Till the year 1792, Kentucky formed a part of Virginia; but the distance from Richmond, the seat of government belonging to this state, being seven hundred miles from Lexinton, occasions the most serious inconveniences to the inhabitants; and their number rising considerably above that required to form, an independent state, they were admitted into the Union in the month of March following. The state of Virginia, on giving up its pretensions to that country, consented to it only on certain con› ditions: it imposed on the convention at Kentucky an obligation to follow, in part, its code of laws, and particularly to keep up the slave-trade. Prior to the year 1782, the number of inhabitants at Kentucky did not exceed three thousand; it was about a hundred thousand in 1790; and in the general verification made in 1800, it amounted to two hundred thousand. When I was at Lexinton in the month of August 1802, its population was estimated at two hundred thousand, including twenty thousand negro slaves. Thus, in this state, where there were not ten individuals at the age of twenty-five who were born there, the number of the inhabitants is now as considerable as in seven of the old states; and there are only four where the population is twice as numerous This increase, already so rapid, would have been much more so,, had it not been for a particular cir cumstance that prevents emigrants from going there I mean the difficulty of proving the right of property. Of all the states in the Union, it is that wherein the rights of an individual are most subject to contest. I did not stop at the house of one inhabitant who was persuaded of the validity of his own right, but what seemed dubious of his neighbour's. Among the numerous causes which have produced incredible confusion with respect to property, one of the principal may be attributed to the ignorance of the surveyors, or rather to the difficulty they experienced, in the early stage of things, in following their professions. The continual state of war in which this country was at that time, obliged them frequently to suspend their business, in order to avoid being shot, by the natives, who were watching for them in the woods. The danger they ran was extreme, as it is well known a native will go upwards of a hundred miles to kill a single enemy; he stays for several days in the hollow of a tree to take him by surprise; and when he has killed him, he scalps him,. and returns with the same rapi-. dity. From this state of things, the result was, that the same lot has not only been measured several times by different surveyors, but more frequently it has been crossed. by different lines, which distin, guish particular parts of that lot from the lots adjacent, which, in return, are in the same situation, with regard to those that are contiguous to them; in short, there are lots of a thousand acres where, a hundred of them are not reclaimed, Military rights are still looked upon as the most assured.. One very remarkable thing is, that many of the inhabitants find a guarantee for their estates that are, thus confused; as the law, being, always an the side of agriculture, enacts that all improvements shall be reimbarsed by the person who comes forward to declare himself the first possessor; and as the etimation, on account of the high price of labour, is always made in E e 2 favour favour of the cultivators, it follows that many people dare not claim their rights through fear of considerable indemnifications being awarded against them, and of being in return expelled' by others, who might attack them at the moment when they least expected it. This incertitude in the right of property, is an inexhaustible source of tedious and expensive law-suits, which serve to enrich the professional gentlemen of the country. (To be continued) TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SPENCER PERCEVAL, THE humble petition of the Gallows makers, Rope makers, Whip-cord makers, Sword cutlers, Picket-makers, Gun-smiths, Torch-makers, Salt Manufacturers, Starving Orangemen, Black DrumBankrupt Loyalists, and Discarded Majors-Sheweth ers spent the value of the plunder they had made, as fast as it came into their hands. That by the frustration of this intended massacre, in consequence of the ill-judged humanity of Marquis Cornwallis, and the im. provident expenditure of your peThat in the year 1798 your petitioners' plunder, they have been titioners had constant employment since that period struggling with and unceasing occupation, by the accumulated horrors of want Hanging, Strangling, Flogging, and bad consciences. Stabbing, Picketing, Shooting, burning Alive, Dusting, and Salting Irish Rebels, which practices prosperously continued, until the arrival of Marquis Cornwallis unhappily put an end to them. That your petitioners had ample remuneration for these meritorious labours, by the produce of free quarters, and the plunder of convicted Rebels and persons of suspected loyalty; from which united resources, your petitioners enjoyed not only the comforts but