Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1804-01-03 00:00:00, page 2

w!se==^^
r ua date with the United States. And it may be
difficult to ascertain how far a new principle in
troduced into the confutation would operate as
releasing the dissenting date, from the comped.
Nothing but imperious necessity can juftif, the introduc
tion of new principles. The specious term of a
mendments, will be fatisfied by applyingic is
forms & proceedings, without extending it to the
principles and fubtiance of the constitution.
In an eleaive government much depends on
public opinion. It is important that the constitu
tion should be liable and permanent ar the standard
to dire& that opinion. A cenflitutionfreqneHtly chang.
ed, cannot command the esteem or veneration of an, people.
The propping of amendments ^ love of novelty into the pub
lic mind. One okange prepares the wayfor another. Hew
many constitutions t has within a few years bee# efablifcd
in France? Each of which was thought better than theone
that proceeded it.—Have not their frequent changes ren
dered every thing dear to man so precarious and uncer
tain, as to induce them to ejWlijh a military despotism
in preference to a free government ! Theirfate it is /aid
fruldferve as afolemn warning a on snot to change out
oenflitution, unlejs impelled by abj^ut eneceffity.
It has been said the people require this amend
ment, But of this fia we have no evidence.
This amendment affeds the relative interest &
importance of the smaller states. The constitu
tion requires the electors of each state to vote for
two mien, one of whom to be President of the U
nited States. This affords a degree of fecurit,
So the small states, against the views and ambi
tion of the large states. It gives them weight
arid influence ia the choice. By destroying this
copiplexmede of choice, & introducing the simple
principle of designation, the large states can with ;
great case cleft their candidate., This amend-;
meat will enable the electors from four states & ;
a half to choose a President against the will of|
the remaining twelve states and a half. Cap|
such a change tend to conciliate and strengthen:
the union ?
This amendment has a tendency to render thel
Vice President less refpeftable. He will be vo
ted for not as President of the United states, but
as President of the fenate—ele&ed to preside over
forms in this house. In eliding a fuberdinate offi
cer the electors will not require those qualifications
requisite for supreme command. The office of
Vice President will be a, sinecure. It will be
brought to market and exposed to fide to pro
cure votes forthe President. Will the ambitiousafr
pir og candidate for thePrefideucy,will bis friends
and favorites, promote rhe elc^ion of a man ot
talents, probity and popularity for Vice Presi
dent, and who may prove his rival? No They will
feck a man of moderate talents, whofa ambition
is bounded by that office, and whose influence
will aid them in electing the President. This
mode of election is calculated to encreafe cor
ruption, promote intrigue, and aid inordinate
ambition. The Vice President will be fele&ed
from some of the large states—he will have a
casting vote in this house, and feeble indeed must
his talents be, if his influence wit not be equal
to that of a member. This will in faft, be giv
ing to that state a third Senator.
[n the fouth^rn states the blacks are corfdered as
operty, and the fates in which the, live are thereby
er titled to eighteen additional Electors and Rtprefen
Wives. A number equal to all the Electors and Re
, fotatkes that four fates and a half are entitled
s cleft. Will you by this amendment legox the weight
and influence of the cafternftstes in the election of ,our
,r, officers, andflill retain this unequal article in your
aonftitution ? Shall property in one part of the union
give an encreafe of electors and be wholly excluded in
ether fates ? Can this be right—will itfrengtben the
union.
This amendment is designed to prevent the
evils that occurred at the lad presidential election.
That was an extraordinary event —it wasa casual
ty that can seldom happen. Two men had a
majority of all the electoral votes, but neither was
chefen. But what was the confluence —Why,
the House of Representatives in a peaceable man
ner, completed the choice,and that, fourteen days
before the President could enter upon the duties of
his office. It may be desirable to prevent the
choice being carried into the House of Represen
tatives, but'this amendment will not do it. It
expressly provides for such an event. And if
two or more candidates of different parties are
carried there; (and if the state of parties should
be nearly equal it will happen) the house must
then decide between candidates of different par
ties.
Mr. Plumer said that the amendment appear
ed calculated to give power to the strong ; en
feeble and weaken the small states ; to lessen the
refpeaability es the vice President, and not to
prevent the evil it was designed to remedy— and
therefore that he Should vote against it.
'DECEMBER 13.
The bill to repeal the A&, intitled " An A&
to establish an uniform system of Bankruptcy
&^foft the Unted State*" w#f read ajhkd.
rise. It was supported by Mefts. Breckenridge,
C&cke, Logan, Venable, and Butler ; and oppo
fid by Messrs. Smith, and Wright. It parted in
the affirmative. Yeas 17. Nays in, The above
bill only requires the signature of the President
to be a law.
