The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1804-12-04 00:00:00, page 3

ipigccllitncQiijj*
'* '* amateurs off.ience, aid the friends of Mr. feferjon,
:a I'irgi.iia, will derive fume a nufucnt and get oaf..
June information from tie following notice end litter of
our Jiji ngu'ftJ countryman.
FXOXt THE PORT FOLIO.
The French, who ap-ar to have early perceive.! a
marked feature in the ch leader of Mr. ]efTerfou, have
recently given to the world a letter from this gentle
man. addreffed to ‘ C. Ltrepede, member of the In
flame.’ This letter is publiftled in the ?5th number
of a periodical work, printed in Paris, intit led * l.a
Decade piulofophiqne, itttenure et politique,’ in the
following words : " We believe we ih.Ul give plea
fare to our readers in prcfcmiilg them with a tr.infla
tion of the foliowing letter, addrellcd by Mr. TefTer
fon prefid»nt of th- United States, to I.acepedc,
member of the Inftitute. They will fil'd in it. inde
pendent of fonie curious fatfts for the learned, that Cnt
pltcity of tone, which one loves to difeover in perlont
eminent hy their flatten, and that refpetS for talents,
the infallible fign of an elevated foul.”
Aj it may be fottte gratification to the American
reader to fee this letter in an i'.nglilh drefs, I here
fubjotn a tranflatior. of it, from the aforelaid periodical
work.
Letter from Mr. Jcffei fon, Prefulent of the United
State*, to C. Lacepede, member of the i'.tnch lu
flitute.
t1riijl:ngis:r, February %11, 1^03.
I have juft received, hy Mr. Peine, the copy which
you had the goodaefs to fend me, of your difeourfe at
tile opening of your lc Jluves for the ninth year, l-'rom
the rapid pcruial I luxe given it, I anticipate the plea
fure 1 (hall experience, in reading it tnore the
fiift infants of Ieifurc I have at my Jifpofal.
I have been flmck with the pkilofophic fpirit that
dkftated the paragraph of your difeourfe, fpage 10.].
* Soon ivUl enterprifing travellers vifit the AfJJlfippi and
AfiJJhuti, which »■» European eye bat yet Jeer.,'* Izft.
FInow.thatat thiivery moment, we have traveller*
exploring the MdTouri to its fottree, and who are alfo
charged to difeover that river, which ever it may !>.j,
which may originate the neareft to it,and empty itfelf
into the wellem ocean. This excurfi >n, through our
continent will give us a general idea of its form, popu
lation, natural hiftory, productions, foil, and climate,
ft is alfo by no means improbable that this feientife
jeurnty m.iv procure for us fonie new information re
lative to the Mammoth,tit. well as the Megatherium, of
which you make mention (page 6], You have, per
haps, feen in our Philadelphia tranfaclion?, before our
reading what M. Cuvier had faid of it, that we had
found hare the remains of .an enormous unknown ani
mal, which we have named Megalotiy*, on account of
flic prodigious length of its claws. Ir is probably the
fame animal, and there arefigi.sofits ancient, and e
ven prefent, exiftenee. The voyage, which we have
undertaken, and which may be accoinplifhflicd in the
fosce of two fummers, xvill, we hope, illuminate this
fa*.
I inve, for a long time,been fatigued with the eter
nal repetition of the phrafe, man ir bit jlatc cf nature,
by which is meant, man in his favage and flupified
(fate, with Lit faculties net yet developed. if fuch is the
ftete of nature, the foetus, in its embrio Hate, would
he it- higheft term or degree, for then is difeovered
its lead deveiopcrr.ent. Surely there is nothing more
contrary to nature, in the developement of ti.,. faculty'
of perception and thinking, than in the increafe of its
body. You will hence perceive Low greatly I have
L.-e.a . 5 armedto fee this falfe idea combatted hy you,[p.
3.] “Amaag all living and Cenfihle beings, the art or
Ji-tl cf ar.o fps.:et it its nature. Tile induftry, which
p- iceeds from this alone, and which it has not receiv
ed from a different fp-cies, is the completion efitt natural
attributes. One would have a very irapetTeift idea of
its effences, who (hall be ignorant of the extent of the de
vthpment of its faculties.' The examination of the dif
fer. ft race of man, which you propofe, under this point
of view, will produce a clarification, which has not hi
therto been fufficiently valued.
