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246 for rl)c Columbian fpufcum. Fellow Citizens , ‘T'HE time approaches apace, for the 1 choice cf anew legislature, and as it is become falhionablc to make obfer rations in the public prints, previous thereto : Be it remembered, when the Yazoo aft of ninety-five, was promul ged, there was scarcely an individual member in the community, who did not view this moft diabolical business, with horror and detection, those directly and indireftly concerned excepted:However, the people consoled themselves with thinking that the convention which was tofet in a few months after, would give every neceflary power arid inttruftton, lor doing away this hateful law. The convention accordingly met, Sc proceed ed to business—but what did they do, touching the pranifcs ( ? See the last clause of the constitution as amended, called the article ofconftituted rights—“ All pow ers not delegated by the constitution, as amended, arc retained by the people.” And what idea was this intended to convey ? Why that no powers, not here tofore expressly retained by the consti tution, were prohibited, and of course, left an opes lidc for legiflaturcs to creep out ar. What can the confide rate and judicious man think of this convention, out that those who were not friends so the (peculation, were extremely remiss in, or grofslv ignorant of the duties of their appointment ? The only hope that then remained, was in the succeeding legislature, and the people were lb far fortunate, as to make choice ot a set cf men, who patted an annulling law, and there it was hoped this matter would have ended. But as the election draw's near, this business seems to take a frclh Hart, and appears to have become one af the principal branches in electioneering. There goes a Yazoo man, or there goes a Speculator—he had a lather, brother, or particular friend, in the legislature of ninety-five. This uttered aloud in a croud by fume drunken bully or party pimp, and aided by the malignant ob iervations in alow voice, by those who set the business cm foot—l had thought something of this before, but knew nor ‘till now, that the people in general thought as I did—we have fuffered a great deal by those kind of men ; the people ought to be very jealous and cau tious—there is more depending on the tmfuing aflembly than on the laft—’tis a pity that fenftble men would not do better, as they are so scarce—however, I think we can iruikeout very well with out them. This, or fomethirig like this, is iufticient to damn any man, who offers for a legislator, except in one or two of the‘counties, where this business is made a virtue of. Now, fellow ci tizens, as Yazoo is held out and conlid cred generally, as a word of abuse and re proach, it ought to be used caution fly, left while you are endeavouring to raft dirt on your enemies, you may probably spatter fomc of your bell friends. Look back for a moment, to the late war be tween America and Great-Britain, and you will find men, zealously fighting for their liberties, who had very near and dear relations and frierfds, in the opposition ; nevertheless, thefc were good whigs, and deserved well of their country. However, upon the whole, tho’ good words may be used to convey very erroneous and rascally ideas or iro prdTnjiis, yet it mutt be conieiied,. that the people have a right, and ought to be jealous and cautious, whom they in trull with the difpofnion of their lives and properties ; and this brings to our recollcftion, another set of Yazoo’s, not yet deferibed, and however it bappebs, seems to be but little talked cf, viz. Bounty men. That there has been something very considerable made by fome of thefe,ha ve beer, acknowledged by fomeofthein ; and tho’many worthy and well refpefted citizens, took their share, nor thought, nor did, nor was likely to do any injury thereby, in their private capacities. But in men of this deferip tion, making long and hasty ft rides to the legislature, it is an obieftion, it is a blot. The man who took his bounty of five thousand acres, or Id's, would doubtless have taken a larger quantity upon the fame, onlowcr terms, provided the opportunity had served. The fifh erman who takes anti fares finall fifh, will never let the large ones pass him, and ever he can lay hands upon them. But fellow citizens, there i? another kind of speculation among us, and tho’ of an older date than Yazoo, yet it is humbly conceived to be extremely pre judicial to the public weal, and therefore ought to be done away—Meaning that abominable traffic of promising appoint ments, without regard to merit, palling accounts, <&c. in case an cleftion can be esrried ; con crafting with fomc popular Columbian JEufeum, &c. ignoramus, to fend him to the legisla ture this year, for the chance of being preferred to the fame dignity the next, in direst opposition to fome manor men of integrity ami abilities ; and this is commonly done by such who would wish to be confidere.d as of the better order of men. The man or men, who can thus basely facrifice their own be ft treasure (meaning the judgment) for the purpose of getting into the legislature, will have but few qualms of making facrifice of the public treasure, when seated there. A word or two more—Do my fellow when voting