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#
