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70
The report and bill from the Senate were
laid on the table.
‘l'he house took up the resolution laid
upon the table fome days ago by Mr.
Sedgwick, for establishing a mode of ta
king evidence in contefted elections, and
referred it to the committee of elections
to make a report thereon.
Thehoufc went into a committee of
the whole on the bill for further provid
ing for the public eredit and tor the re
duction of the public debt ; and after
having gone through it, the house took
it up, and ordered-it tube eng rolled for
a third reading to-morrow.
The house then went into a commit-,
tee of the whole, on the bill for regulat
ing trade and intercourse with the In
dian tribes, and after fume debate on
the clflufe which directs the forfeiture of
lands in certain cases, the committee
rose, and alked leave to fit again.
Tucfday, April 12.
Mr. Sherborne, of the committee to
whom was referred the bufinef* of the
revenue cutters, brought in a bill on the
fobjert, which Was twice read, and or
dered to be committed to a committer
of the whole to-morrow.
Mr. Harrison, of the committee, to
whom was referred the business of regu
lating the weights rnd measures of the
i United States, made a report, which
was twice read, and referred to a com
mittee of the whole on Monday.
Mr. Tracy, of the committee of
claims, made a report on the petition of
John Gibbons, treasurer of the state of
Georgia, refperting the renewal of fome
• certificates, which was against the peti
tioner ; the report was read twice and
ordered to be committed to a committee?
of the whole on Monday next. ,
Mr. Dearborn, of the committee to
whom wa? referred the President's mef
lage relative to the territory south of
the river Ohio, reported- that that ter
ritory, now bearing the name of the
State of Tencfcc, was entitled to all the
f privileges enjoyed by the other States
of the U nion, and that it should be one
of the sixteen States of America. The
report was twice read and committed to
a committee of the whole on Tuelday
next.
The order of the day being called for, ■
the house formed itfelf into a committee
of the whole, on the bill for making
. provision in part for the payment of the
debt due to the Bank of the United
States; when the motion made by Mr.
Gallatin yelterday, to strike out five
millions and insert 1,200,000 dollars,
being under conlideration, Mr. Sedg
wick, Mr. Dayton (the Speaker) and.
Mr. Hillhoufe opposed the motion, and
Mr. Gallatin supported it. The com
mittee rose and had leave to lit again.
Tuelday, April 14.
Mr. Israel Smith called up a resolu
tion laid upon the table fame time ago
refperting an alteration in holding the
Diitrirt Courts of Vermont.
Mr. Bourne wilhed the Diflrirt
Courts of Rhode- 1 Hand also to be added.
They were added accordingly, the
house agreed to the resolution, and it
was referred to a committee of three
members.
Mr. Gallatin laid he wished to lay a
resolution and two petitions on the ta
ble. The resolution related to the debt
due to the bank of the United States.—
There was one point which he wilhed
to be clearly understood upon the fub
jert. ‘He wifned to know whether the
bank had demanded the money for
which government flood indebted to
them. If they had, he would agree
they mult be paid. But, as he had Icen
nothing officially on the fubjert, he
wilhed the matter to be enquired into.
For that purpose he proposed a resolu
tion to the following effect.
Resolved, That a committee be ap
pointed to enquire whether the Bank of
the United States are willing to con
tinue the loans heretofore made by them
to government, in anticipation of the
public revenue, and amounting to
3,800,000 dollars, by new loans, simi
lar to thofc which they were used to
obtain.
Mr. Swan wick wished an amend
ment, or any part thereof, to be added,
which was agreed to, and laid upon the
table.
Mr. Gallatin then presented two pe
titions from the western country, signed
by 03 perfor.s, similar to thole before
presented, praying the house to carry
the treaties into effert.
Ihe house then formed itfelf into a
committee of the whole, Mr. Muhlen
berg in the chair, on the state of the
union, when the resolution as proposed
by Mr. Sedgwick and as proposed to
be amended by Mr. Blount by striking
out the word Dey and Regency of Al
giers and King of Grcat-Britain, being
Columbian jtlttfeum, cw
under confi-lcwtion*, after a con fide r able
debate upon the propriety of adopting
the resolution, and on the propriety of
entering upon the consideration of the
Spanish treaty, *in preference to the
Britilh, the question was at length taken
upon the amendment, but adivifion be
ing called for, it was fa put and carried.
