The Rhode-Island American, and general advertiser — Providence [R.I.], 1810-12-28 00:00:00, page 2

(manner as the nature of the case called for.
But no, saidxhe instructions to Mr. Mon
roe ; h must net toe reigived, unless ar.com
panied by an entire epMßiaaion to all our
demand* io regard to of search,
the Impressment of seamen, the carrying
trade, dec. Sec. In thia unexpected etale
j of a if* ire, the British government resolved
< onasptcial mission to the United States,
io order totender honourable satisfaction
for that specttick injury; and Mr. Rose
> was despatched for that purpose. He made
knquht to our government the object of his
nSlssion, which was, in the first place, to
offer satisfaction for the nnatfthorWed st
uck tip'® the Chesapeake, as a thing en
tirely disconnected from other matters in
niacussion between the two governments
-• He was answered by our executive, that
they were ready to meet him upon that
ground; but with this remarkable modifi
« cdtion, that whatever atonement should be
f ■ proffered and accepted, must imply and in
ctyde a “ pledge* on the part of his Britan
; nick Majesty to take effectual measures
against a recurrence of those injuries which
bad been before complained of; such as
i taking deserters from our merchant ves
afHs; Itatipning ships of war before our
harbours; interi upthig bur carrying trade;
and the whole catalogue of grievance*
L which"had been for years the subjects of
r negotiation. In this manner the business
was adroitly brought back to the very
ground on which it had been placed while
under the management of Mr. Munroe, in
London. Mr. Rose, finding his progress
thus effectually obstructed, ip»o in limine,
shade a variety uf efforts to advance ; but,
finding them-all to no purpose, he gave over
, * Ihi attempt, and returned home.
The British government, not willing to
leave matters in this unsettled state, made
another effort towards reconciliation, by
sending out Mr. Jackson. The history of
his reception, and the manner in which his
overtures were met, are too recent to need
»ja recapitulation. It may not, however, be
k to mention that he stated, specifical-
tn Mr. Secretary Smith, the nature and
extent of the reparation which he was au
-1 ahorised to make for the attack upon the
Chesapeake, to which Mr. Secretary did
not think it expedient to make any direct
reply; and afterwards proffered his foil
powers to discuss and aettle all existing dif
ficulties between the two governments.
But Mr. Smith luckily discovered that
there was aniuothing infoflerably intuiting
In oil this, and very spiritedly
him that no farther communication would
be raeelved from him.
The danger of a settlement with Great-
Britain belpg once more happily gotten
over, under the pretence of a pertonal dis
like to Mr. Jackson, the executive give it
out that the Itngllsh ministry perfectly co
incided with them in their opinion of the
mfscouduct of Mr. Jackson, and that Lord
U'elldsiry had promised to repair the in,
ju v bv sending to us without delay, a min-
Wtrr of the first rate •• rank and talent*,**
for ah which the veracity of our Secretary
of State, and of our minister In London was
pledged in due form ; and the contrivance
succeeded to a charm in its operation upon
df several elections then pending.
Jk Since disposing of Mr. Jackson thus satis
factorily, the attention of the administra
tion has been turned, almost exclusively,
« jMf^Ptttlsour foreign relatione, to’the re-
of the hostile edicts of France and
Great-Brhain wjth a view.as they would
Mb, have ir> believe, cF restoring American
"r commerce, so unnecessarily and wantonly
•ncrWu t-d to an indulgence of their partiali
ty for France. For this purpose Mr. Sec
retary Smith, in his instructions to Mr.
Pinknd**, in London, so long ago as the 20th
January last, directs that preparatory to
a treaty upon other points, an arrange
ment should be made ** for the revoca
tion of the orders in council ;** and after
mentioning the uncertainty as to the ulti-.
