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Vol. i. sov Columbian TO THE PEOPLE. | T T is in vain that the language of rea | JL son, is urged against prejudices im- I bibed in early life ; man, from the weak ness of his nature, has easily itamped up on his mind impreflions which no time or experience can efface. We have been taught to admire Alfred, by thole who have’gone before us; we have been taught to revere his laws : Such adminittration is highly proper ; yet we should recol lect, that what was wisdom a thousand years ago, would be now deemed a very trilling knowledge of many lubieCts.—- The people of England thought them selves truly happy under that mode oi government, which Alfred eftablilhed ; he enlarged the rights of the people ; he narrowed the prerogatives ol the crown. Asa patriot Prince, his name has been handed down to poiterity, and even high | minded republicans reverence his cha racter. \ct the llaves of Britain were not fatisfied with that mode of govern ment, when time and experience had ripened their knowledge. And shall enlightened America, deign to receive laws of a Britifn Prince, (at a time, when all Europe was in daiknefs, when science had taken refuge in Africa) who did not in Lis own perion feel thole laws which he thus created, and who there fore could not well judge of their utility. Can it be supposed that the laws of a monarchical government, are adapted to a tree people t Can it be luppofed that rules ol conduct, eilabiifhed among wan dering savages, or unlettered herdsmen, will luit enlightened nations ? Is it fup f>ofed unneceliary to take into view ti e ocal situation of a country, while rorm ing a iuriiprudence ? Under a monar chy, tine sovereign's will, is the people s rule of conduct—ln a republic, the gen eral'will, is theuniverfai law ; and lure - Jy, there is more wisdom in many, than in one. Yet ftiil the common law of England, which originated with her kings, is of force in this country. Were the Britons better able, at a time when their whole property confuted in a few cattle, to fay what punilhment ihouid be annexed to crimes committed at this day, either against our lives or our fortunes, than we ourlelves are ? Common sense informs us that they were not. Why then have we not legislated for ourselves ? Perhaps I may answer to my fellow ci tizens the enquiry, informing them that had they done so, the honorable gentle men of the bar, would have been depriv ed of many fees ; thofc harpies of locie ty, ’would have had to have returned a mong the body of the people, and gain a livelihood by honeit industry ; they could not have preyed like infatiablc wolves upon the unfortunate debtor. Were we to rife above prejudice, could * reason direct us to our real good, we would set aside the chaos of the Euglifh law, a law which has never been perfectly understood by any one man, from Mans held, down to the pettifogging attorney of Georgia. All the laws of our country might then be contained in a fmgle vol ume, andevery man of a decent u/nlerftan diag in the community, might be perieCt ly matter of the laws ol his country. The Roman Emperor, who wrote his laws in a very fmail hand, and hung them so high upon pillars, that they could not be read, has been condemned by every age, because the people could not con form to a law, the letter of which they knew not—yet the Roman Emperor was no worse, than are the lawgivers of our country ; who having it in their power at once to eliabliih a rule of con duct, which every citizen might make himfelf perfectly acquainted with,either from indolence or prejudice will not un dertake the work ; but permit thole floating, those uncertain principles of the British laws to remain, which have varied w ith almost every different judge, and which are obfeured by impenetra ble myl'teries ; mysteries which the craft of lawyers have invented in order to beguile the multitude. A confide ra ble part of the British law as now ad miniltered, originated on feudal princi ples. Can that law be applied to a peo ple who Know no diftinCtion, who are all equal trom the iirfl magitfrate to the humbled peasant ? Stern when going to visit the Count De B found af ter repeated at empts, that it was im possible to prepare a difeourfe, without feeing a little of the man. And furcly K is impoflible to prepare laws without knowing something of the genius of the Feople, who are to be bound by them. The great Montesquieu, supposes there are .particular crimes moft preva lent in particular climates, if so, the inha bitants of the latitude of fifty, could illy a.law to fait the man who lives Columbtait #Weum, in the latitude of thirty-two : But these are weaker arguments —that inalienable right, which was purchased wirh blood, and which is written in our Constitu tion, has insured to the American people, the power of making their own laws. The God of heaven has given tp them, political wisdom above other rtttions; and in the fchool of experience have they been taught their real good. Let us but consult the one and exercise the other, and we lhall have laws, mild yet firm, fiinple yet refined, exprefling the general will and tending to the general good. A PLANTER, jfmral iUgiOattsre* ‘ HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES* Wcdntfdny y May 11. ON the motion of Mr. W. Smith, the house resolved itfelfinto a commit tee of the whole, on the report of the com mittee and means, on the provi sions requisite for improving the internal revenues of the United Stares, and for more effectually securing the collection of the fame, when a considerable debate took place upon the firft