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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
WASHINGTON,  D. C.
GPO  16—67244-1
6163047990 
 
 
 
 
X
THE
ADDITIONAL NUMBER
TO" THE
Letters of Humanitasy
T^ETHER wn H
John Hillen's, William fenkins's £sf Do&or M'Kenzie's
          Letters—and other Documents,
RELATIVE TO
 Polly  Elliott's  Cafe :

        To which are added,

Mr. Jesse Hollingsworth's Lettcr-

             AND A       Tf'
R  E P  L  r &.""' U
I
TO THE SAME — BY
JAMES SMITH,  Physician.

    ^ItimOVC—February 9, 1801. 
   $& THE Editors of the Federal Gazette having omitted such  j




.Parts of the following Letters as were disagreeable to them




sehes--tbe present Copy maybe esteemed more accurate.




                                                 ]. s. 
AN
            ADDITIONAL NUMBER

                      TO THE

      Letters  of Humanitas, &c.




         To the CITIZENS of BALTIMORE,

     The following case is respeclfully submitted:—

PoLLY  ELLIOTT, a little girl who came  from the
Eaftern Shore, and was about ten or  twelve years old,
lived with Henry Purcell, near to the lower end of South-
ftreet; but early in September this neighborhood having
become fickly, Purcell refolved to leave town and remove
his family into the country, which he immediately accom-
plilhed, leading this child friendlefs  and unhoufed to fhift
for itfelf.   She had been  unwell for a day or two, and
was very rick on the morning Purcell and his family left
the city.  She was however turned into the flreets,  and
was feen daggering about for fome time, until Mr. James
Young,  grocer, was  appri^l of her fituation and took
her into  his ftore-houfe. Mr. William M'Cormick, flone-
cutter, now offered his affiftance  and made application to
Jofeph Townfend, health commiffioner, for her admiffion
to the hofpital.  But this was refufed, becaufe there was
                        A3
3f90k1X 
 no certificate produced from a phyfician, declaring her to
 be, pofitively, ill of the yellow fever.  Several  hours
 were fpent in vain, by this gentleman, in fearch of a doc-
 tor to  give  the  certificate Mr. Townfend  required—at
, length difappointed  and unable to procure one, he deter-
 mined to  take the child herfelf, up to the  health office ;
 and fee, whether her intreaties, added to his own, could
 not procure her admiffion  and obtain that relief, without
 which it was conceived, fhe mufl foon perifh.  Fortunate-
 ly, on their  way  thither, they found Dr.  Moores, who
 freely gave her the  certificate they had  fo long been  in
 fearch of.  M'Cormick  proceeded with  the child, and
 carried her into Mr. Townfend's houfe.  An order of ad-
 miffion was now figned,  without  hefitation ; and   the
 chid  was directed   to  go from thence tj  the  hofpital.
 Having performed a humane part, and conceiving that he
 had done as much as was  his duty, or in his power,  Mr.
 M'Cormick now reafonably expected, that he might leave
 the child and that  (lie would be provided  for.  He  was
 however  foon undeceived,  and ordered to  take the child
. with him  again, unlefs, he  (Mr. M'Cormick) would carry
 l'.tr to the  hofpital, and  at  his own expence too.  Re-
 monftrances  were  ufed, but  to  no purpofc ;  common
 fellow-feeling could no longer bear with fuch indifference
 to 'the fuITtrings of a child, in a condition like [he pfefent
 —M'Cormick generoufly  offered to pay one  half of the
  expence,  if  a fiage could  be procured  to carry  her  the
  In.all  cliQatic;: fher had to go ;  tut, "the more than co:n-
 monly humane"  commiffioner  refufed  to  give  one
 ccnt,iox  thatpurpofe.  Any furtherintreaty feemed  now
  L-nneceflary;  and at length exafperated at  fuch inhuman
  cci'ducl,  Mr. M'Cormick  repeated,  that  the child  was
 in no other nay related tojjtim, than as an orphan; who
  v as delitute and whom he^ad taken out of the flreet.—
  I^1, alfo,  informed jofeph Townfend, that he mould confi-
  dcr him,  as  the public officer appointed and paid to provide,
 for fuch   obje;:ts  as thef-3 ; and telling  him that he con-
  caved his duty would oblige him,'to take care of the child, 
5
made  an attempt  to leave them ;  and quit a  contefl, fo
hurtful to his feelings and fo barbarous m its n.tture.   But
Joseph Towmcnd followed him to the door ; and taking the child
by ihc fooudjrs put her again into thejlrsct! To  leave fuch
an orphan In the ftreet, without a made to fheltef, or a hu-
man being to  protect hsr—to refufe the petition of adef-
titute child of  misery, was not in the power, of fuch a man
as thefriend, who had  brought her thus far.  In pity he
returned to provide for and proteel her.  In compaffion he
hufli'd her cries and encouraged  her, to  look up to hum
for aili(lance  ; when the  fatherlefs could find no father !
LIr. M'Cormick, again, endeavoured  to hire  a ftage, but
could not procure one which would  carry a  f:ck perfon.
'Jfcihe diftance,  to the hofpital,  was  nearly a mile ;  but the
child faid (he "' would  try to  walk it, now fince he would
not leave her !" There wasno time to be loft ; and no other
alternative, than to help her to perform on foot a journey,
that  had lhe been well, would have been a laborious one,
on an afternoon, as  warm as the one, on which, this  ch-ld
 walked up to the hofpital—Thro' the kind affiltance of Mr.
 Wm. M'Cormick and Mr. William Boyce, who gave her
 drink,  and refreihed her,  by refting her at intervals^ fhe
 was at  length enabled to reach  an afylum for her afflicti-
 ons ; where Jhe died'a few days afterwards.
   The circumftances, above related, with refpect to Polly
 Elliott's diftreflcd fituation, & JofephTownfend's conduct
 on the occafion; we  know to be well  founded, and, if
 c-dlcd upon, will prove them to be true.
                     WILLIAM M'CORMICK,
                     WILLIAM BOYCE,
                     JAMES YOUNG.



    Here then is an inftance of inhumanity that would fliock
  an  Algerine.  Here Is a man clothed in the plain habu of
  cha/ty, vvhofe difinterefted benevolence and whofe kind-
  wzh and humanity yet hang upon every tongue, and arj 
                           6


published to the world on every occafion. Oh ffiame, that
a man of this ftamp can fo far impofe upon  the credulity
of any city, that  they mould  felect him from among the
humane and virtuous, to fill the important office of a health
commiffioner! And yet arc there not fome fo ignorant of the
true character  of this man, that  they  would propofe
him in the depth of his defigns  to be the Mayorof our
city ?—But let him,  who could refufe the affiftance he.
was  paid  to beftow, on  an  helplefs orphan, fick unto
death, trembling and exhaufted with  difeafe, liften again
to her voice! let him who could piiih the child of mi-
fery out ol his door, to fuffer or perilh in the ftreet, again
hear her cries ! and let him remember, that poverty tho'
difregarded, defpifed & infulted, by the haughty and fcorn-
ful  pride, which rankles in the hidden bread of fome, can
give an admonition  which is not  beneath the  notice of
(rny—
       t( Should I reveal the fexrets of my <»vief,
      •' If foft humanity e'ertouch'd your breaft ;
       " Your hand would nor withhold tiie kind relief,
      *' And tears of pity would not be reprett.

       (l Heaven fends misfortunes, vhy fliould we repine,
      " Tis heaven has brought me to the Hate you fee,
       ♦{ And your condition may be foon like mine,
      " 1i;e child efforrov/ and of mifery."
                                      HUMANITAS.
   1 congratulate mv fellow-citizens on the apparent exer-
tions which are making, and r* j likely to be immediately
productive of the mod beneficial effects to our city.
   A Difpenfary for the medical  relief of the poor, having
met with the approbation of the moft rcfpectable citizens,
is already in forwardnef^ This inftitution feems gene-
rally approved of by all, and will, without doubt, be foon
cftablilhed, to mitigate many of the calamities  which  the
poor  are   fubjected to, when  fick  and unprovid-.d for.
   Proposal* have alio been made to cllablifh a health con:-
^«v',*and  we are  told th,if.  many citiz-jiis now turn their 
7
 mind to reflect upon  the all-important fubject of a better
 health eJlabUfoment,
   A  circular letter has likewife beenaddreffed to the phy-
 ficians of this city (myfelf excepted*) "  in virtue of a re-
 quisition from the mayor, to convene the board of health
 and to folicit the attendance  of the principal phyficians of
 the city, to aid and affift the  faid board with their  council
 & advice, in inveftigating the caufe of the late fatal difeafe,
 and the moft probable means of guarding againft the fame
 in  future—preparatory to the meeting of the city council."- In
 confequence of this invitation, fcveral phyficians met on
 the 14th inftant, at Jofeph Townfend's, and have formed
 themfelves into a committee, which  I hope, waving every
 theoretical difference of opinion, and uniting their wifdom
 and influence, will draw  their interefting  conclufions from
 facts alone.   The many  important faits which have lately
 prefented themfelves to us, and which with a little  atten-
 tion, they may yet be able to procure, are fufficient to re-
 move many doubts, and much uncertainty, as  well with
 refpectto the origin, as contagioufnefsof the yellow fever;
 and may,perhaps, whenduly confidered, lay the foundati-
 on of a fyftem, which fhall fave our  devoted city from the
 deflruction  which awaits a longer continuance ofournegli-
 gence and inactivity.  I fhall,  with pleafure,  when  called
 upon, communicate to this committee, a number of facts
 which  I   have   collected for the   purpofe of  at raining
 the end   they have in view  ;  and I   flatter  myfelf thst
 there will not be found one of the profeffion who will with-
 hold from them the information he may have gained from

  * P. S.  The letter which 1 faiv from the feerstary of the board of
 health to one oj the faculty, and copied a* above, was dated  on the  \xth
 inftant, and fuperscribed circular.  From this c:r cinnflance 1conceiv-
 ed the invitation to the phyficians of this  city was general, and that as a
 particular compliment,  I was the only one  omitted.  An Old Man,
 however, in  the gazette of Saturday," very juflly complains that this bufi.
 nefs feents to be tranfaEling ina corner, and  that only eight gentlemen
 were prefent.  If 1 do not mi/lake, there were but four phyficians (except
 thnfe who fitjfered an attack ofthe fever) who left town durin? the preva-
 lence of the iatt epidemic, and I an} well informed lL:t three of them con.,
Jlitutedn part ej the chafer, jew.                          7 £. 
8
 a like painful experience  with  myfelf.  This  committee
 will,  I hope, perceive how defective our health laws have
 been,  and recommend a revifion of them to the city coun-
 cil.   A fair trial on their  part, as well as  ours, can  do
 no harm.  The truth cannot be injured  by foliciting her
 more intimate acquaintance; nor can the true interefts of ■
 the city be injured by every provifion for fuch  calamities I
 as may again happen.   Perhaps, indeed,  the ultimatum of
 human wifdom may be unable to preferve  us  in perfect
 fafety, but I am well convinced  we have much more  in
 our power than is  generally  fuppofed.  Humanity  calls
 loudly upon our united exertions ; let us,  then, intreat
 our councils again  to difcufs  this fubject.   Let  them  en-
 quire and be Informed of whatZ'^j been, for the better re-
 gulation of that which Jhould be done, and  let us fhew them
 v,-hat has not been,  that they may  better provide  for  that
 which maft be done.

  For fome time paft  intervening engagements  have  pre-  -
 vented the obfervations intended to be dropt from my pen,
 and many may fuppofe that the weight of authority  (I al-
 lude to Jofeph Townfend's fupporter?;, fome of whom are
 high in office) has obliged  me to fhrink from the talk I
 had  undertaken ; but I would inform my fellow citizens
 that I have not been nedioent, in collecting  fuch informa-
 tion as I hope will benefit them  on a  future  day.   That .
 my friends, and others, who  have felt themfelves intereft-
 ed on this occafion, may no longer  fuppofe  that I  had
dealt in fiction, when defcribing thefufferings of the diftreff-
ed, I have ftated to them, as above, one of the many  hu- •
 mane acts which have characterifed our late board of health,
end which fhall be laid before the public in due time, when
 it is my intention,  that the letters  of  Humanitas mall be
republished in a pamphlet, with fome further obfervations
on the fubject, and wi h every neceffary proof of all my
after tion s.
                                     - J. SMITH.
    Baltimore, 15th Jan.  1801. 
9
             From the FEDERAL GAZETTE. -

     Mefrs. Tundt & Brown,
  I OBSERVE in your paper of ycfterday, apiece over
the fignzture of J. Smith, interfperfed with a certificate
of William M'Cormick and others, fetting forth  in colors
that  are  truly frightful, the character of Jofeph  Townf-
end, as fecretary to the board of  health, respecting his
conduct  towards Polly  Elliott.   I have  long  obferved
the character of Mr. Townfend and  another gentleman
of the board calumniated by the letters  of  Humanitas,
and had I not been in habits of intimacy with them, and
witneffed the arduous talk  they had to fuftain during  the
late calamity, I fhould have thought  them fit objects  of
deteftation indeed.
  Let us return to Polly Elliott's cafe again.  Mr. William
M'Cormick and others  at the requeft of J. Smith, fay,
that early in September they found  Polly JL\\iott Jlaggering
about fick, and that  they went up  and down and up and
down again, in fearch of a doctor to  get a certificate that
fhe had  aclually the yellow fever ;  that finally, they came
acrofs a doctor and obtained the certificate required, from
whence en maffe, they went to the fecretary, but the inex-
orable wretch would not do exactly  as they, M'Cormick
£sf Co. ordered him, but takes the fick flaggering child  by
thefioulders, and puts her into theftreet again.   I would here
paufe and afk all thofe who have not the pleafure  of Mr.
Townfend's acquaintance, whether, from the character  J.
Smith has extracted from the certificate  makers, you do
not believe him,  the- faid Jofeph,  to be one of the veriefi
wretches  that ever difgraced a civilized nation, yes, and  fo
you  ought, one and  all to fay if the ftatement of his cha-^
rafter in yefterday's paper, fhould  ftand  uncontradicted.
   It unfortunately happens,  that  when  fome  perfons
(efpecially thofe  making their firft appearance  in public)
are over felicitous to eftablifh a favourite point,  they after
afking a thoufand unimportant queftions,  forget the main 
lo
one ;  juft fojias it happened with the aforefaid J.  Smith,
for no one can doubt, that in order to drefs his additional
number to the letters of Humanitas  in  handfome  attire,
the certificate makers aforefaid were afked  queftions out
of number ; but how  he came to let fo important a one
as that I allude to efcape hisfagacious mind,is to me un-
accountable,  to wit : whether there were no  perfons prefent
at the time this mighty affair of Polly  Elliott  happened,  that
might poffibly ftate the matter in a different point ofview.
   Now it hath, unfortunately for DrrSmith, fo happened,
that at the time and place where this  cruel, this unchriftian
treatment of Polly Elliott occurred,  I chanced to be, that is
at Mr. jofeph Townfends, early in September, 1800 ; now
that the public mind may be a little relieved refpecting
this dreadful bufinefs of J. Smith,  Polly Elliott and the
certificate makers above mentioned, 1 fhall fimply  relate
rv hat  I faw of it :
   Early in September laft, as above mentioned, I happen-
ed to  be in the houfe of Jofeph Townfend, at which time
and place William M'Cormick andfeveral  other perfons,
to me unknown, were accompanied'with a flout looking lump
of a girl, that  to all appearance was from twelve to four-
teen  years of age,  for whpfe admittance into  the hofpital
an order was iilued ; after this fome trifling   converfation
paffed, of which I took little notice, owing,  I am fure to
the unimportance of.it  ; after which I difcovered  it was
difficult forMeifrs.  M'Cormick &Co. to procure  a ftage
to take a perfon to the  hofpital reputed  fick ; upon which
they trudged  off together, towards Philpot's bridge, and I
think if my memory does not deceive me, (and I  do not
lufpect  it does) that Polly Elliott, if that was her name,
appeared to me to  be as able to walk  to the hofpital as
Dr. Smith, Mr. M'Cormick, or even the fecretary to the
board of health himfelf.
   After having thus related  what I faw with my own eyes,
it cannot be expected that I mould go farther, and fay that
what M'Cormirk  & Co. have faid  about this fcuffle be-
tween the fupplicating fick  girl and the  ftern  fecreta- 
II
ry,  is untrue ; no this  I fhall not do, hut I fhall fay that I
faw no fuch conteft as has been certified to,  noT any thing
of the kind.  On the contrary, I faw nothing but what ap-
peared to me to be humane and proper.  I fuall here leave
this part of the bufinefs with the public, to judge whether
it is probable thata circumftance fo difgufting to the  feel-
ings of humanity, could have taken place unobferved by me.
  Jan. 20, 1801.
                                  JOHN HILLEN.

