obscurity is owing to my dullness of apprehension, for they ap- | determined that 'Internal Suggestions' had got it; and ordered peared to argue it with great earnestness and feeling, as if they ❘ the decision to be registered accordingly. understood it. It is worthy of note, that in their zeal to accomplish their pur"I shall put my interpretation upon it, Mr. President, and pose, Longworth and Mc Dermot forgot to destroy the lists of argue it accordingly. "Whether at public elections—that is, for members of Congress, members of the Legislature, &c. ' should the votes of faction'-I don't know what 'faction' has got to do with it; and therefore I shall throw it out. "Should the roles predominate, by internal suggestions or the bias,' I don't know what the article is put in here for. It seems to me, it ought to be, be biased by 'jurisprudence' or law. In short, Mr. President, I understand the question to be, should a man vote as he pleases, or should the law say how he should vote?" Here Mr. Longworth rose and observed, that though Mr. Craig was on his side, he felt it due to their adversaries, to state, that this was not a true exposition of the subject. This exposition settled the question at once on his side; for nobody would, for a moment contend, that the law should declare how men should vote. Unless it be confined to the vote of faction and the bias of jurisprudence, it was no subject at all. To all this Mr. Mc Dermot signified his unqualified approbation; and seemed pleased with the candor of his opponent. "Well," said Mr. Craig, "I thought it was impossible that any one should propose such a question as that to the society but will Mr. Longworth tell us, if it does not mean that, what does it mean? for I don't see what great change is made in it by The next one summoned to the debate was Mr. Pentigall. Mr. Pentigall was one of those who would never acknowledge his ignorance of any thing, which any person else understood; and that Longworth and McDermct were both masters of the subject, was clear, both from their fluency and seriousness. He therefore determined to understand it, at all hazards. Consequently he rose at the President's command, with considerable self-confidence. I regret, however, that it is impossible to commit Mr. Pentigall's manner to paper, without which, his remarks lose nearly all their interest. He was a tall, handsome man; a little theatric in his manner, rapid in his delivery, and singular in his pronunciation. He gave to the e and i, of our language, the sound of u—at least his peculiar intonations of voice, seem. ed to give them that sound; and his rapidity of utterance seem ed to change the termination, “tion" into "ah." With all his peculiarities, however, he was a fine fellow. If he was ambitious, he was not invidious, and he possessed an amicable dis position. He proceeded as follows: subjects, from which they had selected the one so often mention. ed; and one of these lists containing the subject discussed, with a number more like it, was picked up by Mr. Craig, who made a public exhibition of it, threatening to arraign the conspirators before the society, for a contempt. But, as the parting hour was at hand, he overlooked it with the rest of the brotherhood, and often laughed heartily at the trick. "The Militia Company Drill," is not by the author of the other pieces but has a strong family resemblance, and is very well executed. Among the innumerable descriptions of Militia musters which are so rife in the land, we have met with nothing at all equal to this in the matter of broad farce. "The Turf" is also capital, and bears with it a kind of dry and sarcastic morality which will recommend it to many readers. "An Interesting Interview" is another specimen of exquisite dramatic talent. It consists of nothing more than a fac-simile of the speech, actions, and thoughts of two drunken old men-but its air of truth is perfectly inimitable. "The Fox-Hunt," "The Wax Works," and "A Sage Conversation," are all good—but neither as good as many other articles in the book. "The Shooting Match," which concludes the volume, may rank with the best of the Tales which precede it. As a portraiture of the manners of our South-Western peasantry, in especial, it is perhaps better than any. Altogether this very humorous, and very clever book forms an æra in our reading. It has reached us per mail, and without a cover. We will have it bound forthwith, and give it a niche in our library as a sure omen of better days for the literature of the South. THE TEA PARTY. Trails of the Tea Party: Published by Harper & Brothers. This is a neat little duodecimo of 265 pages, including an Appendix, and is full of rich interest over and above what the subject of the volume is capable of exciting. In Boston it is very natural that the veteran "Mr. President,--This internal suggestion which has been Hewes should be regarded with the highest sentiments so eloquently discussed by Mr. Longworth, and the bias of juris- of veneration and affection. He is too intimately and prudence which has been so ably advocated by Mr. McDermot-hem! Mr. President, in order to fix the line of demarkation be- conspicuously connected with that city's chivalric retween--ah--the internal suggestion and the bias of jurispru- cords not to be esteemed a hero-and such indeed he dence-Mr. President, I think, sir, that--ah-the subject must is—a veritable hero. Of the Tea Party he is the oldbe confined to the vote of faction, and the bias of jurispru-est-but not the only survivor. From the book before dence". Here Mr. Pentigall clapt his right hand to his forehead, as though he had that moment heard some overpowering news; and after maintaining this position for about the space of ten seconds, he slowly withdrew his