Mr. Gallatin then moved to strike
out the words u Indian Tribes,’’ which
was also carried. He moved in
order to make this resolution conforma
ble to these resolutions fome days ago
palled and entered upon their Journals,
explanatory of the powers of that house
withrefpect to treaties, that the words
“ proviiion ught to be made by law,”
be (truck out, and the following inserted
in their place, u that it is expedient to
pass the laws neceifary,” which was also
carried 48 to 40. He then moved, as
he did not know that a treaty could be
carried into effert with bad faith, to
have the words <f with good faith,”
Itruck out as unneceilary, which was
also agreed to.
The resolution then flood, * f Resolved
that it is expedient to pass the laws ne
cdfary for carrying into effort, the trea
ty lately concluded between the United
States and the king of Spain,” which,
after a speech from Mr. Swanwick
highly in favor ot the Spanish Treaty,
and a few other observations, the resolu
tion paifed unaniinoufly.
Mr. Hillhoufe then wilhed to bring
forward three out of four resolutions
which he had proposed fome time before,
but which were not then attended to;
the three were (for the fourth being for
carrying into effort the Spanish Treaty,
was already fuperceded.)
“ Refol-ved, That it is expedient to
pass the laws necessary for carrying into
effort the ‘Treaty lately concluded with
certain Indians north-weft of the Ohio.
The other two were in the lame
words only for carrying into effort the
treaty with the Dey and Regency of
Algiers, and the King of Great-Britain.
The resolutions for carrying into effort
the Treaty with Great-Britain, Mr.
Macklay spoke at considerable length
againlt carrying the treaty into effedf,
and concluded by proposing the follow
ing proportion and resolution to the
committee :
“ The house have taken into consid
eration the treaty of Amity, Commerce
and Navigation between the United
States and Great-Britain, communicat
ed by the Prelident in his melfage of the
lirlt day of March last, are of opinion,
that it is in many refperts highly inju
ous to the interests of the United States;
vet, were they pofleffed orany informa
tion which could juftify the great facri
tices contained in the treaty, their sin
cere desire to cherish harmony and ami
cable intercouYfe with all nations, and
their earned wish to co-operate in hall
ening a final adjustment of the differen
ces fubfilting between the United States
and Gr cat-Britain, might have induced
them to wave their objection to the
treaty ; but when they contemplate the
condurt of Great-Britain, in perlever
ing, iince the treaty was signed, in the
impreilinent of American seamen and
the seizure of American vetfels (laden
with provisions) contrary to the cleared
rights of neutral nations ; whether this
be viewed as the conltrurtion meant to
be given to any articles in the treaty,
or as contrary to and an infrartion of the
true meaning and spirit thereof, the house
cannot but regard it as incumbent on
them, to forbear, under such circumftan
ecs, taking at present any artive mea
sures on the fubjert, therefore resolved,
“ That, under the cireumflances afore
faid, and with such information as the
house possess, it fa not expedient at this
time to concur in palfing the laws neces
sary ‘for carrying the laid treaty into
effort.”
Some observations, were made upon
the propriety of admitting this pfopofi
tion to be laid on the table and it was
allowed not to be in order to introduce
it, until the question before the commit
tee was disposed of.
A desultory debate then took place.
Those gentlemen who were opposed to
the Britilh treaty wilhed the committee
to rife, as they were not prepared, and
as there would not be time to go into a
difculfion of the fubjert. Other gentle
men, who were in favor of the treaty,
wilhed the committee not td rife but
that the difculfion might be entered up
on or the question then taken. This
was objerted to, as it was said to be ne
cessary the fubjert should undergo full
difculfion. The committee at length
rose and had leave to fit again.
The chairman having made his re
port, Mr. Macklay moved to lay his
proposition before the house, which be
ing read was referred to the committee
ofthe whole on the state of the Union,
Mr. Gallatin moved to take up the
resolutions which had been agreed to in
the committee ofthe whole.
