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THE REFLECTOR.
L. I.
MILLEDGEVILLE, G. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1818.
NO. 1$.
Literary Intelligence.
~jcome their patrons, if not their equals, and
FROM THK AMERICAN MONTHLY MA9ASIRL.
tters from the South,” written flftring
cursion in the summer of 1816. By
thorof John Bull and Brother Jona-
&c. &c. New-York, James Eastbura
. 181 r .2 yls. 8vo. 514 pp.
e hare been much gratified with this
Although there is too often an unsuc-
I effort at wit, yet there are many hap-
lies ; and though the style is sometimes
ed by phrases unnecessarily vulgar, and
ons, not so much familiar and striking,
ey are low and unseemly, yet on the
it is easy, animated and nervous.
Letters purport to have been written
Virginia, andthesubjccts on which they
are various and interesting; bat the
ipal object of the publication seems to
been to delineate the Virginian charac-
which the author having been born and
, as far north as the state of New-York
may judge from the internal evidence
'hed by his letters, and being a man of
rous sentiments and much knowledge
say a scholar, and acquainted with
and things, is well qualified to do. He
kindly entertained by the Virginians,
has repaid their hospitality, not with
y, for hc'has indicated their faults as
as held up their virtues, but with just
onest praise. His remarks on cliarac
d manners, which are numerous, and
sted by an extensive and vigilant ob
ation of his countrymen, arc in our opi-
accurate and instructive ; they abound
good sense and patriotic feeling; and
is wisdom has put on a merry guise, it is
for that reason, the less wisdom, while
voiding all austerity of manner, he has
d his book for the perusal of those who
t need the advice it contains, to a much
ater extent than he would if he had been
grave and elaborate. As a specimen
ie caustic humor of the author, and als
the hope that it may prove useful, we
e the following portrait of a certain class
oung men of fashion. It is sketched with
it, and may it is to be regretted, be ap-
riated by numbers in all our more con-
rablc towns.
But little D , on the contrary, was
rmincdto be a gentleman, according to
fashionable idea of the present day in our
. As he was to be rich, there was no
ion for him to know any thing—but how
joy it like a gentleman. He according
•;k his degree as first dunce in the col-
* and the first thing he did on coming to
possession of nearly half a million, was
end out his measure for a suit of clothes
London tailor. He forthwith enlisted
self under some tavern bucks, and strut
up and down , with a surtout that
ed the corporation the trouble of sweep-
the streets—was seen every w here at pub-
places and parties, without doing any
g but yawn at the one, and stand in eve-
ody’s way in the other, eating pickled
crs. His estimate of a party, where a
of feeling and refinement would go to
y elegant society, and rational amuse-
t, was always founded on the quantity of
cr, wine and pickled oysters handed a-
nd. Never was he known, on any ocean
, to contribute any one thing cither plcas-
or useful, and of course, in a little time
attained to the reputation of a fine gcntlc-
n ; because, as he never did any thing, he
st needs be so ; employment being unwor-
f that high character. Some of the best
;d people doubted his pretensions, until lie
night of finding fault with every thing he
ard and saw, when the opinion of his high
ceding became unanimous.
• Whether the people got tired of him, or
grew tired of the people, I don’t exactly
low; but in order to get a new gloss, hi
nt abroad, staid six months, and came
ck vastly improved; for he found this
untry more intolerable than ever—a sure
;n of excessive refinement, especially as
made a point of proclaiming his opinion
»ud at ail parties. When 1 was last at
, I saw him in a book-store, reading a
ok upside down, and dressed as follows,
-wit, one little hat, with a steeple crown ;
e pair of corsets; one coat, so tight he
uld just breathe; one pair of pantaloons,
immeasurably wide and loose you could
dly tell whether they were petticoats or
it; I don’t recollect the residue of his cos
ine—but his hair came out from beneath
s hat like an ostrich’s tail, and he stuck out
hind like the African Venus.
