The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1794-03-03 00:00:00, page 1

To the Inhabitants of Ne^bampfoire.•
FRIENDS,
" I2 EWARB ° f the Ides ° f M a . rcbs " said
Dthe Roman Augurs to Julius C^far,
'—Remember your righn, fays Philanthropos
to his countrymen. The caution of the firft
was unhappily neglected, and Caesar's confi
dence cost him his life—-I hope, my friends,
you will pav more regard to the advice I give
— — ^.>c\ is clefe at hand,—our annual
Towh-meetings will soon commence, when
we mivexercife a right that millions of men
are destitute of ; and never had the pleating
feufaiions which ought to glow in the breast
of every freeman of Newhampfhire,—l mean
the right of choosing our own rulers, from
the lowest even to the highest ; and how few
there are amon^ us, comparatively speaking,
who realize this right, or exercise it in a prop
er and becoming manner? —Now,my friends,
may I point out to you some of the many
faults we are guilty of in our annual Town
meetings? in the firft place, in most of our
towns don't we fee a party of men set them
selves forward—as soon as the moderator is
called for, nominate one to suit their own
present occasion, not regarding the good of
the whole,—then the Town clerk, Select
men, and other officers, just to suit a certain
set of men ? Well, you fay, if a majority of
the people do not like them, they need not
vote hem in—so fayl; but, is this the case;
are they dot voted in ; and yet not a majori
ty of the town chufe to have them in ? Yes,
verily — for<not more than one half of the
people vote at all—Aik them why, and they
will tell you, that they had not any thing in
particular against such a man, though he is
not the man of their choice ; yet as they saw
how the matter was going, they did not with
to hurt the man's fa/iw by voting against
him. Now, my friends, is this exercising
our rights? is it not wronging the officer
chosen, as well as ourselves ? Should we not
i^-fducti more manly and upright spirit,
by voting against anyperfon's being employ
ed in any office, whether in town or state,
when we were well fatisfied,in our own minds,
that there were others, whom we might chufe,
that would discharge the office more to his
honour, and to our good and fatisfariion?
Again, don't we too often fee men put into
office, because their fathers or grandfathers
sustained the fame office, or because they
have been in before, without any regard to
their abilities ?—-Further, do we not many
times fee an overbearing disposition in old
men ; a young man, forfooth, cannot get up
in a town-meeting, and give his opinion of
any matter that is under confederation, but
he mutt be immediately silenced with " you
are a young, giddy- headed fellow, you have
not had experience of the world ?" —Let
such venerable fathers read brave Elihu's sen
timents, as they may find them in the gad
Capter of Job ; this is no idle matter, my
aged friends, and I beg you to read the above
mentioned chapter, the morning before you
go to your annual meeting Again, in
choosing our State Officers, do not we hear
many men fay, they are not acquainted with
men of abilities for Senators, &c. therefore
will not vote for any ? Does this excufethem?
Do not they ought to make enquiry—make
themselves acquainted with at least the most
prevailing opinion of the popular charafters
of the present time ?—Many more faults
might be mentioned, such as inattention in
meetings ; men's .doing private business,
while they should be hearing what is said— -
leaving the meeting, after they have been in
a little while, and fatisfied their curiosity, by
looking round and feeing who is there —and
going off to the tavern, to drown their senses
and their rights together.—Now, my friends,
are these things so ? if they are, is it not time
to reform ; ought we not to go to our Town
meetings, with as sincere intentions of ading
the man, the rational man, & behaving, while
there, with as much solemn decorum, and
uprightness of heart, as though we were go
inz to attend the solemnities of a publick
frit?
Congreffonal Register.
THIRD CONGRESS—first session.
f htbe HOUSEOF representatives.
JAN. 28, 1794.
A PETITION froma conventions
of the delegates of the abolition
focietiei of the States of Newjerfey,
[Vol. ll.— Num. 71.]
