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LONDON, March 26.
Avery interesting conversation tool-, place
last nig.it in the house of commons, upon the
motion of .Mr. Martin, for an address to his
majesty, praying that lie would not grant any
office lor life which lud usually been granted
dm i.ig pleasure. I his motion t'j:> directed
against Mr. Perceval, to v. litun it was in con
templation to grant the Chancellorship of the
Duchy ot Lancaster for lite as a compensation
to-hini for giving up his profession on accept
ing the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Perceval took his scat on the treasury’
bench, and after having expressed hia senti
ments upon the motion lie withdiew. (in a
division, the memhers weie—
l or the address, 208
Against it, 115
Majority against the new administration 9 5
i lie house of commons was uncommonly
crowded with nunihers, about 50 of whorii
were obliged to take their scat:, in the side gai
lciics, for want of room in the house.
March 28.
Yesterday morning his majesty’s late minis
ters intended at Buckingham house, and in con
formity to the royal command resigned their
se Is ol ofiice. I.ord Chancellor Erskinc is not
\u surrender the great seal till Wednesday next,
ns it is his majesty’s pleasure that he should
ret.itii hi . high oiiu e till that peiiod, in order to
enable him to pronounce his judgment upon
several causes in the court of chancery, ig.on
which he was about to decide. The “duke of
J’or !..nd kissed hands on being appointed first
lord oft he treasury. Mr.Canning went through
til - same ceremony, as seceretary of state for
the foreign department, and not as first lord of
the admiralty, as reported. The Ltt. r situati
on is, we find, to be allotted to lord Mu'grave ;
lord Hawkcsbury also kissed his majesty’s
li.uk! on being appointed to the home <fopnil
- carl of W estmoreland, pi ivy seal; carl
Camden is to lie president of the council.
Pii< e of stocks this day at one o’clock—con
sois62—omnium l-3a 3-4.
COMMERCIAL INTEL I.I6 F.KC T .
Tt is proposed, as a.i object highly important
in a coinmeici.il view, to make a small establish
ment on the now almost depopulated island of
Otahcitc; and to render it useful In the naviga
tion to and ft oin Botany Bay, as a place where
stiips may procure abundant supplies cf pork
ind vegetables. The king of Owhylic, is
making htuiseff master of the other Sandwich
i-sl. nils ; i> improving them to the greatest pros
pi iily of agriculture and population ; is ambi
tious ot making them scats ol manuafctiires
and commerce—anti even proposes to open a
trade to Xoutku Sound and to Bengal.
Flic colony of Botany Bay is advancing gra
dually imo a great mart for the Biitisfi and
East-India protjuce li is expected that the
colonists of that settlement may he shortly able
to furnish bom lii.lcs and wood hemp and 11 ix,
tlu-ir share in the southern whale fishery, and
from the part they take in the fur trade be
tween India and the. north west coast ol Ame
rica, export sufficient to repav for ail die im
.ts which the progress of the colony de
mands.
There were imported into the port of London
last week, hunt Canada, the following skins,
viz. 10.5.000 heavers, 123,000 racoons, 54,000
marten, 12 000 otter, 15.000 wolf, 5,200 cat,
1000 hear. 15 000 minx, 10,000 f0x.2.300 wolve
rine, 15.500 mus.pish. 216,000 deer, too elk,
and 600 pounds weight of castor.
The trade for furs to the north west coast of
America iscntii cly in the hands of the citizens
oi the United State!'.. India and China arc the
places of sale for the furs, and it proves a lu
crative branch of commerce. It is thought
this trade might be shared by the Biiri.h sub
ject. Our Canada furt-rude is profitable, as
also that <>f the Hudson’s bay com; any*.
