The United States oracle of the day — Portsmouth, N.H., 1801-02-21 00:00:00, page 2

the honor to write on the 15th, inclofing a
ropy of a resolution of the Federal freeholders
, of the city of New-York, of the k,th inflant.
, permit me, through you, to assure them of the
,high sense 1 entertain of the honor they have
done me by the fehtiments, refpe&iog my pub
lic services, which are ekpreffed inthat resolu
tion ; and be pleased to accept my warmelt ac
knowledgments for the friendship and attach
nfent which your letter evinces
Crinfidering the relations in which I have
flood to those of my fellow citizens who arc
denominatedFederaliQs, I cake the liberty of sub
mitting to their consideration, a few remarks.
It is an agreeable circumflance, that the pro
sperity of our country, since the institution of
the present government, justifies the confidence
and support we have given to those by whom
It has hitherto been administered. But general
prosperity does not invariably produce general
content ; nor will public opinion, perplexed by
the different lights and Shades in which men and
measures are often placed and seen, always re
faain Ready and uniform.
These observations are conformed by events
of no inconsiderable importance, which have
recently occurred. They place us in a new fit
nation, and render it proper for us to confider
what our conduct under it should be. I take
the liberty, therefore, of fuggefling, whether the
patriotic principles on which we profefs to a&,
do not call upon us, to give (as far as may de
pend on us) fair and full effect to the kudwri
sense and intention of a majority of the people,
in every constitutional exercise of their will ; and
to support every administration of the govern
ment of our country which may proveto be in
telligent and upright, of whatever party the
persons composing it may be-
With the bell wiihes for the happirlefs of four
constituents, and with great personal refpedl
and regard for yourselves, I have the honor th
be, Gentlemen, your obliged, and
Obedient Servant,
JOHN JAY.
Cornelius Ray, Robert Troup, Richard Harrison,
Archibald Gracie, fables Watson, William K.
Woolfey, and Tames M. Hughes, Inquires, a
committee of the Federal Freeholders of the city of
Nezu-York.
" siR,
" YOUR favor of August 26th, has been du
ly received, and is entitled to my thankfulnefs
for the personal confiderati^ns you are pleased
to eXprefs in it. How far the measure proposed
plight have the expe&ed effect, you can belt
judge ; however, in the great cxercife of right
■ in which the Citizens of America are about to
3(9,1 have, on mature cenfideration, seen, that
it is my duty to be paffivc. The interests which
they have at flake are entitled to their whole at
tention, unbiaffed by personal esteem or local
considerations ; and I am far from the presump
tion of considering ttryfelf equal to the awful du
ties of the firft magistracy of this country.—
That there Should be differences of opinion a
mong Our fellow-citizens, is to be expeded al
ways. Men who think freely, and have the
right of expressing their thoughts, will differ.—
It is true that these differences have of late been
artificially increased ; but they are now again
subsiding to their natural' level, and will soon
come right, if no a&s of violence intervene.—
The great question which divides our citizens is,
whether it is fa fell that a preponderance of pow
er Should be lodged with the monarchical or th>
republican branch of our government ? Temporary
panics n\ay produce advocates for the former o
pinion, even in this country ; but the opinion
will be as Short lived as the panic, with the
great mass of our fellow citizens. There is one
circumftahce which will always bring them to
rights; a preponderance of the Executive over
the Legislative branch cannot be maintained but
in immense patronage, by multiplying offices,
making them very lucrative, by armies, navies,
&c. which may enlist on the fide of the patron
all those whom he can interest, and all their
families and conneaicAi; but these expences
must be paid by the laboring citizen ; he can
not long continue, therefore, the advocate of
opinions , which, to fay only the lead of them,
doom the laborfog citizen to toil and sweat, far
tifelefs pageants.
“ I Should be unfaithful to my own feelings
wefe I not to fay, that it has been the greatest
of all human consolations to me, to be consider
ed by the republican portion of my fellow-citi
zens as the fafe depository of their rights. The
firft wish of my heart, to fee them so guarded
is to be fafe in any hands, and not to, depend
on the personal disposition of the depository ;-—
and I hope this t 5 be practicable as long as the
people retain the spirit of freedom. When that
is loft, all experience has Shewn, that no forms
can keepthem free against their own will. But,
that corrupt Rate of mind muff be very, distant
in a country where for ages to come, unoccupi
ed foil will dill offer itfelf to those who wish to
reap fox them selves, what them selves nave sown.