nut*- measures of Congress, he proceeds to
say “ But, in general, you may assure
the British government of his (the Pre
aident’s) cordial disposition to exercise any
power with which he may be vested to put
an end to acts of Congress which Would not*
be reported to but for the order* in conn
ell.” Bcc. Observe, would not be resorted to
but for the orders in council. So late as
last January not a dream had been formed
of assigning any act of the British govern
ment, prior to the orders in council, as
the cause of our non-intercourse law, and
the other acts of Congress referred to.—
Not a thought had entered the noddles of
our knowing ones that an old order of block
ade of 1806, which our minister, Mr. Mun
roe, said at that time, *' must be viewed
in a very favourable light,” that this order,
I say, then to favourable, could be conjur
ed up from “ the vasty deep,” and made to
stand in the place, and occupy the room of
the retaliating orders in council. But after
the repeal of the nou-intercourse law had
taken place, with the conditions annexed,
and it having become probable that Great-
Britain would comply with the terms pro
posed, it was deemed necessary to find or
mak'* some other stumbling block ; and the
favourable order of 1806 was seised upon
fur the occasion. Accordingly, on the 2d
of Joly 1 aat, we find our Secretary writing
to Mr. Pinkney, and instructing him to re
present to the British government, in ex
plicit terms, “ that the United States con-
By the apportionment of Representa
tives according to the numbers of the peo
ple, it is not inferred that every individual,
without regard to qualifications, shall pos
sess a vote ; but that the votes of all who
are equally qualified, shall have equal ef
fect. There is, in all human society, a class
of men, the discarded of Fortune, whose
acts are not supposed to proceed from an
independent will; and whose votes, conse
quently, would but accumulate influence to
the more powerful. The exclusion of these
from the privilege, is one of those acts of
private inconvenience which must be tol
erated for the publick interest. I well
know that qualifications resulting from dif
* ference of property, cannot be permanent
ly determined by a Constitution, wealth va
ries in the valu«4>f its denominations. The
je
sider themselves authorised by strict, un
questionable right, in claiming and expect
tog a revocation of the illegal blockades of
France, of a date prior to that <f the Ber
lin decree.**
Here, then, a new stand is to be made
upon new ground, and the non-intercourse
is to be renewed in regard to England upon
this newly invented demand ; while, as it
respects France, an act of reconciliation
has been proclaimed upon • bare promise
that the Berlin and Milan Acrees should
cease to operate upon a certain day, though
she continues to violate, in the grossest;
manner, our neutral rights by refusing tp
make restitution of any part of the proper
ty taken from us under her Hiegal-edicts.
* As to any security which will accrue to
our commerce from the revocation of the
French decrees of Berlin and Milan, we.
shall discuss that subject hereafter, and
illustrate our ideas upon it by a reference
to the cases of the Julius Henry and the
Juniata.
Of i ’
ading principles, however, may be estab
lished, while the particular arrangements
and modifications are left to the constituted
Legislature. All other qualifications can be
ascertained without difficulty, and wholly
confirmed, without ensuing inconvenience.
The qualifications for elector* of Repre
sentatives in the State Assembly are, by
the Constitution of the United States, made
those which shall entitle to vote in choosing
Members of Congress. The law, then, by
which these qualifications are declared
ought, from every consideration, to be clear,
and, as to its governing principles, deter
mined. But the law which treat* of them
in our code is far different. They are not
mentioned in the charter. The law of the
Assembly em the subject is s* worded as to
receive entirely different constructions no
a very material point. Some towns con
sider the seventh section *s • restriction
upon the second. Others that there is a
verbal contradiction which their own rea
son must reconcile. Hence their practice
is widely discordant A statute, and par
ticularly a statute on so important a sub
ject, ought not to admit of this ambiguity.
But do the governing principles of quali
fications properly fall under the control of
the elected Assembly f Before there is an
election there must be electors. It is ne
cessary, then, that they be ascertained by
a previous power : In fine, by a Constitu
tion. VALERIUS.
TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE.INLAND.
In SENATE, Mono at, December 17.
IMfa. Lloyd, from the State of Massa
chusetts, took his seat
The President communicated the report
of the Secretary of the Navy, on monies
transferred, during the late recess of Con
gress, from certain appropriations for par
ticular branches of expenditure in that de
partment, and of the application of such
monies; also, hi* report shewing the state
and disposition at this time of the publick
vessel* of war, and the gun-boats; which
were read for consideration.
Tvksdat, December 18.
Mr. Giles, from the tommittee to whom
th* subject was referred, reported a bill
declaring the law* now In forcein the Ter
ritory of Orleans, to extend and have full
force and effect to the river Perdido, pur
suant to the treaty concluded at Pari* the
30tb day of April, 1803, and for other pur
pose*.
Wbdmksdat, December 19.
The West-Florida bill was read the
second time. [The bill was postponed on
account of the absence of Mr. Giles.]
Mr. Dana submitted the following resolu
tion for consideration:
Received, That a committee b* appoint
ed to inquit* into the expediency of author
ising such survey* and examinations to be
made respecting the lake* and water* along
the northern confine* of the United States,
a* may conduce to the safety of commerce
thereon, and that the committee have leave
to report by tyll or otherwise.
