The Quebec mercury, 1 décembre 1806, lundi 1 décembre 1806

[" THE QUEBEC MERCURY.Moist XT STVDIA IT rOFULOS IT PIÆL1A DICAM.firgs Georg, iv, g.' * J .¦ VOL.II.]\tMONDAY, DECEMBER it 1806.\t[No.48.^«asMagaBgaagaeggggs., ¦ jss^sssss\ti.ssasssa ir-.¦\t.-.- .= Mr, Thus.Cary, Editor of the Quebec Mercury, v.Si r, I am well persuaded that what I am about to trouble you upon, must be of Considerable length, but notvvithstand-ing, I hope as a friend to justice, you will not fail to give the following a place in your next numbet.Mr.Cary, I must first take the liberty of informing you, that from my infancy, I have laid it down as a standard rule with myself to despise all calumnious and defamatory acts of whatever kind } but since my \\ residence in Quebec I am extremely sorry to obseive that there appears to be no evil more common, and there is none that affeds domestic happiness more severely than scandal, or defamation of character, or credit.\u2014In every I walk of life we may observe the pernicious consequences attendant on thi' infernal damon , but sorry am I to say, that nowhere does it gain a more considerable influence, nowhere is it more cherished and encouraged, than among those who are favoied with ease and affluence, who have had the advantage of a liberal education; and therefore, one would be apt to imagine, would be above the meanness of this despicable vice.Scandal is more particularly iniquitous, because it is absolutely inexcusable, as being productive ot no benefit to the person who gives it indulgence.\u2014 Other vices yield some degree of pleasure, however transient and insignifi cant, in their motives and accomplishment ; but this proceeds eithet from a wanton principle of malevolence, or from a settled spitit of revenge, neither of which can possibly be productive of delightful sensations.Oftentimes the ! .circumstances which attend a lapse from virtue are complicated, as greatly to extenuate the erring child of mortality ; but scandal affords no excuse, since we can be under no necessity to wound the reputation or public credit of a fellow or neighbouring citizen.There are degrees in this crime.They who directly invent a slander against another are undoubtedly defamers of the first magnitude ; but even those persons who report it again are absolutely inexcusable ; for we ought not to mention any evil of our neighbor, and especially if it comes upon uncertain evidence, or from one whose veracity we have any reason to doubt.Though, in fact, his conduct L infamous who invents a falsehood concerning the character of another, yet our\u2019s is little, if at all le-s so, if we report it again , because we hereby approve of the evil, and contribute, as far as lies in our power, to its increase.If the author of the scandal did indeed give the first wound, we, by enlarging and in hating of it, do wha1 we can to make the wound mortal.\u2014 Suppcs.ngthat we have any, even the slightest room to question the truth of any evil report we hear that is a sufficient call upon us not to give it any cir dilation ; for we are to consider that the mischief we are about to do is irrepara ble, since we cannot possibly erase the impressions which our little narratives or insinuations may have made upon the minds of the hearers.Now it our reports should happen to prove false, how odious must we appear to the wise and good, and indeed to ourselves, when we see the party we have so cruelly injured, or hear his name mentioned ?But a considerable and co muon mischief arising from scandal is, that tlu* slandered person regains his reputation .in a very slow degice, though it wa> blasted in a moment.Many of those, perhaps, who heard the scandal, have *ince been dispersed abroad, and carried it with them to places where hisvindica- tion may never come.Beside, it Is « melancholy infirmity of human nature, that we are hardly brought to think well of one whom we have been used to consider in a disadvantageous light.There will long lurk within us an evil and uncharitable spirit, called suspicion, that will induce us to hold unfavorable notions of those against whom scandal has >nce prejudiced us.And here I cannot help lamenting the too common practice >f spreading abroad the real faults and failings of others ; which, though rarely esteemed so, is certainly a species of scandal ; >ince, if even a person has injured us, to develope his errors, and \u2022o enlarge upon the vicious actions he has committed, proves that we are animated by a spirit of revenge rather than »f true magnanimity.But to expose the faults of iluse who have not made us the dupes of their art, or betrayed our confidence, is little less culpable than traducing the characters of the innocent ; and 1 have often observed that this evil custom prevents many, perhaps the generality, of the vicious from return ng to the walk of virtue.Bu: if to speak evil of the vicious becomes us not, how ought we to guard against that more odious custom of wounding the characters of the innocent i To scatter the deadly arrows of scandal around, may be amusing for the time, but it certainly will afford pleasing reflection, wlv n ihe falsity of our reports are known ; nor can we po-siblv behold the perr-ons we have so dreadtuly injured \u2022 noth in reputation and credit, which are their nearest and most valuable Concerns, without shrinking back with conscious guilt.The character of a jester, or a man of satyrical wit, may indeed introduce a person into genteel companies, and the private parties