the attention of the Houfe to the ac- might not be imputed to him. He count of the extraordinaries of the was fure, that no gentleman in that army, which had that day been given Houfe would with a bill of fo great imin to the House, amounting, he faid, portance to pafs, unlefs the allegations to confiderably more than three mil- on which the plan of reformation was lions of money, and to full four hun- founded were fatisfactorily established. dred thousand pounds more than the A A great deal of foreign matter was extraordinaries of the preceding year, introduced. befides a million and a half fent to America, of which no notice at all had been taken. He therefore moved, that the account fhould be printed. The Sec. at War rofe instantly to oppofe it, on the fame ground as a like motion had been rejected the feffions before; but the Houfe being in earncit to be fatisfied as to the expenditure as far as the account went, the motion was agreed to. B Mr. R-by delivered himself ambi, guoufly refpecting the bill in queftion. And Mr. F-x hoped that every member would attend in his place when it came before the committee. Sir G-y C-pr put an end to the converfation by calling the attention of the Houfe to the bufinefs before them. Complaint had been made against Cthe partial difpofition of the nominal Mr. B-ke called upon Ld N-th place of the Chiltern Hundreds in orto fay, when, and in what ftage, he der to vacate the fear of one member meant to oppofe his bill for the refor- in preference to that of another, and mation of the king's civil etablishment, a bill had been ordered in to regulate Ld N-th replied, that he did not that abufe. Sir Grey oppofed the bill, mean to oppote the fec nd reading, Don the ground that it was wrong to renor its going into a committee; but move what was bad, unless it were ehe thought it fair for him even then vident that better was to be introduced to tell the hon. gentleman, that when in the room of it; the contrary of it came out of the committee with the which, he argued, would now be the blanks filled up, if fuch of the various cafe, fhould the bill before the Houfe allegations ftated in it as were capable E be adopted. The principle of the of proof were not established on better bill, he faid, was a direct violation of evidence than public notoriety, he the conftitution of parliament; for by fhould oppofe them as not fufficiently vacating the feats of all members who warranted for parliament to proceed fhould apply for the fame indifcrimiupon, in order to alter in any inftance nately, which was the main object of the known and established conftitution, F the bill, the fallnets of parliament Mr. B-ke in reply obferved, that would be affected, which the conftituif fuch was his lordship's refolution, to tion of parliament required to be careput him upon proving what it was ab- fully preferved. He was not however folutely impollicle in the nature of against obviating the grievance, provithings to prove otherwile than by ded any better mode of doing it could public notoriety, his bill was already be devifed; but as nothing of that G put to death, and he had nothing more kind was propoted, the bill was rejected. to do than to lament its untimely end. (To be continud,) It was now plain that the minifter meant only to gain time, to run taxation against reform, to obtain his fupplies, to trifle with the Houle, and to double-distance reformation, and so toH go into all the horrors of an election, without fatisfying the people, or complying with any one of their petitions. Ld N-th in reply defired, that motives which he did not acknowledge Letter from Lieut. Gen. Earl Cornwallis to Camden, Aug. 21, 1780. Tis with great pleafore that I communicate to your lord?p an account of a complete victory obtained on the 16th inft. by his Majelly's troops under my command over the repel fouthern army, commanded by Gen. Gates In my dapatch, No. 1. I had the honour to to inform your lordship, that while at Charles-Town I was regularly acquainted by Lord Rawdon with every material incident : movement made by the enemy, or by the troops under his lordship's command. On the oth inft. two expeles arrived, with an account that Gen Gates was advancing towards Lynche's Creek with his whole army, fuppofed to amount to 6c en men, exclufive of a detachment of 1000 men under Gen. Sumpter, who, after having in vain attempted to force the pofts at Rocky Point and Hanging Rock, was believed to be at that time trying to get round the left of our pofition, to cut off our communication with the Congarces and Charles-Town; that the d faffected country between Pedee and Black River had actually revolted; and that Lord Rawdon was contracting his poits, and preparing to affemble his force at Camden. In confequence of this information, after finishing fome important points of bufiefs at Charles-Town, I let out on the evening of the roth, and arrived at Camden on the night between the 13th and 14th, and there found Ld Rawdon with our whole force, except Lieut. Col. Turnbull's finell detachment, which fell back from Rocky Monat to Major Ferguson's pefs of the milia of Ninety-Six on Little River. I had now my option to make, either to retire or attempt the enemy; for the potion at Camden was a bad one to be attacked in, ard by Gen. Sumpter's advancing down the Wateree my fupplies muit have failed me in a few days. I faw no