M. de Buffon has fuvmofed that the Mocfe of Ame
rica was the Rein-Deer of Europe; that the Deer of A
mer.'ca was the RoeLuck, and xvhat we improperly call
the Panther, was the Cougar. I procured for him the
Jhdeton, the Jkin, and horns of a Mofe, feven feet high ;
the horns of our Deer, and the flein of an animal, im
properly called Panther. He was thoroughly convin
ced that he had received imperfeift notions of all thefe
animals, and promifed to correct thefe articles, in his
next publications. I believe he did not live long e
nough to publifh another volume. Have any pofl.hu
mr.i' works of his been publifhed, and do they con
tain the correction here mentioned ? ! prefv.me that
the parts of animais, which i lent to him. are dill in
the cabinet, which has been fo happily confided to
y itir keeping.
You will have heard that a (keleton of a Mammoth,
tolerably compl te ,has been carried to London by
Mr. I Vale, from whence he propnfes to take it to Pa
ris ; thus you will have it in your power to fee this
col.ilTdl creature, and to compare it with the ele
phant.
To return to the principal ohjetft of mv letter : I
thank you for the friendly communication of your d;f
courfe,and the occafion which it has furniflied me for :
turning my fteps, for a moment, from the arid paths of |
politics, to the fruitful fields of nature. (intreat you
to accept the aflurances of my great confideration r.nd
my refpeft.
(Signed) TH. JEFFERSON.
I.aeeJ>edr here alludes to invejltgjtnrs to be fent. under
Buonaparte, in eonfegueuct of the transfer of J.ouiftana
by Spain to France.
Perhaps, reader ! you are youif. lf the friend
of fcience, and have imbibed fome tafte for its
captivating beauties. Perhaps too, you are an
American citizen ; your ftrong attachment to
your country may have combined itfelfwith this
tafte for intellect ual refinement; and you may
have anxioully defired that fome others among
your countrymen could he induced alio to catch
the fame feientific fpirit, and partake of fimilar
enjoyments. Your mind fraught and animated
with this patriotic fentiment, lias perhaps look
ed forward with delight to that eventful epoch,
when the arts and fcienccs fhall fpread over
your native country all their traces and im
provements, when every object which nature
h is poured upon our continent Jhali he com
pteatly ftudied and underftood by our philoso
pher i, and when thofe various powers which flu*
has put forth for the aftiflance of man, fhall he
enlifted and employed hy the American artifts.
An hiftorica! memory has perhaps fuppiied you
with an accurate view of the improvements of
the moft civilized countries ; and an ardent fan
cy working upon fuch fine models, has enabled
you to conceive all the arts, the fcicnces, and the
illuftrious characters, which are hereafter to Ik
realized in this new world. Perhaps you have
faid, on this fpot fhall .arife another Athens,
more highly improved and tmbclliftied by the
difeovenes of modern art. In it fhall be dif
pi.ayed the vigorous mind of other Platos, terr.
P red and dii eflcd by the experimental philofo
p »y of lincon, and propagating and amplifying
fls influence hy the alii,lance of a great powe r
Unkuown to the ancients ; a free prefs. Kvery
where the profpetfs of improvement are expand
ed h» fore your delighted fancy: and you antici
pate that clyfian :cra, when fhc American nati
on ft tall he hailed one oft he wifeft.a it is now flic
very freeft nation,on thefurfaceoftheglobc. You
ardi fitly with that tliis tcra lead already arrived.
In contemplating ti e pr.fent ft,ate of our ft i
ence, yott art grieved to difeover, that fo much
i; yet to he accomplithed. Hut the truth does
tint efcapc you, tbrp nations like individual;,
rmift pafs through the teeblCucfs of infancy, he*
forr they can arrive at the maturity of age, and
** on are therefoie d fpofed to foftcr every e!c
n'.mt ir\ attempt, which is made to extend the
empire o» the (ounces. You dwell upon thefe
I with complacency : (hoold they even fail, then
ithe frwrity «.fcriticifm will ho diCirmcd of halt'
ita terrors; but (hould they be fuccefsful, and
dill mure iliouid they emanate from a mind
which had been long diftingtiifhed by its re
1 'arches am) its powers, yon will fcarcely with
ro withhold from it the full tribute of your ap
prob it ion.
Doubtlcfs you .10* acquainted with the charac
ter of Mr. Jefferfon. I do not (peak of him as a
pliilof pher, hut as the (Indent and deferiber of
nature, tiis Notes on Virginia has already un
folded to your view, a miiul capacious, naive
ar.d progreffive, whole powe rs have been lb of
ten admitted by the phiiofophers of Europe.
