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From the Connecticut Mirror,
Novembgh 7.
IMPORTANT REPORT.
Tu the Honorable the General Jtssetnbly, now in
tension.
The committee to whom was referred the
Speech of his Excellency the Governor, wiili
the Documents accompanying the same ; and
also his Excellency’s message presenting a
communication t orn the Governor of Massa
chusetts. REPORT.
That the condition ol the Slate demands the
most serious attention ol the GegiiJatuie.
We lately enjoyed, in common with the other
members of the national confederacy, the hies*
sings of peace. Ihe industry of our citizens,
in cvety d< partinent of active life, was abun
dantly lewatdcd. Our cities and villages ex
hibited indications of increasing wealth, and
the foreign relations ollhe Union secured our
safety and nouiished our prosperity.
The scene is now reversed. We are sum
moned to the field of war, and to surrender
our treasures for our dclence. Ihe fleets of
a powerful enemy hover on our coasts, block
ade our haihors, and threaten our towns and
cities with fire and desolation.
When a commonwealth suddenly falls from
* state of high prospet ity, it behoves the guar
dians of its interests ro enquires into the cau
ses of its decline, and with deep solicitude, to
seek a re-medy. . .
In the latter part of the last century, a spirit
of daring tnterp 1 ize—impatient of restraint—
regardless of the sanctionsol religion—hostile
to human'happiness and aspiring to supreme
power—overturning many aneient govern
ments, made Europe a scene ol carnage, and
threatened with ruin all that was valuable in
the civilized world. I‘lie history of its prog
ress and decline is familiar to evety mind.
Nations without the reach of the immense
physical power which it embodied, wcie tain
ted by its corruptions—and every state and
province in Christendom has felt its baleful in
flu. nces. Ity the pure principles inherited
front our fathers, conductive, at once, to the
ptescivaiion of liberty and older, this state
lias been eminently exempt in its interior pol
icy, from tills modern scourge of nations—ln
thus withstanding this potent adversary ol all
ancient establishments, while many monarch
ies have been subverted, we have exhibited to
the world the highest evidence that a free con
stitution is not inconsistent with the strength of
civil government, and that the virtue of the
people js the best preservative of both.
Occupying a comparatively small territory,
and naturally associating, dm mg the revolu
tionary war, with Stales whose views were
indentifitd with ours, our interests and inclina
tions led us to unite in the gicut national com
pact, Since defined and consolidated by the
constitution of the' United States.—We had
justly anticipated, from that Union, the pre
servation and advancement ol our dearest
rights and interests j while the Farther cl his
■country, and those other great and wise men
who, mindful of their high duties, and re
gardless of local and party considerations,
consulted the happiness of tire commonwealth
—guided our Councils, we were not disappoin
ted in our expectations. The federal govern
ment, in winch our own venerable statesmen
were conspicuous vv,.s revered in every na
tion.—An American, in foieign lands, was
honoied for his country’s sake, A rich and
virtuous population was rapidly reducing the
limits of our extensive wilderness —and the
commerce of America was in every sea.
Rut a coalition, not less evident than it defi
ned by the articles of a foimul treaty, arose
between the national administration and that
feat lul tyrant in Europe, who was aspiring to
the dominion of the world. No means, how
ever destructive to the commerce, and hazar
dous to the peace of this couuny, were left un
•tteutpVfcd, to aid his efforts, and unite our in
terest# and our destinies with his—Fiorn this
fa ul cause, we are bereft of the lespectable
standing we once held in ii>e councils ol the
nation, impoverished by a long couise ol com
mercial restrictions, involved in an odious and
disastrous war, ano subjected to all the com
plicated calamities which .»e now deplore.
