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(A*) n GOp ,Qn 11., U 0 CO. > O /'/»>. *2>ouilUuUtU iiSk - wm Jrr ■ " ■ VOL IV. No. 165] 57j, w dollars per annum. ) PUBLISHED BY GEORGE F. RANDOLPH, NORTH BROAD-STREET. f//<?//* in advance. CONDITIONS OF THE COLUMBIAN CENTINEL. 1. THE COLUMBIAN CENTINEL will be published every sat uu day, on a demi paper, of an excellent ([Utility, and on an entire new type, ot which this is a specimen. 2. The terms of subscription will be three dollars per annum, one hall to be paid at the time of subscribing, and the balaiice at the expiration oi the year. 3. No subscription will be received for a less term than six months, and all subscribers papers will be continued from year to year, unless ordered to the reverse at the expiration of the year, or six months. 4. Advertisements will be charged sixty-three cents per square for the first publication, and forty-two for each succeeding, and in the same proportion for those of greater length. The following {lemons have subscrip lion fia/iers in their hands for the accom modation of persons who may {dense to subscribe , and they are duly authorised to receive the same. Ptlersburgh: Capt. J. P. Watkins. Vicna: James Colhoun. Elbert on : Middleton Woods, Esq. Ogle thorp County : Wm. 11. Crawford, Samuel Shields, China Grove , and at the Store of Major Phinizy, Lexington. Washington , Wilkes County: Col. Francis Willis. Maj. Patrick Jack. Green County Maj. Young Gresham, James Xickelson, William Grant. Jackson county Samuel Gardner, Esq. Franklin county : Thomas P. Games, Esq. LTajicock County : Hines Holt, Esq. Doct. William Lee, Eli Harris Worren Comity Capt. Thomas Dent, George Hargraves. Lincoln County John M. Dooley, Esq. Charles Stovall. Columbia : William Ware, Esq. Solomon Marshall, Burke Count]/ William Whitehead, Col. John Whitehead, Col. John Davis, Jefferson County: George R. Clayton, Esq. James Bozeman, Esq. Jplin Bostwick, Esq. Scriven County Reuben Wilkinson. William Oliver, Esq. Major Skinner, Savannah: Seymour, &co .printers, Bacon and Malone, PL In tosh County. George Baillie. - For salK 35 Tracts of Land, LYING in Edgefield, Barnwell, O rangeburg, Abbeville, Union, Green ville and Pendleton district, in this state, containing together about 25 982. For price, terms and further particulars, apply to Me. Le Roy Hammond, Sur veyor at this place, or to the subscri ber. Such of them as may not be dis posed of by private sale, bes re the Ist day of October next, will on the first Monday in December following, be sold to the highest bidder at Edgefield Court-House, by public Auction. In disputable titles will be made to the purchasers and terms made known in due time. CHARLES GOODWIN, Attorney at Law. Town Creek Mills , S. C. } July 5, 1806. 5 j! BLANKS of every description executed at this office, with neatness and dispatch. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. *»t-i mi -qfc., tiwn I '* mrwt »i'« ■ "'Wi' 1 ai m '"avt* .m Ffactional Surveys, FOR SALE. TI 7E the Commissioners appointed VV by the Legislature to sell and dispose of the Fractional Surveys, of the counties, of Wilkinson, Baldwin and Wayne, do hereby give notice that the salt s will commence on Wednes day the 27th of August next, and con tinue from day today, in the following manner, unlii the whole are sold. WILKINSON. Those 6f the first district, on th.a 27th of August next, and continue from day to day, Sundays excepted, until liie 2d of September inclusive. Those of the 2d. district, on the 3d. of September, until the 6th inclusive. Those of the 3d. district, on the Bth of September, until the 10th inclusive. Those of the 4th district, on tlie 1 lih of September, until the 13th in clusive. Those of the sth district, on the 15th of September, until the ! 7tii in clusive. BALDWIN. Those of the iirst district, on the 18th of September, until the 22d inclusive. Those of the 2d district, on the 23d of September, until the 3Cih inclusive. Those of the 3d district, on the Ist of October, until the 4th inclusive. Those of the 4th district, on the 6th of October, until the 9th inclusive. Those of the sth district, on the 10th of October, until the 16th inclu sive. WAYNE. Those of the first district, on the 17th of October, until the 24th in clusive. Tfiose of the 2d district, on the 25t1l of October, until the 27th inclusive. Those of the 3d district, on the 28th of October, until the 3 Ist inclusive. Terras of Sale. Os the purchasers bond, with appro ved personal security, for the amount of purchase money, will he required, in four equal, annual instalments, to be paid in gold or silver; tlie first pay ment to be made, twelve months alter date, in addition to which a mortgage on the premises will he required. Moses Speer , I n Reddick Simms , > § Patrick Jack , ) ? Louisville, June 26, 1806. GEORGIA, Richmond County. AT a meeting of the Honorable the Life rior Court , on Monday the 7th Ju- ! i ly, 1806. Present —John Course, John Willson, John Catlett, Esquires Justices. ON the application of William But ler, stating that he is confined in the custody of the Sheriff, under a bail writ, issued at the suit of Michael and John Conrad, Sc Co. and that he is un able to pay the debt or give bail for the same, and praying the benefit of the act passed for the relief of insolvent debtors. ORDER ED , That the said William Butler notify his creditors either in per son or by giving sixty days notice in the Augusta Chronicle and Columbian Centinel, previous to the first Monday in October next, at which time an ex amination will be had, and a discharge granted, if no cause is shewn to the contrary ; and the Sheriff is hereby commanded to have the body of the said William Butler before us, at 11 o’clock, at the Court-house, on the said first Monday in October next. Taken from the Minutes. MATTHEW FOX, CVk. July 12. 