Mr. Sedgwick said that he had exa
mined the journals of the house, and
found the fame form of resolution which
he had used, had been adopted iu all cas
es, and that the form now given to the
resolution was anew doctrine, he there
fore moved that the form which he ori
ginally adopted might be restored to the
resolution.
Mr. Hartley called for the yeas and
nays, on the question, were—feus 37.
Nays 55.
JFor ttje Columbian
MefTrs.'Powers & Seymour,
Gentlemen ,
SG longas the different writers in-fa
vour of the late enormoqk Y azoo
Speculation, confined theotfehres torea
fon and argument, however fallacious,
futile, groundless, inapplicable-and im
potent, there was patience left, to hear
what the party had to fay, in a bad
cause ; and one might take it, as an at
tempt, at an excuse, why they had a hand
in the nefarious tranfartion ; but when
they seem to have exhausted that fund,
and begin to ransack old hiltories, for
the characters of the Gracchi, and oth
ers, in order to make scurrilous com
parisons, (not at all in point) and thus
provoking the opposite party, into the
like condurt, then your otherwise ufe
ful and inftrurtive vehicle, becomes dis
gusting.
For after all, what have these writers
advanced in favour ofthe speculation,
but a few precedents of vvfong arts, at
the time acquiesced in ; but will any
man of common ienfc, allow precedents
to have any force, ‘lhe dortrines of pre
cedents are now a days obsolete. Is it
a rale, because I futfered myfelf to be
over-reached lad year, that I must lufFer
it now, and my* defeendanfs hereafter ;
and dare we not endeavour to rectify the
mistake ? Or bccaufe, we had toilrug
gle with powerful opponents, therefore
fullered ieverai of our attornies, to com
mit breaches of trust, which we did not
think prudent to relent, but acquiesced
in. Will any men from'this, predirt,
because we differed the breaches of trust
repeatedly, that we had thereby estab
lished precedents, that all our future
attbrnies might do so to.
It is said, the annulling of the Yazoo
Jaw, was impolitic, and injurious to the
state of Georgia, because she had received
500,000 dollars into the treasury, for
property not her own, but belonging to
her neighbours. That the legillature of
1794, very cunningly and craftily, did
npt guarantee the title, tho’ they gave
solemn grants with the great feat of the
state affixed to them, for the fame ; yet
the purchasers or grantees, were to take
all risks upon themselves. Here the
curious dodrir.e of modern speculation,
may be learned—and was there no oth
er reason extant, for annulling the Yazoo
acl, this alone would have been para
mount, for so doing. For where would
the crimes end, it a whole nation was
to fanrtion and countenance a fraud so
gross, already but too much pratified by
our modern {peculators, to the dilcredit
ot Georgia.
The ati in question, no one can allow,
was .perfertly constitutional ; for the
constitution had provided, vacant lands
should be laid off into a county or coun
ties, and the representatives thereof ap
portioned, according to the numbers
that would obtain giants, and fettle in
the fame.
Surely these writers, laying aside
their favourite, but inadmissible topics
of precedents, cannot deny, but that the
sale was dilhoneft and unfair. Why nOt
lay off the land into 5,000, or less, or
/more acre trafts ? Why not give at lcaft,
twelve months notice throughout the
United States, and then fell publicly,
and to the highest bidder ? But no ; the
speculators would then not have got
the land for one cent, or less, the acre,
had they arted thus honestly. And in
order to defraud the public, they as pub
lic agents and trustees, make under the
cloak of law, a sale from and to them
felves—andean they deny that such Tales
are not illegal ?
Neither can they pretend, that the
Yazoo art, was not highly injurious and
impolitic, to the rising population, and
consequent riches of this frontier state ;
as it prevented fettling these lands by
emigration, because the emigrant wilh
ing to fettle this land, had to pay the
speculator an advanced price, of perhaps
one or more thousand per cent; wlifere
as, ifa county was laid off, and a land
office eftabllfhed therein, the emigrant
would have his head rights gratis, and
the money that in the former case he
would have been obliged to pay to the
speculator, would thus enable him to
fettle and cultivate his land effcrtually.
