National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-01-23 00:00:00, page 2

When therefore, we take into considerati
on, the probable saving that is made, toge
ther with our giving foreigners such ad
vantages, by having these negotiations
transacted within their country, rather
than within our own ; to become tributa
ry to foreign courts, or individuals, there
by rendering our funds in some degree de
pendent upon external accidents, and fluc
tuating with every politic&l breeze that
wafts an unfavourable rumor as to war 01
peace ; these few confutations mull con
vince us of the impropriety of the measure.
But a greater evil itill presents itfeli :
Should we be obliged to make annual re
mittances, either in specie or bills of ex
change, it wouljl operate as a heavy bur
den on our already distressed commerce. —
It mult plainly appear, that aitho' the 10311
may be obtained at a lower interest, yet
the chance is, that the negociation may be
greatly againtl us, by the mode of payment.
Should government have occasion for bills,
the price of them, in consequence of the
demand, mi£ht be from fix to ten per cent,
above par Tins advance would in the firft
instance, fall on the merchant, and after
wards on the whole people, by the rife ol
imported articles. Inltead, therefore, ol
saving tnoney by the loan, we might, from
the disadvantages of our remittances, be
come great fufferers.
This one conlideration of the price ol
bills is a proof that we had better obtain
our loans within ourselves, than to borrow
of Europeans, at any rate whatever FOl
when remittances are called for, either spe
cie or bills mult be obtained; in either cafe
it will prove fatal to every class of citizens
[To be continued. ]
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON, Nov. 20.
the commercial world will, in the
courfeof a few years, derive great benefit
from an expedition which is Ihnrlly to be
made to the eastern and weflern coalts ol
South America. A sloop of war is now in
the river ready to fail on the intended
Voyage, and the obje&is to fix upon a spot,
on which to found a settlement favourable
to the southern Whale Filhery, and othei
©bjefts of commerce.
Notwithstanding external appearance.'
of cordiality ,it is certain that a secret jea
lousy is already kindled between the courts
of Peterlburg and Vienna. The latter
cannot fee, without unealinefs, the prodi
gious acquisition the empress has made by
the entire subjugation ofPoland, while flie
has contributed nothing to the crusade a
gainst France, but promises and threats.—
It is impoflible for the emperor's ministers
not to compare her success with their own
failure, and thence to infer, that Aultria
has been made the deluded inltrument of
Jier ambition.
At Vienna, the restoration of the old
government of France, formerly believed
to be an easy matter, begins to be thought
extremely difficult, if not impoflible; and
the advocates of the revolution increase
both in number and in confidence.
At Berlin, people talk with greaterfree
dom It is well known, that the expedi
tion against France was never popular
there, and the ill fu:cefs of it has added
greatly to the discontent. The effervef
cence, however, is by no means likely to
rife to infurrettion. The focus is at Ber
lin, but its rays, though lively, are not
fufficiently vigorous to ast with much ef
fect on the other parts of the monarchy.
The number of fugitive French priests
now in this country are really a burden to
the public. Some of them are preparing
to go to Canada, hoping to find the means
ps lubfiftence in that colony. It is me
lancholy £0 fee the change in many ; from
rioting fumptuoully, now reduced to tat
ters and a morsel of bread. All however,
are not real objects of pity : and the fol
lowing lines will aptly apply to one of the
dignified, in whom the public cannot be
mistaken :
" He was so proud, that had he met
The twelve Apo files in the flreet,
He would have hooted at St. Paul
And twrn'd his nose up at them all."
VIENNA, October 20.
His Imperial and Apostolic Majesty has
made an official requisition to all the Itali
an powers, in order to induce them to as
sist the king of Sardinia in driving the
French troops, " more formidable by their
doctrines than their swords," from Savoy
and Nice, and thus to prevent that nation
from keeping pofleflion of a conquest which
willferve as " the key" to Italy.
It is doubtful whether the republic of
Venice will pay any attention to this ap
plication.
The Pope has promised 2000fcudi ; but
he will find it difficult to procure even that
fumas his fubjc£ts are already Frenchmen
in their hearts.
Genoa has declared itfelf neutral.
The king of Naples w : ll regulate his
conduct according to that of Spain.
As for Dukes of Parma and Modena,
they cannot raise above jooo men between
them !
