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No. 23. VOL. I.]

WASHINGTON. SATURDA› AUGUST 3. 1816.

WHOLE No. 23.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY, BY JOEL K. MEAD, AI FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.

we are disposed to question even the utility of works of this character. To persons ignorant of the medical science they produce nothing but confusion; and we should entertain but an num.

The following review has been received from a literary club established in this city; and as it contains some strictures on the history of an event which we shall always deeply regret, we have thought proper, for the further information of our readers, to give it an insertion ined to such sources for information—A smattering the Register.

For the National Register.

DR. EWELL'S MEDICAL COMPANION.

ble opinion of the medical faculty, if they resort,

skill.

of medicine is more injurious than a total igno. rance-and the old woman who has derived all her knowledge from a careful perusal of Buchan, Rees or Ewell, might from the confusion it produ A work has just made its appearance in this ces and her ignorance of the true causes and symp city, called the "Medical Companion," purport- toms of diseases, as soon be induced to adminis ing to be the third edition, and written, or comter poison as to apply the proper remedy-Medi piled by one Dr. J. Ewell, physician in Washing-cine is at best but a science of experiments-reton. We confess that, from the hand bills posted ducable to no fixed principles, and varying in pro at the doctor's doors and windows, in which this portion to the diversity of constitutions we find in modest knight of the pestle has puffed himself, the human family. He therefore who has tried the in a manner, we doubt not, quite satisfactory to most experiments will perhaps be the most able himself, we had supposed the work would have practitioner of medicine-The young Esculapius afforded us much useful information, and contri- who launches into the world fresh from the hand of buted to simplify and extend the sphere of medi- Hypocrates, Galen, and the other fathers of the cal knowledge; but mortals are always destined medical art, will perhaps be more ignorant of the to disappointment; and we have experienced it prognostics of disease, and the method of adminismost woefully in the perusal of this "celebrated tering a bolus or a glister, than the good old wife Family Physician," which, like the doctor's own who has carefully noted the various changes which narcotics, had very nearly overpowered us with a disease assumes, know the efficacy of her simple sleep. We shall not detain the reader by wading nostrums, and can apply them with security and through this bundle of plagiarisms and mass of compilations, in which every thing is borrowed Je sais bien qu'il y a de bons remedes mais je ne but its stupidity, and every thing stolen but its sais s'ie a de bons Medicines.-[Le Sage.] nonsense. That it will never be worth 5 dollars We think that these books have a tendency onto its subscribers, does not, we think, require ly to multiply quacks to destroy our confidence the prescience of a prophet to foretell, and we in the medical profession, and to make every man regret that the subscribers have paid so dearly a physician without being a doctor. It is not for their whistle. We had no idea that book mak- our intention to point out the paragraphs and paing had attained such a height in this country.ges which the doctor has purloined from sources The patronage which domestic literature receive, within every mans reach-because we conceive is so very limited, that no one could reasonably it to be a work of supererogation---Nor shall we prehave supposed a mere compilation from Buchan,sume to say that the doctor is a medical quack, Rush, Sydenham, &c. &c. would ever have made its way from the bookseller's shelves. To this, however, the doctor has contrived to procure no inconsiderable number of subscribers, who, we doubt not, ere this, have repented their precipitancy. It is owing, in a great degree, to these repeated deceptions, that the growth of domestic literature is so deletory, and that American works of merit have so circumscribed a circulation. Men who are once deceived will endeavour to avoid a similar deception in future, which thus tends to check the enterprise and exertions of those who possess real science and genius. But VOL. I. A 2

though he is certainly a literary one, and has bor rowed and patched with less delicacy than any gentleman of the lancet that has ever come before the public-To be sure for the poetical scraps with which he has garnished his medical wild boor, we confess ourselves highly indebted to him; because in the midst of darkness a little lightning is very acceptable to prevent us from tumbling into quagmires and falling over precipices. And if the doctor has not been very particular in the application of these extracts, for we presume that any thing like rhyme was sufficient, his object being to swell the book; we are still obliged to

him for administering this poetical snuff powder and movements of the enemy? why were they or to keep us awake. ‚' dered to retreat to Washington instead of Bladensburg? and why was not the latter the first object of defence? It must surely be obvious to the

point to which the enemy could have been com. pelled to march by the destruction of the bridges, and that three days preparation with 6000 men would have been amply sufficient to have enabled the general to erect breast works, half moon batteries and other objects of defence, which would thus have retarded the progress, if it did not