" Our chief object at present Should be, to re
concile the divisions which have been artificially
excited, and to rest ore Society to its wonted har
mony. Whenever this Shall be done, it will be
found, that there are very few real opponents to
a government ,le&ive at Short intervals.
“ Accept assurances of the' refped of, Sir,
four very humble servant,
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
ratoon XTe a few,,f
witness co the truths we have nififyioned. ,
1r Having now declared your intention to resign
the c, s of public life, envy and ill-will can
fcarcci) deny, that the most recent scene of it
Ear exhibited all the valuable characters proper
to tire situation ; prudence, moderation and rec
titude. % It will at™lea'll be no small consolation
to yourfclfand to your friends to reflect, that
the purity ofycrar adminiftrfatia)impofes Rfcnce
on the tongue of detraction. To time, the best
arbiter of human pretenfiohs, it may fafely be
left to appreciate the true merit of your a&ions,
and to cre& a monument to your fame, beyond
' the reach of jealous or malevolent cavil.
With the most refpeßful confderation,
.* we have the honor to be, Sir, year
Excellency's Obedient Servants.
Cornelius Ray,
Robert Troup,
Hit Ezeeftency ^ Archibald Gracie,
T&bn fay, Efi ( Richard Harrison, •
Gov. of the State „ William W. Woolfey, .
efNczu-TorL ) Jnmes.M. Hughes,
James Wacfon.
Mr. JEFFERSON's LETTER.
Copy of Mr. feffirfons letter, in reply to one adref
fed to him by a citizen of Bcrkely.
MONTICELLO, SEPT. 4, 1800.
The present House of Representatives of the
United States will be dissolved on the 3d of
March, but the Senate will continue in Session.
The Hon. John Marshall, lately appointed
Chief Justice of the United States, was sworn
into that office, and took his feat at the late ses
sion of the Supreme Court, at the dty of Walh-
'GENTLEMEN,
I have received the letter which you did me
Albany, fan. ^,, lßot.
nation. To four institutions of learn
ing, Schools and libraries, are you in
debted for the general difletnindtion of
ufeful knowledge among you. By a
universal religious toleration, you are
permitted to worfkip your God in what-
►ver form or manner your bonfeiences
or habits point otit to you.
Enjoying the freedom, prbpetty, re
ligious eftablißinlents, confidence in
each other, and general happiness you
now do—can you be made to believe,
that by the introduction of others into
power, that your liberties will be more
firmly fixed or less endangered—thdt
any thing will be added to your prof,
perity, that in your religion you will
enjoy a greater toleration, or that yout
happiness will be more complete.
Should you be told the vew candi
dates for office will Rridly adhere to
the principles and measures of t^eir
predecessors, or that no change is me
ditated but a mere rotation of office,
pause for amoment —Admit this to
be true, yet you will confider it ,ily a
preparatory Rep, for the admission of
those who will maxecchatges, great and
essential ones ; unless they fhotild total
ly belie theif present principles, and be
come supporters of measures which
they have uniformly opposed. The
.chancy of such sadden converter., you
cannot think yourselves warranted to
rely on. In the effe& of the measures
of your xew fangled Government, di
re&ly opposite those of the present,
without any considerable gift of fore
fight, you will be able to difeern only
the prostration of yout public and pri
vate credit, poverty and ruin. Like
measures produce like effects. Mea
sures dire&ly opposed to those ptirfued
since the adoption of the present Gov
ernment, which have produced your
present prhfperoufr fituation,' we natur
ally conclude will produce effects di
reftly the reverse. ''.
Looking into thd councils, of your
fiftef dates, you find some of them al
ready filled with men inimical to the
Federal Government—having denoun
ced some of its laws as uncoußitution
al, and arrayed themfelveJ iff hoftilh,
to its measures. Should unfortunately
such a revolution take place as to induce'
a majority of Rates to arrange thcm>
selves on the fide of those already ripe
I ^^^^■■F ^ . ^ + ga^rame
General Mifcellan,.