- BBC 13—14.
The House in committee, took up the report
' of the fried committee against difeontinuing the
office of Commiflmers of Leans ; disagreed there
to ; and refolded, that it was expedient to difeon
tinue those officers. The House then took up
the report of the Committee of the Whole, and
after a debate of considerable length,agreed there
to. Ycas^i. Says 55.
THURSDAY, Dec. 15.
The House went into committee, difeuffed a bill
giving effea to the Laws offr United States intofc
ana. After feme time ffent therein, the commit
tee rose, and had Leave to fit again.
Alteration of the Constitution.
The fallowing is the Alteration of the consti
tution which has passed both branches of Con
gress, and is to be feat by the President to the
Executives of the foreAl State#.
« kefolved, by the mate and House us Re
presentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, Two thirds of both houfe#
concurring, that in lieu of the third paragraph
of the firft feftion of ihe feeoud article of the
constitution of the United States, the following
be proposed as an amendment to the constitution
of the United States, which when ratified by
three fourths of the legislatures of the several
states, shall be valid to all intents and purtefes
as part of the said constitution, to wit : ■
" The electors (hall meet in their raTpe&ive
States, and vote by ballot for President, and Pice
President, one of whom, at lease, (hall not be an
inhabitant of the fame State with themselves ;
they (hall name in their ballots the person voted
for as President, and in diftin& ballots the persons
voted for as Ace President, and they Ihall make
diftinft lifts of all persons voted for asPreiident,&
of all persons voted for asVice-Prefident,and of the
number of votes for each, which lifts the/ (hall
sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the feat
of the government of thf United States, deeded
to the President of the Senate ; the Trefijent of
the Senate (hall, in the presence of the Ser^t^and
House of Representatives open all the ceriaates
& the votes (hall then be counted ; —Thqplrfan
having ihegreateft number of votes for Patent,
(hall be the President if such number be xi^biy
of the whole\number of fletiors apponffllßftr
if no person have such majority, then from the
persons having the highest numbers not exceeding
three on the lift of those voted for 3 President,
the House of Representatives (hall choose imme
diately, by ballot, the President. Butin chopfing
!the Picfiiient, the votes (hall be taken by
IStates, the Representation from eacli State hav
-ling one vote; a quorum for this purpose hall consist
! of a member or members from two thirds of the
States, and a majority of all the states (hail be
Inecefiry to a choice. And if the Hokfe of Re-
Iprefentatives (hall not choose a President when-
I ever the right es choice (hall devolve tyon them,
; before the fourth day of March next following,
then the Vice-President (hall a&'as president,
as in < afe of the death or other constitutional dis
ability of the President.
“ The person having the greatest number of
votes as Vice-President (hall be the Vice Presi
dent, if such number be a majority of the whole
number of ele^ors appointed and if DO person
have a majority, then from the two higreft num
bers on the lift, the Senate (hall choose the Vice-
President ; a quorum far the purpose rail con
lift of too thirds of the whole number jf Sena
tors, and amajprity of the whole number (hall
be necefity to a choice.
But no person conllitutionaliy ineligible to the
office of President (hall be eligible to that of Vice-
President of the United States.
arec^i >=^M ^og =^&— 3=^3#^3 ato=
Foreign Intelligence.
LONDON, OCT. #B.
More about the Invasion.
Private advice; it is said, have been lately receiv
ed by Government to the following effea :— That
an Embarkation of French Troops at tour different
places on their coast will very Shortly take^gcQs
and an attempt made to land them in BTfi%rikn.
and Suffix. They are not intended to conquer the
Country,nor,dothey expert to reach the Metropolis ;
but are to ,rt%, and defroy wherever they come,
and, when preffrd by superior numbers, to surrender
prisoners of war. These attacks are to cover the
principal design of the French Government, which
it now appears is direded to fuccorthelrifh in their
JetermiaaiioD to separate themselves from theCrowo
of England, and to form an independent State.
This has been fufpeacd for dome time past ; but it
is now fubdaniiated by a late discovery, that ,evious
to the commencement of facilities, a deputation from a
numerous body of difaftaed in Ireland, confiding
of several men of superior capaciy, waited on the
First Consul at St. Cloud, and from that moment a
fecfet intercaurfe has been carrying on, and a pow
erful infurreaion organaing in the sister Kingdom
with the utrnoft diligence and circumfpe&ion.
