Your Papers Have, I Suppose, Informed You Of A Set Of Diabolical Incendiaries Having Set Fire To Savannah, Charleston, Baltimore, And New York.

The villainy of these infernals is likely to be productive of some good.

The inhabitants of Charleston have agreed to prohibit the erection of wooden buildings in that city. The philadelphians had before come to this prudent resolution, within certain limits, I was present when this matter was agitated. It was violently opposed by the democratic party; who insisted, that in a _free_ country, a man has a right to build his house of what materials he pleases. "True," said I, "of _stone_-brimstone - use gun-powder for lime, and mix it with spirit of turpentine," Farewell.

Yours, &c.

_P.S._ I thank you for the _Apology_. It has been already twice answered in this country, or rather, the bishop has been as often abused; first, by a deist of New York, for speaking too _favourably_ of the Bible; and secondly, by a hot-headed frantic of New England; who, in a work he calls _The Bible needs no Apology_, rails at his lordship for the _opposite reason_, and consigns him to eternal damnation, for _not_ insisting on _every sentence_ of scripture being the _inspired_ word of God.

_Boston, January 7th, 1797._

DEAR FRIEND,

The states of Massachusetts and Connecticut were originally settled by brownists, and other puritans, and were, for many years, an asylum for dissenters of all denominations, who fled from persecution in Europe, to exercise a still greater degree of intolerance themselves, when in power in America. You have doubtless read or heard of the _Blue_ Laws of Connecticut. Without insisting on the sanguinary code, said to be formerly in force under this title, I shall briefly, and without connexion, transcribe for you some extracts from Dr. Belknap, and others of their _own_ writers on this subject; on the truth of which you may rely: -

EXTRACTS.

"Severe laws, conformable to the principles of the laws of Moses, were enacted against all kinds of immorality.

"Blasphemy, idolatry, unnatural lusts, rape, murder, adultery, man-stealing, bearing false witness, rebellion against parents, were all _equally_ made _capital_ crimes. The law against the latter was in these words: - 'If any child or children, above sixteen years of age, and of sufficient understanding, shall curse or smite their natural father or mother, he or they shall be _put to death. Exodus_ xxi, 17; _Lev._ x, 9.'

"A law was passed to prohibit, under a severe penalty, the _smoking of tobacco_, which was compared to the _smoke_ of the _bottomless pit_. _Drinking_ of _healths_, and _wearing long hair_, were also forbidden, under the same penalty: the first was considered as a heathenish and idolatrous practice, grounded on the ancient libations.

"Previous to putting the laws in execution against the latter, the following proclamation was issued, and is now preserved among the records at Havard College, Cambridge, near Boston: -

"Forasmuch as the wearing of long hair, after the manner of ruffians and barbarous indians, has begun to invade New England, contrary to the rule of God's word, _Corinthians_ xi, 14, which says it is a shame for a man to wear long hair; as also the commendable custom generally of all the _godly_ of our nation, until these few years; we, the magistrates who have subscribed this paper, (for the showing of our own _innocency_ in this behalf,) do declare and manifest our dislike and detestation against the wearing of such long hair, as against a thing _uncivil_ and _unmanly_; whereby men do deform themselves, and offend _sober_ and _modest_ men, and do _corrupt good manners_. We do therefore, earnestly intreat all the elders of this jurisdiction, as often as they shall see cause, to _manifest their zeal_ against it in their public administrations, and to take care that the _members_ of their respective churches be not _defiled therewith_, that so, such as shall prove obstinate, and will not reform themselves, may have God and man to witness against them.

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