" Truth, argument & reason, all combine -
" To add frefii vigor to each nervous line.
NEW-HAMPS^RE ELECTION.
[From the Centinel.]
To tie PEOPLE of Nev-Hamphire.
THE season is faft approaching,
when yen will be called to exer
cise the rights of Freemen, in the choice
of those to whom you will entrust the
powers of Government," for the year
ensuing. In considering to whom the
Government shall be entrusted, there
will be a natural occurrence to your
thoughts, of the importance bf the of
fices to be filled —by whom,-and with
what success, the Government has been
hitherto administered. If on examin
ation you find that those who have Shar
ed your confidence heretofore, have
been faithful feryants ; have executed
their trull with care, rectitude and abi
lity ; and that the People of the State
in all their varans pursuits, are free,
independent and happy :—Odght you
not to recare the services of your oil
and tried friends, who have been the in
struments of so much good ; and con
fider a change certainly productive Os
no good, but possibly of great evil.
The present Governor of the State,
the firm and patriotic GILMAN, has
richly merited the confidence reposed
in him, by his unwearied and faithful
dift±arge of the duty aligned him.—
The consideration that he has held the
office for a long period, ought rather 1
to be an argument for his continuance |
in office (as you are now convinced be-.
yond a doubt of his fidelity) than-a pre-;
text for his removal. That ther^ are 1
many characters in the State, should
occasion require, who would fill the
office with honor to themfelres and ad
vantage tp the community, there is no
doubt; but can you consider it found
policy or for your real interest, to
change the Officers of your Goverri
frnent, merely for the fah of change.—
Let it be considered as a maxim, that
Unless the People render to those wh&
have been their faithful Servants their
hearty support and gratitude, they will
soon find those to administer their Gov
ernment, Who will look to other sources
than the rectitude of their intentions or
the gratitude of their constituents, for
a more solid reward. A good man
will hardly find 'fufficieht inducement
to accept an office, when looking into
futurity, he will fee himfelf displaced
without reason, with no other reward
than the purity of his intentions, and
the reflection of having faithfully served
an ungrateful people. As no contrast
can be cOnfidered binding on one fide
only, there is an equal fidelity implied
in that between the Governor and gov
erned.—The Governorjs bound to be
faithful to his trust—the governed to
yield their support and gratitude to his
legal and faithful endeavors for their
benefit.
From the protesting influence of
yotir present free and happy govern
ment, and your industry; are derived
your present secure and prosperous fit-
For the United States' Oracle of the Day.
MARIA No. IV.
A Mind; corifetous of in intrinsic merit,
Spurns the idea of humiliation before the
tribunal of an arrogant trfurper of public esteem.
Its innocence in inion with its feif-created
worth, gives the bind i confident assurance of
which no assumed Superiority can deprive it.—
No splendor of apparel, no plainness of attire,
car add or dimicifl to the esteem in which dig
nihed merit is held in view of itfelf. If there
be a man who is ^titled to the commendation
of the world, it ii he who pogeffes that equa
nimity of mind, rfiich renders him neither ar
rogant to his inf&iora nor Servilely dbfequiots
to his superiors. If there be a Dornan who is
entitled to admiration, it is she, whose foul, like
a summer's fea,ed!m and unruffled, whole life,
& the lamb of innocence, pure and undefiled,
whose heart, insensible to every object bat
love and virtue. These are the perfect cha
eharaders which referable their divine original,
how rare they are found, is the lot of humanity
to rqourn.
The mind that is degraded in its own esteem,
either by con|cioufnrfs of guilt, want of capaci
ty, or information,wifi endeavor to supply the
deficit "6y feme specious external appearance.—
It is often that the vilest ptoftitute make, the
greatest ihew of modefty,2nd will profound one
for a rape, while in feefet (he solicits the lewd
embraces of another. And more than often do
we hear the ignoramus boasting of his knowl
edge. The quack will display to his patients
more drugs than would poison half the. human
race—lie will gabble to his admiring attendants
all the jargon of Elixirs, Anodynes, Cathartics,
Emetic, Tonics and Emolients, Until he tajks his
audience into a full belief of bis p^ofeffional (kill.