But our object is not so much to exhibit the doctor's literary and medical incapacity, as to point out his prejudices and mistatements in re-most cursory observer, that this village was a lation to the capture of Washington, which has alone called our attention to his book. We were quite at a loss to conceive the connection between a subject purely historical and one entirely medical-and before we had seen the "celebrated Family Physician," were inclined to think that the doctor had deduced some fatal disease from that unfortunate event; but upon examining the diftend to the defeat of the invading foe. But to referent medical heads, even to the bloody flux, under which we thought the doctor might perhaps have placed it; we were surprized to find it wholly detached, and in a manner unconnected with the preceding subjects. The doctor was doubtless influenced by vanity to give the very partial history of this event we find in his medical companion; because, the doctor, like Falstaff, seems to be very fond of the society of great men, whether enemies or friends, and like Cockburn, no doubt, equally attached to the service of the god of wine. The sentimental conversation between him and his friends Ross and Cockburn, was, perhaps, very interesting to himself, but we are sure it must be as insipid, even if it were true, as the doctor's nostrums, to the generality of his readers. Whether it originated from ignorance or design we are unable to say; but the doctor has unfortunately introduced men into the battle of Bladensburgh, who were, at the time, forty miles

turn to the doctor-one would suppose that this
professional gentleman had absolutely been an eye
witness of the battle he describes, but whether it
originated from his unwillingness to shed blood
with any other instrument than that of the
lancet, or whether it proceeded from that exqui-
site humanity of which he so much boasts, we are
unable to say; but the fact is that the doctor
could never be prevailed upon to advance nearer
than 5 miles to the scene of action. The instinct
which influenced Falstaff not to injure the "true
Prince," seems to have taken possession of the
doctor, and though he could with the utmost sang
froid bleed 50 Americans to death, he had an un-
conquerable abhorrence to letting out the blood.
of an Englishman with his sword. The doctor
has not been correctly informed when he asserts
that the "enemy instantly displayed a heavy co-
lumn to the right and passed the ford higher up
the creek." The enemy did not throw out his
flanking parties at all till he had crossed the
bridge, nor did many of the troops retreat till they
were actually flanked to the left and had been
ordered to retire. The principal part of the exe-
cution was performed by the Baltimore and Wash-
ington artillery before the enemy effected his ob-
jeet, and before com. Barney and the marine corps
came up. The "hideous lanes," mentioned by
the doctor, were made by capt. Burch's artillery,
at the commencement of the action, and had they
been properly supported, the lanes might, per.

off. Among these we find the name of
сар-
tain Grayson, of the marine corps, who was
then in Baltimore, and must doubtless feel
hurt at thus being lugged into a battle that
redounded so little to the honor of his country.-
This battle has been variously described, and the
causes of our failure frequently developed. Some
have ascribed it to negligence on the part of the
government; some to a panic in the American
army: and others to an incapacity on the part of
the commanding general. Perhaps the real cause
was a combination of these three. There was
however a possibility of saving the city even withhaps to the doctor's regret, have been made much
more hideous. Had com. Barney's flotilla men,
the army then out, if judicious measures had been
taken by the general at an earlier period: and and the marine corps been earlier on the ground,
that army had not been ordered to retreat with-(another faux pas of the general) the action would.
out specifying the point at which to rally. It is unquestionably have been much more sanguinary,
acknowledged by all that the district militia be- and the enemy's access to the city, in all probabi-
But the doctor was not on the
haved valiantly, and that some of the corps, in lity, foreclosed.
particular, fought till they were repeatedly and field of battle, and only beheld it, like many oth-
peremptorily ordered to retire. We would bare-ers, at the distance of five miles, thro' woods and
ly ask, why were the troops dragged for three
days through Prince George's county? why were
they kept in such perfect ignorance of the force

thro' mountains, from the third story of his house. His optics must indeed have been very acute to have seen the rockets in a clear day, at the distance

