Gazette of the United-States. [volume], October 31, 1789, Image 1

About Gazette of the United-States. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1789-1793

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
[No. LVIII.]
THE TABLE T.—No. LVIII.
" We daily fee persons that without education or
" friends, by their own indujlry and application, raise
« themselves from nothing to mediocrity, and some
" times above it,ij once they come rightly to love mo
" my, and take delight in saving it."
T T Teems to puzzle men of observation to de
-1 termine why many persons, who appear
to have great sagacity in conversation, and a ge
neral knowlege of the principles and forms of
bufinefs > Ihould never be able, with all their ex
ertions, to accumulate property. If we examine
the fubjetft, we shall find that the love of money,
tho a universal paflion, does not prevail in every
bread as a ruling passion. It may b* laid down as
a general maxim, that where avarice becomes the
leading propensity of any man, he will certainly
make acquilitions to his estate. Moll men who
pursue business, without encreafing their interest,
complain of hard fortune as an apology for not
making better progress. This complaint often
has no foundation, unless we call it a misfortune
not to love to get and save money more tliah any
other objecft.
We fhoulddiftinguifli bet Ween the love of gain
and the love of money. Ambition may prompt
a man into a<fls of hazard and enterprize with a
view of profit; but when this is the only motive
he will often be negligent in the pursuit, and per
haps lose his objetTt for want of care and perse
verance : or if he succeeds in his adventures, it is
ten chances to one but he appropriates his gains,
with so little caution, that he is none the better
for them. But when avarice, or the real love of
money adtuates any one, every step he takes is
so prudent andcircumfped; that he fcldom mifles
the attainment of his objedl. And when h£ once
realizes his gains,he is no lefscareful in applying
his money, than he was industrious in earning it.
Habits of industry, and an ardor of enterprize
are much more ufuul qualifications than prudence
and economy. How far any of those qualities
are the gift of nature, or how far they are
the efFec r t of art and attention, cannot be ex
a&ly ascertained. It is very certain that one
reason, why so many persons miscarry in business,
is owing to some errors or defects in the mode of
their education. Many young men are early in
ured to the pratftife of business, and learn to make
nice calculations in fcheines that afford profit,who,
at the fame time, arc never taught the secret of
saving money. To acquire property, in the firft
inflance, is a much less difficult talk than to pre
fer ve it. Motives of ambition, generosity, cha
rity, and a tlioufand other causes, conspire to
empty the purse of a man, who may have a faci
lity in gaining property. The emphatical cx
preffion, that riches take to themselves
wings and kly aw a y, is verified in innumerable
instances. Property finds so many avenues of ef
cajie, that when it falls to the lot of a person, who
liasnotfrugality.it almost ceases to be a blessing.
In this view of the fubjedl, parents, and those,
who have the management of youth, should teach
them to practise economy, as well as to under
stand business. Many artificial methods may be
used to bring children into a love of saving mo
mey, as well as into the knowlege of procuring
it. The latter attainment will produce little real
advantage to the pofleflor, unless he has a compe
tent skill in the former. Few men are born with
adifpofition so peculiarly avaritiousas to produce
habits of economy without great pfffe and circum
fpeilion. If a child was early induced to keep an
cxatft account of all his expences, he would soon
become so familiarized to the cuftom,thatit would
no longer seem irksome. The total amount at
the end of the year would probably alarm him,
and he would rcfol ve the next year to spend more
Sparingly, or at any rate, less foolifhly. He would
deliberately examine the different articles of his
expences, and retrench such parts as were unne
ceflary or injudicious. While the parent is train
ing his child into a fyfteni of economy, he may
faiiiciently guard him againlt ails 01 meanness
orrigor. There are occasions, where he may be
generous, and ought to be charitable ; but lie
iiiould learn accurately to diflinguifh generosity
from profufion, and to observe the virtues of
friendfhip and charity without descending to
weakness and folly.