The Jacobin bdafts ofhis patriotism and love of
the dear rights of the people, that he h>ay
avail himfelf of theit influence, to obtain some
"post of honor or profit. Like David's son, he
addresses the people in a covert manner, “ Ch
that t were king, then should you be happy,"
but when mounted, like the beggar he will ride
t^ the De§il on their backs; I would ^autign
him that his head be ihaved before he gets on,
cr perchance the, oak of Federalism will suspend
him high in air " lik^Tavern 'fign.'^ The hyp
ocrite Shall now receive a bequest as a token of
my remembrance. If it were possible he should
tirh receive a pure heart; but as this is not in my
power, I will endeavor so correct his errors, by
giving him my advice. Your prayers are an of
fence in the fight of God, they are a mockery
which nd death-bed repentance will wash away.
Your language is foreign from your heart—
While ip the a&.of devotion, you plot your
neighbors ruin. Your villainy you endeavor to
veil under the holy mantle of religion ; but your
multiplied enormities fillup the chasm—the veil
ib rent—and you Stand a villain confeffed; with
the vengeance of an insulted Deity suspended
elver you, arid ak the imprecations of an injured
world accompanying you beyond the grave,—
Are not these rewards of your deceit fufficierit
to deter you fron a continuance of it ? If they
are not, go on, and in vain Shall you call upon
Lazarus.
Unpleasant isthe talk, but neceffaty the un
dertaking, to driw the pi&urcfque of an aban
doned profligate—loft to himfclf, to his family
and th the world. If there be a fight from which
1 shrink withborror and amazement, it is the
ghastly figure of a ffiamelefs take, glorying in his
apoftacy, in his,ilr, and in thb riot of debauch
ery. Has he cLim to pity or compassion in the
intervals of re&&ion? No, no ! The punish
ment fallen on hi guilty head, he has iuftly mer
ited. That hun%n nature fEould be fubje& to
such depravity isto be lamented, but that vice
fliould be punished and virtue rewarded, is the
flat of God. MARIA.
Tbbecontinued.
To Cecilia ^ the last Ledger.
% THE caftigationlof a real critic, or thb ad
vice of a ctfedial fr^nd, fhalL ever facet my
approbation, when thrir olyea is my benefit ;
but wherf criticism &fcends into abuse, knd
friendship into reproach, then, I fay, ^depart ye
cuffed," and lay your bilk in the furnace of en
vy. Cecilia may, perhaps, excite the contempt
of Maria, but her refeb%ent she will bestow on
a mope worthy object, when necessity requires it.
becilia'a,n\ental appetite appears to be foarpen
4d, far more, by the Indian aflault of "Quobaug
or Brookfield,'/ than by Mafia's moral essays ;
dull.tools arc the quickest fbarpened by a coarse
grit. A blind man cannot diftinguifli colours,
nor does a fool know his folly.
While tfcfublime Cecilia assumes the charac
ter of a critic, Maria, 4 , doubt not, wilf secure
to herfc If the praise flic feftly merits, and receive
the continued approbation of hes literary friends,'
whose encomiums, I am wimefs to, upon her
past numbers. If, however, Cecilia ffiotiki renew
her attack with the poisoned arrows of detrac
tion and falfehood, she will confider the aftail
ants malice, as dirt thrown upah the traveller
by a Tumbling horse. ,>
A Friend to Maria.
To the Republicans of Tqrk, in answer to
their regufl in tbe las Ledger.
THE Editor of the Oracle frill do
justice to all to whom it is due, and in doing
this, the " republican gehttaen of York" have the
tarlitft claim to his attention, which he mod
cheerfully-grants them, (as requefted' in the
Ledger)with the falvp of obliging them in the
way bethinks most proper.
" Toall wbom it may^con'refro,"
Whereas 1 have puhlifbed a true and genuine
piece over the signature of ~he gentleman of
fork," and as I have made it an invariable rule
to ftiie all men Gentlemen of refedability,
whose veracity is unimpeached, and whose con
du& b cofred, and %«ho finccrely hate rogues
and jacobins, and are attached to the Federal
Government—“ And whereas a certain identic
sprout of an old tofy ih York, (as you plcafed to
call him) did" riot " hand to the Editor the piece
alluded to," nor did any other “ sprout" Hund it
to him, but the tree which produced, tranfmit
red, and desired ft to be publifcd.