Thus driven against our inclinations, from
•vet y object of our best hopes, and bound to
an inglorious struggle to defend our dwellings
from a public enemy ; we had no appiehension
much as we had suffered from the national
/ government, lhat it would refuse to yield us
protection as its scanty treasures might
i&afTord — much less could we doubt, that ti.osc
which might be demanded of
stale would be parsed to our credit on the
sSaBoKi ofihe treasury. Such, however, has
been the tourse adopted by the national
All supplies have been withdrawn
HLn the militia of this State in the service of
M United States. — Ihe groundless pretext
■ this unw.iiront.ibie measure was il eir sub-
loan officei assigned them by the
BHunmamlcr in Chief in pc• feet conformity
piltary visage, undtfe principles of a re-
Haes' f oin the President himself, under which
Ml, alt ol them were aetachcd.' The injus-
Ru:e cf that measure, by which we ate com
■tot lltd to sustain alone, the burden of supply
and payhrg hur own defence in the ssr
0f ltie United States—a service -endeied
deasary to defend our territory four invasion
f inphly aggravated by the consideration
ten the danger which called them tojhe field
End the ccncentratior of the enemy’s forcescn
our coasts have resulted from the ships of the
f Uni ed States having taken refuge in our wa
tei» Were this the only instance evincive cf
the disregard of the just Claims and best in
teiesisof thi» State—tire only ground to lear
that we are forgotten in thciv eiuucils, except
.s suljects of taxation and oppression—we
should choose to consider it an instance ano
malous aud solitary—still yield them our wu- 1
fidence, and hope for protection, to the extent
of their power,in this season of unusual calam
by.
Protection is the first and most important
claim of tbei*. states on the government ofthc
nation. It is a primary condition, essential to
the very obligation of every compact between
ruler s and their subjects. To obtain that, as
a principal object, Connecticut became a mem
ber of the national confederacy, in a defen
sive war, a government would stand justified,
after making a fair application of Us powers to
that important end—for it could do no more.
But when a government hastily declares war,
without the means of conducting it—want of
means is no apology for icfusing protec
lion. In such a cate, the vet y declaration of
war is of itself a bi each of the sacred obliga
tion, inasmuch as the loss of protection is the
natural and inevitable consequence of the mea
sure. \Y hen that war annihilates *be only re
venue of the nation, the violation of the ori
ginal contract is still more palpable. If wa
ged for foreign conquest, and the wreck ol the
national treasures devoted to a fruitless inva
sion ol lhe enemy’s territory, the character of j
the act is more criminal, but not more clear.
Whatever may be the disposition of the
national executive towards this State, during
the seqjcl ofthc war, such is the condition of
public hriances, that constant and very great
advances must be made from our State Treas
ury, to meet the expenditures necessary for
our own defence. But the utmost efforts of
tlris State, under the most tavorable circum
stances for raising revenue, would he haidly
adequate to the costly operations of defending,
against a great naval power, a sea coast of
more thau one hundred and twenty miles in
length. Much less, at litis inaspicious peri
od, when ttie distresses of the people are en
hanced by tire embanasstnents ofourmoniod i
institutions, and tire circulating medium con- j
stantly diminishing, can any thing be spared
consistently with our safety. Yet the nation
al government are dooming us to euorm tus
taxation, without affording any just confidence
that we shall share in the expenditure of the
public revenue. The invasion of Canada is
perseveringly pursued, our coasts left de
fenceless, and the treasures of the country ex
hausted on more favored points of lire nation
al frontier. To meet those demands, and at
the same time, io defend ourselves, is impos
sible. Whatever we may contribute, we have
no reasonable ground to expect protection in
return. The people cf this Btate have no
disloyalty to the interests of the Union. For
their fidelity and patriotism, they may appeal j
with confidence, to the national archives, from
the commencement of the revolutionary war.)
