Daily National Intelligencer (Washington City [D.C.])
March 27, 1813
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GALVANISM. in the Western Star. In th! /ear 1800, Volta discovered the pile /hich consisted of a number of plates «i zinc and silver, or zinc and copper, with a piece of paste-board, or woollen cloth well moistened in a solu tion of salt and water, sulphuric acid and water, muriatic acid and water, or nitric acid and waler, and formed in the fol lowing manner zinc, silver, wet cloth zinc, silver, wet cloth, and so on, in the same order, till the pile became suffi ciently high and when it was consider ably elevated, it was usually supported by three pillars at the sides, of varnish ed wood. In a pile thus formed, it was found that the zinc plates became oxy dated by the action of the acid thereon, and, at the same time, charged with a quantity of the electric or galvanic fluid and it was conceived, that the silver or copper plates lost some part of their natural quantity of the said fluid, conse quently, the pile appeared similar to the Leyden Phial. The zinc end of the pile (the end toward which all the zinc plates faced) resembled the inside of the phial being positively charged, and the silver end,Hie outside, bt ing negatively charg ed, and the results were precisely the same. By placing one hand well moist ened in the solution in contact with the silver end, and the other, well moisten ed, being brought in contact with the zinc end, at the instant the contact is formed, a smart shock will be felt. If about 50 pairs of plates be used, the shock, which is similar to an electric shock, will befelt to the elbows; and the same will be repeated as often as .the contact is renewed till such time as the oxydation ceases, and then the power of giving shocks will cease also. But the inconvenience of fitting up the pile every time it was wanted, and the length of time that it required, were serious ob jections to the pile. To remedy these defects,Crucksh.mk invented the galvanic trough, which consists of a wooden trough, the depth and widtii of which corresponds with the size ol the plates it is tn general ol such length as to contain 50 or 60 pairs o! plates of zinc and copper soldered to gether, allowing a space of three-eighths of an men between each pair of plates; grooves are cut in the opposite sides of the trough to receive the plates, at the regular distance asunder. The trough being lined with a cement, formed of bc. s-wax and resin, the plates, which arc previously warmed, are pressed into the grooves, in such order, that the zinc side of each compound plate may face one way, and the copper the other. It will be easily pel chived, that there is the strictest analogy, in point of arrange ment, between the trough and the pile. The interstices between the plates arc to be fiileu with a solution of salt and water, sulphuric acid and water, muria tic acid .mu water, or nitre acid water, and then the trough; usually called a battery, will act exactly like the pile, the zinc end ol it will be charged posi tively, and the copper 8c (supposed tobe charged) negatively; heme, it follows, that as often as a communication be tween the ends of the battery is formed, a galvanic or electric shock, will be given to any body placed in the line of communication. A battery of this kind is greatly superior to the pile; it re quires but a very short preparation, and is easdy managed. When several of these batteries are connected together, they form a most powerful battery; the shock given by three batteries, each con sisting of 60 plates, each plate 6 inches square, is greater than almost any man can bear, and is capable of deflagrating in an instant gold leaf, silver leaf, &c. and even very small wire, when the bat tery is acting briskly. But the best kmd of battery is formed by making trough of dclf, with the grooves m the sides, as stated in the wooden ones these require no cement, and the plates can be taken out of them at pleasure and cleaned, or an injured plate can be replaced by a good one, without any difficulty or inconvenience, which cannot be done when the plates are cemented in the trough. The eftebts ol Galvanic Batteries are truly astonishing by passing the fluid for a short time through a small quanti ty of water a portion of the water is de composed ana re: uced into its constitu ent principles, viz. oxygen and hydro gn. There is a simple apparatus for preventing the escape of the hydrogen gas, and this gas brought in contact with any ignited body and atmospheric air, will explode with a loud report, and form drops of water on the sides of the apparatus which contained it. IHBERNICUS. C. A. B. Feb. 1813. PATRIOTIC INGEN CITY. The one, two, and three dollar bills, of the Manufacturing Bank of this city, bearing date the 9th of December last, arc ornamentee with well executed vignettes, i ©presenting three differem positions of the frigates Constitution and United States, in their engage ments with the Guerriere and Macedo man, and made payable to the Commo dores Isaac Hull and S. D caiur. i bis happy device will spread ano perpetu ate memorials ©1 American gallantry, and merits the applause of the coun try. But among all the efforts of the A mcrican muse, pencil, and graver, to commemorate the achievements of our brave tars, none has given us more pleasure than a flag designed and paint- I ed by Mr. Vanderpool (sign and orna mental painter, William street),as much distinguished by its emblematical point and correctness as for the ability with which it is executed by an artist as a first attempt at marine painting. The foreground of