The following R E PO R T was received 111 the
Houle of Reprefematives, on the 15th instant,
from the Secretary of State. •
r pHE Secretary of State to whom was referred by the house of
X Representatives, the letter of John H. Mitchell, reciting cer
tain propofdls for Supplying the United States with copper coinage,
has had the fame under according to iftitru&ions,
and begs leave to report thereon as follows :
The person who wiflnes to undertake the supply of a copper
coinage fcts forth that the superiority of hisapparatus and process
ior coining, enables him to furnifh a coinage, better and cheaper
than can be done by any country or person whatever : that his die?
are engraved by the firft artist in that line in Europe ; that his ap
paratus for striking the edge, at the fame blow with the faces, is
new and singularly ingenious: that he coins by a press on a new
principle, and worked by a fire engine more regularly than can be
done by hand ; that he will deliver any quantity of coin, of any
■fxzc and device, of pure unalloyed copper, wrapped in paper, and
packed in casks, ready for (hipping, at fourteen .pence terling the
pound.
The Secretary of State has before been apprifed,from other sources
of information,of the great improvements made by this undertaker
in sundry arts: he is acquainted with the artist invented the
xnethod ot striking the edge and both faces of the coin at one blow :
he has seen his procef<; and coins, and sent to the former Congrcfs
some specimens of them, with certain offers from him before he
entered into the ferviceof theprefent undertaker (which specimens
he takes the liberty of now submitting to the infpettion of the h • jfe,
as proofs of the superiority of this method of coinage in gold and
silver, as well as copper.)
He is therefore of opinion, that the undertaker, aided by that
artist, and by his own excellent machines, is truly in a condition
to furnifh com in a state of higher perfe£tion than has ever yet
teen ifTued by any nation : that perfettion in the engraving is a
mong the great Safeguards against counterfeits, because engravers
of the fn ft class are few, ana elevated, by their rank in their art,
far above the base and dangerous bufincfs of counterfeiting. That
the perfection of coins will indeed disappear, alter they are for
sometime worn among other pieces, and especially where the figures
are rather faintly relieved as on those of this artist ; yet their high
finifhing while new, is not thelefsa guard against counterfeits;
because these if carried to any extent, must be ushered into cir
culation new also, and consequently may be compared with gen
uine coins in the fame State : that therefore, whenever ihe United
States shall be disposed to have a coin of their own, it will be
delirable to aim at this kind of perfe&ion : that this cannot be
better dfetted than by availing themselves, if poflibleof the Ser
vices of the undertaker and ofthis artist, whose excellent methods
and machines are said to have abridged, as well as perfected the
operations of coinage. These operations, however, and their ex
pence being new and unknown here, he is unable to fay whether
the price proposed be reasonable or not. He is also uncertain
whether, inftcad of the larger copper coin, the Legiflaturc might
wot prefer a lighter one of billon, or mixed metal, as is prattiled
with convenience by several other nations, a fpecimeu of which
kind of coinage is submitted to their infpe&ion.
But the propositions under confederation, suppose that the work
is to be carricd on in a foreign country, and that the implements
ate to remain the property of the undertaker ; which conditions,
in his opinion, render them inadtniftible. for these reasons—
Coinage lis [peculiarly an attribute of sovereignty ; to transfer
its excrcife into another country, is to submit it to another fover
cign.
Its transportation across the Ocean, befidesthe ordinary dangers
of the sea, would expose it to afls of piracy by the crews to whom
it would be confided, as well as by others apprised of its pafldge.
In the time of war it would offer to the enterprizes of an enemy,
What has been emphatically called the sinews of war.
If the war were with the nation within whofc territory the
coinage is, the firft ast of war or reprisal might be to arrest this
operation, with the implements and materials, coined and uncoined,
to be ufr J attheir discretion.
The reputation and principles of the present undertaker are
Safeguards against the abuses oi a coinage carried on in a foreign
country, where no checks could be provided by the proper Sove
jeign, no regulations eftablifhed,oo police, no guard exerciCed ; in
short, none of the numerous cautions hitherto thought eflential at
every mint; but in hands less entitled to confidence, these will be
come dangers. We may be feeured indeed, by proper experi
ments as to the purity of the coin delivered us according to con
trast, but we cannot be Secured against that which, though less
pure, shall be struck in the genuine dye, and protected against the
vigilance of government till it ihall have entered into circulation.
We lose the opportunity of calling in and recoining the clipped
money in circulation, or we double our rilks by a double tran
sportation.
