Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'? a<l iioii v. it it t .it; Eponior, a> well a?i in hi? *>uN*otj?ii'iit cruise in (ho strait* o!" Suuda, and especially from the testimony of li<? seniors, who uniformly testify hi* talent's mid naval skill. While crui.-ing in* the I'eacock in latitude 27* good fortune to full in with the Drttiidi brig til war Ejpcrvier with whom he ? "L result ?' tho action in thus com munirriictT in his official letter to the secretary ?if the iittvv i ?? .<// Sruy Jjiril 20, 1814. "Sin, ) have the honor to inform you that we ha\e this morning captured, after uii action of forty-two minutes, his Uritannio majesty's brig E|M:rvier, rating anil mounting eighteen thiily-two pound carronudcs, with one hundred und t w i* n t v -eight men, of whom eleven were killed, und fifteen wounded, according to the i?ei>t information we could obtain? among the iutter is her lint lieutenant, who has lost an arm, and received a sutcrc splinter-wound in tho hip. Not a man in the Peacock was killed, and only t wo wounded, neither dangerously. Tho fate of ihc Epcnier would liuve been decided in hmuIi le?: rii.te, but for the circumstance of our tore-yard having been totally disabled by two r ni ml. shut in the Marboard-quartcr from her lir?t liro.ohide, which entirely deprived us of the u?e of our fore-topsails, and coni]>ellcd us to keup the ship large throughout the remainder <>f the action. ?' This, with a few topmast and topgallant backstays cutaway, and a few shot through our ?:ails, is the only injury tho Peacock has sua taiued. Not a round-shot touched our hull, and our masts and spars arc as sound as ever. ? When the enemy struck, he had five feet water hi his hold ? his uiaintopiiiaHt was over the side ?his iiiiiinboom shot away ? his foremast cut nearly in two, ami tottering ? his fore-rigging and j?"tays shot away ? his bowsprit badly woumf < ?l, ami forty-five shot holes in his hull, twenty ? ?l" which were within a foot of his water-line, iibovr and below. Ily great exertions we got her in sailing order just us night came on. ?? In fifteen minutes after the enemy struck, tho I'eacock was ready for another action, in ? \e.i v respect, but the'fotryard, which Mas scut ? iow ii, filled, and we had the foresail set again in forty-five minutes ? such was the spirit ami activity of our gallant crew. The Kpervicr had under 'convoy an English hermaphrodite brig, a Kust,iaii. and a Spanish ship, which a(l hauled their wind and stoud to the E. N. E. 1 had determined upon pursuing the former, but found that it would not lie prudent to leave our prize in her then crippled state, and the more parti cularly so, as we found sho had on board one hundred and twenty thousand dollars in snecie, w hich wc soon transferred to this ship. Every officer, seaman, and marine did his duty, which is the highest compliment 1 can pay them." Captain Warrington had the good fortune to bring his prize safe into port, and on his return received the usual honors* which it had become c ustomary to pay to men who conquered the enemy. Early in the following year lie sailed from New-York in company with the Hornet, captain Hie* as n ? ? - r a squadron under toinmodor ro** '''".ni, which was i.Wnm n sous. The President had (Mailed shortly before, after ap uoiuting o rendezvous, and soon after was fallen in with by a Jlritish squadron, to which she was finally obliged to surrender, after having beaten the Eudymion, their headmost ship. The Pea cock und Hornet separated in chasing, and did iiot meet until they arrived at Tristan lPAcuu ha, the appointed rendezvous. Prom thence they proceeded to their ultimate destination, but were again separated in consequence of falling in with a British line of battle ship, and 1 never afterwards joined. Tho Hornet was obliged to throw over her guns to escape from -the enemy, which rendered it necessary to re- I ' urn to port ; but the Peacock gained the straita "f Sumfa, where she capturcd four vessels, one <if them a brig of fourteen guns in the East Tndia company's service. From this vessel captain Warrington received aatisfnctorjr a?su ranees of the ratification of pcaco between the (,'uitcd States and England, and Inconsequence made the best of his way to this country, whew l.e arrived (he beginning of November last, after an absence of almost a year. Tho Peacock was < he first ship of wur belonging to tho (J. States that over cruised in tho straita of Hunda, in no part of which is there a friendly port, where .lie could calculate on receiving any supplies whatever. Since, captain Warrington took < ommand of litis ship, shu has captured nine to? n vessels, three or which were given up to prisoners, and sixteen destroyed. iiuiinh. ,:mmm JJurits was a favored hard. Tlic strain* of hits nnn-e wore the inspiration of nature* Though ? omhattin? the want of education, lie rose to poetic exrellencc. Reared amid the heaths and ruined kiilln *?f Ijim native country, far from the friendly illumination* of science, hit* geniu* ex panded like the wild (lower that unfold* it* beau* tie# in the. de*ert. " 0*uhl the liitfcr-ltitinj; north 1 lii* tal ly lttnnl?l?