The attention of our marine, it is supposed, will
be fa totally direded to the Invading Flotilla de
stined for the Eoglifh Coast, that a fleet now al
fembling at Morlaix, Breft,and L'Orient,and which
is to carry thirty thousand veteran troops, and an hun
dred thousand stands of spare arms, to Ireland, will
be able to crake the voyage without interruption.
The serious attack on England is to take place when
the subjugation of Ireland is accomplished, but not
before. The invading army will then be compos
ed of French and Irilh, who are to pass the narrow
ftrait at Port Patrick, and march through Scotland
to the North of England, wbilft another landing is
to be attempted on the coast of Kent and the adjoi
ning (bores.
The Gazette of last night, contains an Order of
His Majesty in Council, directing veffeh arriving at
the Ports of Great-Bfitain from New-York, or any
Port within the State of New-York, to pr^o-m
fourteen days Quarantine, in consequence of the in,
fee rout dieemper wfeieh gill anhapylly ._%4s
that City. —
The powers of Europe, faysan inteQ^ gerrte
man, lately, arrived from the c<wfontfc, :h
were, paralizcd -,anxiou,v wining the ever' ts the
threatened invasion ofth country, before UR, ; e
cide as td what part they are ia take in the pi.fei
couteft. It it tc'm%t? a the dilcorofiture oßthe
enemy, greater co . ? xion will be imr Lately
formed against fa u .han exited evena ' ^ com
mencement ofth,\ (olutmo, adds the hiiie g,a&
man. -~—
Letters fedffi Conftantfoople assert h the Ihys
had made assurances to the Porte, U, they would
continue to acknowledge the sow icignty of the
Grand Signior m Egypt,provided that tie did not in
any degree encourage or admit a French force be
ring feat to that country.—This coromunication is
fated to have contributed to the renewed declara
tion of its rigid neutrality, which the porte has made
to the French minister, general Brune, which he
received with high displeasure, and in correspond
ent terms communicated to his government.
Count Rumford is returned to Paris.
Wefome time since announced, that tbe Englifli
cruizers had made numerous captures in the Turk
ish less, & that the Anftria,, Ruffian, Spanish and
French minifteri at Confantinople,had msdc Along
remonstrances on the lubjeft— to these however,
the Porte ha# replied, that the captures had been
made at too great a distance from the there to admit
of her takir g cognizance of them. Our cruizers
have been so fuccefsfal in that direaion, that the
port of Malta is crowded with their prizes.
LIVERPOOL, MOT. 8.
The Dutch have got their fleet ready at the Tex
el. It cooGfts of in fail of the line, several frigates,
and 400 fail of merchantmen, beside, a number of
fchuyts, decked and capable of weathering the
north sea ; alfb flat bottomed boats that oarry 18
oars, with swivels. Upon the whole it appears
that from the coast of Spain to the Baltic the French
have upwards of 400,000 troops.
PARIS, OCT: 16.
We fitter ourselves that Russia will continue to
observe her system of neutrality. It is (aid that
Prince Dolgorucky is appointed successor to Count
Maskoff.
Some emigrants of diftinaion have been (ent to
the temple, charged with intrigues against the Gov
ernment. —
The emigrants who were lately denounced or
sent to thetemple, it is underflood were not engag
ed in any dired myalift coafpiracy, but were fuf
pded as friends to England, and carrying on a cor.
refpondente with that country. The mother of
~*' '''" Co^ful intends to make a visit to her
brother Cardinal Ftfch, at Rome, The greater p#rt
ol h~r (laughters and daughters in law, will, it is
said accompany her on her journey, which will
take place at the fame time with that of the First
Consul.. '
Madame Bonaparte is ill of a fever, and is only
visited by her family.
The report that the Grand Master of Malta had
retired to Corfu is contradided.
#4+*fert4ffitf£4«%fc fy.Qfy.ofet
By the latest Mails.
STAUHTAN, (VIR ) DEC. 9.
A melancholly accident happened on Thursday
the ift inst. in this county. The kitchen of a Mr.
Coiner was confirmed by fire, and with it two of
his children, one about two-and the other about
four years of agr, together with a negro child. Mrs.
Comer and three children being at hdme by tbem
felves, flic, while cleaning the house told them not
to go to the kitchen, a few minutes after having
occasion to go there herfelf difeovered it envel ped
in tiames, supposed to have originated by the chil
dren in playing with the fire & dropping tome coals
into a quantity of flax contiguous to the door,
which prevented her from entering, flit immedi
ately ran to a hole in the wall where (he beheld her
tender offsprings with uplifted hands fuppliaating
affiftance,her exertions to refeue them was in vain ;on
taking hold of their arms they flipped from her
grasp, the (kin remaining in her hands; fee made
a second effort, and got the head of one through the
crevice, but being unable to get it farther, it was
consumed together with the others, in fight of its
agonized parent. Their bones were gathered up
on the following day and decently interred.