55 " NOTiCIT ALL persons having any demands againstt he estate of Rebecca Smith, late of Columbia county dec. are requested to render them in within the j time allowed by law, and ail persons indebted to the same, to make inunc- i diate payment. Thomas H. Flint , ExV. September 6, 1806. 7 a—ii unit — n- i- in 11 - ■irnunir r-.-iwyi « ■ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1806. resident*:* Secret Mrsaagv. From the Richmond llnquirer. - Deciuft's F.ssaii , concluded from our hint. The Chairman said, “ that he was a 1 - sen sible of the importance of Florida to the Uni - ed States, and as willing to acquire it honora bly a.i any man, but he would never consent to proceed in this way; that the most scrupu lous care had been taken to cover the reputa tion of the administration, while congress were expected to act as it they had no charac ter to lose: that whilst the official language of he executive was consistent and digrineu; while the President warned, us ot the •• deter mination of Spain to advance upon our pos sessions until she should be repressed by an opposing force,” and pronounced ‘ that the protection of our citizens as well as the spirit and honor of our country, rendered the inter position of that force necessary,’ declaring a', the same time “ his determination to pursue the course which the wid m of Congress should prescribe Congress was privily re quired to take upon itstll all the odium of shrin t-rorn U.c »ad,.,i,al honor and nation al defence, and of delivering the public purse to thenrst cut-throat that demanded it. I'roin the official communications, front the lacc ol the record i. would appear that the executive had discharged his duty in recommending man ly and vigorous measures which he had been obliged to abandon, and compelled by Con gress to pursue an opposite course, w hen in fact, Congress itself had been acting all the while at executive instigation.” The chair man further observed, “ that he did not un derstand this double set ot opinions and prin ciples: the one ostensible, to go upon the jour nals and before the public; the other efficient, and the real motives to action: that he held true wisdom and cunning to he utterly incom patible in the conduct of great ailairs; that he had strong objections to the measure in itself; but in the shape in \yh eh it was presented his repugnance to it was insuperable.” And in a subsequent conversation with the Prebi dent himself, in which those oujections were re-capitulated, he declared “ that lie too had a character to support, and principles to main tain, and avowed his determined opposition to rhrf*whofe"l#heme.” The committee now assembled, and instruc ted their chairman to write to the secretary of war for his opinion as to tire force which it would be requisite to raise for the defence of the southern frontier, and requesting, at the same time, to be informed what number ot troops were stationed in that quarter. In his answer, the minister stated tire iorce which the United States had on the Missisippi and its branches, ready to descend the river at a 1 short notice, to be somewhat less than a thou- { sand men: that he had intelligence that Spain . was collecting an army on the frontiers of New-Mexico, and transporting troops from j the Havanna to Pensacola, and that the force j requisite on our part, would depend upon that which would be opposed to us, which he esti mated (vaguely) to be superior to our own. About this period tire news of the sea tight off Trafalgar reached America, the event of which alarming the Spanish ministry for the safety of their YVest-lndia colonies, forbade the weakening of the important post of the Havanna, and suspended the hostile move ments on the part of Spain against the United States. And to this circumstance we have been probably indebted for the undisturbed possession of New-Orleans and its dependen cies. W1 ien the Secretary of War’s letter was j laid before the committee, Mr. Bidwell mov ed the same proposition which the Secretary of tire Treasury had some days before put into the hands of the Chairman, and which lie 1 (Mr. B.) afterwards introduced into the house,* 1 viz. a vote of two millions and a continuance*; of the duties, the proceeds of whidh constitut- | ed the Mediterranean fund. It wa? rented and the chairman directed to draft the report which has been printed with the secret jour nal, and published in ail the news-papers.— The committee saw, in the multiplied aggres sions of Spain, ample cause of war, on the part of a government with which the welfare of its citizens was not paramount to every oth er consideration. But conceiving that the true interests of the American people (which alone it behoved them to consult) required peace, they forebore to recommend offensive mea sures. They believed it to be our policy to reap the neutral harvest, and seize the favor able occasion of extinguishing the public debt, at once the price of our liberties, and the badge of our ancient servitude. So long as this debt ' remains unpaid, we can scarcely be consider ed as a truly independent people. The sense of the committee was, neither to make war, nor purchase peace, but to provide for the de fence of our actual territory, which the high i est authority had announced to have been vio lated and to be menaced with fresh invasion. On this point, they conceive there could be but one sentiment, whatever difference of opinion might exist as to the wisdom of pledg- j ing the nation to protect its flag in remote j seas, or its ability to afford such protection.