We lose in like .manner, the resource of coining up our houfc
hold plate in the instant of&reat distress.
We lose the means of forming artiftsto continue the works,when
the common accidents of mortality (hall have deprived us of those
who began them.
In fine, the carrying on the coinage in a foreign country, as far
as the Secretary knows, is without example ; and general example
is weighty authority.
He is therefore of opinion on the whole—
That a mint, whenever established* ihould be eftabliihed at
!home : that the fuperioritv, the merit, and means of the underta
ker will suggest him as the proper person to be engaged in the
rftabliftiment andcondudt of a mint, on a Scale, which, relinquiih
ing nothing in the perteftion of the coin, ihould be duly pro
portioned to our purposes.
And in the mean while he is of opinion, the present propoSals
Ihould be declined. THOMAS JEFFERSON.
April 14, 1790.
FRANCE.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
N C E.
ASSEMBLY;.
January 28.
ON Monday, a deputaion from the militia of
the district of St. Rod, gave an account at
the bar, of the proceedings of the corps towards
the uncle and the brother of the two Aga[fes, con
demned to be executed for forging the notes of
Caijfe D'Efcompte.
VVe have already mentioned that M. Agafle,
the uncle, had been elecfted Prelident of the di
llricl, by the generous ardour of his fellow citi
zens, to eradicate theabfurd prejudice which at
tached the infamy of a capital puniihment to the
family of the criminal.
The battalion of St. Honore, in which he was
enrolled, directed their commander to allure him
in the name eft he whole body, that they felt his
affliction as their own ; and that far from consi
dering the crime of his nephews as fixing an in
delible itigma on their family, they from that
moment adopted their relations as brothers, to
whom they vowed friendship, union, alliftance,
and all the sentiments which their virtue me
rited, rendered Hill more interfiling bj thrir
misfortune.
The Brother they promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant of Grenadiers as a mark of their e
fteein and affecftion.
To the relation of tliefe particulars,the Preli
dent replied that they had displayed more firm
nefs and patriotism than the Afiembly, inasmuch
as, in correcting erroneous opinions, example was
superior to law.
It was lately proposed, that the community of
Paris ihould write circular letters, to request all
the Municipalities to unite the several bodies of
militia throughout the kingdom, under the com
mand of the Marquis de la Fayette. This pro
portion the Marquis resisted, with the moderati
on that has uniformly marked his condu<ft. "Let
us wait," said he, " the decilion of the National
Aflembly refpecling the National troops. Destin
ed' as they are for the defence of liberty, let us
take care that the honor of commanding them af
fords no resource or pretext for ambition. As
for me, when this article of our constitution comes
to be agitated, I shall contend, that no citizen
ought to command the National militia of more
than one department."
The Dire<ftors of the Caifle d'Efcompte have
offered sixty thousand livreS to the community of
Paris, for the relief of the poor.
We have received no account of any existing
or expeifted commotion in Paris, or in any other
part of the kingdom. The reports of commoti
ons, circulated here for some days past, may
therefore be considered as entirely destitute of
foundation.
The following are the precise words of the
National decree in favor of the Jews :
" The National Aflembly decrees that the Jews
known in France under name of Portugueze,
Spanish or Avignon JVsws (hall continue to enjoy
all the l ights of adtive citizens, as soon they £hall
have qualified themselves in the manner pre
scribed by the decrees of the Aflembly already
pafled."
This resolution met with great oppolition, but
was carried by a majority of 360 votes against
22J.
On Friday a report was read from the Commit
tee of Finance, proposing the coinage of two mil
lions of marcs of money de Bili.on, (copper
with a final! mixture of silver) —no person to be
obliged to receive more than lixlivresof this mo
ney in one payment.
A report was alforead from the fame Commit
tee, stating the reductions that may be made on
the several heads of public expenditure. It Ha
ted, that the wJiole might be reduced from 287 to
193 millions of livres, allowing 84 millions for
the expence of the army, and 18 for pensions.
1 he Aflembly entered immediately on the pro
posed reductions by fupprcfling tbeeftablifliments
tor breeding horfcs, which coil the public 974,000
livres a year, tended rather to injure than to im
prove the breed of horses.
On Saturday a decree was pafled, ordering the
taxes comprehended under the name ofimpofiti
onsdireft to be levied for the year 1790, accord
ing to the ancient form.
James F. Sebor, and Co.