In achieving the independence of the nation '■
they boie an honorable part—Their contin
gent in men and money has ever been prompt- I
ly furnished when constitutionally required. |
Much as they lament tire present unnatural
hostilities with Great Britain, they have, with j
characiei istic obedience 16 lawful authority,
punctually paid the late taxes imposed by the
genual government. On every lawful de
mand of the national executive, their Well
disciplined militia have resorted to the field—
The public tnsmy, when invading their |
shores, have been met at the water’s edge and j
valiantly repelled. They duly appieciate the i
great advantages, which would result from
federal compact, weie the government admin
istered according to the sacredpi inciples of the
constitution. They have not forgotten the
lies of confidence and affection which buund
these States to each other, during their toils
for independence, nor the national honor and 1
commercial prosperity which they mutually
shared during the happy years cf a good Ad
ministration. They are, at the same time
conscious of their rights and determined to
defend them— Those sacred liberties—those
inestimable institutions civil and religiou*
which their venerable fathers have bequeath
ed them, are with the blessing cf Heaven, to
be maintained at every hazard, and never to
be surrendered by tenants of the soil, which
the ashes of their ancestors have consecra
ted.
In what manner the multiplied evils, which
ws feel and fear, are to be remedied, is a
question of the highest moment, and deserves
the greatest consideration. The documents
transmitted by Iris Excellency the Governor
of Massachusetts, present in the opinion of
the committee, an eligible method of combi
ning the wisdom of New-England. in devi
sing, on full consultation, a proper course to
be adopted, consistent with our obligations to
the United States. The following resolutions
are therefore res pec fully submitted.
Signed by order,
-HENRY CHAMPION, Chairman.
General Assembly, Oct. 1814.
In the House ol Representatives the fore
going Report is accepted and approved.
Attest, ’ CHAS DENISON, Ci*k.
Concurred in the Upper House.
Attest, THOMAS I)AY, Sec.
Resolved, That seven persons be appointed
Delegates from tins stale to meet the Dele
gates of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
and of any other ol the Ntw-England States,
at Hartfoid, on the lslh day of December
next, and confer with them on the subjects
proposed by a resolution of said Common
wealth communicated to this Legislature,
and upon any other subjects which may come
before them for the purpose of devising and
recommending such measures for the safety
and welfare ot these States as may consist
with our obligations as members of the nation
al Union.
General Assembly, October Session , 1814.
Passed in the House of Uepscsen'atives.
Attest, CHAS. DENISON, CCk.
Concurred in the Upper House.
Attest, THOMAS DAY, Sec.
A true Copy.
Attest, THOMAS DAY, See.
[The other resolution relates to the trans- J
minion of the Report to the Govcinours of
the New-England brutes ]
The General Assembly of this State hare
appointed the following persons to be Dele
gates from inis State, to meet in contention at ;
Hartford, on the 15th of December .next, viz: ,
i-lis Honour Chauncey Goodrich, Honora
ble James Hillhouse, Hon. John Treadwell,
Hon Zephaniali Swift, Hon. Nathaniel Smith,
Hon. Calvin Goddard, Hon. Roger M. Sher
man.
And the following persons as a committee
of safety, to consult with his Excellency the
Governor relative to the public affairs oi this
slate, viz.
His Honour Chauncey Goodrich, Nathaniel
Terry, Esq. Samuel H Sherwood, Esq. Hon.
Htmy Champion, Eiisha Sterling, Esq.
Savannah, November 17.
LATEST FROM EUROPE.
lo the politeness oia Mercantile House in
this place we are indented for a fiie of English
j papers to the 16th September—extracts fal
low : A letter from Liverpool, of the 7th
September, states, that ‘the i upturn under
stood lo have unfortunately taken place in the
negociations at Ghtnt, by which all hope of
an early peace with the United States of
Ametica is destroyed, lias caused an advance
of about 30 per cent, in nearly all descriptions
i of cotton i and the stock being now smaller
than at the commencement of the year, when
pticcs ruled above the present currency, and
at a season wken only very limited supplies
can come to hand, renders it more likely that
puces will further advance, than lecede from
ihe present quotations. On the other hand,
as the trade is not flourishing, the consump
; tion will oe reduced, should the present high
! pric s oe supported ; and it is extremely
probable, that during the WINTER, IVE
SHALL TAKE TO s'SESSION OF SOME
AMERICAN HIS TEW IS, from whence
supplies of this article may be brought.’’