  P.  S. In the concluding part of the piece above allud-
ed to, figned J. Smith, I find a threat of having the calum-
nies of the letters of Humanitas propagated by means of a
pamphlet.   Should this determination  be perfifted in,  I
have torequeft that he will, in juftice  to Mr. Townfend,
give this letter, a place  with them by  way of antidote,
Should he refufe a requeft fo reafonable and fo  juft, he is
hereby informed that this letter fhall, with  all  other cir-
cumftances reflecting  this bufinefs, be made asextenfivcly
public as his.
                        _____                 J. II-

  ON a Sunday afternoon early' in September laft, 1 was
at Mr. Jofeph Townfend?s houfe,  in company with Mr. j.
Hilton, where I faw, Mr.  M'Cormick and  one or two o-
thermen in company with a well grown girl, which ap-
peared to me of 12 or 14 years of age. I was informed by
Mr. Townfend, that they had brought that girl there and
a certificate from a doctor, that fhe  had  fomething of the
prevailing fever, and  that he had given her an  order  of
admiffion into the hofpital.  / particularly noticed the girl,
and from  her countenance jhould not have fuppofed her to  be
the leajl unwell. I went up flairs in  Mr.  Townfend's hoiffe
and  looking  out of the window,  faw Mr. M'Cormick
fpeak to a frage driver, I believe on the fubject of carry-
ing the girl to the hefpitakp. The  driver refufed to- take
her j  at length they "all  ftarfed of  to walk to  the hofpital
B  2 
12
and in my opinion the girl appeared to be as able  to  walk
as either of them, and 1 conceive that Mr. M'Cormick and
the other gentlemen in company with her muft have been
of the fame opinion with me, or they would not have fuf-
fered her in that Jlaggering faint condition (which fhe is laid
to have been  in)  to carry the bundle of clothes  which fhe
then had in her hand, and carried with her—and  that I
faw  nothing improper in the conduct of Mr.  Townfend
towards Polly Elliot [the girl  alluded to]  or to any other
perfon, but that he fhowed a difpofition to give every necef-
fary affiftance as far as lay in his power.
                                  Wm. JENKINS.
   Baltimore, Jan. 22, 1801.
The following is a juft and accurate  ftatement  of Mary
                   Elliott's cafe :
 .  MARY ELLIOTT- was  received into  the hofpital
on the 7th September, 1800, in confequence of an order
for that purpofe, granted by Mr. Townfend.  She came
in during thofe hours in which  I  was  in  the  habit of
paying my evening vifit to that  inftitution :  fhe appeared
to me to be an healthy-locking robult girl, [as I then re-
marked] of the age of 12 or 13 years ; and from the mild-
nefs of the fymptoms which marked her difeafe, I was in.
 duced to believe it a cafe of the common autumnal fever.
 I obferved I have remarked in  my note book. " that I was
 doubfd of its being the prevailing  epidemic" and  certain  I
 am that the difeafe did not appear to have attained  that
 grade which conftitutes yellow fever.  A flight pain  in the
 head and  back, accompanied with a more  frequent pulfe
 than I have^fually met with in the yellow fever, were the
'thief fymptoms of this girl's cafe.  Some blood was drawrt
 from her arm  and fuch medicines admiinftered, as  I  con^
 ceived beft adapted to her fituation.   Thefe'were perfifted
 in with  every  apparent advantage, till  the  morning
 ot the fifth day after her admiffion,'  when  (probably in 
"3
confequence of having expofed herfelf for fome time  out
of doors to the night air) a violent chill took place iucceed-
ed by an Unexpected and profafe hemorrhage from the gums
and parts adjacent, which in the courfe of a few days put a
period to her exiftence.
  Dr. Moores, in giving the certificate requifite for the ad-
miffion of this girl into the hofpital, and which I have now
in my poffeffion, has  acted with caution,  and is not  decid-
ed in his opinion reflecting her cafe. This certificate is ad-
dreffed to the committee of health, as follows :

                         Baltimore, Sept.  7th,  1 800.
      Gentlemen,
   I have  examined a  girl named  Mary  Elliott----fhe
appears to me to have fomething of the prevailing  epide-
mic, and is, as I am told,  deftitute.
                       DANIEL MOORES,  M. D.
   The Committee of Health*

   I well  remember  that  in the courfe of the evening on
 which this girl was admitted into the hofpital, Mr.  Town-
 fend mentioned to me that he had fent me a patient, whom
 he believed, was not much indifpofed, but that as he had
 received the above certificate  from Dr. Moores,  he  had
 thought it bed  to give an order for her  reception  there,
 not knowing in what other place  fhe could be fo well ac-
 commodated or taken  care of.
   I cannot conceive that the walk which this girl took  to
 the hofpital, could have done her material injury ;  for the
 fymptoms of her difeafe were not apparently increafed by
 it.   The oppreffive heat of the weather, no doubt did fa-
 tigue her at the time ; but numerous inftances occurred,

   * It was moft proper at that time  when the difeafe was not Jo prsva-
 lent in town to have given the certificate  as worded above.  For if fhe
 had fomething of the Tellcw Fever, fhe could notbefaidto have nothing
 .of it, and it was never expecled that  any fymptvn. of a  1 ellow  [ever
 Wild be miflakeit for a different feve^r. 
'4
in which, perfons labouring under a more aggravated ftate
of fever, walked as far to the hofpital as fhe did, and on a
day equally as warm, or perhaps more fo,  who recovered
rapidly after their admiffion.
                          COLLIN MACKINZIE,
                   Attending phyfician to the Hofpital.
  Jan. 26.
            From the FEDERAL GAZETTE.

     Me/frs. Tundt iff Brown.
  HAVING obferved the characters of two of our fellow-
citizens (Meffrs. A. Fcnerden and J. Townfend)  calumU
v.ated by  J. Smith—as a friend to  humanity, and to  all
that take an active part in acts of benevolence, I wifh to
give my opinion, which I never  fhould have  thought cf
doing, if their characters had not been fo ungeneroufly.
attacked. It is not likely that our citizens  who were dr'.v
en  from  their homes in the time of our late calamity, are
capable 'of knowing fufficiently the credit which is due to
thefe men,  info   arduous and dangerous  a  tafk as they
were engaged  in ; and as I was an eye  witnefs for the.
moft part of the time, until late in October I cannot ealily
be miftaken.
  I vifited  the mayor's  office and Mr. Townfend's almoft
every day,  as the moft  proper place to get information of
the  progrefs of the ficknefs, the ftate of the fick, the num-
ber  of the dead, and to  enquire whether I could be of any
ufe  to them; and fuch things as they afked me to do, I did
with cheerfulnefs.   In  every inftance, I found theie men
at their pofts furrounded with the diftreflcd, giving  relief
to the poor, afliftance to  the fick, fending  provifions to
the  barracks, giving  admittance to the hofpital, and pro-
viding for between twenty and thirty  children, who were
left fatherlefs and motherlefs,  and who to all  human ap-
pearance  muft have periffied, if thefe  men had not col-
lected them together, and provided for them. 
"5
   I have heen long acquainted with Meffrs. Fonerden and
 Townfend, but I candidly confefs I never knew their in-
; difpenfible  u efulnefs in focietv before.  I  am very fure
 Dr. S. will gain himfelf but little credit among the more
 judicious and thinking part of our citizens, for his unge-
 nerous attack on thefe men, to whom  this city is  under
 fo many obligations ;  and  I am  truly forry that he chofe
 no better fubject to make  himfelf popular, for which  he
 will get very little thanks from his fellow-citizens.  It is
 poor encouragement for men to act in times of diftrefs, at
 the rifk of  their lives, if  their characters are to be torn
 to pieces by  young men  who  are hardly known to  be
 ufeful.  Dr.  Smith  promifed  the public, that he would
 prove by inconteftible facts all  his charges againit Meffrs.
 Fonerden and Townfend, and I am  truly furprifed that
 after fo much faid againft them, he  has brought but one
 folitaryinftance  of their  inhumanity;  and if this cafe of
 Mifs Mary  Elliott was correct,  the  ferviccs  which they
 have rendered the widows and the fathsrlefs, and hundreds
 of other poor helplefs citizens, in their  official capacities,
 were enough to incline a  generous people to  throw a veil
 over it forever.  The doctor was  not an eye witnefs to
 Mary  Elliott's cafe,  and  the certificate  which has been
 publifhed to fet the matcer in a fair light, by gentlemen of
 undoubted  veracity,  proves that his  informants were net
 correct.  It is probable  that he has views that never were
 attached to the duties of the health committee. However,
 it was very unreafonable for him to wiHi Mr.  T. to leavrt
 all his other concerns, to  convey the girl to the hofpital,
 when the gentleman who brought her  was  adequate to
 the tafk: for my part I fnould never have thought of any
 fuch a thing.  If the perfon who brought her to Mi\  T.
 was  not able to  hire a ftage to carry  the girl, he  might
 have hired it  at the public's  charge, and if he was, it
 would but have been a fmall tribute of humanity, without
 calumniating the character  of the Secretary.
   Doctor Smith's charge goes farther than to McfTrs.  Y.
 and T.  It indirectly ftabs the  reputation of the mayor 
i6
and city council ; and what is  more, to {hut the hand of  ;
charity in future vifitations, if  we ever fhould fuffer with
the like calamity again.  It is well known that  the funds  ■
of  the city were not fufficient to relieve the diftreffed :  *'
charity was folicited & thebenevolent fentin liberally from  *
various quarters : but if the donations of the people are to  *
be*put into the hands of men, who prodigally will  fquan-  "
der them away, as the doctor has reprefented, who do we
fuppofe will ever lend a  hand to relieve us ? I moft de-
voutly pray that we may never  need affiftance again—but
we may reft affured that thefe things will go abroad, and
if credired,  would make  a very  unfavorable impreffion
upon the minds  of the people at large.
   I would advifethe Doctor to  be cautious how he med-
dles with public characters, left he fhould deftroy his own
purposes, and do it to  his hurt;  let him remember  that
the fame meafure he meets to  others, will  be  meafured  '■';
back to him again.   I fee  that  he intends to collect his  .
pieces and publiffi them  in a pamphlet that they may be^B
of future ufefulnefs as well as prefent; but I fee no ufe they  w
will be of, unlefs  it  is to keep alive the difagreeable feel-  m
ings they have already occafioned, and which ought to pe-  J
riffi with the day. The Doctor ought to recollect, that the  jjm
gentlemen  he fo warmly attacks  have families,  and in  i
wounding  the feelings of  the parents, he will wound the  •
children  alfo ;  and  however mild  the  remarks  of his
friends may be  now, there may be, fooner or later, a pen
dipt in gall,  for  him,  and it  may  be, as  ungenerous
as his is againft J. Townfend and A. Fonerden.
                                                      i
                    JESSE HOLLINGSWORTH.    * 
I*
             From the  FEDERAL GAZETTE.

     Meffrs\ Tundt U Brown,
  To  enter into a paper war with fuch antagonifts as John
Hillen, currier, efquire, and member of the city council, and
William Jenkins  his brother-in-law,  who  have oppofed
the plain and juft  ftatementof Polly Elliott's cafe, as pub-
fifhed in your Gazette of the 20th  inftant, is  not my  in-
tention.   In justification, however, of the benevolent and
difinterefted characters who witneffed, as well as myfelf,
the circumftances alluded to ;  and who, in my   prefence,
and with my approbation and afliftance informed  doctor
Smith of them, in the moft cautious and particular manner,
that he might make them  known to  the public for public
good—I hope you  will give a place in your ufeful paper
to the fbllowingaffidavits :

     Baltimore county, ff.
   ON this 26th bf January 1801, came before  me Willi-
am M'Cormick,  and  being duly fworn on the Holy Evatt-
gelifts of Almighty God, depofeth and faith,
   That the  ftatement  of Polly Elliott's cafe, which   ap-
peared in  the Federal Gazette of the 20th inftant,  is jafi
and true ; and further this deponent  faith,  that  when he
carried the  aforefaid Polly Elliott up to the health-office,
he took her with him up flairs  into the parlour of the faid
Jofeph Townfend, where, & in which place,  he   then was
& didfign her order of admiffion, in his prefence & in the
prefence of Polly Elliott, and no other perfon whatever-, that
after figning the order aforefaid, the faid Jofeph did direct
this deponent to take the child home with him again ; un-
lefs he would  carry her to the hofpital: whereupon  the
faid Jofeph did  ufher them out of the parlour above-
mentioned,  and taking the faid Pclly  Elliott [who Was in
a fick condition] by the arm, did put her down three  or four
Jlepsfrom the head of the flairs* in fach a maimer" as toendan*
                           C 
iS
ger her falling; that having defcended the flairs, and being   ]
m the paffage which led into the flreet, the aforefaid  fick
child did flop and refufe to  .go farther,  unlefs  the  faid
Jofeph would make the  neceffary provifion to  carry her   ,
to the hofpital;  whereupon the faid  Jofeph did  put  his   |
hand to, and in an unfeeling manner did jhove  the faid Polly
Elliott out of his door into the ftreet ;  that at this time,   •]
when he, this deponent and the aforefaid  Polly  Elliott,
had quit the houfe of the faid Jofeph Townfend and flood
in the ftreet, and not before, then he, this deponent, faw John
'Hillen and William Jenkins coming acrofs the ftreet from
the direction (he thinks) of the Market  Space towards
them ; That after the faid John Hillen had fpoke  to this
deponent, as he  paffed on the bufinefs of his errand to the
health-office, he, together with William Jenkins, went in-
to-  the houfe, and were foon  after  followed by   Jofeph
Townfend ; that afterwards he faw no more of John Hil-   /  ,
len or Jofeph Townfend on that day, but  looking  up  ta
the windows of  the parlor they had before left,  he well
remembered to have feen William  Jenkins looking after
themasthey went off in theftreet ;  that from thence he,
this deponent, walked with the  faid Polly  Elliott,   t<* the
hofpital ; that fhe did carry  with  her a  fmall bundle  of   i,
clothes, which in his  eftimation, would not have weighed
more than one pound; that to refrefli the faid Polly  Elliott,    i
who appeared to be faint and weak,, he, this deponent, and
others did fend one of their company into the tavern of John
Miller to procure fome drink, partof which was taken by the
aforefaid fick child ; and this deponent well remembers that
while they flopped for the purpofe above  mentioned, the
faid Polly Elliott didfupport herfelf on her feet by leaning a-
gainft thepailing on the way fide,  and that when fhe took    ',
holdof the cup withboth of her hands, they trembled fo much
Cowing to the fever he fuppofes)that it was with difficulty fhe
drank; and further this  deponent faith not.
                         WILLIriM  M'CORMICK.
   Sworn and fubfcribed to  before
                                OWEN DORSEY. 
*9
     Baltimore County, fs.
  ON this s6th day of January,  1801, cane before me
William fioyce, and being duly fworn on the Holy Evai-
gelifts of Almighty God,  depofeth and faith,
  That  he was perfonally  prefent, and is well  acquainted
with  moft of the circumftances refpecting Polly Elliott's
cafe, as related in the Federal Gazette, of the 20th inftant;
that he accompanied William M'Cormick  and Polly Elli-
ott  to the houfe of Jofeph Townfend, on Sunday the
day of September, when and where, an order was figned for
the admiffion  of the faid  Polly Elliott into the hofpital;
that he  this deponent, did not go up flairs  with the faid
William M'Cormick and Polly Elliott aforefaid; but wait-
ed  in the ftreet until  they would  have accomplifhed the
intention of their vifit. And further this deponent declar-
eth, that he knew of no other perfon being prefent in the houfe
with them, at that  time;  and this deponent further faith,
that when the faid'William M'Cormick and Polly Elliott
did defcend the flairs, accompanied by Jofeph Townfend,
he faw the faid Jofeph appearing difpleafed, put the fick girl
out of his door into the fireet, and th'at after  they had all quit
the houfe of Jofeph Townfend  aforefaid, and flood in the
fireet, and not before,  then he faw John Hillen and William
Jenkins coming acrofs the fireet  to  .them ; that ftraight-
way they, the faid John Hillen and William Jenkins walk-
ed into the houfe, and were foon after followed by Jofeph
Townfend ; but to the certain knowledge of this deponent,
neither  the faid John  Hillen nor William Jenkins, were
prefent at what paffed  between William M'Cormick and
Jofeph Townfend aforefaid, nor were they perceived by
this deponent until after  the aforefaid Polly Elliott had
been put into the ftreet. This deponent further declareth,
that after every endeavour had failed to procure a ftage, he
accompanied William M'Cormick and Polly Elliott, who
-wa&Jick and weak, on foot  up to the  hofpital; and  further
this deponent faith not.         WILLIAM BQYCEC
  SWORN L- subscribed to before
                                     01VEN DORSET,
                         C 2 
20
   I would now exprefs my aftonifhment that  the  two
 gentlemen before  mentioned would ever have given fuch
 certificates  as   have  been  published to  the world  and
 repeatedly inferted  in  your paper, to  bias public opinion
 by the weight of their authority,  and by difcoloring. the
 truth, more effectually blaft the characters of men of in-
 tegrity.  Thefe gentlemen  have pledged the  fanction of
 their undoubted veracity, to difprove an action they would
 have the world  to  believe  they were  perfectly acquaint-
 ed with.   How far their ftatement agrees with the truth
 as above fworn to,  the public  will no doubt readily  per-
 ceive, and I hope  they will  excufe my appearing before
 them to re-eftabli'h that credibility which has ever been
 unimpeached, before  their  attempt to  deftroy it; while
 they endeavoured at the fame time to poifon  the private
 character of an induftrious mechanic and an honefl citizen,
 thereby to eftablifh  on a more firm foundation the tottering
 popularity of one  of  their own friends.   If the facts as
 ftated by us, were difbelieved by them, did we  not pro-
mife *€ give ihc moft pofitive proof of their accuracy ?—
 Why then did they not call upon the proper authority,
and have us brought forward to fubftantiate our  charge,
or  prove  Jofeph Townfend to be innocent?  No—this
would have been confirming the truth, for we have other
and equally inconteftible proof  of the certainty of our al-
ready  proven  affertions.  Docs  Jofeph Townfend  dare
publicly to deny what we have ftated ?  No—for then he
would accufe himfelf.  But evading the fteps which ought
 to have-been purfued, he has brought in an officious  tool,
with William Jenkins, a tanner, to ftand before  him and
the truth, which he is afhamed to  oppofe,  and who feem
ready to juftify an act of barbarity,  to which no hiftory of
 the lavage  uncivilized can  afford a parallel ;  and which
 weald have drawn the tear  of grief from any other, than
the callous hearts which inhabit their own  breafts.  Yes !
 thefe  men would employ the mite of their intellectual  ac-
 quirements, and  profit uting their fallowprodutlions would
 again wiffi  to palm upon the public, a man, who has al- 
21
 ready deceived us in the important duties etitrufted  to
 him.   Yes! John Hillen, can ridicule thediftrefs of others
 and mock the unHeady Heps of  the daggering  child of
 mifery !—Yes !  he can  exultingly boaft of his habits of
 intimacy, with  a man who has been proved to mal-treat
 the deritute and devoted victim of an awful difeafe"!  Yes,
 by feoffs and fneers, and a jumbled flory of ': what he faw
 with hi.: own eyes"  he can infult the feelings of the gene-
 rous and humane; and vaunting on  his  public appear-
 ance, as the ftupid and illiterate author of  a contradiclory
 paragraph,  wiffi to perpetuate his inconfiftencies, and live
 in the memory  of the citizens of Baltimore, as  the con-
 fpicuous friend and fupporter of  the Jlcm fecretary ;  and
 that as a member of the city council, we may expect him to
• give his vote to  entail upon us the inexorable jofeph Town-
 lend, again to exercife his cruelties c:: the  taint and weary
 children of affliction ; when the hand cf heaven may again
 pour out his chafiiiements upon us.
                                   JAMES YOUNG.
    January 29,  i8ori.

