Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

AUGUSTA CHRONICLE. Vol. FREEDOM oi> the PRESS and TRIAL by JURY shall remain inviolate, [No. 1051 AUGUSTA: (Georgia) Printed by D. DRISCOL. near the market. SATURDAY, July 5. 1806. [3 Ann.'] THE DECLARATION CF INDEPENDENCE. IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776. WHEN in the course cf human events it becomes neccflary for one people to diffflve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the (operate and equal flation to which *he laws of na ture and of nature’s Goo entitle them, a de cent respect to the opinions of mankind re., quires that they Ihould declare the caafes which impel them to the reparation. V7c hol'd thefc truths to he felfcviient— that all men are crested equal; that they are endowed hv their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the purfait of hapjiintfs; that to secure thefc rights governments are indituted among men, deriving their just powers from the content of the governed j that whenever any form of government be comes dednifUve of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish k, and to infinite new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organi zing its powers in such form, as to them fhdifeem most likely to effect their fifety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dic tate, that governments long eltablifhed (honld not be changed fW light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath (hewn that mankind are more difpqfed to fiffjr, while evils are fafferablc, than to right then (elves by aboiifhing the forms to which they are accuftomcd ; Bat when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursu ing invariably the fame ohj»6i, evinces a dedgn to reduce them under absolute des potism, it 58 their right—dt is their duty— to throw off such government, and to pro vide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient fufferance of these colonics, and such is now the neceflky which copft rains them to alter their former systems of government. The hiftory of the preterit king of Great. Britain is a hiftory of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in dire id objeft the cftablilhment of an ab folutc tyrannv over these (fates* To prove this, let fafts be submitted to a candid world. 4 He has refuted his altent to laws the most wholesome and neceflary fer the public good ; He his forbidden his governors to pass laws ofimmediate and pressing importance, unlcfs fufpcndsd in their operation till his afifent (hould be obtained ; and when so fuf. pended, he has utterly negleifed to attend to them ; He has refilled to pass other laws for the -accommodation of large diflriils of people, unless those people would relinquilh the right of representation in the legislature ; a right inellimable to them, and formidable to ty rants only : He has called together Icgiflative bodies a places unafual, uncomfortable, & distant from the depository of link public records, for the foie purpose of fatiguing them int« compliance with his meafurcs ; H; has didblvcd repretentative houses re peatedly for opposing, with manly firmnafs, his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refafed, for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause others to be clewed, whereby the Icgiflative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exeicife ; the (late remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers cf invasion from without & convulftons within : He has endeavoured to prevent thepopu lation of these (fates ; for that purpefe ob (fruling the laws for naturalization of fo reigners ; refilling to pass others to encou rage their migration hither, and railing the conditions of new appropriations of lands ; He has obflruftr.d the adminiflration of joflice, bv refilling his alien t to laws for establishing judiciary powers : He has made judges dependent on his will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their fabrics : (He has erctfed a multitude cf new offices, and tent hither swarms of offiaers to harrafs our people and eat out their (übftancc ; He has kept among us in times of peace (funding armies, without the consent of our Icgiflatures ; He has affefled to render the military independent of Sc superior to the civil power: He has combined with others to fubjeft us to a jurifdiclian foreign to our constitu tion and unacknowledged by cur laws; giving his aflent to their aids of pretended kg-fbtion: Fot quartering large bodies ofarmed troops among us; For protecting them, by a mock-trial, from punifltment for any murders which they (hould commit on the inhabitants of thefc states : . For catting off our trade with all patts of the world : For imposing taxes on us without our consent. For depriving us in many cases of the