“ One lAight moralize and speculate on
hat had been the different estimation of
esc young men, at least hereafter, had they
irsued a course becoming their fortune and
lucation, and devoted themselves to a use-
tor brilliant career. Had they employed
irt of their fortunes, and their leisure, in
lorning their minds, and encouraging a
ste for refined, elegant and scientific pur-
lits, although perhaps they might not have
tained to any lofty eminence, they would
ive become associated, at least with those
tat were eminent. They might have be.
attained to a blameless, nay, noble immortal
as the magnificent cncouragcrs of ge
Aius ; instead of being in their lives, the
contempt of the virtuous and the wise ; and
in their deaths, the companions of oblivion.”
“ The Balance of Comfort; or the Old
Maid and Married Woman.” A Novel. By
Mrs. Ross, author of the Marchioness, &c.
Ac. 2 vols. New-York, 1817. “ Some
thing superior to the mass of similar pub
lications, our readers must not expect to
meet with many traits ot superlative excel
lence in the volumes before us. Indications
of a tolerably extensive, if not very definite
and discriminating, acquaintance with the
ordinary varieties of every-day life, are by
no means unlrequcnt; and the facility anil
liveliness with which they arc touched off,
would be amusing enough, were the outlines
more gracefully sketched, and the tints deep
er and more determinate. With the digni
fied incident and diction of the higher class
of modern novels, it would be ridiculous to
compare wlproduction, which the authoress
evidently intended to occupy its unambitious
station by the sido of her former publica
tions. Her representations of low character
are drawn with a vigour and facetiousness
that evince her familiarity with the species ;
but in her delineation from the polished
world, she is often and obviously at fault,
continually mistaking vulgar grossness and
rough raillery for elegant wit and refined
humour: throughout her attempts of this
description, there is too much horse-play;
while occasionally, she rushes into scenes,
and ventures upon allusions very suitable
indeed to the pages of Tom Jones and Rode
rick Random, but altogether inconsistent
with the chasteness of scniriuent, and deli
cacy of language, which ought to charac
terize the works of female writers.”
“ The Essence of English Grammar” by
Samuel Houston, A. B. Principal of Rural
Valley Seminary in Rockbridge, Virginia,
Harrisonburg, Lawrence Wartniami. 12 mo.
pp. 49. “ This essence of English Gram
mar, as distilled through the alembic of Mr.
Houston’s brain, is a product as different
from the material, as whiskey is from rye.
liter whose prescription “ it was composed,”
(to borrow an expression of the author,
when speaking of elegant composition,') we
know not, but imagine that the diligent and
exclusive study of Hannah Glttsse’s recipes
might enable one to produce something tVry
like it.”
“ A Grammar of Moral Philosophy, and
Natural Theology, with a summary of the
Evidences of Christianity, abstracted chief
ly from the worksof Dr. Paley. To which
arc subjoined Questions and Tables, adapted
to the study of the sacred striptures.” By
the Rev. J. W. Baker. New-York, David
Longworth, l2ino. 248 pp. This is a judi
cious abstract, bringing into small compass
and in a discreet arrangement, much of the
most important matter on the subjects treat
ed, and would form a good text-hook for the
older and more advanced scholars in our
principal schools.”
Reply to Dr. Warden.—A work has been
atcly published in England, professing to
he a reply to the narrative of Warden con
cerning Napoleon—the materials of which
are said to have been partly devived from a
work now preparing by the ^.i-Emperor
himself. Notwithstanding the apparent au
thenticity which clothed the publication of
Dr. Warden, the correctness of several por
tions of it has been repeatedly questioned ;
and the improbability tiiat Napoleon would
contribute materials for the latter, renders
it not unlikely that this is a second contriv
ance to raise funds at his expense.—Bal. Vat.
England.—Sir Humphrey Davy has made
a further discovery in regard to combustion,
which will prove a very great improvement
to his safety lamp. He thus describes it in
a letter to the Rev. J. Hodgson of Hcwortli:
“ I have succeeded in producing a light per
fectly safe and economical, which is most
brilliant, in atm.spheres in which the flam 1 *
of the safety lamp is extinguished, and which
burns in every mixture of carburettod hy
drogen gas that is respirable. It consists of
a slender mctalic tissue of platinum, which
is hung in the top of the interior of the com
mon lamp of wire gauze, or in that of the
twilled lamp. It costs from 6d. to Is. and is
imperishable. This tissue, when the com
mon lamp is introduced into an explosive at
mosphere, becomes red hot, and conti
nues to burn the gas in contact with it as long
as the air is respirable ; when tins atmos
phere again becomes explosive ; the flame is
-elightcd. I can now bum any inflammable
vapour cither with or without flame at plea
sure, and make the wire consume it either
with red or white heat. I was led to this re
sult by discovering slow combustions with
out flame, and at last I found a metal which
made these harmless combustions visible.”