The Emperor, in the mean time, has
ordered fix battallions of infantry, and as
many squadrons of cavalry, to march to
**>♦ assistance of Sardinia.
For the National Gazel-te.
(Cirtcinnatm continued.)
To the President of the United Statis.
SIR,
"yOU have not often been troubled with
anonymous addrefles, it may therefore
be thought proper, that Tome apology be
made you for the obtrulion of this ; but
the novelty gf the measure must be juftifi
ed by thenecellity of the cafe, and by that
claim which your injured companions in
arms have to your patronage and protecti
on,—derived from those profefllons and
promises made to them by you when their
commander in chief. They then refpecft
ed you as they ought, as soldiers they glo
ried in you, as friends they loved you ;
they once thought their affections for you
reciprocal, and would even now reluctant
ly give up that belief.
My address to yon will be in plain re
publican language. Ido not pretend to
understand thole prudent forms of deco
rum, those gentle rules of discretion,
which courtly foftnefs may prescribe.
No man knows as well as you the Cervi
ces, facrifices and fufferings of the late ar
my ; your tribute of acknowledgements is
on record, —it does juflice to your head
ami heart ; but Sir, by what fatality has it
happened, that your countenance, which
once delighted and animated them, is now
withdrawn from their support ? There was
a time, when the army never would have
believed, that you could be at the head oi
government for four years, without mak
ing one effort, without expressing a tingle
wifli for a retribution of their services.
Can it be poflible, Sir, that you have aban
doned the known rules of right, to adopt
the quibbling diftiilitions of the Treasury ?
The army have now come forward, qi:af<
una vnce y and have thrown themselves on
the justice, the humanity and of
Conjrefs—to all-: that as a gratuity which
they ought to receive as a right. Such
men, struggling with adveriity, must al
ways be an interesting scene to them ; —at
light of so much virtue in distress your na
tural benevolence will take the alarm and
anticipate their a£ts of humanity.
The individuals of the late army thought
themselves interelled, and were therefore
active, in the change that effected the pre
sent government. The languor and inabi
lity of the old one deprived them of their
flipulated wages ; but the change has been
the reverse of their expectations ; for they
are not only not benefited, but really inju
red by it, inasmuch as they not only do not
receive any of their own dues, but are
compelled to contribute to pay those very
dues to others, without any fort of equiva
lent or compensation paid to them. If
they were juftifiable in overturning the old
government, because it could not do them
justice, how much less reason have they to
support the present one which does them
injustice.
The present government has been libe
ral to the late army in nothing but negleCt
and contempt. It may be worth while to
pause a little and reflect on the probable
effects of a continuance of these measures.
If nothing Oiall now be granted them, they
will feel cut off from all hopes of rcdrefs—
and in that you lop off their attachment
to government —methinks I fee you start
led at the idea of so extensive an amputa
tion.
Sir, the fains reipublica might again re
quire a practice of those leflons, the army
learnt in their youth before they are toe
old : —now is the time topurchafe the ex
clulive right to their taCtical knowledge, il
may be had at the low price of paying then
their houeft demands ; it will infufe a por
tion of new health into the governmeni
and enable it to bear its infirmities.
A single ray of well directed fympath)
from you will diflipate a cloud which ii
overfhadowingyour own honourable fame.
I have addreifed myfelfto theindividua
members of Congress, through the famt
channel, on this subjeCt, with such argu
ments as, to my understanding, are unan
swerable.
Jan. u. CINCINNATUS.
To the INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS o
CONGRESS.
—4 *
Sir,
A Consideration of my last to you will
naturally refuft in the following queries:
ift. Whether by the principles of justice,
of good faith, of hojjor, of gratitude, the
faithful services of the late army have been
bona fide Remunerated ?
2dly. If they have not, what remains
(till due them ? and
3dly. What are the ways and means
now in our power to enable us to do jus
tice to them ?