difficulty in making good my retreat to Charles-Town with the troops that were able to march; but, in taking that refolution, I must have not only left near Seo fck and a great quantity of ftores at this place, but I clearly faw the lofs of the whole province, except Charles-Town, and of all Georgia, except Savaanah, as immediate confequences, befides forfeiting all pretenfions to future confidence from our friends in this part of America. On the other hand, there was no doubt of the rebel army being well appointed, and of its number being upwards of 5000 men, exclufive of Gen. Sumpter's detachirent, and of a corps of Virginia militia of 12 or 1500 men, either actually joined or expected to join the main body every hour; and my own corps, which never was numerous, was now reduced, by ficknets and other cafurities, to about 1400 fighting meu of regulars and provincials, with 4 or 500 militia and North Carolina refugees. However, the greatest part of the troops that I had being perfectly good, and having left Charles-Town famficiently garrifoned and provided for a ficge, and feeing little to lofe by a defeat, and much to gain by a victory, I refolved to take the Girl good opportunity to attack the rebel army. Accordingly, I took great pains to pro cure good information of their movements and pofition; and I learned that they had encamped, after marching from Hanging Rock, at Col. Rugeley's, about twelve miles from hence, on the afternoon of the 14th. After confeiting fore intelligent people, well acquainted with the ground, I deter hst ten o'clock in the night c. the 15th, and to attack at day-break, pointing my principal force against their continentals, who from good intelligence I knew to be badly poked clofe to Col. Rugeley's houfe. Late in the evening I received information, that the Virginians had joined that day: however, that having been ea pected, I did not alter my plan, but marched at the hour appointed, leaving the crien of Camden to fome provincials, militia, and convalefcents, and a detachment of the 6d regiment, who, by being mounted on hortes which they had piefed on the road, it was hoped, would arrive in the courfe of the night. I had proceeded nine railes when, about half an hour paft two in the morning, my auvanced guard fell-in with the enemy. By the weight of the fire I was convinced they were in confiderable force, and was foon affured by fome deferters and prifoners, that it was the whole rebel army on its march to attack us at Camden. Iimmediately halted and formed, and, the enemy doing the fame, the firing foon ceafed. Confiding in the difciplined courage of his Majelly's troops, and well apprifed by feveral intelligent inhabitants, that the ground on which both armies food, being narrowed by fwamps on the right and left, was extremely favourable for my numbers, I did not choose to hazard the great flake for which I was going to night, to the uncertainty and confufion to which an action in the dark is fo particularly liable; but having taken measures that the enemy should not have it in their power to avoid an engagement on that ground, I refolved to defer the attack till day. At the dawn I made my laft difpofition, and formed the troops in the following order: the divifion on the right, confifting of a small corps of light infantry, the 23d and 33d regi ments, under the command of Lieut. Col. Webfler; the divifion of the left, confifting of the volunteers of Ireland, infantry of the Legion, and part of Lieut. Col Hamilton's North Carolina regiment, under the command of Lord Rawdon, with 2 fix, and 2 three-pounders, which were commanded by Licut. M'Leod. The 71st regiment, with 2 fix-pounders, was formed as a reserve, one battalion in the rear of the divifion of the right, the other of that of the left, and the cavalry of the Legion in the rear, and the country being woody, clofe to the 1st regiment, with orders to feize any opportu nity that might offer to break the enemy's line, and to be ready to protect our own, in cafe any corps should meet with a check. This difpofition was juft made, when I perceived. . LIJE Defeat perceived that the enemy, having likewife. perfifted in their refolution to fight, were formed in two lines oppofite and near to us; and obferving a movement on their left, wh. I fuppofed to be with an intention to inks fome alteration in their order, I direcred Lieut Col. W-bfter to begin the atwhich was done with great vigour, ma lew minutes the action was general the whole front. It was at this time I calm, with a little hazinefs in the chi h, preventing the fmoke from rioce-fi med fo thick a darkness, that it aicus to fee the effect of a very heavy well i ported fie on both fides. cont ved to advance in good order, and Our the cool intrepidity of experienced BriIdiers, keeping up a conftant fire, or ico bayonets, as opportunities of-. nd, after an obftinate refiftance duree quarters of an hour, threw the into total confufion, and forced them essay all quarters. At this inftant the cavalry to complete the rout, performed with their ufual prompallantry; and after doing great on the field of battle, they contiruit to Hanging Rock, 22 miles place where the action happened, hich many of the enemy were flain; ber of prifoners, near 150 waggons of which was a brafs cannon, the e of which had been damaged in the th of the night), a confiderable quanof military flores, and