- hirth. Yi t ?:lKfcHTnMy'h?! I'lintcil forth Amid the Mnriii.w lfi* number* arc fraught with simplicity.? They breathe the warm language of tlie heart. ?While lifttcniuz to bin lay*, we feci, by turn*, iliu rapture* or love \ the uildncK* of joy | the despondency of gticf | ? !ie appalling* of terror. We are involuntarily borne upon the winus of uiiuiret tcd fancy, and sweetly partake of all hi* pontic vUionH. iiihtor ir a He rrt rosn-Y. During the trouble* in the reign of t'harle* I. a < onntry girl came to London in search nf a place, n? a servant maid, Imt not succeeding, nlie applied herself to carrying out bear from a brew-house, and wa* one' of those then called t ub-worueii. The brewer observing a welldook* infr girl in thi* low occupation, took her Into Id* own family a* a servant, and after* while mar ned her j but he died while she wus yet a young woman', and left her n largo fortune. Jnebu Hiie?s of ilift brewery us* dropped, ftinj the voting woman was recommended to Mr. Hyde, a* a gentleman of skill In law, to settle her ? hurfb&ml'A affair*. If) tie, (who w*3 afterwards (bo Karl of Clarendon) finding (lift widow's for tuuo very considerable, married Iter. > Of thin marriage there vrai i no other issuo tlmn a daugh tor, who wax afterward* the wifo of James if. & mother of Mary & Anne, queens of England. ? ? ? ? r-TP^mt MTERABY. FUR, Tint TKI,KSC01?K. OKIUIKUUTTIII VKOM 4 NMinKXT?T?AMOUTOHI?VIIIK!ID IJ? ? ? , IUTKD i Columbia, Feb. 181ft. ?Vtf Dear Friend? tn your Inst letter yon re quested that I would nivo you the result of my observations on the literature, character, man nors and customs of the Carolinians. I shall always be happy to comply with any request which you may make \ and in the present in stance, tnv satisfaction in perhaps somewhat augmented by selfish considerations. For by a compliance with your wish my attention will necessarily be more minutely directed to those subject* while I sojourn here, and thus contri* butc to my own improvement as veil as yours. I have not as yet been hero long enough to be come much acquainted with any of tho peculiar ities in the character of this * people j neither has my acquaintance been sufficiently extended among tho more enlightened part of the com munity, to afford opportunities of collecting much information on their literature. All lean say at present in, that 1 have met with distin guished attention, undissemblcd kindness, and tlie most friendly hospitality (Voin those persons to whom I brought letters of recommendation. In the literary circles to which I have gained ad mission, 1 find much good sense, some philoso phy and an ubundance of patriotism. In these circles a new Grammar of trie Knalish Language is frequently talked of. When 1 first heard it mentioned, and when I considered what Nlur- | ray hus done on this subject, I was curious to see what further improvements have been made by the author of this work. I accordingly pro cured a copy of it ? examined it attentively ? and v.'?s infinitely gratified. It afiurds a pleas ing evidence, that while the other States are : making rapid advances to eminence in the arts ' and sciences, Carolina docs not lag in the rear. The work is indeed, (to use the language of the worthy and venerable President of the College ( of this State} n valuable addition to American j literature. The acuteness of reasoning, the depth of research, and the philosophical correct ness displayed ill every part of it entitle the j author to the respect and applause of every A- , merican. The Knplitih languajgyhas so long engaged the attention of cnlij,' Mtal philosophers ? its idioms have been ho tV i^Bkly examined, mid its principles ho occur* iflnrestigated and un folded by Lowth, Ifailff; Tooke, Campbell,' I Murray And others, that It appeared scarcely I susceptible of fartlier improvement. Its stand' , ard appeared to be nettled. Derived frotiL*<lif? j ferent sources, it was gradually perfected and j brought to a systematic form, by causes whiclj have been general in their operation, but have j been modified by the influence of temporary anrt V local circumstancea. It thus rose from tho siriv pie unadorned instrument of necessity, to the state in which we And it in the hands of Addi* Bon, 8wift, Pope. Steele and tho other essayists that succeedcd them. By these great nlen it received vast acquisitions ; and though they give it neither the pomp and ostentation of .the panish, the brilliant ornaments and rich embel* lishments of the Italian, nor the simple elegance tif the French, yet by rendering It copjta Whose [tefccts were in some measure compensated.