hand, gave his head a slight inclination to the right, raised his eyes to the President as if just awakening from a trance, and with a voice of the most hopeless despair, concluded with “I don't understand the subject, Muster Prusidunt." The rest of the members on both sides submitted to be fined rather than attempt the knotty subject; but by common consent, the penal rule was dispensed with. Nothing now remained to close the exercises, but the decision of the Chair. The President, John Nuble, was a young man, not unlike Craig in his turn of mind; though he possessed an intellect a little more sprightly than Craig's. His decision was short. "Gentlemen," said he, "I do not understand the subject. This," continued he, (pulling out his knife, and pointing to the silvered or cross side of it,) "is 'Internal Suggestions. And this" (pointing to the other, or pile side,) "is Bias of Jurispra. dence:" so saying, he threw up his knife, and upon its fall, us we learn the names of nine others, still living, who bore a part in the drama. They are as follows-Henry Purkitt, Peter Slater, Isaac Simpson, Jonathan Hunnewell, John Hooton, William Pierce, McIntosh, Samuel Sprague, and John Prince. Reminiscences such as the present cannot be too frequently laid before the public. More than any thing else do they illustrate that which can be properly called the History of our Revolution-and in so doing how vastly important do they appear to the entire cause of civil liberty? As the worthies of those great days are sinking, one by one, from among us, the value of what is known about them, and especially of what may be known through their memories, is increasing in a rapidly augmenting ratio. Let us treasure up while we may, the recollections which are so valuable now, and which will be more than invaluable hereafter. THE SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER FOR APRIL, 1836. VOL. II.-T. W. WHITE, PROPRIETOR. RICHMOND. FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.-NO. V. The LITERARY MESSENGER contains 64 pages, being 4 sheets to each number, the postage on which, according to law, is, for 100 miles and under, five cents: over 100 miles, ten cents. All persons who have made payments early enough to be entered, and whose names do not appear on the next published receipt list, are requested to give immediate notice of the omission. RICHMOND, VA: T. W. WHITE, PRINTER AND PROPRIETOR, OPPOSITE THE BELL TAVERN. From March 26, 1836, to April 28, 1836. ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS MUST BEGIN WITH THE COMMENCEMENT OF SOME ONE VOLUME. It is very desirable that all such Subscribers to the Messenger as may have neglected forwarding their subscriptions for either the First or Second Volume, should do so without further delay. April 30, 1836. T. W. WHITE. Henderson, Capt. James. Henrique, John X... Harrison, Professor Gesner. Herlin, Pierre.. Hamilton, P. S. P. Hetherington, Ralph J.. Learned, Mrs. Madison J.. Maples, William C. ..London, England Philpot, Francis R. Nuttsville Peters, A. A. ..Alabama Porson, Legrand. ...Alabama Peters, P. J. Richmond Porter, Mansfield J. ..Louisiana Robinson, Anthony, Jr. .New Orleans ..Richmond Riddick, Edward G.. Richmond Shepherd, Samuel Winchester Selden, Joseph.. .Philadelphia Shield, Dr. William H.. ...Floods Sherrod, Frederick O. A. North Carolina ..Alabama Sparks, E. J. W.. Saunders, Sir Archibald Prescott Washington Tucker, Professor George Terry, Miss Delia M.. .Louisiana Tyler, James P.. .New York Washington Augusta Creek .London, England Thomason, John J... ....Alabama Villarêt, Enoch .North Carolina New Store Maine University of Virginia Washington .......Boston Wyatt, Miss Sarah C. Walton, Robert A. Weymiss, Samuel O. Winter, B. Henderson ..North Carolina Winterfield, William P.. New York Washington Washington .Philadelphia ..Alabama North Carolina .Paris, France Georgia ..Louisiana .Richmond North Carolina .Richmond Louisiana North Carolina ..Orange ..Richmond .Richmond Yorktown .Richmond .Louisiana Westbrook, O. A. B... .Henrico .Alabama ..Alabama .Louisiana .Richmond VOL. II. T. W. WHITE, PROPRIETOR. RICHMOND, APRIL, 1836. MSS. OF BENJ. FRANKLIN.* A LECTURE On the Providence of God in the Government of the World. No. V. FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM. That the Deity is a being of great goodness, appears in his giving life to so many creatures each of which acknowledge it a benefit, by their unwillingness to leave it; in his providing plentiful sustenance for them all, and making those things that are most useful, most common and easy to be had; such as water, necessary for almost every creature to drink; air, without which few could subsist; the inexpressible benefits of light and sunshine to almost all animals in general; and to men the most useful vegetable such as corn, the most useful of metals as iron &c. the most useful animals as horses, oxen and sheep he has made easiest to raise or procure in quantity or numbers; each of which particulars, if considered seriously and carefully, would fill us with the highest love and affection. That he is a being of infinite power appears in his being able to form and compound such vast masses of matter, as this earth and the sun and innumerable stars and planets, and give them such prodigious motion, and yet so to govern them in their greatest velocity as that they shall not fly out of their appointed bounds, nor dash one against another for their mutual destruction. But 'tis easy to conceive his power, when we are convinced of his infinite knowledge and wisdom; for if weak and foolish creatures as we are by knowing the nature of a few things can produce such wonderful When I consider my own weakness and the discerning judgment of those who are to be my