In the Island of Cuba there is nciiher grown
wheat, olives, or vines. Every article ofcioth
i ig i brought from Europe, there not being a
single manufactory of any kind in it. In 1 r.)2
there were exported to Spain 30000 cwl. of
to iacco. besides that consumed in the country
and in America. The export of wax tout
year utnountc Ito 50.000 cwt. Bees have on
lv been introduced into Cuba since the \ ear
1764. Alter the pence ol Versailles, when
1 U'rida was ceded tollie English, some families
( ..me o\cr from St. Augustine, and brought
: :,i:e hives with them, and in a short time they
“mercased so ranch that the sugar plantations
Ik came endangered.
i'iicre are 600 sugar-mills in the island of
C i( ; f mi these, including what is cmisuni
e 1 in ’he country, more th ,n 500.000 cwt. of
•".gar was exported to Europe. In this i-land
t .ic* v iv not one. navigable river, only small ri
vult .and streams ; there are 1 18 lakes, which
( uuuin fish ; there is abundance of turtle on
1 .0
There were 4"> sail of American ships in
China last \ ear, who took from thence to Ame
rica from eight to ten thousand tons of tea, a
great part of which found its way to Europe.
(’ inton is full of American adventurers, many
of whom re’ii c with large fortunes in a few
rears ; there are at least a dozen who h ive
It *en residents for a year or two and have al
ready realized a considerable sum.
Men of the most extr.xirdinarv talents, and
who have rendered themselves the must con
spicuous, have liecn often men of a small size
of hodv, and sometimes deforroo'd. Witness
Alexander, Horace, Eugene, Pope. Dumon
rier, Hamilton. B n*te. ,xc. Washington
was an exception, who was as majestic i;i his
p>on, as lus fame is eternal,
Tk GM THE- RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
The writings of Godwin are well known in
this country. His novels of Caleb Williams
and St. Leon are distinguished by a spi.it ol
eloquence, invention am pathos, which must
ever entitle them to an elevated rank amidst
the woi ks of imagination. Jf is essays of the
Lnquiicr arc uncommonly useful, as disquisi
tions on the topics of common life ; andhis
political justice, in spite of its visionary theo
ries, and dangerous doctrines, is perhaps the
boldest, and the most original work, on political
subjects which ever appeared from the press.
It contains valuable truths ; and perhaps there
is no work extant, which exhibits a rnoic glow
ing defiance of liberty, or a more nervous attack
upon ah privileged system. It is much desi
red, that these* parts ol his work could be sepa
rated from lfis political and moral theories, ui and
published by themselves.
Such is tlre man who has composed the fol
lowing noble and sublime Eulogy on Charles
I ox ; the most eloquent and correct w hich we
have yet seen issued from the press.
ritOM THE DUBLIN- EVENING POST.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir—You will, if you think proper, insert
the enclosed in your paper, and subscribe it
tvillimy name. Itisan unexaggerated state
ment <4 what I think of the character of our
late .deceased minister, taken in a single point
o! view, tn writing it I have dismissed from
my mind aIV temporary feelings of regret, and
expressed myself with the severity and pluin
ne;,•> of a distant posterity. 1 have nothing to do
with adniiiustratioi, and have scarcely a slight
acquaintance with a few of its members. My
character, such as it u, anti my disposition, arc
subjects of notoriety; and every one, capable
of judging righteous judgment, has a tolerable
sound idea re* p cling them. Perhaps, then,
even my testimony, individual and uninfluen
ced as it necessarily is, may not be an unaccep
table tribute to the memory of the great man
we deplore.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W Godwin.
London, October 21, ISC6.
CHARACTER OF MR. VOX.
Charles James Fox was for 52 yeats a prin
cipal leader in the debates and tibcussious oi
the English house cf commons. The eminent
transactions of hts life lay within those wells;
and so many of his countrymen as were accus
tomed to hear his speeches there, or have ha
bitually read the abstracts which have been
published ot them, are in possession cf the
principal materials by which this extraordinary
man is to be judged.
Fox is the most illustrious model of a parlia
mentary leader on the side of liberty that this
country has produced. This cln.racier is the
appropriate glory of England, and Eox is the
proper example of this character.