I, therefore, in pursuance of the above men
tioned custom, did publish, and do now repub
lic, that the true and genuine piece alluded to,
Was an " eatraß of a letter frefo a gc6&ati
for revolt and diilblutiori —-your ihef
rfmable Federal Government will be no
more—and the consequences even in
idea, will be too ruinous, not to gqard
agairiff every measure, which may lead
to so melancholy dp event.
For'the honor of New-England ; for
the support of the dignified FedcraEfm
of New-Hampffiire ; for your own in
terest and the welfare of your posterity ;
by every consideration which leads us
to the support of order and good Go
vernment, you are called upon to unite
and save your excellent GILMAN
from being added to the venerable
ADAMS, to complain of the ingra
titude of his countrymen.
Fl Native of Nev-Ham,foire.
NASSAU (N. P.) DEC. JO.
Ke have received information, that Capt. Gra
ham, of the revenue brig Admiral Duncan, had a fe
ver? engagement nvitb an American vessel of superior
force. Capt. Graham is wounded, and 30r4 of
his men killed. Ke hope to have it in our power
to £ ;1) , ^ore authentic particulars of this bujinefs in
our next.
WEDNESDAY, !eb, 4.
Mr. Livmgftdh laid on the table several re
solutions for the encouragement of manufactures
within the United States, by taking off duties
from raw materials ; and for afeertaining the
extent of the manbfa&ures, and the number of
men employed therein, in the United States.
N BERMUDA, DEC. 2%
Afro boats cf bis Majfo'sfhips Renown, Im
peteux, London and Courageux, commanded b. Lieu
tenants, bad the audacity to cut and carry awayfrom
Rage Bay, a very flout French privateer ts 21guns,
and 300 tons, called La Guira ; \be Captain of
•which, being apprized of their coming, had the batches
closed to prevent the crew from flinching. This is
a new method the Englifb have adopted : as the ene
my will not come out, they go and fetch them !
MONDAY, FEB. 2.
Sixteen members were appointed to report
preparatory measure, to the vote to be given
for President of the United States, &c.—To
whom all motions on the fubjed lwere referred.
Mr. Gregg laid on the table a resolution for
Information relating to the deflrudtion of the
books and papers by fire in the departments of
war and treaftry.
L The Hon. Ebenezet Mattoon, Reprcfenta
tive from MaTachufetts, took his feat.
rhe b Biddeford and New-Bedford ports of
entry bills ; the Drawback amendment bill;
and the bill to amend the a& to regulate the
imports arid tonnage duties, passed to be engross.
ed>
WASHINGTON'S MONUMENT.
The Bill to ere& a mausoleum to George Wafb
ington, came from the Senate amended—lnftead
of a Mausoleum the Senate propose a MontnnCTt,
the expense not to exceed 50,000 dollars ; to
be ereaed under the fupcrintendance of jebn
MarJball, Etfbrod Wafeiggton, ftbn E. Howard,
and Tobias Dear, Esquires.
Government of COLUMBIA.
" Our markets ate, generally, ex
travagantly high—Flouris Rill rifing —-
Rice is worth from 40 to 44/ —Sea
^land Cotton from 3/3 to 3/6, none at
market —Upland 1/9 to if.
" Happy must be the Rate of Ame
rica, when contrasted with the convuls
ed and Wretched situation of Europe."
Yesterday a fumptubus entertainment
Was given by several of the principal
merchants and other gentlemen of our
city, to OLIVER WOLCOTT, tfq.
expressive of their esteem for his char
acter, and the high sense they entertain
of his public services. The dinner was
in the great hall of tHe new Bank ; —
at which more than 100 persons par
took ; —and where John Nixon, Esq.
presided. The toasts were federal and
appropriate.
The bill on this fubje& was difeuffed, arid
amended, but was not gone through with.
Louse in Liverpool, dated Dec. 8, I 800.
“ It is with reluctance we now com
municate to you, the situation of a grelt
number of the poor inhabitants of this
place. It is a fad, numbers are almost
in a Rate of Rarvation.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY, JAN. 30, 1801.