article, which is in the following words : “ rtt. Resolved, that it will be expe dient to abolish the tax on spirits diitil -1-d from materials of the growth or produce of the United States, at any other place than a city, town or village, or at any dittillery in a city town or vil lage, at which there shall be one or more ftiils, which lingly, if only one, or to gether, if more than one, shall be of less apacity than four hundred gallons, and o collect this branch of the revenue trorn a tax on the capacity of the Hills,” In the course of this debate, a motion was made to Itrike out ail the words af ter “ produce of the United States,” and another for striking the article out altogether. In support of the firft mo tion, It W 23 asserted. that the tax itfelf was unequal and vexatious, by laying a duty upon one part of the United States, which distilled spirits from grain, whilil others which brewed porter or beer of their grainy paid no duty ; and in sup port of the latter motion, it was aflerted, that the present mode of : collecting the tax waseafier to distillers and more pro fitable to the revenue, than would be by the new plan. Af length a motion was made for the committee to rife, for the purpose of getting rid of the considera tion. The commit tee accordingly rose, reported, and alked lea ve to lit again. Some opposition was made,’ and leave was obtained by a majority of i only, being 36 for it, and 35 against it. A motion was then made and carried, 39 t 0 37 to difeharge the committee of the whole, from a further consideration of the firft article. On motion of Mr. Nicholas, the house took up the report of alelect committee, for augmenting the salary of the accountant of the war de partment, which being agreed to, a com mittee wa* appointed to bring in a bill. PETERSB.iJ AG, May 20. The scarcity of bread in the upper parts of the country is truly alarming. Many families are nearly or quite dcfli tute. Thofc who are luppiied, experi ence continual fears, on account of the situation of their neighbours, whose wants have been so extremely preifing, as to compel fame of them to commit afb ofdiflioneity. It is laid that feve rai persons, not being abie to withstand the pathetic solicitations of their tender children for bread, had fought an asylum w hich at once extinguilhei their sor rows and their exifteuce. Corn, is, in the upper parts of the country, as high as ten dollars per barrel. We underhand that the Senate of the United States, Lae rejefted the bill forming the South Weltern Territory into anew state. NEW-YORIC, May 10. According to the latest accounts re ceived from France, by way of London, it appears that t’ e insurgents in the weft, arc ftiil in confidtrable force, though they have fuffered many deieats. They have lately taken two towns, Chalons and Maycnne, the latter of which they plundered and abandoned. De Puifaye had been surprised, in company with fome ladies, in the mi dll of a part of his army. He attempted to lave himfeJf by flight, but, together with fomt of his followers, was lhot by’ the republi cans. D’Autichamp, who raised a regi ment of Emigrants, taken into Brinih pay, is laid to have fucceeued Stofflet as the agent of insurrection in one par ticular part of the country. With regard to the internal state of France, it was observed that Baris wa traaqijil. The fubjeil which oi late had chiefly engaged the public attention, was the Liberty of the Press. The di rectory, following the example of other governments, was attempting to anni hilate tree discussion, because fome men abused it; they wilh to deny the right of pointing out their mifconduift, be cause they have been accused without foundation. In other measures it was owned they were adopting the system of terror. They have illued two mil liards of anew paper money, called ter ritorial mandates, which mull be re ceived at par, under pain of transporta tion. The Louis d’or was at 5300 livres, and it is fluid the mass ofaflignats was rapidly diminilhing. PHILADELPHIA, May 4. Yesterday Don Joleph Ignatius de Var, his Catholic Majesty’s Conlul General, was received and acknowledg ed by the Prefidentol the United States, as charge des affairs from Spain, in lieu of Don J ofeph de J auderines. SAVANNAH, Jane 3. The following interfiling particulars refpeffing the loss oi the Dutton Kaft- Indiaman are given in a late London paper. “ We have a terrible fucceflion of stor my weather of late. On Tuesday, im mediately after dinner, I went to the Hoe, to fee the Dutton Eail-Indiaman full of troops upon the rocks diretth under the flag ftaff of the citadel. Sh. had been out 7 weeks, on her paflage n Weft-Indies as a tranfpoft with 40c troops on board, besides women and the ihip s crew, and had been just driven back by ftiefs of weather with a great number of sick on board. “ You caunot conceive any thing so horrible as the appearance of the whole together, when X firft arrived upon the spot. The ship was grounded on sunk en rocks, somewhat inclining to one fide without a mail, and her bowfprii also carried away. Her decks covered with soldiers, thick as the/ could hand together, with the sea breaking in a dreadful manner around them. Whai ftiil added to the melancholy grandeur Os the fcene,was the distress which were fired now and then dirfcdlly over our heads from the citadel. , “ When I firft arrived, I found that they had by fome means got a rope, one end of which was fixed to the (hip, and the other held by the people on shore, by which means they could yield as the Ihip fwang. Upon this rope they had placed a ring, which by reeving out two finaller ropes they could