England has been called, will: great felicity
,<f conception. “ The land of liberty and good
sense.” We have preserved many of the ad
vantages of a free people, which the nations of
the continent have long * nice lost. Nome of
them have made wild and into operate sallies
forthe recovery of foi those things which are
most valuable to maintain scricfv, but their ef
forts have not been attended with the happiest
success—'l here is a sobriety in the English
people, particularly in accord with the posses
sion ol freedom. W c arc somewhat slow, and
somewhat silent; but Jreneath this outside we
have much reflection, much firmness, a con
sciousness of power and worth, a spirit of frank
dealing, and plain speaking, and a moderate
and decent sturdiness of temper not easily to
he deluded or subdued.
For 32 years Eox hardly ever opened lvis
mouth in parliament, but to assert in some
form or other the cause of liberty and man
kind, and to repel tyranny m its various shapes,
and to protest against the encroachments of
power. In the American war, in the ques
tion of reform at home, which grew out of the
American war, and in the successive scenes
which were produced by the French ievolu
tion, Fox was still found the perpetual advocate
of freedom He endeavoured to secure the
privileges and the happiness of the people of
Asia, and the people of Africa. In chinch and
state his principles were equally favourable to
the cause ol liberty. Englishmen can nowhere
find tile sentiment of freedom unfolded and
amplified in more animated language, or in a
more cons-s-mt tenor, than in the recorded
parliamentary debates of Fox. Mam* have call
ed in some of their branches—none have suc
ceeded in fixing a strain upon the truly English
temper of his heart.
The reason why Eox so much excelled, in
this reign, Vv m. Pultcney, and other eminent
leaders of opposition, in the re'gn of George
11. was, that his heartbeat in accord to the sen
timents of liberty. The character of the Eng
lish nation has improved since the vear 1760.
The two first kings of the house of Hanover,
did not aspire to the praise of cncouragers of
British literature, and had no passion for the
fine arts; and their minister, >ir Robert W.c
polc, loved nothing, nor pretended to under
stand any thing lint finance, commerce and
peace. His opponents caught their tone from
his. and their deba’es rather resembled those
of the directors of a great trading company,
than of men who were concerned with the pas
sions, the morals, the ardent sentiments, and
the religion of a generous and enlightened na
tion. The English seemed last generating in
to such a people as the Dutch ; but Burke
and Fox, and other eminent characters not ne
cessary to he mentioned here, redeemed us
from the eminent depravity, and lent their es
forts to make us the worthy inhabitants of a
soil, winch had pioduccd a bhakspeai e, a Ba
con, at id a Miiton.
Fox, in addition to the generous feelings of
his heart, pos.cssed in a supreme degiee the
power of an acute logician. lie seized, wi ll
astonishing rapidity, the defects of his antago
nist’s arguments, and held them up m the
most si. iking point of ridicule, lie ncvei had
misrepresented what his opponent had said, or
attacked his accidental overnights, but faiily
met and routed him where lie though, himselt
strongest. Though he had at no time studied
law as a profession, he never entered the iists
in reasoning with a lawyer, that he did nut
shew himself superior to the gowned pleader at
lfis own weapons. It was this singular junc
tion of the best feelings of the human utidei
standing, that, made Mr. i ox the wonderful
creature he was.
Let us compare William Pitt in office, and
Charles J. Fox out of it, and endeavor to decide
upon their respective claims to the gratitude cf
posterity. Pitt was surrounded with all that
can dazzle the eye of a vulgar spectatior ; lie
possessed the plenitude of power; during a
part of his reign, he was nearly as despotic
as the minister of a mixed government can
be: lie dispensed the gifts cf the crown ; he
commanded the purse of the nation—lie wield
ed the political strength of England. I ox, dur
ing almost all his life, had no part of these ad
vantages.
It has been said, that Pitt preserved his
country from the anarchy and confm ion, which,
from a neighboring nation, threatened to infect
us. ‘Phis is a very doubtful position. It is by
no means clear, that the English people could
ever have engaged in so wild, indiscriminate,
ferocious, and sanguinary a train of conduct,
as was exhibited by the people of France. It
is l>v no means clear, that the end which Pitt
is said to have gained, could not have been ac
complished without such bloody wars, such for-*
midable innovation on the liberty of English
men—such duplictity, unhallowed dexterity
and treachery, and so audacious a desertion oi
all the principles with which the minister com
menced his political life, us Put employed
Meanwhile, it was the simple, ingenuous and
manly office of Fox, to protest against tire
madness and the despotical proceedings of
his rival in administration ; and if he couicl
not successfully counteract the measures ol
Pitt, the honor at least is due to him, to have
brought out the English character, not fun
damentally impaired, in the issue of the most
arduous trial it was ever called to sustain.