benefits ©f trial by jury : For transporting us beyond the seas to be I tried for pretended offences ; l<or abolilhing the tree fyflem of Etiglifh laws in a neighboring province, eftabiiffiing therein an arbitrary government, and en larging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for in troducing the fame absolute rule into these Colonies: I 1 or taking away our charters, abolishing our noft valuable laws, and altering funda mentally the forms of our governments : bor suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves in veiled with powers t* Icgiflate for us in all cases whatsoever: He has abdicated government here, by declaring ns out of his protection and waging war against us; He has plundered our fcas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and dellroyed the lives of our people : He is at this time transporting large ar mies of foreign mercenaries complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the mod barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation : * He has (jonftrained our fellow-citizens ta ken captives on the high fens to bear arms against their country, to become the execu tioners ot their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands : He has excited domedic infurreftioos a- I mongft us, and has endeavored to bridg on the inhabitants of our frontiers the mcrcilefs Indian savages, whose known ml? of war fare is an undiftinguilhed deftruftion of all ages, sexes and conditions. t> 7 In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the mod humble' terms : Our repeated petitions have been an. five red only by repeated injury. A prince whose character is thus marked by every aft which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our Britifn brethren. We have warned - them from time to time of attempts made hy their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurifdiftion over us. We have reminded them of the circumUknccs of our emigration and fetlament here. We have appealed to their native jufticc and magnanimity ; and we have conjured them hy the ties of our common kindred todifavow these u fur oat lon 5, which would inevitably interrupt cur con neftions and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of joffice and of consanguinity. We muff, therefore, acqui efee in the neccfllty which denounces our re paration, and hold them as we hold the rest of maukind--enemies in war, in peace friends. WE, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America in general congress aflemblcd, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the reftitude of our inten tions, do, in the name and by authority of the good people of these colonics, solemnly pubiilh and declare: That these United Colonias are, and of right ought to be. Free and Independent States ; they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, enntraft alliances, establish commerce, and to do till other afts and things which inde pendent flares may of right do. And for the (Import of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Provi dence, we mutually pledge to each our lives, our fortunes and our ficred honor. (By Authority.) . AN ACT It) repeal so much of any ad or ads as au thor fe the recti ft of evidences of the pub lic debt , in payment for the lands oj the United States, and for other purposes, re lative to the public debt. BE it evaded by the Senate and Honfe of ■ Representatives of the United Stales of America, in Congress AJfembledy That so much of any aft or afts as authorlfe the re ceipt of evidences of the public debt, in pay ment for the lands of the United States, f rom and after the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fix, be repealc..: Provided, That the right of all persons who may have purchased public lands previous to thepeffageof this aft, to pay for the fame in (lock, (hall in no wife be afTcfted or im paired ; And provided further, that there hull be allowed on every payment maoe in money, a: or before the fame (iall fall due, for lands pnrebafed before the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fix, in addition to thedifeount now a..owed by law, a deduftion equal to the <ll.Terence at the time of such payment, between the market price of fix per cent, flock and tuc nominal value of its unredeemed amount, which market price [hall, from time to time, be dated by the Secretary of the Trcafury j to the officers of the several land offices. Sec. 2 . And he it further evaded. That the commiflioners of the finking fund (hall not be authorifed to purchafc any of the fe- : veral fpecics of the public debt, at a higher price than at the rates following, that is to fay : they (hall not pay more for three per , cent. ft odes than sixty percent, of it* nom inal value ; nor for any other fpccicsof the