for aifembly men, endeavour firfl to feleft men of the bell integrity and information, which the refpeftive counties can furnifh, with out regard to private pique or party prejudice—Or do you not choose your members, as fome men do gowns for their wives, yea, and oftentimes the wives alio ? Merely for the fake of an outward pleafin.g appearance, without so much as examining into the good or bad qualities of either. Could not a man answer lor four out of five, throughout the ttte, without the alii fiance of the . black art or divine inspi ration ? Yes, yes, fellow citizens, it is a melancholy truth, tlit injuries which wealready have fullained, or may in future experience, originated in, and will continue to pro ceed from, that eternal fburce of human woes, the judgment oj the pajjions. A CITIZEN. ferarc of cDfoigta, SEPTEMBER TERM, 1796. Charge of J.ubge Stephens, to the Grand • Jury of Liberty County. Gentlemen of the Grand J ury,- THE oath you have taken, so fully itnprefles the duty of your appointment , as to make any very particular obfervaiions unnecessary. A due regard to good- order, and a faithful execution oi the Knvs, is as nec.cifary for the support of government, as to protect the. per sons, rights, civil and religious of our fellow citizens, m infringement of those rule* of fo cietv, as eflablifhed by common confcnt, ought to meet your hearty difapprobaiion, and V'Ht re !. uiui to prelent on proper tellinvony, ■iiuurbrrs of the community to ihe end, ■ ‘'■ u a public enquiry he made, and on con viction, neceflary punifhmcnts inflifted. Amongst tiie evils that have divided our so ciety. is a Ipecies ot gaining called lpeculation, wliich has been carried to the utmoll extent in this flair, and particularly in lands, to the right of which, I am rather apprehensive many will he deceived—.he uncertainty of title, and in- Ted the want of territory ittelf, have in many inflance*, proved injurious to the fifir purch af.-r. Perhaps a foreigner who has parted free ly with his money, under an idea ot pofTeft ling valf property, finds himfelf deceived in a llrange land, wliich he execrates, and thus ma ligns the government and people generally.— Hence it is plainly the duty of every friend to honed indudry, to check this diftruftive vice, and endeavor to trace out the authors, that the lligma, may red on the guilty only ; by which means a proper diferimination will be made, ; and those who have fair titles to lands, p.ftual ly and bona fide in their poflefliou, will be ena bled to fell with fafety. Ihe tax law ot the current year,, expressly makes it a part of your duty, to present all those who make default in payment of public tax. —lt is incumbent on every person holding property, to pay a proportion ior the support of government generally, and the particular advantages of the county where it is collefted. Great and salutary powers, are vcfb and by law, in the justices of trie enmity, and particu larly, in the Inferior Courts.—ls they are not exer.ifed, it is to be remembered, that the evils which enfuc, will very properly be attri buted to them—but of this I can have no dread, w here good morals and a religious regard to public and private duties, arc primary obliga tions. It is to be lamented, that a failure, in nego tiating with the Cierk Indians, for certain lands in contemplation, has liapn-.-ned—and although we cannot help feeling a great disap pointment, and particularly as to the manner this business was conduced and complained of by our agents, yet nevertheless, we are bound ilriftly to adhere to the existing treaties with those people, and for the honor of our common . country, I am well convinced, that by your example, and precept, the laws of the union, and of this ltate, will be enforced as neceflary for the happiness of the whole. If there are any defefts, in the fyilem of government, they can be remedied, in the wav pointed out. Such information as you may ’require, on any fubjeft-before you, and the court can give, will at all times be very clicariully communi cated. WF. the jurors for the County of Liberty : Congratulate Judge Stephens on his appointment to the office he now hoids, and are happy in bearing tcllimotiy to his alacrity and attention, to carrying in force the duties to _ which he is called, from Iris abilities wc anti : cipate much good. That the licentious will be restrained, the guilty punished, and good citizens protested in their lives, properties and rights ; we have no doubt under his adtninil tration of the laws : for his excellent charge we request he will accept our thanks. We do mod sincerely lament the very great height to which land ipeculations have arisen in this date, it has had the mod ferrous edeefs towards injuring us in our charafter, asanindc j pendant government, in the eyes of the wmrld : Wc therefore do recommend it to our next le ■ giflature, to use their utmodendeavors to ch-ck this growing evil, which if notdonc, mud ren der our government contemptible in the eyes of nur neighbors, and of mankind generally. The failure of the treaty with the Creek In dians, ou St. Marys, on the part of this date. we cannot but in a great meifure attribute to the conduct of the Federal Conimidioners; the language held forth by them to the Indians, ana the