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About Athens gazette. (Athens, Ga.) 1814-18?? | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1815)
.v- *i. »* i*%\- ;■ -0 ■’ •v • i,u■> > v. ■ -V by refusing to cal! the tni’Uia into the bervice of the United States# Resolved, That the proceedings of the Legislature of Massachusetts! at their [ote session,were unbecoming thejre presentatives of a* free people. That the resolutions providing for the esta blishment of a regular military force within this Commonwcalthi and the ap pointment of delegates to the Hartford Convention, for the ostensivc purpose of * revising and amending the constitution of the United States were unnecessary* and as we believe, unconstitutional and dangerous. » . _ Resolved , That the neglect of the Le gislature to take measures for the ear pulsion of the enemy from our territory, discovers a want of patriotism in its members, is a reproach to the valor and intrepidity of the militia* and a disgrace to the Commonwealth. ResolvednThU we will never recog nize as frends, the subjects of Great Britain, until a treaty of peace shall have been concluded between the two countries, and sanctioned by the govern ment of the U. States. * Resolved That our resources shall not be withheld from the General Govern ment. V Resolved» That the war in which opr country is engaged, is just and necessa ry, waged in . defence of the injured rights of freemen, and that we will em ploy all the means within our control.to ensure its speedy and successful termin ation. Resolved* That however anxious we may be for peace we prefer perpetual war rather than a surrender of territory as its price, and that the late correspon dence of the American ministers, in our opinion, reflects the highest honor on them and the government which they represent. Resolved , That the Constitution of the United States is, the most perfect sys tem of republican government which human wisdom can. invent ; that we hold it as the charter of our liberties, and that we will support and defend’ it at the risk of all that is dear to us> 01* garth,. ‘ Resolved, That we will use our ence in the several towns pf which yfV 1 belong, to procure delegates to General Convention of delegates from ail parts q£: tilts District of Maine, -% i- v JOSEPH RUST, ’ president pro tem* # HARRY WOOD, . > Secretatjr TRe following'are the reasons assigned by the President of the United for aissenting to the Bank Bill . v ; C •*?-. i*&’ -i l*5*’ y ’ ‘ y? : • To the Senate of the United States. Having bestowed on the bill, entitled < s An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of ths United States of A xnerica” that full consideration which is due to the great importance of the subject, and dictated by the respect which I leel for the two houses of Coni* gress, lam constrained, by a deepand solemn conviction, that the bill ought not to become a law to return it to the which it originated* with my objections to the same- Wa/ing the question of, the. constitu tional authority of the Legislature to es tablish an incorporated hank, as being precluded*, in my judgment, by. repeated refcogaitiona, under varied circumstan ces, of the validity of such an institution, in acts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government, ac companied by indications, in different modes, of a con curie nee of the general wilf of the nation \ the proposed bank does'hot appear. to;be we It calculated to answer the purposes o£ reviving the public credit, of providing* y national medium of circulation* and of aiding the treasury by facilitating the indrspen sable anticipations of the revenue, and by affording to the public shore durable loans,f.rfe * ■ Kl . U The capital of the bank is to be compounded of Specie, of public stock, and of Dreasury Notes convertible into *tock, with a certain proportion of each Os which every subscriber is to furnish ’ ’himself. * .