               From  the FEDERAL GAZETTE.

      Meffrs. Yundt & Brown,
    Having obferved in your paper of the 26th infant, what is
 caVcd a juft and accurate  fiatement cf Mary  Elliott's cafe, by
  Colin M'Kenzie, you  wijl oblige me and the public,  by laying
 before  them the following documents  and obfervatiens, which
  will place the bufinefs  in its proper point of 'view.

    Doctor Smith's  compliments  to Doctor Moons, and
 would be glad to know  what was  the fituation  of ,Pp|!y
 Elliott, when he gave her a certificate to be admittedin^o
 the,hofpital, where fhe  died a  few days afterwards.

                         Baltimore,  January 26, 1801.
      Sjx,
    I received your note,  requeuing-me to  inform you of
 the fituation of Polly Elliott, when I gave  her a certificate 
to be admitted into the hofpital.   The number of patients
to whom  I gave certificates  being conliderable, and not
having kept a regilter of their cafes or even names,  renders
it impoffible for me at prefent to recollect the exact fitua-
tion oi all  of them.  This much I can fay, that I am con-
fident  that I never rave a  certificate to one, unlefs the
fymptoms  were unequivocally thofe of the then prevailing
epidemic.   The quotation  which you fent me from Mr.
William Jenkins's piece in the Federal Gazette, gives me
no uceafinefs. The public can judge who of us is the molt
li- e.v to be  miitaken in a medical opinion.
  Early in September laft, a girl, fuch as Pclly Elliott is
defcribed to have been, was  brought before me from the
lower part of Scuth-ftreet, but I cannot recollect the name
of the girl,  or the names of the  perfons who conducted
her.   The eyes of this girl were red,  head ach fevere and
fever  confiderable, aggravated as  I thought, by the fatigue
of walking; not having a doubt in my mind of the nature
of her cafe, I readily gave a certificate, that fhe was affect-
ed with the prevailing  fever, and directed it lo the com-
mittee of health.  .
                       DANIEL  MOORES, M. D.
   Dr. fames Smith.

     Joseph Townsend,
  I have again taken the liberty to apply to you,  as noto-
rioufly the proper perfon  to grant me permiflion to have
accefs to the books of the hofpital.
   Dr. M'Kenzie yefterday informed me, that he  was not
at liberty to permit me to  fee thofe books ;  or to  make
public the names of the perfons who  died in the hofpital;
but that I  might have from him a true ftatement of their
'number-   The fame gentleman alfo informed  me that you
have the books alluded to now in  your poffeffion ; but that
ycu are determined to conceal them from my view and are
fanctioned in this determination by the late board of health.
   I would now  inform you  that Mary Elliott was pro-
nounced,  by a phyfician of known "abilities  and expert 
23
ence, to be in an irrecoverable Mate  of the late prevailing
fever,  before you gave her an order of admiffion to the
hofpital, and I am informed it is well known to her friends
that fhe died on Thurfday morning, in lefs than four days
from  the time  of her  admiffion; whereas  from  Dr.
M'Kenzie's ftatement in yeiterday's Gazette,which appa-
rently has been  drawn out to fcreen you, the public are
led to  believe that file lived at lead eight days from the
time that you pufhed her ouLof your door.—
   You have already denied granting me that information,
any citizen has a right to demand of  you as their public
officer—you may alio deny  me this requeft ;  but I  muft
fay that I never yet  heard  of any other hofpital than the
one under your direction, where  the officers were permit-
ted to keep their proceedings private.
   The bearer, Dr. Clendinen, waits your anfwer.
                                  JAMES SMITH.
   Tuesday morning, January 27, 1801.

  Dr. Clendinen's compliments to Dr. Smith, and deliver-
ed his  letter to  Jofeph Townfend in his office, which, after
my waiting fome time, he  read—he now turned and was
about  to leave  me,   when  I  afked him  whether  I
fhould wait his  anfwer ; but he paid no attention to my
requeft and very  politely would  have left me alone.  I
however followed him to his front door and repeated my
queftion; when he obferved to me to " remember that
1 do  not turn thee out of  my door, but leave  my houfe
to thee," on which Mr. Tov/nfend went off, up the  ftreet,
without making any reply whatever,  to your requeft.
     Tuesday, 1  2 o'clock:

   On my receiving Dr. Clendinen's note, I immediate-
ly went up  to  the  mayor's office, where  before him, I
met with Jofeph Townfend  and Adam Fonerden,  and
difcuffed the right I had as a citizen, to have accefs to the
books  of the hofpital—It was argued on  their part, by
Adam Fonerden, to grant me accefs to their books v/ould 
24
be ftupidly to fumifh  me  with materials for further ca-
lumnies,* againft  themfelves.  In  reply, I obferved  that
my only object was to  difcover the truth and lay it before
the public.  If their books were juft  and proper, no ca-
lumnies could arife from them; but if their proceedings
have been improper and inaccurate, the truth fhould not,
on this account, be concealed from the public, who moft
unqueflionably have a right to  afcerrain it.   It availed me
little to declare that I  had  proofs in my poffeffion  to con-
tradict the ftatcment given of Mary lidliott's cafe by Dr.
Mackenzie, and which is faid  to have  been accurately ta-
ken by him from the books  in queftion.  The mayor con-
ceived that any citizen had a  right to fee the  books of
the hofpital,  but  apologized, that at this time thefe gen-
tlemen were too much  occupied in preparing  their   ac-
counts to permit my requeft, but that in a fliort time they]
would be laid before the proper authority, (the city coun-
cilf) and examined by them  ; that  immediately after-
wards, every  document would  be returned  to  his office/
where any citizen might have accefs  to them.
   To acquicfee and  fubmit to this  decifion, moft certainly
became me befl ;  and  I left the mayor's office, without a-
ny expectation of being ever afterwards permitted to in-
fpect  the books alluded to, which  moft  properly are  of
fuch a nature, as to beheld not returnable to this office.
I have, however,  fince received a very impolite letter from
doctor Mackenzie, in  which he gives  a final decifion to *
the whole difpute, and after informing me of an  error
of the editors  in his ftatement, where a few days were in-
fer ted inflead of a few hours, fays, "  I have now, fir, to
inform you, that the hofpital  books are in my poffeffion, and I,
am determined that neither yovrfelf, nor any other perfon,  Jha\\
have the liberty to look over them,  unlefs I choofe to permit it"

  * Quere—Does Mr. Fintrden ccnfJer calumny and truth at syncni-
vions terms ? perhaps in this inst.n:.:, the  truth is the grcJter  fib.I.
                     >■                                 ■ \
  j J'jh/j Hillen U * mi laser of th; city aun:!/, and fo is Adam Foner- ^
ften. 
25
  Leaving this fubject, we are now prepared for a few ob-
fervations on doctor Mackenzie's ftatement of Mary Elli-
ott's cafe: and the firft, which deferves our  notice na-
turally arifes from the defcription he has given  us of  this
girl, at the time when fhe was admitted into the hofpital
—" fhe appeared to me, fays the doctor,  to be a healthy
looking robuftgirl, and from the mildnefs of the  fymp-
toms which marked her difeafe. I was influenced to believe
it a cafe of the common autumyalfever "  This  defcription
I grant, tallies exactly with  the  famous  defcription of a
«' flout looking lump  of a girl," by a currier ;  and the Dr.
appears to be quite as competent to judge  of her fituation
as anothei judicious gentleman of the faculty jufl mention-
ed, who "particularly noticed the girl, and from her counte-
nance, Jhould not have fuppofe d her to have been the leaf un-
well."   The reader will here naturally, compare the joint
defcription of thefe three intelligent & difcerning  gentlemen,
with the above ftatement, of the fame cafe; by doctor Moores,
while / paufe to ghe fcope to your afonifhment !----Super-
ficial indeed rouft  the   dodor's olrfervations have been,
 when he only remarked the healthy external app<ftrance of
 this girl, whofe " red eyes,fevere head ache and confidera-
 ble fever," (at that time the moft unequivocal 2nd charac-
 teriftic fymptoms  of the Yellow Fever) prefented  them-
 felves to  attraft his attention.   'Tis  a poor  fubterfuge,
 and one  that any phyfi,cian would be afhamed of, which
 doctor Mackenzie has  ufed, to juftify his  own ignorance
 of the difeafe before him, where he places his  dependence
 upon what he thought to be doctor Moores, cautious and
 undecided opinion refpeaing the cafe : it  would be injuf-
 tice, then, to draw a parallel between an experienced phy-
 ficianand one who could not diftinguifh  " acommon au-
 tumnal fever" from the difeafe which, by "an unexpect-
 ed and profufe hemorrhage from the gums and parts adja-
 cent, put a period to the exiftence of his  patient."   How
 adequate, neverthelefs, to  account for her death,  [" Pr0*
  Jpably,"  fays the doctor, ' in confluence of having expofed 
                          26                             |


hcrfelf forfometime out of doors to the night air,'J and how   I
weil adapted to her fituation, were the medicines adminif-   J
tered, and which were perfifted  in with every apparent ad-   ■
vantage, 'till  the morning of the 5th day after her admiffi-   fm
on, the public are well able to judge ; when from his own   I
ftatement he  acknowledges that he  was ignorant of  her   I
difeafe, until  a few hours before  the termination of the
fcene !!
   But  the doctor, after having dropped  his ftatement,
which alfo  agrees with JofepH*  Townfend's opinion, viz.
"  that he had fent him a  patient  to the hofpital who  was not
much indifpofed," has proceeded, and I may fay artfully at-
tempted, to juftify apart of the  fyfem of the late  acting
committee  of health, which I intend to notice on  a  future
orc<mon,& which every man of feeling rauftrejdct with hor-
ror— latludeto that of obliging the sick to walk to the hofpi-
tal.  I would  here again refer the reader to doctor Moores*
letter, where heexprefsly obferves to me, that this  patient's
"fever was aggravated by the fatigue of walking" the fmall
diitance from South ftreet to Gay  ftreet.   If, then, Polly   ;
Elliott's difeafe was aggravated  by walking two fquares, on
a  level pavement, where fhe  could be  occafionly  fhaded
Irom the ra)B of the fun ; how much more muft fhe have   f
fu ffered, by being obliged to walk  a  mile,  expofed  to his   \
direct rays ?  and, "  in her fick  and weak condition," obli-
ged to afcend the fleep hills which  intervene, before  fhe
could reach that afylum for her affliction, from which fhe
 was never to return !   Strange  it is, and little did I ex-
 pect it, that any young man could ever  have fo far unhu-
 manized his heart, as to fanction with his  approbation a
 proceeding which only  the callous  friends ofthe"ftern   y
 fecretary" dare to juftify.   I fhall quote the  whole para-   *
 graph  from  his addrefs, and   leave the public to  judge,
 how fuccefsful the doctor  has  been, in recovering  their
 walking victims, and hope that in future, no fuch  men or
 meafuns vull ever be employed  to difgrace the humanity of
 the ci:y of  Baltimore—'• I cannot  conceive," fays the
 iiocto;, " that the walk which this girl took to the hofpi- 
27
tal could have done her material injury ; for the fymptoma
of her difeafe were not apparently increafed  by  it   "1 he
oppreffive heat of the  weather did no  doubt,  fatigue her
at the time: but numerous inftances occurred,  in  which
perfons labouring under  a more aggravated ftate of  fever,
walked as far to the  hofpital as fhe did, and on  a day e-
qually as warm, or perhaps more fo, who  recovered rapid-
ly after their admiflion."
                                       J. SMITH.

              From the FEDERAL GAZETTE.         ''

     Mefrs. Tundt &? Brown,
   We obferve in your paper  of  yeflerday the company
of certificate  makers reflecting Polly Elliott once  more
thruft upon the public, to prove what they  had faid on
the 20th infl. to be true.  If they will pleafe to recollect,
we did not fay their certificate was fatfe, but we faid we were
there at the time, and faw nothing but what appeared to be
humane and proper.  They have faid a  great deal about
feeing us coming acrofs the fireet from towards the market
fpace ; now we muft inform this company of  certificate
makers, that we had not been on the market fpace that
day, but that at the  time Mr.  M'Cormick, Polly  Elliott
and Mr. Townfend came out of his, Mr. Townfend's front
door, we were fo near that we are fully perfuaded this fhov-
ing  into the fireet, fpoken fo  much about,  could not hav»
iaken place unobferved by us,
                                  JOHN HILLEN,
                                  Wm.  JENKINS.
   Baltimore,  Jan.  30,  1801.

          Mr. JESSE HOLLINGSWORTH,
   Sir,
      YOUR  public endeavours to fupprefs, that exami-
nation of the conduct of our late  board  of health, which
has been commenced by me,  for the benefit of our fellow-
                          Da 
a8
 citizens, has compelled me lo  notice your interference;
 left you may have wrongfully perfuaded  any,  that I have
 only written  for the bale purpofes of calumny and abufe.
 And now, fir,  left you may fuppofe, that  I  alfo feci an
 inclination to abufe you ;  I fhall be candid,  and confefs,
 that 1 would have .vifhed to addrefj  you with  refpecl—for \
 you are an old man.   1 would have wifned to addrefs you
 with reverence—for your hairs are grey, and time has pla-
 ced his finger upon you.   You have been long feen in the
 ranks ; you  have been eftetmed a  friend to humanity ;
 you have  been, oftentimes theinftrumeat of public good.
 But why do you now appear to have changed ?  Why  do
 you now oppofe the i; eareft interefts of your fellow citizens?  !
 Why have you alfo lent your name  to  opprefs an indivi-
 dual, and veil an act of inhumanity, from which,  every
 feeling  mind muft  revolt with honor ?—Perhaps,  you,
 likewife, are deceived !—If fo, your eyes fhall be opened,
 and the tongue of cenfure hufhed in peace.—Or, may be,
 the fixed prejudices of old age,  have fleeled your heart, -
 and rivetted your judgment,  againft the perfuafions  of
 truth ?  If fo-—you are to be pitied, rather than accufed.
 For, when the  limbs are weary,  and old age, oppreffed
 with care, bears  down every faculty to  the  earth—the
 peevinSnefs of man is to be borne with patience ; his weak-  (
 nefs is not a crime, 'tis the frailty of human nature ; and
 I would lend my hand to afuft, rather than injure you.—
 But, yet,  if with a mind convinced, you  fhould  flill op-
 pofe the truth ;  then  fhall the truth gain profelytes by
 your oppofition. Or if, to have an opportunity, at a time
 like this, to boaft of your own humanity, you can  " hardly
 know others to be ufeful;"' then, fhall you perceive, that
you have not monopolized the gratitude of all ! ! !
   I would, here, beg leave to premife to you,  that my
 endeavours were,  at firft, directed, to accomplish the ob.
ject of my fincere wifhes ; without cenfuring, even where
 it  was moft delerved.—But the  late report of the  joint
 committee*, compelled me to change this refolution, and
                     * See appendix. 
29
 (to  leffen  the triumph, which has been  occafioned by
 praife, which was never deferved) point out certain facts
 to remove all improper exultation ; left the many glaring
 faults and  fhameful neglects, which have been, already,
 complained of, might operate to the future injury(perhaps
 deftruction) of a city, which  has every claim, upon my
 gratitude and attachment.  It is true,  I  concealed  my
 name under an anonymous fignature,  and  was unknown,
 even to  thofe in whom I  could have confided ;  but un-
 forefeen circumftances have difcovered to you,  and to the
 world ;  that it was I who cenfured, and that I had writ-
 ten, what you have been pleafed to term,  ' ungenerous ca-
 lumny,' againft the friends of your bofom.  This is  a fe-
 rious charge ; and could  I,  for a moment, fuppofe your
 accufation  founded in truth, I would  humble myfelf be-
 fore you, and acknowledge to the public, an error, which
 I  hope,  fhall never ftain  the hiftory of my life.  But,  I
 muft yet believe you are wrong : for within, I  feel myfelf
 juftified, and am ready to anfwer unto all that may be
 againft me.  However, to have  ever ufed one word of
 detraction, feems to require an apology ; and I mufl affure
 you, that it was a tafk extremely diftreffing to me (and  I
 fhall ever regret  the unhappy circumftance, which  com-
 pelled me) to become the public  accufer of men, whofe
 humanity years of trial had before left unimpeached.  But,
 could I clofemy eyes to avoid all obfervation ? Or, when
 a witnefs,  to acts of inhumanity and cruel neglects, could
 I force my fenfes to acknowledge their propriety ?   Or,
 would you have me acquiefce again and again in the ufe-
 fulnefs of thofe, who, I  long fince knew,  poffeffed more
 the appearance, than reality of benevolent exertion ?  No I
 fuch fubmiflion ne'er yet became me; and however unwill-
 ing,  I may have  been, to ufe declamation and invective
 againft any one;  you may believe me; I  f all never pro-
 ftitute my pen, to praife thofe, I know deferve my cen-
 fure  ;—nor fhall I, in  future, remain a filent  fpectator',
and fuffer the poor to be opprefled, and  the public impofed
upon ; by your flatterers, in matters, which concern eve- 
3<>
 ry friend to humanity, as nearly as they do  you.   Dire
 neceffity once obliged  me (when, three  years fince, we
 bore the fcourge cf heaven)  to fubmit  to thofe  in power,
 and  acquit, fee  in  the  general effufions  of gratitude, to
 fome, who  little deferved it:  but,  I have not forgot the
 wretched management,  the fhameful cowardice and mean j
 abilities of the fame fecretary ; who yet lipids the  helm,!
 and, as it were, would accomplifh every  thing to  your
 perfect  fatisfaction.  I  then,  attended the hofpital of dif-
 trefs, difeafe and death,* and had fuch   an opportunity,
 to witnefs   the  *'• indifpenfable neceffity" of  this  man,
 that  I never wifhed to witnefs it again !. That opportunity,
 however,  (which you feem to have forgot)  furnifhed me
 with a clue  to the character, who muft  now fuffer under
 the lafh of  imperious truth;  until  the important  office,^
 which he holds,  fhall be filled,  by a perfon properly qua- ..
 lined to difcharge its duties.   This I  hope  will  be donej
 without obliging me to publiffi to the world,  other. fads/\
 than are now to be mentioned, and which  muft do more