all the baggage d camp equipage of the rebel army, fell o our hands. The lofs of the enemy was very confiderable; a number of colours, and feven pieces of brafs cannon (being all their artillery that were in the action), with all their ammunition waggons, were taken; between 8 and 900 were killed, among that number Briga. Gen. Gregory, and about 1000 prifoners, many of whom wounded; of which number were Major-Gen. Baron de Kalb, fince dead, and Brig. Gen Rutherford. The behaviour of his Majefty's troops in general was beyond all praife; it did honour to themfelves and to their country. I was particularly indebted to Col. Lord Rawdon and to Lieut. Col. Webler for the diftinguished courage and ability with which they conducted their respective divifions; and the capacity and vigour of Lieut. Col. Tarleton at the head of the cavalry deferves my higheft commendations; Lieut. M'Leod exerted himfelt greatly in the conduct of our artillery. My aid-de-camp, Capt. Rofs, and Lieut. Haldane of the engineers, who acted in that capacity, rendered me most cilential fervice; and the publick othcers, major of Lrigade England, who acted as deputy adjutant-general, and the majors of brigade Manley and Doyle, thewed the most active and zealous attention to their duty; Gov. Martin became again a military man, and behaved with the fpirit of a young volunteer. Gen. The fatigue of the troops rendered them On the morning of the 17th I defpatched honour of delivering this dispatch to yourloid- Spe other particulars of this action, p. 499. ON NEGRO SLAVERY. Home fum, nihil bumanum a me alienum pato. NGLAND, though confidered as the freedom, where property is fecured by equal and just laws, and where commerce, arts, and manufactures, diffufe riches and plenty, yet contains objects of compation, pining with want, and perithing through neglect: but if we turn our attention to the fufferings of our fellow-creatures in flavery on the other fide of the Atlantic, the mind will be rather tortured with agony than foftened by pity, at the extreme mifery of beings made like unto ourselves, colour only excepted. Invention has been racked to find new and ingenious means of tormenting them without divesting them of life, which is held valuable, and worth preferving, by no other te nure than the intereft of the oppreffor who calls himfelf their mater. An eminent French writer highly extols the humanity of one of his country men, for introducing a punishment among them lefs eruel than had formerly been inflicted: this confifted in tying up the leg by a chain or rope to the back part of the neck, and fixing a wooden leg to the knee, as a furgeon would do to the flump of an amputated leg. In time, fays he, the joint of the knee becomes contracted, and the negro cannot run away, though he can work with his artificial leg. To immortalize this mode of crippling a fellow-creature, which he call an humane invention, he has given the public an clegant engraving of it; but though it may prevent defertion, it cannot fupprefs indignation, much lefs conciliate fidelity among rational and fenfible beings. That thefe unhappy fufferers are strongly actuated by gratitude, I am corvinced by a thousand incidents within my own knowledge during my refidence in the Weft Indies; and from the authors I have read on the flave trade, I am perfuaded, that this lovely principle is generally and powerfully engrafted in the minds of the natives of Gu nea. Snelgrave, in his account of this country, communicates a very tender tranfaction which fell under his own obfervation. Having feen a child tied to a stake, in or ler to be facrificed to one of their deities, he refcued it with fome degree of force, which much difpleafed the prince by whofe order the infant was about to fuffer: he appeared his anger, however, by paying him his own price for this innocent offering, which was, "a bunch of tky-coloured beads ❝ worth about half a crown" "After we "But now on my coming on board, no "fooner was the child handed into the th "but this poor woman efying it, run with "eagerness, and fnatched him out of the "white man's arms that held him. I think "there never was a more moving fight than "on this occafion between the mother and "her little fon, who a. a fine boy about ❝r months old, efpecially when the Lin"guift told her I had faved her child from "being facrificed. Having at that time "about 305 negroes on board my ship, no "fooner was the flory known among t "them, but they expreffed their thankful"nefs to me by clapping their hands, and finging a fong in my praife." And tɔ this grateful fenfe of his humane interpofition he attributed the quiet behaviour of the flaves during the whole voyage. This account is related in the Introduction; and t page rog of the work itself, he commun.. cates another inftance that does equal ho• nour to their affectionate fenfibility of protection and kindness. Beneget, an humane writer on the flave trade, does not think, mention this tranf action; but he has introduced into his excellent performance many curious hiftorical facts in favour of our African brethren. I with this amrable writer had fuggefted a me thod of totally eradicating the flave trade, and convincing the people of Europe, that their intereft, which is their only plea for fupporting it, is more injured than promoted by it. To effett On the continent of North America negrą flavery