~£^. |.'v y \ *[\ The amount stock lobe sub scribed will not, it* is believed, be suffix cient to produce, in fkvor of.the public credit, any considerable o» lasting ele vation ol the market price., whilst this may* be occasionally depressed by the bank nself, if it should carry into market the allowed proportion of its* capuai consisting of public stock, in or-* dfcMo procure specie, which it may find, its account in procuring, with some sac rifice on |he part of its capital, Nor Will any adequate advantage arise to*- the public credit from the subscrip tion of Treasury Notes*: The actual is- * ,«iue of tbcsft notes nearly cqu4*i at present, and wilt soon exceed the a miunt to bo subscribed to the bank- The direct effect of this operation is simply to convert fifteen millions of six per cent stock, with the collateral effect of promoting an additional demand for Treasury notes, beyond what might’ be otherwise negotiable* Public credit might indeed be expect ed to derive advantage from the estab lishment of a national hank, without re gard to the formation of its capital, if the fuft aid and co-operation of the in stitution were secured to the govern ment during the war* and during the period of its fiscal embarrassments But the bank proposed will be free from all legal obi gation to with the public measures ; and whatever might be the patriotic disposition of its directors to contribute to the removal of those embarrassments, and to invigo rate the prosecution of the war, fidelity to the pecuniary and general interest of the institution, according to their esti mate of it, might ©Wige them to dedine a connexion of their operations with those of the national treasury, during the continuance of the war and the dif ficulties incidental to it. Temporary sacrifices of interest* though overbalanc ed by the future and permanent profits of the charter, not being requirable of right in behalf of the public, might not be gratuitously made ; a»d the bank would reap the full benefit of the grant, whilst the public would lose thfe equiva lent expected from it. For it must be kept in view* that the sole kidJug&ment to such a grart, on the part of the pub* lie, would be the prospect of substantia* aids to its pecumary* means at the pre sent crisis, and during the sequal cf the war. It is evident that the stock of the bank will* on the return of peace, if not sooner, me in the markets to a value which, if the bank were established in,a period of peace, would authorise’ wid obtain for the public a bonus to a very large amount, in lieu of such a bonus the government is fairly entitled and ought noVto relinquish or risk, the needful services of the bank, under the pressing circumstan«es of war. 2. The bank, as proposed to be Con stituted, cannot be relied on during the war, to provide a circulating medium-, nor to furnish loans, or anticipations of the public revenue. /V: Z- Without a medium, the taxes cannot be collected ; and in the‘ absence of specie, the medium understood to be the best substitute, is that of notes issu ed by a national 1 bank. The p*o|o«ed bank will cqjntnence and conduct ity o* peration, under an obligation to pay its notes in specie, or be subject to the loss of its charter. Without such an obli gation, the notes ot the bank, though not exchangeable for specie, yet resting on good pledges, and performing the uses of specie, in the payment of taxes, and-in other public transactions, would, as experience has ascertained', qualify the bank to. supply at once a circulating medium, and. pecuniary aids to the go vernment. Under the fetters imposed by the bill, it is manifest, that during the actual state of things, and. probably during the war, the period particularly requiring* such.a medium and; such a re source for loans and advances to Vernment, notes for which the bank would be compelled to give specie in. exchange could not be kept in circula tion. The most the bank could effect) and the most it could: be expected to aim at, would be to keep the institution a live by limited and local, transactions) -which* with the interest on* the ‘Stock in the bank# might yield a divi dend sufficient for the purpose, dntii a i change from war to peace should ena ble it, by a flo w of* specie-in to its vaults, ;und*a removal of the external- demand* ,ior itaa dertve its contemplated r emol >uments from a sate and full; extension* .ofr its operations* £ i * On the WTiole, When-'it \% considered’ ,that the proposed establishment will ei> j#y a monopoly of the profits of a na ticyia! bank, foha period of twenty years; that the monopolized profits, will* be” continually growing with the progress of thh national population add wealth ; that the nation will, during the same medium, whenever the precious metals may be wanted and at all tiMlfor so much thereof as may be an eligible sub stitute for a specie medium ; or that the extensive employment of the notes ,in the collection of the augmented taxes .will, moreover, enable the bank greatly J to extend its profitable ?issue of them, ? without the expense of a specie capital to.support their circulation ; it is