           * 4p-  BY THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
             Jeremiah Yeliott,      "]
             jama Edwards,
             Adam Fonerden,
             Emanuel Kent,
             Jofeph Tcwufeud,      \Comm'tffioners of Health.
             FJias Elticott>
             John Steele,
             Thomas Tenant,                                 1
             J.imes Beeman,                                 m
   It is with pleafure we obferve, that the whole of the patients remainin£m
 at the  Hofpital, at the North Eafl end of t ell's I tint, were fo jar reco-
 vered, as to be dtfehargedon the t\ih inftant.
.   Refolv.ed  unaromoufly,  That Dottor Jofeph Way,  and {during his
 illnefs) Doflor James Smith, receive the thanks  o.j this  Board, jor their %
 diligent attention, as I'hyficians  to the fick,  which have been fent  to the
faid Hofpital fince its institution.
   Ordered, That a copy of the foregoing refolution bt fvblijbed in the
 different newfpapers of this city.
    Signed, by order of the Bogrd.
         .  n                    Joseph Town«in». Cltrl.  m
   November 15; l"")"].                                        T 
3!
injury to the feelings of fome, than I can yet, allow myfelf
to inflict.
  .About the laft of October, an unfortunate black man,
(who had fuffered, on the Point, for feveral days,  under
the deftruclive influence of the prevailing fever ;  and who,
in all human probability, had   neither  a nurle to take
care of, nor a phyfician to attend him !) left his wretched
dwelling, and came on foot, without any  affiftance, to
beg  me to do fomething  for him : fatigued by walking
fo far, and exhaufted, with the all fubduing power of this
difeale, he layed  himfelf down at my door,  in  Lemmon-
ftreet,  as foon as he bad reached it.   My neighbors, who
had  juft returned from the country, were extremely a-
Jarni.ed, and apprehending'much danger from him, in-
fiftcd on his removal, immediately.   I  wifned to comply
with their requeft, but,  could not,  on any condition pro-
cure a conveyance, to carry him off.  1 was not, indeed,
during  the whole* of the late ficknefs, much in the habit
of troubling Jofeph Townfend for his affiftance to the poor
—and at any time,  would rather have been at a fmall
expence, than  to have  had any thing to do with a man,
who, on fuch occafions, feldom behaved  with common
civility.  In  this inftance,  however, I was obliged to
call  upon  him,  or let  an unfortunate being periih, for
want of that affiftance, which common  humanity could
not  refufe,  and which was not  in my power to procure
him.   I directed my fervant boy to walk with him down
to the health office ; (for I feared that in his weak  condi-
tion, he might fall on the pavement,  and never reach  that
diftance)   while  I went forward  before  him, in com-
pany with my brother,  to inform Mr. Townfend  of his
fituation, and to requeft him,  to  make that  provifion,
which in fuch cafes the law direcls.   1 found Mr. Town-
fend at home (the health office) and while I was fpeaking
to him, at  his  door,  on the fubject of my errand; the
poor man came forward himfelf, fo faint as hardly to be
able to keep upon his feet,  and added his own folicitations
to mine for affiftance.   But it was refufed; aad for no 
                         3a


other give:t  reafon than becaufe he could not do any thing
for him.  I  remonflrated againft a refufal, fo unjuftifia- j
ble as this was, and informed  Mr. Townfend of the  cir- ,
cumftances already mentioned ; advifing him at the fame
time, of the danger of permitting a man, in this fituation,
to remain expofed to the fun ;  I alfo gave Mr. Townfend ,
my opinion, in as plain words  as I  could ufe, that if he
was furlered to walk back to the Point, it would moft cer-
tainly occafion his death—all would not do—neither to i
perfuade or remonftrate, availed in the leaft degree :  Mr.
Townfend would not  give him the leaft affiftance;  but
walked into  the houfe again, and  left  me 10 take  care  ,
of  the  charge I had in poffeffion,  as wed as I coui.i.—
I now  left the health office, and made anot.'^er atterhpt
to get a flage,  to take the unfortunate wretch out of the
fireet; but again refufed by the flagemen, 1 was equally  ,
unfuccefsfui as  at firft.   There was  then, no  other alter-
native left me, than to direct the fick  r.iaa, to make  the
beft of his way home ; and get  along as well as he could."
He walked back1 to the Point, where  he died,  in about
ten hours from the time, he left Mr. Townfend's door.
   Here then, Sir (as you of late found too much caufe for
exultation, on ray adducing but one ifo!itary  inftance of
inhumanity') is another piece of your friend's conduct ;
but little fhort of  the firft,  in  point of criminality , and i
as I was an eye-witnefs this time, 1 hope ycu will give me
leave to  fuppofe, that I was not miftaken.   Now, if you
can conceive, Mr. Townfend's  conduct was  humane and
proper,  on this occafion, as well as in Mary Elliott's cafe ;
and can give any other better reafon  for  your thinking fo,
than the fervices you Lave fecu  them rendering, to thofe <
who flood in need : you may, perhaps, bring me to think
with you, that " I do not fufBcientiy know the credit which
is due to him."  But unlefs you do ; think  not to incline
a generous people, to veil fuch a£ts of inhumanity as thefe,
and at the fame time, cherifh their detefted author in the
bofom of their gratitude !   Had you, or any member of
the city council, taken a fick man to Jofeph's  door ; yoV 
33
would, moft probably have been  praifed for your attenti-
on ; and had feen your requefts attended  to, with appa-
rent zeal and philanthropy : but when the poor man calls,
without a friend in power, to urge his claim ; then, alas!
there is,  neither an ear inclined, nor an heart open, nor a
fiand ready to afftfi him!—Such, it fhall be proved to you, is
the character of the man, who  can  puffi the child of mi-
fery out of his  door, and would fuffer the unprotected
victims of difeafe, to perifh in the ftreet!
  But, you may perhaps, ftill call  thefe two inftances of
inhumanity,  folitary,  and may feel an inclination to en-
large your veil  to coyer both : left this  fhould be  the
cafe, I will adduce you  another,  to fhow you a little more
of Jofeph Townfend's attention,  when called upon in his
official cspacity,  to relieve the diftrefs  of thofe,  who pe-
rifhed without any affiftance whatever.   The  death of
William Warren, affords the  world  this inftance of
his "zeal, in the discharge of  his dangerous duties;"
and calls, loudly upon us to examine into the " more than
common  humanity," we have  already heard fo much
about.
   When  William lived, I knew him well;  he was an ho-
neft man—but poor.  The delirium of a raging fever,  had
hurried him out in the night; to rove unheeded  over the
fhelterlefs fields,   But fruitlefs,  indeed, was every ftrug-
gle ; for, exhaufted,  he fell to the ground, and was dif-
covered,  early in the  morning,  lying in the meadow of
Mr. James Sterling.  Mr. Townfend was immediately ap-
plied to,  to. fend him fome affiftance,  or to make fuch
provifion for him  as was neceffary : but  charitably, al-
ledging the unfortunate man was drunk, he declined tak-
ing  any notice of the  cafe.  Another  application, was,
however, foon  made,  by a humane gentleman, who in-
formed Mr. Townfend, in a very'particular manner, of
thesircumftances above related;  adding, that the urgen-
cy of the cafe required expedition ;  for the fun was rifing
faft, and the heat would foon put an end to his exiftence,. 
34
link's he was  removed.  Mr. Townfend, notwithftand-
ii-a ail s! is. cuuld not be prevailed on to give any affift-
av.cr.  duavtr ; and poor Warren was left to expire,  like
th< ••  a'.s of the field,  without a  hand to help or a friend
to affi;t him !—^ledied about eleVen  o'clock! ! !
   Now  to  reiurn to  your addrefs.-------You have give*
it  as your opinion ;  " that I have  miffed my aim,  and chofe
a  ;':ibjcct  to write myfelf into popularity ; for which  J will
gc -vcry tittle thanks 'from my fellow-citizens."  In the lafl of
thefe luppo.!t:onF,  you may indeed, be right  ; for 1 have ki
known jo me,  who have apoftatized from their attachment
to me;  and have marked the enemies, who have rifen up
againft mc—I  am, however,  not  difappointed ;  for I ne-
ver expected any perfonal advantage ;  nor did I ever fup- J-
pofe,  that  I  could have gained  any credit among your ;
"judicious and thinking part of the citizens."  But, you i
do injuftice to my judgment,  weak as it is ; where you^
fuppofe my choice led me to prefer (for the  purpofe  juifc
mentioned) the fubject I have adopted.   'Tis true, I am
yet ignorant, of any  other fubject, fo interefting to us all;
as that of a new  and better Health  Establish-;
ment : But  I muft have  been,  ftupidly inattentive, in-
deed, could I not have perceived,  as well as yourfelf, how
many enemies, and  how formidable  the weight of autho-
rity,  I had to oppofe.   You  have, then, Sir, on this oc-
cafion,  done ms wrong ; for, I do not expect to  acquire
fame, by  oppofing you,  nor to  gain friends, by  telling
fuch  TRUTHS, as are difagreeable, even  to myfelf.—
Should I,  therefore, fail, without one advantage arifing
from all that has been faid, any  exultation on your part,
w"uld be ungenerous in the extreme.   But,  fhould I con-
vince the world and  you,  that of  late, we have been much
i■■:.:]-ofed upon ; and fucceed in my wifh, to fee the city of
 Bt'.i.nore protected," by a proper Health Ffiablijhment, I
 hope you will be able to bear the difappointment; nor let
 your oppofition fo far prevail, as  on  this account, to wifh
 it had not been.*   And here  I  would  add, that, altbo' j
   * I'/'ren /uV. riollingfwoiih w.is waited on% by the Reverend ?<lr. Bend 
35
                                                        i,
you and others,  may  flatter yourfelves to be able to fup-
prefs  me ;  I am bold to declare, that tho* neither poffeffed
offtores  of wealth or  coffers of gold ;  in fentiment  Ire-
main  independent ; and equally unawed as uninfluenced
by your power or threats,  I have chofen this fubject; be-
caufe I know the public have been  deceived by  the capti-
vating exterior of charity and benevolence,  and fhameful-
tiy neglected by thofe who religioufly  prcftffed   to  relieve
them ;—the diftreffed have beenabufed, and the fick and
the; poor have been compelled to  fuffer  un ieceffarily mere
than  you  are yet aware  of—Thefe fufferings   anu  thefe
grievances have fallen  under my  obfervaiion—they ^.ttr.ci-
ed  my attention, and created my prefent endeavours  to

 and myfelf, to advife him of his appointment (by a public meeting  cf the
 citizens) to Jolicit Jubfcriptions, for the purpofe of ejlabttfhing the Dif-
penfary, jor  the medical relief of the poor in this city   He dexHn:ri—
 aliedging in  excufe,  that he had ferved the public many years on fi-ch
 pecajious, and was now too far advanced in life to uiidtrtakt av\ th ug of '«■
 this kind.  But approving of what had been done, he prom ifedthe h.fi'tu-
 tion his fupport—when called upon, however, by the gentleman who was
 appointed in  his Jtead, for his fubfeription, he refufed contributing the
fmallest fum : giving, at  the fame time, for his reafon •' that he  faw I
 had fomething to do with it.'' This is  strange philanthropy / and fhews
 how far, Mr. H. inclines to do me all the hurt he can :  and if,  his autho-
 rity has  any weight,  must  imprefs d very horrid idea of my  character, in-
 deed!   Of this,  however, 1 am not afraid; but am forry to fee an old
 pian,  whofe  mind fhould  be plased "  on things  above," yet,^ aiming a
 barblefs fhaft, at the reputation of jme who never wifhed  to injure him.
 Does Mr. H. fuppofe, that a contribution uf five dollars from him, would
 put one farthing in  my pocket ?  If he  does, he is very much  deceived;
 jor,  I do not expetf any other benefit from it, than the fatisfafliou oj fee-
 ing the poor  provided with medicines, and attended by phyficians, when
 they want, and cannot afford to employ  one.  1 expert, indeed, to atlend
 in my turn,  on a part oj the poor, but  as none of the phyficians who will
 ferve,  are to receive any pecuniary benefit whatever, gentlemen do wrong
 to deprive themfelves of  the pleafure of  contributing on our account.
 I therefore, hope, that  Mr. Hollingfworth will,  on  a little reflection,  difcovtr the
 impropriety of injwitig this valuable Infiitittiuii,  and allow himfelf to comply with
 his firft  prcmife.  Mr.   Townfend, for  a fimilar  reafon, has withheld his
 fubfeription.  But the Inftitution has fuflaked no lefs on this account, for feveial
 gentlemen liave already doubledtheirfubjcriptiens, on being rfuud he -would'neither
 Reappointed Secretary nor Treafurer to this eflablilhmcnt.

                                E2 
                           36
                           —
                                                         ■
 redrefs them:  you may therefore, oppofe me to your ut-   [
 moft, but I am determined to fupport  the truth,  and de-
 fend the  caufe of injured humanity ;  tho' thoufands  of   1
 you fhould rife up againft it.                              ™
   You have alfo faid,  " /r is probable I have views that
 were never attached to the duties of the health  committee,." It
 is indeed,  certain, that I conceived  their  duty  required
 much more of" them, than they ever did ; and although
 they  can very well bear to be  told of their ' extraordinary
 exertions;' and  to have  it faid  ' that  they attended  to
 make provifion for the fick and the  indigent;' yet  when
 it is fhewn, that  they did not;  then  it is  anfwered; they
 acled according to the law—/'/ was not required of them to leave   \
 their  houfes—the funds of the city  were not fufficientf and
 a  thoufand other excufes of the fame kind, are made for   j
 their  not having  attended to  that which they  wifhed the
 world to believe had been long fince  punctually executed.   |
 Such apologits as chefe may do  for fome, who  wifh  no   (
 alteration of late men and meafures :  but they afford little
 fatisfaction to thofe who have witneffed the fcenes which
 are paft, or to  thofe who dread the calamities which may
 yet befal us.
   In  another part of your addrefs you fay " my charge
 goes fart1 er than  to  calumniate Meffieurs Fonerden  and
 Townfend,"  " It indireclly Jlabs the reputation of the mayor   1
 and city council;"  " and what  is more, to Jhut the hand of
 charity, in future viftations,  againjl us."   In thefe afterti-
 ons, I conceive,  Sir,  you are  nearly as incorrect,  as  in
 fome  o'thers which appear in your letter.  I fhall, howe-
 ver, examine them feparately and idifpaffionately.   And
 firft,  as to  the  flabbing of  the  reputation of the city
 council ; for this, Sir,  you are indebted to your own in-
 genuity ; '  as for my part I  fhould never have  thought of
 any fuch thing :'  nor would I  have thought of noticing,
 fuch  an iiiihiuation,  at this  time,  were it  not  to exprefs-
 my fentimenis,  wfrh  rtfpect to the  health laws; which
have been framed by  them.  1 am n  t, indeed, fo fervile
a flatterer,  a^ lo  approve of thefe laws,  juft becaufe our 
                         37


