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VOE- M1LLEDGEVIL.LE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1820. No. 45. I .-*■1 " — —— PUBLISHED WEEKLY, (oi» tuksdayh) B Y 8. CIR.H VTTJIXI) &f R. M. OllME, I jH TIIIIUF. DOLLARS, Iff ADVANCE, OR FOUR pnLl.AllB AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE TEAR., Advertisements conspicuously inserted at l'ie eustoniAiy rates- TltoM THE UKl’UBt.lC OK CO LOMBIA. The following information is derived from «source entitled to groat respect. A,Caras it goes, it may be entirely re- jj 0 j on. It is not of as late date as re- i received by way of Philadelphia u few days ago, which were contained in a letter from Caraccas, dated Nov. 4. Republic of Colombia, Oct. 17, 1820. The Republic of Colombia embraces the late Caplain-fieneralship of Venezu ela and Vice royalty of New Grenada, and j, composed of that portion of South A- nerica which lies nort of the Equator and extends from the Altantic to the Pa- ciiir. ; it is in extent something larger limn the old thirteen United States, and contains about three millions of souls, though it has suffered greatly by the war and emigration. Of the character of this population, of the products of the coun- jf\, and tho blighting system of Old Spain in relation to her colonies, your own reading and observation have already in formed you. In a region where ueither science, improvement, or commerce, wove allowed, and where the mind as well as resources of the country seem to nave been buried in the deep recesses of its mines, it is impossible, at this time, to foresee what will be its moral, politi cal, and commercial attitude, when a li beral government shall call out its vast capacities. In every point of view, however, it cannot fail to be a source of deep interest to the United States. The Patriots relv with great confi dence upon the favorable disposition of those who originated and effected the late revolution in the peninsula, though they are well aware, that, notwithstanding the .seeming unanimity among the constitu tionalists, a portion are decidedly hostite to the progress of free principles, and have only yielded to the late change in the hope, by the aid of the clergy, of ef fecting a counter-revolution or of enlarg ing the powers of the monarchy. By this time, you will have ascertained the s iews of the Cortez. As far as correct information has been received, the Patriots occupy the inte rior of the country, with the command of its outlots the Orinoco and the .Mag dalena. The sanguinary character of the war has produced an inveterate hatred towards the Spaniards, and the present resolution of this government is decided ly in favor of independence of Spain, not withstanding the late liberal changes in that coiuitry. There arc daily defec tions iw the Creole ranks of General Morillo, and, before the termination of this Campaign, his force will consist chief ly of old Spanish troops, not exceeding 4000, scattered along an exteosive sea coast. Indeed, the Spaniards do not oc cupy any entire province, and some of the points along the coast have been late ly occupied by the Patriots, at the re quest of the Creole inhabitants ; and, if General Morillo has not already, surren dered, or abandoned the cou.ntry, the probability is, that his force will be con tused to Caraccas, Valencia, and Cartha- gens. His chief defences are at those points ; while the last advices say that I Bolivar and Pacz, at the head of an im posing force of infantry and cavalry, were advancing upon Caraccas. It will be a desirable event if the pres ent campaign, in terminating the war, shall nllow go favorable a period to estab lish the constitution which the Congress is required to prepare at Cucuta in Jan uary. Its features must be necessarily, for the present, a subject of conjecture, though it will probably conform, in most essential articles, to that of the United I f States. It will then become an intercs ting enquiry, in what manner they shall propose the extinction of their debt, and whether, upon the return of peace, and the establishment of their independence, their army shall cmulato the glory ac quired by that of our revolution, in pea ceably retiring to private life, without pay or subsistence ? I fear that another author of “ Newburg Letters” may not find the influence of a second Washington to resist his traitorous eloquenae. IVe should, however, hope that these events may terminate as the friends of humanity and of free government wish. 24th Oct. P. S. A vessel arrived at this place on the 22d inst from the mouth of the river Tcry on the main, about 30 miles east of Lnguira: it had been cap- j tured by the Patriots, and was loaded with Cocoa ; part of the booty. We learn thus that the campaign has actually commenced. The Patriot Generals had advanoed to the following positions Faez in Calabozo, Bermudez in Feron Mazero in Ticaragua, Urdaneta in San ! Carlos. The Spanish Generals Morillo, Morales and Torre, were invested in Caraccas. The Gazette at Mompox and the Magdalena, says that St. Martha is in [ the possession of the Patriots. The Ahten’s battalion of600, with their arms, lmfl Passed over to the Patriots in I icaragun. Bolivar was said to be nenr Cucuta and 1 presumo is engaged jn an effort to free Maracaybo, as that furnishes the most direct communication with the seat of the Congress. THE ARKANSAW TERRITORY. Extract of a letter from hit Excellency, Ear. Mil• ler, to a friend in Peterborough, .V, H. dated Post oj Arkansaw, Sept 2, 1820. 