FIVE members were appointed a Committee
to amend the Naturalization Laws.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
Mr. Bayard offered a Refolurion, That in
case there should be an equal vote for the candi
dates, the House should retire to its own cham
ber, and there proceed to ballot for a President,
and in case no choice should be made on the
firft day, that the House should proceed to bal
lot from day to day until a President should
be chosen, to the interruption of all other bufi
hefs. „ o _
of high readability in York" whole implaca
ble enmity to Jacobins, renders him the object of
their fear, hatred and abuse.—Net knowing a
better way to do justice to the much injured
republicans of York, than by the above—l have
therefore thought fit to make tbiq declaration,
hereby requeuing them to receive this as the
last token of n y remembrance of them or their
drunken feafts!
, FEB. 11.
Lhirafl of a letter from a refpeaable mercantile
Our wife-acres have just difeovered
the inequality of the representation in
the federal States ; they have found
that the . blacks give the southern States
ah undue proportion of representation.
We rejoice that a difeovery is made at
last. In a few years more other dis
coveries will be made—One is, that,
in our country, property and not popu
lation, must be the basis of reprefenta
tionx No government whose rulers
repr^fent the polls of a nation, can be a
durable one. But a more serious dif
eovery to be made, is, that we can ne
ver have public tranquility, public haf
mony, public jufrice, public energy,
national character, nor any thing like
equality of rights, until the people will
consent to dissolve the Rate-govern
ments, and unite amicably under one
National Government. This they will
not do, and therefore we are destined to
be torn into fadions—and to live in
perpetual disorder. It is impossible for
so many imperia in imperio, diftinft, jeal
ous sovereignties connected and in
volved, to exist but in a Rate of inces
sant competition & diftraftion. Rome
had intestine troubles without end, un
til the little Rates around her were
blended into one mass. The heptar
chy in England, deluged that country
with blood, till all the sovereignties
Were loft in a national government—
England and Scotland shed rivers of
blood before the Union. The Greeks
congress of the u. States.
By the last Mails..
Philadelphia, feb. ±O.
NEW-YORK, JAN, jl.
NEW-YORK, FEB. TCh
" Capt. Fuller, of the fchooncr Virago, arriv
ed yesterday in zj days from Guadaloupe,
informs us, that he ivas captured on the ift ofjap.
by the French privateer Triumphant, and sent
into Guadaloupe ; on his arrival there, his ves
sel and cargo with all his papers were returned
to him, with permission to dispose of the fame
as he pleased, During his flay a: Guadaloupe
capt. F. was treated with the greatest civility.
Peace with America was proclaimed the firtt of
January at Guadaloupe."
[ln addition to tie above, me have seer. c letter front
Guadaloupe, to a gentleman in this toovn, inform
' i*Z 9 f the rtleafe of three other American fyelsQ
The Secretary of the Navy, in a report, dat
ed the 12th Jan. 1861, informs Congress. that
if an honorable treaty could be formed with
France, it would be good economy, tn fell all
the public vessels, excepting the thirteen fol
lowing frigates, viz.—The United States, Prfr
dent, Constitution, Chefapeale, Philadelphia, New-
Yorb, Cancellation, Congress, Essex, BAon, f^bn
Adams, Adams,and General Greene; the rest be
ing built of materiila which do not promise
long duration, or are two small to form a part
of the national deferice. In future wars the
Secretary is for having the small vdlels, con
fill of privateers. He then gives statements of
the annual expense of these frigates upon the
war and peace establishment; and for, allow
ing half pay to all the commissioned officers and
midihipmen now in service ; as well as that of
the marine corps. He informs, that contrasts
have been made for eight frames for 74 gun
ships; that fir of them will be completed the
present winter ; and that a considerable part
of the other timber neceiDry for fix ships has
been procured. That ground for capacious
building and dock-yards, has been purchased at
Portsmouth, N. H. Charleftown, Md. Philadel
phia, Washington, and Norfolk ; arid measures
taken tri purchase ground at New-York.—That
contrails for copper-bolts, spikes and sheathing
copper, have been made, and money advanced
to procure them.—The following arc items of
expenditure.