city council made them!  No; I think them extremely
defeclive ;  nearly as much fo, as  their administration :—
and further, without detracting in the leaft degree, from
the collective merits of our city council, I would give you
my opini n, candidly ;  that 1 do  not expert,  ever to fee
a proper code of Health L aws, 'framed by them.   As well
might we  expect,  that the wiieft and belt  eonftitution,
was to be framed by a fet of phyficians, who were entire-
ly ignorant of the fcience.of politics : or that the moft per-
fect banking fyftem could only be formed  by mechanics,
who  k^ew nothing*about it:  Nor until a proper Hedlih..^
EJiablifhment fhall be formed, and fuch  characters engaged,
as felected  for. their well known talents and information,
have turned their minds to reflect on this fubject; can we
expect .to arrive at the truth : or form fuch laws, as will,
moft certainly, feeure our fafety.   In  vain  may oiir pre-
fent councils exert every endeavour,  in their power, to
protect  us from  the invafion  of difeafe ; while depending
upon a promifcuous affembly of phyficians, they build their
fyftem upon the mere cpinions, which, in ahafty confut-
ation have been advanced and adopted.  It  is  impoffible,
and one moment's reflection might convince any one,  that
no fet of men, however properly qualified,  could, in fo
fhort a time, be competent to advife every meafure which
ought to be taken, far  lefs to inftruct our councils,  and
comply with the requeft  which has been made of them ;
and yet, no other, more probable  meafure than this, have
our councils ever adopted to  afecrtain, how nearly right,'
or how  far wrong, have been all their deliberations on this
fubject.  Phyficians, themfelves,  yet,  differ  on fome of
the moft important queftions relative to peftilentialdifeafes;
and the reafon is obvious.  Our observations are neceffarily
too limitted ; and influenced by prejudice, like other men,
we want a fufficient concurrence of teftimony to eftablifh
this opinion or that : and until mankind, lay afide fome
of their fatal prejudices;  and encourage an inveftigation
of this fubject,  with the fame liberality, which has influen-
ced them,  in many of  thlir  meaner refearches ; we may 
33
 expect to remain in the fame ftate of ignorance and indeci-
 fion. which now paralizes every exertion. Until a change
 like this takes place, in vain fhall our councils (ftiil wav-
 ering between fyftems, neceffarily in oppofition) endeavour
 to embrace every theory  that may be propofed ; but guid-
 ed by the wild current of popular opinion, without adopt-
 ing this fyftem or that,  fatisfy themfelves  with a narrow
 policy and ineffectual meafures, until our city falls a facri-
 fice to their fimplicity and deiufion.   Yet great  as  thefe
 defects are in our health laws, there is another  which, at
 this time,  claims more of my attention.  It  is their defect,
 and to our ffiame be it fpoken, that the fick  may be provi-
 ded for ; or they may be left to tcrijh in the f.efJ.u  or in  the
Jlrccts—and all in fo legal z manner that the officer who a -
 tends to; or he who neglects his duty, are in like manner
 entitled to an equal ffiare of our praife and  approbation.
   As to your next infinuation,  that i have wi'.hed " to/tab
 the reputation of the mayor;"  I think  I may,  with hiiety,
 reply,  that it is  wholly founded in-your  own  fuggtitf.'
 ons.   Perhaps you are more interefted in  this charge a-
 gainft  me, than the public are aware of: and ii  there has
 been any cenfure thrown out  againft the  mayor, it will
 appear  to reft more on your fide than with me.   For my
 part, 1  have ever reflected this  gentleman, and  have,
 always, conceived the higheft  opinion of  his goodnefs,'
 integrity  and benevolence;  and although,  I  have faid
 that "  i would be glad he was more aclive and more refolute;
 lefs eafy, and lefs fatisfied with every thing :" I have nei-
 ther detracted from his fincerity, philanthropy,  orpoblici
 fpirit.   Now, as far as relates to you,  it is quite different*)1
 and were I in his place, I fhould feel myfelf much infulted
 (and  every  Baltimorean muft)  by  your luggefting a'
 competition with fuch  acharader.  as Jofeph Townfend ;
 whom it is well known to him and many others, you wijha
 to fee elected Mayor of this city.
    :ity.
     atte
    alth
Sec append A.
 I would now direct your attention, to the correfpondence
sf car late commit tee of health with that of Philadelphia ;*to 
39
fhewyou that there are other hands whichi fhut out charity*
more to blame than mine.  This correfpondence originated
with thofe kind and generous citizens, who, fympathizing
with us on account of our affliction, under an awfu! vifit-
ation of ficknefs, appointed committees,  in every ward
and diftrict of their city.  to  folicit donations for our relief.
A committee of correfpondence was  alfo appointed  by
them, on  the 17th of ^September ; and directed to write
- to us and their fellow citizens, in Norfolk and Providence,
who  were alfo afflicted with the fame difeafe. which was,
at that time defolating our city.   This committee wrote to
us,  in the moft friendly and confolatory manner,  and  in-
formed  us  of their benevolent' intentions "to appor-
 tion the Aim, that might be raifed,  as nearly as they could,
 to the circumftances of each of us." On this account, our
 board of health were requefted to ftate to them,  generally,
 our fituation  at that time ;  and with the greateft proprie-
 ty, defired to be informed  "whether  money,  provifions*
 or clothing, would be moft ufeful  to us."   If,  now,  you
 will  call your  eye  to  the  appendix, which accompanies
 tjiis  letter,  and take an impartial view of Jofeph Town-
 fend and Adam Fonerden,  in their correfponding and offi-
 cial capacity ; you may,  perhaps, difcover that  to be true,
 which I have already afferted, viz. ' That they are both ig-
 norant and illiberal:' and in their reply, find a  better rea-
 fon, than my calumnies, why the hand of charity fhould be
fhut againfl us.  On this interefling occafion, you will per-
 ceive,  that  the firft acknowledgment of thefe gentlemen,
• to our generous friends  was to  put them in mind, that
 «their  fav.ur  was without  date,' and  then proceeding to
 bufinefs   they obferve,  ' that our expences had been consider-
 able ;'  and very contrary,  indeed, to  an  affertion which
 has  unluckily appea/ed in your addrefs ; they immediately
 inform the Philadelphia^, that  ' our funds had been filly
 adequate to the demands made upon them.'  This reply, which.
 was very port, does not go much farther ; but feeming
 to  doubt  the  fincerity of their intentions, fays,  ' If relief 
fmdd be afforded,  bank notes-(your friend Jofeph likes
 to handle thefe) are the moft ready conveyance.*             \
   Ac a citizen of Baltimore,  I muft confefs to you, I  felt  j
 mylch"  afhamed and chagrined, to fee  fo much low cun-
 ning,  fo little liberality,  and  fuch a want of fellow feeling
 as was here difplayed to the world,  on an occafion  like
 this; and ' we may reft afured thaf thefe  things have  gone  ,
 abroad, and if credited, muji make a^oery unfavourable impref
fion.upon the minds of the people at large ;' * yes !  this is true,
 and unlefs contradicted, muft characterise our fellow citi-  J
 zens, as a fet of crafty fpe.culators, who could, receive the  I
 charitable  donat ons of the humane  and liberal : a? d, in
 the day of our neceffity, pocket their money  as  our natural  I
 right, without thanks, or  even  the fhadow of grateful ac-
 knowledgment.
   In the next communication,  between thefe two cities,
 we fee our commiffioners, inftead of acknowledging  the  ;
 gratitude  which  filled our  breafts; engaged in an epif-
 tolary corttroverfy,  with  our generous benefactors, and
 which, asufual, on our part favoured fo little of common
 civility ; as to induce them ' to believe that we felt unwilling
 to accept of any thing from them?  and  ' which did very much
 impede the progrefs of all their  colled'ions.,f  From Mr. Coates*  ;
 letter of October 6, you  will perceive, that  he expected
 to have fent us 7000 dollars: whereas, for  the reafons a-
 bove ftated,  he only Ant forward 3000 ;  fo  that our  fuf-
 feringpoor. by the improper conduct of Jofeph Townfend
 and Adarr Fonerden, fuftained, in the firft inftance, a lofs
 of 40C0 dollars, which would have went very far.  if pro*
 perly made ufe of, towards relieving  many of their wants
 and diftreiL\>.  The additional Aim, however,  of 2coo
 dollars, was afterwards  forwarded to us ; and which,  al-
 though received by our he ihh  committee  appears never
 to have been acknowledged in any terms,  critical or civil ;
 and it is plainly to be feca, that this  ii.ameful neglect has

          * See Mr. ILlHrgfeurtV:  letter,
          f See appendix----Philadelphia correfpondetioe. 
4*
been felt by the Philadelphians,  who (at a meeting of the
contributors, to to the fund collected for our relief,) after
having read a report from their committee of correfpondence,
unanimoufly refolved;  That they approved of their conduct
in the tranfaction or  the bufinefs entrufted to them ; and
although " it was well known that the funds of this city were
notfufficient to relieve the difreffed,*" (I hope you will not
doubt  your own authority) we find them refufing  to for-
ward us the remainder of the money, amounting to 2050
dollars and 46 cents, which had been collected exprefsly
for this purpofe, and diftributing the fame among feveral
different focieties,  which were not originally intended to
have been endowed  with one farthing of it.  Very differ-
ent, indeed,  on a fimilar occafion,  was the conduct of the
committee  appointed in behalf of the corporation of Nor-
folk, the whole of whofe correfpondence I have inferted in
the appendix;  that you and our fellow citizens may  per-
ceive,  how great is the contrail between men of liberal
fentiments, fincerity and fellow feeling;  and fuch as def-
titute of all thefe—and to their  ignorance, cunning, and
to  their cunning deceit, and cruel  inhumanity.  For this
is the true  character of thofe among us,  who, bearing the
facred  inveftments of public  charity,  have refufed to ex-
tend the  arm  of  relief  to  the fick and the diftreffed ;
while at the fame  time, they  fhut the  door againft the
friends of * the friendlefs,  the ftranger and  the poor.'
   I have now,  Mr. Hollingfworth, fpent much more  time
than I intended, when I proffered a reply to your addrefs;
on this occafion, you  may perhaps difcover fome impro-
prieties which you will cenfure ; for in'fome places I have
overftepped the barriers I had at  firft fet myfelf, on ac-
count  of your age and refpe£tability. This  indeed, would
not have been the cafe, had you  given me  any reafon to
expe£t a difpaffionate examination of the motives which ur-
ged me to the feverity you complained of—I would, how-
ever, apologize to you for that feeming forwardnefs,  and
                           F
            * Ste Mr. Hellingfw orth's tetter--page i(f. 
42
want of refnc.t, which in myfelf  I would otherwife con-
demn.-----Pride and foily, varioufly  difguifed, are our  I
infeparable companions;  and in my  view, become con*  ■
temptibic, only as tliey affume the femblance of wildom  ■
and humility.  To call a  light eye, therefore, upon little  ■
faults,  and to overlook the weakneffes of others ;  has been  I]
always a favourite  maxim ; and  becomes us as  men and  f
as chriftians.   But when I fee the vanity of defpicable am-
bition clothed  in the plain and humble garb of meeknefs  I
and religious piety—when I fee  unrelenting cruelty dif-
guifed in the habits of charity and benevolence—when  I  1
fee barbarity,  prefumptive   ignorance,  and hypocrify,
cone::'led  under the exterior of humanity, prudence, zeal  \
c<nd chriftian refignation—my foul  rifes with indignation
at the horrible deception ; and language falls  far fhort,
cf what I  feel.' On  this account, have impofitions like
thefe,  and your inclination to veil  them, that you might  ;
accule me, obliged mi to be harfh ; and I may be l^rfher
ftilb   If therefore, you would have me " avoid wounding
the feelings of parents, that I may not wound the children
alfo ;" (and I fincerely wiih to avoid unneceffary cenfures)
lay afide  the  venom of " GALL," (which you have  l
promifed,  but which ill becomes  your filvered yearsj and
come to me; you fhall then be fatisfied, that I have nei-
ther dealt ' ungeneroufly,' nor unjuftly,  towards thofe I
have accufed.   You alfo, may then, perhaps, lend your
aid ; and, with me, wifh our councils to  change a fyftem
which  hv, been fraught with fo much evil, to the poor and
tg the helplefs—fuch is my objeel,  and great is the neceffity '
thereof.   Let  us, then, unite our endeavours,  and exert
every power  to fave  our devoted city,Nfrom calamities,
which, yet, threaten our destruction.
       / remain for the prefent,
          One who is link known to you——
            And if you would be refpccled,
               aft as becomes you.
                                 JAMES SMITH.
   Baltimore9 Feb. 19,  1801. 
The following|TABLE, taken from the Books of the Baltimore Alms Houfe, (■which are at all times open, for the infpeflioi
  of any citizen) muft be acceptable to many of the inhabitants of this city  and comity : Inafmuch as ii fhewsat one view,
   how many of the poor have been provided for by this Inftitution, in any  given tn< nth of the laft year, and how many
            men, women and children were remaining to enjoy its benefits, on the firft day of January, 1801.
B ALT J MO R E  ALMS  HOUSE  h 0 OR  LIST, for 1800.
DISCHARGE.
1800.
  Remaining in
    the houfe,
  January 1.
ADMISSION.
January
February
March
April
May
June
J«'y
Auguit
September
October
IsJov.-mher
December
Men

 44
Women
52
Children ! Total.
17
15 |
8
16
12
16
IO
I   15  I
13
|    20 |    13    j
181
*i6
168
 94
48
33
Remaining in the   65
houfe, Jan. 1, 1801.
74
IS
in
29
15
21
28
27
17
 IO

"26
20

35
397
243
'54
Men |	Women	| Chilri.	Total	Died	Dh. in health
					
12 |	9	| 1	| 22	1 4	.8
8 |	5		1 13	1 4	9
20	M	1 6	1 40	| 7	33
ir	6	1	1 18 | 1		17
12	9	8	1 29	1 6	23
6	10	2	1 18	I 5	13
13	1 Ir	1 4	1 28	1 8	| 20
7	7	2	1 16	1 7	9
3		2	5 1		4
10	7	2	19	4 1	15
9 1	1 r	2 |	22 |	3 1	19
5	5 !	2	12. |		I 3
116	94 1	3* i	243 |	5o |	193
JAMES SMITH,
            Attending Phyfician.
 IV. H. CLEND1NEN, Apoth. 
The  following Obituary, for the  year 1800, is  taken from  the  Books of the Baltimore

                                   Alms Houfe.
DATE
  of the
DEATH.
January
February
March
 5
16
*7
28
 4
2f
25
 6
 9
20
24
 NAMES
   of the
PERSONS.
Catharine Madegan
William Hutton
Patrick Callahan
Jane Jones
John Staunton
James Flakerty
Negro Jane
Catharine Gibbs
Betty Hughes
Benj. Richardfon
Mrs. Hart's child
Eleanor Tobit
John Cunningham
John Stewart
S
	#	
	ii	
s	2	
0	• »-«	
£		
    I
I
I
    I
I
I
    I
    I
    I
I
        I
    I
I
z     i
How long under the	Caufe of
care of the	the
Inftitution,	Death.
7 weeks	Dropfy
same day	Unknown
5 weeks	Confumption
13 days	Syphilis
10 weeks	Confumption
1 day	Fracture
6 weeks .	Confumption Confumption
7 days	
3 years	Scrophula
same day	Unknown
	Colera infantum
10 days	Typhus fever
many years	Pleurify
10 days	Dropfy
 
Obituary continued.
DATE
  of the
DEATH.
 NAMES
   of the
PERSONS.
	c i .
	a> »h
d	g -
	£ Is
April
May
June
July
25
 8
 1
 2
 5
10
14
3°
 1

16
22
29
 2
 7
Peggy Daily
Mary Everet
John Mahony
Catharine Stiffon
Yellow Beck
John Barkly
Crazy Betty's child
Barbery Connelly
Rofe Farral
Mary Clark
Fanny Etherton
Ann Stevens
John Supp
John McMechen
Michael Fury
How long under the
    care of the
    Inftitution.
Caufe
of the
Death.
16 days	Lock jaw
21 days	Pleurify
15 days	Sore leg
23 days	Dropfy
18 months	Mania
2 days	Pleurify
7 months	Colera infantum
2 months	Cancer in utero
2 months	Old age
45 davs	Jaundice
same day	Sore leg
10 days	Mortification
15 days	Dropfy
4 days	Billious fever
18 months	Sore leg
4* 
Obituary  continued.
DA1E	NAMES		d	>4	How long under the		Caufe
of the DEATH.	of the PERSONS.	d	6 0	2 IS U	care of the Inftitution.		of the Death.
20	Negro Figrico A young Infant William Wood	I I		1	39 days 4 months		Scrophula Colera Sore legs
33	A Negro child			1	6 months		Colera
29 3°	Eleanor Crudy Man, name un-known, of decent		1		•*	4 months	Dropfy
	appearance, found in a ftate of infen-fibility, near to	I			•	" same day	Yellow fever
	Mr. O'Donnel's						
	Gate.				-		
Augufl 1 2	Hugh Donahue Sarah Thomplon John Shea	I I	1	,		5 days 6 days 2 months	Jaundice Yellow fever Sore leg
 
Obituary continued.
 DATE
  of the
DEATH.
NAMES		d	.
of the	d	S	2
PERSOhS.		1	43
How long under the
    care of the
    Inftitution.
 Caufe
 of the
Death.
September
Oftober
 5
 8
12
31
 3
20
25
3°
"November  19
December
26
George Williams
M.  Shadows
Fanny Gordon
M. Shadows' child
Thomas Beale
Hugh Ballantine
Polly----
Crazy Betty
Charles Fell
Sally Hopkins
Betfy Lucus
Mary Gray
None
I	I	
	I	I
I		
I	I	
I	I I I	
1		
6 days
same day
10 days
23 days
2 months
2 months
4 days

same day
3 months
13 days
14 days
Yellow fever
Yellow fever
Jaundice & worms
Colera
Sore leg
Diarrhea
Yellow fever
Mania
Unknown
Dropfy
Diarrhea
Syphilis
0 
4«
   0- It muft afford a pleafing reflection, as well as contri.
 bute an ufeful leffon, towards removing an erroneous opi-
 nion, refpeSing the contagioufnefs of the yellow fever • to
 obferve that there was no cafe of the late prevailing fever
 contracted in the Alms Houfe,  during  the  fickly fea-
 fon; although five perfons died of that difeafe in the houfe,
 and two others were  removed from it to the hofpital, la-
 bouring under a violent degree of it.  There was, indeed,
 an order of the truftees, to prevent the admiffion of any
 perfon affected with the late fever, or any contagious dif-
 eafe;  but  the abovementioned cafes were not fufpected at
 the time of admiffion ; although they were afterwards fuf-
 ficiently characterized to  leave no doubt  refpecting their
 nature.
                                               J.  S.


& THE  Public  will be  fumijhe.d with  a copy of the \
                                                      i
            Letters of Humanitas>
  *nd the  plan of a new Board of Health,  in due time.   A 
Appendix.
              BALTIMORE,  Novembers,  iSqp.

   The City Council commenced a fpecial meeting on the 5th in-
 ftant, and ended their fittings laft evening.  The following commu-
 nication from the Mayor was laid before that body, and  referred to
 & joint committee of both branches, who made the fubjoined report.
   •   Gentlevien oj the City Council,
   I  HAVE convened you, as foon as circumftances would permit,
 to lay before vou a general ftate of the city, and the meafures purfu-
 ed during the calamity we have lately experienced ; leaving to fome
 f.iture period, a more minute detail of the rife and progrefs of that
 deitru&ive fever,  which has carried off fo many of our citizens, and
 for a time almoft depopulated a great part oftBaltimore. .
   Be the origin of this diforder what it may, it became  very mortal
 at Fells's Point about ,the middle of Auguft,  and exrited a general'
 alarm amongft the inhabitants, infomvch as to induce moft of thofe
 who had the means of providing retreats in the country, to remove
- from that part of the city, and the merchants generally to fufpend all
 intercourfe therewith, which at once put  a ftop to the employment
 of the mechanics and laborers, and left all thofe who had not other
 refourees, expofed to the contagion, and without the means of pro-
 curing  the neceffaries of life.  ' Humanity, therefore, required tlvit
 public  meafures  fliould"be taken for their fafety  and fupport:  ac-~
 cordingly a camp was formed north of the hofpital, and  nearly fixty
'" huts or*buildings  of plank erected, where the poor from the part of
 the  city moft affected  "ere invited, and provifions difiributed to
' them ;  and alfo meafures taken to render affiftah.ce to fuch indigent
f[ perfons as could not leave their own homes.
''   At firft the public fupport was confined to the poor of Fells's Point,
 that being the only  quarter which then required  it;  but unfortun-
 ately the lever began to extend to other parts of the city, and before
 the  middle of September, had made fuch proofs  to the weft of
 Jones's falls, that  the inhabitants fled from  thence alfo;  and the
' /$ime caufe which afftaed the poor at the Point,  operated  on thofe
 in other parts of the city, and made it neceffary to provide for them
 alfo—I therefore  went into the different wards," and prevailed upon
' fuch gentlemen in each, as would undertake the tafk, (and in whom
 1 could confide,) to go through their refpetfive wards,  and find out
 fuch objects as required public fupport, and requefted the commif-
 fioneW of health to fuperintend the diftribution of provifions to-thole
                                El- 
p'ople, through the committee formed from fhe different wards, bf
which means from  two to three thoufand fouls have been fupported
in the camp, and in different parts of" the city;  many  of whom
would, moft proDably,  have actually iiifTered for want  of the com-
mon neceffaries of life, if not thusfupplied—and although the return*
of bufinefs  will give  employment to  number?, and thereby  take  ,  1
them from the  poor lift, yet there will remain  but  too many, who,
from the  lofs of.parents, or ufual fupport, wfll require public aid
through  the winter, and  it is principally on their account I  have
convened yon  at thisCtime.
  The board of health have had an  ardflous tafk through this afflic-
Ive fcene; and to them the city of Baltimore is greatly indebted for
their extraorpinarv exertions,  efpecially  to Mr. Adam Fonerden,
and Mr.  Jofeph Townfend,  who at the  hazzard  of their lives're-
mained at their poft, and attended  to make provifion  for  the fick  .
and the indigent, when deferted by moft of their reighbons.
  Finding fuch numbers had  fled from the city, and fo much pro-
perty left ex poled to plunder,  or what was more alarming,  to  f!res,
I deemed it  ncceftary to ftrengthen the watch, both at the Point and
in the toim, which will increafe the expence of that inftitution about
784 dollar^ which  I truft will be approved of, and that fum con-
fidered as money well laid out.  Whether it was owing to this cir-
cumftance that no roberies or fires took place during the ficknefs,  I
cannot pretend to fay;  but  it muft afford great fatisfacYion that the'v
fa ft was fo.
   Being apprehenfive that the dread of coming to  the  market-houf-
ps, during the ficknefs would prevent a  fupply of provifions,  I
thought it heft to fufpend the  operation of the market law,  and per-
mit the country people to lell any wfure they chofc, and  hope the
exigency of the caufe will  juftify the meafure—I  however, intend
to give notice, that the law will beftriaiy enforced, after fome git-  ] *\
m period.                                       •              *«
   The temporary uallsnnd benches at the centre market, are by law
to be annually fold by public auction, and the laft year expired on
thefixteenthof October, but the health of the city at that time would
r.ot admit a ihle;  I trurefoi-:- poftponed it,  and now fubmit it to the
council, whether it would not be better, and give  more fathfaaioh, ,
to fix a reasonable rent on each, and let them out  in the fame man-
ner that  th'* butchers flails are.
   The hofpital was commenced on an extenfive plan, about one
third of which has been completed, and has coft the city nearly three '
 thoufand dollais, exclufivc of the  grant from the  general affcmbly ;
 it afforded accommodation, during our late calamity, for  one hun-
 dred and thirty perfons at a time, that could not have been provided
 fof without fuch <i building.   It would be  very defirable to enlarge
 the prefent  houfe if we had the means,  but unlef>  the legiflature will
 give us further aid, it  will not be  practicable to  undertake it.  As
1 
3
they are now in feffion, would it not be advifable to make applicati-
on to them for that purpofe, and alfo to renew our application for
a law, to enable us to water the city at leaft from the neighbouring
Iprings, if not from the falls.
                                   JAMES CALHOUN.
  November 5th, 1800.

