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est disadvantage would result to us if he were hanging upon the opposite side of the balance; he is too buoyant to cause it to preponderate.

GOVERNOUR GORE.

The circumstances of honour attending the initiation of his excellency to his new office, must have been highly gratifying to his feelings both as a man and a patriot.

The talents of Mr. Gore, are displayed in his first speech, which whilst it is conciliatory in manner and sentiment, maintains with equal ability, propriety and dignity, the necessity of proposing some expedient by which the commerce of the country may be hereafter exempt from the recurrence of similar dangers to those which it experienced during the last year. He maintains the propriety of the legal opposition of Massachusetts, at that time, to the embargo law, unconstitutional in its provisions, and proved utterly ridiculous in fact, from the necessity of its sudden repeal. If the non-intercourse law has been the instrument which has occasioned all the advantages which the nation now experiences, the opposition of the Massachusetts legislature to the embargo laws last year should not surely be condemned, since congress in consequence of that opposition, stumbled upon a measure which has turned out accidentally to be thus favourable in our negociations.

The praise bestowed by his excellency upon Mr. Madison is certainly well deserved, and we hope it is only the commencement of the harvest of reputation which the president will gather from his country, for his deviations from the path of policy pursued by his predecessor in office.

"I trust gentlemen,' he remarks,' that we may sincerely and heartily congratulate each other, and every individual in our country, that the political year commences with the promise of reviving commerce, and the restoration of our citizens to the exercise of their faculties, and their industry, and to the right of acquiring and possessing property, asserted in our declaration of rights to be essential and unalienable. We have great reason to indulge the hope of realizing these views, from the prompt and amicable disposition, with which, it is understood, the present federal administration met the conciliatory overtures of Great

Britain: a disposition which is entitled to, and will certainly receive the hearty approbation of every one, who sincerely loves the peace and prosperity of the nation.

While we sincerely rejoice at the prospect laid open to the United States of returning prosperity and plenty, this commonwealth has great reason for self gratulation, on the patience and firmness displayed by her citizens under privations the most painful, and restrictions the most irreconcilable to the spirit of freemen. While the acts, enforcing these privations and restrictions, were submitted to by individuals, with a resignation, that evinced the most exemplary love of order, and respect for the constituted authorities of the nation, the wisdom and temperate firmness displayed by the Commonwealth, in their Legislature, their persevering attachment to the union, their correct estimate of their own rights, and the prudent and constitutional measures for their relief must always redound to its highest honour.'

The observations on the treasury department prove Mr. Gore to have properly considered the importance of the trust he has assumed, and the judicious expedient he has proposed as a check upon future treasurers, is an evidence of the practical talents of his excellency, in the fiscal operations of the state.

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'We are,' says he, seriously admonished by the circumstances in which the treasury was left by the predecessor of the present Treasurer, that the checks contained in the system were not sufficient to secure the community against unfaithfulness in an officer. Several other states, prior to the revolution, suffered frequent losses by a defect in this department of their government. In altering their state constitutions they thought to remedy the evil, by assigning the appointment of their Treasurer to the Legislature; the result has shown this remedy not to be effectual, and in several instances, they have altered their system, by adding to the officers entrusted with the care of the revenue, one, *in the character of comptroller.

Should the Legislature turn their attention, to the providing further security in this department, this mode may not be altogether unworthy their notice.

The regulations of such an office might operate as checks on the Treasurer, by rendering the Comptroller's sanction necessary to a settlement of all accounts, to the payment, and receipts of all monies, to, or by the Treasurer, and to drawing the same from

the Bank, where by law it is kept. A system that should afford in the Comptroller's office, a particular account with each of the debtors and creditors of the state, and also an exact account with the treasurer, which would at all times, exhibit precisely the balance of his account, might be found to contain greater security against misapplication of the publick money, than that under which our pecuniary concerns have been managed.'

The course of remark which his excellency pursues in regard to party spirit, and personal animosity we should imagine would cause the Patriot and Chronicle newspapers to blush for the base innuendoes, the foul insinuations and the false conclusions with which even their columns have been disgraced. Let the editors of those papers read the following paragraph, and then let them asperse Mr. Gore and charge him again with being in British pay or British interest, if they have sufficient audacity.