the peice represents the American eagle graspmg the arrows and four wreaths of laurel, inscribed to Hull, Jones, Decatur and Bainbridge, in one talon, while the olive branch of peace is presented in the other. Below is exhibited the British lion, pierced by four arrows from the quiver of the ea gle, writhing in the anguish of bodily pain and mortified pride, and looking backward with indignation at the per spective, in which is seen a representa tion of three engagements between A merican and British ships, in which the cross of St. George is struck to the stars and stripes of America. The importance of animating the sol diers of America in a just cause, by emblematic memorials of their valor and prowess, is too evident to escape the attention of any patriot or states man. Combating under the banners of victory, the warrior’s arm A nerved with double confidence and resolution and in case of defeat, the enemy would find no pleasure in exhibiting trophies of their own disasters as well as tri umph. The standard of our country, decorated in the animating and expres sive maimer of Mr. Vanderpool’s flag, could never fail to command r.cspect and inspire enthusiasm. And while G. Britain, with true military philosophy, is doubling her physical strength by mental excitements (in monuments, processions, exhibitions, banners, badg es, songs, Sic.) let the people of the U. States learn wisdom from experience, and liberally encourage every thing that can add to our national defence, raise our naval and military reputation, and animate to deeds of heroism and glory. Colum. A CONTRAST. While the good people of Boston are not only reposing in perfect security from the dangers and alarms of w..r, but actually celebrating the victories of the allies of Britain in Europe, the ci tizens of Norfolk, closely blockaded by the British, are momently expecting an attack with Congreve rockets, and pre paring to defend their property and firesides against the enemy, and the inhabitants of Kentucky and O/do are lamenting their friends and relatives, scalped, tomahawked and burnt, by the British allies at the river Raisin. Was. this so in 1775 Did the people of Vir ginia, in cold blooded malignant indif f rence, quietly witness the sufferings of the citizens of Boston, Concord and Lexington Or are we now bound to gether by no ties of sympathy, interest or social compact as a people? In 1775, Virginia was the first to make the cause of Massachusetts her own. In 1813 there are people in Boston wno taunt the citizens of Virginia with be ing the authors of their own calamity, and cherish the idea of an African in surrection I What changelings has mercantile cupidity made of men who called themselves patriots I New-York too has been bleeding at every pore, and losing hundreds of her most useful citizens while Connecticut, with less honor and good faith than a member of the confederation of the Rhine, or a chief of a tribe of Cossacs or Cherokees, has refused to furnish a single man to aid the common cause What is the force of our constitut m, our Congress and their laws Is the federal compact a rope of sand, more feeble than the old confederation I And shall the people be compelled so to al ter and strengthen the constitution as to enforce the execution of legal requisi tions upon refractory states What is to be the result or temedy of this unna tural and detestable state of things THE SAVAGE TOMOHAWK, Which has so long furnished a sub ject for newspaper declamation, popu lar harangue, and Congressional elo quence, is at length found to be no airy dagger” of the fancy, but a real, a serious and agonizing weapon of mur derous destruction. The cold-blooded massacre of the wounded prisoners at the river Raisin, and dreadful scalping alive and the burning of them in the houses after their surrender, by the Indian allies of Britain, even in the pre sence of their white co-adjutors, are facts too strongly proved to admit of doubt Sc too shocking to humanity not to fill ths mind will; horror, execration and uiiirst for revenge. No rhetorical flou rishes can magnify the terrors of the to mahawk scaipmg-kmfe, and no Ame rican can retuse ms sympathy to the feelings their barbarous use is calculated to excite. What the end of tms species of warfare is to be, none can exactly predict. But if it is to continue unre strained on the part of the enemy, and tne wounded prisoners are to be sub jected to indiscriminate slaughter by the savages of the wilderness, me con sequence to them may be easily fore seen. The hand of vengeance must be raised against them, and a war of exter mination waged, until they shall disap pear from tiie borders ol our extensive country. How far their British allies should be involved in tms course of re tribuiivc justice, national policy will probably determine. But in any vent, if it is not henceforward rigidly and scrupulously prevented, a scene of bloodshed rarely paralleled in modern history will characterize the war in which we arc engaged. The United States may be compelled to employ In dians (of which ample numbers can be had at any moment) against the enemy; the spirit of the country will be rous ed and the national foe, as weak in numbers as we are strong in unemploy resources, be made to feel the weight of an united people’s anger, provoked by enormities of the most inexcusable .atureand unjustifiable atrocity. Col. A conversation with the purser of the late U States brig Vixen, captured af ter a chase of 9 hours and a half, on the 22d of November last, by the British frigate Southampton, and both vessels lost on the 2Gth on Conception Island, epables us to state, that