And now let me «lk you, what would you think
o! that critic who faftensupou the preceding let—
‘*-'£ 'V* JvdTt i'fou to itioid : I.ncepcde," i"o uu
afreited in its (lyle and lo attentive to tliepro
grels ol l'cience, and without a tingle culogimn
pouring upon it the molt illiberal Itrietnrc*'. and
the moft ridiculous witticifms. Let ml a Ik you
rather, what is to be thought of the influence
ot that party fpirit which actuates the critic : of
that fpirit which contemns a philofophie.il mo
deration, anil which fees nothing that is not
good or bad in the extreme; a fpirit,by whofechy
mic power,fccmsgeniustranfiimtcdintodullnefs,
the fpirit of liberty intothc phren/yof licentiouf
nefs, and funpiicity of manners into the moll
contemptible hypocrify.
^ fueh is the fjifl. This very letter, in
wlueh if wt cannot fee much to admire, there
is little to condemn, has drawnfurtli a commen
i Cor in the Port Folio, who could have better
handled a better caufe. And wh it dues this
critic find worthy of reprehenfion in this (hurt
Sc moiled letter? 1 hat Mr. Jelferfon adopts the
idea of an original difference of mental faculty
among the fpecies of men ; and that this contra
dicts the fcriptural account of t!ie i.rigin of mar.
and the Declaration of Independence, that all
men arc born equal.
On thrift point it may he oliferveil, that
there may nozv be a difference in the tribes of
.Ten, and yet that this difference did not origi
nally cxilt. Some of the various caufes which
act upon man, may hare given tofome individu
als a particular modification, and not to others.
May not this have been propagated to fuccef
iive generations; and thus may it not have
formed the hiltory of a tribe? Thofe, who adoot
the biblical account, admit fuch an influence
upon the colour of the fcarf (kin : and why not
then upon the faculties of the mind ? Why may
not this difference be generated with different |
tribes? and thus why may not every individual '
be born with dilfimilar facilities, although his [
anceftors were not at all diffinguifticd from the
general race ? I believe, that this influence
does really exift; hutthatit isnot fo important as
the fuhfequent operation of other canfes, which
afledl his education. Why then may not tin’s
allcrtion be compleatiy compatible with the
fcript ural theory of a linglc* pair ?
” All men are born equal/* (ays the Declara
tion of Independence, hut Mr. Jefferfon its au
thor fiippolcs that they may be bom unequal.
And is the Declaration of Independence then a
natural hiftory of man ? Docs it compare indivi
dual men together, and declare that their luir.
brain and limbs are all original!/ perfeel ?
Or is it not this Declaration rather a nohtb.il
document ? Docs it not mean that however the
microfcopic eye of a mturalift may make hair
breadth diftinclions, it is the uhiedt of the poli
tician to group all men together, and form a
code of laws, adjufted to their common nature ?
This declaration or the Bill of rights declares,
not that all men are equal in their faculties, but
in their rights. It declares, that one man who
is born with the faculty’ of reafon, is as much
entitled to the protection of government as anv
other m.m. In fait it was intended to deftroy
that odious diffmClion between the met>n and
the 'well-born, which is embalmed and preferved
by the privileged governments of F.uropc.—It
is only when the difference between natural fa
culties becomes vaftly great, that their political
rights are made unequal. Was there any na
tion, the half of whole population confflledof idi
ots, that nation might have probably introduced
into its Bill of Rights fume fpecific exception.
Other criticifms have been paffed upon the
preceding inter of Mr. jefferfon : but the— art
unworthy of ferious notice. E. E.
A.
STORE OF
Bfronmongeni, Jctodfcrn &>•.
By FRANCIS FOI.LET (from Ncw-York) between
Mcflrs. Bohn & 1 lubiu-r’* and Mr. Ciiiiri.it. Spen
cer’s Main-ilrrct, Richmond, where lie offer* for
laic an affortment of
C"* OII5t Gilt, Silver, Plated, J,par'd and Cutlery
J?" ware j (>etjand Silver If .itches, IVatch materials,
Ladies' If Gentlemen's Morocco Pee let Beils, Glove