--. Here it is supposed by many to;lwlVe received it* last polish i and teriouji apprehensions have been entertained by philosophers that any far ther attempts at improvement would be produc tive of deterioration. Mr. < Waldo has, liowc ever, certainly Introduced some important ami useful improvements, and has rendered its phi losophyjn some mnrtts ft lore clear and satisfac tory. Of these improvements I will give you a nummary, accompanied with an abstract of his reasoning in support of thorn. "One distinguishing characteristic of this work is tho simplicity* conciseness and jierspecuity with which the rules, definitions and explana tions are delivered. In every elementary work designed for children this ought to be tho first and most im)K?rtant object with tho autho&? Abstract terms should be avoided 4s far as pos sible ) and when their introduction cannot be prevented* they should bo clearly explained att| properly illustrated. I am happy to find that this opinion has had its due weight with Mr. W. lleTias uniformly endeavored to unite simplici ty and philosophical correctness \ and where, (as ho says in his preface) these could not lie recon ciled ho has made a sacrifice of the iuttcr, when no practical error would be the consequence. To this disagreeable alternative he has not, how ever, been often reduced* As instances of the simplicity of Ids definitions, those of tho noun and verb may be taken. 'Iliese t conceive to ine the most important parts of speech lielonglng to lotiguag6~-it is therefore necessary that chil dren should, when they commence the study of language* have accurate ideas of their nature. Murray aeflnes a noun to be " the name of any thing that exists or of which we have any idea*" What child can fully comprehend this r What child of the age at which children tire usually put to the study of grammar can form an accurate notion of what is meant by the words exlttencr laud idea f Of the latter in particular ? a word which has occasioned such warm contentions and Acrimonious debates in tho literary world ? which ha* given rise to the philosophical roman ces of liumenlid lierckley? -which led even the 8rcat I<ocke astro v ? and whoso meaning even at te present day is scarcely settled. rihould a tcacncr undertake to explain it, according to the acceptation in wa'ch it i* generally received, to be the representation of something ill the mind. Or whatever is the object of the mind when it thinks* 1 greatly fear that instead of clearing uji the difllcolty to the pupil, lie would only throw new ones in his way. It would lie an attempt to explain a word by the medium of others still more unintelligible to tho youthful mind* All this difficulty U obviated by Myitis with Mr. W? that nuoun is the name of any thing. A verb is defined (a be * word which exprei es the action. existence, of ntato of a noun.? litis is certainly the best definition which I have seen of this pail of speech. Dr* Lowthhaji in* deed given an 'excellent one, which Murray lias adopted after him f but I conceive that the facul ties of the mind must have arrived at consider able maturity before it can bo fully comprc* licndcd. It expresses abstract Ideas, and to use Mr. Waldo's words, a part of it is in language which a child cannot be mode to understand.? Tlio meaning which Or. Lowth intended to con voy by U?e words 44 to suffer," can never lie counnunicatcd ton child. Kvcry unprejudiced person who has paid the least attention to sram* matical studies must concur w ith Mr. W. in these observations. Tho only objection thatcan possibly be urged against Mr. Waldo's defini tion is, that it does not include thopnssivc verb. This objection has been anticipated by Mr. W. lti fact, when tho nnturc of a passive verb is carefully and attentively considered, no one will fuel inclined to object to tho definition on this sco: ?. A verb by becoming passive docs not in consequence tfiercof. cease to express ac tion. It still uxpresses action ; but this action returns upon the nominativo case, which is con sidered as passive. All the diilbreuco is (as Mr, W. observes) that in the active voice wo connect the verb with the agent, and place tho objcct af ter the veib. In tho passive voice, we connect 1 the verb with the object, and plaeo tho agent af ter the verb ) its connexion being poiutcd out by < >i preposition. "I'll? lint point wherein (his grammar (lifters materially from Mm > \y is in tho exposition of the pronouns. ? 