1 would have answered you sooner, but I have been sick almost ever since 1 received your letter ; and this is the ve ry first day l have lelt able to write ; 1 am now very weak. This country must bp called sickly. Every new comer, without exception, has been sick. The sickness here is fever and ague ; a slow bilious fever, kc. Very few deaths oc cur by disease—but people remain weak and lit for nothing for a long time. 41 1 suppose it would he agreiglde to you to receive gome description of this unknown country. It is situated betwixt 33 and 36 30 N. hit. and extends from the Mississippi to the western boundary of the possessions of the United States. It is a very large extent of country, thinly settled. In the village of Arkansaw, there are 17 houses, (dwellings) and this is, perhaps as large a village as any in the territory. From this, on the mail route, we have to travel without a house or shelter three days, to get to a settle ment, across a Prairie. In crossing this, water is a scarce article. In fact, there is a great want of water all over this country, with very few exceptions. The Arkansaw is a tine navigable river for more than a thousand miles, at a middle stage of water, and nffords as ricli land, on both sides, as there is in the world. In fact, on all the rivers is to be found land abundantly rich and fer tile—and uniformly to be found. Back from the water streams, the land is quite indifferent, yon may gay poor, till you go west two or three hundred miles, then it is very good. The country is very flat and level, from the Mississippi west for 150 miles then it becomes hilly and bro ken,and rocky on al! the hills. Of ani mals in this country, both winged and quadruped, we have no want. There is almost every species of the bird and fowl in great abundance, wilJ gee3e and swans, turkies, quails, rabbits, raccoons, hear, wolf, catamount, wildcat, beaver, otter, deer, elk, and buffaloe—the huntsman has full scope. “ As to minerals, wo have plenty of i- ron, lead, coal, salt, &.c. “ This country is the best for raising stock of every kind I have ever seen. A man may raise and keep, summer and winter, any number he pleases. They grow large and handsome. “ Cotton and Corn are the staple arti cles. The laud, well tended, will aver age about 1000 in the seed, to the acre ; Coru from 50 to CO bushels. The crop is good this year—but the birds destroy vast quantities of the corn. “ 1 have spent more than two months on a visit to the Cherokee and Osage In dians this summer. The most of the rest of the time I have been sick. The ob ject of my visit to the Indian Villages was to settle a difficulty betwixt them. I went on to the Cherokees, (250 miles) and held a council with them.—They a- greed to send four of their chiefs with me to the Osages, about three hundred and lifty miles further.—The settlement of the Cherokees is scattered for a long ex tent on the river, and appears not much different from those of the white people. They are consideraldy advanced towards civilization, and were very decent in their deportment. They inhabit a love ly, rich part ofthe country. The Osage village is built as compactly as Boston, in the centre of a vast Prairie. We rode forty miles into it, before we came to the town. All the warriors, chiefs, and young men met us two miles from the town on horseback, mounted on good horses, and as tine as they had feathers or any thing else to make them. They professed much friendship.' I got them to guspend their hostilities. The Osage town consisted of 145 dwellings, with from ten to tifleen in each bouse. The average height of the men is more than six feet. They are entirely in a state of nature. Very few white people have ever been among them. They know no thing of the use of money, nor do they use any ardent spirits. “ 1 pitched my tent about half a mile from the town, and stayed five days.— They made dances and plays every night to amuse me. These Indians have a native religion of their owu, and are the only tribe, I ever kuew, that had. At day break every morning, I could hear them at prayer, and crying for an hour. They appeared to be as devout in their way as any class of people. They made me a present of eight horses, when l left them. «• I got, there, two horned frogs—they are a curiosity. I kept one of them alive twenty two days—it then had laid twen ty two eggs, as large and about the shape and appearance of u large white bean, and died. 1 have them all safely preser ved in spirits. 