Thursday. December SO.
Messrs. Dana, Robinson, Bradlev, Condit,
and Franklin, wer* appointed a Ammittee
on Dana's resolution of yesterday. I
The West-Florida bill was culled up,
but postponed.
QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS.
Rational Iffjitflature.
rot THS RHODZ-ISLAMD AMKSICaW.
LETTER VII.
Mr. Giles had leave of absence for •
fortnight.
Friday, December 21.
Mr. Horsey made a motion to cal! for
papers relative to the title of the United
States to We st-Florida. Thia motion was
negatived, yeas F, noes 11.
The yeas and nay* on this question are aa
follow* >—,Ves*. Messrs. Dana, Goodrich,
Homey, Lqmbertsou, Lloyd. Pickering and
Matthewsen.*—Najs, Messrs. Anderson,
Bradley, Campbell, Chy. Condit, Gilman,
Leib, Pope, Smith, (Md.) Smith, (N. V.)
and Tait. »
HOUBB GF REPRESENTATIVES,
MowDliCDecember 17.
Oe motha of Mr. Poydras, the petition
xff thd Legislature of the Territory of New-
Orleans, presented the last session, and
.. praying to be admitted ae a State of the
Union, wag referred to a select committee.
Two tommunkatkrns from the Secretary
of thfc Navy were read. They jrelate to
the toflairs of his department, and were re
ferrad'to the committee oh the Navy, and
wefi ordered to be printed.
A communication from the Secretary of
the Tsenetery was plso rtad, coverings
statement of goods, icaresand merchandise,
imported into (Bls United States in the
years 1807,1808 and 1809—ordered to be,
printed.
Mr.Eppe* reported a bill fixing the com
pensation of the Assistant Postmaster-Gen
eral.
On motion of Mr. Sawyer, the House
resumed the consideration of the bill fixing
the ratio of Representation, according to
the next census.
’ Mr- Sturge* said, that from the best cal
culation he had been able to make, the ra
tio now under consideration would be inju
rious to many of the small States. But as
It was impossible to determine sccurately
what would be the operation, he thought
it premature to legislate orf the Subject un
til we had the rctutp* of the census before
us; be, therefore moved that the further
consideration of the bifl be postponed inde
finitely.
Mr. Sawyer was io favour of the post
ponement, a* warMectr*. Mosely and Ma
con. The question was taken by ayes and
noes and lost—ayes 55, noes 62.
Mr. Pitkin said, perhaps some gentle
men had voted against an indefinite post
ponement, under an idea that it would be
absolutely necessary to act on the subject
this session, and that the return* of the
census would be made in time for Congress
to act understanding!/. This might be the
case. He therefore moved that the bill be
postponed until the 2d Monday of Febru
ary next.
On motion of Mr. Troup, the House
came to the following resolution:
Received, That the Secretary of the
Treasury be requested to lay before this
House sucli information as be may have,
touching any settlements made contrary to
law, on the lands of the United States,
in the Mississippi Territory, by whom, to
what extent, and what means have been
taken for their removal.
Messrs. Milnor, Taylor, Potter and Shef
fy, spoke in favour of the postponement;
and Messrs. Smilie, Mitchell and W. Al
ston, against it.
The question wk* finally taken by ayes
and noe*, and carried—ayes 66, noes 51.
The bill, is therefor* put out of the way
until the 2d Monday of February, and
there is very Hide prospect of its coming
op again this session.
TvxsDAt, December 18.
Mr. Seybert presented the petition of
sundry merchants of Philadelphia, trading
beyond the Cap* of Good Hope, praying a
law to be passed to exempt their property
now beyond *■*, from being seised under
tKe" uou-'WniirfitrW-lww, if U should ar
rive in th* U|dt*d States after the 2d of
February next. The petition was referred
to the committee of Isreign relation*.
Mr. Newtek frosb the Committee of
Commerce reported a
bill for th* rqjbsf George Armroyd 8c
Co. Read mA referred.
Mr. Findley petsoHled the petition of the
Stockholders of the Bank of the United
Stoles, praying for an extension of their
carter. Refondd to a select committee
of seventeen.
