trust, and neglects or abuses it, drag him forth, let his office, fortune, or character be what it may. If keepers of ferries, highways, or bridges, do not discharge their duty-if the officers of justice violate the trust reposed in them—you are bound, in duty to your country, to yourselves and to your children, as well as by the solemn oath you have just taken, to name them in your presentments, together with the names of such witnesses as can prove the charge. Even in your private capacity, as citizens, to inform against and prosecute all such offenders, is highly meritorious. The malevolence which may, for a time, be directed against an honest, spirited and patriotic citizen, is like the harmless hissing of serpents, that cannot bite. He, will soon triumph over their impotent clamor, and obtain the esteem and support of all good men.

I have been actuated in the plain and pointed observations you have just heard, by an ardent

Many people call for large emissions of paper-money. For what?-To shift the burdens, which they have incurred by their avarice and folly, from themselves to their better, and more deserving, creditors, whose property they choose to hold fast. Can anything be more fraudulent or astonishing? No, gentlemen: paper medium and sheriffs' sale bills, are only temporary expedients, a repetition of which, in a very short time, would be insupportable. They were intended, at a singular crisis, to open a retreat even to the foolish and extravagant, as well as the unfortunate debtor, by affording an opportunity to retrieve, but not to give impunity to the one, or a release to the other. The honest and industrious man will seize the opportunity to lay up against the day of account and payment, while nothing will correct or reclaim the indolent and fraudulent knave. But, as I said, the period is at hand, when the punctual payment of taxes and debts must take place voluntarily or the unin-zeal for the honor and prosperity of my counterrupted recovery of them, in the courts of justice, be enforced. Palliatives are exhausted. We must either relinquish government, resign our independence, and embrace a military master-or execute our laws by force of arms, ¡ if no alternative is left us. But, before we are compelled to resort to this disgraceful and painful ultimatum, let us all exert ourselves, and support each other, as free citizens, acknowledging no master but the laws, which we ourselves have made for our common good-ernment will soon tumble about our heads, and obeying those laws, and enforcing them, when and where we can. Let no man say, this or that is not my business. Whatever materially affects the honor and interest of the state, is every man's business; because he must, in common with all others, share the good or evil brought upon his country. The man who refuses or evades the payment of taxes imposed by his immediate representative, or excites or co-operates in the resistance of lawful authority, is the parricide of his country, as well as the voluntary assassin of his own interest; since it is impossible he can be tranquil or happy, or enjoy his property in peace and security, while his country is convulsed and distracted.

As grand jurors, gentlemen, the laws have selected you, as their principal auxiliary and most responsible guardians. On you, then, it is peculiarly incumbent to interest yourselves in the conduct of all around you. You have the greatest property to lose; and your example, therefore, must be of the greatest weight. Investigate the police of your district and, wherever any person has accepted a public

try. This is not a time to lessen or extenuate the terror, which the present dangerous crisis must inspire. To know our danger, to face it like men, and to triumph over it by constancy and courage, is a character this country once justly acquired. Is it to be sacrificed in the hour of peace, with every incentive to preserve it? I repeat again, that, without a change of conduct, and an union of all the good men in the state, we are an undone people: the gov

become a prey to the first bold ruffian, who shall associate a few desperate adventurers, and seize upon it.

I

I confess the subject very deeply affects me. shall, therefore pursue it no farther. I do not, however, despair of the republic. There are honest and independent men among us, to retrieve every thing, whatever may be opposed by the vicious and unprincipled, if they will but step forth, and act with union and vigor. If they will not, the miseries resulting to their country from the utter destruction of all public and private credit, a bankrupt treasury, and the triumph of all manner of fraud, rapine, and licentiousness, together with the scorn and derision of our enemies, if we should have any left, be on their heads!

GENERAL MARION. INTERESTING SKETCHES RELATING TO HIS SERVICES.

A biography of this revolutionary hero, it appears, by an article in the Southern Patriot,

has been written by Judge James, of South Carolina; and the following extract has been given in that paper as a specimen of the work about to be published:

"Near the close of the year 1780, there took place a skirmish between a small patrol of whigs, under Captain Melton, and a large party of tories, under major Ganey, near White's Bridge two miles from Georgetown; a few shots were exchanged, and Melton was obliged to retreat. But, in this short affair, Gabriel Marion, nephew to the general, was first taken prisoner, and when his name was announced, inhumanly shot. The instrument of death was placed so near that it burnt his linen at the breast. He was a young gentleman, who had received a good education-of whom high expectations were formed, and who was much beloved in the brigade. The general had no children, and he mourned over this youth, as would a father over an only child, and all his men condoled with him, but he soon publicly expressed this consolation for himself that his nephew was a virtuous young man-that he died in defence of his country, and that he would mourn over him no more.