rell.riftions laid on our own citizens within their own jurifefiftion, appears to us to have been a principal cause ; and from the language held to the Indians from the execu tive of the United States, we are fully impressed with the belief, that all was not done on the part of the Federal Conimidioners and agent, to effeft the business of their midion, that might have been : We therefore do drongly recommend to our next legislature,- an investi gation of this business, and such redress as may be confident with their federal relation. We present as a greivance of the utmoftcon fequence to this county, that- part of a law, palled by the last ledion of congress, forbiding citizens of the United States, croiTing the In dian line, when at the fame time, the Indiana are fuftered to come in amongst us without reftriftion ; we conceive it partial in the ex treme, and tending to set the Indians at vari ance with us. inffead of preventing differences ; being a frontier county, and having differed much from Indian-depredations ; and this part of the law rather tending to encourage these people, we feel it indilp’ , nfablv our duty, to present this as of fatal confequsnces, and do moft carneftly recommend it to our next legif aturc, and representatives in congress, to nfe their influence to have that part of the laid act repealed, or made reciprocal ; that if wc are by law to be retrained from pursuing, our pro perty, they may also be prevented com ing id amongst 11s, and killing our stock with impunity, and under a fanftion of the laws of the Union : We are convinced it cannot be submitted to by .our fellow citizens. We present the late attempt made in the mid dle Circuit, a. the present session, by the Gen tlemen of the bar, to arrest the proceedings of the C ourts of justice, under the pretence of the judge of the said Circuit, not being legally appointed, as arrogating to themselves too much confeqtiende. and being of a dangerous tendency. We conceive it lay not with them to judg*. whether the appointment was legal or not, and that as the appointment had been made, it was their duty as good citizens, to have acqu-efccd, until the letting of the next Legislature. But we have reason to believe, too many (if not all) of those gentlemen, have been aftualed by a ci - fire to produce confufion in the State, and to call an odium on the last Legislature, for having annulled the aft, dispo sing of the western territory. It appears to us but too plain, that all the unenfmefs produced in this State, for these two years past, have proceeded from that abominable Yazoo specu lation, and which we cannot fufficiently express our abhorrence of ; but all such attempts, v/c trust, the virtue of our fefiow citizens, will ever in future prevent. We present as a grievance, that so little at tention has been paid by the last legislature, to the petition of a majority of the people of this County, wherein it appears, that above two hundred ol its citizens, were for moving the Court-house and Goal to North-Newport, and not more than iortyfor its continuing in Sunbu ry; and that, as it appears by theeleftion, ordered agreeably to a refoive of the, legislature, to take the sense of the people (of which there was no neccflity, had the petition been attended to) there was a large majority in favor of remo ving the Court-House and Goal to Norrh-New port Bridge, for the eale and convenience of doing public business. We do recommend to our Representatives in the* next legislature, ns early as poflible, to have the report of the said cleftion carried into a law, to point out funds and direst the Commiflioners last ap pointed to proceed in creftingthc public build ings agreeable thereto. Wc present as a grievance, that the road lead ing thro’ Liberty County toj’ Montgomery! is left entirely to the ninth Division to work on, w herebv it lias become extremely oppressive ; - i/nd'do recommend; that a revifai of the road aft may be bad by the legislature, so far 3S to empower the commiflioners ofthe roads of this County to order out so many Negroes of each difirift, as to fully effeft the carrying thro’ the said road to the County line ; and at such time or times as may appear to them to be lead in jurious to the inhabitants of the fame. Information having been lodge with the Grand Jury, that the River South. Newport, was more than eighty feet wide, and that no bridge can be creited-acrofs the fame, agreeably to the road aft. We recommend a revifai ot the said aft, and that fome mode may be pointed out bv the legislature to re-build the laid bridge, that thereby the communication between this ■ County and that of M‘lntofh, may be facilita ted. By information of Mr. Thomas Bradwcll, one of the Commiflioners ofthe roads. We cannot but lament, that an inttitution of ’ much public utility, the Academy of this Coun ty has fallen through, owing as we fuppule, to have been occasioned by the refignatiou ot the former Commifluyiers, who as far as we arc capable of judging, difeovered an earned desire to patronize the eftabliftimerit, by a ilrift dis charge of the duties of their refpeftive appoint ments. The advantages arising to society from the education of youth have been so generally acknowledged in all ages, that it Ins been the policy of moft nations, having