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VOL.I.i Mfc l 11... NHMBF.K 33- MILLE.DGEVJL.LR: published (weekly) by DENNIS L. AVAN. WEDN ES DA Y, N O V E M BE R 1 4, l 8 l O. wmMMamromiwBigm a time lef> us to prnfecute our com- The following Communication from His Excellency the Go vernor was prefented the fitn in ft by Mr P rter, his Secre tary, to both branches oft h- Geni ral Affembly : Fellow Citizens of the Senate. an.l iftht tioufrof Rtpi rfentatives BEING now affembled in y.,ui Legiflltive capacity, as the Ilepre- fematives of the people ; 1 proceed with cheerfuloefs to fulfil the duty affigued me by the conllitution. of giving you information on the State of the republic, and of recommend ing for your confederation fuch mea •Cures as I deem neceflary and expedi ent. The memorial of the laft Legifla- ture addo-fl j.l to the Preftdenr of the United Sta es, on the difmifl'ul of the lateB'i'ifh Minifter Francis James Jackfon, I forwarded to our St tutors in Congrefs to be by them prefented to the l’refitlenr, which they did ; I and the papers marked N° l will dif 1 clofe to you the anfwer they received. I I' mull tie a fubjR of ierious re- j gret to every patriotic mind, that, the manv and aggravated wrongs our Country ha received from the two great Belligerents of Europe, have not ye* been redn IV d ; a* lead, no thing official has tranfpired to tebeve us from tlur difagree Me ila e iif ful’pence in which our foreign telati. 0:1s have been fo long involved This (lite of things h n grown out of the contefl which us fir. long defeated Europe Aultria, Pruffn and Raffia, with fome of the m tor p > .vers on the continent, aided a d affixed by Grear Britain; prompted no iloubi in fome uuafiue, by th 'ir fears, bat in my min I, : are Jjv their ambition, Coalefr.ed againlt Trance, at the commencement of her revolution, and infultiugly a*- tempted to dictate to a Nation in Arms, their form of government. Defeated anddtivenout of the field; the three fir ft powers gave up the contefl, and Prance a Turned the character of a Republic* New co alitions were however foon formed, and irnmenfe armies again carried into the field, with the prof ff d ob jel of refloring monarchy to F.a ice, and nf prefcribing the b mnd . of her empire. After the fl lUghter of mil lions of fellow creatures i 1 tins am bitious and Kingly crufade againfl Tepublicanifm. France has fettled dowriintoa Military defpotffn, un der one of the mod extraordinary ch racers that ever appeared upon the ftage of human life, who by his i rifil.orious arm , has fubj lgated con- ; tiucntal Eu-ope, and compelled her to acknowledge his f vay E igiaml, alone with the mmoft gallantry and perfeverence maintains the con-.ell : deriving fecurity from her ittfulated Jituation, and irnmenfe Naval power, fl-.e bids defiance to the Legions of Trance and in her turn ufurps the j foveteigmv of the Ocean. The United States feperated by the Atlantic from thofe cooflidling parties, & having no ambitious views of aggrandizement, but, con en fc happy in the enjoyment of tr ace & independence proclaimed her tteutra- Juiiy, & maintained ii with finnnefs and good faith du*ing ’lie mod tur bulent periods of tlv* French revolu lion. This honorable and indepen dent courfe was however infulficieiU to preferve her widely extended -om merce frc#m the depredations and fpoliaiions of the belligerents; but more efpecially from thofe of Great Britain, whofe piratica' conduct win the more reprehenftble b»*caufe it was without a fliadow of excule. Solicitous to avoid thofe lcer.es of mifery incident to a date of war, our government, notwithflanding the provocation they had received, pre lented the olive branch ; accompa uied by a demand of reparation for pad injuries: and a treaty was made with Britain in 179F much to the Advantage of th»t nation, which for meroial pitrluits with more freedom. T'v* druggie u >wi'V r continuing between Great Britain and France, the refult thus far is, that the com merce of the latter has been nearly dellroy-’d .ui.l driven fromtbe Ocean, and the former has been (hut out from the continent, and her Euro pean trade almolt annihilated In terpolations to the la d Nations have been proclaimed and inforeed, and a fyftem of retaliation adopted as uojud and arbitrary, as h ha< been injntious and opnr-divo to our Neu . »ra 1 commerce A retrofpefliye view of our rela tions with thofe powers wr! ho we ver fatisfv any one not b'inded by prejudice, tlv t, we have infinitely more caufe of complaint againfl G. Britain *han France, notwithtland- ittg the recent, unwarrantable and arbitrary fi-zures and confutations of the pr ipeuy of our Merchants bv the latter power. The fpoliaiions and aggreffions of I Great Britain have not only been of I longer duration, and of greater ex- ! tent and variety ; but. have hpou mai k-d by a ^degree of malignity which evidences a ft**tied fentiment of ti illiliiy in their mimtlrv. to this country. To my ni id there can he no lire, iger proof of tlii. fa el than th t which h is been exhibited in ihi iv conduit liuce toe peac of t78 1 to the prel-mt div— ,t one time p'undering and con fife.