— i j A poor attempt lias been made to reproach | | the committee with a want of reliance on the • i militia, and a preference for the standing ar- j j my. When it is considered that all the pro- | . tection then and since extended to the country , ! in question consists of regular troops and that i j the nearest states from which the militia could j I)C marched f»>r it-., defence, ore • <qutiated from it li , mat \ hundred mil* <d irrmeiiine, Indian country (not to mention tr the es tates themselves are amongst tlte weakest in the union) the incow.pe nicy of ti e militia to the ten ice in question, and the futilitt cf the objection, must become manifest 10 ail. Be sides, the President had no occasion to apply to congress tot power to call out the militia to repel invasion, that force being, under such circumstances, already at his disposal; and it is wor’hy of remark, that the far greater num ber of these v\ s ulci he parii/ans ot the militia, refused to ad< pt the measuies recommended bv the executive (or indeed any oh or) for giving efticient operation to that great consti tutional defence. The report of the committee, a! hough in strict unison with the official recommendation of the Executive, was rejected by 72 to 58 votes ; and the proposition to appropriate dollars For the purpose of defraying any extraordinary expences of foreign intercourse, which had been previously laid cn the table l>v a member cf that committee, before their te port w as made to the house, was immediate ly taken up. r I lie avow ed object i f this mea sure w as to enable the pie ident to open a ne gotiation for the purcha e t.f Floi Ida A mo tion was then made by iV.r. J. Randolph to confine the appr< priation to that object, and agreed to yeas Tt, nays 58. Another motion was made by the tame gentleman to render the debt which was proposed tube incurred* redeemable at the pleasure of the United States. This was earned without a division. But afterwards when the bill was brought in, the house rescinded its vote for a specific np propriat i >n, and the money was left applica ble at the discretion of the Executive, to any extraordinary purpose ol foreign intercourse whatsoever. Air. ,1 Randolph also moved to limit the amount w hich the government might stipulate to pay for the territory in question j upon the ground, that if Congress were dis posed to acquire Florida by purchase, they should fix the extent to which the\ were will ing to go, at.d thereby furnish our ministers f with a safeguard against the rapacity of Fi ance ; that there was no probability of our obtaining the c untry for less but every rea son to believe, t.tat, without -uch a precau j tion on our .part, she would extort nn re.— I This motion was overruled. When the bill | came under discussion, various objections wcac i urged auainst it by the same gentleman : ; Among others that it was in direct opposition to the views <>l the Extcut've, as expressed in the official con municaiion, (it was on .his oc casion that General Varnum declared the mea sure to be consonant to the sectet withes of the executive, J that it was a prostration of the na tional honor at the first of our adversary : that J a concession so humilatiug would paralyse our i eflorts against Great-Britain, in case the r.ego | ciation then and now pending between that government and curs should prove abortive : that a partial appropriation tr,wards the pur chase ol Florida without bunting the presi dent to some specific amount, would give a > previous sanction to any expence which be j might incur lor that object, and which Con | gress would stand pledged to make good: that it the executive, acting entirely upon its own responsibility, a: d exercising its acknowledg ed constitutional powers, should negotiate for the purchase of Florida, the House of Repre i sentatives w>ould in that case, be left fiee to ! ratify or annul the contract : but that the course which was proposed to be pursued, (and which eventually was pursued) would reduce the discretion of the legislature to a mere sha dow : that at its ensuing session, Congress' would find itself, in relation to this subject, a deliberative body but in name: that it could i not, without a manifest direliction of its own j principles, and perhaps without a violation of j public faith, refuse to sanction any treaty en ■ | tered into by the Executive under the auspice s j of the legislature, and with powers so unj'mit cd : that, however great his confidence in the j chief magistrate, he would never, consent to' j give any president so dangerous a proof of it : j that his duties as a member of that house, as | the independent representa ive of an indepen dent people, were paramount to every other consideration ; and that he would never pre clude himself, by anv previous sanction, from the unbiassed exercise of his judgment on mea sures which thereafter were to come before him : that the house had no official recommen dation from the Executive for the step w hich they proposed to take, on the contrary, it was in direct opposition to its sentiments as ex pressed in the confidential message, that the responsibility would be exclusively their own : that if the president deemed it advisable t>> ' purchase foreign territory, he - ns free to en ter into stipulations; ot that if he thought proper to ask for an appropriation for that ob ject, the responsibility of the measure wouhi rest upon him : but when the legislature un dertook “ to prescribe the cew.v.e which he should pursue, arid which he had pledged hiv self to pur sue," the case was entirely changed : that that house could have no channel through v. hich it could be. made acquainted with the opinions of i the executive, but such as was official, respon j sible, and known to the constitution ; and that j it was a prostitution of its h’gh and solemn i functions to act upon an unconstitutional sug i gestion of the private wishes f the Executive, i irresponsibly announced by an iiresponsible in | dividual, ’land in direct hostility to his avowed opinions. | To every objection, the •'Louisiana prece • dent," :.s it was tailed, formed the only m>