Star.
London, England, 1814-12-14 00:00:00

LEGISLATURE OF RHODE-ISLAND.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. NOVEMBER 1.
The ,House met pursuant to adjournment, at ten
o'clock, A.M. and proceeded to elect the Hon. James
Barri% jun. Speaker, and Thomas Burgess, 3111.,
Clerk.
At twelve o'clock, his Excellency the Governor,
by his Private Secretary, Thomas Burgess, Esq. com-
municated the following.anaisage and accompanying
documents : rt! to-
" Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the
House of Representatives—We meet again with less
sanguine hopes of the restoration of peace and pro.
sperity than we indulged at the last session. All the
Battering expectations induced by' the meeting of
Ambassadors at Ghent, have been disappointed,
and we are to look forward to the longer continuance
of an unhappy war.
" Though the original causes or pretexts of the
war are now abandoned by our administration, and
they are willing to make peace with Great Britain
without requiring any stipulation on her part, on the
subjects of blockade or impressment, yet peace can-
not, in the opinion of our government, be restored on
the terms proposed by the enemy. It is exclusively
tAr province and the duty of the general government
to decide on our foreign relations—they only can
declare war or make peace, yet I may be permitted
to express my regret that the negotiation had not been
permitted to proceed to such further length as to have
ascertained with more precision the real pretensions
and demands of England.
Present appearances forbidding us to anticipate
the speedy restoration of those blessings which peace
alone can restore, it becomes our duty to look at the
actual state of things and to prepare for those exer-
tions, privations and sufferings through which, in the
righteous providence of GOD, we may be called to
vpass. Ifoo rill perceive, in the correspondence between
echo Executive of this St me and the departments of the
general Government, continued exertion on our pat:
to inducv tl.eir to our exposed condition,

and to prevail on them to extend to us that support
and assistance which, by the terms of the national
compact, and by every consideration of prudence as
well as justice, they were bound to have afforded ;
. .

and you will as readily discover, on their part, re-
peated and continued delay ; and, finally, an implicit
refusal or an acknowledgment of their inability to

comply with our requests.
44 On the Part of this State we have exhibited a
constant readiness to conform to the views of the

general Government, and to co-operate with them,
agreeably to the Constitution, to the extent of our
power, and it is not understood that the general Go-
vernment itself has discovered or complained of any
unwillingness or reluctance in us r yet, notwithstand-
ing our constant importunity and our readiness to

act in concert with the Officers of the United States,

our requisitions are uncomplied with; and, so far as
depended on the general Government, our situation

has continued as defenceless as at the commencement
of the war.
" You will perceive by the correspondence, that
the Government have, in fact, refused to make the
necessary advances for expenses which their own
Officers have ordered and approved of, and that the
utmost extent of the promise of the Secretary atWar
is, that if we will advance the money, they will apply
it to our defence.
" In this unheard of and unforeseen condition of
thinp, the General Assembly ar_ called on to make
further arrangements for the defence of the State.
" The large States of have more abunikrnt
means. In this State, which has paid, and con-

tinues to pay such immense sums into the national
treasury, our means, by way of direct taxes, owing
to the very limited extent of our territory, must neces-
sarily be much circumscribed. The taxes already in
operation, and those proposed at this session, must
draw from us a sum of money, one half of which, if
applied to our own necessities, would increase, in a
very respectable degree, our means of defence. The
direct tax on houses and lands alone will undoubtedly
exceed the sum of sixty-nine thousand dollars, no
part of which is applied to the purpose of our parti-
cular defence. But I forbear further to enumerate
our grievances, our sufferings, and dangers—the ca-
talogue might be Swelled to a frightftd size, and in-
stead of I urnishing us with motives fur exertion, might
sink us into despondency.

66 I shall always be ready to concur in every mea-
sure proposed by the General Assembly for the de-

fence of our native land, and of our invaluable liber-
ties, and I trust, the people, notwithstanding the ex-
tent of their losses and the discouragement of the
times, will be found worthy of their privileges and of
their former prosperity. Having done all we can do,
we look for a blessing upon our arms and our cause
to Him who alone iuleth among the nations of the
earth.

" In pursuance of the act passed at the last session,
authorising me to borrow, on the credit of the state,
a sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, a
loan has been opened at the several banks and propo-
sals have been sent to different towns. The success
of the measure has not fully equalled my hopes ; a
part only of the loan has been obtained, and a parti-
cular statement of its progress will be made for your
information in the course of the session.
" In compliiage with the resolutions on that tub.
ject, 'at the spa* session of the legislature in Sep.
tember, a draft has been made from the militia and
chartered companies, to make up the State's quota of
five hundred men, under the requisition of the Presi.
dent of the United States, of the 4th of March, and

they are ordered into service accordingly—and senior
class will soon be organized agreeably to the laws
passed for that purpose:
g - In additiOn to the ordninee already stationed at
several points, field-pieces have been provided for
Little Compton, Tiverton Warren, East Greenwich,
and North.iings-town, with some supplies of ord-
nance-stores{ and I have the satisfaction to acknow-
ledge the receipt from the United States, by the order
of Brigadier-General Cushing, of six filed carriages
for heavy cannon.
4. I have the pleasure of being able to inform you,
that at some late inspections and reviews of the mili-
tia which I have attended, I have had the satisfaction
of finding an evident improvement in discipline, and
particularly in the quality and good order of their
anns. There is also a very commendable zeal and
alacrity excited among the officers, and a correspond.
leg emulation among the men. We may be per-
tained therefore to believe, that in case of an inva-
sion, our militia will support the character for disci-
pline and bravery which they acquired in the war of
the revolution ; and that as they have now become
almost our sole military dependance, they will not dis-
appoint us in the hour of trial.
•From the neglect and disregard of our wants
which we have experienced from that quarter to which
we naturally look for assistance, I have been induced,
for the supply of some of the individual requisites
for taking the field, to issue orders to the Quarter.
Master and Commissary-Generals to make such pre•
parations in their several departments as our scanty
resources admit.
" his my duty particularly to mention the situa-
tion of the men belonging to the state corps. The
neglect on the part of the United States to make pro.
vision for the ?arum of their wages, has reduced
many of theni to very distressing circumstances.
SLime have families, and all will require a supply of