•■•'ing the pro- zens and in endeavors to impair their confidence in the government. Such m-m have no jutl claim to the char aRer cf American citizens, and me rit the contempt due to wretches whofe vicious propenfities predomin* Iliad not he infringed," Under rf,o declaration contained in the firII part of the article of our Federal Ctnilli* tittion juil recited, and other provi- fiunscontained in that facred inltru- mcnr, the Congrefs of the United ulator was in the conflant habit of violating its provifipns and profiting by his turpitude. It is equally far from my intenti on to palliate the conduct -if France, any more than to aggravate that of reat Britain- Truth jullifies a dif- | ate over their love of country. It is j States have legiii.ucd, and have pre- imination in their cuiduR to us, immaterial tothereal Americatiftom | Icribed a court, 1 of diicipline for their what quarter his coumty’s rights are j Militia *, but have left to the States invaded ; his conduit is influenced by no foreign attachments or preju dices, neither does he make any cold calculations about ex pence, but ral- rlt ,if ibio Country,that,either fltould b : r , round tlte government of his in- 1 Congrefs that every citizen enrolled triumph fo far as to ruin the other, jured country, and witli all his ener- as a Militia man, (hall furnith him- although experience warrants the 1 ll v aids it in procuring redrefs. Let felf in a given time after his emoll- conclufion, that, it would be greatly it therefore be our pride, as it is our incut with the neceflary arms and to the filtered not only of the United iudifpenfible duty to w.uch over our accoutremens of a foldier Nor Statef, but of every other nation en- free and hippy intlitutions, and hand hive the States been indifferent to ciimt and jullice ought equally to direR nnr meafures with them or either of them It ought not to he the with, an it iffuredly would not be for the inter- refpeRively as tile Conllitution di rects, the training of them to that diicipline, and the appointment of the officers. It is alfo required by this important fubjecl; great atten tion has been bellowed upon it by their Legill.itarcs In fome, their exertions have been attended will, conliderable fucccfs, whilst in others they are fcarcely perceivable; and the latter is unfortunately our condi tion. From what, may it not be allied, does our want of organize uu* and difeiplin * proceed ? Out citi zens are as patriotic as anv others it, the Union—they believe in the ne- th iu!d refufe to repeal their obnoxi- j afeertained if p edible, to what town ! colli v ol the lylh nt as unequivocal- the plunderers l long, and in the j ly—and they are, 1 am convinced, as mean time communicated the cafe to ; willing to fubmit to that organization Col. Hawkins, accompanied with gaged in commercial peifuits that the Naval power of Great Britrin fhottld be reduced and confined within thofe limits which, whib* con- liilent with their own fffety fltould leive the rights of other nations e- quallv fecuro Before *he adjournment of Con grefs lad faring th- non intercourfe .iR was alfo repealed, leaving to the President the power of renewing the fvllem againfl either Belligerent who them down to pollerity unimpaired, Witli our Indian neighbors the 11 fu il friendly intercourfe mil good will has been maintained ; except indeeil fome exceffes which were Committed on the frontier- of Cam den county bv fome Indians of the Seminolie tribe, who plundered the houfe of one Major Fire, on or a- b >ut the fixt!i of September hill.— On receiving information of the faR, i immediately gave orders to have it perry of -ur merch nits imp’etling our Seam-'ii, and di-iaining tn n on board thcii fl -e in a cruel bondage ; competed .0 aRs of aggrelTion a- gainfi 'heir iwn country: — And at another bullying us with their (hips ol war ; —then pretending they will m tkc* fatisfaRion, and proceed to n gocta’i-m for n,< other purpofe, as it would f -m, but to dcceiv • & 1 full us To enutneratcallthe inllan- c - I allude to, would be asdilinifl- ing a it is ufelefs, I hope they are fr-lh in the tecolleRion of every one, who has been an attentive obferver, and who feels for the honor and pro- fperity of his country. Our government however dill ac- tuawd by the fame principles of juf- tice, and moderation which diRat- ed a declaration of neutrality on a former ucc Tion ; and no doubt cinfidering peace as the greatell bleffing a free people can enjoy. ous