• To adopt a rule, that no man is to be selected for office, unless he be of the particular sect, or party of those, who administer the government, or subscribe to their political creed, is to establish a principle, not only not recognized by, but directly repugnant to the constitution. It is moreover highly unjust to the people, as it narrows the choice for office, and may frequently exclude from their service, the purest integrity, the highest capacities, and best dispositions. It is considering government as instituted not for the common good, but for the exclusive advantage of an association or party of men.'

REVIEW OF AMES's WORKS.

A Series of numbers have appeared in the Patriot newspaper, which are entitled 'a Review of the Works of Fisher Ames;' but instead of candid controversy on principles and sentiments, we are amused with party insinuations and personal allusions, instead of a Review of Mr. Ames' works, it is an appeal from his writings, his personal views and feelings. Views and feelings, however, for which his life, and not his writings are supposed to furnish an authority; but views and feelings which neither his life nor writings can afford any justification to the author of the review in assuming as facts. When the numbers are closed, it may be deemed proper to expose the probable motives of the au

thor of them, the fallacy of the arguments, and virulence of the insinuations he employs to effect the object which he secretly expects to accomplish.

SILVA.

In the fourteenth number of the Ordeal, we took occasion to ridicule the silliness and insipidity with which the department of Silva, in the Monthly Anthology, is so frequently demeaned. These peculiarities are the more remarkable, since it is understood that the department in which they are found is filled every month by the society of gentlemen who superintend the whole work, and who really have frequently displayed much elegant literature, and much acuteness of remark, in the conduct of it. Whether this literary society ought or ought not to farther the pigmean and ricketty brats which scramble about in the Silva, the ridicule which they excite will not be diminished from any such adventitious considerations. A society of litera-, ry men imposes upon the mind; but even such authority cannot impose the following nonsense upon the world, for either wit, learning, or important information.

A LONG INVITATION.

"Mr. Bourgoin, French Minister in Portugal, was removed to Hamburg. On his arrival there he found an invitation to a dinner in Lisbon, which he had forgotten to answer, but he had time to write by post, that it was out of his power to accept it."

It may, to be sure, be very important to the world that Mr. Bourgoin was invited to dinner in Lisbon, and more extraordinary that he could not dine in that city, when he happened to be in Hamburgh; but the importance resulting from these circumstances sink into mere insignificance, when compared with the wit of the next anecdote; which is equally witty and true.

LEDYARD.

"This celebrated traveller, who was a citizen of Connecticut, was sent by Capt. Cook to explore a river on the coast of Kamschatka. He embarked in a canoe with only three companions.

These were the Bible, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and a bottle of brandy."

Those of our readers who have been impressed with the wonders, which these sapient paragraphs record, will find their sen sations not diminished on perusing the next specimen of profundity.

A PRUDENT MAGISTRATE.

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A vessel arrived at a port in Portugal from Marseilles. A strict quarantine was imposed on all vessels coming from the Levant, on account of the plague. The diembargador ordered the ship into quarantine. But sir, I come from Marseilles.' Well, that is in the Levant; you must go into quarantine.” . Why, sír, only look at the map. I will show you that it is not. map was produced; the captain pointed at Marseilles, and then shewed him what was called the Levant. The judge, placing his thumb on Marseilles and then stretching his fore finger to the Levant, exclaimed, Poh! Poh! They are close together, it is all the same thing; you must perform quarantine.'

The two following paragraphs, and particularly the query at the conclusion of the second, deserve to be connected with the ·wisdom which has preceded them.

DIPLOMATICK CAUTION.

'During the time that the Marquis de Pombal governed Por tugal, he was much surprised at receiving no despatches from his minister in Sweden, though he had often written to him. At length, sending a courier to St. Petersburg, he ordered him to go to Stockholm, to enquire the reason of the minister. The ambassadour was much surprised, said that he had written regularly once a week; he went in consequence with the courier to the post office, to know why they had not been forwarded. The postmaster knew nothing about it, but said he always sent forward all letters. He told them, however he had a number of letters which he had not been able to forward, because he could not discover the direction. Taking them into another room, he shewed the packets, which proved to be the ambassador's, and which for greater security were directed as well as written in cyphers.'

PHILIP IV.

A man was brought before Philip IVth. of Spain, accused of having slandered his majesty. It was a man whom the king had never known or had any connection with: Let him be dis

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