those secret communications of happiness with which he never fails to reward the virtuous mind, will here convey to you that consolation, support, and joy, which are independent of local circumstances, and which " the world can neither give nor take away." TO THE ASSOCIATED TEACHERS. GENTLEMEN, A WELCOME to this country, from my fellow-labourers in the instruction of youth, is, I assure you, peculiarly grateful to me. Classes of men, as well as individuals, are apt to form too high ideas of their own importance; but, certainly, one of the most important is that which contributes so much as ours do to the communication of useful knowledge, as forming the characters of men; thereby fitting them for their several stations in society. In some form or other, this has been my employment and delight; and my principal object in flying for an asylum to this country, "a land," as I hope you justly term it, "of virtuous simplicity, and a recess from the intriguing politics and vicious refinements of the European world," is, that I may, without molestation, pursue my favourite studies. And, if I had an opportunity of making choice of an employment for what remains of active exertion in life, it would be one in which I should, as I hope I have hitherto done, contribute, with you, to advance the cause of science, of virtue, and of religion.† FROM THE REPUBLICAN NATIVES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. SIR, WE, the republican natives of Great Britain and Ireland, resident in the city of New York, embrace, with the highest satisfaction, the opportunity which your arrival in this city * "Signed, by order of the committee, William Payne, chairman; Edward Shepherd, secretary." Gent. Mag. LXIV. 850. ↑ Ibid. presents, of bearing our testimony to your character and virtues, and of expressing our joy that you come among us in circumstances of such good health and spirits. We have beheld, with the keenest sensibility, the unparalleled persecutions which attended you in your native country, and have sympathized with you, under all their variety and extent. In the firm hope that you are now completely removed from every species of intolerance, we most sincerely congratulate you. After a fruitless opposition to a corrupt and tyrannical government, many of us have, like you, sought freedom and protection in the United States of America; but to this we have all been principally induced from the full persuasion that a republican representative government was not merely best adapted to promote human happiness, but that it is the only rational system worthy the wisdom of man to project, or to which his reason should assent. Participating in the many blessings which the government of this country is calculated to ensure, we are happy in giving it this proof of our respectful attachment. We are only grieved that a system of such beauty and excellence should be at all tarnished by the existence of slavery in any form;* but as friends to the equal rights of man, we must be permitted to say, that we wish these rights extended to every human being, be his complexion what it may. We, however, look forward with pleasing anticipation to a yet more perfect state of society; and from that love of liberty which forms so distinguishing a trait in the American character, are taught to hope this last, this worst disgrace to a free government, will, finally and for ever, be done away. While we look back on our native country with emotions of pity and indignation at the outrages which humanity has sus * See supra, pp. 242, 243. Mr. Wansey copied from one of " the Philadelphia papers" the following advertisement: "Feb. 23, 1794. To be disposed of, a Negro lad, seventeen years of age, either for life, or a term of years, as may suit the purchaser. He has been accustomed both to house work and farming. For further particulars inquire at the office of the Aurora." Excursion. tained in the person of the virtuous Muir and his patriotic associates, and deeply lament the fatal apathy into which our countrymen have fallen, we desire to be thankful to the great Author of our being that we are in America, and that it has pleased him in his wise providence to make the United States an asylum, not only from the immediate tyranny of the British government, but also from those impending calamities which its increasing despotism, and multiplied iniquities, must infallibly bring down on a deluded and oppressed people. Accept, Sir, of our affectionate and best wishes for a long continuance of your health and happiness." TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIVES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. GENTLEMEN, New York, June 13, 1794. I THINK myself peculiarly happy in finding in this country so many persons of sentiments similar to my own, some of whom have probably left Great Britain or Ireland on the same account, and to be so cheerfully welcomed by them on my arrival. You have already had experience of the difference between the governments of the two countries, and, I doubt not, have seen sufficient reason to give the decided preference that you do to that of this. There, all liberty of speech and of the press, as far as politics are concerned, is at an end, and the spirit of intolerance in matters of religion is almost as high as in the times of the Stuarts. Here, having no countenance from Government, whatever may remain of this spirit from the ignorance and consequent bigotry of former times, it may be expected soon to die away, and on all subjects whatever every man enjoys the invaluable liberty of speaking and writing whatever he pleases. The wisdom and happiness of republican governments, and the evils resulting from hereditary monarchical ones, cannot appear in a stronger light to you than they do to me. We need Signed, Henry Pope, chairman; William Allum, secretary." Porcupine's Works, I. 132. only look to the present state of Europe and of America to be fully satisfied in this respect. The former will easily reform themselves; and among other improvements, I am persuaded will be the removal of that vestige of servitude to which you allude, as it so ill accords with the spirit of equal liberty* from which the rest of the system has flowed; whereas no material reformation of the many abuses to which the latter are subject, it is to be feared, can be made without violence and confusion. I congratulate you, gentlemen, as you do me, on our arrival in a country in which men who wish well to their fellow-citizens, and use their best endeavours to render them the most important services, men who are an honour to human nature and to any country, are in no danger of being treated like the worst of felons, as is now the case in Great Britain. Happy should I think myself in joining with you in welcoming to this country every friend of liberty who is exposed to danger from the tyranny of the British Government, and who, while they continue under it, must expect to share in those calamities which its present infatuation must, sooner or later, bring upon it. But let us all join in supplication to the great Parent of the universe, that, for the sake of the many excellent characters in our native country, its government may be reformed, and the judgments impending over it prevented.† FROM THE MEDICAL SOCIETY. SIR, New York, June 13, 1794. PERMIT US, Sir, to wait upon you with an offering of our sincere congratulations on your safe arrival, with your lady and family, in this happy country, and to express our real joy in receiving among us a gentleman whose labours have contributed so much to the diffusion and establishment of civil and religious liberty, and whose deep researches into the true * See "Sermon on the Slave Trade," (1788,) W. XV. 363. principles of natural philosophy have derived so much improvement and real benefit, not only to the sciences of che-. mistry and medicine, but to various other arts, all of which are necessary to the ornament and utility of human life. May you, Sir, possess and enjoy here uninterrupted contentment and happiness, and may your valuable life be continued a farther blessing to mankind.* TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY. GENTLEMEN, New York, June 13, 1794.. I THINK myself greatly honoured in being congratulated on my arrival in this country by a society of persons whose studies. bear some relation to my own. To continue without fear of molestation, on account of any sentiments, civil or religious, those pursuits which you are sensible have for their object the advantage of all mankind, (being, as you justly observed, "necessary to the ornament and utility of human life,") is my principal motive for leaving a country in which that tranquillity and sense of security which scientifical pursuits require, cannot be had; and I am happy to find here persons who are engaged in the same pursuits, and who have the just sense that you discover of their truly enviable situation.† TO REV. T. LINDSEY. DEAR FRIEND, New York, June 15, 1794. WE have now been here near a fortnight, and I begin to expect to hear from you, which is the greatest satisfaction that I expect in this country; but I sometimes think that every thing here is so promising, and every thing with you so threatening, that perhaps even you and Mrs. Lindsey may be induced to end your days with us. To accomplish this, I should at any time come over and fetch you. Indeed, the difference between the aspect of things here and with you is not to be expressed. I feel as if I were in another world. I never before could conceive how satisfactory it is to have the feeling * "By order, John Charlton, President." Ibid. p. 136. Essex Street |