orders or decrees in cafe it tliould be done by theo her. And a report is in circulat on that Trance has ac ceded to the term- prefented bv cur repealing aR and has revoked her Berlin and Milan Decrees. Should this intelligence prove true, the quef- tton of retaliation which has been made the pretext by both nations for the flagrant violati 1 of our neu tva’ rights,*is at an end : and the pro- f In ms of Great Britain upon this fulijoR will be put to the tell. A r et wh-> can perufe the letter of the Bri tifli fecretary of Siate for foreign af fairs of die H*h of M -rch lad, in anfwcr to a well timed and able communication of Mr Pinkney’s & not anticipate an evafion of tlieir previous declarations and profeffi- ons ? tiiar letrer carries on the face of it, fuch cv’d mt marks of con- requifitioti that be would have the ofFuiders punilhed, and caufe refti union to be made to the citizens in jured or compensation for their lofs. Fo which I have received aflurance that every exertion will be made to caufe jultice to be done, and I rely with confidence on that affurance. It having become the duty of the Exi cutive under a Refolution of the 10 h December, ls07, to appoint a perfon or petfons, to demand and re ceive of the Agents of the different Indian trib-s adjacent to the State, all property in poffelfion of the fiiid Indians, claimed by citizens of this Stale, I appointed General Daniel Stewart of Liberty county to proceed I to the Creek agency, and to demand quarter but what will be the refult of their own critical and unparallel ed fituation or from fome energe tic and decifive meafures of our own government; or from both. But fhouid the courfe attributed next ro the prefovation of their in- to France by the intelligencereceiv tempt and indifference for our re- J Ha.vkins, the United 'plates’ prefentation of 'heir aggreflions that, Agent there,a restoration ot property little is to be expeR-d from that j claimed by our citizens, or an equiv- dependence and national honor, had recourfe to an Embargo ; a meafure which, if HriR y enforced, would I mi c invoiced have compelled thofe power 10 do u jullice, and have refpeR foi our lawful commerce, & the only o*ic th.irt of aRual war, which could then be devifed to meet the critic.1! fituation of our foreign affairs To tliofo who have aff-rted that the Embargo was a meafure winch evidenced hfftiiity to Eng land and partiality to France, I would anfwer that it fuch was tlie effect, ever*; re. .11 f candor will ad- nr its jullice, when he reft, Rs that the cowaul y and piratic- attack on the Clu-lep.-ake was the principal c-'.ufc for ill > adoption of if Nei- ed prove untrue or delufiv*; and we arc (till left to contend for our un doubted rights with both powers, I have the fulled confidence, that under the protection t.f, and aided by that almighty power which ena bled die United State- in their in fancy to ellablifh their independ ence, the firmttefs and energy of the government, the refources ol the country, and the patriotifm of our Citizens will be found equal to the contetl. By the forbearance of our government hitherto, w, have pre- ferved peace, but, that it fltould con tinue under a continuance of our injuries, is in my opinion, what we ought neither to hope for, nor defire. alent for fuch as they could not re- itoie. There being very little pro perty contained in the Schedule made bv the Comptroller General under the laze made for that purpofe. other than that in pi ITe(li .11 ot ti:e Creeks, I deemed it unneceffury to feud at his time to any other Agency A copy of n>y letter 'O Col Hawkins amt of my inltruRions to General Stewart, together with the c ipy of a Journal i in that cafe with the more propriety & diicipline which alone can entitle them to the high character of being the Lifeguard of their country’s li berty, as any others. The truth is, we have negleRed the firlt grand re- quifite to the accomp ifhmcnt of this important objeR, to wit the procur ing and placing in the hands of our citizens the neceflary arms and ac coutrements, for it is unreafonable- to except a citizen to provide liitu- feIf with thofe articles u i.i :b art not to be bad in the country He is from necefii'y a delinquent, and the requifition ot the law in this particu lar a mere dead letter; yet they are as indifpenfable to the foldier, ar. the anvil to the Smith, or the ihifel to the Carpenter, and before they can acquire a competent knowledge of the ufe of either, they nvilt have them in poflefiion. I theref re ie- conimend to your moil leric in. cen- fideration the propiety of nailing a law authorizing the purchafe of a fufficient quantity of arms ami ac coutrements fuitable for military fer- vice, on public account, for the pur- poft of felling them to the citizens. By this meafure every citizen 'till have ati opportunity of providing hin.lelf as the law requires, and tl he neglcRs to do fo, iis penahies cam kept by the General, of all his pro ceedings during his million, in which is itiferted the cotrefpondence be tween Col. Hawkins & hitv.folf, will he found in the packet marked N u 2. from which you will perceive that, the cafe is to be fubmilted by Col Hawkins to the Prefulcnt of the U. States for his determination. This is the refult which I anticipated, and ir now refls with tire Legiflature, to dircR what further proceedings they deem neceflary, to fupport the claims of our citizens, thus transferred to ther ought it to be forgotten, that il, 1 if-.