audience, I cannot help blaming myself considerably for this rash undertaking of mine, being a thing I am altogether unpracticed in and very much unqualified for; but I am especially discouraged when I reflect that you are all my intimate pot companions, who have heard me say a thousand silly things in conversation, and therefore have not that laudable partiality and veneration for whatever I shall deliver that good people commonly have for their spiritual guides; that you have no reverence for my habit nor for the sanctity of my countenance; that you do not believe me inspired or divinely assisted, and therefore will think yourselves at liberty to assert or dissert, approve or disapprove of any thing I advance, canvassing and sifting it as the private opinion of one of your acquaintance. These are great disadvantages and discouragements, but I am entered and must proceed, humbly requesting your patience and attention. I propose at this time to discourse on the subject of our last conversation, the Providence of God in the go-effects; such as for instance, by knowing the nature vernment of the world. It might be judged an affront only of nitre and sea salt mixed we can make a water to your understandings should I go about to prove this which will dissolve the hardest iron, and by adding one first principle, the existence of a Deity, and that he is ingredient more can make another water which will disthe Creator of the Universe, for that would suppose you solve gold, and make the most solid bodies fluid, and by ignorant of what all mankind in all ages have agreed in. knowing the nature of saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal, I shall therefore proceed to observe that he must be a those mean ingredients mixed, we can shake the air in being of infinite wisdom, as appears in his admirable the most terrible manner, destroy ships, houses and men order and disposition of things, whether we consider the at a distance, and in an instant, overthrow cities, and heavenly bodies, the stars and planets and their won-rend rocks into a thousand pieces, and level the highest derful regular motions, or this earth compounded of such mountains; what power must he possess who not only an excellent mixture of all the elements; or the admira- knows the nature of every thing in the universe, but ble structure of animate bodies of such infinite variety, can make things of new natures with the greatest ease and yet every one adapted to its nature and the way of and at his pleasure? life it is to be placed in, whether on earth, in the air, or in the water, and so exactly that the highest and most exquisite human reason cannot find a fault and say this would have been better so, or in such a manner, which whoever considers attentively and thoroughly will be astonished and swallowed up in admiration. It is with great pleasure that we are enabled, through the kindness of a friend in Philadelphia, to lay before our readers an Essay, never yet published, from the pen of Benjamin Franklin. It is copied from the original MS. of Franklin himself, and is not to be found in any edition of his works. The Letters which succeed the Essay are also copied from the original MS., but were first published in the Doctor's Weekly Pennsylvania Gazette, which was commenced in 1727. The Epistle from Anthony Afterwit appeared in No. 199-that from Celia Single in No. 191. Although these Letters are to be found in the file of the Gazette at the Franklin Library in Philadelphia, still they are not in either the 1809 or the 1835 edition of the writer's works. We therefore make no apology for publishing them in the Messenger. Agreeing then that the world was at first made by a being of infinite wisdom, goodness and power, which being we call God, the state of things existing at this time must be in one of these four following mannersviz. 1. Either he unchangeably decreed and appointed every thing that comes to pass, and left nothing to the course of nature, nor allowed any creature free agency. 2. Without decreeing any thing he left all to general nature and the events of free agency in his creatures which he never alters or interrupts; or, others to general nature and the events of free agency 3. He decreed some things unchangeably, and left which also he never alters or interrupts; or, 4. He sometimes interferes by his particular providence and sets aside the effects which would otherwise have been produced by any of the above causes. I shall endeavor to show the first three suppositions to be inconsistent with the common light of reason, and VOL. II.-38 that the fourth is most agreeable to it and therefore most |tive, and that his glorious attributes of power, wisdom, probably true. and goodness are no more to be made use of. In the third place. If you say he has decreed some things and left others to the events of nature and free un-God him if I may be allowed the expression-he has nothing to do; he can cause us neither good nor harm; he is no more to be regarded than a lifeless image, than Dagon or Baal, or Bell and the Dragon, and as in both the other suppositions foregoing, that being which from its power is most able to act, from its wisdom knows best how to act, and from its goodness would always certainly act best, is in this opinion supposed to become the most inactive of all beings, and remain everlastingly idle: an absurdity which when considered or but barely seen, cannot be swallowed without doing the greatest violence to common reason and all the faculties of the understanding. In the first place. If you say he has in the beginning unchangeably decreed all things and left nothing to nature or free agency, these strange conclusions will neces-agency, which he never alters or interrupts; still you sarily follow, 