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Mr. SMITH, j IN your Paper of the nth inst. I observed an in vitation from Y. P. to the citizens of this slate, to give a truce to their speculative and other felf interefted pursuits, and direct a portion of their attention to the public weal, and particularly to the expediency of a Specific Tax, which he thinks the want of energy in our laws, or inability in the people to comply with former modes of taxation have made neceifary ; but Y. P. mull certainly be a ft ranger here, or he could not be so ignorant of the disposition of the Legislature, as to expett it wojuld pay any regard to the fentinients of the best informed petfon, exhibited in a News-Paper, or exprefled by any other than a member of its own body ; although it is a melancholy truth that the Laws hitherto enatted, either from want of legis lative knowledge or virtue, have not been adequate to the purpofeß of good government at home, or of obtaining us refpettability among the other slates in the Union : Yet a majority of it are too wife to be infl rutted —hence the consequence of hints of policy to them, would be the fame as that of reprov ing a fool, and a wiser inan than Y. P. has written so difcoungingly on that business, that the one appears to be as unfruitful, as the other would be au unthankful undertaking. That a tax in such fpecificks as rice, indigo, to bacco and skins would answer the purpose of dis charging our quota of the continental debt, and of coutfe of flrengthening our link in the grand chain of the Union, better than certificates or a depre ciated medium, no one can doubt ; and that the O.hccrs of Civil Government and especially the Delegates to Congress, would prefer the fpecificks -to certificates or medium , none can heft ate to determine : that the method of laying, ro/itHing, and appro priating it, is plain , certain, and easy , is a fail well eltablifhed, and that the people could pay such a tax more easily than any other that would answer the fame good purposes, must be fufficicntly ob vious. I therefore am entirely of opinion with Y. P. that a Specific Tax is not only the best, but the on ly expedient by which we can raise the m neyne cefl’ary for dii'charging our quota of the federal debt with case to the people, and vyhh certainty to the revenue.—And what ought to be an additional inducement, it is not perhaps the least of the ad vantages attending a Specific Tax, that it keeps the J'lanter from under the thumb of the Merchant, (a circumstance devoutly to be wished by all who like fair play) who otherwise will set his own price on the Planter 5 !; produce, when lie wants money to pay his tax. A Specific Tax is then not only piatticable, but fafe and easy—but, whether the Legislature will be prevailed on to think so, is known only to thole w'ho can read the book of fate. 2. O. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 25. The Sultan is at the point of death. The prince Selim, his fucccffor, since he has been certain of arriving at the throne in a fliort time, lias thought of nothing but commencing a war with Kuifia and Venice ; and we are allured that, if the Minifler from France persists to offer his mediation, the only reply that will be made is, that all interfe rence is useless. Though the Courts of Vienna and Peterlburgh pretend ignorance of this resolu tion, they still are well acquainted therewith. We are aflured that the Ministers from Peters- Lurgh, Paris, and I ondon, have lately declared to the Divan, that the three powers whom they leprefented were determined jointly to attack and destroy the States of Barbarv, if the Pore dixknot oLlige them to difeontinue their robberies by sea, and enter into a negotiation with all the powfcls of Europe without diftindion. LEGHORN, Dec. i . It is reported here, that the Maltese fleet has met that of Algiers, that in a moll obstinate fight the former funk two chebecs, and burnt a third be longing to the Barbarians, and that the rest escaped into Tuuis, where, it is hoped, they will be block ed up. It is much to be wiflied they may; and llill more so, that thofc pirates were annihilated, as their cruelties and de*predations iiicreafe daily, and are a very great hurt to trade. LONDON, January 23* The following extrad of an authentic letter from Leghorn, dated the 15th of last month, will clear up the doubts which have arisen refpeding the engagement between the Maltese fleet and the Algerine squadron; “ On the 24th of Dec. last the vefiels of the two powers fell in with each other about ten leagues off Meflina, and a furious and bloody engagement ensued, which lasted ’till night. The Admiral’s lliip blew up in the thickest of the adion, and not one of the crew escaped. “ The Maltese have loft two ships, one of which was funk, and the other burnt, as also three xe bccks and one galley. The Algerines