1 obtained the skin ofthe young wild hog ; this is a Curiosity— likewise, the skiu of the badger. I pro cured, also, some salt that came from the last Prairie, which is covered, for many miles, from four to six inches deep, with pure, white, chryitnlized suit. All men a- gree, both white and Indians, who have been there, that they can cut and split oft a piece a foot square. That place is a- bout 1300 miles, by the course ofthe ri ver, above this. One branch gf the Ar kansaw passes through this Prairie, and sometimes overflows it. When that is the case, the water in tire river here is too salt to drink. There is a place about 160 miles from this, where the water cashes out of a mountain so hot that you may scald and dress a hog with the water as it comes from the ground. This is a fact which admits of no doubt.” Among the ingenious inventions pre sented at the meeting of the Massachu setts Agricultural Society at Brighton, was a pisiol with seven barrel*, so con structed as to discharge seven halls suc cessively with once loading and priming. Ths committee appointed to assign the premiums, very gravely report on this weapon of war, that “ t hey do not deem themselves authorized to recommend any premium for ij,” because “ it is not an instrument of use in agriculture,” and because there was !* no certificate of its having been used and approved by practical farmer.’'—.V. F. Atner. fill, while the whole currency of vast sections of the country is thereby fre quently greatly embarrassed.” The nieinori.il was read and referred to the committee on fiuance. Mr. Williams, of Tennessee, from the Military Committee, to whom had been referred the bill for the relief of the of ficers and volunteers engaged in the Se minole war, and the bill for (lie relief of llobett Purdy, late a colonel in the arinv, reported the first with, and the latter without amendment. Mr. Barbour submitted the following resolution for consideration. Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary be instructed to enquire into the expediency of so modify ing the law punishing piracy, as to authorise the President of t he United States to com mute capital punishment for confinement in penitentiary houses. Mr. Ruggles offered th«j_ follow ing re solution for consideration : Resolved, That the committee on (lie Public Lands he instructed to enquire in to the expediency of making provision by law for remitting the interest that has become due from the purchasers of the public lands ir. consequence of the inability to make payments agreeably to the terms of the law; and for giving a reasonable time to said purchasers to complete the payment ofthe principal. COX GAIV/AS. where some debate took place on the question of concurrence in the above u- mendment. It was argued, by Messrs. Cobb and Brush, that it would introduce much per plexity in the arrangements lor miUliu service, without producing any essential benefit. In reply, Mr. Cannon vindicated his a- mendment, and in general defended the object of the bill, which served to place the militia in some respect on an equality of looting with the regular troops of the army, who are clothed as well at fed at the expcnce ofgovernment. Mr. Cross, of N. Y. concurred in Mr. Cannon's general views, hut thought the amendment would be more properly in troduced in a different part of the hill. Mr. Floyd wished the hill to lie oil the table until a report, called for at the last session, was received from the War D partniunt, of the number of ndlili. who were in service during the late ear which would afford some data by whicl hr expenditure that would arise (You lv the senate. Thursday, Nov. 30. The resolution declaring the consent of Congress to the admission of the State of Missouri into the Union, was read the second time ; and, On motion of Mr. Johnson, of Ken tucky, it was postponed to and made'the order ofthe day for Monday next, at which time, Mr. J. gave notice it was in tended to move for its consideration. Friday, Dec. 1. BANK OF TIIE UNITED STATES. Mr. Roberts presented the memorial ofthe Bank ofthe United States, winch, after some introductory matter, con cludes by submitting the following points, on which they ask relief and protection from Congress : 44 1st. The charter provides that no Director, except the President, shall he eligible for more than three years in tour. This provision has, in practice, been found to deny to the Bank the services of those men who are best qualified to administer its affairs with safety and pro fit to the institution. It is a provision not contained, your petitioners believe, in the charter ofuny respectable banking institution. It was not contained in the charier ofthe former Bank of the United States, and it would seem that the pro. vision of the charter which forbids the re-election of more than three-louiihs of the Directors in office at the time of an annual election (to which your petition ers have no objection) is calculated to effect all the ends of the embarrassing provision from which your petitioners now crave relief. 