As to the outcry, against cutting out
and burning the records appertaining to
Yazoo tranfartion, together with rhe
law itfelf, it was perfectly right and ne
ceilary, and it is a pity that the legifla.
ture could not go further, by effacing
the foul tranfartion, even from the me
mory of men, and bring lliw authors to
condign punilhment.
For generations hereafter, wjjft many
years hence, read with astonishment and
horror, that in the year 1794, it v.as
poffibte for senators, representatives
judges, officers of the courts of jullice*
and men in other , public trulls, to jolt
a herd of sordid speculators, and thus
by threats bribery, corruption and fraud,
prevail on a felfifh legillature, con lilting
(even wonderful to relate) of three
chocks or balances, to defraud tire state
of Georgia, of upwards of 30 millions
acres of land, for the milling sum of not
quite one cent the acre, and thus in a
moment, ftepout of wheelbarrows into
coaches.—But with what exquisite plea
sure will they not alio rea<l, that the
people immediately opened their eyes,
laid hold ofthe monftcr and destroyed b,
!o that no vestige thereof was ldt,
the memory of the foul deed.
The preferments of almofl: all the
grand juries, throughout the state, in
two fuccefftve circuits, the numerous pe
titions to the convention (altho’ many
were fupprefied) the recommendation
from the convention to the fait legisla
ture, the pointed inftrurtions from the
people at large to that body, nay, the
late presentment of a grand jury, col
lerted from different counties, made in
the open face of the federal circuit court,
before the Chief justice of the United
States himfelf, are undeniable and con
•vipcing proofa, that the legillature of
1794, acted uneonftituiionaiiy, unfair,
feitifh and fraudulent'. >
If by annulling and destroying frau
dulent laws, whereby 2 or 300 specula
tors are injured, in their iil gotten
wealth ; and ninety-nine hundreds of the
people, are restored ttf their rights, un
juftiy robbed from them, is called disor
ganization, seditious and rebellious, I
lhall forever glory in the appellation.
One of your Subfcnbcrs .
BASSE-TERRE, March u.
A late London paper we are informed
is in town, but we are net fortunate
enough to procure it—we give the fol
lowing extracts from information ;
- That admiral Gardiner had written a.
letter to the lords ofthe Admiralty,
mentioning that his squadron had cap
tured a great many fail of Frenen pro
vision licet.
That Admiral Christian in his way
to the Weft-Indies, had written home,
that in consequence of finding many of
the transports leaky, he had ‘taken out
the troops, provifions,,&c. and font them
back under the convoy of his majefty’*
ship Alfred.
An English schooner of 1 o guns, with
difpatch.es, had been attacked by a French
privateer in those seas, which lhe beat
off, but unfortunately fell in with a
trench {hip of 22 guns, and was cap
tured and carried into St. Martin’s.
We have poiitive accounts of ioo fail
of the Weil-India fleet being at anchor
at Earbadoes with 10,000 men, and it is
said since that account, that Admiral
Christian had arrived with the remain
der.
Such is the uiffatisfartion. ofthe French
government at ‘Statia, that it is confi
dentially said, that a very small force
would iubjugate that ifiaud.
Extract °f a letter from Mai tr'njue, dated
the l jth injiant.
“ I'he fleet is not yetarrived, nor no
late account, of them ; affairs bad at
Grenada, the enemy in fight ; the town
and poll at la Bay evacuated.’’
Another extract dated the 1
“ The la Picque, has taken a French
privateer brig ofl4 guns, bound to Cay
enne with dispatches.”
Extraei of a letter from St. Bartholomews
“ About 50 fail of the Anguillians,
landed the 2zd ole* in St. Martin's, and
beat the French out of one of their Bat
teries, spiked the guns, and brought
away a great number of Colonel Gum
be’s Negroes.”
Accounts from St. Bartholomews fay,
the French have sent all the English
prisoners from St. Martin’s for St. Do
mingo.
No. 18.