already pitted us, and are prepared to enjoy the combat. Let us disappoint them; let us walk about arm in arm many a couple, even of different fex, do this, and at the fame time like one another no better than we do.

Your pride may, indeed, reject the fociety of a British corporal, as you very juftly ftyle me; but, my dear Sir, whatever we have been, we are now both of the fame honeft calling. Nobody looks upon you as the grandfon of a philofopher and an ambaffador. People call you (they do indeed) Ben Bache the newfman; nothing more I affure you. And, as they have no regard to your illuftrious defcent, so you may be fure they will not long remember the meannefs of mine.

Once more, then, I fay, let us be friends. You will profit from my converfation. I fhall convince you, as well by precept as example, that it is a folly for a man to print papers and throw them about the ftreets.

As I began this letter without ceremony, fo I fhall

end it.

P. PORCUPINE.

British Commerce and Finances -Among all the fources of public deception, none has been oftener reforted to, by the papers in the pay of France, than the ruined commerce and exhaufted finances of Britain. I do not know how it has happened, but they certainly have fucceeded in perfuading a confiderable portion of the people, that England muft fink under the burden of the prefent conteft, merely for want of the means of fupporting it. They have, against reason, and ocular demonftration, contrived to propagate this opinion, till it begins to be looked upon. as a fort of political herefy to difbelieve their reports. Yet notwithstanding all this, their reports on this fubject are, and ever have been, fraught with mifrepre

mifreprefentation, and fometimes with abfolute falfe

hood.

I fhall not ftop here to inquire, how it comes to pass, that the commerce and finances of Britain are looked upon as fubjects of fuch importance here as to be worth mifreprefentation; it is fufficient to me that it is fo; and whatever is worth misreprefenting, is worthy of being placed in a true light.

The Marquis of Lanfdown, whofe fingers itch to be playing with the guineas in the English Exchequer, brought forward fome time ago a firing of refolutions (nearly as long as that of Citizen Madison, of irkfome memory), by which the Lords were to make a public confeffion of the wretched state to which, by their own imbecility, they had fuffered the king's minifters to reduce the nation, and concluded his penitential propofitions with the following exhorta

tion:

"In a fituation fo alarming, and fo manifeftly "tending to deftroy the confidence of the people in parliament, which (as every reflecting man must "have with deep concern obferved) has for fome years "paft been rapidly on the decline; it behoves par"liament, by a timely revival of its ancient energy "and integrity, to convince the people that their "conftitutional guardians are awake to the common danger, and are determined to come forward with "fuch firm measures of public order and reform, as "will effectually relieve the subject, and remedy " evils which, if ftill fuffered to accumulate, will "be paft all remedy, and muft inevitably terminate "in public confufion."

46

On this a debate enfued, during the course of which Lord Auckland went into a full and complete examination of the fubject, concluding a fpeech of great length with the following confolatory re

marks:

"I fhall,

"I fhall, my Lords, close this comparative account "by a ftriking and important fiatement. "Amount of revenue (including the "land and malt) below the computed expenditure on a peace "eftablishment of fifteen millions, 661783, "Ditto above the computed expendi "ture on a fimilar peace establish"ment, with the addition of in"creafed charges for the debt in

£.2,000,000

"curred by the present war, 1795, £.3,400,000 "If we compare the excess of 1795 £.3,400,000) with the deficiency of 1783 (. 2,000,000), the difference of the revenue in favour of the latter period will be £1,400,000.

"Your Lordships cannot fail to have remarked that all these objects converge in a remarkable manner towards the fame conclufion; and that coincidence is an irregular proof that they all spring from the fame fource, the real profperity of the country. If there is any inaccuracy in my flatements, I am perfuaded it is inconfiderable, and certainly it is not intentional.

"Facts, fuch as thefe, my Lords, greatly outweigh all the declamations that the genius and eloquence of mankind can produce. I fhall leave them therefore without comment; they fufficiently enforce themselves. They are unequivocal proofs of the resources of the kingdom; no man can look with an unprejudiced eye at fuch statements, and not perceive that this country has increased in profperity even under the preffure of the war.

"To what, under the protection and favour of Divine Providence, fhall fuch profperity be afcribed? To our naval fuperiority and fucceffes; to our conquests in the East and West Indies; to the acquifition of new markets; to the enterprising spirit of our merchants;

merchants; to the improvements of our manufac tures; to the energy of our countrymen in arts and in arms; to the union of liberty with law; to the national character cherished by, and cherishing, the principles of our inimitable conftitution; that conftitution, which it has been the object of our enemies to deftroy, by means and efforts utterly deftructive to themselves; that conftitution which is the great purpose of our firuggles, in that juft and neceffary war, to preferve and to maintain,'

This day Mr. John Adams entered on his functions, as Prefident, and Mr. Jefferson on his as Vice President, of the United States of America.

The ceremony of inftalment took place at twelve o'clock, in the House of Representatives, in presence of the members of that House and of the Senators. Citizen Adet. It is faid that this fufpended minif ter is actually preparing to leave us. Whether he is to be fucceeded by fome other graduate from the school of infurrection, is not yet afcertained; but there is every reafon to fuppofe that his poft will not long remain vacant.

Mr. Vans Murray, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, from the State of Maryland, is appointed Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to the Republic of Holland.

Infurance Comp. N. A. fhares, 35 per cent.

Pennsylvania, 4 per cent. adv.

Courfe of Exchange-On London, at 30 days, par

at 60 days,

at 90 days,

Amfterdam, 60 days, per guilder,

so days,

MONDAY, 6th MARCH.

65

62 1-2

40

42

Philadelphia.-Saturday morning, the Senate of the United States, being convened in their chamber, on the call of the late President, Thomas Jefferson was fworn in as Vice President of the United States, and Prefident of the Senate. He addreffed them in the following extempore fpeech:

"Gentlemen of the Senate,

"Entering on the duties of the office to which I am called, I feel it incumbent on me to apologize to this honourable Houfe, for the infufficient manner in which I fear they may be discharged. At an earlier period of my life, and through some confiderable portion of it, I have been a member of legiflative bodies; and not altogether inattentive to the forms of their proceedings. But much time has elapfed; fince that, other duties have occupied my mind; in a great degree it has loft its familiarity with this fubject. I fear that the Houfe will have but too frequent occafion to perceive the truth of this acknowledgment.-If a diligent attention, however, will enable me to fulfil the functions now affigned me, I may promife that diligence and attention fhall be fedulously employed. For one portion of my duty I will engage with more confidence, because it will depend on my will, not on my 'capacity.

"The rules which are to govern the proceedings