avoid execrating him and his accomplices; the doc-
tor's eulogies to the contrary notwithstanding, for
the acts he committed himself, and suffered to be
committed by those under him, while in possession.
of the city. We are, perhaps, better acquainted
with the conduct of the British troops while in
Washington than the doctor himself; and in oppo-
sition to his authority, we declare as a fact, that
Ross knew the library to be in the capitol, and
when he was asked to spare it, he exclaimed,
"pshaw, we have no time to be trifling with books."
He knew also, that Washington's, Tomlinson's and
Sewell's houses were private buildings yet they
were ordered to be consumed, He was apprised also
of the pillaging of several private houses, yet he
took no measures to prevent it. Among them was
the house of a gentleman whom the doctor calls an
emigrant, which he says, "was plundered of a
few articles," but which was in truth, robbed of
property to the amount of $10,000! and that of
another gentleman who, though in the house at the
time, and though he expostulated with the British
officers then present, he was plundered in the most
wanton manner, of $1,500 worth of goods and ulti-
mately had his horse taken from him by this very
liberal British general. These are facts we are
prepared to substantiate. Cockburn, with his own
hands set fire to the capitol and president's house,
by way of distinction, and afterwards boasted of
the exploit. This illustrious rear admiral also
broke into Mr. Gales' prinung office and did all
the injury to the establishment, his petty malice
could dictate, and yet these are the men this
wielder of the pestle has so outrageously bedizen-

of five miles, particularly when there intervened se- || destruction of the capitol, president's house, pub. veral large hills and a thick wood of nearly four lic offices and private buildings, evince a mangnity miles in extent. But this is very probable, if, as and barbarity that are only to be found among the we understand, the Dr. afterwards saw the rockets rudest nations of the world, and the man who would at Baltimore, when the enemy uns .ccessfully at- attempt to justify these atrocities, merits the contempted to attack that city. Our knight of the tempt and indignation of every lover of his country. lancet seems to think that because he has patched We respect general Ross for his courage and fidelihis book with poetical scraps, he is therefore entity to his country, but we cannot, at the same time, tled to the license of a poet, and must not be confined within the narrow limits of probability and truth. The Dr is very facetious when he speaks of the poltroonism of some of the troops whom a friend of his met retiring from the ground-In this, as in many other circumstances, we suppose the Dr. is merely showing the delicacy of his humor-or again exercising his poetical license for the amusement of his readers; but some of these men relate an anecdote of the author equally as ridiculous, and as they cannot be charged with poetising, they are consequently more entitled to belief. As soon as the Doctor had descended from his ærial elevation in the third story of his house in which he had been gazing at the "rockets red glare" through the medium of his mental eye; one of these passions which he says in his book sometimes produces a diarrhoea, seized him and he fled; if a lobster can be said to fly, to the residence of a sick lady in the neighborhood. From having seen the rockets, or from the uproar occasioned by the retreat of the American army, the doctor was siezed with an idea, that the enemy was at his back and would certainly devour him, notwithstanding his humanity, and grasping the lady's arm, with convulsive energy, pretended to feel her pulse for nearly an hour, when it seems he was informed by a divine in the next house that Ross and Cockburn were not anthropophagi, but "perfect gentlemen," to the great relief of the unfortunate knight of the pestle. It was then he beheld the capitol "in flames, which, with a noise like thunder, filled all the saddened night with a dismal gloom." We believe it can no where be found but in the doctor's book, that light should produce gloom, particularly when, ined with praises for their forbearance, their liberali. addition to the flames, the moon shone with unusu. al brilliancy; but it is one of our authors touches at the sublime, and as such is calculated to elicit our admiration. It is unnecessary to follow our author through his fulsome panygerics on the courage, the humanity, and the generosity of the enemy. It would be as sickening to our readers as it is to us. We feel assured that no American can feel any other sentiment than indignation at the conduct of men, who, contrary to the usages of civilized warfare, Cockburn, for dressing the wounds of a poor

could, without one sentiment of remorse, or one
sigh of regret, destroy the monuments of the
and the repositories of literature and sciences

arts The

ty, and their virtue. Hinc procul este profani.— There is another fact in relation to the doctor himself, which we think it our duty to relate, in order to destroy the illiberal prejudice he wishes to excite against those emigrants who, he says, were going to make him the "bloody victim of their diabolical rage and fury."

The doctor's humanity became so excessive after he had received the " 6 doubloons" from

"But it is, I assure you, says Cockburn, all the specie we have. with us"-p. 648. So it would appear that the whole British army could muster no more than 6 doubloons-a most facetious and proba ble story, good doctor. Why, in the name of common sense, did he not pay the doctor in the plate some of his men had just before Wpilfered from lim?

conclude we would humbly admonish Mr. E. to omit the account of the capture of Washington in the future editions of his book, if he be solicitous to promote its sale, and save himself from

Critical Society, Washington.

