Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1809-04-10

parry ipirit. From the patriotic city
of Baltimore, where the embargo has
been appreciated, we have the follow
ing information, being an extract
from the communication Of the
Mayor to the city council. /" The
gentlemen appointed TO diitribute the
funds, have, with zeal and induitry
truly commendable, in every initance
in perfon viiited the families apply
ing for relief, and extended the hand
of charity to them, in proportion to
their. feveral neeeflities and the fums
collected. In your wifdom and hu-
mainly | confidently repofe for fur
Their relief ; as the reports of the
gentlemen appointedto Wilt them are
truly diftrening to the feelings of
humanity, both as to their numbers
and necenties." In this fame paper
find the following account" The
marine fociety Of Philadelphia have
dilcovered upwards of one thoufand
Objects Of charity, who, from a Rate
of comfort, have been reduced to the
loweit abyfs of poverty. - ihall not
take up,he time of the Senate in no.
ticing other Official accounts of fuf-
fering equally diltreiling 1t will be
doubiy affective to the people to find
our government ultimately bent on
perfevering in meafures which have
produced 70 much individual diftrefs,
after they are acknowledged to have
failed to produce the delired effect on
foreign nations. This will feem to
be more than trifing with their fuf-
ferings, andl will not be anfwerable
for the consequences. For my part,
] believe the point of fuffering is as
great as can be endured AID may /
not be permitted to ask the queition,
whether much more ought to be en-
duredl
Sec. nth Of this bill authorizes
the preGdent of the United States,
ain cafe either France or Creat-Brit-
ain lnan 70 revoke or modify her ed
lets, as that they fhall ceafe to vio-
late the neutral commerce of the u
ni,ed States, to declare the fame by
proclamation /; and thereupon to
caufe 10 be iffued letters of marque
and reprilal againf rhe nation there
after continuing in force its unlawful
edias." The contribution fays.. "The
CONGRESS ihsll have power to declare
war, grant letters of marque and re-
prifal, and make rules concerning
captures on land or water" The ex-
ercife of the authority given by this
fiction, to the PRECEDENT to grant let
tcss of marque and reprifal, is to
ref on the revocation or Modification
of the ediets of France or Great
Britain, 70 as not to violate the neu.
trail commerce of the United States.
And this complicated queition is lief.
to the judgment and unlimited diff
cretion of the PRECEDENT. His indi-
vidual opinion on the nature of a va
ricty of ediGts not fpcci6ed, and
which will admit Of various conitruc-
tons, is to govern. II the condition
on which fuch power was to be ex-
erciied, were fome fpeeihed event,
certain and precile in point of fad,
which is not the cafe, il might be
queitioned whether the contribution
would even then, warrant Congrefs
in dclega:ing to the PRECEDENT the
power of declaring war, OF Of grant
ing letters Of marque and reprifal.
The 18TH fec. provides that no
veflsl ihail be allowed to 60 on for
eign voyage, unleis, among other
things, bonds are given, in fomc in
frances in double, and others in four
times the value of the vefIel and car.
go "nor unlefs every other requi-
fife and proviiion of the fecond fec
ton of the act" (the enforcing a6t)
"fkall have been complied with"
One of which is, that bonds fhall be
given to fix times the value of vefel
and cargo. 1t cannot be the inten.
ton that bonds, in fome initances to
eight, and others ten times the value,
fhould be demanded and yet may
ak, how are you To Get along with