the luxuries of life. That your petitioners had been assured by the Louth Mower and acrimonious Cat Gelder, as well as by Bob Freequarters, that a general massacre of all the Papists, Protestants and Dissenters, who were nor well affected to the Government and to Orangemen, should take place, and that their properties should be confiscated, for the use of your petitioners, in expectation of which, your petition 鎏 That your Petitioners have been driven to the degrading necessity of undertaking the lowest offices in society, such as Methodist Preachers, Revenue Informers, At torney's Affidavit Men, Constables, Bailiffs, Setters, Papist's Clerks, Po lice Men, Gaolers, Turnkeys, and Dirt carriers, which they humbly conceive is not more distressing to their feelings, than disgraceful to the Government under which they live. That your petitioners learn with the most loyal indignation, that a spirit of insubordination and sedition has manifested itself in the City of London, amongst those classes denominated the Swinish Multitude; and that they have in the most traitorous and rebellious manner, proceeded to overt acts of disloyalty, by throwing dirt, paving stones, and other missile weapons, at the sacred persons of his Majesty's faithful mercenary soldiers. That That your petitioners do beg humbly intreat you will be pleasleave, humbly, to identify themed, in your great clemency, to give your warrant mandatory to them, requiring their attendance, in the City of London forthwith, with all their instruments and appendages of Torture, Death, and Conflagration, in order to aid and assist his Majesty's faithful and loyal subjects in extirpating the population of London, and disloy alty together- And your petitioners will ever praySigned, for Self and Fraternity, FLAUDIUS. elves with his Majesty's government, as they did in the year 1798, by having certain powers vesied in them, and being appointed to several offices, appertaining to your petitioners in the year 1798, in this Kingdom, with suitable salaries attached thereto-otherwise they have no alternative, but to continue in their, present abject condition, or to hang or drown themselves. Your Petitioners therefore most CORNELIUS KEOGH'S PAMPHLET. WE introduced this work to the notice of our readers in the last number of our Magazine; and being informed, that considerable objections exist against it, in the minds of a certain class of Catholics, we again call the attention of Irishmen to it: and we trust the critics will feel we give them that satisfaction they are entitled to, and in that simpering, polite style, most gratifying to their superfine taste. As to its critical merits, respecting composition, and all the other concomitants of literary excellence, we leave them to be canvassed by the Edibburgh Reviewers, and all the other self-created Fathers of Literature, who are qualified by intuition, and the use of the scale and compass, to decide on the quantity of rounded periods, sublime apostrophes, and quaint allusions, necessary to give a character to any work at present in their estimation. We shall examine this pamphlet on its own naked and unsupported claims to Irish sanction; and first, with respect to character, we shall adduce an incontrovertible axiom, as a proof that it exhibits evident marks of original genius and classical learning; namely, that it contains the two qualities essential to constitute an useful work; for it is easily understood by the most unlettered, and can be read by the most cultivated scholar with sensations of pleasure, pro. vided the readers are REAL Irishmen; we do not mean that class, who arrogate to themselves precedence in every practicable case, who value themselves on high sounding names of antiquity, who tell us, that their ancestors were coeval with Irish civilization, who say, that all the pure blood of treland flows in their veins. Yes!!! we know what their ancestors were: they were men, who opposed the shield and buckler, for ages, against the Invaders of Ireland, who never yielded in battle, but when they yielded in death, whose bards sung the woes of their suffering country, and the splendid achievements of her heroes. To them, in fine, we owe the only remnant of character, which yet. belongs belongs to Ireland, THAT SHE NE VER WAS, NOR IS SHE YET, a con quered country.-And country. And do these degenerate sons, (who think Cornelius Keogh's pamphlet a shocking book,) imitate the fortitude and virtues of their great Sires? In their valour, we know they cannot, as there is no field at present for the display of it.