* very men win have been moll i ed by any honorable means, yet, war with all its ltorros is preferable to a fubtjiijfion, which mull end i-u ignominy and difgrace For although war ought not to be I ll "-‘ Executive of the General Gov referred to if peace can he preferv- I eminent for a decifion. 1 pooled 10 the Embargo were, not man ; years before (u tier a different admmili a'ice it is t ue) prefenting memorial af er memorial to Congrefs urging f, r v/ar, and pledging tlieir lives a nl fortunes in fupport of the Government: and yet, (Irange as the faR may appear, it is neverthe- lefs true that, they not only oppofed tue Embargo but every other mea !u<e of refinance or fecurity under ciicumlfanccs doubly aggravated & injurious. Such is the inconfillancy of felfilh policy and political preju dice. The Embargo was repealed and a lydem of non intercourfe a- dopred The repeal became in my opinion a meafure of propriety, fince it was not or eife could not be effec 1 1 u illy enforced, forwhilllthe honed and patriotic merchant fubmit-ed to the privations confequent upon the mcafute, the unprincipled fpec- If tlie claims are jud, 11s tto doubt the greater part of them aie, it is high time they were fettled, and as the United States are a party ro the be enforced againll him ; a* the lama time the State will be reimljui fed the amount of he purchafe with all cl.ar t ;es, Should this propi Gtioti met-i your concurrence, or anv other plan be adopted by you which von. may 0 nfider better calculated foi ..t- taihing the end piopofid, it will af ter wards be neceflary to revife our Militia Laws, and introduce fome a- nicudments of c-bvioub neceffry—to enter into a detail of which, is at this time unneci fluty as they can < tilv be uleful when the Militia have arms in their hands. By the ninth fiRion cf tlie fccond aiticle of the constitution it i c declar ed that. “ when any office fltall be come vacant by death, ri fig union or otherwife, the* (fr,vernor (hall have» not a view* cf our foreign relations I the articles which bind the Indians to holdout to us, to excite us to una- a compliance on tlieir part, and (ur ttimity among ourfelves...we have more to dread from cur own differ ences than from a difpute with any foreign power, or from a combinati on of foreign powers with union at home. Yet great and all-import ant as thefe inducements are, it is neveriheleft trut, that fomeahere are profefling patriotifm and a refpeR for the conllitution who pretend they can neither fee the infults and indignities heaped upon our govern ment, nor feel for the u rongs and fufforings infliRed upon our fellow- citizens : Their greatell pleafure ap pears to be in exciting difeord and dif-union among tlieir fellow- citi- IVhar irnmenfe inducements does j neaties entered into, and diRatcd the power to fill fuch vacancy.’ M 1 r-|J-u...j .v_ t_j - by the fittli feRion of the aR paffetl the 10th of December L''07 > it is alio declared, “ tliaf all vacan cies which may happen h death, re- lignationor nthoruife, of any h’.ijor- tieneral,BiigadierGeneral ot Quar ter Mailer General, (hall be lille^ by the General Affemblv by joint ballot ot botli branches ike " fri m the gc- netal tenns in which the feRion of the Law is expuflld I was under lome apprehenfion th.at the Legisla ture might have intended fuch aeon* lit uOion of the before recited part of the conllitution as to deprive the go vernor of the power of appointing tlie particular officers designated in the feRion of the law juil referred to, and al hough I cannot affent r ther, being guarantee for the fuliil- mentoi the (lipulations contained in thefe treaties, the bufinefs ha; now taken a courfe which mult lie con- clulive in bringing the matter to a clofe ; it is a courfe to wliich I did not objeR, becaufe, I rely with full confidence 011 the honor, the digni ty and the good faith of the ccneral government, tor fpeeily and ample jullice in the cafe. In the amendments of the confti- tution of the United States we find the following article, viz. “ A well regulated militia being nee* flaty to the fecurity of a free Hate, tlie right of the people to keep and bear arm#