PHILANTHROPOS, N°. ft
FOR THE MIRROUR.
CONCORD
ffe ^^l^
Newyotk, Connecticut, Rhodeifland,
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia,
praying the interposition of Congress
to prevent the American (hipping
from being concerned in the slave
trade; Another petition of a similar
import from a.convention at Prov
idence in 1793, was also read, and
both of them were referred to a fe
led committee.
A.petition was preferred from two
refugees from Hifpaoiola in behalf of
themselves and others, praying a tem
porary relief from government, which
they promise to reimburse when they
return to their own country and pos
sessions. Referred to a committee
of the whole on report relative to the
fame fubfea.
The House then went into a com
mittee of the whole,Mr. Trumbull in
the chair, on the resolutions for the
relief of the Sr. Domingo fcfferers in
the United States. Mr. Smith (M.)
brought forward a refolotioo, as a
fubftimtq to the propositions on the
table, empowering the executive to
dispose of 10,000 dollars for the re
lief of those fufferers, and endeavour
by negociation, to cause the said sum
to be placed to our credit in our ac
counts with France. This resolution.
was, after some conversation, with
the confeot of the mover, varied so
as to provide for bringing in a bill
directing the application of the mon
eys
The resolutions reported by the fe
left committee were negatived, to
bring forward the foregoing as a sub
stitute, and this was then agreed to
and reported by the committee.
Mr. Nicholas, in the house, brot'
forward an amendment, guarding a
gainst the injury which the puffing
of it may do as a precedent, predicat
ed on the idea, that the constitution
does not warrant the grant, though
humanity commandsit. This mo
tion was negatived, and a committee
was appointed to bring in a bill.
The resolutions of Mr. Madison
were then taken up in committee of
the whole, and the remainder of the
fitting was employed in deputations
on this fubjed.
Jan. 30. —The appropriation bill
was again taken up in committee of
the whole. A motion was brought
forward to authotife the President to
make a loan under, certain reftridions,
to provide for these appropriations.
Mr. Madison obje^ed to conced
ing the two fubjeds. This involves
a consideration of the ways and means,
and ought to be kept diftina from
that of appropriations.
Mr. Fitzfimons conceived on the
contrary, the objeds inseparable.
There is no use in making appropri
ations without money ^ P a Y ^,
The tredury does not at present con
tain more than 500,000 dollars and
JAN. 29 —After reading and refer
ring a private petition, the order of
the day being called for, the House
went into committee of the whole
on Mr. Madison's resolutions ; on
which the debate was renewed, and
progress reported.
The appropriation bill was then
taken up, in committee of the whole,
and further progress made in the dis
cussion.
MOND A Y.maRGH 3, 1794.
BY E. RUSSELL.
-After some further observations on
the fubjeft, the committee role and
asked leave to set again.
The House then having resolved
itfelf into a committee of the whole,
took up the further consideration of
Mr. Madison's proposition, and rose
without taking a question.
A message was received from the
President, communicating certain pa
pers relative to the Creeks, by which
it appears that the tranquility which
had been eflablilhed in that quarter,
has been diftutbed by some lawless
whiter, who murdered several friend
ly Indians while hunting on their own
territory. Also sundry papers receiv
ed from the Governour of Northca
rolina, viz. a petition of • Person,
refpefting a purchase of land in the
South Weftern Frontier, and a repre
sentation from the trustees of the U
niversity of that state. Amongst the
firft mentioned papers is a letter from
Governour Blount, giving an account
of the murder of some whites.
The communications relative to
Indian affairs were referred to a com
mittee of five.
a loin will therefore be neceftry to
anticipate the revenue.
A biil for the St, Domingo emi
grants was reported, twice read, and
referred to a committee of the whole
to morrow.
Jan. 31. —The Petition of Samuel
Awbon, of the state of R. Island, was
pefcoted, read, and referred to the
Secretary of the Treasury. The
prayer of the petition was for a com
pentagon for military services.