Ties, Mafic Garters and Girdles ; Coral, Wax and
Glafs Beads, Ivory, Bone ar.d Wood Clefs Aim Buk
Z <mmon Tables, Hattie Doors and Shit tie Costs ; Flutes,
Fifes, Guns,Gun Lads, Piflots, S-words, Sward Bell,',
Sword Knits, Epaulets, Military Feathers, S/or‘men's
Bart and Knives, and common and a rate Flints ; Whips,
Cftnes, Umbrellas, Boot Jacks, Spurs, Passers, Hones
and Stra/s ; Slaving B-xes and Brst/l,e., ; Cut/in r
Tongs; Powder-Bags uni Puffs t Fiolet and Shaving
Snap; Part itur- ; Tooth P ruder and F.Jerees ; gentle
men's Mahogany drefp.ng Cafes and travtlieng Defies;
Reeves's Colours, for drawing and fainting, of different
Jires ; hair, lead and fate Pencils; States ; Ini Powder,
Wafers, Quill,, Paper Folders, Counting Houfe Seeds;
Ink Stands ; ivory, horn and tort ofe fell Corahs ; tidies’
sen. nestled tortesife fbell Drrft Combs; Sleeve Bet.ire,
Jew's Harps; Fiji Hooks ; Pins and Needles ; eh fits
a.tj common Knitting N.tMes; Tambour Nee its and
I'afes ; Thimbles; S/eflacles and Cafes; futw; rs‘
L -mp tff-s and Chaim, and mathematical Injit trvents, in
1 y[el • • u-let loapafe Diats ; Glafs Globe Lamps for
hall, ; rleg mt brafs And-!eons, and Shovels, Ton s and
P.Lers ; Coal Scr aps ; Bellas, set ; Smoothing Irons ;
Grid Iron, ; Copper and Iren Chaffing liifbes ; Soft and
hard Wflfle Irons ; Pfl and Box Co fee Mills ; iron and
b,af, Can lit flicks; Key Bings; Cork Semes; Cla.sk
Pins ; floor, hearth, Scrubbing, nsshitc-w sfh, Jouths,
tooth and floe Bnflet; Britannia metal table and ten
Spoons; Britannia mrt.il Tea Pot,, Frying Pans;
Pots and Kettle ; Fire Grabs ; Mill Saw, ; Hand
and Panne! Saw/ ; Turkey Oil Stones ; Gimolets ;
floe makers Tool,; IMck Trowels / Shovels and Spades ;
Locks ; Hinges ; Strew, t Nad:; Ta.k,—Willi a ■ Teat
variety offnnilar Article*, lou ttdioui to ciiurr.er?.*e.
ALSO, FOR SALE,
Kid, Morocco ard Leather Slippere ; Men's fm and
coarf Shoes stf'J Btakers ; Hair and l.--th:r Trunk,;
Fancy and IVindfor Chairs ; Earthen War., in , r.,tci,
afforded; Sp.nifl I'otsvt Indigo; Patent Mac ;. Pciv
il r and Sir’.
December 4. feb//.!
]lURR M,LI' * TONES. or am. jiirtj and
* ' PLAhSl LR O1 VAHIS,of an excellent quality,
rORSA'K, AtVSVJt, nr
william pavipson.
nur the Mirkrt.
Vet. 4. [eptf.1
t _ _ 1 1
T. SULI.Y,
Pcr/r.i!. on 1 Mmatorr Pairttr.
I L rW'iMFSSnfln. wqrk may be 'ten .it h'.> room
*> al-«>ve Dnnfinure & Turiicr’t Grocery. Mam
Street, Richmond. ’ '
i December t. />•
ENQUIRER.
RTCKMUND ;
TUESDAY, DFCEMDUR 1, 1801.
i The two following communications on the fame
fubje**r, .ni«l from the fame pen, will be pro
prr’y interwoven into the lories of letters
i which the editor p^opo^ed to offer to the Vir
ginia legiflature. Like tl.o preceding n unit tors
of that feric*», they arc addrcfllJ to th Icgif
lati\c body, on a public ami very interclfing
fuhjcft. When, where, or by whom thefe
conmomications li.;ve been computed, are
extraneous enquiries, not relevant at all to the
lpirit of the fubjc«3. The only queftion which
is in truth worthy of the inveftigalion of the
public or of the legiflature, is precifely the
very queftion on which every .-nftive mind is
competent to form fume fatisf; uftory opinion.
Arc the nbflradt principles of thefe tlfays
founded in truth ? And if they are, may not
fomefeheme of general utility becx trusted from
them, which it would be eafy to underftaud,!
■*:'d rat difficult to bring into t.Te&ive opera
tion ?
LETTER I Vi6.
TO THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA.
ON ROADS.
The great advantages which will be derived
by agriculture, commerce and the arts, in cor.fc
quence of the eftnblifliment of a Bank, the cer
tain rcfourcc for money to execute all rcafona
ble plans, has induced the writer of the follow
ing remarks to lay before th public iiis opinions
concerning the tBubliilmKiit of roads. With 1
this funjelt he lias thought proper to connect
fome preliminary obfervations relating to the
union of the Bates, with the peculiar advanta
ges which tills Bate would derive in cafe of dif
fusion of the union, by an early ami proper at
tention to this important fnbjetfl.