"At that same place a worthy man, Mr. Swaineau, was killed. Ere this he had been a

"To people of good principles, particularly the religious, at this period (1780 and 1781), was truly distressing. Those fit for military service, including men of sixty years of age and boys of fourteen, few of whom dared to stay at home, were engaged in active warfare, and had their minds in constant occupation, which, in whatever situation man may be placed, brings with it a certain degree of satisfaction, if not content. But to the superannuated and the female sex, no such satisfaction was afforded. Most of those had relatives to whom they were bound by the most tender and sacred ties, who were exposed to constant danger, and for whose fate they were unceasingly anxious. As a comfort in this situation, they might employ themselves in household affairs, or resort to private devotion; but those refined pleasures, which arise from social intercourse, were wanting; and particularly that faint pic-schoolmaster, but, finding there was no emture of heaven, the consolation which is derived from meeting one's friends in public worship, was wholly denied them. Most of the churches in towns and in the country were burnt or made depots for the military stores of the enemy-some, in fact, were converted into stables; and of the remainder, all in the country were closed. In a war of such atrocity there was no safety, where members, however peaceful, were collected; we have seen that the British tories * violated the sanctity of private dwellings by their murders, and how could it be expected they would be awed by the holiness of a church? In a camp where was no permanency, and but little rest, there was no place for chaplains-and at home there was no security, even for the pastors of the church; consequently they were compelled to go into exile. Had they gone out of their own families to administer comfort, it would have been said they were stirring up sedition; and, like some bigots of old, they would have made themselves voluntary martyrs. They took the wiser course of retiring with their families from the murderous rage of the times."

ployment for men of his peaceful profession now, he boldly shouldered the musket and died a soldier. But so prone are mankind to pass over the merits of this useful class of citizens, that, had he not fallen by the side of a Marion, perhaps his memory would have been forgotten. About the same time Mr. Bently, another schoolmaster, was killed in action. The suspension of all public education, which led to the fate of such men, and the fact stated above, that all public worship was now at an end, most forcibly shewed the calamitous state of the country during this eventful period."

"Men at this time, and their generals too, had nothing but water to drink-they commonly wore homespun clothes, which lacked warmth-they slept in damp places, according to their means, either with or without a blanket; he was well off who had one to himself the one half of the general's had been burntthey were content to feed upon sweet potatoes, either with or without beef; there being neither mills nor leisure to grind corn-but all sighed for salt-for salt! that article of the first necessity to the human race. Little do the luxurious of the present day know of the pressure of such a want. Salt, when brought from the sea-shore off Waccanaw, where it was coarsely manufactured, brought at that time ten silver dollars, each more than ten at present; thus bay salt, one half brine, sold for at least one hundred dollars value of this day. As soon as

would have been competent to sustain. With OF DARLINGTON DISTRICT, SOUTH CAR

power which wields the destinies of man, and | my knees, gain the saddle, and under the favor no sooner had he breathed a wish to the of that power which has so fully assured my throne of mercy, than he felt a strong persua- heart, escape this threatening death?" Having sion that deliverance was possible. This im-resolved, if he must perish to perish in the atportant point settled in his mind, he cast his tempt, he darted like lightning through his eneeyes round in search of the means to be em- mies, and seizing the bridle, which was held by ployed. At the distance of a few paces from a servant boy, as he vaulted into the saddle, he the encircling band stood a beautiful filly, fur- put the major's courser to the speed, and went nished with the major's riding establishment, off with his booty, to the no small disappointcomplete. This animal, late the idol of sports- ment and mortification of the astonished bemen in Virginia, had fallen into the hands of holders. After gazing a while in stupid amazethe present owner, and was highly prized as ment, the redoubtable Fanning recollected that affording the means of escape from impending his soldiers had guns, but it was too late; and danger. the order to "shoot at the rebel," was obeyed

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS

WRITTEN BY Sir James WriGHT, GOVERNOR
AND CAPTAIN GENERAL OF GEORGIA.

[The reviser of this work is indebted through the courtesy of the Governor of Georgia, to the Hon. H. R. Jack

son, President of the Historical Society of that State, for the following interesting extracts (furnished March 7th, 1876) from the correspondence of Sir James Wright, (then colonial Governor) with the Home government, relating to the Revolutionary movement in the colonies."

"SAVANNAH IN GEORGIA, THE 24TH OF August, 1774. I conceive that the licentious spirit in America has received such countenance and encouragement from many persons' speeches, and declarations at the time of the Stamp Act, and ever since, in Great Britain, and has now gone to so great a length, and is at such a height,

that neither coercive nor lenient measures will settle matters, and restore any tolerable degree

of cordiality and harmony with the Mother country; and in short things and circumstances in America have increased so fast, and at this time so amazingly exceed what at the first settling and planting the colonies could probably have been supposed or expected, and America is now become, or indisputably ere long will be, such a vast, powerful, and opulent country or dominion, that I humbly conceive, in order to restore and establish real and substantial harmony, affection and confidence, and that Great Britain may receive that benefit and -advantage which she has a right to expect

from the colonies, it may be found advisable to settle the line with respect to taxation, etc., by some new mode or constitution; and without which my real and candid opinion is, that however matters may be got over at present, and whatever appearance there may be of amity and union, the flame will only be smothered for a time and break out again at some future day with more violence. But be these things as they may, I doubt not but your Lordship will judge it is absolutely necessary that they are brought to a point and clearly settled and established somehow or other, and not suffered to remain as they are. Nothing but jealousies, rancor and ill-blood: law and no law, government and no government, dependence and independence, if I may be allowed the expresinto confusion, so that in short a man hardly sions, and everything unhinged and running knows what to do or how to act; and it's a most disagreeable state to one who wishes to discharge his duty with honor and integrity." support law, government and good order, and to

FROM PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, REQUESTING lives are to be regarded, and that they will go