There is no circumstance of more importance
in inftru<fting a child, than to make liiin take a
delight in saving part of the money that he, by
any means, becomes poflelled of. Some naturally
have a close, saving difpofition,and they generally
prosper in the world. But there is a great pro
portion of men who have other passions llronger
than avarice, and all their talents and pursuits
'eemto produce ultimately very little advantage,
fiiev have never been taught the necelfity of cul
tivating how to spend their money, tlio great
pains have been taken in teaching them calcula
tions how to grasp at profit. It is worth wiiiie
(£>o2
SATURDAY, October 31, 1739.
for any man, at the close of the year, to take a
retrofpeiftive view of his mode of appropriating
or expending money, and to endeavor to correct
what he may, upon comparing the whole toge
tlier, deem mistakes. Most men of indultry, who
do not add to their interest, charge the fault to the
dulnefs of bulineft ; and therefore have no idea
of searching out the true cause of their poverty,
which they will find not to consist in the hardneis
of the times, but in the badness of their own ar
rangements. Everyman, in any considerable bu
nnel's, who does not addfomething to his proper
ty, should endeavor to persuade hiinfelf, that he is
yetunacquainted with a proper ryftcinof economy.
MR. ADAMS'S LETTERS.
(For Letter t/it,.. /« ,'ur pu/.nr Ad. III.)
L ETTU VII.
Amsterdam, Oct. ro, 1780.
SIR,
"VTOUR seventh inquiry is, Whether the common
X " people in Atnerica are not inclined, nor ivoula
" be able, to find fufficient mean •to frujlrate, by fur a
" the good intentions of the jkilful politicians ?"
IN answer to this, it is fufficient to fay that the
commonalty have no need to have recourse to
force, to oppose the intentions of the fkilful ; be
cause the law and the constitution authorise the
common people to choose Governors and Magis
trates every year ; so that they have it constantly
in their power to leave out any politician, how
ever lkilful,whofelprinciples,opinions, or systems,
they do not approve;
The difference, however, in that country, is not
so great as it is in fjme others, between the com
mon people and the gentlemen—for noblemen
tliey have none. There is no country where the
common people, I mean the tradesmen, the hus
bandmen, dnd the laboring people, have such ad
vantages of education as in that : And it may be
truly laid, that their education, their understand
ing, is as nearly equal as their birth, fortune, dig
nities, and titles.
It is therefore certain, that whenever the com
mon people fliall determine upon peace or fub
miflion, it will be done. But of this there is 110
danger. The common people are the moftunan
imoufly determined against Great Britain of any :
It is the war of the common people : It was un
dertaken by them—and has been, and will be,
supported by them.
The people of that country often rose, in large
bodies, against the measures of government, while
it was in the hands of tile king. But there has
been no examples of this fort, under the New
Constitutions, excepting one, which is mentioned
in General Howe's narrative, in the back part of
North Carolina. This was owing to causes so
particular,thatitratlier fervesto shew theftrengtli
of the American cause in that State, than the
contrary.
About the year 1772, under the government of
Tryon, who lias since made hiinfelf so obnoxious
to all America, there were some warm difpuiesin
North-Carolina, concerning some of the internal
regulationsof that province ; and afmall number
of people in the back parts rose in arms, under
the name of Regulators, defeated them, hanged
some of their ringleaders, and publiihed procla
mations against many others. Tliefe people were
all treated as having been in rebellion, and they
were left to solicit pardon of the crown. This
eftablifiied in the minds of those Regulators such
an hatred towards the reft of their fellow-citi
zens. that in 1775, when the war broke out, they
would not join with them. The King has since
promised them pardon for their former treasons,
upon condition that they commit frefh ones a
gainst their country. In 1777, in conjun<flion
with a number of Scotch Highlanders, they rose
—Governor Cafwell marched against them, gave
them battle, and defeated them. This year they
have risen again, and been again defeated. But
these people are so few in number—there is so
much apparent malice and revenge, instead of
any principle, in their difaffedlion, that any one
who knows any thing of the human heart will fee
that, instead of finally weakening the American
cause in North Carolina, it will only serve to give
a keenness and an obltinacy to support it.
Nothing, indeed, can Ihew the unanimity of
the people throughout America in a stronger
light than this—that the Britilharmy has been a
bie to procure so few recruits, to excite so few in
furredtions and dilturbances. Nay, although the
freedom of the press, and the freedom of Ipeech
is carried to as great lengths in that country as
in anyunder the fun, therelias never been a hint
in a newfpapcr, or even in a nandbill, nor a single
Ipeech or vote in anyaflembly, that I have heard
of, for submission, or even reconciliation.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
MR. CALKOEN.
\PubliJhid on Wednsfday and Saturday ~\
THE NATIONAL MONITOR. No. XXIV.