44 2<l. At present there is no authority under the laws of Congress to punish any fraud, peculation, or violation of trust, committed by any of the officers of the bank or its offices, and on thi* point the state laws are also supposed to he defi cient. Nor is there any adequate -civil remedy for the bank against its faithless agents who may, the hour before their dismissal from office, while the investi gations necessary to their removal indi cate to them that result, take the proper- of the btiqk from its isted, how were they adjusted ; if by re* forcnce, who wore the referees, what was their award, and what evidence waa submitted to themj on which they form ed their award. Mr. Trimble, of Kentucky, said he did not profess to know any thing on the subject of this resolve but what he was about to stale. The account, first pre ferred by Col. James Johnson, he had understood, had been thought too high. Some discussion on that point took plade between him nnd the Secretary of War, and he authorized his friend and brother to assent to a reference of the points in dispute to urhiiriitors, to ho chosen, ono by each party, the third by those two. t hree arbitrators were accordingly cho sen—gentlemen of the first standing and of the highest respectability, who passed upon the accounts. They reduced ve ry considerably the amount chained fe y Air. Johnson, and the amount paid toiiiu* [has the amount awarded in his favor by tin: referees. 1 Inis much Ire had Heard, and, ns an imprr -ion adverse to him this bill could be estimated, which would! might be drawn flu.in the gentleman’ste- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, Nov. 30. On motion of Mr. Campbell, it was Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office an I Past Roads he directed to enquire into the expediency of so a- mending the twenty-seventh section of the act entitled “ An act regulating the Post Office: establishment, passed the 30tli April, 1610, asja’ require the Post master General, in any contract lie may enter into for the conveyance of the mail, to stipulate with the person with whom such contract is to be made, to carry Newspapers, Magazines, and Pamphlets, other than those conveyed in the mail. Mr. Walker, of N. C. offere 1 the fol lowing resolution : Resolved, That the committee on Re volutionary Pensions he instructed to en quire into the expediency of providing bv law for placing on the pension list such persons as have, or may hereafter apply for pensions under the acts of Con gress of the 18th March, 1818, and 1st May, 1820, who may not he found on the rolli of the respective states in which they enlisted, but who, nevertheless, may he aide to adduce satisfactory proof, by their own oath, or oilier testimony, that they did serve on the continental es tablishment in ttic Revolutionary War. Mr. Walke r made a number of remarks in favor, and explanatory uf iliv object of his motion ; ami the question being put on agreeing to the resolution, it was negatived. On motion of Air. Rankin, it was Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary be instructed to enquire into the expediency of changing the,term of holding the District Court of the District of Mississippi from the first Mondays in May and December to the first Mondays in January and July. On motion ofMr. Case, it waa Resolved, That the Secretary ofState he directed to lay before the Moose such information as lie may pn-se-s or can ob tain relative to the annual amount ofthe fees of the Clerks, District Attorneys, probably amount to more ilian the Na tional Treasury could satisfy. On this ground, anil others, lie thought the Dill ougijt not to pass ; but, if it did pass, it ought not to be without more satisfacto ry information on the subject, kc. Mr. F. therefore moved to lay the bill on the table. Mr. Cannon opposed this motion, fear ing that the effect of it would he, by pro crastination, to defeat the hill. "The question on laying the bill on the table was decided in the afiiiiuative, by a vote of 7! to 51. FRrt>Av,Dec. 1. MISSOURI EXPEDITION. Mr. Cocke, ot'Tennessee rose to pro- sent a proposition to the House. When looking into the expenditures of last year, he said lie found the account of Col James Johnson for transportation furnish ed the expedition ordered up the Mis souri River. The gross amount of it, said Mr. C. is $ 250,818 15. Several items in this account require at least ex planation. 