public debt more than the nominal value of its unredeemed amount, the eight per cent, stock only excepted ; for which they (hall be authorised, in addition thereto, to give at the rate cfone hair of one per cent, on the said nominal value, for each quarter ly dividend which may he payable «n such purchaled stock, from the time of such pur chase t* the firft day of January, or.ethou fand eight hundred and nine. Sec, 3.' And be it further enabled. That so much of any art as clirarts that purebafes of the public debt, by the commifljoners of the finking fund, (hall be made within the thirty days next enfuingjdter each day on which 5 quarterly paymaaftof interest on the debt of the United lhatrtrfhali become due ; and alfofo much of any art as directs that the said purchases shall be made by o pen purchafc, or by sealed proposals, be, and the fame is hereby repealed. And said commiflioners arc hereby aiuhorifcd to make such purchases, under the reftrirtions laid by the preceding fertion, in such manner and at yoch times and places as they shall deem mrtft eligible, and for that purpose to ap po' t an agent or agents to whom they may allow a commi(£«n not exceeding one fourth of one percent, on the refpertive purchafcs > of such agents. NATHI. MACON. Speaker of the Iloufe of Reprefentatises. S. SMITH, Trefident of the Senate, pro tern. Approved, April 18- iB®s. TH: JEFFERSON. ■C-L-.i—2H AN ACT Supplementary to the all intituled “ Ait a£l to extendjurifdiftion in certain cases to the territorial courts. BE it enatted by the Senate and Iloufe of Reprefentatises of the United States of America in Congress offembled, That the provifior.s of the aft inti ruled ft An a6f for providing compensation for the marftials, clerks, artornie'!, jurors and wifneffes, in the courts of the United Slates, and to re peal certain parts of the ads therein iren tisned, and for other purpoft-s," palled Fe bruary the twenty-eight, one thousand se ven hundred and ninety -mu, bt, -5k »t.« f-~ hereby arc extended to the territory of the U. S. fofar as the said art may relate to the pro. visions of the r.rt entituled ** An art to ex tend jurifdirtion in certain cases to the terri torial courts,” palled March (he third, one thousand eight hundred and five, excepting that the clerks of the said territorial courts shall not receive the additional five dollars per day, allowed to the clerksof the circuit and diftrirt courts, by the third fertion of the art fir ft afcovementioned. NATHi. MACON, Speaker of the Iloufe of Reprefentati'ves. S. SMITH, Prefd'nt of the Senate pro tempore. Approved, April 18, 1806. TH : JEFFERSON. AN ACT In addition to an alt, intitled e * An aft regulating the grants of land and pre siding for the disposal of the lands of the United Stales , fouth of she fate of I tn ntffee.” BE it enacted by the Senate and Iloufe of Rcprefentatises of the Untied States of America, in congress assembled, 1 hat whene ver any person who (101 l have received a pre-emption certificate, from cither of the boards of commissioners, appointed for the purpofc of afeertaining the rights of persons to lands in the Mifiiflippi territory, (hall, by a final judgment or decree of the higbeft court of laws, or equity, in which a deci fton could be had, within the (aid territory, rendered in favor of another person claiming by virtue of a British patent, lose the whole or part of the tract jf land to which he was entitled by virtue of such certificate, it (hall be lawful for the receiver of public monies for the diftrirt where the land lies, to repay to such person or his aftigns, so much of the purchase money as had been paid by him for the land thus recovered, by the holder of the liritifh patent. * In all cases where only a part of a trart ' of land, to which any person may he entitled by virtue of a certificate granted by the comtniflioners aforefaid, is also claimed by the holder of a British patent, a patent may ifluc in favor.cf the owners of such certifi cate, for so much of such trart of land as is not claimed by virtue cf such British patent. Presided:' That he (hall in every other rc fpert have complied with the provilions of the arts of Congress, regulating the grants of land in the Mifliftippi territory. And the lands contained in British granis, which have been duly recorded in conformity with the provisions cf former laws, and for which certificates have not been granttd by the commifiioncrs aforefaid, shall not be difpo. fed of until otherwise direrted by Congress. Sec. z. And be it further enafted, That persons entitled to a right of pre-emption to lands in the Mifliftippi territory, by virtue of certificates granted by either cf the boards of comroifltoners aforefai4, shall be allowed till die lull day of January, one thoufaid eight hundred and