clothing. without which it will he impossible they can'
do their duty through the approaching cold season.
•44 Qn the 4th instant I was informed by the Secre-
tary at War that General Swift would visit this State,
to inspect the fortifications, and to advise as to the

erection of other works. General Swift ha's since ar-
rived, and in company with him I have visited the
shores at the head of the Bay and Rhode Island and
Tiverton near the Stone Bridge. What further steps
will be taken by the Government in consequence of
this measure, I have not been informed 01. In some
parts of the State the citizens have cluet fully volun-
teered their services in erecting hatteries and field
works, to a very considerable extent, and owing to
their very meritorious exertions, additional security
has been given to some important and exposed positions.
44 Under our great pecuniary embarrassments the
patriotic labour of the people was particularly accept.
able, and deserves the approbation of the Legislature.
44 I communicate, for your more particular infor-
mation, my correspondence with the Secretary of
War, and also with Governor Strong and Governor
Smith, on the subject of mutual aid of the Militia, in
case of invasion.

I also lay before you a communication from Go-
vernor Strong, with several resolutions of the Legis-
lature of Massachusetts, which, from the importance
of the subject, and respectability of that St.ite, claim,
and will, I have no doubt, receive your early and se-
rictus attention.

" I cannot close this communication without ad-
verting to some of the many reasons which the people
of this State have for gratitude and thankfulness to
the GIVER OF ALL Gaon, who, in the midst of judg•
ment, has remembered mercy. By his goodness we
have reaped of the fruits of the earth. our health and
lives have been preserved, and shores protected from
invasion, and our laws and religious liberties con.
tinue4i. (Signed) " WILLIAM JONES.

" Providence, Oct. 31, 1814."
NEW-YORK, OCTOBER 21.

Governor Tompkins hAd issued orders for all the
Militia Officers, who are absent from their posts, im-
mediately to join their respective regiments. His
Excellency was to leave .Albany yesterday for this
city, and intended on his way to visit the Connecticut
sea coast,

The stearn-boat furnishes no authentic intelligence
from the northern or western frontier. From the
latter there is a rumour that General Izard had join.
ed General Brown above Chipawa : titat the two
armies thus united were on their way to Chipawa and
Queenston, and tliat the main army of the enemy
had retired towards Burlington, leaving at these sta.
tions a garrison of two or three hundred men.
OCTOIHR 28.

. FROM GENERAL IZARD'S ARMY.—By the steam-
boat Paragon, which arrived to-day from Albany,
we learn, that on the 19th inst. General Bissel, with
his brigade, attached to General Izard's army, forted,
the Chipawa, eight miles above the enemy's position,
with the loss of (ifs men, 14. of whom were killed ;
and that the main army ware on the move from
Black Creek down the Niagara upon the Chipawa.
General Blown had gone to Sackett's Harbour, to
take command of the forces there,
NOVEMBER 9.

By the steam-boat Fulton, of this morning, we
hay nothing new from the frontiers, except a report
from a Gentleman of Buffalo, that six inches of snow
had fallen on Niagara, and that all military opera-
tions were of course ended, or suspended for the
present.
FROM TIM ONTARIO MESSENGER 01 NOVEMBER 1.
We understand that Major-General Izard's army
had re-crossed the Niagara, with the exception of Ge-
neral Bissell's brigade, which is stationed in Fort Erie.
About 15,000 men of General. Browne's division are
on their march from Buffalo to Sackett's Harbour ;
they passed here yesterday. Brigadier General Win.
der and suite passed here on Saturday, for the same
place.—Nothing new from Sackett's Harbour.
BALTIMORE, NOVEMBER I.
The enemy landed yesterday morning at Deep
Creek, and proceeded to Ruby's Windmill : he was
reconnoitred and his position ascertained by Captain
Bird, of the United States' Dragoons. The in.
fantry under General Madison, having several
miles to march, bad not arrived. Captain Bird de.
termined upon a charge, with a view to cut off the
retreat of the enemy, which he attempted in the
most gallant manner, under a tremendous fire of can-
non and musketry; but not being well supported by
Isis men, the charge was not so efficient as the gallant
Captain had hoped to have made it. He was wounded
severely in the head, and was nigh being taken priso-
ner. Our artillery galled the enemy everely whilst
he was moving off in his barges. Deep Creek is 16
or 18 miles below the Annapolis, Maryland.
Two English country ships (one the 11;,ndliam)
from Canton, have been captured by an Au:trican
letter of marque and given up, after having about
50,000 dollars worth of valuable property taken out.
The British brig Harvest, cargo oil, blubber, salmon,
cod fish, furs, deals, icc. a prize to the privateer
York ; and schooner 'Prince Regent, cargo SBO bar-
rels and a quantity of salmon, cod fi.h, and boards,
prize to the Dash, of Portland, have arrived at
Two hundred and eighteen Americans were
on board the prison-ship at Bermuda on the Sd Oc-
tober, and several on board the hospital-ship.
A French squadron, of two ships of the line, four
frigates, and three brigs, five days from Brest, for
the West Indies, was spoken the 27th August.