CON Git ESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Amongst the petitions this day presented
was one by Mr. llan ison, from Col. Need
ham, and sundry other British officers, late,
ly arrested and imprisoned at Philadelphia,
on a charge of violating the neutrality of
the United States between Spain and her
colonics, but subsequently discharged from
arrest and confinement, praying, for the ex
pense, trouble and inconvenience which they
have suffered, such relief as Congress shall
deem just and reasonable. The petition was
referred to a special committee. -
Mr. Johnson of Ky. from the committee on
military affairs, reported a bill providing
for half pay pensions, to invalid pensioners,
and for other purposes ; which was twice
read by its title and committed. [The pro
visions of this bill are subtantially the fol
lowing :—«The first section gives to the Se
cretary of war the power of placing upon the
pension fist all officers and soldiers of the
revolutionary war, who arc entitled to Such
by the provisions of the act making pro
vision on this subject, in the year 1816
Rules and regulations in force; or hereafter
to be made, and put in force, as to the ad
mission of the officers and soldiers of the
militia, and the regular Soldiers, on the pen
sion roll of the United States, are made ap
plicable to the invalids of the revolution, and
of the Indian wars, placing all entitled to
pensions on an equality. Section second ex
tends half pay pensions of five years to the
widows and orphans of the officers and sol
diers of the militia, and others, now entitled
by law, for a further term of five additional
years, which will make the pension, if a
^lopted, equal to half pay pensions to widows
and orphans of ten years. Section third
provides half pay pensions, for the term of
live years, for the widows of the soldiers of
the regular army, who were killed in battle
or who died in the servico, during the late
war. Section fourth extends half pay pen
sions to all such widows as lost their Inis
bauds after their return home from the mili
tary service of the United States, provided
they die within 6 months after such return,
and of diseases contracted in the servico.—
By the fifth section, indigent mothers, who
have lost an only son in the military service
of the United States, provided sucli son dietl
without wife or children, are to pe provided
for. Section sixth provides that every wid
ow, whose husband was killed in battle, or
died in the service of his country, during
the revolutionary war, shall receive a half
pay pension for five years.]
Cast of John Anderson.—The House hav
ing resumed the consideration of this subject,
Mr. Spencer rose, and withdrew the pre
amble to the resolutions ho had offered—
leaving alone for consideration the resoiu
tions, directing all further proceedings a
gainst the accused to cease, directing the
Attorney General to institute proceedings a-
gainst him, and instructing the judiciary
committee to enquire into the expediency »f
providing for the punishment of contempt
of either House, for breach of privilege, &c.
On the general question, previously discus
sed, the debate was renewed, and continued
with unabated animation to the close of the
sitting. Messrs. Tallmadge, Hopkinson
and Sergeant delivered their steniments at
large on the subject. In the course of the
debate, Mr. Rhea, with some incidental re
marks on the resolutions, proposed a substi
tute to them, by way of amendment, in the
following words :—“ Resolved, that this
House possesseth the competent power to
punish John Anderson for his contempt of
the House, and his outrage upon one of its
members; and, therefore,
Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms be
directed to conduct the said John Anderson
to the bar of the House. This motion was
undecided, when, at a late hour,—.The House
adjourned. *
Tuesday, January 15.
The house resumed the consideration of
the case of Col. Anderson. The following
resolution moved by Mr. Rhea, by way of,a-
inendment, being yet under consideration.
« Resolved, that this house possesseth com
petent power to punish for contempts of its
authority.
Therefore, resolved, that the sergeant at
arms be directed to conduct John Anderson
to the bar of the house.”
Mr. Rhea, with a view to put hi9 amend
ment in a shape moro acceptable to gentle
men, modified his motion for amendment, so
as to make the first resolution read as fol
lows:—“Resolved, that this house possess ad
equate power to punish for contempts a-
gainst it.”