wretch that a British (but the doctor is inclined to interrupt the progress of Mr. E.'s book to obto think an American) soldier had stabbed, that || livion, but this account of the capture of Washupon the departure of the enemy, he repaired ington struck our eye, and we conceived it a duty with a British guard, (who were among those left we owed to ourselves, and to truth, to correct by the generous Ross to the mercy of the Ameri- the doctor's errors, and develope his partialities, can savages, and were, no doubt, well versed in with a view, at least, to suggest to the future that kind of business,) to a neighbour's house, who historian of this event, the propriety of consulting had a fine large hog in his yard, with a view to a more correct & authentic record than that which impress grumphy into the British service. But the doctor has furnished. Upon the style of this one of those emigrants who have called down the work, it is unnecessary to say any thing. Being doctor's wrath, happened to pass by at the time, as various and diversified as the authors from (the owner being absent,) and, by seasonable whom the doctor has borrowed; it consequently threats, prevented the doctor from putting his presents a medley that cannot be reduced to any designs into execution, and compelled him and standard: but as the historical part of it seems to his suit to retire without their prey. We certainly be the doctor's own, we are thus enabled to proapplaud the doctor's humanity to those woundednounce his style below mediocrity. Before we wretches that were left behind by the enemy; but his humanity seems to have been confined to them alone, for the wounded of the American army received but a small portion of his humane and benevolent attentions. The doctor's everlast-the shafts of future ridicule and contempt. ing slang about the liberality, tenderness, and noble sentiments of the British army while in Washington, is rather loathsome, after the outrages they committed, and certainly is very inconsistent with the feelings of an American paIt will be recollected, that, before the last sestriot. We are unwilling to detract from the merit sion of congress, the secretary of the treasury submitted to the state banks several propositions, in even of an enemy, but it surely is very disgusting succession, with a view to enable the treasury to to see an American loading that enemy with praise, transfer its funds from places, where they accumuwhile he labours to disparage and darken the lated beyond the local demand, to places where the local demand exceeded the funds; with a view character of his own countrymen. The doctor's to equalize the exchange between the different anecdotes of Col. Troop, though a man of great states; and with an ulterior view to restore the moral and political excellence, have no more lawful national currency. The state banks, in connection with the capture of Washington, than general, declined acting upon the propositions, his book has with the man in the moon; and how-stitute, for the accomplishment of objects so imwithout offering, in any instance, an efficient subever gratifying it may be to his vanity, he might at least have spared us the trouble of wading The subject, under these circumstances, was through that additional quantum of trash. Even presented for the consideration of congress, and the merit which the doctor assumes for having, the powers of the legislature have been put in by his remonstrances, saved Mr. Caldwell's house motion, to relieve the community from an indefiand the Washington Bank from conflagration, is,nite continuance of the evils, which were producwe, understand, surreptitious. Those buildings, principal state banks. The establishment of a ed by the suspension of payments in coin, at the if report be true, were saved through the inter-national bank, and a resolution, which provides cession of a young woman who then resided on the capitol hill.

PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

THE TREASURY.

portant to them, as well as to the government, and to the people of the U. States.

for collecting the public revenue in the lawful currency of the United States, after the 20th Feb. To be sure, the doctor says he did all he could That they will be enforced and strengthened by 1817, are preparatory, but decisive measures.to save the rope-walks of Chalmers, Ringgold congress, cannot be doubted by any man who is and Heath; but it was all in vain, and those rope- not prepared to doubt the wisdom, policy and enwalks were as much private property as the houses ergy of the government. It must, therefore, be an error fatal, probably, to many of the state banks that were spared. But it seems the enemy were (against which they are anxiously admonished) to determined to "spare nothing that made in favour indulge a hope, that the next session will retract, of our navy," and thus the private rope-walks of or relax the measures of the last. It is believed those gentlemen became a prey to the conflagrat-gislature of every state in the union must take a that not only the national legislature, but the leing hand of the enemy-an act of great liberality, no doubt, in the eye of the worthy doctor.

We must here pause: it was not our intention

stand in opposition to the enormous abuses of the banking system.

The resolution of congress of the 29th of April 1816, directs and requires the secretary of the trea

sury to make some attempt to facilitate the collection of the revenue in the lawful currency, even before the 20th of February 1817; and he has accordingly addressed a circular letter to the state banks, of which a copy is subjoined. The propositions contained in the circular, and the notice accompanying it, are amicable, fair and practical; and the benefits to be derived from their adoption are expected to be principally these:

1. That by requiring the banks to pay their notes of a low denomination in coin, the public debtors will be supplied with a current medium to answer the call upon them.

2. That by requiring the debtors of the United States to pay debts of a small amount in coin, a channel of circulation is kept open, for the eventual return of the money to the banks, as a deposit.