DhtTAPG
For ground and improvements, 186,800
Timber, - - - . - 210,070
Copper purchased, and advances on
contrails, - - 76,913
Cannon, • •.• - 33,000
Purchase of Grover's iflarid, &c. 22,516
529,299
The Secretary then makes the calculations
for building a 74 gun ship and 44 gun frigate,
and fays, when the United States own
twelve ships of the line, and 24 strong
frigates; and it is known that they possess
the means of increasing with facility their naval
strength, confidence may be indulged, that they
may then avoid those wars in which they have
qo intercfl, and without submitting to be plun
dered. He then proposes the appropriation of
an annual sum for purchasing timber, &c. that
the United States may acquire the means of sud
denly railing their navy to any size, which the
exigency of their affairs may demand.
A letter from a member of Congress, dated
Walhington, Feb. 3, mentions the fallowing as
the probable result of the ballots for President
in the House of keprefentatives, which is to take
place this day, agreeable to the Constitution :
" Upo# the firft ballot for the President, it is
thought the States will vote thus ,—Kentucky,
Tennenee, Georgia, North-Carolina, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, New-jersey, and New-York ;=
Eight fir ftferfen, certain ;—New-Hampfhire,.
Maffacbufetts, Connecticut, Rihodc-lfhnd, Del
aware and South-Carolina, Six for Burr, cer
tain ; —Vermont and Maryland, divided.
" Upon the second ballot, it is thought that
New-Jersey, New-York and Maryland, will
vote for Mr. Burr, and Vermont will Hill b:
divided—which will give Nine flares to Mr.
Burr, Six to Mr. Jefferfon-and BURR will be
the man."
I he Convention with France was ratified b,
the Senate of the United States—22 yeas, 9 nays
limited to 8 years, and the id article excluded.
Since pur last, have been enployed in various
matters of general and local concern , but lit
tle of political importance.
Yesterday His Excellency the Governor com
municated, by message, a circular letter from
the Governor of Maryland,inclofihg certain re
solutions of the Lcgiflature of that State, pro
posing an amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, providing an uniform method of
choosing Electors of Pfefident and Vice-Presi
dent, and of Repreferftatives in Congress, by
having the fame fefpe&ively chosen by the peo
ple in diftrias, not fubjed t to alteration, except
ing upon every new census. The fubjed thas
been committed.
The house yesterday referred until the next
session of the the Legislature, the appointment
of a Major-General for the 9th division of the
militia of this Commonwealth.
attempted confederacies, but tendleg
war was the consequence ; one state
conquering and opptefling another !
With these and other examples before
our eyes, we ought to be wife—but we
are a miracle of political blindness
delusion !
Yesterday farming between the hours of ,
and to, theinhabitants of the north part of the
t„n were alarmed by the appearance of smoke
illtiing from the porch of the Rev. Dr. Lath
rop's meeting-house ;-=by the immediate exer
tions of the neighbourhood, the fire which oc
casioned it, was soon quenched, after it had burnt
part of the floor.—Every inquiry has been
made into the probable cause of fire in this
place, and the Selectmen find too many appear
ances to lead them to think it the effef. of dellgn.
A fire at New-York, on Wednesday the ixth
inst. destroyed a house occupied by Joseph
Strong, Esq. in John street ; and damaged the
contiguous buildings. The fire took firft in the
lower part of the house, and raged so fufiouLy
as to endanger the lives of the occupants. A
lady, in the second story had the courage and
presence of mind, being her only resource to
leap from thence into the arms of the fire men,
which she gffe&ed without injury.
We daily receive narratives of the destruc
tion by Fire. At Norwich, (Con.) a focious
Meeting-house, (Dr. Strong's) a dwclling-houfe
and several stores were burnt on Saturday eve
eriing the 7th inst.
Tbe many fres that bale secured in various ssh
of the the United State: within afra months pas,
are demonstrations that the country " iniefed by a
numerous set of bold and daring incendiaries ; the
town of Wilmington in (N. C) we are credibly
informed, has been four times witbin tbefpace of 20
days, attempted to be destroyed by fire, designedly and
artfully, in defiance of d ligiladt guard, as well 6,
day as night;
UNITED STATES' NAVE.
BOSTON, FEB. I 8.
THE LEGISLATURE
FIRES.
NFW-TORK, FEB. IX.