Mr. Pierso*, after stating what had been
don* on the subject the last session, offered
the following resolution :
Received, That a committee be appoint
ed to inquire into the conduct of Brigadier-
General James 'Wilkinson, in relation to
hi* having at any time, whilst in the ser
vice ef the United States, corruptly re
ceived money from the government of
Spam, or it* agents, or in relation to his
having, during the time aforesaid, bee* an
accomplice, or io any way concerned with
the agents of any foreign power, or with
On motion of Mr. Morrow, the commit
tee on publick lands was instructed to in
quire into the expediency of making pro
vision by law, far laying out and opening
the ro*d provided for in a treaty concluded
at Brownstown on the 25th of November,
1808, and for disposing of the publick lands,
the Indian title to which was extinguished
by said ttraiy.
This motion produced considerable de
bate, but few new arguments were ad
vanced.
Bills—making appropriations for the
support and relief of American seamen in
foreign ports; and for continuing the Medi
terranean Fund duties—were read twice.
UNITED STATES BANE.
Mr. Love moved, that the Secretary of
the Treasury be directed to lay before thin
House information, Ist, of the amount of
debt* due from individual* and bodies cor
porate, to the Bank of the United States,
distinguishing the amount due by bond,
mortgage, or other speciality, from that
payable by notes, bill* of exchange, ot
other contract not under seal to the said
bank end its branches—and what portion
of said debt* are considered as standing ac
commodation to the customers of said bank
and its branches.
2. Of the amount of notes of the said
bank and it* branches now in circulation.
3. Whether the revenue of the United
States, or what portion of ih are ordered to
be deposited in the said bank and its branch
es ; whether any portion of it is ordered to
be deposited in others, and if so, in what
banks—and what will be the probable
amount of deposits in favour of the United
States, in any of the said banks, on the Ist
day of March, 1811.
The West-Point publick land* bounda
ries bill; a bill to continue the charter of
the Alexandria Bank ; and several local
resolutions, &c. passed various stage*.
A committee was appointed to report on
the causes of the great mortality among
the United State* troop* at New-Orleans
some time since.
Aaron Burr, io a project against the
dominions of the King of Spain, or to dis
member these United States; and that
said committee inquire generally into the
conduct of the said James Wilkinson, as
Brigadier-General of the army-of the Uni
ted States; that the said committee have
power to send for person* and papers, and
compel their attendance and production;
[and that the eaid Jamee Wilkineon be no
tified by the committee, of the time and
filace qf their titling, and that he be heard
in hie defence} and that the Committee re
port the result of their inquiries to this
House.
Mr. Root moved that the resolution lie
on the table;
'At half past 3 o'clock, the final question
on the passage of the resolution was taken
and carried—ayes 79, noer36, and a com
mittee of flve ordered to be appointed. Ad
burned.
*A bill to fix the compensation of the ad
ditional Postmaster-General, passed to be
engrossed. [His salary is to be £l6OO per
annum.] Adjourned.
Thursday, December 20.
The bill for the relief of G. Armroyd 8c
Co. passed through the committee, and was
ordered to be engrossed.
Mr. Van Horne reported a bill to incor
porate the subscribers of the Washington
Bank. Refen qp to a committee of the whole
for Monday next.
Mr. Taylor was opposed to the delay,
as was Mr. Pitkin.
Mr. Smilie thought this business unne
cessary and unconstitutional from the be
ginning.
The question for It to lie on the table,
was taken by ayes and nogs, and lost
ayes 33, noes 78.
Mr. Love moved to postpone it until to
morrow—Lost, 46 to 53.
The words in italicke were inserted on
motion of Mr. Troup, and adopted by Mr.
Pierson:
On motion of Mr. Macon the House re
solved itself into a committee of the whole
on the state of the Union. Mr. Macon's
resolution for an amendment to the consti
tution (presented the 10th instant) under
consideration.
The proposed amendment is as follows:
“No Senator or Representative, dfter
having taken his seat, shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be eligible
to any civil appointment under the authori
ty of the United States, nor shall any per
son be eligible to any such appointment
until the expiration of the Presidential term
during which such person shall have been
a Senator or Representative.”
Mr. Rhea, (Ten.) moved to strike out
the last part of the resolution from the
words United Statee. After a long, dull
debate, the question on this amendment
was taken and lost, only twelve in it* fa
vour.
Mr. Bacon said he was in favour of the
resolution, but he thought the language
could be made more explicit; He moved
sundry amendment* so a* to make the reso
lution read a* follow*:
"No Senator or Representative, after
having taken hi* scat, shall be appointed to
any civil office under the authority of the
United States, until the expiration of the
Presidential term during which such person
shall have been a Senator or Representa
tive.”