the accounts hitherto received from Jamaica, of the disgraceful treatment of American pri soners on that Island, were strictly true. In addition to the facts already known, our gallant seamen captured by the enemy have to endure the mortifica tion of being guarded by black troops in Kingston. Mr. Satterwhite states, that of the 400 prisoners now there, few will survive the sickly season, which commences in May, if they have not an opportunity of returning home. Of those 400, between 70 and 80 had been serving as impressed seamen on board British ships prior to the war. The American officers, who have witnessed the language and conduct of the enemy relative to our seamen, feel the highest resentment towards the British.; and their predominant wish appears to be to have an opportunity to punish their injustice and barbarity. We understand that the demeanor of Lieut. Governor Morrison and the may or of Kingston towards the American officers generally, is peculiarly uncivil The man who would, unprovoked, take every occasion to insult the feelings of his conquered foe; is a base wretch, un fii i civilized society. The higher class oi British naval officers in Jamaica gcueiidly act, it is s.id, like gentlemen awards their prisoners. Captain Reed) of the Vixen, died at Spanish Town, the town where resides the Governor of Jamaica, on the 4th of January. Extract of a letter from Captain. Le Chantier, of the privateer Hazard, of Charleston, to u gentleman in that city, dated St. Mary's, Gth March I have just arrived here with my prize, the ship Albion, which I captur ed on the Ist Feb long. 64, lat. 16, N On the 23d February being on Savannah bar, having lost sight of her in a fog. she. was retaken by a privateer from New-Providence, mounting 8 pieces oi cannon after which we fell in with her again, the privateer in company, which we engaged, and after an action of seven hours and an half the privateer struck, and we retook the ship. If we had had half an hour more of day light I should have brought in the privateer, but fearing to lose my prize, I was forc ed to abandon her. My lieutenant and carpenter were wounded dangerously, and five seamen slightly. It is surpriz ing I had so few wounded, my vessel being extremely crippled by the grape shot of the enemy. My force consisted of 28 fighting men; the enemy had 20 guns, [on board, the prize and pnva teer] continually playing on me, and 60 men-—I should rather have sunk than struck. I hope the Caledonia will re member along time the small Hazard." The Hazard carries but three small guns. CAPTAIN GEORGE WASHINGTON REED He died on the 4th Jan. last, in the 33d year of his age, at Spanishtown, in the island of Ja maica. He was the youngest son of the late President Reed, of Pennsylvania, and received the honor of his name from General Washing ton—such were the early auspices of a man, who, when barely completing the morning of life, was hurried into the grave. After receiv ing a liberal and collegiate education, captain Reed entered the navy; and, as he regularly rose through all the various situations from midshipman to master and commander, was al ways distinguished for intrepidity, scientific and practical seamanship, unex '.eptionabie ue portment in subordination and command, and every other quality for the highest rank of his honorable profession. In private life, his cha racteristics were probity, cheerfulness, exten sive intellectual acquirements, a most unaffect ed diffidence of his own sterling merits—toge ther with-a general sobriety and ch steness of conduct, not always the recommendation, sometimes not even t>e aim, of young gentle men of the sword. The Vixen, a crazy and in terior vessel, a as the first he ever had the inde pendent command of; and it was his peculiar hard fate to be, in a short cruize, captured by a force so superior as to preclude any contest (Ilie Southampton frigate), then to be ship wrecked op an inhospitable coast,and finally to die a prisoner among strangers. While the naval annals of his country were blazing with recent renown, from the banks of Newfound land to the latitude of the south, an American officer, equal to every achievement, was doom ed to undergo the total frustration of his am bition, and smpwreck and captivity, and an un timely death. Colum. The common strain of posthumous panegyric would fairly admit of a much bolder eulogium than this in the present instance. But a mo dest and true memorial is better suited to one who was himself a model of modesty and truth; who, if his own directions on the subject could be known, would no doubt prefer that his last appearance in this wo.ld should be unassuming an correspondent with the whole tenor of his existence FROM JAMAICA American. GALLANT EXPLOIT. J "popp'd pl| WASHINGTON CITY. SATURDAY, MARCH 27. We had yesterday no news from Nor folk. Appearances m every other quarter indicate a busy preparation for resisting invasion from the enemy, and in organizing a regular force for the spring campaign. The people on the shores of the Delaware, including Phi ladephia, and of the city of Baltimore, which are perhaps most menaced by the enemy’s numerous cruizers, are particularly on the alert, and are tak ing active measures to repel invasion. On motion of the Attorney General of the United States, William G. D. Worthington, Esq. of Maryland, was, during the late sitting of the Supreme Court of the United States, qualified as an Attorney and Counsellor of that Court. LEGISLATURE OS DEWSYLVAJ\TA. We republish, with great pleasure, Governor Snyder’s communication to the Senate and House of Representa tives of Pennsylvania, embracing