The eloquence ot these two renowned states
men well correspond with the different parts
they assumed in public life. The eloquence
of i itt was bold and artificial. The complicat
ed, yet harmonious structure of his periods, be
spoke the man of connivance and study. No
man knew so weii as Put, how to answer the
questions of his adversary without communi
cating the smallest information. He v,\.s nev
cr taken off his guard. If Pitt ever appeared
in some eyes to grove warm as he proceeded,
it was with a measured warmth—there were
no starts and sallies, and sudden emanations of
the soul; he seemed to be as much under Ihe
minutest regulation in the most \ ehement swell
ings and apostrophes ol his speech, as in the
coldest calculations.
Mr. Fox. as an orator, appeared to conic im
mediately from the forming band of nature.
He spoke well, because lie felt strongly and
earnestly. His oratory was clear and impetu
ous as the current of the river Rhone ; nothing
could arrest its course. Kis voice would insen
sibly use to 100 high a key: he would run him
self out of breath.
Every thing shewed how little artifice there
was in his eloquence. Though, on all great
occasions he was throughout energetic, yet it
was by sudden flashes and emanations, that he
electrified the heat t, and shot through the blood
of his hearer. I have seen ls countenance
lighted up with more than mortal ardor and
goodness—l have been present when his voice
has become suffocated vvith the sudden bursting
forth of a torrent of teat s.
The love of freedom which marks the public
proceedings of Fox, is exactly analogous to
the natural temper of his mind; lie seemed
born for the cause which his talents were cm
ployed to support. He was the most unassum
ing of mankind. He was so far from dictating
to others, that it was otten imputed to him,
though, perhaps erroneously, that lie suffered
others to dictate to him. No man ever exist
ed more simple in his manners, more single
hearted, or less artificial in his carriage. Ihe
set phrases of v, hat is called polished life, made
no part of Ills ordinary speech ; he courted no
mar. ; he practised adulation to none. Noth
ing was in more diametrical opposition to the
affected, than the whole of his behaviour. His
feelings in themselves, and in the expressions
of them, were in the most honorable sense of
the words, childlike. Various anecdotes might
lie related of his innocent and defenceless man
ners in private and familiar life, which would
form the most striking contrast with the vul
gar notion of the studied and designing de
meanor of a statesman. This was the man that
was formed to defend the liberties of English
men : hts public and private life are beautiful
parts of a consistent whole, and reflect mutual
lusturc on each other.
lo conclude, Mr. Fox was the great orna
ment of the kingdom of England during the
latter part of the eighteenth century. What
he did is the due result of the illumination of
the present age, and of the character of our
ancestors for ages past. Pitt (if I may be excu
sed for mentioning him once again) was mere
ly a statesman, he was formed to seize occa
sions to possess himself of power, and to act
with consummate craft upon every occurrence
unit arose. He belonged to ancient Carthage;
lie helnUTTd to rrtrdcm Italy; bnt there it
nothing in him that exptessly i.eicr.gs to Lng
land. 1 ox, on the central s—mark5 —mark how i.e
ouishir.es his rival; hew little acquisition of
power a dels to the intrimic character of the
man—is all over English. He is the mirier
of the national character of the age in which he
lived; its best, its purest, its n.ost honorable
repiesentative. No cieatuie that lias the gen
uine leelings of an Englishman, can recollect
without emotions of exultation, the temper,
the endowments, and the public conduct oi
Fox.
THE WOE-IMP OE TAT 1C W LAW.
Men of sound minds and good hearts have
differed in opinion as to the policy cf our noi .-
importation act; it was, however, reserved for
men of very different principles and rLaracters
to doubt our right to pass such a law, and to
threaten us with the vengeance of Gieat-liiitaiii
if w e presumed to persist 111 a just course of re
taliation.