It is well known that many of the north'?r*i
newfpapeis have frequently maintained the iroh i
indecorous language towards Virginia : lan
guage which ought to fatisiy us that they have
objects of importance in contemplation, and
that they intend either to eftabliih an afcendance
and controul over Virginia, orelfe to diflbive the
union. Without determining whether this con
jecture is exactly right or not, there can he no
doubt that the people of the north do entertain
fcntiinents towards us, which are inconliftent
with that national cordiality, which the people
of each Bate ought to entertain for thofe of ano
ther. In bringing this matter before the public,
there is no intention to excite among the Virgi
nians an improper degree of jealoufy again It
their northern brethren, bat rather to put them
on their guard.
There arc many politicians, who obferving ;
our national concerns by a f.iptrficiai view, who
caBiug their eyes along the feahnard; md exa
mining the retrofpcCcs, believe that the perpetu
ation of the union is all-important to Virginia,
and that we fhould be irreparably injured by a
ititiblution.
In whatever point of view the more accurate
politician has confidered the fuhjeCf, he fees alfo
that the union ought to be fupported even hy
coufiderable ficrifices, and has therefore treated
the northern calumnies with tliat dignified con
tempt, which is the privilege of cotifcious vir
tue. It is eafy to fhew that the Virgiuians pof
fefs the means of promoting their own wealth
and ftrengen, and fccuring their,own indepen
dence, without the co-operation of the noith-'
ern Bates. Thefe means, though in fome de
gree dormant, are now about to be unfolded,
riie readers who have not reflected on the lub
jeCl, will perhaps difeover fome entertainment
\>Y patient attention to the following obferva
tions.
Virginia potTeffes greater advantages of cli
mate, foil, navigable Breams, productions, mo
ral deportment of her inhabitants, and mildnefs
of government, than any other diBrict of country
of the lame extent upon this globe ; and there
is not another part of the civilized world, where
the people have done fo little towards improving
the advantages which they potTefs. This is not
intended to derogate from the character of the
people, but rather to induce them to open them
eyes, and examine the fubjeft to its fource, and
to inculcate upon the minds of each other the
occi fTity of adopting mcafures which will pro
mote our own internal profperity.
James River being ahnoB in the centre of this
Bate, affords navigation about 150 miles from the
ocean to the City of Richmond, and may be na
vigated with boats about t so in the interior of
the country, embracing a diB nice of more than
soo miles from the ocean to the foot of the Al
legania. Immediately beyond the Allcgania
| mountain, Greenbrier River affords the advan
tage of water carriage to the Great Kanhawa,
and that to the Ohio ; when the navigation of
James Riveraml Greenbrier River, are improv
ed to the higheft practicable points, the waggon
ace or portace between them will not exceed
21 miles. And though the road to make this
communication will pafs among the mountains,
yet there are no difficulties which a moderate
Iharc of labour will not remove, fo that a loaded
waggon may in one day perform the journey. It
will hereafter be ften that this is the mod favor
able rout for opening a communication between
the ocean and the weftern inhabitants. The en
joyment of this pre-eminent advantage cannot
'■id to promote the wealth ofthe Bate, not only
by affording an incrcafing demand for the necef
firit soi life, hut by inviting all travellers and
trader? to partake ofthtfe adv intages.
Having feen what nature has done, let us next
confidcr the effoits which ought to he made hy
irt and induBry. Experience.teaches the flial
| lotveR uuderBanding, that roads are abfolutdy
j neceffary among a civilized people ; and the ex
I perience of thofe who have had an opportunity
of judging, reach them, that when ever roads
are improved as far as nature will allow it,
all the circumjacent hinds derive very great 1k>
jiCiits, and are greatly advanced in price there
by* The reafon is obvious. The road being as
good as ran be made, and bring permanent, t’ic
proprietors of the lands on each fide immediate- '
ly make improvements; lo that a road which
forms a hiding communication between different
regions which have, and will always have, politi
cal connections with e-ach other, will he eftima
trd in proportion tothe extent of thefe relations,
more or lefs valuable.
In proportion to thcgoodnefs of the road and
accommodation to travellors, it will be ufed in
preference to other roads. In proportion as
it ii= ufed, the adjacent property will l>ecome
more ai:rl more valuable. The buildings will
iicreafc, accommodations will become better
and better. The adjac ent lands will be culti
vated and improved. The neighbouring peo
pic will find a conftant market for their grain,
he rf, po.lt, poultry Sic. fo that fucli a road as
i.. now contcmrl »ted may become a continued
j village.
•'lie road which I Doll recommend will co
operate tAgeneral utility with the navigation of
I n),i ■, River, will take almoft the fame direction
ir.1 heir g every where convenient to James Ri
ver, v. ill .iCor i the merchants and the rulfiva
, »or*the alternative of ufing, either according to
tbe vjlu? of th- article, or to the impediment*
I of the (effort. At tinier we know that
James Uivei above the fills cannot be ul'cd, on
| account ot ice, at other tiim-s on account of
ircihts, and at others on account of drought.