draw to and from the ship. To this ring a loop was suspended, which each man put un der his arms, and thus also holding the ring in his hands, he supported himfelf while drawn to the shore by the people. And in this manner I saw several bro't to land. “ This mode proved a tedious opera tion, and though I looked at the pro cess a Jong while, the numbers on the deck were not apparently diininiljied. Besides, from the motion the ship had by rolling upon the rocks, it was not pra&icabie to keep the rope equally ft retched. From this cause as well as from the sudden riling of the waves, you would at one moment fee a poor wretch hanging, 10 or 20 icet above the water; and the next totally lofc fight of him, buried in the form of a wave. Some, indeed escaped better. “ But, after all, this was not a scheme of which the women and the sick could avail themselves—l observed with the greatest admiration at this juncture, the behaviour of a captain (Sir Edward Pel lew) who seemed interested in the high est degree for the preservation of those on board the wreck.—He exerted him felf uncommonly, and dire&ed others what to do on shore. In vain, by a large speaking trumpet, he endeavoured to make himfelf heard onboard. No thing could be heard but the tremendous roaring of the winds and sea 1 “ He then offered five guineas instant ly to any body who would fuffer him felf to be drawn on board with instruc tions to them what to do—When he found that no one would accept the of fer, he gave an instance of the highett heroifln, for he faftened the rope about himfelf, and gave the signal to bedrawr. on board, he had his uniform coat, and his 1 word hanging by his fide. I have not room here for particular de- Icription ; there vvas fomethig grand and interfiling in this. For, as soon as they Lad pulled him into the wreck, he was receii ed with three vait ftiouts b the people on board, and these were im mediately echoed by those who lined the shores, thegarrllon waiij aud lower • tw f i u The firft thing he did, was to r ! £ out two other ropes like the firft—l fawr him moftadively employed upon themt with his own hands. This quickened the matter a good deal, and by this time two large open row boats were arrived from the dock-yard, and a (loop had, with great difficulty, worked out frorqs Plymouth Pool. He then dirededhi* attention to the women and the lick, who were with difficulty got into the opea boats, and then carried off to the Hoop, which kept at a distance for fear of be ing stove against the Ihip or thrown up on the rocks. He fuffered but one boat to approach at a time, and Hood with his drawn sword to prevent too many rulh* ing into the boat. “ After he had seen all the people, ex cept about 10 or 15 out of the ship, he ‘afteped himlelf in the rope as before, and vas drawn aftioTe, where he was agaia received with Ihouts. “ I observed a poor goat and a dog among the crowd; when the people werd omewhat thinned away, I law the goat narching about with much unconcern, out the dog fhewedevident anxiety, for l beheld him ft retching himfelf out at me of the ports, {landing partly uponth* >ort,and partly upon the gun, and look ng earneitly towards the ihore, where ! luppofe he knew his matter was.—All . hele perithed foori after, for as the lea rose, the Ihip was washed all over, and he is now in pieces.” marine iirgifter. ENTERED INWARD. ‘unk, Day#, . Schooner N?ptnnr, pickinfon, Charlelt. j. CLEARED OUT. Sloop H nriet, B.’mis, St. Mary’s. —— J.ini"s, W 11, Charlcfton. Schooner Hope, do. I M PO RTE t>. In the Schooner Polly, ISAAC CARR Majler, From the Illmds Delos, On tlie Windward Coast of AFRICA, 5 7 Prime SLA VE S, The greatest proportion grown The SALK of which, will Commence on Monday the 6th inst.-—CON- Dlf IONS, CASH, or Blls on N-w-York, Rhode liland or iioilon. at short Sight. ROBERT WATTS. Savannah, June 3. it NOT I C THE CO-PARTNERSHIP OF Bek her tlvd D>ch?nfnn , Having by mutual content, Diflblved on the lit day of May iaii; THEY beg leave to urge the necellity of a speedy Payment, from such per lons as remain Indebted to them ; and at the fame time, thofe who have and -mand* against them, to call for payment. They fevrs. rally return sincere thank.* for th<? encourage, inent Ihewn them in the profreution of their business, and hope a continuance of public fa vour if mented, individually. Wm. BELCHER, J. D. DICKINSON. Savannah, June 3, 1796. 27-ts WILLIAM HLLCHLK, Respectfully inform* the Public, that he continues in the STORE lately occu pied by Eelcher & Dukmjon, aud intend* to pursue the Vendue & Comm’’[Ft on Business ; in which capacity, his exertions will he uled to promote ihe Int'r'ft of hi* Em ployers, and give general fatisfatfion. Savannah, June j. 37-ts T he Subscriber begs leave to inform his friends, that he has removed hie STORE, to the Old Exchange, where he pur poses carrying on the Vendue ovd. Commission F. USINES fi, as usual, A'pd hopes, from his punihiality and attention, ro merit a continuance, of their favors. WILLIAM PINDER. Savannah, June ad. t7-at Sherijf’s bales. On Thursday, the tfk day of July nrxt t Will he SOLD by Public Out. cry, at the Court-House in this City , between the Huurs of 10 and 3 o'clock ; in purfuaneg of 0 Levy in Ftbriiarj laji - 10 NEGROES, Seir.-d und"r Execution, as the Prop-rty of the Kftate of G- irgr Cuthbert, Esq. deceased. CONDITIONS CafH. T. NORTON, S. C. C. Savannah, Jun- 3, 1796. a7-t* LOST, Between mV. •* hofe t and ftf ,ward Griffiths'*, on the Bay, gn ouifl’e ,old WATCH CASE. Whoever will deliv ft k to Mrs. M Call, or Edward Griftuh, fiia.’lb* handsomely rewarded. Savannah, May 13. 107