After some conversation on the subject,
the committee rose, and on motion of Mr.
Sheffy, was discharged from the further
consideration of the subject. The resolu
tion was then referred to a select commit
tee.
Some private petition* and local bills
were presented, and at 2 o'clock the House
adjourned.
Widnksdat, December 19.
Friday, December 2|p
On motion of Mr. Southard, the House
resolved'that a committee be appointed to
inquire into the propriety of pawing a law
prescribing the mode of evidence in the
case of contested elections.
Mr. Seybert presented the petition of
sundry merchants of Philadelphia, trading
to Great-Britain and her dependencies, re
lative to the renewal of the no*>-intercourse
law. This petition is similar to the one
presented some days since from the mer
chant* of New-York in the same trade.—
Referred to the committee on foreign rela
tion*.
Mr. Sheffy offered a resolution, which
was adopted, in substance as follows:
Received, That the committee of com
merce and manufactures be instructed to -
inquire into the propriety of encouraging
the culture of hemp in the United State*,
by duties on imported hemp, or by the
prohibition of the importation of that arti
cle.
Mr. Van Horne called up the order of
the day for renewing th* charter of the
Bauk of Alexandria. The House went in
to committee of the whole ou the bill—Mr.
Desha in the chair. [The bill re-enact*
the law* passed by the Legislature of Vir
ginia, incorporating the above-msntkmed
bank.]
Mr, Taylor did not like to legislate in
this slovenly way. He wished to know
what those laws were that we ar* about to
re-enact. He therefore moved that the
committee rise, that the bill might be re
committed.
A long debate took place on this motion.
The question was finally taken—the com
mittee rose, and th* bill was recommitted
to the committee of the District of Colum
bia. ,
On motion of Mr. Eppes, the bill to con
tinue in force the first section of th* act en
titled "An aet to protect the commerce
and seamen of the United State* against
the Barbary power*/ was taken up and
passed to a third reading. [This section
is the one which lay* 2 1-2 per cent, duty
on all goods, ware* and merchandise im
ported; commonly called the Mediterra
nean Fund.]
On motion of Mr. Bacon, a resolution
was passed Secretary of the
Treasury for Inform Mon relative to the
execution of rffe act respecting American
seamen in foreign ports, passed the 27th df
February, 1803.
On motion of Mr. Swoope, the following
resolution was passed, and a committee
appointed to present it.
Received, That the President of the Uni
ted State* be requested to cause to be laid
before this House such information a* he
may possess, relative to the detie* a* are at
present imposed by theEmperour of France,
>n all articles, the importation of which
into the dominions of France I* permitted
on board of American vessels. And wbetto*
er all articles the produce of the American
soil, on their exportation from the United
States, obtain a free admission into the
ports of France, and if not, what articles
of said produce are prohibited.
The House adjourned until Monday.
A private association is about to be form
ed in tbe District of Columbia, for the pur
pose of exploring the Islands belonging to
the United States in Lake Superiour. It
is in contemplation for a small party to
leave the City of Washington next spring/
and proceed to this Lake. Their Object
will be to coast it round and examine th*
interiour of the PhHippeaux, or Philip Isl
ands, and Isle Royal, and if practicable to
form settlements, and make some Improve
ments on them. The writer of this article
has for seyeral year* invain sought infor
mation respecting these' Islarfd*; shd the
circumjacent shores. All the geographic*
and gazetteer* which have been consulted
give nearly the same brief and unsatisfac
tory account of this lake and the Islands
which it embosoms.
WASHINGTON, December 16.
Tax hostile troops are training for the
attack on the United State* Bank; they
will be aided by intriguer* and would be
Directors : still we hope for the success of
good sense, true policy and the preserva
tion of publick and privatetredit and pros
perity, If the two ablest men among the
highest in office continue firm, we may
laugh at the Agitator*.
In consequence of this defective know
ledge concerning places which must ere long
become of no little importance to the Ame
rican people, a* probable cordon between
the Atlantkk and Pfcifick Ocean* ; infor
mation is respectfully solicited, (through
the medium of this- paper, or by private
letters to the " Exploring Company” of
this place,) concerning the lake and Island*
in question.
BALTIMORE, December 18.
DXMOCRATICK DRNUNCIATIOMS or DH
mocrats.
Extract to the Editorc, dated fTaohing.
' Edward Livingston ha* taken posses
sion of the Batture, in connexion wish some
25p the jßaffcr.
LAKE SUPERIOUR.
ton, December 15, 1810.