Have removed from No. 59, to No. 187, Water-Street, near the
Fly-Market,
WHERE they negociate all kinds ofPUBLICX
SECURITIES— BILLS OF EXCHANGE. &c. as usual.
New-York, Aprils, 1790. 'tf.
ADVERTISEMENT.
BY order of the honorable John Slofs Hobart Esquire, one of
the Justices of the Supreme Court of Judicature of the State
ot New-York. Notice is hereby given to Paul Deyrell, now or
late of Long Island, an abfeonding debtor, and to all
others whom it may concern; that upon application and due
proof, made to the said Justice, pursuant to an ast of the legisla
ture, entitled '« an ast for relief against abfeonding and absent
debtors," palled the fourth day of April, j}B6, by a creditor of
the said Paul Deyrell, he the fa.d Justice has directed all his the
said Paul Deyrell's Estate, real and personal, within this State, to
be ftized; and that unless he shall discharge his debts within three
months after the publication of this notice ; all his Estate real and
personal will be fold for the payment and fatisfaftion of his cre
ditors. Dated at the city of New-York, the twenty-seventh day
ot March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
nd ninety. March 31. iaw 3 m
To be SOLD,
For CERTIFICATES, Or exchanged for LAND,
nPWE.VTY-Two acres of ground in the City of New-York
X fronting Great George-Street, Bowry-Lane, and Greenwich-
Lane. On the premises is a brick dwelling house containing ten
rooms; a smaller brick house with four robms; a house with a
brick front with two rooms : In each house is a Kitchen, and un
derthe whole four cellars; a never failing spring is near one of
the kilchens; a frame stable and a coach-house with llables
Fiom the dwelling house both the North and the East rivers are
plain to the view. Additional improvements have been made
this apnng, the ground has been laid out for pleasure as well as
for utility ; it is provided with variety of orchard and other fruit
part of the land has also been sown with timothy and clover'
To be fold for certificates of the national debt, which will be re'
ce.ved at the nominal value, Dollars at 8.. Or for good upland
even it covered with wood, provided it is situated on the follow'
ing rivers,or on creeks as far as navigable,communicating with the
fame, viz At the Potowmac above Alexandria,at James R.ver a
!>? VC i- i mon 1, " Car ° lma ' abouton = hundred milcsfroin
the sea (boie, on Santee Edifto or'Ponpon river or on Savannah
river. If not fold at p, ivate sale befor? the , s th of Mav tw 1,
then on the a trove terms be disposed of by Public Vendue Ir h,
merchants Coffee House.-For further Q f M r
Poeilhitz on the prenufes. A'cto-Yerk Aprdio, 1?go . '
428
January 31
PROPOSALS,
JOHN TRUMBULL
For publishing by subscription, '
TWO PRINTS
from ORIGINAL PICTURES painted by himfell- •'
REPRESENTING
, The DEATH of General WARREN
At the Battle of Bunker's-Hill; and '
Tile DEATH of General MONTGOMERY
In the Attack of Quebec. '
IN the Battle of Bunker's Hill, the following Portraits are intra
duccd, Amiricak. Bmtish.
Major General Wtrrcn, General Sir William Hoar
Putnam, S.r Hcvry Clinu* % %
Lieut. Col, John Sirta!i t
Major PitcairH, and
Lieut. Pitcairn.
In the Attack of Quebec, are fcen,
General Montgomery, Major Macphcrfm,
Colonel Tkompfon, Captain Cheifman'.
CONDITIONS of SUBSCRIPTION.
THE Prints will be engraved by two of the mojl eminent Anil
Europe. The hie will be 30 inches by 20. The price ttfMnfa.
three guineas for each print, one half to be paid at the time oj/Mnim
the remainder on the delivery of the Prints, which will be asfm vft
work (which is already confderably advanced) can pojjibly be ambleui
Subscriptions are received in America, only by Mr. Trumbull. All hi
fcriptm recerfti will befgned by htm, as wellasby Mr. PogglofLn.
don-, under whojc ivcaion the prints are engraving, and. uiUiitrti
hjhed.
These Prints are thefrjl of ajeries, in which it is probe [da rtbrt.
sent the mojl important events of the American revolution.
No period of the hijlory of man is more interring than that it uhiA
we have lived. The memory offcenes in which were laid tie fourM
tion s of that free government, which secures our national and inamU
happiness, mujl remain ever dear to us, and topojlerity ; and j lutmd
pride be in any cafe juflif able, Americans have a right to glory in km"r
given to the world an example, whose influence is rapidly fpreaiin-it
love of freedom through other nations, and every where ameliorate, tk
condition of men.