James River then ought not to be depended up
on as the foie means of opening and extending a
commercial communication lutwcen the !raf
tem and Wellcm people. There ought to be a
road to commence at Richmond, an to take
the inolt favourable and direct courfe to the i
falls of the great Kinl'awa.—The computed difi
tancc is sot)miles, but iffucha road was made,!
’tis believed that the diltancc would not exceed •
-SM> or 2*10 miles ; this is almoft an hundred miles'
Ihort of the roads from Balt more a,.J Philadel
phia to Pittfburg or Red Stone, and thofe who
know the grouud &y that the Virginia road can •
be made fo much better that a team ofthefamei
ftrength may carry almoll double the buaucii.
This is an important item in internal commerce.!
Tver)' man of ubfervatiun knows that the
towus of Philadelphia and Baltimore derive :s
great portion of their inolt profitable trade fro.r.
the VVeftcm fettlementa, whereby they are tu
riched, while the city of Richmond pollcliing
fnperior advantages fo far from opening a p; vi
per communication with the Wci'leru country, I
does not import the goods which are retailed i*o
her own inhabitants. The merchants of Rich-i
mond are not to be blamed for this : tiie fault \
lays, if any where, among the rulers, and per- j
haps not even among them, becaufe it is.unrea- ;
Tunable to expetfl that any man, however great |
the public confidence, or upright his inteiitions, I
can aift judicioufly upon things which he ilocs
not underhand. The whole people feem to be
in a torpor, from which it is not only neccHhry
to route them, but even then to fhew the pro
per objects for conlideration. Otherwifeit will
be in vain to expedt tliat men coining from
dilferent quarters, Ha ving a lew weeks and luc
ceeded by others who go thr()llt?h firnilar fcencs,
I lay it will be in vain to expert that luch nu n,
meeting for the ordinary purpofes of legillation,
or felf gratification, w ill adopt and carry into ef
fect great innovations, however plauiiblc they
n.ay be, un lefts they have been previoully landti
oned by public approbation and defire.
Electoral Election.
To-morrow (the 5th of December,) .Agreea
bly to a law of Congrefs of March lft i 792, the
Electors will meet throughout the union, to
vote fora Prefident and Vice-Prelident of the
United States. Thomas Jeffcrfon of Virginia,
and George Clinton of New-York, are the ol
tenfible candidates of the Republican party.
The Federal party have not yet avowed their
preference for any particular perfons: fume
have even ventured to alfert that the acknow
ledged irnpodibility offucceeding will prevent
them from giving an uniform vote. The gene
ral opinion however is that Mr. King and Mr.
Pinckney will receive their united vote. The t
following comparative view of the votes at the |
l.ift /‘li'/linn 'll**! flip nr.*UnU!« «•/,».. «l. . . . .* . I
*.....at tilt. klliu*
ing cleClion, is intended toilluftrate the relative
influence of the two parties in this country, on
the 5th of Dec. 1800, and at the prefent Epoch.
( 1804.
1800
Alvdrs of\ Votes. | Mode* nf\ Votes.
tie filer. | Fed. If p ehiiion. ) F. R.
N. Hvnpfliire
G. T.
6
G. T.
MafTachufrtts
I..
16
G. r.
i 19
I..
Vermont
4
1..
e
Rhodo-Ifland
G. T.
4
G. T.
! 9
L.
Connecticut
JL.
L. |
New-York
JL.
12
19
New-Jerfey
G. T. j 7
G. T.
8
Peniifylvania
I.. 1 7
G.T.
20
G. T. |
Ohio
G. T.
3
Delaware
I.. j 3
1..
D. ! 5
1 D.
Maryland
9
Virginia
G. T.
G. T.
I
Kentucky
D.
8
N. Carolina
D.
D.
14
I K.
Tenneiree
E.
5
S. Carolina
L.
I 1..
lO
Georgia
6
65 | 73
14 162
Vr G.T. reprefents the G.Ticket.
I L.
i .rgiilature.
D.
Dittrich.
It is neceflary to add a few explanatory remarks
on the preceding table.
lfl. The whole number of eleftoml votes is
greater at the prefent than at the former *•
lection. 138 votes were given in at the
former ele^ion, and 17(> at the prefent.
The reafon is, that by the law of congrefs
of April 14th 1792, for the apportionment
of the members of congrefs, a greater num
ber was alfigned to each (late : the firft
cenfus being divided by 30,000 giving a fmail
er quotient than the lad cenfus divided by
the prefent ratio of 33,000.
2. Ohio gave no vote at the laft eledtion. It
was not fooner ere«ftcd into a ftute than by a
law of congrefs of Feb. 19, I803.