'l'hey are divided into neraunalf relative, iiossessive liud pronominal adjectives, llv thin division a great ileal of unnecessary la* bor in Haved to the student. I have invariably Keen, and yon yourself may have had frequent occasion to observe, that the usual subdivision of adjective pronouns into demonstrative, dis tributive, &c. is a fertile source of perplexity to young beginners, and of inconvenience to the preceptor. The knowledge of these subdivi sions may be serviceable to students tolerably well advanced ? in fact it is absolutely necessa ry for one who goes deeply into tho philosophy iif language ; but all divlsionn of word) accord - intc t?> their sign (/I cat foil, serves no uscfrl pur* pose ? is embarrassing and irrelevant to the bu siness of n grammar intended to bo put in the hands of children. To personal pronouns arc allotted but two cases, the nominative and ob jeetive. This is indeed a bold innovation, but a correct one. For it appears on an attuntive ex amination of what is usually denominated tho Kcssivo case, that so far from being a posses case, it is in r^Utf an objective case, go* ed by some governing word. For example thia book is I nave lost mine." In iZ^MaELS tu - in tiie nom ^'possible for the he iy>m. and the othei the post. ca*e at tho sa ^ iubstance wliat Mr. W. urges ... -'"mi? -to which he might, perhaps, have" 'had a?| " o following f A pronoun is a word used to . Jv the place of a noun. It is I believe an _ rlnble rule that tli.o supplying word always re? the case of' tho word for which it is Sub* diluted. If this be the there can remain no possible doubt on the subject. The posies* dvecaso of these pronouns has, therefore, with much propriety* beeu discarded. What is usu ally denominated the poss. case of these pro nouns Is called by Mr. W. possessive prouonua; and the possessive pronmms of Murray are cal led derivative pronominal adjectives. He fore I riuit this part, I Cannot forbear expressing a wish that, since Mr. Wiftias made such altera tions in the division of pronouns, he hud alio a* Iwlished the terift relative, as it is usually appli ed. Kvcnr pronoun is used to preveut the re petition of some other word? -to this word the pronouns used must evidently refer^-Alt pro nouns are. therefore relative* It is ecrtaluly contrary to tlie principles of philosophy to have a name for ft ipeeUi, which expresses also the distinguishing characteristic of the whole genu*. The next point in whith Mr* W. differs from the system usually received is in the analysis of tlie verbs. Verbs are divided into transitive, intransitive and nouter. To this division I think every one must agree on an accurate investiga tion of the subject. To verbs lire allotted two Voices, the active and the passive. I entirely agree with Mr. W. that by this plan there Is a distinctness of terms preserved, which cannot be maintained, when Verbs are divided into ac* tiveand passive. Verbs active, according to the old method, are such as may be used in the Iassive voice?* not such as express merely ac* ion. In this way we are compelled to call a great many vcrlw neuter, which in reality ex press action. 'litis occasions confusion in the mind of the pupil* You recollect that it fell to our lot to study the Kuglish grammar without a teacher, and we shall always have capse to re member the confusion and indistinctness in which our ideas were involved when we endea vored to. become masters oi .this part. And though our endeavors were at last crowned <\ ith success, vet the time that was thus unnecessari ly wasted, might have been s^ent to greater ad vantage in the acquisition of information on o ther important subjects. We define / (tin loved to be a passive veni. Hut it is also an ^active verb, because, according to the definition, active verbs are such im may he used in the passive voice. I inn luvnl is therefore on active and a passive verb at the same time. Here was the difln ulty i We found it iinimssibfe >tO comprehend how a verb could lie botluftctivift and passive, ? Hut ,vhen we adopt Mr. ^Value's plan, there is no difticully iu conniving how a verb can be trrn* ait ire and in the pnsMve voice. The division of the verb into the simple and compound form**, i? another improvement, a< it allows id the di\ kionoftho tenses as nature has divided them, vi/. into present, post and future. The French have their vorlM, as fur n* regards form, divided in the pame waj : ie, also, have the Italians i at least the latter live their \ < divided in this manner in the grammar of t nonl, whleh is fcilowed by the Cvclopcedia ? one of the best If lam correctly informed. Spanish have theirs divided in the same main Tito circumstance of almost all the modem 1 Mages having adopted the same nrrnngemcii 1 think, ccnclusivo evidence that important vantages are to he derived from it. l)y the plan, the difficulty, (as Mr. W. correctly serves) ofcoi\JuA*tlng we Verbis increased j both tho natnes ec arrangement of tho te iimm calculated to mislead the learner. Hie pup led to believe that tho imperfect expresses t as not completely, but tlie perfect as coinplei past- tho pluperfect as more than past? and second future as a