3. That by an early commencement of small payments in coin, the public confidence in the convertibility of notes into money will gradually revive, and the public mind be seasonably prepared to support the general resumption of coin pay. ments in February next.

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the metallic currency. The Banks in the States to the South, and to the West, of Maryland, are ready and willing, it is believed, to co-operate in the same measure. The objection, or the obstacle, to the measure, principally rests with the Banks of the middle States; but the most important of these Banks have converted their unproductive capital of Gold and Silver, into the productive capital of Public Stock, and a restoration of the metallic capital is alone wanting to enable them, also, to resume their payments in coin.

Under these circumstances, it will not be doubt. ed by any candid and intelligent citizen, that a simultaneous and uniform movement of the State Banks would, at this period, be successful, in the revival of the public confidence, and the restoration of the lawful currency of the United States. An appeal, is, therefore, made to these Banks; in the hope and the confidence, that they will adopt a policy dictated by their own real and permanent interests, as well as by the justice due to the community.

By a resolution of Congress, passed on the 29th of April, 1816, it is declared, that "from and afIn every view of the course now pursued by the ter the 20th day of February next, no duties, tax treasury, we think the experiment proper to bees, debts, or sums of money accruing, or becoming tried. If it succeed, the advantages are incalculable. If it fail, because the requisite co-opera-|| tion of the state banks is refused, the nation will be completely awakened to a sense of its danger, as well as to the necessity of providing for its relief, by means independent of those institutions.

Circular addressed by the Secretary of the Treasury to the State Banks, in order to facilitate the execution of the Resolution of Congress, passed 29th || of April, 1816.

SIR,

Treasury Department, July 22, 1816.

By the Constitution and Laws of the United States, Gold, Silver, and Copper coins are made the only lawful money of the United States, current as a legal tender in all cases whatsoever.

By particular acts of Congress, Treasury Notes issued by the government, and notes issued by the Bank of the United States, are made receivable in all payments to the United States.

But, in consequence of the suspension of payments in coin, at many of the principal State Banks, the lawful money of the United States suddenly ceased to be a circulating medium, and the Treasury Notes issued by the government, having suffered an undue depreciation, the government, as well as private citizens, yielded to the necessity of receiving and paying the notes of the State Banks, as a national currency.

||

payable, to the United States, ought to be collect ed, or received, otherwise than in the legal currency of the United States, or Treasury Notes, or Notes of the Bank of the United States, or in Notes of Banks, which are payable and paid on demand, in the said legal currency of the United States."

But in addition to this positive limitation, the the Treasury to adopt such measures, as he may Resolution "requires and directs the Secretary of such duties, taxes, debts, or sums of money, to be deem necessary, to cause, as soon as may be, all collected and paid in the legal currency of the United States, or Treasury Notes, or Notes of the Bank of the United States, as by law provided and declared, or in Notes of Banks, which are payable and paid, on demand in the legal currency of the United States." After the 20th of February, 1817, therefore the Revenue must be collected in the mode prescribed; but, even previous ly, the Secretary of the Treasury is required and directed to pursue the proper measures, for an earlier establishment of that mode of collection.

It is the sincere desire of this department, to execute the duty thus assigned to it, in a manner the most convenient and acceptable to the State. Banks, and, indeed, rather to invite the Banks to a spontaneous adoption of the measures, which appear to be necessary upon the occasion, than to proceed by the mere force of official regulations. In the draft of a Treasury Notice, which accomThe State Banks have hitherto excused the sus-panies this communication, and which you will pension of their payments in coin, upon the alleged necessity of the act; and assurances have been given, repeatedly, that preparations were making to resume those payments.

consider in the light of an amicable proposition, the views of the Department are conveyed as to the incipient and preparatory steps, that may, I think, be safely taken, with reference to a geneThe effect of such preparations has not however, ral resumption of payments in coin, on the 20th become visible; and an apprehension has at length of February next. If the State Banks concur in been excited in the public mind, that the tempta- the opinion, so far as their interests and operations tion of profit according to the present irregular are effected, their voluntary assent to the arrangecourse of banking, is too great, to admit of a ment will undoubtedly produce the most benefivoluntary return to the legitimate system of bank-cial consequences, and I shall proceed to announce ing, upon the basis of a metallic capital.

The banks of the New England States, (which have always paid their own notes in coin) are ready and willing to co-operate in the general revival of

it in official form. Permit me, therefore, to request an early communication of the decision of your Bank, upon the subject.

The present opportunity is embraced to repeat

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