his reasons for ref using his assent to the bill which lately passed those bodies to establish a general banking sys tem.” This bill, as will be seen, con tempDted the establishment of twenty five additional banks in that state with a capital of not much short of ten mil lions of dollars. GOVERNOR’S OBJECTIONS To the bill entitled “An act to establish a .Ge neral System of Banking.” To the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the Commonwealth, of Penn- sylvania. Nothing less than the most perfect conviction of my understanding and the strongest urgings of duty could induce me to return for re-consideration, a bill presented to me by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, with whom it has been my happiness to act in unison, and with whom even to differ in opinion gives me pain. I have, with an anxiety propor tioned to its importance and with the deference justly due to the constituted authorities which have passed it, read and carefully examined the provisions, tendencies and probable co.nsequences, of the bill entitled An act to establish a general system of banking” and can not approve of it I have accordingly directed the Secretary of the Common wealth, to return it the House of Re presentatives where it originated, with the following objections First. Because, Corporations are privileged orders, vested with certain rights and immu nities, not enjoyed, nor without penalties to be exercised, by the great body of the people. And whenever an association of individuals are legally vested with such peculiar pbwers and privileges, it ought to be either called for by the general voice of the people, or be so ma nifestly for the promotion of the public weal, and beyond the accomplishment of individual enterpsize and ability, as to satisfy the judg ments, and thus secure the votes of an indispu table majority of the whole legislative Assem bly. This objection is founded on that equali ty of rights, which is the vital principle that pervades our constitution, gives it all its ex cellence, and dispenses the blessings which pre-eminently distinguish the citizens of the United States. Second. Because, every objection which can be urged against corporations generally, ga thers weig.it and strength when directed a gainst monied institutions the undue influ ence of which has often been the subject of well founded complaint. To wrestle with and put down this influence, new associations have been formed applications for new charters for similar establishments have multiplied and in proportion as they havi been granted, has been the multiplication of new applications. These facts apply with peculiar force to the city of Philadelphia, where those institutions had their origin, in this country but should the system be enlarged, as contemplated by the bill under consideration, the evil will overspread the whole state, and it is much to be feared will taint the purity of elections, and eventually prostrate the equal rights of the people. Third Because, it is questionable whether too much has not already been done in grant ing to corporations the privilege to coin money —a money which, not answering the purposes of foreign commerce, drains the country of its precious metals, and in their lieu substitutes a currency which is without any value, except what is stamped by public confidence. The granting such an inherent right of sovereignty to individuals, avowedly associated to promote their pecuniary interests, is putting it in their power to increase the circulating paper medi um of the country to such an extent as will re sult in the depreciation of, or a total want of confidence in, bank paper events too deplo rable not to be deprecated by every good ci tizen. Fourth. Because the most diligent inquiries, and information from the best sources, have satisfied me that the present banking capital of Pennsylvania is oqual to the discounting ail the good paper, which for many months has been offered, or will be offered during the continu ance of tiie war in which we are engaged and therefore the establishment of twenty-five new banks, dispersed ail o.er the state, with a ca pital of 9,525,000 dollars, would, by the readi ness to give credit, invite to visionary specula tions divert men from useful pursuits damp the ardor of industrious enterprize, ano conse quently demoralize the community. Fifth. Because as banks are multiplied, so will be increased the difficulty of distinguish ing real from counterfeit bank notes thus fa cilitating the means of imposition upon the ig norant and unwary, and by the hope of impu nity, tempting more to join in committing the crimes, already too prevai jof (ountei Teim and passing counterfeit notes. Al present th. variety of designs and signatures to our l>.-u^. notes are not so diversified, but what an atien tive observer may, with tolerable certainty, dis criminate between a genuine and a counterfeit bank note but if twenty-five new institutions be privileged to issue paper money, each one selecting its own device, mode of execution, kind of paper on which it shall be printed, and. each having its own officers to sign and coUn tersign them, how difficult, how almost im possible will it be, for our citizens to know when a piece of paper purporting to be worth five, tenor one hundred dollars, be in fact worth any of those sums, or not worth one cent. Sixth. Because, although petitions have been presented, asking the incorporation of banks in some counties of the state, yet upon enquiry I have not learned that any application for the establishment of a system so novel and exten sive has been made to the Legislature