Mr. Christie presented the petition
of Richard Dallam, of the state of
Maryland, which was read and refer
red to a committee of three mem
bers.
The petitioner dated, that two
suits were instituted against him in
the state of Maryland, in the name of
the United States, for the sum of fix
thousand one hundred and forty fix
dollars, and seventy four cents, which
he alledged ought not to be charged
to him, and assuring the House, that
he had in his possession furdry proofs
an^. documenta to authenticate the
justice of his claim.,
The remainder of this fitting was
taken up in debates on the propofi"
lions of Mr. Madifoo.
feb. 3.—The Petition of John
Berringtown was presented, read and
ordered to lie for consideration. The
prayer of the Petitioner was for com
pensation for damages sustained by
him during the late war, by the loss
of his fences, cord wood, &c. destroy
ed by the American troops.
Mr. Tracy presented the petition
of Peter Tarrs, praying compensation
for ferveces. Referred to the Secre
tary of the Department of War.
The House, according to the or
der of the day, refolded itfelf into a
Committee of the whole, Mr. Trum
bull in the chair, on the bill for the
French Emigrants from St. Domin
go, now refidiog within the United
States. After feme time the Com
mittee rose, reported the bill without
any amendment, which was taken up
in the House, agreed to, and ordered
to be engrossed for a third reading, to
morrow.
The House again tefolved itfelf in
to a Committee of the whole, Mr.
Trumbull in the chair, on the Report
of the Secretary of State on the Priv
ileges and Reftriaions of the Com
merce of the Uiced States in foreign
countries, and after a desultory de
bate, the question was taken on the
firft proportion, the fame was carried
by 51 10 46. After which the Com
mittee rote, reported progress, and had
leave to fit again. Adjourned.
THE House of Representatives of
the United States in committee of the
whole, agreed to the following res
olution, being the firft in order of
those moved by Mr. Madison, viz.
Resolved, as the opinion of this
Committee, that the interest of the
United States would be promoted by
further reftriftions and higher duties,
in certain cases, on the manufadures
and navigation of foreign nations,
employed in the commerce of the
U, States, than those now imposed.
The committee on the memorial of
the Trustees of Dartmouth College,
reported that the prayer thereof be
granted, and that they have leave to
bring in a bill according to the report
of December 20, 1792 —which was
to make them a further grant of land,
which added to one formerly made
them, would amount to 60,000 acres
—which report being read, and the
yeas and nays being called, were 27
yeas and 62 nays, so the report of the
committee was not accepted—motion
was then made to dismiss the report,
which prevailed.
A bill for appointing a Surveyor
General, was read, and the yeas and
nays being called on the passing said
bill, there were 34 yeas, 55 nayi—fo
the motion did not prevail.
feb. 12.—A bill dreaing all files,
papers and records, now kept in the
Affirmatives 51 —Negatives 4^
The second resolution is in the fol
lowing words :
Resolved, as the opinion of this
committee, that an additional duty
ought to be laid on the following ar
ticles, manufaduredby European na
tions, having no commercial treaty
with the United States.
This being read, Mr. Fiizfimon#
moved an amendment by striking
out the words " having no commer
cial treaty with the United Scatty,
Without having any debate or vote
on this motion, the committee rose
and reported progress.
In the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES,
An ad empowering Elizabeth Od
lio, wife of Dudley Odlin, late of Ex
eter, to convey lands left her, by her
late father, was read, and passed to be
enaded.
FEBRUARY 11.
THE Committee to confider of
the places of holding the Courts
of Law, in the county of Strafford,
reported, that said courts be holden
at Dover, Gilmantown and Moulton
borough, until county buildings be
eroded at New-Durham Gore, which'
report was read and accepted.
A bill for incorporating asocial Li
brary company, in Rochester, having
had three feveial readings, puffed to
be enaded.
Newbamp/bire Legislature.
[Price 75. per ann.]
NEWHAM.