1. That he is now no more a God. It is true indeed before he made such unchangeable decree, he was a being of power almighty; but now having determined every thing he has divested himself of all further power, he has done and has no more to do, he has tied up his hands and has now no greater power than an idol of wood or stone; nor can there be any more reason for praying to him or worshipping of him than of such an idol, for the worshippers can never be better for such worship. Then, 2. He has decreed some things contrary to the very notion of a wise and good being; such as that some of his creatures or children shall do all manner of injury to others, and bring every kind of evil upon them without cause; that some of them shall even blaspheme him their Creator, in the most hor-sition, that the Deity sometimes interferes by his partirible manner; and which is still more highly absurd, that he has decreed, that the greatest part of mankind shall in all ages put up their earnest prayers to him both in private and publicly, in great assemblies, when all the while he had so determined their fate that he could not possibly grant them any benefits on that account, nor could such prayers be in any way available. Why then should he ordain them to make such prayers? It cannot be imagined that they are of any service to him. Surely it is not more difficult to believe the world was made by a God of wood or stone, than that the God who made the world should be such a God as this. We are then necessarily driven to the fourth suppo cular Providence, and sets aside the events which would otherwise have been produced in the course of nature or by the free agency of men, and this is perfectly agreeable with what we can know of his attributes and perfections. But as some may doubt whether it is possible there should be such a thing as free agency in creatures, I shall just offer one short argument on that account, and proceed to show how the duty of religion necessarily follows the belief of a providence. You acknowledge that God is infinitely powerful, wise and good, and also a free agent, and you will not deny that he has communicated to us part of his wisdom, power and goodness; that is, he has made us in some degree, wise, potent and good. And is it then impossible for him to communicate any part of his freedom, and make us also in some degree free? Is not even his infinite power sufficient for this? I should be glad to hear what reason any man can give for thinking in that manner. It is sufficient for me to show it is not impossible, and no man, I think, can show it is improbable. Much more might be offered to demonstrate clearly, that men are in some degree free agents and accountable for their actions; however, this I may possibly reserve for another separate discourse hereafter, if I find occasion. In the second place. If you say he has decreed nothing, but left all things to general nature and the events of free agency which he never alters or interrupts, then these conclusions will follow; he must either utterly hide himself from the works of his own hands and take no notice at all of their proceedings natural or moral, or he must be, as undoubtedly he is, a spectator of every | thing, for there can be no reason or ground to suppose the first. I say there can be no reason to imagine he would make so glorious a universe merely to abandon it. In this case imagine the deity looking on and beholding the ways of his creatures. Some heroes in virtue he sees are incessantly endeavoring the good of others: they labor through vast difficulties, they suffer incredible hardships and miseries to accomplish this end, in hopes to please a good God, and attain his favors which they earnestly pray for, what answer can he make then within himself but this? Take the reward chance may give you, I do not intermeddle in these affairs. He sees others continually doing all manner of evil, and bring ing by their actions misery and destruction among mankind, what can he say here but this, if chance rewards you I shall not punish you, I am not to be concerned. He sees the just, the innocent, and the beneficent in the hands Now, if it is unreasonable to suppose it out of the of the wicked and violent oppressor, and when the good power of the Deity to help and favor us particularly, or are at the brink of destruction they pray to him, Thou that we are out of his hearing and notice, or that good O God art mighty and powerful to save, help us we beseech actions do not procure more of his favor than ill ones; thee! He answers, I cannot help you, it is none of my busi- then I conclude, that believing a providence, we have ness, nor do I at all regard these things. How is it pos- the foundation of all true religion, for we should love sible to believe a wise and an infinitely good being can and revere that Deity for his goodness, and thank him be delighted in this circumstance, and be utterly un- for his benefits; we should adore him for his wisdom, concerned what becomes of the beings and things he has fear him for his power, and pray to him for his favor and created? for thus, we must believe him idle and inac-protection. And this religion will be a powerful regu Lastly. If God does not sometimes interfere by his providence, it is either because he cannot, or because he will not. Which of these positions will you choose? There is a righteous nation grievously oppressed by a cruel tyrant, they carnestly intreat God to deliver them. If you say he cannot, you deny his infinite power, which [you] at first acknowledged. If you say he will not, you must directly deny his infinite goodness. You are of necessity obliged to allow that it is highly reasonable to believe a providence, because it is highly absurd to believe otherwise. |