Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

To the Printer of the Philadelphia Daily Advertiser.

When a writer at Charleston, in South Carolina, is giving his opinion about the yellow fever, I think he might as well leave the Philadelphians to judge for themselves about its origin, and not express himself in this manner: "We (says he) are all at a loss here, as they are in Philadelphia, for the origin of this fever." Now this, with respect to Philadelphia, is so palpable an error, that I believe it would be just for the inhabitants of this city to answer it in this manner:—We know to our sorrow that the disorder was imported; that it commenced this year to make its ravages in one of the cleanest parts of the city, which perhaps would have been the last to be suspected, if it had not proceeded from the most evident cause, being brought in by one or more infected vessels.

We know this, and many more particulars respecting its importation; and we have reason to know the direful effects of the contagious nature of the mortal sickness in its recent progress, both in and near the borders of this metropolis.

With respect to the year 1793, the instances of so much mortality were so sudden and alarming, that the ideas of the people were soon confused by a contrariety of opinions, and perhaps the more so, because such was the destruction amongst those who brought the disorder, that they lived not long enough to give the needful information: several of the mariners were speedy victims, and the contagion spread with such rapidity that it was soon too dangerous for impartial persons to make suitable enquiry.

These are facts that are well remembered. I believe the yellow fever was as much imported in the year 1793, as it was in the present year, when in this latter instance, we well know, that many of the alleys, and most suspicious places, in the middle and upper parts of the city, were not subject to the dire disease, except it was communicated by an intercourse with infected persons.

Proofs enough have been adduced by other writers respecting the latter importation; and the case is now so plain, that to make a doubt about the origin of the disorder, would be just as reasonable as to doubt that thousands of the inhabitants deserted the city in consequence of it; that the expenses have been enormous, and the loss of lives a truly awful subject of sorrow and lamentation.

That the extent of the calamity was not equal to that in 1793, is a cause for thankfulness; and I am one of those who believe that thinning the city of its inhabitants by removing to the country, was one of the means, under Providence, of the preservation of a very considerable number of my fellow citizens from the dangers of a dire contagion.

Philadelphia, October 22d, 1797.