Gazette of the United-States. — New-York [N.Y.], 1792-01-25 00:00:00, page 2

I n many particulars we think the new confti
tutiaii of France much better than our own ; and
especially in those most important points, which
relate to the election and duration of "the repre
sentative body, and to the entire separation of
religion from politics. On the fubjeJt of this
lnlt article, one cannot but admire at the perti
nacious ItifFnefs of our civil and eccleliaftical ru
lers. Our countrymen are but too visibly cramp
ed in their religion, violated in their morality,
and ensnared in their consciences. If thisiUand
should still persevere in imposing telts and sub
scriptions, after the unnatural and unhallowed
alliance of church and state is no less wifely than
virtuously diflolved in a neighbouring kingdom
(France)it will bedifgraceful to us,asProteltams ;
if we continue to impede, and confound and eni
barrafs the kingdom of Heaven by mixing it with
the kingdom of this world, after they have been
ferered by an Atfembly, which some among us do
not scruple to ftigmafize as an assembly 0 f infi
dels and Atheitts, it will be difgraceful to us not
only as Protestants, but as the disciples of ChriC
and as the servants of the living God.
M. Collot has presented the sum received, a
mong such of his brother patriots as are in dis
tress.
The Chevalier Erao, has seized, two Tunisian
cruizers,under the cannon of Baftia, in the island
of Corsica. The Bey has reclaimed them from
the French commandant, and declared, that,
if tKey are not delivered up within the space of
two months, he will declare war againlt the Na
tional Flag.
M. Collot d'Hei bois has gained the prize of
IJ louis d'ors, offered by the Jacobins, for the
bed patriotic Almanack. The judges were M.
M. Condorcet, Clavieres, and M. Dufaux.
Sorcery, though extindl in nioft parts of tiie
world, ft ill exists at Rome, where the reverend
Father Altizza was lately seized for this crime,
by order of the Holy and enlightened office of
Inquilirion.
The liberty of the Press gains ground even at
Vienna. A work is lately publi/hed there, with
the pcrmiflion ofgovernment, entitled, " Of the
duty of Monarchs, and the Provincial States, to
alleviate ibe burden ot the public expences, and
of that of subjects, not to pass the limits of obe
dience." In this treadle the author declaims a
gain ft the exemption of the Nobility and Clergy
from taxes, and the iiij u slice of confining the molt
diftinguilhed and lucrative employments to the
former. He reprobates a!fo the game laws, as
deftruc r tive of agriculture, andperfonal servitude
as pregnant with every political mifchief.
Theodore Ropp, an inhabitant of Lithuania,
has fettled a fpm of money for portioning three
poor girls annually on the 3d of May, in com
memoration of the Polifli revolution.
The commiflioners appointed to examine the
archives, reported that the number of papers
contained in them was so great, that to examine
the whole would have taken several months. M.
Camus, the archivilte, had promised to give them
an abftradt of the whole within two days, and
had kept bis word. This abftracft they had found
so ably made out, so clear in arrangement, and
so accurate in its details, as far as they had had
the means of examining them, that they thought
it more honorable to adopt it, and inform the
afleinbly, to whom they were indebted for it,
than toprefent any thing less perfetft of their own.
The reading of this abftrait, which contained
an admirable account of the committees appoint
ed by the constituting aflembly, the powers
■which the neceflity of the times;' had obliged
them to aflame, the powers which they ought
to exercise in less arduous circumstances, what
progiefs each of them had made in' the matters
laid before them, and theready means by which
any new committee might take up the fame sub
jetfts, where the former committees had left
them, took «p the greater part of the day.
The aflenibly ordered, that honorable men
tion ihould be made in the minutes of this im
portant voluntary, service, performed by M. Ca
mus, and agreed to take his account of the com
mittees as the basis of their plan. *
Very warm debates lately took place in the
Polifli Diet at Warsaw, occasioned by a propof'ed
revision of the Administrative Commiflions, part
of which for the Crown, and part for the duchy
of Lithuania. The King and his party triumph
ed, as usual, over all opposition. Several arti
cles at lfcngth were unanimously agreed to, which
equally favor the Crown of Poland and the Du
chy of Lithuania.