is nearly annihilated, and is, I believe, totally fo among the Quakers, who generoutly fet the example of liberating their flaves: but in the Weit India Ilands, the pernicious traffic of rational beings is purfved with vigour, and the fame cruelty of treatment maintained towards the unhappy victims; and they are likely to be continued till the pecuniary interefts of Europeans can be diverted into another channel. this, I know not of any method more promifing than cultivating the fugar-cane upon the continent of Africa, where it feems to have been indigenous, and thrives luxuriantly; and employing the natives as fervants for hire, and rot as flaves compelled to labour by the dread of torture. Such a plan was formerly fuggefted by one of the most powerful princes of Guinea. After the king of Dahonie had conquered the kingdom of Whidah in the year 1717, he was fo beat upon the execution of his plan, as to fend Bullfinch Lambe, his prifoner, whom he had with a Project for abolishing it.—Theatrical Regifter. had loaded with favours, to the court of Great Britain, to engage its commerce and fupport. Upon this occafion he prefented his ambafador with 320 ounces of gold, and 80 flaves, to bear his expences, and to induce him to return; but Lambe, after he had poffeffion of fo much wealth, fettled in Barbadoes, and never reached Europe, or further interested himfelf in the project of his generous benefactor. The richnets of the foil, the plenty of provifions, the convenience of carriage, and many other confiderations, ftrongly prepoffefs my opinion in favour of the fyftem of this once celebrated prince. I know it has often been fuggefted in fupport of flavery and feverity, that negroes will not work without chaflifement: though there can be no great inducement for thofe to labour who do not reap the fruits of their industry, yet when intereft is the product of it, we may draw a very different conclufion. It will however be time enough to rate the objection when the experiment has been atzempted; for if thofe only who have been difappointed in the trial of it are allowed to complain, their number will be reduced into a very finall compaís. In thofe few initances I have been acquainted with, where fenient treatment has foftened the chains of the unhappy flaves, their kind affections have been animated, and their exertions of labour avemented. On a fubject to very interefting, let it not be thought oftentatious, if I take the liberty of communicating the fentiments I could not avoid feeling in my own cafe, and the conduet which, as their natural and necullary confequences, they no lefs irretillibly produced. It is an inflance given not to fupport a claim to peculiar merit, but merely to fhew what every one, whofe Leart is not hardened by acts of opprettion, nor actuated by the love of money, muit be difpofed to feel and think, and act, in a fimilar situation. The repeated proofs of fidelity and love which I received from my own people, gave me at length fo fettled a confidence in their integrity, that without the least apprehenfion of danger, I have frequently found that I had left not only my belty but my life entirely at their difpofal. The bencficence of power, and the gratitude of dependicace, forms an union of inters that never fails to heighten mutual regard: ray own happiness became at length to clofely connected with the happiness of ray tegroes, that I could no Jonger withhold from them the natural privilege of freedom which Haven Lad confered upon me; I therefore delivered them from bondage, and thus reftored them to the character of beings inte whom the Author of Nature, and Giver of all Good, has breathed the breath of lte. A WEST IN IAN. Acurate Lift of the New Parlialiament al be given in ur next; when the Farrays at our kind and rum.reus Corr-fpondents fhall be properly attended to. 459 THEATRICAL REGISTER. Sept. 30. Love in a Village-Queen Mab." 5. As you like it-The Critic. 7. Maid of the Mill-Queen Mab. 10. Clandeftine Marriage-Comus. 11. Grecian Daughter-Harlequin's Invafion 12 West Indian-Quaker. 14. School for Scandal-Selima and Azor. 17. Jane Shore--The Camp. 19. 18. Maid of the Mill-Who's the Dupe? COVENT GARDEN. 6. Sufpicious Hufband-Ditto. 9. Richard the Third-Norwood Gypfies. 11. Meature for Meafure-Tom Thumb. 13. Love makes a Man-Ditto. 16. Beggars Opera-Norwood Gypfies. 20. Duenna Humours of an Election. MR. URBAN, Oct. 16. YOUR Mifcellany is of fuch cftablished reputation as a vehicle for original Letters, that you will hardly hesitate to give place to half a dozen tranfcribed from the originals among the MSS. of the celebrated Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. to whom they were addreffed. Yours, &c. M. GREEN. HAVING lately been in the northern parts of America, I have brought from thence a purfe made of the ftone Albeftus, a piece of the tone, and a pece of wood, the pithy part of which is of the fame nature, and called by the inhabitants falamander cotton. As you are noted to be a lover of curiofitics, I have inform'd you of thefe; and if you have any inclination to purchafe them or fee thera, let me know your pleafore by a line directed for me at the Gol len Far in Little Bran, 2nd I will wait u, on you with them. I am, Sir, your mot horsble fervant, BENJAMIN FANKLIN. P. S. I expect to be out of town in two or three days, and therefore beg an immediate antwer, |