any figure composed on its the child is carried to form any for figure, curved exterior of straight lines; and by the same process lines curve in their turn with all their diversites. A letter from a gentleman in Philadelphia, to another tical and oblique-and so he proceeds to figures of The fourth stage of the new school is to discriminate between the properties of lines-horizontal, verin this town, dated, APRIL 23, 1811. DEAR SIR-I have just received yours of the the left to the right, or the contrary, and who can visible objects. Thus, a boy being able to draw a 24th. Every thing I have said or which the pow-by his eye draw it exactly of a length required, is horizontal line, and an oblique line decending from er of language could express, would fall far short of an adequate description of the effects already produced by Neef's system, which will not have been two years in operation till the 9th June. Such indeed are the effects, that many who go there, and see and here, are amazed, become incredulous only because they cannot conceive how it is produced. to the act of alphabetical writing, and the alphabet I, who have been a constant visitor. have had an after this course is not a matter of mere rote, but a Strange as it may appear, these very lessons lead opportunity to mark the manner of the method, as matter established in the mind with precise ideas of well as to note the astonishing ease, simplicity and its uses, as an agent for convenience to the memory, certainty of process. The school is filling and not as the essential object of learning. will fill, and I felicitate myself with the hope of finding in it a future security for the liberties of our, are rarely more than an hour at any time in the The lessons are conducted like sports, and they country, as, when once established, that is, after school room: one class has passed through a course which may arbitrary rotation.-There is a certain order, but it nor do the lesson proceed in an be accomplished in six years from the time of begin. is in the teacher's mind, and is always calculated ning it will then carry with it such evidence of its like the lines to writing. The preceding lesson invariefficacy and superiority, and of its utility, as to ren-ably leads to, and aids that which is to follow the der its access into general use easy and certain. In- lesson of the morning. for example may be straight deed the course once gone throngh, it will be such as any one may teach. lines, or triangles; the lesson after breakfast may I could refer to hundreds who have seen the school duces effects that are inconceivable but upon expebe the table of computation, which of itself proand witnessed the examination on all, and ten rience. The lessons may vary to fifteen different times more of the subjects concerning which you subjects in the course of the day; but are all so have seen the publications; but that to judge of any thing, you must compare it with and like the Peripatetics, their morning rambles you must be aware contrived as to depend upon, or to aid each other-something else: Now the usual visitor can have no over hills and vallies, rocks and declivities, are noidea of the state of the mind of a child who went to thing more than exercises in Gymnastics, or in nathis school twelve or eighteen months ago, yet tural history; minerals, earths, plants, and trees without this knowledge he can form no conception are investigated; the measurement of a triangle by of the effects produced on that child's mind. On the eye on a slate, is now applied to the measurethe other hand, I have been intimate and familiar ment of a similar figure in the open field, and the with them all and find children whom I dandled on chain of perches perform the operations which are my knee were able in ten months to puzzle me with assigned to the compass in the school room. abstract propositions, and astonishing calculations. regular course is to consist of all this knowledge of Strangers who have not studied, nor had an oppor-Algebra, and of course, all the arithmetical knowtunity of seeing the course of instruction, have ledge it embraces-Geometry and Grammar: the great difficulties and prejudices to surmount before system itself is a perfect logic, and the scholar bethey can enter into an estimate of its utility. For instance, take the following parallel : By the old system, children have a primmer or horn book put into their hands, and they begin to learn the arbitrary and unineaning names and certain signs called an alphabet. By Neef's system they begin to learn the names of all their limbs, members, and different relations and use of all parts of the human body. Nearly two years elapse before they hear of an alphabet or a book, nor pen and ink, until they are able to read and write. This is an apparent parodox, but it is nevertheless true. The second stage of the old system is to spell single syllables. The second stage of Neef's is to put a slate and pencil, before the boy, and to bring his hand to the habit of drawing a straight line without the aid of a rule, and to draw the line to any given number of inches as called for, by the eye only, and without any rule to measure by, excepting after it is done, to exhibit its accuracy. The comes master of all in three languages, the English, the result of observation and familiar intimacy with |