Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-03-07

state Of New. Y ork in regard to her pre-
tensions Of jurisdiction over the nasigable
waters intervening between the two states,
and the extension OF her steam boat mo-
popoly in those waters; he proceeded to
show, that the 4th section, u passed as il
s,ood 10 the bill from Council, might have
a very different operation from what was
generally understood to be the object Of
the bill.
By the section as it now stood, he said,
a wrong committed by citizen OF New
York, under her steam boat monopoly, on
the property Of citizen of Ne~-Jersey,
might be retaliated not only upon the per
son 10 New York who committed the Of
fence, but upon a citizen OF New-Jersey,
holding right Of navigating the waters OF
New ork under the steam boat law Of
that state. although he might have had no
participation 10 the offence, nor any con-
trout over the person who had committed
it. For instance--if the steam boat Of
Thomas Gibbon. going into the waters oil
New ORR, was eDjoined or restrained b,
John r.. Livingston from navigating those
waters, he, the said Thomas Gibbon, was
empowered by this section, to eDjoin or re-
strain the steam boat of Aaron Ogden, a
citizen Of this state, [who held a right I'M
der the New-York company from navi-
eating the wdiers of Mem Jerseys This,
he said, went 10 establish principle so re-
pugnant TO equity and justice, that he
could by 20 means consent TO give il his
support. Nothing, in his view was more
consonaut to the principles of free govern
ment and natural justioe--to the dictates
Of reason and common sense, than that one
man should not be held responsible for the
conduct of another, over whom he had no
controul.
He therefore proposed SO TO modify the
section, by the amendment which he offer
ed, that the consequence following wrong
committed, should fall upon the offender,
aud not upon another guiltless of the Of
fence-That if j. r. Livingston, or any
other person, should enioin citizen of ".
Jersey from navigating the New-Y ork wa
ters, such person should thereupon be re-
strained from navigating the waters Of N.
Jersey.
This he said would be placing the sub
iect upon fair ground, and would leave each
one responsible for his own conduct--and
not for that Of another.
The amendment was supported by DR.
Elmer and Mr.. Griffith; and opposed by
Messrs. Carson. Taylor and J. Cook,
on the ground that If il prevailed, the bill
wonld not answer the purpose for which it
was brought forward That rights OF ma
vigation under the New York company
might readily and easily be conveyed 10
citizeus Of this state, and in this way the
provisions Of the bill could be evaded.-
That in order to make il effectuai, it was
necessary to retain the section in its pre-
sent form aud effect.
The amendment was negatived by the
house, as was also another proposed by
Mr.. Griffith, aud the bill passed to be en-
crossed with small alteration proposed by
MIR. Kinney, suspending the operation Of
the act till the FIRST Of April.
Iu the above statement we do not pre-
tend to give The argument in the words and
style of the member from Essex-nor the
different views which he took Of the SUBJ
ject 10 the course of his remarks; but
merely state the main ground upon which
ne rested his motion in favor of modifics-
ton OF the section. His reasoning upon
the subject was very clear aud forcible,
and remained unanswered by any one who
attempted to speak in support Of the bill.
Daring Burglaries. the 23d ult.
the store Of Mr.. ]. Gould, of Cincinnati.
was robbed Of watches and jewels to the
amount OF 10000 dollars; and on the 5th
inst. the store of MIR. Nicholas Hackey. of
the same town, was robbed of watches and
Jeweiry to the amount of eighteen thousand
doliars.--N. Y. Spectator.
Incendidries. The Charleston. Peters
burgh, and Philadelphia papers, now be-
fore US, mention repeated attempts to set
fire to buildings in those cities. In the
latter city. on Sunday last, a smoke was
seen issuing from building occupied for
packing hay. A match was discovered
and taken away just in time, as is suppo-
sed, 10 save from destruction property 70
the amount Of 100000 dollars. The
combustible matter has been exhibited TO
the Mayor, and several other citizeus. 1t
consists Of several shreds of carded cotton,
strongly saturated with an oily, inflamma-
Die matter. These are inclosed in piece
Of newspaper, containing it is supposed, at
the time Of depositing it, coal Of fire." ID.
Ne'u Patent Bridge.--A pateat has been
taken out by Mr.. John Bragg, for bridge