To the firft, you cannot lay your hand
upon your breast and answer in the affir-
I mative, provided the basis of christianity
| which inculcates to do as we would be
done unto, has any bias on your aCtions;
I am strengthened in this aflertion by an
opinion, which is rather obsolete indeed,
II mean tbe antiquated, visionary, Utopian
ideas of our President, when commander
in chief of the army, in his letter to Con
gress dated at Newburgh, March 18th,
1753 : "For if belides the limple payment
of their wages, a farther compensation is
not due to the fufFerings and facritices oi
the officers, then I have been miitaken in
deed : if the whole army have not merit
ed whatever a grateful people can bellow,
then have I been beguiled by prejudice,
and built opinion on the balis of error ; ii
this country Ihould not in the event per
orm every thing which has been requeftee
in the late memorial to Congress, ther
will my belief become vain, and the hope
that has been excited void of foundation :
and if as has been suggested for the pur
pose of inflaming their passions, the officer:
of the army are to be the futferers by the
revolution—if retiring from the field, the}
are to grow old in poverty, wretchednei
and contempt —if they are to wade tjhre
:lie vile mire of dependency, and <>we the
niferable remnant of that life to charity,
which has hitherto been spent in honor,
r .hen shall I have learned what ingratitude
s, then shall I have realized a tale which
will embitter every moment of my life :
But I am under no such apprehensions; £
:ountry rescued by their arms from im
pending ruin will never leave unpaid the
ofgratitude." Tothe General's
jive me leave to add one remark, that fin
:erity is better measured by adtions that
arofeflions.
The 2d query is of a more complex na
:ure, partaking of the principles of ftri£l
uftice and juftifiable expediency—l have
already in my former letter said that ftri£l
uflice was not expedted, and that a rea
sonable and moderate compensation would
ae cheerfully and readily acqujefced in—
nth a compensation is now in the hand;
:•{ government derived from the savings of
:he funding fyftvm out of the amny debt—
a debt which was the price of our inde
pendence.
The services of the army at the end ol
he war amounted to 10,000,000 dollars,
"or which certificates bearing an interest oi
') per cent, were ifiued ; full fix years haei
?lapfed. before any interest was paid, the
accumulated sum therefore then amoiinteei
:o about 13,500,000 dollars—at which time
lie funding system was adopted.
When the holders of this debt having
jurchafed it at a very under value_, agreed
generally to fell it to government or
he following terms —that is, to have new
aaper for two-thirds of the principal, or
.vhich should be annually paid 6 per cent,
or which payment certain revenues fhoulc
ae mortgaged ; the remaining third to re
liain a dead unproduttive flock for ter
by which means government wil
ave 2,000,000 dollars—for the interefl thai
A»as become due certain other paper woulc
ae given, and funds mortgaged, purport
ng, that the fame wasdwe by government,
lrawing an interest of three per cent, pet
innum, by which means (taking it for
'ranted that money when due for interefl
sjuft as valuable as principal) a saving i:
nade to government of 1,750,000 dollars,
liaking together 3,750,000 dollars. Tc
A'hom does this money belong ? To the
:ommunity it cannot, for they have receiv
:d a full equivalent for it. To the fpecu
ators, or present holders of the continen
:al debt it cannot, for they have releafec
ill pretensions on conlideration of having
what they now hold placed on so refpe&a
ale a footing, they will not, nay, they dare
not claim it ; to the officers and soldier:
who so painfully and ineritorioufly earnei
it, does it not unequivocally belong? Te
hem it ought and must be paid ; to theii
?xclufive use let it be piously applied, ei
:her in the pnrchafe of annuities for life
jr to be distributed among them in the ra
;io of their pay; it is probable that bj
death and from other causes not more
than 2,000,000 of this sum would ever b<
claimed—this brings us to the 3d query.
What are the ways and means now it
aur power to enable us to do juflice ?
From the facility with which money cai
ae procured from foreigners on loan at :
ow interest, I propose that a loan foi
!,000,000 be negociated at an interest no:
:xceeding 5 per cent, redeemable at plea
sure—you will then have to provide foi
:he payment of the interest which will an
nually amount to 100, coo dollars.
The Secretary of the Treasury in hi:
very figured report to Congress on the
fubjeft of paying off the redeemable fix pel
cents has pointed out and recommendec
two sources which will procure the fun
requifite, that is 60,000 dollars, the profit:
of the bank speculation, and the residue tc
be made up by a tax on pleasure carriages
ar horses.
I have proposed this money to be applied
to this more neceflary and honorable pur
aofe, because 1 am not so convinced of
bis infallibility as to believe it neceflary 01
politic to annihilate our debt fafter than
can be done by a surplus of one per cent,
which may be procured out of the existing
taxes, that is by borrowing money at 5
per cent, to pay off the redeemable fix per
cents, and unalienably applying the one per
cent, surplus as a finking fund which will
extinguish the debt in 33 years. This i:
soon enough; let the next generation paj
a little for the benefit this has conferred on
them.