The joint committee of both branches of the City Council, to  ve'hrm veas referred
  the mayor's eo/nmuniction of the §th inftant,  beg leave to report,
  THAT the conduct of the mayor during the late affliaive feafon
oflicknefs,  appears to your committee to  have been fuggefted and
riirected by the greateft prudence, by the vigilance of ftrict attention,
and by a proper feeling for human fufferings.
  That the meafures which he adopted for the alleviation of fo great
a calamity,  were well calculated to attain the end ; and  that he is
entitled to receive from  his fellow-citizens the juft retribution of a
well-earned  approbation.
  Your committee further report,  that the board  of health, dur-
ing this time of trial and  diftreis, vyere zealoufty aaive  in the dif-
chargeof their dangerous duties, and rendered great, and (as your
committee believe) in many infiances, efficient affiftance : But your
committee would be wanting to themfelves,  to  the eity council, and
to their conftituents, were they not  particularly |.o reprefent the ufe-
fulnefs and unwearied diligence of Adam Fonerden  and Jofeph
Townfend,  two of the numbers of that board, in this fervice  of
more than common humanity.   To the bleffings of thofe who were
ready to perifli, wjll be added the prailes of all thofe who fhall know
their care of the fatherlefs and the widow, and of thofe who had none
to help them,  and finally, that reward which the world cannot give !
   On the other fubjects  of the mayor's  communication,  youir
committee beg leave to report by bill.
                              NICHOLAS ROGERS,
                             WILLIAM MAC CREERY,
                             Z. HOLLINGSWORTH,
                              JOHN STR1CKER.
Baltimore, November 10,  z8oct.
                From the Federal Gazette.

                   COMMUNICATION.
  fc$" THE oftenfible author of Humanitas being now detefled and
brought forward to  public view, in the perfon of Dr. Smith,  fome
remarks on his abufive Philippics will appear in due time,
  Saturday, Dec. so,  1800. 
*
                 From the Fedkkal  G.utru.

          AN ANSWER TO THE FOREGOING.
    £3T THE modefl mtmbtr of a life joint lomm.tue  '" being now  de-
 tected and brought forward topublir view in the perfon 01 "  Mr. A.,
 Fonerden,  " fome remarks" on flf prai.e, " will appear  i'i due
 time."
         " As love of pleafure into pain betiays,
         " So moft grow infamous thro' love ot praife."'
   Tuefday, Dec. 23,  1800.

                 From the Federal  Gazette

       Mcjjrs. Yundt & Broioti,
   Pleafe to infert the following letter from the mem'ier  of the joint
 committee of the City Council who drew up the report on the May-
 ot's communication.
                                            A. Fonerden,
   Wednefday,  Dec. 24,  i3oo.

                                  .Baltimore, Dec. 23, 1800.
     Sir,
           I HAVE obferved with concern an infinuation in the
 public newspapers r^hat you as one of the  Committee  appointed on
 the Mayor's late communication, afted  the  indelicate part of pre-
 paring,  or affifting to prepare a Report, in*which your own conduft
 is mentioned in terms expreffive of high commendation,   ft  is but
juftice to you to declare, that this infinuation U  wholly unfounded
 and that I have the beft reafons to believe anefknow, that you were
 in no way privy to the contents of that report until it appeared before
 the City Council.
                  I am with refpeft & efteem,
                             Your obed't.'ferv'r.
                                    Zeb. Hollingsworth.
 Mr. A. Fonerden.

                Rcgi/leSs OJfice, Dec.  26.  1803.
  The following extract i? taken from the records of the corpor-
 ation of the city of Baltimore, to wit.
                City of Ballinwie, Nov. 6,  1S00.
  The members of the fecond branch  having met agreeably  to
adjournment,  prefent Jc.in Merryman,  prefident, Nicholas  Ro-
gers, Wm. M'Creery,  Henry Stouffer, Edward  Johnfon  Wm.
C.  Goldfmith, Job Smith.
  Refohed, That  Nicholas  Rogers and  Wm.  M'Creery be ap-
pointed  to join fuch  members as may be  nominated t>y the ftrfi 
">'
 b; anch  in  a joint committee from both branches an the mayor's
 communication.

                   By  the Second Branch.
      Gei.femen of .the fit ft. branch,
   We  have appointed  Nicholas Rogers and  William  M'Creery
 to join  fuch rhembers as may be'nominated by you  as a joint
 committee from both branches, to take into confideration the may-
 or's communication and report  therein.
                           15 v  order,
                                     R.  H. Moale, Clerk.
    November 6,  1S00.                                      I

         To  which the firft branch i eturned tie following answer :    •' (■
                    By the First Branch.
     Gentlemen of fie second branch,                               *J
   We  have appointed  Adam Fonerden, Zebulon  Hollingfworth,
 and John Strieker, to join the members nominated by your branch,
 in a joint committee from both branches, to take into confider-
 ation the mayor's communication, and report thereon.
                           By order.
                                      Thomas  Kell,  Clerk.
    November 6,  1800.

 In  teftimony that the foregoing  is a true copy from the journals y
  of the firft and fecond branches of the city council, filed in iiiy
   office.  I have hereto fet my hand this 26th day of Dec. 1S00.
                                             R. H.  Moale,
                                   Regifter of the city of Bait'more.

   (J^r From the fofegoing Extract,  it muft appear evident and ob-
 tained the belief of every one that  Mr.  Adam Fonerden was the
 " modeft member of a late joint committee," as  wasinfinuated a few
 days fince.  It is certain, that Mr. Fonerden has proved,  byincon-
 teftible evidence, that he was not the member who " prepared  os
 a (lifted to prepare the report," as above ftated :  and further, it is evi-
 dent, that although'one of the committee,  we do not perceive his
 fignature affixed to it.   Flis modeftv, therefore, we may reafonably
 pre fume,  was fufficient to point out the impropriety of his appearing,
 publicly, as a member of this committee? although, moft ceraia'v,
jt did not (blige him to refufe ferving as fuch when nominated.   It
 k hoped  that gentlemen, in future,  will be le'.i evalve and  more
 pointed in their certificates, fo as  not to  leave the public mind  in
 fufpence—/-or the TRUTH  (liall be bis::;:, as far as lies in the power
 of" the oftenfible author of
                                          HUMAN IT AS."
  December 29th,  1800. 
6
                            THE

    PHILADELPHIA  CORRESPONDENCE,

                      Philadelphia, Sept. 20, 1800.
AT a meeting of the com mi tee appointed to correfpond with Balti«
    more, Nor.oik and Providence, on tlie fubject of the  ficknefs
    prevailing in thofe plaoes, the following addrefs to the inhabit-
    ants of the city and diftrict of Philadelphia was agreed to.—viz.
         FHLLOW CITIZENS,
  YOU are called upon toexprefs your fynipathy with our afflicted
and diftreffed fellow citizens in  Baltimore,  Norfolk and Providence,
by contributions to their relief.
  We need not describe the nature and extent of their  fufferings  by
the ravages of a peftilential diieafe.—We have felt them.
  In performing this chriftian duty we do but pay a debt of gratitude.
  Let us not forget that the hearts of our fifter ftates,  were liberally
opened to us in the  day of our  calamity, a^id that hundreds of the
poor citizens of Philadelphia, and its diftricts probably owe the pre-
servation of their lives to their bounty. —.-----
       '*DRAW out thy foul to  the  hungry and  fatisfy the af-
flicted  foul, then fhall thy light  rife  in obfcurity, and  thy darjt-
neis be:*s the noon  day."
       " WHOSO  hath this world's good, and  feeth  his bro-
ther have  need, and  fhutteth  his bowels of compaffion from him;
how dwelleth the love of God in  him."
             (Signed)
                                 SAMUEL COATES.
                                   Chairman of the Committee.
Robert Ralston, Sect'y.                   •
                              Baltimore, 9th month %zc\, 1800.
                    Board of Health.
  The following  communication  was yefterday received by the
Eoard of Health:
  '• The citizens of Philadelphia,  and the diftricts thereof, fym-
pathize with their fellow citizens in Baltimore, and at Fell's Point,
on account of the afflicting  and awful vifitation of ficknefs which
is prevailing  with  fo much violence among them; and impref-
ied  as they are, with a fenfe of your kindnefs and generofity to
the  people of our  city, on  a fimilar occafion,  they have appoint-
ed committees from the feveral wards and diftricts  of Philadelphia,
to folk it donations for the relief of your fuffcring poor, at this
feafon. 
■1
   u This information  we confide/ it our duty to give you, r\nd
when the amount of our fubfcriplions is known, we intend to ad-
drtfs  you again.
   " In the meantime,  as a part of our collection is  intended for
Norfolk and  Providence,  we fhall find it neceffary to apportion
the fum that  is raifed  as near as we can to the circumftances of
each of  thofe cities; for which reafon  you will pleafe to ftate to
us generally your  prefent fituation,  and in particular,  we defire
you to mention, whether  money, provifions or cloathing will be
moft  ufeful, as it is our wifh to  accommodate our fupplies ac-
cordingly. "
   " That the Almighty Preferver  of men, may fpeedily  remove
from you the prefent  fcourge,  and reftore your different citizens
to a ftate of   good  health,  is  the  ardent defire of your  fincere
frierids,  the  inhabitants of Philadelphia  and all its  dependencies.
       (Signed)
                              SAMUEL COATES,  Chairman.
                        to the  committee of correfpondence.
                          To the Board of Health in Baltimore.
       REPLY.
   We acknowledge the receipt of your favor without date, com-
municating the proceedings of your citizens,  reflecting the fuf-
fering poor  with us, in this time of calamity and  diftrefs.
   Our expences hitfierto on the occafion, have been confiderable,
 yet our funds  have been fully  adequate to the demands  made
 upon them—how far this may   be the  cafe  at the end of the
 prefent  awful vifitation, is unknown to  us, or what the amount
 of the expences may  be at that period*
    If relief fhould  be  afforded frpm the  diftance that you are—
 Bank notes  are the moft ready conveyance, for through the blef-
 fing of a kind  Providence,  provifions, &c.  are articles in which
 our country  abounds.
                          On  behalf of the board of health,
                            JOSEPH  TOWNSEND,
                                                      Secretary.
    To the Committee of  Correspondence, Philadelphia,

                 PHILADELPHIA, Oaober 6.
        To the Committee of Health in Baltimore.
    WE  received your  letter of the 22d ultimo, in  anfwer to curs
 which you obferve  is without date.
    Tlie collection made in this city, and the liberties to relieve Balti-
 timwre,  Was founded upon a very affecting appeal of your committee
 to our   Own citizens,  dated the 9th mo  10th;  1800, in which
 you fay  the fever rages at Fells's Point, and the poor thereof have no-
 thing to depend on for fupport but your city funds, and you callup-
' on your inhabitant! at large to giye their affiftance. 
1.
   To  us yon f.v, fhat your country  aDounds In  provifions &c.
-. r.d that your funds Inve been fdi'v adequate to all the demands that
 ;>.<Ve been mrfde upon them to the 26th of September; but how far
 this mav be the cafe at the end of this awful vifitation,  you do not
 know.'----That indeed is very uncertain ;  but from forrowful expe-
 rience  of fuch a firuation ?s ynirs, we know that the expence at-
 tending it exceeded by far all cur calculations; and fearing it might
 aJfo exceed vour>,  we were anxious to give you an evidence of good
 will, by affording  you, if it might be acceptable, a little affiftance.
 We accordingly put forward a fubfeription, and had'reafon to ex-
 pect we fhould  have fent you Seven  Thoufand  Dollars; but the re-
 ceipt rif vour l.tter has very much impeded' the progrefs of all our
 collections;  manv  of our citizens believing from the tenor of it,
 thp.t you felt unwilling to accept of anv thing from us:  We hovre-
 everhave fent you  in their behalf thne tln-nfand dollars for the prefent,
 and hope it will be ufeful,  and 111 a few days more, we expect to
 fefrd you another remittance.
                      We .ye your real'Friends,
                           In !<eh<dfot the Committee of Corr cf ion deuce.
                             SAMUEL  COATS, Chairman.
  T. S.  The remittance is in the draft cnclofed of J unatban Smith,
 Cafluer of the Bank of l'ennf\ h ania, on the Cafliier of the Sank of
 Baltimore.
                                Baltimore, October, 13, 1800.

Td fin' Comm-He of' Corresf-o.in'nee •with Baltimore, Norfolk and Provideuce.
   YOUR favor of the 6th infl.int^'we have received, covering Jona-
than Smith's draft on the Bank of Baltimore for three thou fand -dol-
lars, being a donation of your citizens, for the relief of the |Joor and
diftrelTed of this citv, which was acceptable, and we. truft it will be
laid out for th^ purpofe for which it was intended.
   You obferve that the receipt of the letter Ironi the Board of Health,
very much impeded the progrefs of all your collections, from a  be^
lief that thev  were unwilling to accept any.  thing-from you. .This
we apprehend is not a fair conftruclion of the plain and obvious*
meaning of it, which was to inform you,  that  the ficknefs and cir-
cuniftance attending it, had already occafioned a very confiderable
expence, but what the amount ol it might be in the conclufion, was
,iitogether uncertain—This was in anfwer to your requeft, of being
informed generally of our fituation.
   Whether it would have  been more pleafing to fome, to have re-
prefdnted our fituation more difireffing and pitiable,  was with them
110 confederation,  nor what thev had in view.   They fitted  a fact,
and left it with you to afford our citizens  anv, or what :ifl/!;ince
you might think proper.—You mentioned your -intent-ion to. divide
your donations between three plates, they,  therefore,' caret, ily 
9
guarded againft every expreffion that might be conftrued, as though
they wanted to engrofs an over proportion to themfelves.
  Thus far we have thought it might beneceflary to explain, with a
view to remove any mifreprefentation that might have taken place on
the occafion, not wifhing that the effort might deftrcy that good
underftanding that ought to fnbfift between the two cities.
                We aYe your friends,
         ADAM FONERDAN,   ?  r„n^&nn„r. „e u**Uh
         JOSEPH TOWNSEND,  \  Connmiffioiieri of Health.
  P. S. The  whole of the  OtheA, who  cbnftitute the Board of
Health, "hating for fome time part left the city.

               PHILADELPHIA, November 28.
[The following is a coppy of the lafl letter of the committee of correfpondence of
  this city, to the committee of health in Baltimore—lo -wHich no anfwer is yet
   received.}

              Philadelphia,  24thOctober, 1800.
     To the Committee of' Health in Baltimore.
  WE received your letter of the 1 $th inftant,  acknowledging the
receipt of our remittance to you of three thoufand dollars.—Believing
that our collections are completed, we feel  a great edeifure in being
now able to remit you  two thoufand dollars more 'from our citizens
for the ufe of the poor of Baltimore and Fells's Point.
   It appears that you apprehend we have put a wrong conftructiori
tin the plain and obvious meaning of youf letter, in fuppofing that
the inhabitants of Baltimore were unwilling to receive any thingfron
the city; if we have, we did not intend it, neither are We  yet able
to difCoverit.
   Admitting,'howeVer, the inference to have been improperly drawn,
we canaffure vdu, that  it did not a'rife from any mifreprefentation
made  by individuals, reflecting your  fituation,  but folely, from
your own communications.
   On  recurring to your own publications, to your own  citizens,
and to our letters,  ahd your anfwers, we cannot fee that  you had
any reafon for thofe infinuations,  which  your letter of tfee 13th con-
tains;  and on examining  our own letters in particular, we feel the
Cbnfolation, that there is not a fingle fentiment or expreffion in anf
one of them, m the leaft incoftfiftent with that kindnefsand human-
ity, which the citizens of Philadelphia and  its diftricts were defirous
to fhew'to the filtering inhabitants of Baltimore, on the prefent oc-
cafion.                                 .   .•            •
   With fincere wifhei, that our communications  may not have a
tendency to internet the  harmony and friendlhip that every good
F 
M3
citizen ought  to cherifli  between Philadelphia and Baltimore^we
remain, your friends,
              In behalf of the committee of Cerrefpondence,
                              SAMUEL  COAXES, Chairman.