" Po.mposo too, who with averted eye,
" Now pafles all his old acquaintance by."
THERE is a foible to which human nature is
peculiarly,incident—and in excuse for which
there is as little to be said, as for any weakness
whatever: It is forget f uln ess. When I fee
striking examplesof the voluntary loss of me
mory, it brings to mind a neat reply to the obfcr
vation which a person made on being negletfted
by a quondam acquaintance—" he appears to
have entirely forgot me," said lie, the reply was,
" no wonder at it, he has forgot himself. Ic
is generally the cafe, I believe, that people of a
supercilious temper forget their origin, their ear
ly profpedts, their former sentiments of modesty,
discretion, charity and urbanity, before they as
sume a diftanr, superior deportment towards
their old connexions. As nothing has a more
powerful influence on the public opinion, than
an obliging, condescending deportment ; in e
■very free government, the candidates for offices,
while pursuing their objecft, discover on all occa
sions n free, mild, and social disposition—No per
son is beneath their notice/ who is of the small
est consequence in society; no circumllance of
appearance, time or place, will prevent the
limle, the bow, or the friendly shake by the
hand—their dignity is not in tlieleaftLET down
by tbefe familiarities—but the summit of their
wiffies obtained, what a strange alteration often,
ensues I —the poor unhappy creatures arefudden
ly llruck with partial blindness ; their fight be
comes dim, or so limitted that they can fee no
thing but a poll: that happens to come in diretfc
contacft with their noses—a fad loss of memory
succeeds, so that they can hardly recolletft a yc
fterday's acquaintance—they forget their bene
fa<ftors, and from the elevation to which they are
raised by the voice of their partial countrymen,
look down with Contempt on their creators.—
However general this mode of conduct may be,
it is not wife, politic, or just—nor can the pow
er of example give a fanftion to it.—Such persons
ffiould remember that whatever the v lose of the
powers of recolletftton, is added to the ltock of
their conflituents—the public Inemory is stub
bornly tenacious, and it constantly derogates from
pride, in exacft proportion to its arrogance.—Pride
and patriotism are not branches of the fame stock,
and on all occasions it will be found, that those
who can treat individuals with contempt, are to
tally destitute of the divine principle of love to
their country. May those chara<sters which the
free citizens of these States have honored by
their fufFrages, discover on all occasions those ami
able, generous and benevolent qualities, which
(hall evince that the public confidence has not
been ill placed—ln this way themoft favorable
impressions of the government will be formed on
the minds ofth," people, and the empire of their
affetflions will befecured. How pleasing is the
reflecftion that those who are appointed to admi
nifler the conftitntion of this confederated re
public, are generals persons who have borne
with the people " the "burthens and heat of the
day" in the late arduous conflitfl—men, whose
principles, and habits we have been familiarized
to—and from whom we have 110 reason to antici
pate the lealt hauteur of carriage, or "infolencc
of office."
Mark those who bear a high, imperious crest,
Who with infufferable pride pofleft,
Give to y<»ur just demands a (harp reply.
And yon IhMI Hndthr-m nr.c mounted high.
ELECTRICAL RODS.
THE power of metalicrods to attract and con
duct lightening into the earth, with fafety to the
buildings on which they are affixed, is generally
known. These rods, as they are commonly made
in the country, are not of fufficientbignefs to con
duct it off. Every fad: of this kind ought to be com
municated for the public information. Thurs
day the 16th instant an eledlric rod in Hartford
wasftruckby lightning from the clouds. One of
the pointers melted—a great blaze of fire for se
veral instants appeared to involve the top of the
rod—the rod through its whole length to the
eaith, emitted an immense number of large
sparks—part of the lightningdefcended by two
chimnies, one contiguous to the rod, and the o
ther thirty feet distant. This rod weighs more
than one hundred pounds, and in diameter is an
irfch and one third nearly, a size larger than is
commonly used. Theexpanfive blaze which for
a Jhort space surrounded the top of the rod arose
from its incapacity instantly to receive and con
duct so great a charge—the emission of sparks and
the descent of lightning by the chimnies are evi
dence of the fame facfl. A small rod which at
tracts the lightning and is infufficient to conduct
it into the earth, may in some instances increase
the danger. An inch and half diameter is the
fmnlleft size which ought to be used.