If however you should object to the ap
plication of the above prcpofed ico,cco to
this laudable purpose bec;:ufe the Secreta
ry of the Treaiury has recommended it
for other purposes, or because you do rot
think it the bed pofliblu, permit me to
point out another. In jr.oft if not all the
states an excise oil tavern-keepers and re
tailers of fpiritUGUs liquor!, is paid and ap
propriated lor different purposes by the
slate authorities—let an additional ade
quate one be laid by Congress for this pur
pofe—ol let Congress alfome the right
which they possess to the whole of this tax
exclusively, which will probably produce
about2CO,cco dollars per annum. T here are
a variety of other untouched eligible sour
ces of revenues which might be eafiiy col
lefled, and in the coile&ion not oppressive.
Inability therefore can be no apology for
refraining to do justice—the unpaid refi
di:e in the hands of government if appro
priated as I have suggested it ought to be,
would give the officers and soldiers about
one third of their original dues, which
added to the two and fix pence which
they have already received, would make a
total payment to the army of nine fhilliugs
and two pence in the pound for their hard
and painful services: for this however
they would give a quit claim forever—and
would remember with gratitude the hands
Chat shall be extended for their relief.
CINCINKATUS.
Jan. 14.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday, Jan. 18.
A bill for continuing in force for a limit
;d time, and amending an a£t providing for
.he means of intercourse between the Uni
:ed States and foreign nations, was read
he third time and pasTed—as was alf'o a
>ill for determining the northern bounda
yof the territory ceded to the United
States, by the state of North-Carolina—
ind a bill to regulate trade and intercourse
,vith the Indian tribes.
Mr. Hartley's motion (laid 011 the table
1 few days since) "for appointing ,1
:ommittee to bring in a bill providing half
jay for seven years, for the widows and
irphans of filch officers of the late army as
lave.been killed since June 3d, 1784, or
nay be hereafter killed in the service cf
he United States," was, on motion of Mr,
•"itzfimons, referred to a committee of the
.vhole for next Wednesday.
The bill for compensating John Xucker,
was after some debate agreed to, with an
imendment, and the blank filled up with
JO9 dollars—the bill was then reported, and
>rde;ed to be engrossed.
The report of a fele£t committee on the
jetition of Joseph Henderfon, was taken
nto coilfideration—this report proposes a
■efolution that a yearly fatary of dol
ars be allowed the petitioner from August
[778 to August 1782, as pay-master to the
lavy board for the eastern department—
:he blank was filled up with too dollars.&a
jill ordered to be brought in accordingly.
A message was received from the Senate
ay Mr. Otis their secretary, informing the
ywfe that they have pasTed a bill refpecling
fugitives from justice, and persons who ef
:ape from the service of masters, and re
;jueft the concurrence of the honfe.
Monday, Jan. 21.
•A bill for compensating John Tucker
was brought in and recommitted to the
committee that reported it—The bill,
sent from the Senate on Friday last rela
tive to persons flying from justice, and
perfoiis abfeonding from the service of
their masters, was twice read, and made
the order of the day for this day two
weeks.
The house then in committee of the
whole took up the bill to authorize a
loan in the certificates of the individual
states to the amount of the balances which,
on a final settlement of accounts, fliall be
due to them from the United States.
The bill was read, and discussed by pa
ragraphs—several amendments were pro-'
posed—on motion, the committee rose and
reported progress, and were discharged.
The bill was then recommitted to the spe
cial committee, that reported it, who a
mended the bill and made their report ;
which was read twice and debated on in
committee of the whole—The following
motion by Mr. Merccr was difcufTcd till
the hour of adjournment, viz.—Provided
that 110 fucli note or certificate shall be
fubferibed by any person other than the o
riginal owner thereof, or his legal repre
sentative or guardian, other than an aflig
nee,unlefs it shall be proved by the oath oif
affirmation of the party presenting Jie
fame to the loan-officer to be fubferibed,
that such note or certificate was not trans
ferred to the person in whose name the
fubfeription is made, at any time between
the day of and the ——
day of , and unless it shall appear 011
oath or affirmation, that the person in
whose name the notes or certificates may
be fubferibed, is the real bona fide owner
thereof."