BRITISH ACCOUNT
Os the Capture of the AVON Sloop of IVar
by the American Sloop of liar l VAST,
Portsmouth, September 11.
We regret to state the destruction of the
Avon gun brig, captain honorable James Ar»
buthnot, on the night of the Ist inst. off the
coast of liebnd, in an action with a stout
American ship of War, supposed to be the
Wasp, i lie action continued two hours with
great fury on both sides, at the end of which
time ano'her brig was coming down. The
I ship that was in sight proved to be the Castil-
J ian, Captain Brainier, who saw the action at
j a distance, and crowded all sail to get up.
i bhe succeeded m pouring her wliole broadside
into the stern of the enemy whodid not return
a single shot, and is supposed to have gone
down, as she was not »een afier. Captuin
Brainier n»w directed his attention to the
Avon and employed his boats in taking out the
crew who had survived the battle, and just as
the last boat had left her, she went down by
the head. The loss on hoard the Av. n, \>ete
, the fit st lieutenant and eight seamen killed
j many wounded About forty were taken into
j the Castiiian which rs supposed to haveaf ived
jat Cork. The brig was (ought ro the very
i last moment, but the superiority of the enemy
j was very great in size of snip number of men,
j and weight cf metal. Tins intelligence was
j hi ought here last night by his mt'jesty’b ship
i Cephaiua captain Elir.t, who received it from
the far tar us, on the 4th inst, the officers of
which ship gave the information, the w hole of
which may be relied on. The Avon was on
the Cork station.
Colt*' September 6
In my last I informed you ofthe few,paitic
ulats , dative to the American Privateers on
this coast 1 have now the melancholy tidings
to communicate to you of the loss of his ma
jesty’s sloop of war the Avon, the honorable
captain At but knot.
On the .st inst. off Cape Clear, she fell in
with the American sioop of War the Wasp,
and after an engagement of two hours and
forty minutes, yard atm and yardarm, she
went down.
Fortunately, the Castillian sloop of war hove
in sight at the time, and succeeded in saving
the lives of the survivors of the engagement.
The captain was wounded in both kgs, and
the first lieutenant (Prendergast) who has left
an amiable wife and two children, was killed,
with a considerable portion of the crew The
Castillian arrived this morning and brought
the survivors, with the remains of the much
lamented lieutenant Prendergast. The C. s
tiiian immediately lost sight of the Wasp,
from which it is inferred that she must have
gone down also. The Avon was a very fine
brig sloop, carrying 18 guns, and a iargecom
plemeni of men. '
Negociations with America.
London, September 1.
We mentioned yesterday that an agent cf
the American Commissioners was to procted
to London immediately, to apply to the Brit
ish Government to grant privileges of > cartel
to the Neptune republican vessel. This gen
tleman has now arrived. It seems that the
arrangements of a personal nature, connected
with the rupture of the negociation, have been
adjusted. The Neptune ha# been ordered to
quit Gottenburg and to repair to Brest. Mr.
Gallatin, who is a native of Geneva, will,
we are told, make an excursion to Switzer
lan l, and the other Commissioners will pur
sue their several inclinations, with the ex
ception of Messrs. Adams and Russel, who
are to go to St. Petersburg and Stockholm, to
fulfil their appointed duties as ministers at
those courts.-—Such of the American public
r
| Agents as retnrn to America, viz. Mes«w
' Gallatin, Clay, and Batakd, and their
Secreiuiits, arc to be assembled at Brest, sa
as to be in readiness to depart by the Ist of
October next. Congress is to meet the firm
week in November, when, it is probable, th*
j Neptune will have arrived, and those person*
will have submitted their statement of the pro.
gress and result of the negocitaion to the Exe
cutive Government at YVashington.
Lord Gambior, we hear, is expected it
England.
A Liverpool paper says, “ the Neptune i*
ordered round to L’Orient, to take the AiuerU
can mission home from thence, on the U|
of October ; their departure is deferred until
this day, to alio■» Mr, Gallatin time lose*
some relatives in his native country.”
Morning C/irtniclc.