period beyond a future p od. Tho arrangement of these tenses assist rivctting tlila ideal climax in his mind t and definitions of these tenses, which this arran ment requires must of necessity bo obscure livery one who hns made grammar a pnrtici study must feel tlie force of these obsenatif As for ourselves* I believe we can answer. < such were precisely the notions of tho ten wl|ich we took up at first. The only object that can be urgeu against this plan Is that wo obliged to calf the present what is denominn by others the perfect tense. But Mr. Wald observations and arguments in support of do bo, are 1 think conclusive. His conclnsioi that tho old perfect does not express past ti but Wio present comnMon of enaction j that it ? not admit tlie smallest interval of time to h elapsed l>etween the completion of tlie action i tlie time of speaking \ and tliut it may the reft without the violation of propriety, be called presont. lf you will takci-the trouble to exi me the nature of this tense, you will find t this conclutdon is btrlctly correct. lam afraid vou are already wearied with length of this Iettep? I know that I am worn with writing it. I shall therefore postponed ther observations till mv next, when I shall | iiaps have an opportunity of ttendingyoo a c uf the work, that you may examinu and ju for yourself. Make tho oRcring of my be?t ipects to our friends, and rest assured that 1 Yours Hinccrely, RSQUIVRI CONGRESS. IIOVHK OF IIKIMtKXKXTATIVKS. Afoudiitf, Frhruar* 12. On motion of Mr. Cady of w. Y. tho secret of tho treasury was directed to report to House, what additions, if .any. have been n. to the funded public debt, and to the lloa fiublic debt, 'since tho 30th day of Septeu ast. -? 4 On motion of tlio samo gentleman, the c mittee of ways and means were instrucic inquire into the expediency of amending ?Pairing duties on carriages, so ns tlin duty snatibenafd on any carriage usually ployed in husbandry or for the transport of goods. On motion of Mr. Jennings, a resolution ? adopted, directing the commissioner of ? ? t *" Uy W<V>r??tho III a sflfSment, exhitttingthe number of acrt land to which rights of pre-emption have I granted to individuals in any of the etatj territories of the United Stotes respect i\ together with .the probable difference betw tho amount of monies received for lands at pblic sale, ami such amount received lands sold at private sale. ? * Hie bill from the Senate " respecting cert courts of the Unitul States iu tlio state of N> York," was road a third time, passed, and turned to the ? Senate* The engrossed resolution for the relit Commodore John I lodgers, having been ruin need for a third reading, it was, olf mi of Mr. Basset* recommittal to a select. inltCee? ..<Mr. B, firoift that select ?*mnt subsequently repotted an amendment to resolution, which was agreed to, and the ret was ordered to a third reading. Tito house resolved itself into a commi of the whole, on the bill for reducing the d tax on the United States, to three mil I ions. No amendment being proposed to it, the 1 mittee rose and reported the bill) which/ laid on the table, on suggestion of Mr. li of N. Y. to give him time to prepare an ml ment to the detail of the bill. The resolution expressive of the sen! Congress, of tho gallantry of the officer I crews of the Hornet and Constitution, \> severally ordered to he engrossed for a* reading*? The bill for rewarding the off and crew of tho Hornet for the capture destruction of the Iftitish sloop of war Penn passed through a committee of the whole, blank was filled with 3.1,000 dollars, being aime.int allowed III former rases ? and the ordered to lie engrossed for n third reading The house resolved itself into a commit) tho whole, on the bill for the relief of re refugees from the llritish provinces durin lute war. The bill was not decided on 5 on motion of Mr. Johnson, laid ott the tali The committee then proceeded to the 1 deration of another hill, making further | sion for tho widows and orphans of thost fell in the late war t and were occupied 01 subject till the inual hour of adjournment. Tttrtifjp, fYtfrmirt/ 13, Mr. Newton, from tho committee of comit and manufactures, made a detailed report, v i phall ho published hereafter, concluding wit ? following resolution 1? ' M ttctotveil, That and after the 30th dfcv of .lurto next, in |i J the duties now authorized by Juw, there Im levied and. collected oil cotton goods, imp into tho United States amltnd territories t of, from any foreign country whatever per centum ail valorem, being not less that cents per square ymd. ' The report was rend and committed to a committeo of the v Tho honae resumed the consideration < bill-tor reducing the direct tax on the L* 'Htates to three millions, nnd to cotitiuu' samu one year. Mr. SM.enn of Ohio, n 1 jm at'ifcndfe^r.t, the object of whioh was, it.