1 find the sum of $ 333 37 per day, for forty days, charged for the detention of steam boat Expedition, a- mounting in the whole to $ 13,333 33 1-3. In addition to this, $ 2(K) per day, for thirty six days, is claimed for the deten tion of steam bout Johnson, amounting to the sum of $7,200. The stun charg ed for detention alone of those two boats, far less than ono mouth and a half, i* $20,5.33 33 1*2. He called the sltcti- lion ofthe House, also, to some other items in this account. It appeared, lie sani, that three hundred officers anil sol diers procured a passage, on board Col. Johnson's boats, from Belle Fontaine to Council Bluffs, about four hundred miles, at 61) dolls, each, making the surn of 15, 000 dolls for passage alone. The sum demanded by Col. Johnson for detention of boats and passage of three hundred raon employed on this expedition, is dols. 36,533 33 1-3. By what means the re sidue ofthe Missouri detachment found their way to Council Bluffs, said Mr. C. t am at a loss to determine, but no doubt on terms equally advantageous to the public. Knox, ll.ildiman, and Co. con tracted and furnished transportation to ihe Council Bluffs, for the sum of $5 60 per hundred pounds. Colonel Johnson charges, for transportation to the same place, $16 25 per hundred pound*, nl- I'oast three limes the amount paid Knox, and Marshals of the respective the United States, the amount of whose fees do not appear in the register of (lie ly of the bank from its vaults, and with-1 officers in the service of the U. Slat hold it, spend it, and, if they please, give land also the annual amount of the fee it in payment to their other creditors, in ; of naval officers, collectors, and survey exclusion of the hank from which it lias been thus purloined. “3d. Under the charter, it has been doubted whether the bank has power to authorize the .issuing of notes not signed by the President and countersigned by the Cashier. The labor and the time ors ot the customs of the respective ports ofthe United States. On motion of Mr. Plicips, it was Resolved, That the Post Master Gen eral of the United States be direc ted to report to the House the names of those person* v.ho were indebted to his de necessary to sign note- for the hank and ; pari then t on the 31?t day of December, all its branches, are much greater than j 1816, and the amount then due from either of those officers canhesioiv upon'each person ; also the name of tbo*e that object, and hence the hunk has bi on who sinowthal time have heroine, and unable to put in circulation a sufficient — 1 i were indebted to tfu! department, on the mount of notes of the smaller deuomina-; 30tli of September last, and the amount tions, which the public most want, an I then clue from each person, which are best calculated to serve the j The engrossed resolution to authorize interest of the bank. If authority were tho President of the United States to given to the Board, from time to time, to i cause the necessary observations to he appoint one or more persons to sign notes made to ascertain the longitude of tin- ofthe smaller denominations, at the pa-j Capitol of the United Stales, was rend rent bank, under the superintend.nice 'th- third lime ; and after an unsuccessful and direction of the Board and its priori- i moth o by Mr. Cocke to lay it on the tn- pal officers, there would be no public i ble, tha question was taken on the p.is- i i-k, and it n ould afford all toe aid which j «nge of tlie resolution, and carried—ayes your petitioners desire on (lie point. J U 1, nors 45 ; and it was ordered to bo 44 4th. Under the 14th section ot tnejgent to the Senate for concurrence, net incorporating the Bank, the bills or j The House, on motion of Mr. Cannon. notes of the Bank originally made pava- J resolved itself into a committee of the hie, or which shall have become payable, • whole, Mr. Reid in the chair, on the bill bn demand, are made receivable in all i to provide for clothing the militia ofthe payments to the United State*, unless' United States, when called into actual otherwise directed by act of Congress. | service. Under this regulation, the power of the j Thq hill was so amended, on motion hank to make its capital available, either ( of Air. Cannon, as to require the clothing for its own profit or the public good, is j proi i.lod for the militia, to he of sorh co- greatly abridged. The sphere of its cir- lor or uniform, as may be prescribed by eolation is limited to those places where 'the Legislatures ofthe respective states, it i* least wanted, and made to exclude’ The Dill having been other** iscslight- tliose where it would be eminently use- Jy amended, wag reported to tho House; mis of i 1 laldiman, and Co. for sin i’ar services ! I am informed, those charges have been 1 allowed, and the account liquidated and paid. I tryst the information is errone ous. Permit me to ask, was not Col. Johnson, contractor, to furnish supplies as «i II as transportation ? Why, then, the i. iluy ? Why pay a large amount for detention ? This, Mr. C. said, is (lie expedition the President liimsell takes very great interest in the success of. and is willing to take great responsi bility to ensure it. This is the expedi tion that was to protect the frontier and fur trade, acquire for the United Stales lasting influence over the savages of Mis souri, raise