In the “ True American” (never was paper
mor ejaleefy named) of Tuesday, was published
“ an extract of a letter fiom a gemlen an in L
dinburg, to his fiiend in New-Voik,” relath©
to the non-importatidir law. it is lull of lotdiy
opinions as to the supremacy of Great-Brituin,
and tiro humble deper.deuce of ti e U. Mates.
It is really subject of 1 egret that editors can be
found base enough to giv e currency ano sanc
tion to such atrocious ‘iLels on the independence
of America.
The letter begins thus—“ Our manufactur
ers arc in high spirits on the prospectot peace
with your country. ‘1 he passage of the non
importation act was really a wick and measure,
on your side, against orr laboring poor. Short
as the time was, it had lower ed the price of
wages in Gloucestershire, Lancashire, GEsgow,
Sec. arid sunk the prices of sheep’s wool. lam
happy that affairs ate now settled.”
This ex ract, in the most conclusive manner
evinces the efficacy of the law in question. A
complaint of the wickedness of this country
tomes vri.hbut a sorry grace from G. Britain,
l rom her, who in peace plunders our ships,
impresses our seamen, and murders our citi
zens, even within our own jurisdiction. ’1 heso
wrongs are not enough, we must bear them
with patience and meekness, Vve must not date
to stir one step, lest we injure “the laboiing
poor” of the aggressor. Never, surely never,
was there a more appropriate r.atr e for the
mass of the people ol Ireland and G. Britain,
‘f hey are indeed and in truth ihe laboring poor.
Labor and poverty are their inheritance.
The rising sun finds them at labor, and when
it goes down, their task is yet undone ; but
whether it rise's or sets, the beams of hope illu
mines not their dwelling, nor is it ever glided
by tire rays of .prosperity.
After being charted with wickedness for
not attendind to the miseries oft hat [,oor where
cries are unheeded by those whose duty it is
to regard them, it would be but fir to expect
some acknowledgement when the cause of
offence was removed. Very different, how
ever, is the Let, it is boldly asserted, and the
as-, ertion is countenanced by federal editors,
that the non-impoatutioii law was suspended
through fear.
Heir, are the words of the letter-writer—.
“ Had you not been obliged to repeal the prohi
bitory act m time , I firmly It liras he r.a ion
would have gone to war wi h you to pro ect
them. The manufactures must be protected.
I hey arc the glory and strength of our nation.
V> itlsout them, our commerce would languish,
and our agriculture be destroyed.”
1 he letter concludes with informing os that
if vve again dare to rebel against our task mas
ters we shall not be permitted 10 escape so
well as vve have at present. \Vc quote the
words of this insolent letter—
“ The prohibitory measure was a rash and
dangerous one lor America. &hould she try it
at any future day , eke will probablv not escape
so well as she has a’ present. We manufac
ture for all the world, and why not for An-e.i
ca ! you can have manufactures from no other
country.”
ART CF MEMOR7.
Much has been lately said and written in
Germany, says a London journalist, concern
ing the Art of Memory ; a study which also
begins to be cultivated in France. On this
subject, the celebrated astronomer, La Lar.de,
bears testimony to the following fact : “
“ I have w itnessed (says he) the extraordi
nary effects pr oduced on the memor y by the
method of M. De Fenaigle ; and, as lie took
the pains to explain it to me, I was convinced
that it could not fail to produce such effects.
It Js a fact, equally important and extraordina
ry, that one of his pupils is able to repeat-in
any order you please, and without the least
mistake, a table of fifty cities in all parts of the
world, with the degrees of longitude and lati
tude ia which they are situated ; whereas I,
who have for sixty years devoted my attention
to geography, cannot repeat four of them.
The same is the case with Chronology ; in the
Annutire , I have inserted 240 dates from an
cient and modern history, and M. De Fenai
gle’s scholars repeat them all. Ido not think
that the ablest historiographer could tell ten of
them What an astonishing aid in the study
of geography and history.”
Tic same power of artificial recollection, hat
lveen practised for many years, before miscel
laneous companies in London, by a gentleman
who has never made any secret of his discove
ry, and who has lately promised to make an
early communication of its principle.