-Oh yes! they do tread faithfully in their footsteps; they are ever ready to adulate any administration, who will promise little pensions and great distinction to Catholic Aristocracy; they are uniformly prompt to stigmatize, as disaffected and traitorous, the honest or indignant Irishman, who shall take up his pen, or raise his voice in defence of his suffering country, or in condemnation of her oppressors, Aye this moment would they sacrifice, at the shrine of British domination, not only the character, but the religion of Ireland, for that meretricious boon, which, if one of their great ancestors could return on this earth, he would immolate them for. And yet these odious Coxcombs, these Waterflies, some of whom possess neither the utterance, gait, or form of man, presume to find fault with his pamphlet, and why? because forsooth, it must (say they) be very offensive to administration! Degenerare race!!! in no one particular do you resemble your ancestors, but in your names. But SIR JONAH BARRINGTON has pronounced it to be libellous; this opinion was given by him voluntarily, and, we know, without any previous case being stated. We have therefore but one or other of these alternatives, to guide us; either that Sir Jonah's opinion was a travelling one, or that he has adopted the legal heresy of my Lord Mansfield, that "Truth is a Libel," for Sir Jonah did not venture to affirm, that the pamphlet contained any thing that was not truth; we think Sir Jonah's history of the Union has many unsavory truths for those to whom they relate; and yet he would legally maintain, that his book is not libellous. May we not suspect that Sir Jonah's dislike to this pamphlet can be elucidated by the story of the rat catcher, who killed his neighbour's cat, and on being questioned as to his motives, replied " that two of a trade can never agree."--However, as to the first class of critics, if they can (without an abuse of terms) be so called, their opinions in ge. neral possess no striking cogency, except with their nurses, or godmothers; and tho' we profess to en tertain all due respect for Sir Jonah's legal attainments, we must be allowed to question his critical judgment, when exercised on li terary subjects "Critics I saw, that other names de face, And fix their own with labour in their place." To men who feel, and would act, as Irishmen, we address our opi nions on this pamphlet ; and declare, unequivocally, that we think it calculated to do much service to the expiring cause of the Irish people. Its style is nervous, manly, and unreserved; its language, that of unimpeachable truth; and it breathes altogether a spirit which could emanate only from the bosom of an Irishman, who knows the history of his country's wrongs, and would redress them; and notwithstanding the cavellings of Levee, or Tea-table Catholic Puliticians, and verbose voluminous authors; ninety men out of every hundred hundred in Iceland, who shall fuse such a spirit as may qualify read it, will feel its truths exem. them, at no very remote day, plified in their own and their coun- TO BE THE PEOPLE OF A FREE try's condition; and in their breasts. COUNTRY. (we have no doubt,) it will in- ; MAJOR S—————s' LIBRARY. THIS great statesman and virtuoso has now become what Quintilian said he feared, "the man of one book," Timeo Hominem Jenius Libri. Quintilian. The bible which the Major brandished, as a swearing tool, in 1798, he has converted to a milder purpose; and as a vest-h of election, he studies it and expounds it, and amongst the army of Methodist Crusaders, he takes the lead with it, as the friend of the Lord and the sworn foe of Popery. For this reason, he will continue the Sale of his valuable Library, Mr. Walter Cox, Auctionier. History of Dublin College Sizers, who abjured the errors of bare feet, shirtless backs, empty guts, and Popery; and embraced the reformed doctrine of Luther: in 12 vols. folio, with prints historical of their progress in faith, in feed. ing and in cloathing. Vol. 1. contains the Rise, Progress and Perfection in Orthodoxy of Paddy Duigenan, surnamed Crysologus, or Golden-Tongue, from the purity of his doctrine, and the classicality of his phrase. He is drawn, when a Popish Idolafor-boy. serving mass, also as a thandering anathemist against Popery in the Senate. In Fol. ad. The Life of Dr. Ryan, and an Elegy apon his de rangement, in Greek. Latin and Irish. Life of Dr. Leahy, chaplain to the Riding house in Marl borough-Green, and Confessor to the Blood-hounds and Claudius. Life of Dr. Murphy, the Methodist Musician, and Professor of Divinity on the Bagpipes, and Author of praising the Lord by Pealtory, and singing thro' the nose. Life of Dr. Graves, who made that Colum ian discovery in Divinity, that the Pope is to a certainty either Antichrist, or the Whore of Babylon. contain still of The other volumes names of inferior note, equal importance to religion: they are chiefly Munster youth's Chesca, by the Lord to lose their superstition, and the Popish wrinkles of their bellies, by Murray's Logic and Orthodox Beef and Cabbage. Among the uncountable catalogue, we observe the illustrious Milesian names, O'Meara, Gilhooly, Mawe, Moriarty, Fody, Cumisky, Fodicarty, Baylon, Papidy, and Tedy Foley, the Rev. Protestant Hero of the National Melody of Longolee. These men, converted by the trencher, have glorified Divinity, Physic and Law, and have died gloriously, professing their faithful attachment against Popery, in all cases, except when they were brought to the gallows. The |