0
NEW YORK, BBC. 14.
Gale of Wind.
„ We can hardly recoflea fu severe a gib of wind
as has prevailed during the hft forty-eight hours.
It commenced before day on Tuefd^y, accompani
; ed with violent rain. Our harbour, crowded with
Chipping and coafling craft, was expoled, especially
on the Hudfan fide of thedown, to all its rage.—
The following vessels were either dallied to pieces
1 against the wharves and adjoining vessels, or funk.
In the North-river, near the hay scales, a (chooner,
1 belonging to Mr. John Hatfield, of Staten Island,
laden with hay, and a sloop, name unknown; near
the Corporation Dock, a sloop laden with wood,
1 a,d marketing; off the Battery, a (loop laden with
1 pork, beef, cheese, &c. —In the East river, near Ex
: change flip, a schooner, belonging to Mr. Cornwell,
' owner of the mills at Red Hook, laden with flour,
and a schooner belonging to Mr. Ronolds. Exclu
sive of the above, wnich have been completely
1 wrecked, a vah number have sustained more or fefs
; injury, and the total damage cannot be rated at less
'than 20,000 dollars.
Important.
BOSTON, DEC. RR.
^ The following letter from the American Consul at Malaga,
has been received at Norfolk—it deserves immediate
publicity, as affeding the commerce of the United States
1 in that quarter,&
t "Malaga, 15th Ofiober, liog.
- “ Sir,
"I have been notified by our Governor, as
I President of the Board of Health, that in order to
1 prevent a further propagation of the contagious dis
. case that aduall, prevails, he had taken the deter
mination to cut off all communication with the vef
f fels in the Mole and Bay, and confaquehtly that no
t goods could be landed until it (hould again be open
red, wtyi the ficknels subsides, of which he would
advlf&ne, undeffthafe circmftuanccs, of which I
Wjmkit proper you (hould be informed, there is
;b^Sqk '3O-ai&@atQuisft, but to wait wuh re
^Sa-Jon until the sickness abates, which I hope
Iwill be the case so feou as the weather changes, and
I a ftr>ng north weft wind sets in.—ln the mean
while, if you stand in need of any thing,you can ad
viferne by the Health Officer's boat.
Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
William Kirkpatrick.
r CaptoßM T a omas, of the American )
febeouer friendship, J
an \ -
DECEMBER z 6.
I From Cape- Francois.
I The following account is given by the French
^ gentletr.cn, pafogers in the brig Polly, arrived at
1 Charleston, from Jeremie :—The Cape, on the 6ih
of November, was on the point of being evacuated.
1 The general in chief, Rochambeau, behaved towards
the inhabitants with the greatest cruelty ; he order
' ed the fom of too,too dolls to be railed by them in
the course of four hours — this happening very sud
denly, some of the unfortunate merchants could net
pay their (hare, which amounted to 6000 dollars
each; they were in consequence imprisoned ; and
one of them, a well know, merchant of high re
fpeaebility, by the name of Finox was tet fond
i% by his±rave, white bia brother was endeavor-1
bgtu colka the meuey, which was, however pre-
eured five minutes after tte our appointed but
unfortunately too late. The monster Rochambeau,
confifeated and took poffetPen of the brnde of the
FzpoNs—and left the survivor to hmutthe loss of
a tyterdered brother and all his property.
Preparations were made for burning three fri
gatert^hieh remained in the harbour of the Cape;
orders bang given to have the matched ready at a
moment's warning. '.
“No on^can properly describe the fruition of
the unfortunate inhabitants who remitted at the
Cape—no moty vessels to take them away, and it
being a distance of sixty leagues through the Bri
gand camps to theSpanifh part, a flight seemed al
most impossible, and it appeared as if a horrid fate
inevitably awaited them."
—-—-.(,.___
Surrender of Cape Francois.
By * gentleman, arrived on Saturdatfrom New-
York, via the Sound, we received a paper frorntthat
city, of the zift inst. one day later than thof,sfr
the mail. The following article it the most impciT
tant of its contents.
NEW-YORK, DEC. RI. 'A
Capt. Selby, of th< brig Aurora, informs, that he
left Port-au-Prince, on the sth inform ^ rhich
time intelligence had been receive tiere ^ Cape-
Francois surrendered on-the ift. .ftp Binate
engagement with the Brigands; ,md bar General
Rpchambeau an& his whole #my ^:.h iri
loners of war, under the prot^aiae . : Z.