PARIS, October p.
THERE is ageneral canvass for the offices of
Mayor of Paris, Procurator Syndic, &c. but
it is believed, that the Democratic party will pi e
vail, and that M. Peythion will be Mayor, and
M. Roberfpierre Syndic.
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
Thursday, Ocft. 13.
The Afleinbly called for the order of the day
IB
LONDON, November 16
-ongrefs.
Mr. Giles undertook to (hew, from the Confti
ution, that one Congress had a right to prescribe
ules for a subsequent shewed that
everal difad vantages would accrue from thecon
rary position, and in fad: do already exist in con
eqttence of the house having atfed on the oppo
lte luppofiuon. '
Mr. Gerry contended that the regulation pro
ofed was ncceffary, in order to securing this im
portant objert-the house has a right to call for
his information ; the Conftieution has made it
our duty to do i o, and we have a right,to fay in
what manner and at what periods this informa
tion lhall be received.
Mr. Bourne said he conceived the resolutions
were entirely fuperfluous, as the law was exprels
on the fubjecft. He called for the reading the
law—which was done. s
Mr. Barnwell spoke in favor of the resolutions—
Mr. Livermore denied the right of one house
to impose rules on another_He said the supposi
tion, in his opinion, was contrary to several ex
pvefs provisions in the Condition ; to prove
* refcrred t0 Several pans of the inftru-
[ Mr. Findley observed that it Had been custo
mary to refej- the petitions to the Secretary of
the Treasury. If this regulation had not been
adopted, he fljould now be opposed to ii. He
replied to Mr. Gerry, and defended the charac
ter of the people of the W«itern counties—said
they had paid their taxes for the support of the
state government with promptitude. Observa
tions of a contrary kind, he knew, had got into
the newspapers, which he thought were very un
candid ajid improper—but he was sorry to hear
such obfervationsfrom the members of thishoufe
The present petition, however, is not, said he,
from a Western county.
The motion for the reference was agreed to.
On the Report of the Select Committee refpefliag Re
ceipts and Expenditurts of Pub lie Monies.
Mr. Livernrore rose for enquiry as to the de
nomination of legislative proceedings which this
report was to receive, whether it was to be en
acted into a law, or to be considered as a (landing
rule of the house.
Mr. Gerry replied—He said the objetft was to
obtain such information, from time to time, as
was necedary to forming a judgment relpedting
the propriety of additional taxes. The com"
mittee has taken such steps as they thought pro
per—the result is before the house, and it re
mains for them to dispose of it as they may think
proper—he however thought that there would be
a propriety in making it a standing rule of the
house—he said it would be adting agreeable to
the Constitution, which expressly fays that such
an account (hall be exhibited.
Mr. Livermore said he could net fee any pro
priety in this mode of proceeding—he was in fa
vor of as full an investigation into the expendi
tures of public money as any man—but he tho't
that no rule or standing order of the house could
controul the law. A law is already enacted for
the regulation of the Treasury Department ii
this law is defective, it may be amended—but he
had no idea of* doing buiincfs in tliis way.
the gentleman has observed, wa have a right tc
call for such an account whenever we please a
greeable to laws already ena<fted, and therefor*
the reflations appear to be fnperceded—befules
he doubted whether the power of this house ex
tended to the making rules which fjiall bind an'
future C f
FRIDAY, December 30, 1791.
A Motion Jor referring the Petition of the Inhabitants
of Northumberland Cerl/ity, againfl the Excise, to
the Secretary of the Treaftiry, occaftoned some con
versation. *
MR. GILES objected to such reference as im
proper—He thought the fubjedt coguiza
ble by the House only.
Mr. Gerry made some remarks, which were
opposed to a more particular attention to this pe
tition than to others 011 the fame subject—He
thought the petition improper, as it prays for a
repeal of the law—he threw out some reflections
on the people of the Western counties for their
want of patriotifin, in not paying taxes for the
fupportof t heir Hate government —and now, said
he, they appear to wiih to get rid of all contribu
tion for the support of the general government
also.
HOUSE OF R E PRESENTJTIVES,
PHILADELPHIA
CONGRESS.