3. The returns of N. Hampfliire, R. Ifland, Ma
ryland, TennefTee and S. Carolina have not as
yet been lcccivcd in \ irginia. The votes of
all thefe Rates except Maryland, may howe
ver be confidered ascertain 2 Maryland alone,
which votes by tliilricls, dors not give an uni
form vote 1 one federal Elector is certainly
put in ; perhaps two or three. Two have
been allowed.
This table ftirnifhes us with fome conchifions
on which we Hull expatiate in our next paper.
General Ctotfnnbln of cltignua
Re run anti bolden nt the Capitol, in the city of
Richmond, on Monday the third day of Decent
her, in the y-ar of Our Lord, One Thntt
fund Right Hundred and Fu.tr, and of the Com
monwealth the t wrnty-ninth :
On which day, being the day appointed by
law for the meeting of the General Aflcmbly,
fueh of the member* of the Houfe of Delegates
as appeared, having taken the oaths preferibed
by law, took their feats in the Houfe, and a
nii-jority of the whole number being prefent,
Ordered, That James Pleafants, jun. be ap.
pointed Clerk to this Houfe.
Mr. Johnftone, one of the delegates from the
county of Prince Edward, reminded the Iloule
of the neceflity of proceeding to the choice of a
Speaker, and recommended Hugh Holmes Kfq.
one of the delegates from the county of Frede
ric, as a perfon well qualified to tlifeharge the
duties of that office—and was fecondrd in the
nomination by Mr. Barbour, one of the dele
gates from the county of Orange, whereupon
Refolded iinanitnouflr, that the faid Hugh
Holmes F.fq. be appointed Speaker to this
Houfe; who being conducted to the chair,
made his acknowledgements to the Houfe for
the honor conleried upon him.
Ordered, That Mr. Henry Mofs be appoint
ed Serjeant at Arrm to this Houfe.
Ordered, That William Drinkard fcnV. Wi!
liam D-iinkard junr. and Edward Clarke be ap
pointed Door Keepers to this Houfe.
The Houfe then proceeded by Ballot to flic
choice of a fourth Door Keeper—and on count
ing the ha I. ot#, a majority of the whole n irr.bcr
was found in favour of Furnea Southall.
Or,!, red, That they fcvernlly give their atteo*
1 dance accordingly.
A motion was made that the Houfe conic to
tiu following r< lolutiou—
That any application of public mo.
tuy as a compcnfatiou to a chaplain of this.
Houfe, is illegal; in as much as i» contravenes
the fecoini fed ion of the ad, “ F.ftablilhir.1' re
li .ious freedom," and one other ad ot Allein
bly pa (Ted the 24th day ot January 179V, ex«
plan.tory of the ftid incited ad.
Ordered, That the laid refolution do lie on
the table.
The Spmlrr I aid before the houfc a letter
f’om his excellency ti.c Governor, ci.elolimj
iandry documents for the informal ion of the
General Atlembly.
Ordered, That the laid letter, with i: ; endo
fjre , do Iteon the table.
On motion: liefohed, That this houfe will
to-morrow, by joint ballot with the Senate, p:v
cced to the election of tw .Senators to n • re
lent this (late ill the Con^ivfs of the Unit-d
S'ales, to fuppiy the vacanciev <*cc’tio’ied by
tiie reiignation of Wiilou C. Nicholas : t»: A
brnham B. Vrenable.
Ordered, That the Clerk do carry the laid
rcfihitinns to the Senate tor conciirixoce.
k'Jolxrd, That when trii- hnulr adjourn to
ilay, it will adjourn nil to-morrow ia o’*, u^ck.
Aik? then the houfe adjoured till tc-:corrosv
la o’clock.
IN SENATE.—A quorum wit- formed, ai: J
Cit>d Taylor, Iilq. appointed Speaker.
L.n\t jSscii: c a\ :fr
NCW HAMPSHIRE.
Returns from nil the towns of this Rate l ave
not yet been received : it is more than proba
ble, hoivcv r, that the Jt.Iuon and Clinton
ticket has lucceeded. The Bolton R ujertory,
which would i»e happy to announce • .\
ry, pofitively a Herts that the republican t litto
ral ticket had a majority of votes.
We have a few returns fince Friday, v ’ icn
follow: wc think there is rib doubt hut Con
necticut and Delaware will be the minority at
the approaching determination of the quctt.on ;
TOWNS REP. FF.it.
100 In Friday's paper t.oi" S~(.G
5 Chelhire county i-.j j4^
2 Hilllhnrouglt do. I7i» 99
1 Rockingham do. <0: *>G
6503 6 OS 9
Prefent republican majority m 1
About one hundred towns remain to he heard
from. Aurora.