  P.  S. Our remittance inclofed is a draft of Jonathan Smith, corn-
ier of the Bank of Pennfylvania, on the Bank of Baltimore, for two
thoufand one hundred dollars,  payable at fight.—Of this two thou-
fand is the gift of our citizens,  and one huudred is a donation from
Wignell and Reinagle,  managers of the new theatre, who requefted
the committee to fend it to you, bv whofe order 1 include it in the
bill.
              PHILADELPHIA,  December 6.

  AT a meeting of the contributors to the fund  collected for the
relief of the poor, of Baltimore, Norfolk and Providence, during the
late fever, held at the ftate houfe in Philadelphia, 12th mo. 4th, 180c.
  John Miller, jun, was appointed chairman, and George Williamsj
fecretary.
  A report from the committee of correfpondence, appointed at a
meeting of the citizens held gth mo. 16th laft,  was read.
  Whereupon, refolved unanimoufly, that this meeting do approve
*f the conduct of faid committee of correfpondence, in the  tranf-
aeting of the bufinefs entmfted to them; alfo that an abftraft of their
treafurer's accounts be piroliflied,  for the information of fuch con-
tributors, as are not prefent.
   On motion, refolved, That one thoufand  and  fifty dollars and
forty  fix cents of the  ballance remaining in the hands of the treasur-
er of the committee of correfpondence, be  paid tQ. the  treafurtr
of the Magdalen fociety, for the ufe of faid fociety.
   That five hundred  dollars of faid money, be paid to the treafurer
of the female affociation lately eftabliflied'in this city, for the relief
of fick and indigent  women and children of  this city and liberties
for the ufe of faid afiociation.
   And alfo that the  remaining" fum of five hundred  dollars  of faid
 money, be paid to the treafurer of the female fociety, formerly efta-
 bliflied for the relief of the fick and poor of thib city and liberties.

                           JOHN MILLER, jun. chairman.
                 Atteft;                    '   -
        GioRGE Williams, yaVy. 
II
The Contributors of the City of Philadelphia, and its diikicts, to
   the fund raifed for the relief of the  diftreffed inhabitants of Balti-
   more, Norfolk and Providence, ia account with JOHN INS-
   KEEP,  Treafurer.

         Dr.                                       Dols. cts.
|8oo  To cafh paid Sam. Coates, to remit to Providence  2000 , o
Oct. 7, To draft to Jofeph Townfend,  fec'ry to Board
             Health, Baltimore                       3°°°   °
     13, To cafh paid %o Samuel Coates, to remit to Nor-
             folk                                   2°°°  °
     32, To draft to J. Townfhend, fecVy to Baltimore   a 100  o
         To cafh to Robert Ralfton,  he paid  for printing      a 6a
         To counterfeit filver received by treafurer'          4  °
         To paid portage                                 x  3=>
         Balance in the Treafurer'* hand?.              2050 40
               Errors Excepted,
Philadelphia,  Nov. 29th,

           Cf*
11158 46
Pols, cte.
         By cafh received of the collectors, viz.
From the city of Philadelphia                          7*57  8a
From the Northern Liberties                            078   7
From Southwark                                      63b  50
From Moyamenfing  t                                  °z   7
From William Goodman                                 a   °
                                                    9058  46
From the Managers of the New Theatre                 IO°   °

1800                                               9rs8  46
Nov. ag,  By draft remitted to Norfolk, returned         2000   °

                                                   11158  4$
       Examined and fettled by       ^^ ^^

                                Committee, Nov. ag,  1800, 
I*
                            THE

       NORFOLK CORRESPONDENCE.

                 NORFOLK  BOROUGH.

      At a Hufling's court,  held the 2&h day of Oflober,  I Soo.
  The recorder having laid  before  the court,  two  letters from
Samuel Coates, efquire, chairman of thrxommittee of correfpo»4.
dehce (with Baltin>ore, Norfolk and Providence) of Philadelphia,
offering relief to the  poor in this borough': which letters, with
the anlwers thereto, are in thefe words:            y/
                 Philadelphia, iqth Sept. 1800.
To Seth Foster, mayor of Norfolk.           ..11
  " The citizens of Philadelphia and its dependencies,  but lately
relieved from the moft afflicting  difeafe  which was  ever permit*
ted to fcourge its inhabitants, cannot forget, that in the time of
their diftrefs, the hearts ot their countrymen, in different parts of
the United  States, were opened  to  aflift them.
  " Un4er thefe impreffions, and feeling for your prefent fitua-
tion, they have appointed committees tu collect a film  of money
to relieve the fuffering citizens of Norfolk, Baltimore  and Pro-
vidence.
  " We cannot anticipate at  prefent the amount of oux collection,
tyt we hope in a very fliort time to afcertain it, when we fhall
not fail to addrefs you again.  l       f             \
  " In the  mean  time,  as' the  money  is to be apportioned ac-
cording to our optnion of your  refpective fituations* we take  th'»
liberty to requeft,  that you  will furnifli us immediately with the
prefect  cirfcumftafices of the fufferings of the poor of  Norfolk :
and that you will alfo inform  us, whether.it will  be  moft  ac-
cepiablei. that  we remit you  in  money, cloathing or provifions,
as  we can do either  agreeable to your directions.
   "We  are, with fincere. wiflito far  the  fpeedy. reftoration 0$
health Jta. your  city,
            "Your real friends,
                    (In  behalf of the committee <f Correspondence.)
         .(Copy)                 Samuel Coates.
   13" Being informed the Mayor  is in the  country » we enclofe
thee a copy of our letter as  above.
               To the Recorder of Norfolk,  Virginia.

 \                'Norfolk, Ocloher' 10, 1800.
                     Mr.  Sam. Coates
         Sir
   " On receipt of your obliging favour of 19th ult.  to the Re-
corder of thU borough, communicating to its inhabitants the ve- 
w
jy friendly intention of thofe of Philadelphia,  a meeting of the
aldermen  and common council was held,  when  the following re»
fttturicn  was- adopted:
  "  Hfsoked, That a committee in behalf of the corporation be
appointed, to inform the inhabitants of Philadelphia^  that we are
truly thankful for, and fenfible of the kindnefs of  their offer;
but  are not at. prefent under the preffure of any neceliity,  that
fhould induce us to make ufe of it.  The fold committee, are alia
directed, to inform the inhabitants of Philadelphia, pi' the late and
prefent fituation  of. this borough—of the  number of: deaths, that,
to the beft  of their knowledge,  has taken  place,, and. the  def-
cription of prcfohs that died.; as alfo, of any other ojrcumftances,
tftw.  committee may think- proper to communicate."
  "It is, fir, with fenfations as grateful as tbey are new,  that
the committee afliimes the pleafing tafk, of tendering  to the gene-
rous and humane  inhabitants of your  city,  the  effufions  of  feel-
ing, and  the  heartfelt gratitude  of a large and. a  lately  fuffering
community*-*-©/ fending to them the ftrongeft fentiments of efteem,
and  the  higheft offerings of thanking them for their friendly  ten-
ders of relief,  and their animated, interpofition in favor  of the
diftreffed,'the needy, and the poor.  Aflhre them, fir, that  no-
thing,  but the  previous interference  of that God,  who  alone
ilc<w flay the peftilence and direft its course," prevents us, from accept-
ing  with  cheerfulnefs  and  thanks, all  the offerings of their libe-
rality.  We  are,  perhaps,  excited to  an  uncommon  warmth  oj
feeling and expreffion, on the occafion, as the offer of relief, from
the  citizens of Philadelphia, is the only  one we have received-
it ftands  alone!—a fingje, Solitary arm of  humanity, extended
" when the time of our calamity came upon us."  But, we have
to thank the  fame Being, who chaftifed us,  for having been en-
abled  by our vm exertions, to afford every poffible relief, to the
friendlefs, the ftraiiger, and the poor—as the ordinary  funds of the
corporation have proved fully fufficient, to exrend ro them, every
comfort and alleviation" of mifery, human  aid could fnppjy.  The
evil itfelf has not fpread fo far, ravaged fo  fatally,  or raged  fo
wildly, as is generally fuppofed— in all its progrefs, it appears  to
have been guided  by  fome difcriminating hand, and ^ (elected  its
victims among  ftrangers, foreigners, and from the (hipping : the
greatcft number of the deaths have  happened among the lafl;  and
we   have  to lament the departure of vtry few natives or refidents.
  "  This diforder  began to rage on the icth  July, and continued
until the ift of this month in  which  rime  about 220,  and  not
exceeding a30 adults,, including thofe  that have died  with other
difeaies,  have been intered.
  "  During the whole progrefs of the diforder, the town was wen
fupplied with  provifions try the  market people ; and  the  prefent 
H
firur.tion of this borough is as healthy as it  was ever known to
be.
   " Having thus far complied with the directions of our fellow-.
citizens, we repeat  our fincere acknowledgments  and unfeigned
thanks to the inhabitants of Philadelphia, for their offers offervice^
although, for the above reafons, we decline accepting them.   W$
congratulate them on their happy deliverance from the " 111 they
dreaded."—We pray for the welfare, health   and profperity of the
firft city in the union : and  fervently  hoping, that the  all-feeing
eye of  Providence, which mark's the emanations  of charity  and
benevolence, as well  as the chilling damps of neglect,  will  not
teach other  towns  to  commiferate and relieve  the  fufferings of
their neighbors, by  fuch sevey chaftifements, as Philadelphia and
Norfolk have experienced.  We are,
                       Refpecifully, fir,
         Your obedient, humble  (ervants,
               Thos.  Newton,  "J
               Rob.  Taylor,     >     The Committee,
               Thos.  Blanchard,J

                 Philadelphia, i$thOclober,  t8oo.
        To Seth Foster, Mayor of Norfolk.
   " Our laft to thee was the 19th of September,  a copy of which
we fent to  your  Recorder,  on being informed of  thy removal to
Hampton : to that letter we have received  no anfwer; and fuppof-
ing thy  abfence from home to be  the reafon of it,   and that before
t'listime thou mayeft be returned,  this committee think it proper to
Fend a  remittance without waiting any longer.  In  purfuance of
their refolui ion, I therefore enclole thee, for the  benefit of the poof
who have fuffered by the late ficknefs among you, a  draft of George
Simplbn, for two thoufand dollars on  the  cafliier of the  office o.f
discount and depofit in Norfolk.
             " I am,  m behalf of the committee,
                    "  Thy affined friend,
                                 " Samuul Coates,
                      Chairman of the committee of correfpondence  with
                             Baltimore,  Norfolk,  and Providence."

             Mr. Samuel Coates,  Philadelphia.
      "Sit,
   ' Vinr favor, enclofing two thoufand dollars for  the  relief of
the poor of this place,  was duly received by Thomas   Newton the
recorder, Mr. Fofter, the mayor,  being abfent.  For the reafons
mentioned in our letter of the 10th inft. we now return the draft,
afTuring you, and  the good citizens of Philadelphia, that we enter-. 
I*
  tain the moft grateful fenfe of their liberality, which we fhould have
  accepted had there been an occafion for it.
           " We are,  with the greateft rcfpect and friendfhip,
                  *' Your obedient fervants,
                                          Thomas Newton,
                                          Robert Taylor,
                                          Thos: Blanchard."
    Ordered,  That thev be recorded, in teftimoi^ of our gratitude
  for their friendly intereft, in the time of diftrefs, and as a memorial
  to future inhabitants of this place, of the  charitable difpofition of the
  citizens of Philadelphia towards us.  And the committee appointed
ft at a former meeting, are  requefted to return the 2000 dollars remitted
 I by  Mr.  Samuel Coates,  accompanving the fame  with the thanks of
  this court, for their friendly  difpofition in our  behalf, in time  of
  diftrefs.
                   Tefte,
                                      Wm.  Sharp, c. n.   b. c.
                                 Baitinytre, January qth, i8or.
  In confequence of an infertion  in  the  papers of this city,  fe-
veral gentlemen attended this day  at Mr.  Evans's  for the purpofe
of endeavoring to inftitute a
             GENERAL DISPENSARY.
   The Right Reverend Dr.  Carroll was requefted to take  the
chair, and the reverend Mr.  Bend  to  aft as clerk  to  the meet-
inS-     s
   The following rules,  after mature deliberation, were agreed  up-
on, as the bafis of the propofed inftitution and for  the govern-
ment thereof.
                       RULKS OF THE
                BALTIMORE DISPENSARY,
                               For the  Medical Relief of the Poor.
   1.  Every  perfon who fliall pay annually the fum of five dol-
lars, into the hands of the  treafurer, fliall b«? entitled to the privi-
ledge of having two patients at one time, under  the care of the
 Difpenfary.   Thofe who fhall pay annually ten  dollars, fliall have
 four, and fo on in  proportion.   And  the  payment of fiftv dol-
lars at  once,  fliall  entitle  the contributor and his lawful repre-
sentative to  the privilege of having always two patients upon die
jDifpenfary.
   2. A  board confifiing of twelve managers fliall  annually  be
 elected on  the fecond Friday in January, by  a  majority of the
 attendiii^  contributors; fix managers  fliall conftitute a quorum.
 Their bufinefs "fliall be to provide medicines for the fick, and to
regulate  all affairs relative to  the inftituiion.
■i 
                                i6
                               ■a

   "3- Eight attending and four conlulting phyficians, an apotheca-
 ry,  and a treafurer of the difpenfary fhall be annually elected by
 the  managers.
   4. The attending phyficians fliall  be divided into claffes of two
 each, and they fliall attend in rotation at the Difpenfary ;  one clafe
 every day in the week, Sunday excepted, at fuch hour  as may be
 agreed upon'by a majority of the whole number, and. publicly no-
 tified,  for the  purpofe of affifting fuch patients as may be able  to
 meet them there: and fuch as  are unable to go abroad,  fliall  be
 regularly vifited at their Tefpeftive places of abode.
   5. Every  cafe fliall be duly attended, whether acute,  chronic,
 forgical  or obftetrical.   The mitigation of the evils ami danger of
 the fmall-pox by  inoculation fliall likewife be an object of this in-
 ffitution.  It fhall be the duty of the confuting phyficians, wheni
 applied to by the attending phyficians in difficult and extraordinary
 cafes,  to afford them their advice and affiftance.
   6. Every perfon requiring the aid of fhe inftitution,  fhall  be
 recommended by a contributor, in a note addreffed to the phyfician
 of the diftrict in which the patient may refide.   Printed notes of re-
 commendation,  with  rules directing  the ufe of them, fliall be kept
 at the Difpenfary for the accommodation of the  contributors.
   7. The apothecary  fliall refide at  the Difpenfary.  His bufinefs
 fliall be to compound and deliver medicines and to keep  an exact
 account of the names, places of abode, • difeafes  and times of admif-
 fion, and difchiarge of the patients; for which he fhall receive fuch
 falary as he and  the managers may  agree  upon.   The attending
 phyficians fhall keep  hiftones of the cafes  which may come under/
 their care, which fhall be depofited  in the  Difpenfary  with the
 apothecary.
   The  gentlemen prefent having fubfcrlbed the foregoing rules.
   Rrfolvcd, That thev  be  prefented to the  citizens  tor their  fub-
feription, and that Meflrs. Ebenezer Finlay, William Winchefter,
John Stump,  Eliflia  Tyfon,  William  Levefay, Emanuel Kent,'
Jeffe Hollingfworth,  Peter Hoflman, William Wilfon, ffeac Bur-
ncfton,  Thomas Dixon. John M'Kim, Thomas M'Elder'y, David
Blown.  Hezekiah Waters, and Job Smith, (Fell's Pointy  be a
committee for the purpofe. *
   * Msfsrs.  Hollingsworth, Dixon,  Iloffmm and  lift Kim,  though very
 well i'ifpefed to pnmcte the  Difperfaiy mid fromifes to five their fupport
 having d-ained to ferve, Mr. Jcb Smith, (Batik-ftreet) Mr. Wrttliam Jolly,
Mr. IVitliatri Slater and Mr. Peter ILffman, jun. have agreed td aft  Ih
their Jiead;  and in addition to the gentlemen nominatedf r the eight Jiflricl%
the  i.umb.'r liaving been deemed irftifficient, Mi. Jo/e/th Biuys and"Mr. #7A
 Ham S.Moore, have been rebuffed to feive. 
  Refolved, That Dr. Crawford, Dr. James Smith, Dr. Archer, and
the Rev. Meffrs. Ireland and Bend,  be a committee to determine
the beft mode of circulating fubfeription papers,  and to inform
the gentlemen above named of their appointment; and that fhould
any of them decline ferving, the committee appoint others in their
Head.
   Rafohed, That the firft choice of managers be poftponed till after
fubfeription papers fhall have been circulated j and that  when the
above committee of arrangement may think  it expedient,  they
call together the fubferibers to the  inftitution, for the purpofe of
making fuch choice.
             Publifhed by order of the. meeting,
                              JOSEPH G. J.  BEND, Clerk.
               BALTIMORE, Feb. 6th 1801.
  At a meetftig of the fubferibers to the Baltimore general difpen-
fary, held at Mr. Evans's tavern this evening, convened by public
advertifement for the purpofe of electing twelve managers;—The
rev. Mr. Bend was called to the chair, and Dr. John Crawford, was
appointed clerk.—The meeting proceeded to elect the managers by
ballot,  when it appeared that the following gentlemen having the
grateft number of votes, were duly  elected, viz.
             Mr. RICHARD LAWSON,
             — ELISHA TYSON,
             — JESSE TYSON,
             — EMANUEL KENT,
             — ROBERT M'KIM,
             — WILLIAM MAC CREERY,
             — WM. P. MATTHEWS,
             — JOHN  STRICKER,
             — JOB SMITH,   ,
             — EBENE2ER FINLAY,
             — WILLIAM S.  MOORE,
             — JOSHUA INLOES.
                              BALTIMORE,
    IN confequenceofa public Notice given  in  the News papers
of this City,  a general meeting of the Faculty was held on Monday
the 26th January in the Council Room—When Dr. Coulter  was re-
quefted to take the chair, and Dr. Davidge to aft as fecretary.
  A report w^rcad from a committee appointed by a former meet- 
ife
Mgofthe " Principal Phyficians" of the city—-which being difap*
proved of; it was agreed that Doctors Crawlord, Moores,  Alexan-
der  Archer,  Potter,  Blake and Allender, be a committee to draIt i
report and fubmit the fame to a fubfequent general  meeting of the
Faculty to be convened by them as foon aspoliible.
     This general meeting of the faculty of this city  and precincts,
Was held at Mr. William Evans' on Tuefday evening, February 10th,
i So r, when it was agreed, that the following Report be prefented to
the Mayor, to be laid befofeTthe City Council.
          To  JAMES  CALHOUN,  Efqr.
                      Mayor of the City  of Baltiniorei