a proper regard for their civil, as well as religious liberties, to give every incouragernent to learning. We do therefore, moft strongly recommend, that an application be m.ule by the Commiflioners to the next legislature, to appropriate fomc more adequate funds, than those heretofore giaiurd, or devise foine way by which the ciiablifh ment may be again revived. We recommend that the fheriff do employ a fufficient guard, to take care of the goal of this county, during the confinement ol th -prisoner now committed there. And Lhat lie do apply to the justices of the Inferior Court, to pro vide payment for the fame. And that the said Justices do reimburfc the Rev. W. M'Whir, ihe cxpcncc he may have been at, in guarding the laid goal, for confinement ot the pritoncr now committed thereto, agreeably to law. We present as a great grievance, that the laws of the State, are not funiifhed the Magtftrates and public officers, immediately after the fit ting of lhr Legislature, from which negleft, great inconveniences do daily arise. We request that these our prelentments, to gether with the ]t;ug~s Charge, be published in one of the Public Gazettes, and laid before the next legislature. HENRY WOOD, Foreman. James Girardeau, John Robarts U e P t w ‘ n ’r William Baker, Joseph Way, fen. Andrew Walthour SimueLJones, Joh n Croft. ’ Simon Fraser, Thomas Br,dwell, w ‘ am S* 7 '. Charle * lrv ‘A ‘ ’ ! 3m Gnatdeau, J. Wilkinson. M lll.am I. Baker, J as . M ; ColWh Francis Ross, 4 ARMY OF ITALY. Head-quarters., Rtrverbollo, J u ty c . Buonaparte, Commander in Chief to the Executive Direftory. * * “ Since commencement of the present we have taken from the enemy : Heavy Artillery, 60 pieces. Sieging Artillery, 619 ditto. Total 679 I have given directions for drawing i °P inventories of all the stores take* ; P°fteffion ot by the Republican annv to be transmitted to the directory. Roverhollo, ‘July 6 “ After the battle of Corghetto, CL t!7,en s Directors, the enemy retreated to the high mountains, in order to de pute with us the defiles of Tyroleie. ■ 1 htcy have drawn lines, which thev have fortified with infinite labour from me Lake ci Garda to the Adi (> e. G p n Maflena gave diredions to Gen, f OU - to attack the enemy by ihe Bochet ra di Champion. Marchand, Chief of Battalion, was immediately difpatchcd - lie turned the enemy by the right. This was the signal for attack. Qnr brave lc’luiers, with their arms in their hands, and without firing a Angle (hot, climb mg up a deep and rugged rock, killed 100 men, and took 2.00 prisoners, with tents, and all their baggage, “ At the fame time Recca, Chief of Battalion and an officer of tried courage, turned the enemy by the left, carried The excellent position of Bologne, killed 300 men, and took 30 prisoners. Ihe enemy have, in consequence, abandoned intrenclunents which we could not have conflrudted and fortified in lefi. than fix months. AH their designs are fruifrated, and their fortifications arede mohfhed ; and our exertions have, in one inttant,.accomplifhed an object which might have consumed a month’s labour : and fatigue. “ This is the firft battle that has ta ken place between the two armies, since the new General has taken the command, I purpose proceeding immediately toat . tack the Auflrian squadron which is charged with the defence of the Lake of Garda. ; M The following are fome of the gal i lant deeds which the Republicans per formed in that action. “ Claude Keche, a Carabinierof the 2d company ofthe baif brigade of light infantry,, was the firft who icr.ped mtu the enemy’s entrenchments, killed the officer, and without attending to hi; watch, or any other of his fpoil.t, seized his sword, cut down one Auflrian and made three prisoners.. “ Jean Cerrin of the fame company met twelve Auflrian?,.whom he attack - ed sword in hand; and cut off an arm of the firll he could reach,, the others fell on their knees and fur rendered. “ Ardiennc, second lieutenant ofthe fame company, and the fame who, with . about 20 men took a 13 pounder at Borg hette, was the intrenehments always at the head of the Carabiniers, and taught them by his example to brave every dan ger. (Signed) [“Buonaparte.” LONDON July 12. Peace—or War With Spain. It appears now almost certain that we shall have peace, through the interfer ence of Spain, or war with Spain itfelf. This cannot be doubted, if the Mad; i date paper, published in this day’s 1 crie . graph, be genuine. From what has hitherto transpired, we cannot hesitate in the pronouncing the views of the Spanish court to be up on Gibraltar. The ceffionof this for trefs is moft probably what they allude to, when they fpcak of their legitimate rights ; and certainly Spain has a right as natural to Gibraltar, as England has to the Isle of Wight j.er indeed more so as Gibraltar is not separated by a.i arm of the sea, but forms a part of the Spa nish continent. The demand, we have * doubt, will speedily be made, and t- o only question then will be,is our govern ment ready to submit to these presen lions, or to add Spain to the number c our enemies? 5 We think that it would be gooo - found policy to give up Gibraltar, ratl than to involve ourselves in a war - another formidable maritime power, a thus hazard ot only the prolpetirv, - No. 62,