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M. APPENDIX M.
[Page 169.]
No. 1. of The South Carolina Gazette was introduced to the public by
the following Address, which appears to have been written by a
correspondent who was a friend to the printer, and who felt interested
in the establishment of a newspaper in the colony.
"It being justly expected that what is thus offered to the Public,
should be written with a View at least, to their service, it may not
be improper, in this prefatory Paper, to let the Reader know, that
something conducive to that end, will be attempted in those which
are to follow.
"It is therefore desired, that such who are willing to assist in this
attempt, will communicate to the Printer of this Paper, what may
occur to them of that Nature.
"And, as the chief thing aimed at, is the Good of this Province
in general, it is hoped that this Application to the Public, for such
Correspondence, may not be looked upon as impertinent.
"We are sensible it by no means becomes those who are requesting
their Readers to be their Correspondents, to restrain them to
any particular Subjects; yet, we shall venture to point out One, as
believing it such that every worthy Inhabitant of the Province will
allow to have the first Claim to his Pen.
"We mean the Trade of this Colony, which perhaps, not without
reason, may be apprehended to be in danger of declining, unless
some new methods are considered of, and put in Practice, for encreasing
and improving its Produce and Manufactures.
"This, were it effected, would tend not only to the Good of the
Province in general, and the particular Interest of many indigent
Families, but, likewise, be instrumental in answering the Design of
his Majesty in taking this Province into his Possession and Protection;
which, doubtless, was to advance and extend its Trade, and
a flourishing and happy State.
"Yet, however gracious his Majesty's Intentions are towards us,
it must be owned that without some Regard to what has been hinted
at in relation to the Produce and Manufactures of this Province, we
shall not only be so injurious to ourselves, but also so ungrateful to
him, as in a great measure to frustrate those his Intentions.
"This, it is hoped, may be some little Incitement to abler pens to
assist and promote this Design.
"But since it has proved true from Experience, that Papers of
this Kind, calculated only for the Use of the more serious Part of
Mankind, have been by many thrown aside, who might perhaps have
been agreeably led into the perusal of them, had the Dulce been
artfully interspersed with the Utile, it may not be amiss to acquaint
our Readers, that even those, whose genius reaches no further than
Amusement, will be deemed good Correspondents, provided they
carefully avoid giving Offence either public or private; and particularly,
that they forbear all Controversies both in Church and State;
for since the principal Thing in View by publishing these Papers, is
the general Service of the People residing in this Province, let us not
(however incapable we may prove of accomplishing our Purpose) at
once defeat it by that Bane of all Civil Society, Party Division; but
rather let us be mindful that our Number is small; our Unity ought,
therefore, to be greater, as well for the Advancement of our own
Interests, as the Honour and Service of the Prince under whose
Government and Protection we have the Happiness to live.
"In a word, such may be assured of having their Essays, whether
in Prose or Verse, inserted in this Paper every Saturday, who take
care that the Purport of them be not too manifestly opposite to the
Principles laid down in the following Lines, which we have been
lately obliged with by an unknown hand, and cannot think unworthy
the Sight of those we could wish to be Correspondents, nor yet disagreeable
to the Hint we have borrowed from Horace at the Head of
our Paper.
No flatt'ring young Coxcomb, nor formal old Prig;
Not eternally talking, nor silently quaint,
No profligate Sinner, nor pragmatical Saint.
I'm not vain of my Judgment nor pinned on a Sleeve,
Nor, implicitly, any Thing can I believe.
To sift Truth from all Rubbish, I do what I can,
And God knows if I err—I'm a fallible Man.
I can laugh at a Jest, if not cracked out of time,
And excuse a Mistake though not flatter a Crime.
Any faults of my friends, I wou'd scorn to expose,
And detest private Scandal though cast on my Foes.
I put none to the Blush on whatever Pretence,
For Immodesty shocks both good Breeding and Sense.
No man's Person I hate, though his Conduct I blame,
I can censure a Vice without stabbing a Name.
To amend—not reproach—is the Bent of my Mind;
A reproof is half lost when ill Nature is join'd.
Where Merit appears, though in Rags, I respect it,
And plead Virtue's cause, shou'd the whole World reject it.
Cool reason I bow to wheresoever 'tis found,
And rejoice when sound Learning with Favor is crown'd.
To no party a Slave, in no Squabbles I join,
Nor damn the Opinion that differs from mine.
Evil tongues I contemn, no mob Treasons I sing,
I dote on my Country, and am Liege to my King.
Tho' length of Days I desire, yet with my last Breath
I'm in hopes to betray no mean dreadings of Death.
And as to the Path after Death to be trod,
I rely on the will of a Merciful God."
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