   SIR,
            I!V compliance with your requeft the'  medical facility
 oftheCityof Baltimore, hav* taken into confideration the fubject
 of the* late epidemic, and herewith traiifmit to you the refulr of tneir
 inveftigation of its origin, together with their fentiments reflecting
 the moft probable mean* of  obviating the recurrence  of  a fimilar
 calamity.
   After the moft fcrutinizing inveftigation, the  faculty have found
 no proofs or even cwife of fufpicion, that the fever which  lately fo
 unhappily afflicted our,city was derived foreign caufes.  The follow-
 ing conliderations they areperfuaded will tend to elucidate this opi-
 nion :-----
   i ft.   The prevalence of an epidemic  conflituthn of the air, which
 altho' not yet demonflrated by chemical analyfis, is iufficiently ap-
 parent from the following effects.
   A.  It appears from the united teftimony  of the faculty  of medi-
 cine  throughout the United States of America,  that the difeafes of
 our country have of late years minifefted amore malignant character.
 Thofe places formerly fubject to mild intermiting and remiting fevers,
 have lately been vifitedby difeafes'of a more inflamatory defcription.
 In Frederick  and Wafhington counties  a fever of a. very malignant
 type has prevailed for two or three years very  different from difeafes
 hitherto known in the weftera part of thi«-ftate.
   B.   The morbiddifpofition of  our.atmofphere has  been farther
 evinced by its deleterious influence on certain brute animalb in va-
 rious par:s of the United States.   It has- effected herds of horned cat-
 tle, dogs, cats, and poultry----now the general hiftory of epidemics
 prove  that this affection of certain brute animals either  preceeds or
 accompanies their prevalence..
  C.   The exiftence of fuch  a ftate of tfo atmofphere difcovers itfelf
to our fenfes by the various fenfatjons  which are pife'duced during
tie prevalence of the icvtr even by thofe not confined with it. 
'<»
   D.  The hiftory of all countries proves that great epidemics have
vifited them at iome periods,  and if would be extraordinary  indeed
that North America fhould be the only country on the globe exempt
from theirinvafion.
   2.   That the late epidemic fever  was derived from domeftic
caufes, we think the following facts and circumftances will  fuffici-
ently demonftrate.
   E.  The firft perfons who  fickned had no  communication with
veffek engaged  in foreign commerce, but were.expofed to powerful
local caufes, and were attacked at fuch diftances from each other as
to preclude the poffibiiity of any one of them having derived  :t from,
the other.  The cafe of John Karris vifited by Dr.  Roland, near
Jalland's gardens, (Fell's Point,)  on the 2d May.   Thomas Sher-
wood, vifited by Dr. Potter on the 2d of May.  Thofe two cafes oc-
curred immediately  fucceeding the remarkable warm  weather, dur-
ing the laft week of April.  Capt. Conner on the 8th June.   Mrs.
Davis on the 9th.   John MiUs on the 13th,   Capt Derochbrome's
apprentice boy  on the 22d.   Capt. Stewart's  neice on the 24th.—
Bafil Gales's fifter on the 24th, and feveral others all vifited  by Dr.
Coulter previous, to  the 1 ft July.  James White vifited by Dr. .Allen-
der on the 10th June.   Mrs. Wilton vifited by Dr. Dnnkel, on the
»1 ft of June,  Jofiah Thomas (Jones's ftreet, Old  Town) vifited
by Dr. Archer on the 28th June.   Thomas Ing near the corner of
Gay and Frederick ftreets,  vifited by Dr. Archer on the 3d of July.
Thomas Sorin about fifty yards from Jofiah  Thomas's,  vifited by
J)r.  Archer on the 2Cth July.  The cafes attended by Dr. Coulter
were at Fell's Point, where they had been expofed to. powerful  local
caufes emanating from  the cove hereafter  to  be  defcribed,  and to
other (ources  of peftilential  exhalation.   Thomas Sherwood  had
worked near a putrid fink of water containing vegetable matters in
a ftate of putrefaction, and the offenfive condition of J ofiah Thoma&'s
yard, and of the gutters and ftreets near his houfe are well known to
have anncyed all who parted them.  We  have in vain  endeavored
to trace any one of thefe cafes to veffels engaged in foreign commerce
-—none of them had communication with any known  vehicle of
human contagion.   Thefe cafes and fome others occurred before the
fever became general, and did not communicate to any perfon.  If
it had been derived  from human contagion, why did they not com-
municate  it in the fame  manner as it had been compiunicated to
them '  It ii no inconfiderable argument in favour of  our opinion
to ren#fk that a fimilar difeafe h.as vilited many of the interior parts
of the United States, remote from all communication with  the At-
lantic, but where the locai caufes were too evident to eicape  the no-
tice of the moft fuperficial obferver.  Not to  enumerate many of
the places where a difeafe has been marked  with all the charectenftic
fymptoms of the yellow fever,  and with the fame mortality as in the
City of Baltimore, we would afk, if the difeafe were imported how it 
X9
could have reached Galliopolis on the Ohio, Mifflin county in Pern.
fyhrania, or the GenefTee Lakes in the ftate of New York ?  To fup-
pofe that the fever which has ravaged thefe new fettlements,  at iucli
a diftance from the Atlantic, could be derived from the Weft Indies,
would be too unphilofophical to merit attention.
   4.  The general extinction  of the difeafe by froft proves that the
caufe exifts in the atmofphere; for fevers arifing from human conta-
gion, are admitted to be more contagious in cold weather.
   5.  Is it hot very extraordinary that  we fhould be fuppofed  to re-
ceive a difeafe by imported contagion, which is only occafional in
the country whence it is alledged to be derived, and is there fcarcely
thought contagious ?
   6.  We are moreover confirmed in our opinion of the indigenous
origin of the late epidemic fever,  by having learned that a fimilar dif-
eafe prevailed at the fame tim£ in many other parts of this ftate—viz.
In Hartford county, on the banks of the Sufquehannah, on the canal
in Caecil ceimty, in Charles county,  in Dorcheftcr county, and in
fome other places.
   7.  The reafons in our opinion, why this difeafe has been fo long
 and fo erroneoufly 'afcribed to imported human contagion is the cir-
 CumftanCe of its having fo often originated on (hip-board, from foul
 air generated  by improper ballaft,  or other fubftances  in a  ftate of
 putrefaction.  Indeed the confined fituation of the holds of veffels is,
 of all circumftances the moft likely tpbe productive of noxious  ef
 flu via.   The hiftory of the yellow fever which originated on board
 the United States  frigate, General Greene, affords  a melancholy
 illuftration of this opinion.   The  narrative given by Dr. Kollock,
 ftates that this (hip failed oil her firft crulfe, from Rhode ifland,& that
 the yellow fever appeared on the  15th day from the  time  flie left
 Newport, and is afcribed by him to'her having fprung a leake and
 thereby  affected her ballaft, which was Compdfed of iron, flate, ftone,
 and (hells, intermixed  with marine vegetables.  The doctor  further
 ftates, that after (lie returned to Port, the fever was in no  inftance
 Communicated although the intercourfe between  jhe  fick and  well
  was conftant and inevitable.
    The faculty would here be understood to draw a dirt'mition  be-
  tween an imported difeafe and fhe imported  caufe  of difeafes, &c.
  While they are convinced that this fever cannot with truth be attri-
  buted to imported human contagion, they are equally well  aflured,
  that the caufe may be imported, and that'the foul air  in the holds of
  veffels is a pregnant fource of mifchief, and may co-operate%ith the
  like caufe on fliore,  in the production of difeafes.  We are  never-
  thelefs confident that if the air  of our city were  rendered as pure as
  it might be, by the removal of nuifances on fliore, that the caufes  on
  (hip-board would fcarcely be worth eftimating as an object of terror,
  as it muft foon  be fo widely diffufed in a pure furrounding  atmqf-
 • phere as not to produce any permanent effects. 
it
   8.  The gradual manner in which the difeafe becomes epidemic
 is an additional proof that it is not derived from foreign fources.  The
 firft effects produced by the caufes, whil= they are feeble fuch as flight
 pains in the head, ftomach, and liver, and other mild grades of the
 difeafe,  are the certain harbingers of a more malignant ftate of fcyer,
 when the fame caufes acquire more force.   If  this difeafe was im-
 ported,  the more prominent features would develope themfelves a:
 firft, and thefe precurfors and more mild grades of the difeafe could
 not effect thoufands.on fliore, who never had any connection with
 veffels from the Weft Indies or any difeaied body.
    It has been fuggefted that this fever might have been imported in
 the United States frigate L'infurgente.  This fuggeftion we are fatis-
 fied is deftitute of foundation.   The lnfurgente arrived at this port
 on the 24th March, with an healthy crew, who  continued equally
 free from'difeafe after her arrival, which precludes the  poflibihty  of
 perfonal contagion from this fource.   That the ballaft  of  this (hip
 was not the caufe of this fever is  demonftrated from the  following
  facts.   The neighbourhood of the wharf at which (lie  was moored
  was the moft healthy at Fell's Point,  and the firft cafes  of fever oc-j
  curred at the other extremity of that place.  Of nearly  twojiundred
  perfons who were conftantly employed on  board in  repairing this
  ftiip,  not one was among the firft perfons attacked by  the fever.—r
  The rumour that Mrs. Wilfon contracted her death from expofure
  to the ballaft of  the  Infurgerite  is equally invalid.  Her illnefs is
  more rationally exphnned by her  having paid a vifit on the margin
  of the peftilental cove  immediately preceding  her attack.   Hence
  moft of the firft cafes at Fell's Point may  be traced ; and hence  we
   date their firft indilpofition.
    - 9.  But what in our minds pkces this  queftion beyond the reach
   of controverfy, is the fact, that this fever  is iievtr contagious early in
   fummer, & rarely fo at any feafon in a pure atmofphere remote from
   the exhalation of Stagnant water or putrifying animal or vegitable
   fubftances.  If this fatal difeafe were derived from imported conta-
   gion, each preceding cafe fhould be as capable of multiplying itlelf
I  as that where it firft originated on  (hip-board.  Since thence it  is
    evident  that this  difeafe is not  communicable beyond the fphere of
:'i   noxious  exhalation.  The advocates for imported contagion  will
    agree with the favourers of domeftic  origin in recommending ener-
    getic meafures of  prevention  on fhore, however materially  they
•   may  differ on the controverted queftion  of origin.
      The  faculty believe  the following to have been the principal
*\   fources  of the late malignanffever.                      <
'l     1 ft   The Cove which extends from  the mouth of J one s .alls .0
    the interior parts of Fell's Point, the bottom of which  was left bare
    by the recefs of the tide for fome weeks, immediately preceeding tup
    epidemic appearance of the fever.  This was occafioned by the pre-
    valence  of  the North and Eaft winds  which continued  lor a grea, 
»i
 part of the Summer, as may be perceived from a Regifter of the
 weather during the Cummer.  Such is the fituation of thik peftilential
 Cove that all the  filth conveyed into it by the Weft, North Weft
 and Sooth winds,  muft remain to Stagnate and putrefy under a Sum-
 mer's fun.  There could be no egrefs by any but a North Ealt wind,
 and this cannot act, for the Point is a barrier which effectually  ob-
 ftruas the whid from that quarter.   From the united  testimony of
 the Phvficians at  Fell's  Point, the difeafe  began  on the borders of
 this mortal Cove,  and its progrefs could be traced through the ftreets
 in whatfoever direction  the  winds wafted its poifonous effluvia.
 Such was the peftilential condition of this fink of putrefaction,  that
 the labourers employed in filling up its Northern Shore were com-,
 pelled to relinquish their undertaking early in Summer.  So offen-
 iive was the effluvia emanating from this fource of death that it af-
 fected thofe who had occafion to p3fs it when  at a considerable  dif-
 tance.
   2d.  The Docks in general, but more especially the  interfticej
 between the wharves where the water Stagnated and afforded a pro«
 per matrix for the generationof peftilential effluvia.
   3d.  The Stagnant water retained in cellars.
   4th.  The  gutters.—The noxious exhalations from this fource fo
 near the doors of our houfes is too obvious to require a comment,
   5th.  Certain filths, alleys,  and unpaved, Streets.
   6th.  Unclean  back yards.
   7th.  Certain privies.
   8th.  The Ponds and low Grounds in the city  and its vicinity.-—*
   9th.  The made ground of which the wharves and the lower, parts
 of fome of the ftreets are formed,  and from all fubftances animal
 and vegetable, fubject to putrifaction.   From  thefe fources we  de-
 rive the firft caufe of the late fever, and from  thefe fomented by a
 Summer's fun, we believe the fever to have become afterwards epi-
 demic.  We are more Strongly impelled to afcribe our late malig-
 nant fever to thefe caufes from having ascertained  (hat it did not  ex-
 ist in the higher parts of the city remote from  exhalation,  unlets it
 had been carried there from the Point or from the lower parts of  the
 city.   The following fact is of itfelf Sufficient to point out the fourc-
 es of our late awful calamity.  TJie fnperintendant of the ftreets who
 enumerated  the  nuisances previous to the  epidemic appearance of
 the fever, declares  that in whatfoever part of the city he then mark-
 ed a nuifance,  he can now mark the ravages of death.
  If we are correct in our opinion reflecting the  origin of  this dif-
 eafe the means of prevention may be dfeduced from a consideration of
the fources already enumerated.
   ift.   The Cove already defcribed fhould  be fo far filled  up as to.
prevent the mud and the  perifhable  materials, which  it may  contain
from being left bare by the ebbing of  the tide and becoming there-
 by expofed to the influence of the fun. 
      ad  The docks  fhould be kept in fuch a ftate as not to permit
    their  bottoms to be expofed to the action of the fun after the recefs
    •>f the tides. The interftices between the wharves fhould be filled up.
       j-d.  The cellars which contain water at any feafon fhould be fill-
  '  ed i.p with pure earth or gravel unmixed with any lubftance liable to
    putrefaction.   Thefe  places fhould be filled  up' if poffible,  before
    warm weafh>r.
      4th.  The* gutters fhould be cleaned daily from the firft of March
    to the firft of November,  and  where bricks were omitted in the late
$  mode of paving them, they fhould be repaved.
      5th.  The ftreet? and alleys where water is liable to Stagnate more
    ^Specially near the wharves, fhould be paved as foon as poffible, and
 '   where the  finances of the city will not  admit of this  being done,
    •they Should be filled jp in the manner already directed for the cellars.
       6th.   The backya-ds fliould be frequently  infpected by the proper
    officers,  and the occupiers of houfes compelled under a penalty,  to
 |   jreferve them in a pure ftate.  No Reftrvoir of water fhoul be per-
    mitted to  retain  it more than twenty four  hours from the firft of
    May  to the firft of November.
       }th.   All privies without  vaultsj Should  be frequently cleaned,
    and thofe constructed  with  Vaults, fliould have lime  thrown  into
    them  once a week during the warm  feafon.   The faculty are of opi-
    nion, that it would induce  to the health of the citizens to abolifh
    vaults in the construction of privies.
 ■I      8th.   All  ponds and  low  grounds in the  city or its vicinity,
a   Should be  drained or filled up.
       9th.   The low grounds fliould not in future be filled up with fub-
    ftances fubject to putrefaction'.  The mode  of constructing wharves
    of perifhable materials, ahd the mud from the bottom of the bafoo,
    Should be prohibited in the future improvement of the city.
       iOth.   We cannot here refrain from urging the neceffity ofin-
 !   troducing a copious fupply of pure water into the city with all pof-
    fible expedition.  The falutary effect to  be derived from  this mea-
 |   Sure willrefult from what has already been faid on the" caufe of dif-
    eafe and the means of prevention.
       nth.   The  faculty conceive  the Health Law under its prefent
    circumftances defective in the  following particular—As it cannot be
    -enforced with juftice  to the merchant,  for want of a place  of depo-
    fite for fuch goods as it may be deemed by the phyfician of the port
    neceffary to unlade.
       The articles  which it will be moft neceffary to fend at adiftance
\   from  the city, are generally of fuch  a damageable quality,  that they
 I   cannot be  expofed to  the weather without rifque, and muft therefore
    be brought up to the city to the extreme danger of the inhabitant*,
    or landed  at the hazard  of the owners, without this indifpenfiole
    precaution, of forcing vefTels  of damaged cargoes at a distance from
 *  the city, they will be more capable  of emiting foul air (the caufe ol
> 
rTife.-ife) after riding quarantine twenty days, than they were at t'  i
arrival^  as the longer  fuch articles are retained in a ftate of putre-
faction,  the more dangerous they muft become.  Moreover  fhould
cargoes he damaged at their arrival,  the neceffity of unlading inr.v.t-
diately is evident, being the only means of Saving the part nofcTi rca-
dv damaged.   We conceive that every veffel arriving from abroad,
with cargoes,fubject to putrefaction fliould be  compelled; to ventilate
their holds fubject to the direction of the phyfician  of the port previ-
ous to being permited to come up to the city.
   32th. We  cannot conclude this fubject without intimating the
propriety of appointing two or more Phyficians  members of the
Board of Health, as their profcflional knowledge muft be indifpen-
fible in dire.fi iug the, meafures of that hody.
  Thus, Sir,  have tlie faculty of medicine uni'ed  their endeavours
to fulfill the object  of your laudable  enquiries, and while they la-
ment the neceffity which has compelled the meafure, they are unanir
motis in the opinion,  that  our  forlorn hope confifts in uniting all
the energies of our minds in averting from our city a fcourge which
has marked a memorable, tho' melancholy era in the hiftory of our
country.
    Bv  Order of the Faculty,
                            JOHN CRAWFORD, chair-man.
NATHANIEL POTTER, fec'ry.
     The above is a true copy from the original prefented to the
Firft Bianch of the City Council.    *
                                      THOS. KELL, clerk.