seven, to make the firft payment of the parchafe money offuch lands ; And if any one person (lull neglect to make such firll payment, on or before the firft day of January, one thaufand eight hundred and seven, his right of pre-emption shall cease and become void. See. 3. And he it further enabled ', That each of the commiflioners appointed to afeer tain the claims to lands in the above men * tioned territory, weft of Pearl river, shall be a lowed at the rate ol fix dollars for every day he shall attend, subsequent to the firft day of April, one thousand eight huftdted and fix : Provided, That such additional allowance shall not exceed five hundred dol lars, ana the agent appointed in htiaJf of the United States for the said board shall be allowed an additional cornpenfation of three hundred and fifty dol lars far the whole of his f'ervices. And the rcgiiler and receiver of public monies, in each of the diftrirts of the above mentioned territory, shall, and they are hereby au. thorifed, in their diftrirts, refprrtively, and after thedlffolution of the board of com mifiioners for their diftrirt, to regulate the location of any trart ofland lying within such diftrirt, for which a certificate shall have been granted by the commiflioners, whenever it shall appear that the location fpccified in such certificates, interfere with each other, or do not include the improve ments, by virtue of which such certificates wore granted: Provided, That the said , register and receiver, shall not b« authorifed to allow any location on land not improved and fettled, in the manner provided by the former arts of congress, regulating the grants of land in the above mentioned terri tory ; nor to allow, in any case, 2 greater quantity of land than had been allowed by thf commiflioners, S«jc. 4. And be it further enatled, That whenever it shall appear to the fatisfartion of the register and receiver cf the diftrirt, tail of Pearl river, that the fcttlemcnt and occupancy, by virtue of which a pre-emption certificate had been granted by the com midioners, had been made and taken place, prior to the jothday of March, one thou sand seven nunarea<:ru mm,., Hull be authorized to grant to the party a donation certificate, in lieu of such pre emption ; and the patent shall iflue as in other cafea of donations : Provided, That application shall be made fer such ah ex change, and evidence produced of the 1 date of such let element and occupancy, on of be fore the 31st day of December next. Sec. 5. And be it further entitled. That the right of the United States, to all the land lying between the front ftrect of the city of Natchez and the Miflsfiippi river, and bounded on the north by north Fourth street, and the land granted to Stephen Mi nor, and on the fimtli, by the lands annex ed to the old fort, and those granted to . William Barland, be, and the fame hereby is, forever vested in the corporators of said city, fn as not to assert the legal or equita ble claims of any individuals, or of any body politic, or corporate, if any such there be; Provided, That the said land, as above deferibed, be neither cultivated nor occupied by buildings, but that it be plan ted with trees end preserved as a common, for the ufc, comfort, and health of the inhabitants cf the city aforefaid, and all ether petfons who may •ceafionally refqrt thither. Sec. 6, And he it further enaP.ed, That whenever the fertion No. 16, fnall fail upon laud already granted, by virtue of any art of congress, or claimed by virtue of a British grant, the secretary of the treasury (ball locate another fertion, in lieu thereof, for the ufc of schools, which location ihall be made in the fame townlhip, if there be any other vacant fertion therein,“and other wise, in an adjoining township. Sec. 7. And he it further mailed, That Richard Spark* be permitted to enter with the register of the land office, for the diftrirt v/eft of Pearl river, his claim to three hundred and twenty acres cf land, lying within said diftrirt; and that Richard S. Bryan, and George Brewer, senior, he permitted to enter with the register of the land office, for the diftrirt east ol Pearl river, their certificate of a right of pre-emption for three hundred and twenty acres of land, lying within the diftrirt last mentioned ; And such entry of the claim of the said Richard sparks, fh»U have the fame effert, a.i if it had beta made prior to lbs firft day of December, one thousand eight hundred an# four, and such entry of, the certificate of the said Richard S. Bryan and George Brewer, senior, (hall have the fc.mc efFcrt ?s if it had been made within three months from the time it was issued. NATHI. MACON, Speaker of the ticufe of Reprejentativet , S. SMITH. Prejident of. the Senate , pftem. Approved, Aptil 21, 1806. TH; JEFFERSON.