as Reasonable as it is requisite, that the government, in return Jar these c*traor dinary concessions to hie bank Should a greater security for attaining the public objects of the institution, than is presented in the birr, and particularly for jiVery practicable accommodation both in the temporary advances neces sary to anticipate the taxes, and in those more Uurabie loans which are equally necessary to diminish the resort to tas ks* <% - S'. . “'h- j * v * u In discharging this painful duty of stating objections to a measure which has undergone the deliberations ajid receiv. ed the sanction of the two‘t houses of the national legislature, I console my self with the reflection, that if they have not the weight which I attach to them, they can be constitutionally overruled—* and with a confidence that in a contrary event, the wisdom of congress will has ten to substitute a more commensurate and certain provision for the public ex igencies. JAMES MADISON. * January 3& IBis, From the National Advocate. tensor thb friqate. Vf® yesterday announced, with pain, ibe intelligence of this unfortunate e vent. Our grief is increased by being this day compelled to confirm Ihe ac count. On this occasion, however, we have the consolation of reflecting, that though we have lost a ship, we have lost no honor. As ih the battle of Valpa raiso* the enemy have nothing to boast, but the capture of one. of our Frigates by a vast disparity of force—-we have nothing to lament bus the loss o#the men*Who fell gallantly support ing the honor of their country's flag.— The brave Decatur, like the brave Por ted on the former occasion* will: still sustain, the, same, nay, even a higher rank in the estimation of his country men. Accustomed to triumph in the career of arms from his earliest years, it has now fallen tohis lot to experi ence a reverse of fortune, and to en counter the evils of captivity by an m sotent foe. But he will confide in his country’s love and attachment, and sus tain with the same magnanimity, defeat, as he evinced when flushed with tri umph. \ ■ ■.; , ■' r V?: On this occasion, we mingle the tears, of private grief with those of public sensibility, on account of the loss of the gallant lieut. Babbit, who was killed by the first broadside of the enemy, and the dawn of whose professional career promissed so much to his friends and his country.; His goodness of heart was only equalled* by his ardenC zeal, intrepid valor, and inflexible adherence to discipline. The ocean has wrapped, in its Cold bosom, his mortal remains, but his aspiring soul has mounted aloft to its appropriate abode- To die for one’s country, it surely the most glori ous martyrdom; and when to this title of fame are added youth and patriotism and; manly *irtue,4he character of a* he ro is consummated, and may defy the wasting hand of time. We doubt not the tenal writers of the enemy, will celebrate this capture as the most glorious of victories. They will exult as-if-they had crushed the ry head, of our infant navy* But let them remember, that we have*tiU ships and the materials for building” ships* and that we have men—“ high minded men,” who*will maintain their country'* rights and ; honor with the, same- obsti nate valor that distinguished the heroes of the Essex and the-Prrs;de«t—and that tbe spirit of this people is. not to be conquered by a* few reverses,, chequer ing the otherwise unclouded scene of their naval glary- The. city of New- York alone* might, with perfect facility, supply the loss which the nation has sustained-in this frigate;, and we have an immortal band of youthful heroes, panting. to> enter the same race of re nown which* has* been run by their pre decessors. It is not the abstraction of ,a single ship from the list of our navy; that can change thedestiny of this coun try, which vis unalterably fixed to wrest from tbe hand of Britain, that trident :which she nas so long, wielded as the sceptre of.opposition. [fj & “vT y x 4 .” \■ 52 | From the. same • * | There can be nodoufi| but that tbe information given in some of our news papers of the sailing of the frigate Pre sident, has been* in a great measure, the Cause of the capture of that ship/ be cause it is a well known fact, that those papers find their way onboard of the- British ships off the Hook as soon as the papers travel the same distance by land*. Therefore it follows, that there must bn a regular correspondence- kept up with the enemy, tye do not pretend to say that this correspondence?’ is with the printers, but with those who receive $# papers and find a regular established channel to send them on board, la fhus sending the papers, with all the information the enemy wants, obviates the necessity of those traitors writing themselves, by which they might possi bly be detected and subject themselves to the hep*p weed they so richly de authority, that the Majestic fey at Block Island, watering, when the stgnal waF given from a ship m the offing [that the *president was o-ut] when ateiy slipt or cut her cabfe and pro ceeded to sea, leaving her water casks on shore* How, it will be asked; did> the ship|tfi the offing get the informa tion answer is, that the nearest ship to the Hook gets the information by the papers as above stated ,* and as there is generally a line of ships within signal distance the notice is soon conveyed, by signal, from one to the other. The N- York Gazette of Jan* 24, has the follow ing paragrap : “ The U. S. sloops of war Peacock and Hornet rode out in the bay without damage ; Mr. Funk, the pilot, left them at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, when they were preparing to go to sea / there is no doubt of their having gone outlast eve* ning, as the wind was fresh and fair,* The Spartan went to sea on*Saturday* and must have made a fine run.” NqW* this is just giving the information the nemy wants ; and that paper, with oth ei s, all the Americans who have been pri soners on board the British ships off the Hook, unite in saying, are deity received Ojn board before they are dry. It is a topic of general Conversation* that these things ought not to be inserted in the newspapers* Thbse printers who are really Americans, it is presumed Wtljl take the hint—those who are n,>t sis a-? ny such there be> will follow the e*4 ample, or will identify themselves in the* opinion of the community with the cnc-* FROM TttK Jf .*. ADVERTISER. f / Cofnmodere Deaatur betrayed to the enetyp ? 7V v ’.'• at last. ; It appears from’ our Mew London ,ac? counts, that this gallant officer, after having-been ingloriously blockaded in thqr Thames so long, and escaped so many* 1 attemptsby blue-light traitors, to deliver him to- the slaughter and destruction of a determined ind powerful enemy, bay* at last fallen a ; sacrifice to treachery of the blackest die, and become jl captiver With the vessel under his ak ter a long and fruitless contest with & forcequadruple to his own, With which the? foe thought proper to attack him* In twelve hours after leaving port, it seems, the enetny* although nearly one hundred andfiftymUes distant, received? notice.of. his sailings and. went in pursuit, of their’ prey.. Thus surrounded: by traitors, watched in every step, and> covered imevery movement* our gallant defenders.must have more than mortal prudence or humati'skiU to ensure then* aft opportunity for equal fight, or cbm raoir chance for a successful And the magnanimous enemy* it appears* \ not satisfied with way-laying our fri gato witti three of their ships, sent* a fourths | to secure-Wer capture, and 4 deprive hef* | commander of a chance tb> prove hi** ; skill and bravery in the combat k Yet, we doubt not “ the saucy Presi - dent*’ has been purchased dearly by the* ! foe, notwithstanding'the skulking and* ; perfidious manner in* which they got. her in their clutches. Their silence ot» 1 their own loss is proof of its And we hope to Heaven, sinoe she baa ; thus so basely and infamously been ob tained bythem* that she has proved^ • herself* like Sampson to the Phißistinefc*^ ? more glorious and'dreadful in her fall than she had ever been thought or fear*. •ed in her untried career. The fhmx our officers were doubtless, subject sto the control and inspection of their ? Captors, before they were suffierCtj- tm | come to their friends* And this ac* counts for their nob containing a wotdf of the damage sustained by. She enemy ’ —a damage-which cannot ha long coa~ t cealed, and which wo 1 doubt not is nqm ’ kept 4 from ua only by its magnitude ami l severity* ■ The Endymion and Pomona,; were sent to* Burmuda (probably, not. • without* reason/ with the President # • and there is room to hope, if our se^ren : were* all taken Out of the that she has gone down, to* join th 4 . Guerriere* Java, fcc* &c. in the knpv’ ’ storm which eame on after she actio. -I and proved.so fetal 4©*the Sylph. FROMHAVANNA. “ • *’ • ,<, ■t - *f Z ■f /* :£■’ JJfa “g j ;\ -i'.-r * jfeSkt- By the arrival of the schooner Willi ataHuU, captain Placktedge, we learw ‘VW i ‘*v *!*&■ * rs r"A nt? .w* ;-Jf