Toafftji in preserving the memory of the illujlricus event; vMhnc
mar ked thisjberiod of our country's glory, as well as oj the men uhe hut
been the mofl important a3ors in them, is the oijeS of this undcrtikn:
Hiflorians will do juflice to an cera so important; but to be read, tltlnl
guage in which they write, mujl be understood—the language ofPmHi,,
is uniterfal, and intelligible lit all nations, and every age.
As several years of his time, anda very con[idemblc expense, are nectf
fary to accomplish this undertaking, it would be an imprudentJacrifciit
the mere hope of reputation, to go more deeply into it, without a fnbtbi
lity oj ultimate success. That he may judge of the degree of this proba
bility, Mr. Trumbull, by the advice of hisfriends, proposes ihisjiifcrip*
tion, and flatters himfeif with a hope of meeting that patronage from hu
countrymen, which willjuflify his pursuing the object with ardor, mi
without which it is imbojjiblethat so expenfivea workjhould teconlmii.
TJiefubje&s proposed to be reprtfented, in addition to the tuo forego
ing, of Bunker's-Hill and Quebec,are
* The DECLAR ATION
* BATTLE at TRENTON,
* BATTLE of PRINCETON,
SURRENDER of General BURGOYNE,
TREATY with FRANCE,
BATTLE EUTAW SPRINGS,
* SURRENDER <tf YORK-TOWN,
TREATY of PEACE,
EVACUATION of NEW-YORK,
RESIGNATION of General WASHINGTON,
The ARCH at TRENTON:
INAUGURATION of the PRESIDENT of the UNITED
STATES. \}(
Each pi Sure will contain Portraits of the principal charaScrwto
were prejent at the scene reprejented. Those markedwith Stars, an cot
fiderably advanced—and the Prints ft cm the whole will be executed of
fame size, and by the mojl eminent engravers.
New-York, April 2, 1790,
New-York City Lottery.
SCHEME of a LOTTERY, for the purpose of raifingSeven Thru
/and Five Hundred Pounds, agreable to an ACT of the Legjfii
turr of the State of New-York, patTed Bth February, 1790.
SCHEME.
> PRIZE of £-3000 £.3000
2 1000 2000
3 500 150®
10 200 200#
30 ,oo 3000
6° so 25°<»
12d 20 2400
180 , 0 1800
7950 4 3,800
166,54 Blanks, [ 2 5°°° Tickets, at 40s. each, £.50000
Subject to a dedu&ion of Fifteen per Cent.
THE object ofthis LOTTERY being to raise a part oftkefc™
advanced by tlie corporation for repairing and enlarging the Cf-
TY HALL, for the accommodation of CONGRESS, which"®' 5
so muLh honor to the Architect, as well as credit to the city T " c
managers presume that their fellow Citizens will cheerfully con
cur in piomoting thefale of Tickets, especially as the*'™ 0 '
this Lottery will relieve them from a tax, which must othtf v,: "
be laid to reimburse the corporation. , . .
The above SCHEME is calculated in a manner very be* 4 *
ir ven '" urers >'here not being two blanks to a prize.
f,r Lottery is intended to commence drawing on tte
Monday in Aucust next, or sooner if filled, of which tltnt Y
"^ lc f will be given. A lift of the fortunate numbers wilW ?
at the expiration of the drawing. .
ts are to be fold by the fubfenbers, who are appo ,n '
Managers by the Corporation.
Isaac Stoutenburch, Abraham H***" lKC>
PETER T. CURTENIUS, J OH " PtNT AR!> "'
Mew-York, 6th March, 1790. T - ,
William Taylor,
Has for Sale, at his EAST-INDIA GOODS STORE.
No. 4, Bur i.ing-Slip, n o
Aflbrtment of EAST-INDIA GOOD^
Among which are the following Articles:
BOOK Muslins 8-4 6-4 5-4 || HUMHUMS,
Jackonet do. j| Long Cloths,
Hankerchiefs,of various kinds,|| Caflas,
Chintzes, || Seersuckers,
Ginghams, |j Boglaporcs.
and a generous price given for Conti
V" nental, New-Hampshire, Maffachufects, and Rhode-Islam
•ecuritics, of every denomination, by c t
EBENEZER THAYER, jan. No. 59. Watcr-Str" ■
New-Yoik, April 17, 1790.
".wa
ib'.Mi;-
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