have loft, besides their Admiral, two xebecks, two barks, one polacre, and one row-galley. The Maltese fought with the greatest bravery, and the pirates like desperadoes. The loss of the Algerines in this engagement is said to amount to 1800 men ; that of the Maltese must also have been very considerable, because the crews of their ships of war are very numerous. ** The Maltese fleet having returned in a most mattered conditio**, it io jirafent very doubtful on which fide the victory was obtained. The mort general opinion, however, is, that it terminated in a kind of drawn battle.” The King of France is how busily employ ed in making the way clear to universal toleration throughout his dominions. So much has his Most Chtiftian Majesty this objed at heart, that, con trary to pradice for time immemorial, he has admitted into the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris Members who have withdrawn themselves from the pale of the mother church.. N E W- Y O R K, April 3. By a letter from a gentleman at St. Euftatia, who failed from Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, in the schooner , with an intention of visiting Turk’s lilands for a load of fait, we are informed that our good friends the British, out of pure kindness to the dates, make a constant pradice of burning and destroying every American vefiel they can difeover among these islands. Thus, while their ships are receiving every protedion and encouragement in American ports ; while their flag is triumphantly displayed in our harbours ; while they come and go as they please—American veflels are seized, burnt and destroyed, if within gun lhot of their harbours —the flag of the states treated with con tempt, and the commotj ads of humanity denied to its citizens. A ROB BE RT. STOLEN out of the Shop of the fubferiber, on Thursday" night last, a small Gold French Watch, about sixteen Silver do. and one Pinchbeck do. tfne Half Joe, and about eight dollars in round money. TEN GUINEAS Reward will be given to any person who will apprehend the thief or thieves, or give information where the above men? tioned articles may be had again. THOMAS BRAY. Augujla , STRATED or STOLEN , OFF the Common, the night before last, Tvv o Sorrel HORSES, one of them an oM horse with a Ihort tail, very poor, new shod befo- e * and branded on the near buttock LJ; the other horse in good order, about 14 hands and a halt high, 6 years old, his off hind foot white, a blaze face with white hairs on his withers, and a lov tail. The subscriber will thank and reward any person who will give him any information refpeft. ing them. ROBERT FORSYTH. Augufa, May 25, 1787. F O U N D, UN D E R the old store house which formerly belonged to Nathanael Hicks, deceased, a Quantity of CORDUROY. Whosoever has loit the fame, mav have it again by applying to the fbbfcriber, proving his property, and paying the expence of this Advertisement. A3IAH CLAY. May 22, 1787. «r* ■ .1 ——■■■■— x ■■ ■■ ' ■ ■ ■■ I■■ ■— 1- . ' m. State of Georgia, ) 11/ HERExAS the Sheriff of Wilkes County. 3 W Wilkes county, by vir tue of a Writ of Attachment to him direfted, did attach the goods and chattels, lands, tenements, and books of accounts of Nathaniel M. Martin, who is absent from, and without the limits of this state, at the suit of Sampson Harris, who hath agreeably to the dire&ions of the Attachment Ats, filed his declaration in the Superior Court of fan! county, against the said Nathaniel M. Martin, and hath obtained the following rule : Sampson Harris, 1 Ordered, That the (le vs. > fendant do appear and jv,f Martin. \ _nlead within j year and a day, otnerwife juaij ment by default. By Order of the Court, BENJAMIN CATCHINGS, C. C.W. Notice is hereby given, That unless the said Na thaniel M. Martin do appear and plead agreeable to the aforefaid rule or order, judgment will be entered against him accordingly. FLORENCE SULLIVAN, Attorney. November z, 1786. N O T 1 C E. A SERMON will be preached in Augusta, at the Academy, on Sunday the 27th inst. at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, by the Rev. Mr. Be verly Allen, from south-Carol:na. May 17, 1787, The subscriber will dispose of by wholesale, the GOODS now remaining in the Public Store, On a Credit till January next , for Produce, Popr Medium » and Pierce's Final Settlemints. ■TP HEY consist of a neat and general assortment 1 of European Goods, with a quantity of Salt, Iron, Steel, and Callings. On Tuejaay next will be opened at said Store, a Tmnk of elegant Silks and Sattins, with a variety of Feathers, Lace, Ribbons, and Gloves, and fold very low for Specie or the Paper Medium. ROBERT FORSYTH, State Agent. Augufa, May 10, 1787. A PERSON capable of infirufting youth in thi rudiments of the Englifti language, will meet with generous encouragement byapply in S ,a the Reftor of Richmond Academy. Augufa, May 10, 1787.