The French troops were permitted fr c :v he
Cape, their destination direaed br:l: L rd
of the English squadron in the outer narbour. The
brigands loft a great number of men in passing the
block-houses eroded by the French.
Pert-au-Prince continued tranquil, but many of
the inhabitants have left it.
CapeNichda Mele had not been evacuated on the 4th.
When captain Selby passed by, he beard a tre
mendous cannonading, and (uppoles an attack had
been made upon it by the brigands, in which case
it would not in all probability hold out more than
§ or 6 days.
Off Jeremie were several French cruizers who
capture all American vessels bound to. places ftco
pied by the Brigands. The British frigate Tartar
had been feat against them.
OFFICIAL ARTICLE.
Paris, 15th Vendemiare, 12th year, (Oft. ~1803.)
7he Minister of Foreign Relations to Mr. Litingfton,
Mini,a Plenipotentiat, of the U. States of America,
SIR— —
THE Minister of Internal affairs being charged
with the execution of the Arrete of the iff Meffidor,
refpe&iog the Commerce of neutral Powers with
France during the prefect war, it was incumbent
upon me to transmit to him the notes which your
Excellency addressed to me on the fubjed of this
Arrete. I have had his answer thereto but a few
days since, which I am carneft tg communicate to
you.
It implies that the Arrete can by no means be
repealed ; but that the neutral powers will certainly (1
be fatisfied with the modifications which have been
made in it.
I will make le^t^e v^. c,,-Q.f ;, Ms.
ifter of Intern r gwith th 4g
modifications .
: Ift. Iron am , ^ — \^ty& l^Y
other articiqtf„ch belong to nav 1d fores, or wl^h
cannot be haOr^r^,..\. r ^ ,;-y,in the '1
them are admitte ^n, although :he
certificate required by the .^u Gees n^ Recent-,
pany them;
2d. The bona fide forced putting in of vessels,
and which has not given room either to loading in
England, is not a motive of exclusion, ifthe cargo
offers nothing suspicious.
3d. The returns in counter value, 'prefcribed by
the third Article of the Arrete can be effeaed by
land, provided the precautions are used which prop,
erty conveyed in this manner may require, which
precautions are charged neither on the captain nor
foreign (hip, but only onVhe owner of the produce,
or on the French consignee.
4th. Every kind of merchandize is admitted
without any formality, into our port which is such
as cannot be considered as coming from England,
or her Colonies, which excepts from the disposition,
of the Arrete the produce of the North and East,
and fubjeds to the formalities intended by the Ar
rete of ift Meffidor, no other but the goods manu
factured, and the colonial produce.
sth. In fine, the Custom houses have been au
thorized to receive, as equivalents, certificates of or
igin, in due form, delivered by the authorities of the
refpeaire places of the departure where the Repub
lic has no commercial agent.
Please to accept, the affurahce of my perfea con
sideration.
(Signed) C. M. TALLEYRAND.-
The second Tedion in the original French stands
thus :—
La relaches vraiment forces et qui' n' out amene
ni chargement ni verfemem en Aogleterre, ni sous
pas un motif d'exclufion, ni d' aifleura las Cargaioa
ni offre riend de refp<a.<
(True copy) G. W. ERVING,
—o—
— DEC. 31.
News from Europe
OF high importance, may be hourly expeaed.
A ve&l arrived at New-Yoik, from Liverpool, on
the ißth November fell in with a.British 74, from
whence it learned, that a French (quardron, with
troops, flipped out of Brest harbour, in the night
ofthe §th November, and that the Briti, fleet, of
which the 74 was one, were then in search of them.
Their destination was thought to be Ireland.
It will be recollected, that the last accounts from
Admiral Cornwallis, who commands the Britift
channel fleet, were dated off Bre/i the ift Novem
ber ; —they fated, that there was an uoufual bufile
in the harbour of Bre,; and it was expeaed the
French would venture out; as they had a great
number of transports ready for tea ; and it was be
lieved were taking troops on hoard.—The Ad
miral had also learnt, that the French commander
had received positive orders to fail. The probabili
ty is, that a squadron has failed, and the denoumeM
% of the exhibition es Invasion may speedily be look
ed for. , ' #
Accounts from Londonderry (Ireland) to thexyth
November, have been received n New York. Ev.
ery thing was ther, quiet, aurf tin irvafinn mere
w ifhed thtA feared.