of tho;e who consider themselves the great; but even they will Inwardly despise him 378 \u2022\u2022 a buffoon, who hat no other merit than what he derivea from deformity.The consequence of thi* practice^ there* fore, must be every wav evil to the defamer himself, though others may also suffer from his nefariousness, a transient degree of pain and unea»incss And as I have already observed, that the slandered person regains his reputation in a very slow d< groe; and during which he is most frequently condemned to con ceal his despondency under the mask of joy ; to wear a look of gladness, while nis soul is bleeding wt h- that wound which gives a mortal stab to ail his tu* ture peacf I It is hen that the angu sh, whi< h has been for a moment repulsed to make room for other ideas, rushes with redoubled force upon the sickening heart, and oppresses it with a species of torment Utile short of madness.The effusions of gaiety, whi h are so exht* larating to a mind at east, come to an aching breast as a ray ot the sun fai s upon ice too deep to be penetrated by its influence.\u2014 SCANDAL.Wh a t i* the world in which we live ?And whv ihonld we existence prize l What ean existence have 10 give ?A tramieni fame, that blooms and dies.\u2019 Mark\u2019d out for misery at our birth, In pain our childhood pass'd away ; Revolving years cvems bring forth, That daiken manhood\u2019s rising day.Youth\u2019s eagle eye, with piercing ken.Secs airy Hope wave on to joy He bo ind»\u2014he »eeka the h.>uncil,and appointed secretary for foreign affairs, md a member of the board of eontroul He was 38 years member of parliament\u2014hi* integrity was equal to that of any statesmsn whatever, and hia eloquenceh** perhaps never been surpas>ed.H wa> born January 13, 1749, and died iepMj, 1806.The Right Honorable HARLES JAMES FOX, was third »on of Lord Holland.Ho me ved tbc rudiment* of hi* education at Eton sihool, over which the cekbraud Dr.Bernard then presided H rehefir.ma\"iteltedthose extraordmaiytalents wb.h atu-rwa di blsh senate.At this e,rly age hia declamation waa remarked for its energy of thought and fa iiity f expression.Here also young Fox wssr mark'd tor afonancaaot pleasure too often the concomitant t genius, and wh.th connected itself to his habits by too strong an atuchmeot to be easily surrendered m the evening ASPECTS OF FOREIGN NEWS.The intelligence Utel) receved from Europe, evidently preponderate towa>ds the point of war : The following may not be deemed an me orreH statement.It is certain, that the Camp, formed in the vici nity of Paris, and to which othudy ordered to reenter th»new formed liâtes of that empire.It is certain, that the States, which form the New Federation of the Rhine, have been oidered to furnish their quota of troops, agreeable to the stipu* lanon n adf with France.It is certain, that instead of dismissing any part of the regular army, even that class of the soidi'-rs whose age and services, emitled them to repose, Bonaparte has orde.cd a new and very formidable body of conscripts to be raised, and equipped for immediate service It is certain, that a serious misunderstand!' g exista b twen the French and Prussian govrn.meats;\u2014that the tatter power hat settled its dif ference with Sweden has re tored a section of the Hanoverian dominion to the king of Sweden, ai d has plared lis ent re army in a state of uHive andimnudiau operation.It ia certain, that the Emperor Francis, though deprived of many branches of the ancient House of Austria, has still 1 ft an immense population;\u2014 and that the most adivc exertions have been made, under the uire&i n of hit illustrious brother, .he Arch Duke Charles, to place the german army in 1 he highest ttsic uf preparation for wai.It is certain, that througiKut the Julian co.st, the Britisn have a lormidab.e mar time sqi.adron / and that this force, joined uy a considerable body of English and native troops, ate enabled, and have fieq.iently rffr&ed the most imporunt operations agama.(lie Fiench in that quarter.It it ceruin, that Russia hat augmented hei effective troop* to the number of 5^0,000 men ; that most able and experienced Genci ait have been placed at the head of her armies (\u2014that at this mo.ment, she has a very large force encamped on the frontiers\u2014>>'d that very considerable detachments of troops had b en embarked for Pomerin.a.It u ceitaiu, that a formidable Coalition it now of hia life.He h lined h s studies at Oxford, In maturing in the Northof Euiope, against France ; 1718 h«-mare hi nut entrance into Farliameut as ' k*1 ,n this conf.deracy, will probably be joined, Representative >f the borougn of Midhurst, and t,lc 8reit powers of England, Russia, Piusna, on the bets of May, .79a through the mteiestoi Au-tria, Sweden,.andDenmatk;\u2014and that in the hia fath r, who .1 that time ,oss:a*d great m.formation of th a immense body, such a spirit and flumce in the %Brit sh c unciis, oUnncda ae*tat 'uo*on'\u2022 pawe.and influwuce.What «u.ue tiie le.uit ot tot» coalition wc pictuid not to p.et.id.Wc dare n-.t yet unulgc very \u2022a.iguine ttupea that |ue inaepe.idcncc 01 Euio^ \u2022 382 will be secured b/ this renew*! of ho ji il hies, but we anticipate more vigour front a w*r, originating in a principle of telf defence, than ha* hitherto re»uUcd from negotiation or subsidy.Isitatked what can rationally account for thti sudden disposition in the Northern Powers to renew the war against France, when, so recently, some of them apt>cared to favour her, and others to be inditinrent to (he influence she had acquired.We answer\u2014that the Federative system, from which Bonaparte seemed to promiae himself permanent security, could not bur awaken every power iu the North of Europe to a sense of iu danger.The mission ot Lord Lauderdale to Pans with all the evidence that a peace between France and England was seriously in contemplation by both parties, served but to augment the danger to which the independent nations of Europe would consequently be exposed.Theic two circumstances, we are disposed to think, were the efficient causes of those movements, which have so uexpe&cdly taken place.