“ Towards the close of commercial busi
ness yesterday, a report obtained general
circulation that the negotiations at Ghent
weie not only broken off, but broken u/i, and
that the duties of the British Commissioners
at Ghent being concluded, lord Gammer
had reached England. As to the alleged
fact of hrs lordship’s arrival, we think we
nusy positively affirm that it is unfounded.
With tegafd to the other circumstances, the
following is the information we have beea
enabled to acquire .
*' It was accurately said yesterday in our
paper that there has been no meeting “ by
appointment, for the purpose of conference,
since the 25th of the last month” but it is
true that there was an interview for another
object two days subsequent to that date. It
was acknowledged on both sides that on the
occasion of the meeting of the 25th, some
intemperate language had betn employed,
and each party was anxious to remove any
personal feeling, that was in the least degree
opposed to that gentlemanly sentiment which
public negociators ought reciprocally to pre
serve. To interchange apologies under tlia
irritability that had been mutually shewn wa*
the sole and exclusive purpose of the inter
view of the 27th, and it had no political ob
ject whatever. We repeat them, that irom
the 25th, of August to the September ther*
has been no conference on the busintss of the
negociation between the British and Ameri
can agents.
However, subsequent to the 27th ult. w*
are told, but not on the same satisfactory au
thority from which the preceding intelligence
is derived, that through the medium of tho
British commissioner* written proposals hav*
been transmitted to this government from tha
American plenipotentiaries, and which werb
enclosed in the dispatches that were received
on Monday, and on which ministers on th®
same day deliberated. It is said that these
proposals were an endeavour on the part of
the republican agents to renew the suspended
negociation, and that they contian an accom
modating offer, but coupled with the indis*
pcnsible condition, that an armistice, both by
sea and land, should be lo thia
condition, it is asserted, that the Cabinet would
not assent, and ia that situation of things it ia
supposed that tile attempt to prevent the
rupture had been ineffectual, and that the pro
ceedings at Ghent are in consequence wholly
discqntinued.
“ We have strong grounds for believing, by
letters which cartte to our hands yesterday,
through a private channel from Palis, that the
American commissioners, when they were
there, immediately prior to their depariute for
Ghent, had little or no hope of a peaceable
result from the negociation which had been
confided to their management.”
Government yesterday received dispatchet
from the British commissioners at Ghent
We understand they communicate that obsta
cles had arisen to the progress of the negocis
ti<>n} but do not warrant the statements »«
confidently made, that it had been broken off:
The . private letter* say, that the commis
sioners of both nation# remained,, and there
was no indication of their separation, -lhe
primary object in view, was the conclusion of
a provisional treaty. American produce had
experienced advance in price.
Observer < Sejit. 11. *
We are informed by the Opposition u that
the American Commissioners assume a high
tone ; that they intimate that the pretension*
of the British government are so extravagant
as to preclude all hope of i econciliation, and
that they propose to return—these that act as
| ministers in Europe to the seat of their res
! pective emb&ssaie* and the rest to the United
I States —The Neptune, is in waiting at a port
i oft he Netherlands for their reception, and if
is alledged to be a matter .of importance, that
they should take their departure before the
British minister shall be enabled at Vienna to
keep up the appearance of a continual nego
ciation, and to convert such a situation, of
things into the measn* of answering His own
purposes ast to question# of great interest,
equally to the Republic and to the maritime
powers of the Continent. It is conjectured,
therefore, that the sailing of the Neptune will
not be than the begining of
October.”
In the first place we uspejt that the negoct
ation with America is mot broken off. In the
next place, we cannot the assertion
*• that the American Commissioners assume a
high tone,” to pass unrtoticedA What give*
them the right to assume such » ? The
justice of their cause, or their - nccets i
No, no, we must have no high toueijU Ame
rica. We owe it not only tpouf“ BjL. 'V 1 *
posterity in this war provoked by to
and engaged in for the most unjust 1
makeisuchan upon
as shall curb the des.i® AT
cenqutsi for ouay
/ j BL