nor has this want of expression of the public wishes in favor of such a system been made unequivo cal by the votes of the Legislature. The bill was carried, as appears from the journals, by a majority of one in each House in neither branch of the Legislature had this bill a majori ty of the whole number of its members.. .Seventh. Because, the history of all nations that have authorised an extensive paper cur rency, and the experience of our own country, have furnished melancholyexamples of the dis astrous consequences which flow from such a system. Eighth. Because a time of war is an unpro pilious era to try experiments, particularly when those experiments may seriously affect the finances of the Commonwealth, which now draws a revenue, more than equal to ail its current expences, from the bank stock which it owns in the banks already incorporated. Ninth. Because, under all the circumstan ces, no material injury can result from an ar restation of the bill, until the next session of the Legislature; whereas, if it were now to pass into a law, it might produce evils not in the power of a subsequent Legislature to cor rect because an act incorporating a company for the purposes oi banking par takes of the na ture of a contract, against the impairing of which there is a constitutional prohibition and because a provision wisely introduced into se veral laws lately passed, vesting associated in dividuals with corp -rate powers and exclusive privileges, authorising a subsequent Legisla ture to repeal and annul such law, if the privi leges thereby granted should at any time prove injurious to the community, happens, very unfortunately, not to have been introduced into this -novel and important bill. At all events, if I am mistaken, misinformed or in error, the representatives of the people, upon a review of the bill, can, if they think proper, give it effect, independently of executive sanc tion, by such a majority as would unequivocally express the public opinion, and designate it the law of the land. SIMON SNYDER. Harrisburg, 19 th March, 1813. The House of Representatives fixed on Wed nesday last to consider the above objections. TO THE Ebi> <j Ro. Washington, diarch 25, 1813. GENTLEMEN, Seeing of 1 te frequent publications in print on the subject oi impressment of native American seamen, and perceiving that that subject has of late been very much agitated in the negociation which existed between G. Bri tain and my native country, I cannot forbear mentioning a case which fell immediately un der my observation on board an East India tea ship of 2203 tons, commanded by capt. Charles Drummond, brother of Mr. Drummond, of the great banking-house in London, in which be is a partner. In the year 1803, then in the service of the Crown of England, and bound to Bombay, I had the mortification to behold three of my countrymen in the service of the E. India Com pany. Two names were John Carr, John Brown, ooth of Newport, Rhode Island; the name of the third I now forget, bui he was from Stonington in Connecticut. John Carr, whose father is a mechanic in Newport, had been in the service of the navy eight years, and was in 1803 trans ferred to the Glatton, in thb service of the Company; his protection was torn before bis face on the deck of a man of war, he had ne ver heard from his father’s family. J. Brown was a sailor; a married man, with three children in Newport, and had been in that cruel bondage seven years. The one whose name I have for gotten, had been impressed three years in which time he could never transmit any letters to his friends. The two latter being able sea men, were appointed sailing-masters; Carr was stationed in the foretop. On the passage I think oft the Cape of Good Hope, Carr refused to o« bey the orders of the boatswain while on duty on tne gun deck, and was summarily chastised by the above officer. Feeling a just indig nation at such barbarous and unjust conduct, he still refused to perform his duty, and was reported as mutinous to the commissioned offi cer on the watch, and from him to captain Drummond and was sentenced to fifty lashes at the gangway. A punishment so unmeritted and an outrage so directly in violation of the civil and natural rights of an American, com pellcd me to mention his case to capt. Drun mond, whom I had the honor to be on friendly terms with, and begged of him to commute his punishment to any other less ignominious and mortifying. To the honor of this nobleman, and ever to his credit s a man of humanity, it was changed to confinement; Carr was chained to the ring of the gun-deck three days on bread and water I say to his honor, for it must have arisen from his humanity, and seeing at the same time it ill became me (tho* an Ameri can) to interfere ih the discipline of the ship under his command. The two others submit ted to their fate, lor the voyage they were go ing to perform presented slender hopes of ever revisiting their native clime. In the year 1807 I returned to America, and happening to visit the place of our nativity, I called on his father (a shoemaker of respecta bility) and informed him of the situation of his son, when last I saw him. The afflicted father had never heard of him since embarking from Rhode Island and supposed him dead his pa rental sympathy soon informed me he felt the anguish which belongs to an injured family- With this boy I was a school-mate four years; but I fear his captivity is not ended yet. To the wrongs of this man we are compelled to add a lengthy list of other miserable captives* who are this moment serving a monarch and a
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