\t[_dtptTiQry% ALEXANDRIA, NOV.I.RUMOUH.It is certainly not the duty of a newspaper editor to give currency to every rumour which may reach his ears } on the other hand it muit be admitted that it is his duty to notice ail such as aie either supported by the authority of respectable names, or may implicate the welfare ofhis fellow citizens and the peace ot his country.In &o doing, it is not conceived that his veracity is pledged id support ot (he story ; nay, he may himselt totally disbelieve it, yet be justified in giv.ng it currency#\u2014 Hence the Expositos details the following rumour, which has a very wide circuiaiion in this town, viz.Thai the pre*idcnt has nsued a process on a charge of high tieason, to arrest a certain individual, who once stood high in the opinion of his countrymen, snd whole late conduct in the western country has been marked by public suspicion.Other report» are udd(.d still more alumiing.To say we creoit them would be to violate truth, but still we think something unpleasant has occurred.Departed this life, at Ncwburyport, on Wednesday evening last, the noted iin othy Dexter, in the Goth year of his age\u2014Seif styled \u201c Loid Dexter, fusi in the Last.\u201d He lived perhaps one ot the tnoat eccentric men ot tm umc.Hu singularities and peculiar notions wire univer».dy pi over bill Born and bred to a low conjiiiou in kit', and Ins intellectual endowments not being of the most ex alted sump, it is no wonder that a apienoid fortune, which he acquired (tn^u h perhaps nouenly) by dint ofspeculauou and go>.d loi tune, should nave lei.dcicu him, in in*\"} respect., tiuly ridiculous, 'i hc qualifie-ot his mind were ot that indefinite east, wlii hforms an exception to evei y other cnar-adter recorded in history, or ki.own in this present ag-, and \u201cnone but h.m.clt kOuld oe h:s parallel \u201c But «mont the motley groupe of his qualities, it would be injustice to say he possessed no goon ones\u2014neceruiiil; did.No one wih impea.u hi honesty, and his numerou acts ot lib raltily, both puo.ic anu private, are in the rccollett'on of al., wntlc one of the items in his last will wi.l be grai \u2022 uily remembered.Hisruuug pavaiouappeared to be popularity | and one would suppose he rather chose to render his name \u201c infamously famous tha ¦ not famous at ail.'* Uis writings stand as a monument of the truth of thia remark; for those wno have read his 1 Pickle for the Knowing Ones,\" a jumole of leuera promiscuously thrown together, find it difficult to determine whether most to Uugu at the-consummatc folly, or despise the vuiganty and profanity of the writer, His manner of life was equally extravagant and singular.A few years since he ereded in trout ofhis house a great number of images of distinguithi'd persons in Europe and America, togethe: with beasts dec.so that his scat exhibited more the cppearance of a museum of artificial curiosities, than the dwelling of a faint ly.by hii orders a-tomb was several years since dug, under his summer house in his garden, wnere hedeairedbis remains might be deposited, (but this singular request could not consistently be complied with) and his coffin nude and kept in the ballot nis house, in which he is to be buried.\tThe toi lu- nate and singular manner of fus speculations, by which he became possessed ol a handsome prop.r ty, are well known ; and his sending a cargo ot warming pana to the West Indies, where they were converted into molasses ladles, and so.d to good profit, is but one ol the mod peculiar.Hn principles of religion, (if they could be caded prinu* pies,) weie equally odd; a blind philosophy, pc culiar to hirnself, led him to believe in the system ot transmigration, at sometimes ; at others he ex pressed those closely connected with deism; but it is not ma.ter of surprise that one so totally ilutcr.t.should have no settled or rational principles.His reason icft him two days beforehis death.from the Albany GaztUe.The followiug circumstances which preceded and attended a fatal Dust, which occured on tne iOth ult, at Niagara, may be depended on as authentic Mr- Wxikxs, a gentleman from Ireland, who has practised at the bar of Upper Canada tor some years past, had the misfortune not 10 stand well with the late governor ot that piovince, and was at variance also with severa, others, the most respectable members of the admiiiiiiuttijn of gover nmciit On Monoay the bth ins.ai-t, on the last day of theaisizea for Nugaia, he took the opportunity, iu an argument tioin the bar, to abuse, iu term» ot very gross invective, the uicmoiyoi the laic governor, and the cliaratt-rs ot scvcial ot In, most uspccicd tiicnos.This was passed over by the judge on the bench without notice.Mr.Dickson, also a counsellor at law, wasenga ged m tlic tame cause wan Mr.Weekrs, and tul-l^wcd him iu support ot ihc question bcfmc itic couru beiorc c