310
Mr. Bourne then laid on the table a refolutien
for referring the Secretary's report,together with
Mis. Greene s petition, and the vouchers accom
panying it, to a feledi committee, with instruc
tion to enquire into the facfts which rendered it
neceflhry tor General Greene to become security
to Banks arid Co. and the nature, circumstances,
ami amount of the original debt, and the obliga
tions entered into by General Greene for pay
meat thereof; with an account of the monies or
collateral security received by the obligees, or by
General Greene in his life time, or his represen
tatives since his death, in part thereof ; and the
eventual lof's which his estate will sustain in con
sequence of the said securities s—and5 —and after exa
mining all the circumstances, and such further
evidence as may be offered relative to the tranf
acftion, to report their opinion thereon to the
house.
Mr. Macon then moved that the committee of
the wnole should be discharged from any further
proceedings on the fubjecft— which motion was
agreed to.
A mefTage was received from the President of
the United States, by Mr. Secretary Lear, con
veying certain documents received from the Le
gislature of the State of Virginia, refpediing lands
located by the officers and soldiers of the Virgi
nia line, under the laws of that State, and lince
ceded to the Chicafaw Indians.—Also informing
the house, that the President had this day ap
proved signed an acft for extending the time
limiited for fettling the accounts of the United
Siaies with the individual States.
*' Resolved, as the opinion of this committee,
That the estate of tlVe late Major General Grcyne
ought tofce indemnified for the engagements en
tered into by that General, with certain persons
in the State of South-Carolina, for the purpose
of obtaining supplies for the army of the United
States, under his command, in the year 1783.
Which was negatived, 28 to 25.
The committee then rose, and the chairman
reported that the committee of the whole house
had had under consideration a report of the.Se
cretary of the Trea(ury on the petition of Catha
ri.ie Greene—and had come to no resolution
thereon.
After a lengthy debate, the question was put
for agreeing to the fir ft resolution, in the fol
lowing words :
The order of the day being called for, on the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the
petition of Catharine Greene, several member
objected to taking op this business, being of a
private nature, while matters of the greatelt
public importance demand the immediate atten
tion of Congress. . The question being taken,
the motion for going into a committee of the
whole on this bnfinefs was carried, 21 to 16
And Mr. Livermore took the chair.
A letter from the Comptroller of the Treasury
was read, inclosing a statement of the extra ex
pences, not allowed, incurred by the Commissi
oners appointed to treat with the Creek Indians.
Sundry petitions for pensions, compenfatious,
&c. were read and referred.
Mr. Clark was in favor of adopting some m«a
fures to obtain the information in question—but
he thought the present house had no more right
to bind a future house by a (landing rule iij this
refpedt, than they have to fay that the speaker
of the next house (hall wear a tye wig He moved
an amendment, by makingtherefolution toread
" that the return (hould be made on the foiirth
Monday of October next." This motion was se
conded, but not agreed to.
One of the resolutions offered by the commit
tee, after some modification, was agreed to ; the
other rejected.
Mr. Williamfon fuppofted the resolutions He
said the present Congress had.a right to make
such rules and regulations refpeding ihe treasu
ry as they thought proper; and to fay thatthofe
rules shall be perpetual—still a future Congress
may repeal them, and establish others which they
may fay fnall be (landing rules.
Mr. Niles wished foine rules similar to those
proposed fhocM be adopted—He denied the risht
of one Congress, in its rliles and
bind another. On this principle, the present
house may chufe a speaker for a subsequent house.
The question never has been for repealing the
rules and regulations of a former house ; but
whether they shall be adopted ?— He wished for
a law on the subject, but w as oppoled tp the bn
linefs in its present form.
Mr. Gerry,'in reply to Mr. Bourne, observed,
(hat the article in the law jo ft read, had refpec't
only to the eflimates of receipts and expenditures.
An eflimate, he supposed, was a very different
thingfrom an account.
Mr. Murray Was of opinion that the practice of
the house jultified the adoption of the resolutions
now under consideration—he referred to the Se
cretary of the Treasury's report 011 maoufa&ures
which had been ordered by a former house and'
received by the present. '
MONDAY, January 23