The following letter* is taken from Mr.
Relfs Philadelphia Craze tic. Rumour has log
aferibrd its publication to the A-i u-quis <!e C »
Yrujo, that gentleman has requeued the L'dit-w
of the Aurora “ to declare that (.»• h: d no a
gency whatever in the writing or p ih.i Ving" it.
Wc arc induced to infert it, net lb mu;:, from
the credit wegivetoits contents, a. C om the
indication it ofrers of a renewal of t ic unv o*
thy attempts recently made to i.rej .dice tr't*
publicopinion on the lubfirting relations be
tween our government and that ofS;»ai:i. Thole
attempts were completely repelled by t’.c fa^.s,
and the difeuffion drawn forth to refute thnr.
The reader, who hasthefe in recoil? *.ion, needs
no further antidote to the graft talfelio.-d- and
mifreprefentations with whn h the letter i* re
plete. He will remember that while i- ci.iim
of the United States to Well Florida was fo
tained, as indil’putably flowing from a juft con.
ftruttion of the treaty ceding Louiffima it was
diflinttly underftood that no nimfurcs had been
taken by the United States to obtain a forcible
pofleffion of Florida, or to precipitate any pena
iug nvgi.ciatione relative thereto —£>'<«/.
* Tfir letter ntobtcb appeared in lbe lafl E.y~
quirer, under date of Baton Rouge.
CONGRESS,
HOUSE or REPK, ESF. NTATIVFj,
IVednfdajy Nov. 29.
rii/» oMTr«*r»(r«ri K’li r... >- *- ^ r .1
- idi rii.«feint: miiher appro*
priationfor the contingent fund w as lig-ied by
the Speaker.
The petition of HeRry M'Farland of the lfc
regiment of United States levies who was wound
ed in Gen. St. Clair’s affiir w'ith the Indians of
the 4th November, 1799, praying to be provided
for, was referred to the Committee of claims.
Mr.Nelfon prefented a pel Irion from j >hr>
Baynton, praying a rompemat 1011 for fundru s
fupplied to a command under Lieutenant El
liot in Calvert county, Maryland, to the amount
of 55 dollars and 57 cent? in the year r.D*), re
ferred to the committee of Claims.
A reference was made of the petition of f in
dry gun makers, prefenred hi lilt feliion to tie
committee of Commerce and Manufactures.
A mefTage from the Prefident, informing tlvt
he had a&ed upon the joint refolution in^favov
of Captain Decatur, officers and crew.
The bill rut horilingthc inhabitants of George
town tot-red a dam or caufcway from M tfon’s
Iftand to the Virginia (hore was confidered ir*
committee of the whole, and after a lengthy
difeuffion the committee reported to the Houle
that they had not had time to go through ti c
lame, butalked leave to fit again, which y.aa in
dulged by the lloufc.
Adjourned.
Thursday, Nov. so.
Mr. y. ciny prcfrntrd a reprefcntation and
memorial figned by 237 American citiY.ms fct
tlol in Louiliana, exprefiing their fatisfadfion on
the arrangement made in that country aa to it?
government. Referred to the committee on
that part of the Prcfident’s menage telative to
the amelioration of the government of Louilia
na.
The petition of-and others, refx&ing
the Yazoo lands, was prefenh-d by 6tn<r,d
Varmint, ami referred to a committee of five.
The houfe then refolved itfelf into a com
mittee of the whole, Ocn. Varuvm in t^c
Chair, on the bill retraining merchant vrfleln
from arming and forcing a trade to St. Domin
go} fundry amendment* werw made* anti reoorf
cd to the houfe—hut finally the hill was r.
committed to a committee of the whole f r
Wednesday next.
Mr. Nel/on prefented a petition from Mord—
cii Lane, an old revolutionary folclie r, pr.t in,*
to be provided for on the petition lilt. R. L, .
red to the Committee of Claims.
On motion of Mr. J. Randolph H\] the paper ;
of laft fellion relating to the Yazoo lands were
ordered to be printed. A lingular nrcnm.'tance
gave rife to this motion. The papers or. ;'j
fubjedt, he oliferved, w r • ra o-n of :h books o;
documents which art pri lerved fortheuie 01 tl.r
Moult.
Mr. S. C. Ogden the owner of the (hip fndnf.
tan hid leave to withdraw his petition for i • , '
K giftcr.
The hon. Buckner Thrufton, has been n
a fetiator, to rcprrfent this rt ite in the i <•. ,•
of the United muter, in the room'of tfieliyf)
John Brown, aiur tl r i*h M^rch r. xt. '
»f */ ' • yap. t•