Mr. Pitkin assigned the reasons wliy he
wished to avoid placing on the journals any
thiug affirming the authority of the house on
the one hand, or dcnyiug it on the other :
and, to escape the alternative presented to the
house by the proposed resolution and amend
ment, he moved to postpone indefinitely the
consideration of the main question and the
amendment proposed thereto.
After some questions to the chair, and ex-
planations therefrom, respecting the effect
of such a postponement, that effect was pro
nounced from the chair to be, to place the
question in the state in which it wap when
the motion of Mr. Spencer was first made ;
and, if this course was pursued, that the
house would be at full liberty to take any
course in respect to John Anderson, which in
its opinion was within the scope of its con
stitutional powers.
After explanatory remarks from various
members—'The question was taken on the
postponement; and decided as follow : for
indefinite postponement, 117—against it 42.
The propositions before the house were inde
finitely postponed.
Whereupon Mr. Tallmadge offered the fol
lowing rcsplution for consideration. “ Re
solved, that John Anderson be fqrthwith
brought to the bar of the house.”
Mr. Rich proposed to amend the resolu
tion by adding thereto the following : “ And
th^t he have an opportunity of offering to
the house any explanation of his allcdged of
fence, which he he may think proper.”
This motion Mr. Rich supported by obser
vations regarding the general question, in
which he opposed the expediency of proceed
ing further than he had suggested in the pre
sent case.
After a few observations from Mr. Ser
geant, however, Mr. Rich withdrew his pro
position.
Mr. Rich subsequently moved to insert art
amendment, denying the power of the house
to judge or punish any individual, its own
members excepted; which motion was nega
tived by a large majority.
Mr. Culbretli then moved to strike out the
whole of Mr. Tallmadgc’s resolution, and to
substitute by way of amendment the follow
ing : •< Whereas John Anderson i$ in custo
dy for an offence which this house does not
possess the constitutional power to try, or
right to punish : therefore,
“ Resolved, that the said John Anderson
be discharged from the custody of the ser
geant at arms.”
And the question was taken on the amend
ment thus proposed, and decided as follows :
yeas, 47—nays, 119.
So the house refused to agree to the amend
ment proposed by Mr. Culbretli.
The question was then taken on the motioii
that “ John Anderson he forthwith brought
to the bar of this house,” and decided in the
affirmative, by yeas and nays : 118 to 45.—
Whereupon the sergeant at arms brought the
prisoner to the bar, and the speaker pro
pounded to him the following interrogatories,
to which he made the replies thereto :
1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be John
Anderson ? Answer. Yes.
2. Did you write and deliver to Lewis!
Williams, a member of this house, the letter
of which a copy has been furnished you by
the clerk i Ans. I did.
3. From what part of the city did you write
the letter i Aits. I wrote it at Mr. Res tor’s
where I board.
4. What is the amount of your own claims;
which you are attempting to liquidate ? Aus.
About 89,000
5. What is the amount of those of others,
which you are soliciting ? Ans. About
S'21,000.
6. Have you any interest In the latter?—
Ans. None, of a pecuniary kind, but am
influenced in' t.ioir pursuit by motives of
charity.
7. Had you any authority from the per
sons you represent to make the offer con
tained in your letter ? Ans. I have a ge
neral power of attorney to do for them as I
would do for myself, but had no instructions
to make that or any other offer.
8. Are you acquainted with any persons
now in the city soliciting the claims of o-
thers ? if so name them. Ans. I am : there
is a Mr. Pomeroy, who is soliciting his owii
claim, and Col. Watson, who is a general
agent.
9. Have you made any other offer to any
person ? Ans. No.
10. Did you consult or advise with any
person before you wrote and delivered the let
ter ? Ans. I did not.
11. Who is the Mr. Hulbard you mention
in the letter ? Ans. He is a gentleman I be
came partially acquainted with during the
troubles at the River Raisin. I have not seen
him since that time, till I arrived in this city
at the present Session of Congress, and did
not recognize him until ho made himself
known to me.
12. Has be any claim to solicit ? Aus.—>
None,*to my knowledge.
13. Have you any witnesses to examine,
or defence to make, in justification or ex
planation of your conduct ? If you have the
house is now ready to hear you.
The prisoner at the bar then called upon
his witnesses, viz.: Gen. Harrison, Col.
Johnson, members of the house i Mr. R. J*