corn in summer, improve na vigation in winter, and result in saving to government, in four years, the sum of $ 12,485 84. The estimated cost for transportation of this favorite project, as reported to Congress at the last session, was 162,904 dolls. The,sum claimed by Col. Johnson, and, he was told, actu ally paid, is $ 256,118 15. To ascer tain with certainty the amount actually paid for transportation and detention of boats on the Missouri expedition, and the reasons why it w..s paid, he offered the following resolutions : Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to communicate to this House what sums of money have been actually paid to Colonel James Johnson, on ac count of transportation furnished the ex pedition ordered up the Missouri liver ; and also what sums have been paid him for detention of Steamboats or other in cidental charges ; whether any difference of opinion existed between the Depart ment of War and said Colonel J. Johnson, relative to the value of transportation or other charges exhibited by him against the United States ; ifany differences ex marks, though uot intended by blip, Mr. T. said lie had thought it proper to say thus much in behalf of Col. Johnson,, had ever been believed to beau holiest man. Mr. Cocke said, it was far from him to question uic honesty of any man what ever, hi wont lie had said He disclaim ed any such intention.—But it seemed extraordinary lo him how the allowance ref u red to had bcensiiade, wkhouUllio authority of Congress. On looking into Col. Johnson** contract, he did not find that any provision was made for allow ance for the detention of steam- 1 outs.—- I le id understood, too, that Col James JonoHon wa« a contractor not only for transportation, but for supplic- of provi sions. If this were true, Mr. g H jtl, he should like to know how it did happen that the bouts were detained, and wheth er it was in consequence ofthe neglect of Col. Johnson to furnish the provisions in proper time. Not being included in the contract, application ought to have been made to this House to authorize the allowance which has been made to Col. J. without its authority. Mr. C, said he should make no observations with regard to this urbitrutioo which was spo ken ef. If the mattter had been refer red to these exalted arbitrators, let the House know it. Why refuse the infor mation which it was desirable to acquire in relation to it ? The resolution, he said, was predicated on accounts trans mitted to Congress at the last session, and tie did not see why there should ha any wish on the part of the gentleman h um Kentucky to oppose its adoption. Mr. Lowndes remarked, that the gen tleman from Tennessee must have mis taken the gentleman from Kentucky, if he supposed there was, on his part or on tlmt of any other member, any objection to the object of this resolution, calling lor information. There could be no oojec- iion to it. But, Mr. L. s;dd, he submit ted it to the House and to the gentleman from I’enuessee, whether in calling for information on any subject, it was proper to accompany that call 'with animadver sions on the conduct of those, whose conduct could only be properly judged when the information itself was before them. Mr. L. added another remark or two ofthe same tone a# 1 the preceding which were not distinctly heard by the reporter. On motion of Mr. Rich, with the con sent of Mr. Cocke, the resolution was a* mendgd so is to require an account also of the causes of the detention ofthe Steam Boats. Mr. Trimble rose to say, that he did not intend to object to any information which might be sought for by the gen- llemiri from Tennessee, or any other nieuilipr of the House. It was not his habit to do so ; nnd it was not hi* dispo sition to do *o on the present occasion.— On the contrary, he said he was sure th« enquiry would meet with the approbation of even Colonel James Johnson, could his wishes he consulted. Without know ing the fart, Mr. T. said, he thought it quite likely that Col. J. may have tho’t that lie, and not the Government, had a right to complain ofthe manner in which his accounts were liquidated. Mr. T. said he should not have opened his lips on this subject, had he not thought that the statement made by the gentleman from Tennessee might—though he was sure the gentleman could not possibly intend it—give a color to an imputation on the character of Col. Johnson. Mr. Cocke rejoined in a few words more, in the course of which he said he was sorry that any gentleman should sup. pose that he wished to cast an imputation on any man. It was not so, he said ; he wished to ascertain what were the facts in lhp case referred to, without any per sonal views or motives, kc. The question was then taken qn the adoption cf the resolve, and agreed to, w ithout a dissenting voice. Mr. Lowndes gave notice that he should on Wednesday uext, move for the con sideration ofthe resolution declaring the admission of the State of Missouri into the Union.